Sermon Tone Analysis

We are 3/4 of the way through an ancient letter from the Apostle Paul to the Church in Corinth.

This Church was a beautiful mess.

They were people who Jesus died for and made holy, but some of them sure weren’t acting like it.

I saw a church sign that kind of encapsulated what the Church of Corinth was like.

It said, “WE LOVE HURTING PEOPLE” - Hmmm…does that mean (SLOW) “We LOVE HURTING PEOPLE” or {(AST) “We love hurting people.”

Some from the Corinthian Church seemed to have (FAST) loved hurting people.

As we have already seen in this study....

Some of the Corinthians were picking sides over which pastor they liked better (Paul, Apollos, Cephas) - as if these guys were really trying to compete rather than work together for the Kingdom.

They had people claiming Christ who were living in sexual sin while many in the church acting like that was okay, rather than confronting, correcting, and restoring them.

Some Christians in Corinth were taking other Christians to court rather than asking spiritual leaders for help to resolve the relational strain.

Many were more concerned with their own FREEDOMS than the FAITH of younger believers.

And some were even getting drunk at the Lord’s Supper, while others refused to wait on others for the meal but jumped in and got the best food first.

They were suppose to (SLOW) LOVE HURTING PEOPLE, but many of them proved to (FAST) love hurting people.

And that’s SAD because...

...the Christian life is all about relationships - how we love God and how we love people - and that includes how we treat our family, our faith family, and our non-Christian friends & acquaintances.

Today we are reminded how we are to interact with these precious people because…it’s all about relationships.

Paul comes back to the Corinthian quote noted back in 1 Cor 6:12.

1 Corinthians 6:12 (CSB)

“Everything is permissible for me,” but not everything is beneficial.

“Everything is permissible for me,” but I will not be mastered by anything.

Paul notes that while we might have the freedom to do whatever we want to do, that doesn’t mean everything we choose will be beneficial for us.

In fact, living in this sort of ‘freedom’ can actually lead to slavery - slavery to sin.

The follower of Jesus should not be mastered by anything except Jesus Christ.

For Christians, freedom does not mean anarchy, but responsibility.

Now Paul comes back to this same Corinthian quote and says...

1 Corinthians 10:23–24 (CSB)

“Everything is permissible,” but not everything is beneficial.

“Everything is permissible,” but not everything builds up.

No one is to seek his own good, but the good of the other person.

Are we people who seek the good of others?

That’s what LOVE does.

That’s how we love our family, friends, and even enemies - we have their best interest in mind - and we seek their good.

We are to be known as those who build up others instead building up ourselves.

Or, are we following our culture’s claim that “I can do whatever I want…and you shouldn’t say I can’t.”

- that everything is permissible.

We have already seen that some Corinthian Christians were choosing their FREEDOM even if it meant damaging a younger believer’s FAITH.

Now Paul comes back to that issue.

1 Corinthians 10:25–26 (CSB)

Eat everything that is sold in the meat market, without raising questions for the sake of conscience, since the earth is the Lord’s, and all that is in it.

[Ps 24:1]

I hear many Christians who act like the devil is charge of everything.

And it’s true that the Scriptures DO refer to the devil as the “god of this world” (2 Cor 4:4 ESV, NAS, KJV), or better translated “god of this age” (CSB, NET, NIV, NKJV), and the “ruler of this world” (Jn 12:31, 14:30, 16:11; Eph 2:2).

But..What does that mean?

Satan has authority over this evil age & those who live in worldly disobedience to the King of Creation.

But the earth does not belong to the devil - it belongs to our Creator - our One True God.

All the people, animals, and plants that exist does so because the earth is the Lord’s, and all that is in it.

I am reminded of the old hymn “This is My Father’s World”

This is my Father's world,

And to my listening ears

All nature sings, and round me rings

The music of the spheres.

This is my Father's world:

I rest me in the thought

Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas--

His hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father's world:

The birds their carols raise,

The morning light, the lily white,

Declare their Maker's praise.

This is my Father's world:

He shines in all that's fair;

In the rustling grass I hear Him pass,

He speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father's world:

O let me ne'er forget

That though the wrong seems oft so strong,

God is the Ruler yet.

This is my Father's world:

Why should my heart be sad?

The Lord is King: let the heavens ring!

God reigns; let earth be glad!

And, Paul agrees & reasons, that the earth is the Lord’s, and all that is in it, so you can eat whatever food you want - it doesn’t belong to false gods, it belongs to the One True God!

With that groundwork laid, Paul helps Christians see what should happen when a mature Christian is put in a pickle.

For example...

1 Corinthians 10:27–28 (CSB)

If any of the unbelievers invites you over and you want to go, eat everything that is set before you, without raising questions for the sake of conscience.

But if someone says to you, “This is food from a sacrifice,” do not eat it, out of consideration for the one who told you, and for the sake of conscience.

If someone tells you this food is from a sacrifice, then it is likely a concern for them, and even though it isn't’ a concern for you - because all food is given by God - you should not eat it out of consideration for the other person’s conscience.

As we have said before, we should value our brother/sister’s FAITH over our personal FREEDOM.

Then Paul answers the questions that many might ask - WHY should MY freedom be constrained because of another person’s conscience?

1 Corinthians 10:29-30 (CSB) I do not mean your own conscience, but the other person’s.

For why is my freedom judged by another person’s conscience?

If I partake with thanksgiving, why am I criticized because of something for which I give thanks?

That’s a good question - why am I judged when I’m not disobeying the Scriptures, when my conscience is clear, and when I am even giving God thanks for the food or drink He has provided?

What’s the answer to THAT?

It’s all about relationships - our relationship to God, our relationships to other Christians, and our relationships to non-Christians.

1 Corinthians 10:31–11:1 (CSB)

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.

Give no offense to Jews or Greeks or the church of God, just as I also try to please everyone in everything, not seeking my own benefit, but the benefit of many, so that they may be saved.

Imitate me, as I also imitate Christ.

First, our desire should be to do everything for the glory of God, in all things.

Second, our desire should be to give no offense to lost people (Jews or Greeks) - nor to fellow followers of Jesus (the church of God).

Instead, we should try to please everyone in everything.

This DOESN’T mean that we dilute the truth or dodge confrontation when necessary.

If this were the case, then we wouldn’t share the Gospel message at all, since it confronts people with their sin and need for a Savior.

In fact, Paul’s whole point is for Christians make the maximum impact on others by being gentle, kind, servants who sacrifice their own freedoms so that others may be saved.

This is what Paul has done and what he challenges Christians to imitate.

Are YOU and I imitating Paul’s example in doing everything for the glory of God?

Are WE doing our best to be in right relationship with Christian borthers/sisters?

Are WE genuinely serving, patiently loving, and consistently sharing with others - so that they may be saved?