Wednesday, February 29, 2012

So Let Us Glorify God in Our Bodies

 

God's People Must Be United and Growing in Holiness

1 Corinthians 6:12-20[1]

As preached at Rolling Hills Church on Sunday, February 26th, 2012 

So far in 1 Corinthians Paul has addressed arrogance, divisiveness, love for man's wisdom over God's, ignoring gross sin in the church, and lawsuits. Yes, this is a lovely bunch of people! They were saved by God's grace, but they desired to still live like the ungodly Corinthian people around them.

Today we follow the text into the subject of sexual immorality. In Acts 15 the apostles, elders, and the church in Jerusalem considered what from the Old Covenant under Moses needed to be moved forward into the New Covenant under Christ; these are what they came up with…

Acts 15:28-29 For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell."

It was actually Paul and Barnabas arguing for their freedom from some of the additional requirements Jewish believers desired to lay on the Gentiles, mainly circumcision. So it was Paul the 'freedom fighter' who wrote these words to one of the churches he had gone to Jerusalem to fight for…

12 "All things are lawful for me," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful for me," but I will not be enslaved by anything.

13 "Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food"--and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.

14 And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power.

15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never!

16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, "The two will become one flesh."

17 But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.

18 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.

19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,

20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. Let's pray to our God...

Message: God plan for sexuality hasn't changed from the beginning; it is a good and wise plan. So let us glorify God in our bodies. Sexual purity is attainable, church!

Let's first consider the apostle's approach to the issue he's addressing. Paul attacks their justification, repeatedly asks that piercing question, and gives three commands.

Justifying sexual immorality. "All things are lawful for me" probably was a slogan Paul had heard the Corinthians were using to justify their sinful behavior, as well as, "Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food". Evidently some of the Corinthians were still going to the temples and having sex with idolatrous prostitutes.

Piercing questions:

Do you not know? The body is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord; and the Lord is for the body.

Do you not know? That your bodies are members of Christ? Should I make the members of Christ to join with a prostitute? NEVER! The two become one flesh.

Do you not know? Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?

Three Commands:

Do not join the members of Christ with a prostitute. It is implied, and strongly so.
Why: You become one body with those with whom you have sexual union. There is a bond that is beyond physical, but it is physical. C.S. Lewis stated in his book The Screwtape Letters that "each time a man and woman enter into a sexual relationship a spiritual bond is established between them that must be eternally enjoyed, or eternally endured."[2]

Flee sexual immorality. It is because you sin against your own body when you have sexual union outside of marriage. Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit.

Glorify God in your body. Because you are not your own, so the unions you initiate need to glorify God, who has purchased your body as a temple with the blood of His own son!

Why stay sexually pure and holy? Paul gives or implies six reasons

1.     Because freedom in Christ is freedom FROM sin, and not freedom TO sin. Freedom was never given as a weapon to destroy God's people and those around them; it was given to remove unnecessary burdens and terrible consequences.

2.     Because the body was made for sexual fulfillment but not for sexual immorality. Sound contradictory? It is not. God gave us these wonderful desires because He designed the fulfillment to be extraordinary, as it is; but only for one man and one woman for life.

3.     Because your body is for the Lord. Your body is to be used for your spiritual union with Christ, and as a temple of the Holy Spirit; immorality, which He despises, terribly contradicts this union. All sin is incompatible with unity with Christ; but sexual immorality is particularly grievous to the union. There is a spiritual and emotional bond with your sexual partner, like it or not. God says two become "one flesh". The spiritual element makes it a sin against your own body and against the Lord.

4.     Because it is a sin against your own body. We know that sexual union is beyond just a physical union; thus the consequences go beyond just the physical aspect of it. This is why we use the terms like rape and violation instead of 'foul'. It is beautiful, private, and a holy thing; therefore when one is sexually violated, it is terribly personal and painful.

5.     Because your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. No buildings; He dwells in us. We literally do not GO to church, but we ARE the church. Christ in us, the hope of glory.

6.     Because you were bought with a price. The worth of something is established by what someone is willing to pay for that item. God paid a high price for us! God gave His only begotten Son, the price being His very blood! Charles Spurgeon wrote these words… According to some, the allusion of price here is like the dowry that was paid by a husband for his wife in ancient days. According to the Rabbis there were three ways by which a woman became the wife of a man, and one of these was by the payment of a dowry. This was always held good in Jewish law; the woman was not her own from the moment when the husband had paid to her father or natural guardian the stipulated price for her. Now, at this day, you and I rejoice that Jesus Christ has espoused us unto himself in righteousness or ever the earth was; we rejoice in that language which he uses by the prophet Hosea, "I will betroth thee unto me for ever;" but here is our comfort, the dowry money has been paid, Christ has redeemed us unto himself, and Christ's we are, Christ's for ever and ever.[3]

You are not your own; you were both made by God and redeemed by God through the death of His Son on that wretched cross. Now I said that sexual purity is attainable here and now in this culture. If that is true…

So How Do We Stay Pure in an Impure Society?

You have to think biblically about sexuality (Prov 5:1, 7:1-5). There is wisdom - that sex is beautiful, satisfying, and unifying. It is also fruitful, bearing children. It is meant to be unleashed only in faithful, monogamous, heterosexual marriage. There is also folly - that sex is simply incredible physical activity with no emotional or spiritual union issues, not prudishly limited to marriage. Consider the outcome of both – look around you! Where would the family be if the ideals of marital purity and devotion were still high in our culture? If even 80% of people stayed virgins until marriage and stayed faithful after marriage, just think of how life would be different for us. God is wise. Let us consider His wisdom and live accordingly. Get God's wisdom in your mind; seek it diligently, hide it away, like mining for silver (Prov 2).

You have to flee from sexual temptation. (Prov 5:1-14, 7:7-8). Put up the white flag and run; you will NOT win. Don't get close, don't flirt, compromise, don't look, don't listen, and walk a different path. Don't go near it, don't think you're OK this time, and don't even let yourself be caught talking about it. The very body you are trying to protect and use to glorify God will betray you if you do. The devil is a deceiver; he is the salesman who talks you into buying his lie, then he becomes the snitch to accuses you and sneers while you suffer the consequences of your choice. If you are going to stay away from sexual temptation, you are going to have to be wise in how you choose friends, and ladies – be intentional in dressing modestly, so as not to provoke your brothers to lust.

You have to get married and stay faithful to meet each other's needs (Prov 5:15-20). God did give you this desire, and at a relatively early age. Why wait and marry at a later age? Will you listen to what this society tells you about marriage, or what God tells you about marriage?

God plan for sexuality hasn't changed from the beginning; it is a good and wise plan. So let us glorify God in our bodies. Sexual purity is attainable, church!

Now before I close, I want to direct our attention back to verses 9-11, which preface this portion of the letter…

9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,

10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Folks, do not water verses 9-10 down at all; let the terrible weight of such a warning sink in to our souls. For only then can we fully absorb the beauty of the message in verse 11!

You are God's. Why? Because a price has been paid for you.

Church family and friends among us, that priceless blood that paid your ransom in full also cleanses your guilt in full. If you have fought and lost, today is a good day to receive forgiveness from Christ and seek His power to start new today. There is grace, there is washing, and there is hope and a new start! Some have called this, "A Secondary Virginity". If you've failed to live by His wisdom in any way, you can begin fresh and clean today, and seek His wisdom, walk in His way. It is the narrow gate, but it leads to eternal life.

If you are here and you do NOT know Christ, you have NOT been called to believe in and follow Him, let me plead with you in love to consider the good grace of God as well as the right justice of God; though He is right to punish all sinners eternally for all sin, He has sent His Son to provide a "way of escape" from such fearful wrath; there on the cross He made a way for all who would turn from sin to God in faith.



[1] All Scriptures, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (via E-Sword Software) © 2001 Crossway Publishing. All Rights Reserved. I paste them in red for distinction.

[2] Lewis quote found in found in The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: 1 Corinthians, by John F. MacArthur. Copyright © 1984 by The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago. Published by Moody Press, Chicago. All Rights Reserved.

 

[3] From an excellent article read at http://blogs.blueletterbible.org/

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

We'll Be The Judge of That

God's People Must Be United and Growing in Holiness

1 Corinthians 6:1-11[1]

As preached at Rolling Hills Church on Sunday, February 19th, 2012

1 When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints?

2 Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases?

3 Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life!

4 So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church?

5 I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers,

6 but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers?

7 To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?

8 But you yourselves wrong and defraud--even your own brothers!

9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,

10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

When it comes to trivial disputes and cases among the believers, here is the message: "We'll Be the Judge of That".

Setting/Background: Different approaches to 'trivial cases': In Jewish sub-culture, they took care of their own legal issues at the synagogue and Sanhedrin (in Jerusalem) if it escalated; they had the right from Rome to deal with everything except dealing out the death penalty. This is why they brought our Lord to Pilate; they needed Rome to sign off on putting Him to death. So it was more private, local, and more of a family-type affair.

Not so much in the Greco-Roman (Athens, no records of Corinth) world. Litigation had three levels; it was a part of everyday life and considered entertainment! One writer observed, "Every Athenian is a lawyer." Step one was private arbitration, where the defendants would each be assigned a disinterested citizen, then a neutral mediator would listen to both and settle the matter. If one pressed further, the next court could have 40 jurors, and each party would be assigned a public arbitrator. If they failed to resolve the case, it went to Jury Court (the third level), where the jury could be made up of anywhere from several hundred to several thousand jurors. Every citizen would be involved at some level if they lived an average lifespan[2]. As you can see here, Paul was trying to help this young church operate closer to the Synagogue model than the Greek model. It fit the church better as a disdained sub-culture, and allowed the church to present a loving, unified front to a lost world.

The tone of this passage: Paul is pushing here. His rhetorical questions are built to shame these folks into seeing the folly of what they were doing. He asks, "Do you not know!?" sarcastically three times; in these 11 verses Paul throws 9 questions at them. You read it a few times and you get the feel that Paul wants to say, very loudly to these believers…

 

"WHAT in the WORLD do you THINK you are DOING!?"

 

Their public litigation against each exposed at least three things about this church that Paul attacked with his line of questioning…

 

They despised their church family. 4 So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church? 5 I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers,

The church was quite capable of judging minor issues. This is some lofty stuff assigned to the believing Corinthians here!

We're going to judge the world. What!? Well, consider what Daniel 7:22 and Revelation 3:21 show saints sitting in authority over the world; Jesus promised His disciples that they would sit on twelve thrones judging Israel (Matt 19:28).

We're going to judge angels. This isn't clear in Scripture; either fallen angels (along side Christ), or judge in the sense of 'rule over' angels, which it seems we will do, co-reigning with Christ.

We have wisdom among us already. We are apparently going to judge the world with Christ (Daniel 7:22, Revelation 3:21). Jesus did promise His disciples that they would sit on twelve thrones judging Israel (Matt 19:28).

The law of God in Exodus – Deuteronomy, Proverbs, the Prophets, the narratives of the Kings – we have much wisdom available to us, church. That's not even mentioning the New Testament! As it was in Corinth I daresay it is today; we are much more qualified and capable than we think. If you needed to get something done, somebody in this church could help you do it. If you needed insight, skills, strength, experience, or wisdom – you could find it here, folks. Their church was very capable of making such judgments; let me say to you that this church is too. Question is – do we think that only legal specialists could determine what is right and wrong? What value do you assign to the wisdom of God?

They disdained Christ's name among unbelievers. 5 I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, 6 but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers? It was embarrassing to Paul, I'm certain, when these who were supposed to be one in Him would be suing each other in public courts (before unbelievers, the unrighteous). He was ashamed, and he was shocked that they weren't ashamed of such behavior! When brothers and sisters sue each other in public courts, what does that say about the command to love one another? Why are we told to do that? Let Jesus answer that for us… John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." So they despised their church family, disdained Christ's name among unbelievers, and finally…

They were deficient and immature in character. 7 To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? 8 But you yourselves wrong and defraud--even your own brothers!

Such selfishness speaks of a very baby Christian learning to walk and falling a lot, or else – it actually brings their salvation into question: when you live like the unrighteous around you, who can be assured that you have been made righteous? When you live in selfish sin, who can vouch for you that your sins have been washed away? Are you who are supposed to be humble and grateful so set on getting all your rights and grabbing all you can while you're here? What does that say about your eternal hope? This is just STUFF, and you would hurt people for it – brothers in Christ? Phil 3:18-19 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.

So along with the strong reproof against these actions, Paul wants this church to have a strong reminder that we are called OUT of such ungodly behavior, and to continue in it brings the salvation of the so-called brother into question.

Here is what the Apostle wanted these disobedient, immature believers to feel: shame. He is whipping them (verbally) in order to bring a sorrow that would lead to true repentance.

6:5 I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, And later on…

15:34 Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.

So let me get this straight. Is Paul telling this church NOT to sue each other over trivial cases? Yes. OK, so now… Does that mean that WE should not sue each other over trivial cases? YES; we should not. We have, just as they had, ample wisdom and capability among us to settle such issues. When they come up, we need to have this mind set… "We Will Be the Judge of That." No we can't judge one's eternal destiny; we can't judge one's motives. But we are quite able to arbitrate loan/money issues, rent, clothing, small claims, etc. We don't have to offer to saw the child in two every time; sometimes people just need a wise, gracious brother or sister to help them settle a difference.

So he offers this final warning to this bunch to grow up, or acknowledge this; unrighteous people won't be in heaven, regardless of their self-designation as a believer. Vs 9-11…

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. Folks, be reminded; Paul meant exactly what He said. These are things we are saved FROM, not saved with a license to continue IN. There is a wrong way to live and there is a right way to live; God determines which is which, and He has given us that determination. We are called to repent of such, not to justify it as acceptable before God because it is acceptable before our fellow (but lost) man.



[1] All Scriptures, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (via E-Sword Software) © 2001 Crossway Publishing. All Rights Reserved. I paste them in red for distinction.

[2] Insight on Athenian courts found in The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: 1 Corinthians, by John F. MacArthur. Copyright © 1984 by The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago. Published by Moody Press, Chicago. All Rights Reserved. 

Purge the Evil Person From Among You

God's People Must Be United and Growing in Holiness

1 Corinthians 5[1] 

As preached at Rolling Hills Church on Sunday, February 12th, 2012

Three issues are addressed in chapters 5 and 6; holiness in the church, lawsuits among church members, and sexual immorality. Today we'll cover chapter five.

1 Corinthians 5:1-13

1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father's wife.

2 And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.

3 For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing.

4 When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus,

5 you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.

6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?

7 Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

8 Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people--

10 not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world.

11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler--not even to eat with such a one.

12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge?

13 God judges those outside. "Purge the evil person from among you."

Do we have the authority, love, fear, and courage to judge rightly in order to maintain holiness?

Let us pray.

There's a problem in the church. Sexual immorality.

There's a bigger problem in the church. Arrogantly boasting of tolerating this sin.

There's a solution to the problem. The solution to the problem must be applied, and applied now.

There's a reason we remove sin from the church.

Same reason doctors take a cancerous tumor out of a woman's breast, and if necessary, remove the breast.

Same reason you ask doctors to remove toes, feet, even your leg if you have gangrene.

Same reason you would want the bullet removed from your body if you've been shot.

Because if it is left there, it will kill you. It brings death. It infects and destroys all that it touches. Yes it hurts, but it is right and it is necessary to live.

Sometimes discipline must be sudden and severe. Christ provided a process for the church to live by in Matthew 18; four steps; but at times in the New Testament the last step of ex-communication is the only step called for because of the severity of the sin or the danger to the church (here, 1 Tim 1:20, Alexander and Hymenaus).

What is required to remove sin from the church: In order to obey and honor Christ as the local church, the following are required:

Authority. There must be a standard by which to live; God has given us this.

Love. You have to love someone enough to act for his or her own good. Hebrews 12:6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives. The great desire is for repentance and restoration; regardless, the church must be kept holy.

 Fear. You must fear God enough to obey Him. You must believe He will keep His Word. It is His church, His standard; we don't make the rules, we apply them.

Courage. You must NOT fear man's response enough to ignore God's command.

Then…

Judgment is rightly applied. You must take God's standard and apply it to your own life and your church. To judge the man as sinful and remove Him. Sound arrogant? Actually that is backward thinking. To NOT judge the man as sinful and remove him was arrogant. To judge the man and remove him was humble obedience to Christ because He is loved and respected THUS HONORED AND OBEYED more than man.

Holiness is maintained. You must understand influence, and that evil influence can't be allowed to grow.

Why would we not?

Unbelief: we don't believe God's Word is from God and that Christ is our authority.

Our own sin: We refuse to address someone else's sin because of what we do! "Who am I to judge?" I'm not better than him, to judge or criticize.

Fear of man's response. What will the community think? What will we do if he sues us? We better not do this, or it could cost us. Paul says the leaven will cost you more.

Misunderstanding of love or of grace. You think it is loving to accept those who are 'different' or 'not there yet'. Some think they are showing grace by tolerating sin. Let's listen to what our Lord has t say about this…

Revelation 2:20-23 

But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works.

So you apply the solution, to the problem, which is the command: Purge the evil person from among you.

You repent of what allowed this to grow in the first place; arrogance, disobedience.

Are we willing to face the problem of sin in the church?

Are we willing to face the problem of sin in our own lives!?

So I come back to this question as I close this message: do we have the authority, love, fear, and courage to judge rightly in order to maintain holiness?

 



[1] All Scriptures, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (via E-Sword Software) © 2001 Crossway Publishing. All Rights Reserved. I paste them in red for distinction.

How to Regard Apostles and Ourselves

God's People Must Be United and Growing in Holiness

1 Corinthians 4[1] 

As preached at Rolling Hills Church on Sunday, February 5th, 2012

Here is the message for this week. We are to regard God's apostles as faithful messengers of the gospel, and ourselves as those greatly blessed to have heard this good news of the cross!

Let's pray, then walk through this chapter bit by bit.

1-8 How You Should Regard Us: Faithful Stewards of Mysteries

1 This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

2 Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy.

3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself.

4 For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.

5 Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.

6 I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another.

7 For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?

8 Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! Without us you have become kings! And would that you did reign, so that we might share the rule with you!

Servants literally (huperetes) means under rowers, and it referred to the lowest galley slaves; this term eventually came to refer to subordinates of some authority.

Stewards were house managers who, like Joseph did for Potiphar in Egypt, manage whatever their master puts them over (vineyards, household, finances, servants, etc) and will give an account to the master.[2]

Mysteries refers to that which is/was hidden and can only be known by divine revelation. Paul desired for the Corinthians to view them only as faithful stewards of the mysteries of God (the gospel), and servants of God. In other words, any exalting was of Christ, not men. Any respect due to apostles was certainly to be paid, but not in a worshipful manner. Judging their skills in order to compare them to others was not the point – the gospel was. The judgment these people were applying was a false, unnecessary judgment; it was a rating system of sorts. Some denominations list their pastors by rank of how big their churches are, how much they are paid, and how many they led to Christ that year. Many Christians fall into this unbiblical pragmatism while thinking they are doing right. That is far from accurate, far from necessary, far from helpful.

Human judgment didn't frighten Paul; he knew He would give an account to God for His gospel preaching and labors. In other words, the judging the Corinthians did was to set a pecking order so they might associate with which was best in their eyes. That judgment was disdainful to Paul; he wasn't against evaluation and examination, but was rather working in light of the one who offered the final and meaningful evaluation.

Beyond what is written. Paul had quoted from the OT at least five times by this point in the letter; he did so to rebuke them for their divisions, their boasting, their love of human wisdom and their disdain for God's wisdom and power. Beyond what is written by God in His word. As for the apostles, what was written wasn't too much by that point; but what Jesus had said was that the apostles were to be obedient, and to persevere in that obedience. This man-exalting evaluation is offensive to God. He will evaluate faithfulness, perseverance, and fruit at that last day!

Here Paul employs sarcasm with his questions and his statements. "For who sees anything different in you?" "What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?" "Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! " In other words, you were all given the same gospel – how did you become different? What did you earn or purchase? You are blessed and rich – why do these silly divisions? So Paul ends teaches the church how they should regard the apostles. He wanted this church to consider how blessed they were to have even heard of Jesus, His death, burial, and resurrection, His atonement – full atonement! – for sin! Now…

9-13 How the world regards us: Spectacles and Scum

9 For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men.

10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute.

11 To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless,

12 and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure;

13 when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things.

When Paul writes 'spectacles', he may have had in mind the conquered heroes of a foreign army who were marched in chains behind the victorious general returning to Rome. These men would then provide the climactic moment to the 'games', when they were thrown into the arena to fight wild animals: the spectacle. The world disdained them to cheap death.

When Paul writes 'scum' he meant the most abject and despicable of men. The Greeks used to apply the term "katharmata" to victims sacrificed to make expiation for the people, and even to criminals who were maintained at the public expense, that on the outbreak of a pestilence or other calamity they might be offered as sacrifices to make expiation for the state.[3] The foundation of our Christian religion wasn't too noble, was it! Think about this…

The Master had it rough; He told the apostles to expect the same. John 15:20 Remember the word that I said to you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.

So let's think this through; the Savior was persecuted; the apostles were persecuted. Jesus is at the right hand of the Father, and the apostles will sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel, Luke 22:30 that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. So this terrible way the world treated the apostles was endured because they knew they would be with Christ in His glory forever. Have any of us been mistreated for our faith? Most pastors expect to be treated with a mild deferential respect in their community; and some are – I'm certainly treated too well in this town! I see that fading, and this type of treatment on its way in, though. How to think of the apostles, how the world thinks of the apostles, then discipleship's beauty…

14-21 Mentoring the Church

14 I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children.

15 For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

16 I urge you, then, be imitators of me.

17 That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church.

18 Some are arrogant, as though I were not coming to you.

19 But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power.

20 For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power.

21 What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness?

Be imitators of me. Paul uses this phrase often. Later in chapter 10, in Philippians 3:17 (Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.),  2 Thess 3:7-9, (You yourselves know how you ought to imitate us … but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate.), and in 2 Tim 3:10-11 (10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness,

11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra--which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me.). This isn't arrogance, but rather a necessary element of discipleship – modeling obedience to and worship of God. Barry St. Clair defined discipleship this way years ago…

I do it.

I do it and my students are with me.

My students do it and I am with them.

My students do it.

Then of course the cycle has begun again, right? This was obviously something Paul counted on with Timothy as well, because he sent him to remind them of Paul's ways in Christ. Not just his words and doctrine; but his ways.

Humility and the Power of the Lord. This sounds like a parent who is away from home talking on the phone to the oldest child who is arguing that he isn't responsible for what the house looks like when they walk in. Let me throw this out for your consideration; the power of God isn't associated with the arrogance of men – ever.

We have a hard time reconciling power and humility together, but think of our Lord before the false tribunal; not a word uttered on His own behalf. Yet He did mention to Pilate that he only had authority he had been given. He made himself weak for us! Powerful, but humble.

Paul was this way; the power of God was in his ministry, but for God's glory, not his – and well he knew it. He was, "The chief of sinners", the "least of the apostles", the spectacle and scum. But he wasn't afraid of arrogant church members. Humility and the power of the Lord work together in a man; arrogance and God's power do not.

Though the church should regard these men as servants and faithful stewards of God's message, and though the world regarded these men as spectacles and scum, these men had the power of God to spread the message of God. Paul was one who believed God, and had seen God's power through the gospel work He had already done. He knew that these people should not mess with God's church, or challenge God's apostle. The church should have…

Humility, not arrogance.

A servant attitude, not a haughty attitude.

A gospel unity, united spirit, not a man-exalting division that divided the church!

 

We are to regard God's apostles as faithful messengers of the gospel, and ourselves as those greatly blessed to have heard this good news of the cross!

 



[1] All Scriptures, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (via E-Sword Software) © 2001 Crossway Publishing. All Rights Reserved. I paste them in red for distinction.

[2] Word definitions found in The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, 1 Corinthians, written by John MacArthur, © 1984 by The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago

God Gives the Growth

1 Corinthians: God's People Must Be United and Growing in Holiness

1 Corinthians 3[1] 

As preached at Rolling Hills Church on Sunday, January 29th, 2012

 

Here is the message for today: God will grow His Church: we can either work against him, or work with Him; but we would be wise to look to Him and His gospel.

1-4 Spiritual Immaturity Hinders Growth.

1 But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ.

2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready,

3 for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?

4 For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not being merely human?

Spiritual immaturity was the problem in this church in Corinth. How was that showing up?

There was jealousy and strife among them. Already this early in the church there were power struggles. Often in Scriptures bad men will lead God's sheep astray (Diotrephes in 3 John, ungodly men in Jude). Here, bad sheep were attempting to use a good man to lead themselves astray! Determined to be superior over someone, immature people were bringing trouble to the church.

There was a hunger for the ways and wisdom of the world. The world liked to assign themselves either to a Socrates or a Plato and begin building a defense from which to fling arrows at the other camp. Even the church got into this in the middle ages in Europe, building entire philosophies of ministry on Platonic or Socratic methods of study, ethics, etc.

There is a distinct lack of desiring more God. No calls for wanting to learn more, for desiring to exalt Christ among themselves, for – well, all that was centered on God was swallowed up by all that was centered on man, power, and divisions.

Division in the church is a sign of carnality – being intentionally immature due to seeking man's wisdom, man's way, and man's glory rather than God's glory in the church.

Sadly this didn't end when Corinth got this letter and repented. Even in seminaries today professors will become so Pauline that they come close to rejecting Petrine theology – as if they weren't on the same page preaching the same gospel! Spiritual immaturity hinders growth in the church.

 

5-15 Spiritual Maturity Accelerates Growth. 5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each.

6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.

7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

8 He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor.

9 For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building.

10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it.

11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw--

13 each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.

14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward.

15 If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

On the other hand, faithful stewards are looking to God, His Word, and His power to build the church. Gospel growth, healthy growth that starts with the cross and continues with the grace God gave through His Son Jesus Christ.

Faithful stewards use the right material. The gospel will last; others things will not.

Faithful stewards discharge their duties in a way that pleases the master whom they serve. In this case Paul, Apollos, and Peter were focused on preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and making disciples, not of building camps.

Faithful stewards build dependence on God, not on themselves. They point people the same way that elder pointed Spurgeon decades ago: "Young man, look to Jesus!"

 

16-23 God is all, owns all, gives all, and judges all.

16 Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?

17 If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.

18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.

19 For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their craftiness,"

20 and again, "The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile."

21 So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours,

22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future--all are yours,

23 and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.

Here we are strongly reminded; this is God's field, God's building, God's temple.

Ignorance of God's ownership. Has it occurred to you that this is God's church and God loves His church and God will destroy those who destroy God's church?

Self-deception; thinking they are wise before God. When you are wise in your own eyes, Solomon says well – that person is a fool.

Folly and futility come from rejecting God's Wisdom and seeking man's!

The freedom and responsibility God gives us is staggering! We can actually hinder the work of God in and among His people. We can never stop it, but we are free agents to falsify truth, to exalt ourselves over Christ, our ideas over the gospel, and even people over Jesus. This is how these false teachers can gain such a hearing – sheep so hungry for the wisdom and power of the world that they ignore the wisdom of God!Be reminded: 21 So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours…

What is your position in the local church – are you maturing? Are you spiritually immature? It's natural to start there, it's not natural to stay there. A 6-month-old boy who needs a diaper changed is normal; a nine-year-old boy who needs his diaper changed is not not normal. Are you a proponent of growing the local church through your faithful service to it?

We should grow up and get focused on God, because…

God will grow His Church: we can either work against him, or work with Him; but we would be wise to look to Him and His gospel.



[1] All Scriptures, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (via E-Sword Software) © 2001 Crossway Publishing. All Rights Reserved. I paste them in red for distinction.

Hidden Wisdom Revealed

1 Corinthians: God's People Must Be United and Growing in Holiness

1 Corinthians 2[1] 

As preached at Rolling Hills Church on Sunday, January 22nd, 2012

 

What in the world is God up to? Who knows?

God is redeeming a people to Himself out of a sinful, destructive, godless world.

He is calling them to turn from sin, to believe in and follow His Son Jesus Christ.

He is redeeming them through faith in His Son Jesus Christ for His glory.

 

1 Corinthians 2

1 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom.

2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling,

4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

5 that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

6 Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away.

7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.

8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

9 But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him"--

10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.

11 For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.

13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.

14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

15 The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one.

16 "For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

Let's pray…

Paul is speaking here about a hidden wisdom that has been revealed. He reviews for the Corinthian church what happened when he was among them.

 

I did not: 

Come proclaiming the gospel with lofty speech or wisdom (Greek Rhetoric style). 

My speech and message were not in plausible words of wisdom and here is why it wasn't: so that your faith might not rest in wisdom of men

 

I did:

Intentionally speak only of Christ and Him crucified; my speech and message were in demonstration of the Spirit and of power

Why: So your faith might rest in the power of God.
I was with you in weakness, fear, and trembling

 

What I imparted: Wisdom
a secret and hidden wisdom of God

a wisdom which God decreed before the ages 

a wisdom decreed for our glory

a wisdom not understood by the rulers of this age

a wisdom unseen, unheard, unimagined by man 

 

Where this wisdom came from:
Not the spirit of the world

From the Spirit of God: He knows God, He knows the plan of God – He is God!
Spiritual truths revealed and interpreted by the Spirit of God

a wisdom God has prepared for those who love Him

Who this wisdom comes to:
Not the natural person: they can't accept it. These things are folly to the natural man.
Those who are spiritual
Those who have the mind of Christ

 

What is this hidden wisdom?

What in the world is God up to? Who knows?

It is the gospel!

God is redeeming a people to Himself out of a sinful, destructive, godless world.

He is calling them to turn from sin, to believe in and follow His Son Jesus Christ.

He is redeeming them through faith in His Son Jesus Christ for His glory.

 

 



[1] All Scriptures, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (via E-Sword Software) © 2001 Crossway Publishing. All Rights Reserved. I paste them in red for distinction.