Faith In The Power Of God
SERMON SERIES: LESSONS FROM FIRST CORINTHIANS 1 - 4
SERMON FOUR: FAITH IN THE POWER OF GOD
SERMON TEXT: 1 CORINTHIAN 2:1-5
SERMON INTRODUCTION
A. One of the main reasons cults have such an impact on the world is their unity.
B. Many Christian church have split because of serious quarreling (this has been a problem since the early church)
C. What makes disunity in the church so tragic is the position that the church has before God because of Christ (see 1 Cor. 1:2-9)
D. The church can be bless with the blessings of its position in Christ and still be a weak, ineffective, and powerless church!!!
SERMON LESSON
A. Proposition: In order to have unity in the church, our dependency must rest in the power of God, not human self-sufficiency.
B. Interrogative: How can we make our dependency rest in the power of God?
C. Transition: From Paul example of ministry we can gleem 5 major PREREQUISITES that will our dependency rest in the power of God and so generate unity in our church.
SERMON OUTLINE
I. PREREQUISITE #1: THE METHODS OF OUR CHURCH MUST NOT BE BASED ON HUMAN REASONSING. 1COR.2: 1
A. The Example of Paul's Ministry
1. Paul claimed that when he came to the Corinthians, he did not come with excellence of speech (i.e., he did not use fancy human rhetoric to impress them)
2. Paul claimed that when he came to the Corinthians, he did not come with wisdom (i.e., he did not us human reason or logic to impress them).
3. Paul declared the testimony of God simply, clearly, and truthful.
B. The Application for Us Today
1. In order for us to have unity, the methods of our church must not be for the purpose of impressing people in an attempt to win members and money.
2. The methods of the ministry of our church do not need to follow Hollywood, Madison Avenue, or Wall Street.
II. PREREQUISITE #2: THE MESSAGE OF OUR CHURCH MUST NOT BE BASED ON HUMAN OPINIONS 1 COR. 2:2
A. The Example of Paul's Ministry
1. Paul determined not to know anything among the Corinthians except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
2. Paul was not interested in preaching Greek philosophy
3. Paul wanted to preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified
a. This included a presentation of who Christ is (both His deity and humanity, and Messiahship)
b. This included a presentation of what Christ did (His sacrificial death on the cross for sin and His resurrection and ascension into heaven)
c. This included a presentation of the significance of what Christ did (His vicarious, redemptive, propitiatory, efficacious, sacrifice that brings justification, regeneration, sanctification, reconciliation, and glorification)
B. The Application for Us Today
1. Who Christ is and what Christ has done must be the focus of our message.
2. Science, medicine, technology, history, ect., is all fine and good, but for the ministry of the church, the message is Jesus Christ and Him crucified! !
III. PREREQUISITE #3: THE MANNERS OF OUR CHURCH MUST NOT BE BASED ON HUMAN SUFFICIENCY 1 COR. 2: 3
A. The Example of Paul's Ministry
1. Paul states that he was with the Corinthians in weakness, fear, and in much trembling.
2. Some believe that Paul was admitting his own inner fears in light of his concern for personal and physical safety while he preached.
3. Other believe that Paul was pointing out his acknowledgement of his own human insufficiency in light of the physical and emotional task and the the awesome responsibility to preach
4. Acts 18:1-11 does give the idea that Paul may have been concerned over the trouble his preaching caused, that is why the Lord encouraged Paul in a vision to continue preaching and not be afraid.
B. The Application for Us Today
1. We cannot be afraid to speak about the wonder things of the Lord.
2. We must also acknowledge that the work of the ministry of the church does not depend on human sufficiency to succeed.
IV. PREREQUISITE #4: THE MEANS OF OUR CHURCH MUST NOT BE BASED ON HUMAN INFLUENCE 1 COR. 2: 4
A. The Example of Paul's Ministry
1. Paul claims to the Corinthians that his speech (i.e., how he spoke) and his preaching (i.e., what he said) was not with enticing words of man's wisdom (i.e., based on rational and emotional appeals devoid of biblical content) .
2. Paul's claims to the Corinthians that his speech (i.e., how he spoke) and his preaching (i.e., what he said) was in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.
a. Paul's speech and preaching was in demonstration of the Spirit
1.) This does not means that Paul did any miracles to prove that what he was saying was the truth.
2.) This means that how Paul spoke and what Paul said was controlled by the Holy Spirit who enabled him to say what had to be said.
b. Paul's speech and preaching was in demonstration of power i.e., his preaching, controlled by the Spirit, was used by the Spirit to change lives (from sin and idolatry to serve the true and living God) .
B. The Application for Us Today
1. The purpose of our church must not be to influence people rational and emotional tricks and gimmicks.
2. The purpose of our church must be one that depends on the Spirit of God to say what has to be said to ourselves and a sinful lost world.
3. The purpose of our church must be in changed lives
V. PREREQUISITE #5: THE MOTIVE OF OUR CHURCH MUST NOT BE BASED ON HUMAN ADENDAS 1 COR.2 : 5
A. The Example of Paul's Ministry
1. Paul's purpose for his speech and preaching was so that his converts' faith would not be in the wisdom of men (including his own), i.e., he did not want them to trust in human wis dom to produce the experience of a spiritually changed life.
2. Paul's purpose for his speech and preaching was so that his converts' faith would be in the power of God, i.e., he wanted them to trust in the ability and enablement of God to produce the experience of a spiritually changed life.
B. The Application for Us Today
1. Programs and building do not change lives, God does through His Spirit!!!!!!!!!!!!
2. Plans, goals, objective, projections, ect., may be well and good, but it is God who changes lives!!!!
3. We must not lose sight of God's ability and enablement.
SERMON RESPONSE: ARE YOU WILLING TO ALLOW THE LORD TO MAKE YOUR MORE
DEPENDENT ON HIS POWER IN YOUR LIFE AND IN YOUR CHURCH???