WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:01.760 We are in 1 Corinthians. 00:00:01.840 --> 00:00:04.559 This is our second week in this book together. 00:00:04.719 --> 00:00:08.480 We're going to be going through chapter 1, verses 10 through 17. 00:00:08.720 --> 00:00:11.039 So you can go ahead and turn there. 00:00:11.199 --> 00:00:22.399 You know, we spent a lot of time last week painting a picture of who this church is in Corinth that Paul is writing this letter to through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. 00:00:22.640 --> 00:00:28.399 And we talked a lot last week about what this church makeup probably looked like. 00:00:28.559 --> 00:00:40.799 You know, filled with a lot of different people, there's a lot of diversity, and I'm not even talking about like where they're from, like a lot of diversity in their immorality, really, of this group coming together. 00:00:41.520 --> 00:00:49.600 The city of Corinth was known for prostitution, it was known for drunkenness, was known for idolatry, and all those kinds of things. 00:00:49.759 --> 00:00:54.320 And then Paul preaches the gospel here, and all those people come into this one building. 00:00:54.479 --> 00:01:23.280 Last week we talked about what it would look like if we did an evangelistic crusade down in the sunken gardens, and then we had a bunch of people come to the Lord, including like the people in Corinth, you know, prostitutes and heroin addicts and alcoholics, uh, city officials, people from the Jewish synagogue, like all coming together and then trying to do church together, you know, and what that would look like and some of the chaos that would ensue and some of the messiness that would take place within that church. 00:01:23.439 --> 00:01:40.959 And I just want to make sure before we jump in today and every day that we jump into 1 Corinthians together that we remember that picture of who Paul is writing to in this original audience because it really helps clear things up and help us helps us to understand some of the things that they are going through. 00:01:41.280 --> 00:01:42.400 So let's start. 00:01:42.560 --> 00:01:46.319 We'll read together, starting in verse 10, 1 Corinthians chapter 1. 00:01:46.560 --> 00:01:51.120 Starting in verse 10, let's stand for the reading of God's word. 00:01:56.079 --> 00:02:10.879 Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, that there be no divisions among you, and that you be united with the same understanding and the same conviction. 00:02:11.120 --> 00:02:18.960 For it has been reported to me about you, my brothers and sisters, by members of Chloe's people, that there is rivalry among you. 00:02:19.199 --> 00:02:28.719 What I am saying is this one of you says, I belong to Paul, or I belong to Apollos, or I belong to Cephas, or I belong to Christ. 00:02:29.039 --> 00:02:30.479 Is Christ divided? 00:02:30.719 --> 00:02:32.879 Was Paul crucified for you? 00:02:33.039 --> 00:02:35.840 Or were you baptized in Paul's name? 00:02:36.080 --> 00:02:44.879 I thank God that I baptized none of you except for Crispus and Gaius, so that no one can say you were baptized in my name. 00:02:45.120 --> 00:02:48.240 I did, in fact, baptize the household of Stephanus. 00:02:48.400 --> 00:02:51.439 Beyond that, I don't recall if I baptized anyone else. 00:02:51.680 --> 00:03:03.360 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ will not be emptied of its effect. 00:03:03.759 --> 00:03:04.639 Let's pray. 00:03:04.719 --> 00:03:07.199 And this morning we're gonna be praying for Barbara Paul. 00:03:07.439 --> 00:03:13.680 She's in the hospital with some heart conditions, so we're gonna be lifting her uh up in prayer this morning. 00:03:14.400 --> 00:03:17.280 Lord, we thank you so much for your word. 00:03:17.680 --> 00:03:21.039 We thank you for giving it to us. 00:03:21.680 --> 00:03:28.400 Lord, so that we can see your words and we can hold your words to us in our hands. 00:03:28.639 --> 00:03:39.039 Lord, I pray that you would help me to rightly divide your word this morning, that it would be you speaking and not me, and that you would have something individually for each one of us. 00:03:39.199 --> 00:03:45.919 Lord, not just for head knowledge, but so that we can grow closer to you and we can become more like Jesus than we were yesterday. 00:03:46.159 --> 00:03:49.280 So, Lord, I pray that you would bless this time in the word. 00:03:49.680 --> 00:03:52.000 Lord, we do lift up Barbara Paul's to you. 00:03:52.159 --> 00:03:56.080 Lord, we thank you for our dear sister and what a joy she is. 00:03:56.240 --> 00:04:09.120 Lord, we pray that as she's uh in the hospital right now, that you would touch her, Lord, that you would heal her, that uh you would give the doctors and the nurses great wisdom with whatever's going on with her. 00:04:09.280 --> 00:04:10.639 But Lord, we pray for peace. 00:04:10.800 --> 00:04:15.199 Lord, as it can be so scary to not know exactly what's going on sitting in a hospital bed. 00:04:15.360 --> 00:04:20.319 So would you give her the peace that only you can give, the peace that surpasses all understanding. 00:04:20.480 --> 00:04:28.959 And Lord, would you heal her so that we can see her back here next week, Lord, worshiping you and fellowshipping with that big smile on her face. 00:04:29.040 --> 00:04:30.560 Um we pray for her family as well. 00:04:30.720 --> 00:04:39.120 Lord, give them peace and comfort as and wisdom as they're watching and helping their mother walk through this tough situation, we pray. 00:04:39.279 --> 00:04:41.279 Lord, also we want to pray for our country. 00:04:41.519 --> 00:04:45.680 Lord, we are so far from you as a country right now. 00:04:45.839 --> 00:04:47.600 And we pray for your forgiveness. 00:04:47.839 --> 00:04:51.920 Lord, that we have turned our backs on you and that we've walked so far away from you. 00:04:52.160 --> 00:05:01.199 Lord, with the the elections looming, Lord, as we talked about a couple weeks ago, we pray, God, that you wouldn't give us the officials that we deserve, because we deserve the worst. 00:05:01.439 --> 00:05:10.399 Lord, we pray for your mercy, that you'd be merciful in giving us uh the authorities and filling the offices that you have placed over us. 00:05:10.639 --> 00:05:18.399 Um so, God, would would we see revival in our city, uh in our state, Lord, in our country? 00:05:18.639 --> 00:05:20.160 Would you be on the move? 00:05:20.399 --> 00:05:28.480 Would today be the day of salvation, uh, not just here in this church, Lord, but in all the churches that are preaching your gospel uh this morning, we pray. 00:05:28.639 --> 00:05:29.680 In Jesus' name. 00:05:30.000 --> 00:05:30.639 Amen. 00:05:31.120 --> 00:05:32.560 You may be seated. 00:05:32.720 --> 00:05:36.240 You know, that word gospel is gonna be coming up a lot today. 00:05:36.319 --> 00:05:41.360 So I just want to make sure we're all clear and on the same page as we talk about what the gospel is. 00:05:41.519 --> 00:05:48.639 You know, the best verse when we're talking about the gospel is probably the most common, most popular verse in the whole Bible, and that's John 3.16. 00:05:48.800 --> 00:05:56.480 For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him will have eternal life. 00:05:56.800 --> 00:06:06.160 And I I mention that because, as we're gonna talk about today, the power of God is in those words. 00:06:06.399 --> 00:06:17.199 And understand who Jesus is, that he stepped down from his heavenly throne, that he walked on this earth for 30 something years for us. 00:06:18.079 --> 00:06:19.199 That was a sacrifice. 00:06:19.279 --> 00:06:23.439 Those those 30 years were a sacrifice of him coming and being with us. 00:06:23.680 --> 00:06:27.920 But then he gave his life on the cross for us. 00:06:28.079 --> 00:06:40.399 He died the death that we deserved, he paid the price that we owed so that we could have peace with God, so that we could spend eternity with him. 00:06:40.800 --> 00:06:43.600 And that's the gospel in a nutshell right there. 00:06:43.759 --> 00:06:45.839 And we're gonna be talking a lot about that. 00:06:45.920 --> 00:06:52.399 So I just wanted to make sure that that was clear and not going over our heads because the word gospel simply means good news. 00:06:52.560 --> 00:06:56.720 It's the good news of what Jesus Christ has done for us. 00:06:57.199 --> 00:07:12.959 Now, there are two things that I think Paul's trying to communicate here in these verses specifically, and it's the same two things that I really hope sink into our hearts as well, and the same two things that we can walk out that door here this morning with. 00:07:13.120 --> 00:07:23.279 The first one being don't elevate humans, don't exalt men and women in ways that God never intended. 00:07:23.759 --> 00:07:29.360 And then the second thing that we're gonna see that Paul encourages is be united. 00:07:30.000 --> 00:07:35.120 We need to be woven together in Christ Jesus as the body of Christ. 00:07:35.279 --> 00:07:36.959 We are the body of Christ. 00:07:37.120 --> 00:07:39.040 We need to be woven together and united. 00:07:39.120 --> 00:07:42.800 So those are the two topics we're gonna be hitting this morning. 00:07:43.040 --> 00:07:45.040 So let's start in verse 10. 00:07:45.600 --> 00:07:59.920 Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, that there be no divisions among you, and that you be united with the same understanding and the same conviction. 00:08:00.160 --> 00:08:05.759 You know, a big theme that we're gonna see throughout all of 1 Corinthians is the theme of unity. 00:08:05.920 --> 00:08:11.199 You know, unlike Romans that we just got out of, you know, that was an overview kind of of Christian theology. 00:08:11.439 --> 00:08:15.360 Wasn't written to address specific individuals, so to speak. 00:08:15.680 --> 00:08:21.040 This letter that we're in here is written to address certain specific issues. 00:08:21.279 --> 00:08:33.600 And we see, you know, we're the second week in, we're 10 verses in, and Paul's jumping right and he's he's hitting the ground running, was starting to correct some of these things that are going on within the Corinthian church. 00:08:33.840 --> 00:08:39.440 And as we talked about last week, we're hearing one side of this conversation. 00:08:39.759 --> 00:08:46.240 We don't get to hear exactly what the Corinthians are asking or what they're reporting specifically. 00:08:46.480 --> 00:08:56.879 But as we get into verses 12 and 13 here this morning, Paul will in this instance tell us what has been reported to him, and then he's gonna address the issue. 00:08:57.120 --> 00:09:01.679 But he starts off here with the two words, I urge. 00:09:01.840 --> 00:09:06.159 Your translation may say, I beseech you, or I appeal to you. 00:09:06.320 --> 00:09:10.320 So he says, I urge you to agree in what you say. 00:09:10.799 --> 00:09:20.240 You know, it seems as if Paul is urging them as brothers and sisters in Christ, as opposed to using his apostolic authority. 00:09:20.639 --> 00:09:29.679 And it's like he's just saying, you know, stop, it's not like he's enforcing that apostolic authority and just saying, you know, stop doing this or else. 00:09:29.840 --> 00:09:32.159 You know, he's really beseeching them. 00:09:32.240 --> 00:09:37.840 He's urging them as brothers and sisters in Christ to agree in what they say. 00:09:38.320 --> 00:09:42.080 And then he goes on, that there be no divisions among you. 00:09:42.240 --> 00:09:44.399 Now, this word divisions is interesting. 00:09:44.720 --> 00:09:56.399 When it's used outside of the context of relationships, it means simply to tear a piece of cloth apart, to rent, like a piece of clothing or something like that. 00:09:56.639 --> 00:10:00.960 So Paul is pleading with them to stop tearing each other apart. 00:10:01.200 --> 00:10:05.200 He's pleading with them to stop tearing the church apart. 00:10:05.519 --> 00:10:14.000 Instead, he says at the end of verse 10, that you be united with the same understanding and the same conviction. 00:10:14.320 --> 00:10:26.639 Now, this word united, once again, can be used in the case of fabric or netting, and it means to mend what has been torn or what has been broken, what has been rent. 00:10:27.120 --> 00:10:33.360 That word united is the same word that we see in Mark chapter 1, verse 19. 00:10:33.600 --> 00:10:38.399 And it says, you know, referring to Jesus, he went on a little further. 00:10:38.799 --> 00:10:47.279 He saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John in a boat, mending or putting in order their nets. 00:10:47.519 --> 00:10:53.919 And that same word, mending, is the same word that we are looking at right here this morning. 00:10:54.080 --> 00:10:59.519 So when you see that word, think mending, putting in order, repairing something. 00:10:59.759 --> 00:11:10.960 So he's saying, be united, and even if you're already torn apart, be mended back together in your understanding and in your conviction. 00:11:11.759 --> 00:11:15.759 Does anybody remember what Jesus prayed the night before the crucifixion? 00:11:16.000 --> 00:11:23.039 Well, he prayed a lot of things, but in particular, he prayed that his disciples would be one. 00:11:23.840 --> 00:11:29.840 And I want to read you it from John 17, verses 20 and 23, Jesus' prayer. 00:11:30.080 --> 00:11:41.279 He said, I pray not only for these, referring to his disciples, but I also pray for those who believe in me through their word, through the disciples' word. 00:11:41.519 --> 00:11:43.440 So that's like you and me here this morning. 00:11:43.519 --> 00:11:46.480 People that have come to know him through the disciples' word. 00:11:47.200 --> 00:11:55.279 He goes on, may they all be one, as you, Father, are in me, and I am in you. 00:11:55.440 --> 00:12:00.159 May they also be in us, so that the world may believe you sent me. 00:12:00.320 --> 00:12:07.200 I have given them the glory you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one. 00:12:07.840 --> 00:12:14.559 I am in them, and you are in me, so that they may be made completely one. 00:12:15.120 --> 00:12:23.679 And that, and here's the why here, that the world may know you have sent me and have loved them as you have loved me. 00:12:24.639 --> 00:12:32.879 So after reading that, do you think it's important to Jesus that we are not only one with him, but that we're one with each other? 00:12:34.000 --> 00:12:36.399 This is a big deal to Jesus. 00:12:36.559 --> 00:12:41.120 This is a big deal to Paul and his correction to the Corinthian church. 00:12:41.279 --> 00:12:47.440 And I don't think for a second that Paul was, you know, trying to figure out, okay, how do I craft this letter and what do I address first? 00:12:47.519 --> 00:12:53.039 And he gets out the dartboard and puts the topics up, and he's like, Unity, okay, that sounds good. 00:12:53.120 --> 00:12:54.480 Let's let's address that first. 00:12:54.639 --> 00:12:56.879 Really don't think that's what he's doing here. 00:12:57.279 --> 00:13:03.840 He strategically brings this up first by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit for a reason. 00:13:04.240 --> 00:13:11.440 Because unity is going to fix so many of the problems that he's going to be bringing up as he goes through this letter. 00:13:12.559 --> 00:13:14.879 But we need to understand something. 00:13:15.519 --> 00:13:24.320 Being united and mending takes purposefulness, it takes effort, and it takes a lot of hard work. 00:13:25.200 --> 00:13:30.080 With fabric, with netting, and definitely with relationships. 00:13:30.320 --> 00:13:34.159 It's like Paul saying, do it, Corinthians, do the mending. 00:13:34.399 --> 00:13:37.360 Put in the work, make the effort. 00:13:37.679 --> 00:13:43.600 I beg you as a brother to do these things, to be united in Christ. 00:13:43.919 --> 00:13:47.519 And he's gonna tell them, doing it, concerning what we're gonna see right here in verse 11. 00:13:47.600 --> 00:13:49.120 Look at verse 11 with me. 00:13:49.440 --> 00:13:58.639 For it has been reported to me about you, my brothers and sisters, by members of Chloe's people, that there is rivalry among you. 00:13:59.519 --> 00:14:05.279 So there's rivalry, there's contentions, there's divisions among you. 00:14:05.600 --> 00:14:11.200 Places where they are not united, where they are not woven together. 00:14:11.440 --> 00:14:20.639 And things are bad enough in Corinth, that word was getting back to Paul in Ephesus, 354 miles away. 00:14:20.799 --> 00:14:22.159 And that was by boat. 00:14:22.320 --> 00:14:26.559 By land, it was like over a thousand to walk in between. 00:14:26.799 --> 00:14:31.600 You know, as the crow flies, that's about the same distance that we are from Las Vegas. 00:14:32.399 --> 00:14:36.639 And they didn't have the internet and email and cars and all that kind of stuff. 00:14:36.879 --> 00:14:43.759 Paul got word that same distance of what was going on in the church in Corinth. 00:14:43.919 --> 00:14:48.080 And this report was brought to him, it says, by members of Chloe's household. 00:14:48.320 --> 00:14:54.240 Now we don't know exactly who Chloe is, but Paul knew this person, and the Corinthian church knew this person. 00:14:54.399 --> 00:14:58.639 So Paul receives word, and then here's his response in verse 12. 00:14:58.960 --> 00:15:00.960 What I'm saying is this. 00:15:01.120 --> 00:15:02.480 So here's the issue. 00:15:02.799 --> 00:15:12.159 One of you says, I belong to Paul, or I belong to Apollos, or I belong to Cephas, or I belong to Christ. 00:15:12.480 --> 00:15:15.440 So Paul, Apollos, and Cephas. 00:15:15.759 --> 00:15:18.720 Cephas is just another name for the Apostle Peter. 00:15:18.960 --> 00:15:23.279 So Paul, Apollos, and Cephas, these were amazing men of faith. 00:15:24.080 --> 00:15:27.759 They gave their lives to the furthering of the gospel. 00:15:28.000 --> 00:15:29.360 And there's no doubt about it. 00:15:29.440 --> 00:15:32.559 We just we see the result of that and of their ministry. 00:15:32.720 --> 00:15:42.720 But the Corinthian church was starting to identify with the men that God had placed over them, as opposed to humbly identifying in Christ. 00:15:42.960 --> 00:15:48.960 And I don't want us to think that this is an old problem that they used to have and we don't have today. 00:15:49.200 --> 00:15:51.840 It's a very present problem that we have today. 00:15:52.000 --> 00:15:58.000 You know, sometimes we do this more with denominations than with people, but we do it with both. 00:15:58.159 --> 00:16:02.000 And it's usually unintentional every time that I've seen it at least. 00:16:02.159 --> 00:16:10.320 You know, well, I'm of Abide Calvary, you know, well, I'm of the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, well, I'm of the Baptist Church, or I'm of the Presbyterian Church. 00:16:10.559 --> 00:16:13.360 But that even takes place within Calvary chapels. 00:16:13.440 --> 00:16:21.360 You know, well, I'm of Chuck Smith, or I'm of CCA, or I'm of CGN, or I'm of Greg Lori, or whatever it might be. 00:16:21.679 --> 00:16:23.039 No, we're not. 00:16:24.080 --> 00:16:26.080 We're of Jesus Christ. 00:16:26.960 --> 00:16:33.120 Our identity should only be found in him and nothing else that we do. 00:16:33.600 --> 00:16:42.080 You know, Galatians 2.20, I mention this verse a lot because it is so important, because it speaks exactly of our identity and where we find it. 00:16:42.240 --> 00:16:43.039 I want to read it to you again. 00:16:43.200 --> 00:16:44.399 Galatians 2.20. 00:16:44.639 --> 00:16:51.679 I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. 00:16:51.919 --> 00:16:59.519 The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. 00:16:59.759 --> 00:17:00.960 That's our identity. 00:17:02.240 --> 00:17:11.279 And I hope you don't hear that I'm opposed to different denominations, or having a favorite denomination, or even having a favorite Bible teacher. 00:17:11.839 --> 00:17:16.480 Those are all great things that we naturally gravitate to. 00:17:17.279 --> 00:17:29.200 It's when we take pride in our distinctions from other believers and from other churches that it starts to become sinful and it starts to become unhealthy for us. 00:17:29.759 --> 00:17:40.640 Because it's pride thinking that we know better or that we have some sort of inside scoop in some way that elevates us above any other believer. 00:17:41.839 --> 00:17:54.079 And you know, at first read, when you're reading through this section, at first glance, uh, when we read these verses, we may think that those that said that they are of Christ were the only ones that were right. 00:17:54.400 --> 00:17:56.240 That's kind of how it appears. 00:17:56.400 --> 00:17:57.519 But who knows? 00:17:57.759 --> 00:18:02.960 They may have been the most prideful, even though their belief was correct. 00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:06.240 Paul doesn't applaud them, notice. 00:18:06.400 --> 00:18:10.640 He actually piles them all together with the people that are getting corrected. 00:18:12.240 --> 00:18:17.599 Because you can be right in your belief and sinful in your heart. 00:18:18.160 --> 00:18:23.920 You can be right in your belief and you can be sinful in your argument because of pride. 00:18:24.480 --> 00:18:32.960 You know, this reminds me of the prayer of the Pharisee that Luke tells us Jesus told his disciples from Luke 18, 9 through 14. 00:18:33.119 --> 00:18:42.880 It says, He, meaning Jesus, also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else. 00:18:43.119 --> 00:18:45.279 So here's what Jesus says in this parable. 00:18:45.519 --> 00:18:51.440 Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 00:18:51.599 --> 00:18:56.240 The Pharisee was standing and praying like this about himself. 00:18:56.559 --> 00:18:59.920 God, I thank you that I'm not like the other people. 00:19:00.400 --> 00:19:05.599 Greedy, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 00:19:05.920 --> 00:19:10.400 I fast twice a week, and I give a tenth of everything I get. 00:19:10.799 --> 00:19:22.160 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even raise his eyes to heaven, but kept striking his chest and saying, God have mercy on me, a sinner. 00:19:22.480 --> 00:19:28.079 I tell you, this one went down to his house justified rather than the other. 00:19:28.319 --> 00:19:38.000 Because, and here's the key, because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted. 00:19:38.400 --> 00:19:46.319 You know, if we ever start to entertain thoughts that we're better than anyone, we're wrong. 00:19:46.640 --> 00:19:48.400 That's just how it is. 00:19:48.640 --> 00:19:52.720 Even if our theology is correct, our heart can be wrong. 00:19:53.039 --> 00:20:02.160 As we just read, because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted. 00:20:03.200 --> 00:20:09.200 You know, it's no wonder God allowed Paul to do such amazing things for his ministry. 00:20:09.599 --> 00:20:13.759 Paul rightly viewed himself as the chief among sinners. 00:20:13.920 --> 00:20:15.599 And those are his words, not mine. 00:20:15.839 --> 00:20:18.880 That's how he saw himself, that's what he said about himself. 00:20:18.960 --> 00:20:20.559 He is the chief among sinners. 00:20:20.880 --> 00:20:25.759 But this should be a familiar phrase that we're used to saying about ourselves as well. 00:20:26.640 --> 00:20:33.039 Because we really can't think of another follower of Jesus that we can elevate ourselves above. 00:20:34.559 --> 00:20:38.799 The one who humbles himself will be exalted. 00:20:39.599 --> 00:20:46.400 But if you exalt yourself, you can be sure that God is gonna make sure that you get humbled. 00:20:47.359 --> 00:20:52.480 Paul continues in verse 13 regarding identifying with the church leadership. 00:20:52.640 --> 00:20:56.720 Verse 13, is Christ divided? 00:20:57.039 --> 00:20:59.200 Was Paul crucified for you? 00:20:59.440 --> 00:21:05.279 So this is a rhetorical question, obviously, because Paul's still alive and he has not been crucified. 00:21:05.599 --> 00:21:10.559 But tradition does hold that Paul was a martyr for the sake of the gospel. 00:21:10.880 --> 00:21:18.400 Tradition also holds that Cephas, that the apostle Peter, did die of crucifixion. 00:21:18.720 --> 00:21:28.640 And I wonder if the Holy Spirit had Paul write this so that these men that did die for their faith would not be elevated to the same place as Jesus. 00:21:31.839 --> 00:21:36.400 Because they didn't die for the church like Jesus did. 00:21:36.799 --> 00:21:39.359 They died for their faith in Jesus. 00:21:39.519 --> 00:21:41.920 And I think Paul really wants to make that distinction. 00:21:42.079 --> 00:21:53.839 You know, according to tradition, Peter didn't even want to be put to death in the same manner as Jesus because he felt so unworthy to even die in the same way as Jesus. 00:21:54.160 --> 00:22:02.319 So history holds that he asked to be crucified upside down, he wanted an Association in that way. 00:22:02.480 --> 00:22:07.759 He didn't want to be elevated to equality with Jesus in his death. 00:22:08.480 --> 00:22:11.920 Otherwise, people may have started saying, Yeah, Christ died for me. 00:22:12.160 --> 00:22:13.519 And Peter did too. 00:22:13.599 --> 00:22:21.680 You know, I think the apostles had this understanding and made sure that they weren't mistaken for being somewhere in between God and man. 00:22:21.920 --> 00:22:25.680 Yeah, you know, we're not God, definitely, but we're not like you guys down here. 00:22:25.759 --> 00:22:32.559 You know, they made a point of making sure that everybody saw them on an equal playing field with everybody else. 00:22:32.880 --> 00:22:38.240 They were just simply men that had surrendered their life to Jesus. 00:22:39.519 --> 00:22:47.440 You know, in our idolatry, our fleshly nature, we naturally want to elevate ourselves. 00:22:47.680 --> 00:22:51.359 And we naturally want to elevate other people as well. 00:22:52.240 --> 00:22:56.079 You know, we have a great example of that in 1 Samuel chapter 8. 00:22:56.160 --> 00:22:59.119 We went through that in the men's study actually on Thursday morning. 00:22:59.279 --> 00:23:09.599 When the Israelites demanded a king, they were warned against it, and God let them know very clearly that this was not what was best for them. 00:23:10.000 --> 00:23:16.880 But they so badly wanted to elevate somebody so they could be like their neighboring kingdoms. 00:23:17.119 --> 00:23:21.920 They even said, Give us a king who can fight our battles for us. 00:23:22.799 --> 00:23:26.240 So God gave them over to their desires and he gave them a king. 00:23:26.400 --> 00:23:39.759 He gave them Saul, strong, tall, good-looking young man who lost his mind and led Israel into all kinds of sin and into all kinds of loss for the whole nation. 00:23:40.720 --> 00:23:49.119 These early apostles did not want this elevation, but the Corinthian church was trying to give it to them, even though they didn't want it. 00:23:49.440 --> 00:23:51.680 And it really makes sense that they would want to. 00:23:51.759 --> 00:23:55.759 You know, as we mentioned last week, there were so many idols in Corinth. 00:23:55.920 --> 00:23:59.119 There were so many temples to the Greek and the Roman gods. 00:23:59.359 --> 00:24:04.079 I would imagine that this would be commonplace, you know, within the Corinthian culture. 00:24:04.319 --> 00:24:06.480 Where they would say, oh, well, where do you worship? 00:24:06.640 --> 00:24:08.480 That's kind of like the icebreaker, you know. 00:24:08.640 --> 00:24:11.359 Oh, I'm of Athena, I worship at her temple. 00:24:11.519 --> 00:24:12.000 What about you? 00:24:12.160 --> 00:24:15.200 Oh, I'm of Aphrodite, and I worship at her temple. 00:24:15.519 --> 00:24:20.880 Well, you guys are missing out because I worship at the temple of Isis, you know, and that's where it's really happening. 00:24:20.960 --> 00:24:25.519 You know, you can kind of see how these people can start to segregate by who they worship. 00:24:25.680 --> 00:24:31.279 And it seems as if the Corinthians brought that right into the Christian church with them. 00:24:31.599 --> 00:24:40.319 They weren't used to being one people, undivided in their worship of a monotheistic God, of one God. 00:24:42.160 --> 00:24:49.200 So they start saying, well, you know, Paul baptized me and discipled me, so I guess I'm of Paul, you know. 00:24:49.440 --> 00:24:53.519 Or Peter, actually, I'm of Peter, like that guy's the man. 00:24:53.599 --> 00:24:59.200 Um, or I'm of Apollos, like that guy's such a great speaker, like I want to follow that guy. 00:24:59.440 --> 00:25:04.240 So Paul wants them to learn that Christ is not divided, as he says right here. 00:25:05.200 --> 00:25:16.079 So you hear kind of in Paul's tone, you don't you dare elevate the apostles or any other person into a position that allows you to be divided. 00:25:16.640 --> 00:25:22.960 You are of Christ and him alone, and we are just his servants. 00:25:23.119 --> 00:25:23.680 All of us. 00:25:23.839 --> 00:25:25.920 We are simply his servants. 00:25:26.240 --> 00:25:30.799 And Paul ends verse 13 with a bit of sarcasm, which I always appreciate from Paul. 00:25:31.039 --> 00:25:35.359 He says, Or were you baptized in Paul's name? 00:25:35.599 --> 00:25:42.640 You know, it's a great reminder that there's only one name in which we are baptized, and that's in the name of Jesus Christ. 00:25:42.799 --> 00:25:46.559 Or maybe I should say in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 00:25:46.799 --> 00:25:49.599 Because Paul's name has no power. 00:25:49.839 --> 00:25:53.519 Paul's name has no authority over anything. 00:25:53.759 --> 00:25:57.200 It's Christ in Paul that gave him authority. 00:25:57.440 --> 00:26:04.240 It's Christ in Paul that gave him the power to do the various things that God allowed him to do. 00:26:04.480 --> 00:26:10.480 And it's only in Christ that anyone should identify themselves. 00:26:10.720 --> 00:26:12.720 Look at verse 14 with me. 00:26:13.519 --> 00:26:22.400 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one can say you were baptized in my name. 00:26:22.640 --> 00:26:25.920 I did, in fact, baptize the household of Stephanus. 00:26:26.079 --> 00:26:29.359 Beyond that, I don't recall if I baptized anyone else. 00:26:29.680 --> 00:26:40.559 Paul's glad here that he only baptized a few, now knowing what he knows about how they're starting to identify themselves with the different uh church leaders. 00:26:41.279 --> 00:26:48.240 Now that he knows about how this rivalry is breaking out within the church, he wants his name left out completely. 00:26:48.640 --> 00:26:50.960 He wants to be forgotten. 00:26:51.200 --> 00:26:54.559 And he wants Christ's name to be magnified. 00:26:54.880 --> 00:26:59.119 You know, I have all the respect in the world for Chuck Smith. 00:26:59.200 --> 00:27:02.240 You know, he was the one that first started Calvary Chapels. 00:27:03.119 --> 00:27:14.160 He God accomplished so much through that man, and I have all the respect in the world for him, especially with the Jesus movement and what was happening back then with the hippies. 00:27:14.319 --> 00:27:20.559 But every once in a while you'll talk to somebody that was there when the Jesus movement was like full swing. 00:27:20.960 --> 00:27:24.640 And some of those people give Chuck a bit too much credit. 00:27:25.279 --> 00:27:35.039 You know, I've honestly lost count of how many people I've met at conferences and different things, different events like that, that will tell you that they were there. 00:27:35.200 --> 00:27:37.440 Like we were there when it was happening. 00:27:38.079 --> 00:27:44.480 And I've personally heard so many take a deep breath and say, I was actually baptized by Chuck. 00:27:46.000 --> 00:27:52.319 And I always think of this verse, and I so badly just want to say, Well, I was baptized in Christ. 00:27:53.519 --> 00:27:57.279 But then I'd be doing the same exact thing that the Corinthian church is doing. 00:27:57.519 --> 00:27:59.200 And I never have, thank the Lord. 00:27:59.359 --> 00:28:01.759 Pray for strength that I can keep doing that. 00:28:02.319 --> 00:28:07.440 And I really don't want to make fun of those people, but who cares who dunked you? 00:28:08.400 --> 00:28:10.480 Really, it doesn't matter. 00:28:10.799 --> 00:28:14.319 No other name of a man matters. 00:28:14.559 --> 00:28:16.720 It's the name of Jesus Christ. 00:28:17.519 --> 00:28:22.480 Let's put it this way Say last night I went out to dinner at a restaurant here in town. 00:28:22.640 --> 00:28:25.279 And this morning I'm telling you about it. 00:28:25.599 --> 00:28:29.519 And I'm just telling you, oh man, I had the best meal last night. 00:28:29.680 --> 00:28:35.359 There's a ribeye and a baked potato and garlic green beans, you know. 00:28:35.599 --> 00:28:37.039 And you ask, oh, really? 00:28:37.200 --> 00:28:37.920 Where'd you go? 00:28:38.079 --> 00:28:40.079 I'm like, oh, our server? 00:28:40.240 --> 00:28:41.519 His name is Jeff. 00:28:42.640 --> 00:28:44.240 You're like, okay. 00:28:45.680 --> 00:28:47.279 But where'd you go? 00:28:47.599 --> 00:28:51.279 Yeah, Jeff brought us his food, served it to us. 00:28:51.519 --> 00:28:53.519 Oh, it was to die for. 00:28:53.839 --> 00:28:55.279 Jeff is the man. 00:28:56.000 --> 00:28:59.279 He was like, okay, but where did you go? 00:28:59.440 --> 00:29:02.400 You know, the problem is Jeff didn't make the food. 00:29:02.640 --> 00:29:04.640 Jeff doesn't own the restaurant. 00:29:04.799 --> 00:29:07.119 He was just a really good server. 00:29:07.440 --> 00:29:08.960 He was a servant. 00:29:09.599 --> 00:29:12.960 But that's what we do when we elevate a servant of God. 00:29:13.279 --> 00:29:17.119 We give them credit for something they only served. 00:29:18.160 --> 00:29:19.920 They didn't make the food. 00:29:20.160 --> 00:29:22.400 They don't own the kingdom of God. 00:29:22.799 --> 00:29:29.680 You know, I love a good server at a restaurant just as much as anybody else, but the next day I've forgotten their name. 00:29:29.920 --> 00:29:33.119 Usually right after they tell me I've forgotten their name, actually. 00:29:33.440 --> 00:29:35.279 But I haven't forgotten the food. 00:29:35.440 --> 00:29:38.400 And I haven't forgotten the name of the restaurant. 00:29:38.720 --> 00:29:41.599 That's what servants of God should be. 00:29:41.839 --> 00:29:48.720 Just a great delivery service of the things of God whose names are quickly forgotten. 00:29:49.519 --> 00:29:52.960 But the church of Corinth was praising the waiter. 00:29:53.599 --> 00:29:58.880 They were giving the server credit for the meal and for the whole establishment. 00:29:59.359 --> 00:30:01.119 Look at verse 17. 00:30:01.920 --> 00:30:07.839 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel. 00:30:08.079 --> 00:30:13.359 So Paul here is addressing his calling once again to preach the gospel. 00:30:13.519 --> 00:30:19.759 Kind of like, you know, you're giving me credit for something that's not even a part of my calling for baptizing. 00:30:20.079 --> 00:30:22.160 I'm here to preach the gospel. 00:30:22.319 --> 00:30:24.559 Who cares who baptized you? 00:30:24.720 --> 00:30:27.519 It's all about the name of Jesus. 00:30:29.440 --> 00:30:33.200 You know, when I was serving down in Oxnard, it was kind of funny. 00:30:33.519 --> 00:30:35.200 Just like an example of this. 00:30:35.359 --> 00:30:37.039 We'd do ocean baptisms. 00:30:37.119 --> 00:30:45.519 And usually, you know, there would be a couple sets of pastors that would go out into the ocean and would just say, just get in different lines, come out in, and then we'll dunk you. 00:30:45.759 --> 00:31:02.319 And it was funny because whoever or whatever line was for the lead pastor, Pastor Lance down there, like it's like 30 people deep, and then there's all the other pastors over here with like one or two people, just kind of like, we're done. 00:31:02.799 --> 00:31:04.400 And just watching this whole line. 00:31:04.559 --> 00:31:11.200 But there's something about us that naturally, you know, is drawn to that and does care about who baptizes us. 00:31:11.359 --> 00:31:13.039 But Paul's just saying, it doesn't matter. 00:31:13.200 --> 00:31:18.400 Like, just pick any line, it doesn't matter who's the one that's actually putting you under the water. 00:31:18.640 --> 00:31:20.559 Look at the end of verse 17. 00:31:20.960 --> 00:31:29.599 He says, Not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ will not be emptied of its effect. 00:31:30.079 --> 00:31:34.319 He's talking about how he presented the gospel in Corinth. 00:31:35.599 --> 00:31:47.839 You know, for the sake of the server not getting too much credit, Paul didn't even try to make his speech extra persuasive or slick to the Corinthian people. 00:31:48.160 --> 00:31:54.640 He depended on the power of God through the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ to do the work. 00:32:03.279 --> 00:32:15.440 Next week in verse 18, we'll read, For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but is the power of God to us who are being saved. 00:32:15.759 --> 00:32:25.200 It's not how cleverly or how convincingly we deliver the gospel, it's the power of God that affects hearts. 00:32:25.759 --> 00:32:32.079 And all we need to do is be faithful to simply proclaim it and then allow God to do the rest. 00:32:32.319 --> 00:32:42.960 And Paul says that he has not used eloquent words because he didn't want the cross of Christ to be emptied of its effect, he says here. 00:32:43.359 --> 00:32:46.240 And to me, when I read that verse, that's scary. 00:32:47.039 --> 00:32:56.720 That we have the ability to do that when we try to sweeten up the gospel, when we try to make it more palatable for whoever we're telling it to. 00:32:56.960 --> 00:33:03.200 You know, you've probably heard this saying, what you win them by, you have to keep them by. 00:33:03.759 --> 00:33:11.200 And this is usually used in the context of how churches draw people in and then how they keep them coming once they're there. 00:33:11.440 --> 00:33:24.319 If you win them with produced worship and a light show and like a really funny pastor or something like that, what happens is what happens if the music goes acoustic? 00:33:24.640 --> 00:33:30.400 What happens if the pastor gives a series of sobering, convicting messages? 00:33:30.960 --> 00:33:36.640 The people that were won over by the production and by the comedy, they're not gonna stick around. 00:33:37.119 --> 00:33:49.359 Paul is telling us here that he intentionally kept things simple so that people were only drawn to Jesus through the power of God and not through his slick presentation that he was delivering. 00:33:49.839 --> 00:33:56.960 What I'm about to say, I think goes for this whole section that we've been going over in 1 Corinthians 1. 00:33:57.839 --> 00:34:14.079 When people take credit for what God has done, or people give credit to another person for something that God has done, we're emptying the cross of its effect, of its power. 00:34:14.559 --> 00:34:27.280 Because now a person is seen, or a person is heralded and given credit when they were just the server of the food, when they were just really a waiter in the kingdom of God. 00:34:27.920 --> 00:34:39.119 You know, I want to summarize this morning with this this whole section is about our identity, and in that, in only exalting Jesus Christ. 00:34:39.440 --> 00:34:43.679 Paul talks so much in his writings about boasting in Christ. 00:34:43.920 --> 00:34:48.800 In so many different places he mentions that, and we're actually going to talk about that next week. 00:34:49.039 --> 00:34:53.760 Because I think boasting in Christ keeps our mind in the right place. 00:34:54.639 --> 00:35:00.559 Reminds us that it's not our talent, it's not our gifting that's winning people to Christ. 00:35:00.719 --> 00:35:05.199 And it's not the talent or the gifting of somebody else that's winning people to Christ. 00:35:05.360 --> 00:35:09.360 It's the power of God that leads people to salvation. 00:35:10.639 --> 00:35:15.840 As we're going to see, this was a talented church that Paul was writing to. 00:35:16.000 --> 00:35:21.599 They had been given the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and they were using them actually excessively. 00:35:22.159 --> 00:35:28.079 But they were using those gifts, those talents in their flesh, we'll see. 00:35:28.559 --> 00:35:30.800 They were using them for their own gain. 00:35:31.519 --> 00:35:37.679 You see, just because the gifts of the Holy Spirit are at work, it doesn't mean the church is healthy. 00:35:38.719 --> 00:35:43.840 And just because the gifts of the Holy Spirit are present, it doesn't mean that the church is mature. 00:35:44.800 --> 00:35:49.119 A healthy, mature church is a bunch of servants. 00:35:50.880 --> 00:35:58.719 Realizing that they're servants and that everyone else is nothing more than servants in the kingdom of God. 00:36:00.320 --> 00:36:10.159 It's when we realize that that we start using our gifts for the building up and for the encouragement of the people of God that are sitting around us right now. 00:36:10.719 --> 00:36:25.760 You know, if you ever elevate me or any one of the elders or any one of the leaders in this church as being more important than you, or more gifted than you, or more talented than you, or please hear me in this. 00:36:26.400 --> 00:36:31.679 That us showing up here on Sundays is more important than you showing up on Sundays. 00:36:32.159 --> 00:36:38.880 If you've ever elevated any of us beyond the role of servant in the kingdom of God, please stop. 00:36:39.840 --> 00:36:42.159 We're all just part of the same body. 00:36:42.320 --> 00:36:45.840 There's only one head, and that's Jesus Christ. 00:36:46.239 --> 00:36:48.239 And we're all in submission to Him. 00:36:48.400 --> 00:36:49.760 At least we all should be. 00:36:50.639 --> 00:36:53.920 And the last thing that I want to leave you with is this. 00:36:54.000 --> 00:36:55.679 And it's a question for you. 00:36:56.800 --> 00:36:59.119 Do you have nets to mend? 00:36:59.920 --> 00:37:06.079 Is there any cloth in your relationships that need to be woven back together? 00:37:06.960 --> 00:37:20.239 You know, if somebody comes through those doors on a Sunday morning and doesn't know Jesus Christ, and they see a church divided, all they'll see is what they already see in the world. 00:37:20.960 --> 00:37:26.880 Division, fighting, people letting their flesh rule them. 00:37:27.199 --> 00:37:32.800 You know, Jesus told his disciples that they would be known for the love that they have for one another. 00:37:33.360 --> 00:37:35.119 That's how they should be known. 00:37:36.800 --> 00:37:40.000 We need to be known for our love for one another. 00:37:40.719 --> 00:37:45.599 Not our divisions, but known for our unity in Christ Jesus. 00:37:46.480 --> 00:37:57.920 One of the things that I love and have seen in all the churches that I've been able to serve in is people becoming friends that in any other context of life would never hang out together. 00:37:59.440 --> 00:38:06.400 But because they have Jesus in common, and because they're in the same church community, they're friends. 00:38:06.800 --> 00:38:10.800 And they do stuff together and they have conversations and they get to know each other. 00:38:11.679 --> 00:38:16.000 The unity of Christ is all they have in common, and that's enough. 00:38:16.400 --> 00:38:18.719 And I love seeing those relationships. 00:38:19.760 --> 00:38:31.280 You know, we learned in Romans if you have any areas that you disagree with that cause contention, that cause division, Paul was telling us, just don't talk about those things. 00:38:32.079 --> 00:38:37.679 If all you have in common is Christ and Him crucified, just keep talking about that. 00:38:37.840 --> 00:38:43.920 Because in the end, that is all we need to have in common, to be in unity in Him. 00:38:44.559 --> 00:38:45.920 So those are the two things. 00:38:46.239 --> 00:38:53.840 Don't elevate humans and be united, be woven together in Christ. 00:38:54.159 --> 00:39:07.280 And if you're here this morning and you have not received the gospel of Jesus Christ, or you haven't accepted all that Christ has done for you. 00:39:08.800 --> 00:39:15.280