WEBVTT 00:00:00.640 --> 00:00:04.639 Alright, like I said, we are in 1 Corinthians, picking back up. 00:00:04.799 --> 00:00:08.240 We're going to be reading chapter 6, verses 1 through 11. 00:00:08.320 --> 00:00:11.759 If you're able, would you please stand for the reading of God's word? 00:00:14.480 --> 00:00:23.679 If any of you has a dispute against another, how dare you take it to court before the unrighteous and not before the saints? 00:00:23.920 --> 00:00:26.879 Or don't you know that the saints will judge the world? 00:00:27.039 --> 00:00:32.159 And if the world is judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the trivial cases? 00:00:32.399 --> 00:00:35.600 Don't you know that we will judge angels? 00:00:35.920 --> 00:00:38.159 How much more matters of this life? 00:00:38.399 --> 00:00:45.200 So if you have such matters, do you appoint as your judges those who have no standing in the church? 00:00:45.359 --> 00:00:46.960 I say this to your shame. 00:00:47.280 --> 00:00:53.679 Can it be that there is not one wise person among you who is able to arbitrate between fellow believers? 00:00:53.840 --> 00:00:58.719 Instead, brother goes to court against brother, and that before unbelievers. 00:00:58.960 --> 00:01:04.799 As it is to have legal disputes against one another is already a defeat for you. 00:01:05.040 --> 00:01:06.879 Why not rather be wrong? 00:01:07.120 --> 00:01:09.040 Why not rather be cheated? 00:01:09.359 --> 00:01:15.680 Instead, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do this to brothers and sisters. 00:01:15.920 --> 00:01:20.000 Don't you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God's kingdom? 00:01:20.319 --> 00:01:22.239 Do not be deceived. 00:01:22.480 --> 00:01:36.400 No sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, or males who have sex with males, no thieves, greedy people, drunkards, verbally abusive people, or swindlers will inherit God's kingdom. 00:01:36.640 --> 00:01:47.760 And some of you used to be like this, 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. 00:01:48.239 --> 00:01:51.280 Lord, I thank you so much for this text that we have this morning. 00:01:51.519 --> 00:02:03.519 But I pray that you would do the speaking, that we would have hearts and ears and eyes that are open, that are willing to be conformed to you, that are willing to become more like Jesus. 00:02:03.680 --> 00:02:07.120 So, Lord, I pray that you would do the convicting here this morning. 00:02:07.359 --> 00:02:13.439 You would do the encouraging, you do the directing and the counseling, and that we would be clay in your hands. 00:02:13.599 --> 00:02:15.280 We pray this in Jesus' name. 00:02:15.599 --> 00:02:16.240 Amen. 00:02:16.479 --> 00:02:17.840 You may be seated. 00:02:18.719 --> 00:02:29.199 So I want to start off today by drawing a hypothetical scenario that we can use as an example as we go through this scripture together here this morning. 00:02:29.360 --> 00:02:32.319 Something that we could relate to maybe as a church. 00:02:32.479 --> 00:02:34.879 So I want to use this scenario here. 00:02:34.960 --> 00:02:36.000 So say Bob. 00:02:36.159 --> 00:02:40.000 I don't think we have any Bobs in this church, but if we do, I apologize. 00:02:40.080 --> 00:02:41.120 We're not talking about Bob. 00:02:41.199 --> 00:02:42.719 This is a hypothetical Bob. 00:02:42.960 --> 00:02:48.639 Bob runs into hard times financially and he needs$2,000 really bad. 00:02:48.879 --> 00:02:56.719 And you hear about it and you tell Bob, here's$2,000 to help you get even and to get back on your feet. 00:02:56.960 --> 00:03:00.400 Bob says, I don't know if I'm gonna be able to pay you back. 00:03:00.479 --> 00:03:02.319 I don't know if I can accept this money. 00:03:02.560 --> 00:03:05.520 So you say, Don't worry about paying me back. 00:03:05.759 --> 00:03:12.719 But if you find yourself in a better place financially and you want to pay me back, then by all means, you can do that. 00:03:12.879 --> 00:03:15.840 So after a year or so, Bob gets back on his feet. 00:03:15.919 --> 00:03:17.840 He's doing really well financially. 00:03:18.159 --> 00:03:22.000 He goes out and you notice he buys a brand new car for himself. 00:03:22.319 --> 00:03:25.759 At the same time, you fall on some hard times. 00:03:26.000 --> 00:03:30.240 So you go to Bob and you say, Hey, you know that$2,000 I gave you? 00:03:30.479 --> 00:03:32.240 I fell onto some hard times. 00:03:32.400 --> 00:03:34.479 Like, would you be able to pay me back? 00:03:34.719 --> 00:03:40.800 Bob says, Well, I just spent all my money on this new car, and plus, you said I didn't have to pay you back. 00:03:41.199 --> 00:03:47.199 You say, Yeah, but you're doing really well, and right now I'm not, and I really need help. 00:03:47.439 --> 00:03:51.599 And you guys can't get this resolved between the two of you. 00:03:51.759 --> 00:03:55.840 And the next thing you know, you're on Judge Judy together. 00:03:57.599 --> 00:04:01.680 And the title of the case is Church Members Brawl Over Loan. 00:04:02.080 --> 00:04:03.360 Or was it a gift? 00:04:03.599 --> 00:04:03.919 Okay? 00:04:04.400 --> 00:04:07.280 So that's that's the scenario, okay? 00:04:07.520 --> 00:04:14.719 And we're just gonna leave it right there for now so we have a little bit of context of what this might look like as we jump into the scripture here. 00:04:14.800 --> 00:04:17.199 So let's look at verse one together. 00:04:17.360 --> 00:04:27.920 It says, if any of you has a dispute against another, how dare you take it to court before the unrighteous and not before the saints? 00:04:28.160 --> 00:04:42.160 So if you remember a few chapters back, Paul already told them in 1 Corinthians chapter 3, verse 3, he said, For since there is envy and strife among you, are you not worldly and behaving like mere humans? 00:04:42.720 --> 00:05:01.680 You're both calling yourself followers of Christ, but instead of allowing those that have the Spirit of God in them to mediate your dispute, you'd rather be go before someone that doesn't have the wisdom of God and doesn't have the Holy Spirit inside of them and let them decide your case. 00:05:01.920 --> 00:05:05.839 That's what the picture that's being painted here of what the Corinthians are doing. 00:05:06.079 --> 00:05:14.959 Not to mention that what a bad representation this is of the church within the community of Corinth that's looking at these Christians and how they behave. 00:05:15.759 --> 00:05:17.759 Because what did Jesus tell us? 00:05:18.000 --> 00:05:24.079 How should we know, or how would the world know that we are believers, that we are followers of Christ? 00:05:24.319 --> 00:05:27.680 It's by the love that we have for one another. 00:05:27.920 --> 00:05:33.199 So Paul says, and this is some pretty strong language here, he says, How dare you? 00:05:33.759 --> 00:05:37.040 This isn't a, you know, it's probably not wise for you guys to do this. 00:05:37.199 --> 00:05:40.240 It's not, you know, you should really think about this a little differently next time. 00:05:40.399 --> 00:05:48.399 He flat out says, How dare you take a dispute before the unrighteous and not before the saints? 00:05:48.959 --> 00:05:54.079 Don't you know, he's telling them, how backward this is, what's going on within the church. 00:05:54.240 --> 00:05:58.879 You know, it's important to remember here that Paul's not saying that Christians shouldn't go to court. 00:05:59.199 --> 00:06:03.680 God has given us governing authorities and laws and the court system for a purpose. 00:06:03.839 --> 00:06:13.759 What Paul is saying here is that we shouldn't be taking each other to court over disputes that can and should be handled within the church. 00:06:13.920 --> 00:06:15.519 He goes on in verse 2. 00:06:15.920 --> 00:06:23.600 Or don't you know that the saints, so that's all Christians he's talking about, don't you know that the saints will judge the world? 00:06:24.319 --> 00:06:38.639 To believe that the saints cannot come to the right verdict on a$2,000 dispute, but also believe that they are going to judge the world with Christ one day, think about how backwards that is. 00:06:39.120 --> 00:06:47.600 You know, we're gonna share in Christ's inheritance, we're gonna reign with him, as it says here, and we're gonna judge the world. 00:06:47.839 --> 00:06:51.680 1 Timothy chapter 2, verses 11 and 12 confirms this. 00:06:51.759 --> 00:06:56.160 It says, For if we died with him, we will also live with him. 00:06:56.560 --> 00:07:00.399 If we endure, we will also reign with him. 00:07:00.720 --> 00:07:03.680 If we deny him, he will also deny us. 00:07:03.920 --> 00:07:17.360 You know, this whole idea of reigning with Christ and judging the world, it's most likely pointing to Christ's millennial reign after his second coming, when he comes to rule perfectly over the earth for a thousand years. 00:07:17.519 --> 00:07:24.319 And Revelation 20, verse 4, talks a little bit about this as well, about saints ruling with him in that time. 00:07:24.720 --> 00:07:28.240 But Paul continues on talking about reigning and judging. 00:07:28.480 --> 00:07:30.800 Look at the second half of verse 2. 00:07:31.439 --> 00:07:37.360 And if the world is judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the trivial cases? 00:07:37.600 --> 00:07:40.480 Don't you know that we will judge angels? 00:07:40.800 --> 00:07:43.439 How much more matters of this life? 00:07:43.680 --> 00:07:45.040 So think about this. 00:07:45.360 --> 00:07:52.480 We are created in God's image, and we never see that in scripture, that that's the case for angels. 00:07:52.879 --> 00:08:00.399 We are called sons and daughters of God if we are in Christ, but we don't see that in scripture about angels. 00:08:00.639 --> 00:08:11.680 And even though we were fallen because of sin, we've been redeemed by Christ and will share in his inheritance and we'll rule and reign with him. 00:08:12.079 --> 00:08:23.279 And even though it's not perfectly clear in Scripture what exactly this is gonna look like, we will rule and reign with Christ over the world and over angels. 00:08:23.519 --> 00:08:27.519 And you know, my curiosity really wishes that Paul would have elaborated here. 00:08:28.079 --> 00:08:30.240 Yeah, and then it's gonna look exactly like this. 00:08:30.399 --> 00:08:31.360 But he doesn't. 00:08:31.600 --> 00:08:38.559 But most likely what we're talking about is probably uh ruling and judging over fallen angels. 00:08:38.720 --> 00:08:44.960 Because in scripture, I don't really see a need for heavenly angels needing any judging, but who knows for sure. 00:08:45.039 --> 00:08:48.320 But most likely we're we're talking about fallen angels that will be judging. 00:08:48.480 --> 00:08:54.559 But regardless of what this looks like, the crazy thing about this is we're gonna be judging angels. 00:08:54.799 --> 00:09:09.519 Because in scripture, um, you know, we we see like when somebody has an encounter with an angel, usually we have the inappropriate response of just falling down in awe and wanting to worship like there are these beings that are so much higher than us. 00:09:09.840 --> 00:09:15.840 But the thing is, we are the ones that are gonna reign with Christ, and they won't. 00:09:16.000 --> 00:09:22.240 So it's just like this whole thing of like, wow, I really want to know what this looks like, but we don't know exactly. 00:09:22.399 --> 00:09:30.720 But we do know that we are gonna rule and reign with Christ, we are gonna uh rule over the world and we're gonna judge angels uh at some point. 00:09:31.039 --> 00:09:36.720 But how we will judge angels really isn't the point of what Paul is trying to talk about here. 00:09:36.879 --> 00:09:57.519 The point is, if we will be in that position with Christ, and we have the Holy Spirit living inside of us right now, teaching us and counseling us and directing us, then these small matters, like a$2,000 dispute, should be no problem for us if we're depending on God for his verdict. 00:09:57.759 --> 00:09:59.279 Look at verse 4. 00:10:00.240 --> 00:10:08.240 So, if you have such matters, do you appoint as your judges those who have no standing in the church? 00:10:08.480 --> 00:10:13.360 Paul's really pointing out the irony of what they're doing within their church body. 00:10:13.919 --> 00:10:28.000 They have a church that's filled with spirit-filled people that Paul has admittedly documented as not mature as a whole, and some are carnal Christians, and they're too accepting of sin. 00:10:28.159 --> 00:10:41.679 But what he's getting at here is as we continue on through this chapter, is that even a less mature, spirit-filled follower of Christ is better than someone that does not have the Spirit of God living in them. 00:10:43.840 --> 00:10:48.720 They are a better judge of somebody that does not have the Spirit of God living in them. 00:10:48.879 --> 00:10:55.200 You know, we already saw in chapter 3 that the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. 00:10:55.840 --> 00:11:13.440 Paul's saying you're allowing these random people who use the wisdom of the world to decide disputes among the body of Christ, all while you have the Spirit of God living inside of you, and all while your brothers and sisters have the Spirit of God living inside of them as well. 00:11:13.840 --> 00:11:36.080 You know, I was trying to think of what this would be like kind of in a modern-day case, but I think it would be like say that you were in charge of the maintenance of the golf course here in town, and you have access to multiple really nice riding lawnmowers, but you choose to use a push mower for all 18 greens and fairways. 00:11:37.200 --> 00:11:41.919 And someone asks you, why are you using the push mower when you have all of these riding mowers? 00:11:42.240 --> 00:11:47.519 You say, Well, because that's the way I was brought up, and that's the way my neighbor does it. 00:11:47.600 --> 00:11:50.480 So I just figured that's you know what we should probably be doing. 00:11:50.559 --> 00:11:53.120 That's how everybody else in my neighborhood's doing it. 00:11:53.440 --> 00:11:56.799 And you say, you know, that makes no sense at all. 00:11:56.960 --> 00:12:09.360 It's like, yeah, but I have access to these things, but I'm just gonna go along with the way that I've always done it growing up, the way my dad did it, the way my neighbors are doing it, and even though I have that access, I'm just gonna keep using my push mower. 00:12:09.679 --> 00:12:13.279 Paul's saying here, you have access to the Holy Spirit. 00:12:13.440 --> 00:12:19.440 Yet you go and do what your neighbors are doing that don't have access to the Holy Spirit. 00:12:19.679 --> 00:12:33.840 You have access to the all-knowing, perfect God of the universe who judges perfectly with perfect justice, and you're looking to the wisdom of the world to decide disputes among your own church. 00:12:34.080 --> 00:12:35.600 Look at verse 5. 00:12:36.080 --> 00:12:38.320 I say this to your shame. 00:12:38.559 --> 00:12:46.240 Can it be that there is not one wise person among you who is able to arbitrate between fellow believers? 00:12:46.559 --> 00:12:52.240 You don't need to be an expert in the law as long as the Spirit of God is inside of you. 00:12:52.480 --> 00:12:57.759 If the Spirit of God is inside of us, we should be able to discern everything. 00:12:58.240 --> 00:13:02.159 I think at this point, the question is probably looming. 00:13:02.240 --> 00:13:05.919 You know, well, how do we approach this if we do have this dispute? 00:13:06.080 --> 00:13:07.039 What is the next step? 00:13:07.120 --> 00:13:08.879 What are the steps that we should take? 00:13:09.039 --> 00:13:12.720 And I think now is the time to mention Matthew 18 in all of this. 00:13:12.879 --> 00:13:19.360 So I want to read it to you, and then we're gonna talk about how to apply Matthew 18 specifically to this situation. 00:13:19.600 --> 00:13:20.879 So I'll just read it to you. 00:13:20.960 --> 00:13:28.480 It says, if your brother sins against you, go tell him his fault between you and him alone. 00:13:28.720 --> 00:13:32.159 If he listens to you, you have one your brother. 00:13:32.320 --> 00:13:41.759 But if he won't listen, take one or two others with you, so that by the testimony of two or three witnesses, every fact may be established. 00:13:42.000 --> 00:13:44.879 If he doesn't pay attention to them, tell the church. 00:13:45.039 --> 00:13:51.840 If he doesn't pay attention even to the church, let him be like a gentile and a tax collector to you. 00:13:52.080 --> 00:13:56.000 And that's speaking of cutting them off, as we went over last week. 00:13:56.240 --> 00:14:05.600 You know, the first thing I think we need to remember as we approach verses like today in Matthew 18 as well, is that the goal is always restoration. 00:14:05.840 --> 00:14:09.519 It's never just to get even and kick somebody out of the church. 00:14:09.600 --> 00:14:12.480 The goal is always restoration. 00:14:13.120 --> 00:14:25.279 And though, you know, we're talking about a lot of different situations that we can apply Matthew 18 to a lot of different situations where, you know, someone wrongs you, or there is a dispute that needs arbitration within the church. 00:14:25.360 --> 00:14:30.559 Or like we talked about last week, somebody is living in sin and the whole church ends up knowing about it. 00:14:30.720 --> 00:14:33.679 What do we do from that point forward? 00:14:34.080 --> 00:14:39.279 First, in Matthew 18, it tells us you go and you talk to the person directly. 00:14:39.759 --> 00:14:44.080 And then if nothing's resolved, second, you bring one or two others with you. 00:14:44.320 --> 00:14:57.600 And this isn't talking about your good friend that you've already gossiped with and is already on your side in the disputed situation, is like, yeah, let's go get that person and we're gonna, you know, we'll kick them out of the church. 00:14:58.080 --> 00:15:11.519 This is talking about grabbing somebody that's mature in the faith, that's impartial to the situation, that can come and hear both sides of the story, impartially listen, and then hopefully arbitrate from there. 00:15:11.759 --> 00:15:16.960 And this is done because if you bring a friend that already agrees with you, there's no partiality. 00:15:17.120 --> 00:15:25.840 And Proverbs 18, 17 says the first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him. 00:15:26.559 --> 00:15:38.480 So if you bring one or two more people with you, and you all find that the person is wrong, and the person still won't repent, then you bring it to the church. 00:15:38.720 --> 00:15:46.159 And notice in Matthew 18 as well, like Ben also mentioned last week in chapter 5, church leadership is not mentioned. 00:15:46.799 --> 00:15:49.279 It just says tell the church. 00:15:50.000 --> 00:15:52.799 You know, now involving elders is not a bad thing. 00:15:52.960 --> 00:16:00.080 Hopefully, they can be those mature, impartial believers that can, you know, be impartial and arbitrate for you. 00:16:00.320 --> 00:16:05.759 But this is your duty as the church, just as much as it's my duty as well. 00:16:06.399 --> 00:16:19.360 Now, there is a tendency for people when they feel wronged to want to skip all of Matthew 18, come straight to the elders or an elder and say, That person did this and you need to kick them out. 00:16:19.600 --> 00:16:26.559 If you do that here, though, the first question we're gonna ask you is what did the person say when you confronted them alone? 00:16:28.080 --> 00:16:33.200 And it usually they'll say, Well, I haven't done anything, I just wanted you to know what a horrible person that is. 00:16:33.600 --> 00:16:34.799 That other person is. 00:16:35.519 --> 00:16:39.600 And that's when we say, Well, this is how Matthew 18 works. 00:16:39.919 --> 00:16:42.080 Go and confront that person. 00:16:42.240 --> 00:16:50.799 There's been one issue uh in the past where the person didn't feel safe, so we felt like it's like, okay, well, start off with one other person just because there's a safety issue. 00:16:51.039 --> 00:16:57.759 But you are to go alone first and then bring impartial people with you from there. 00:16:58.399 --> 00:17:02.399 And go through that Matthew 18 process of restoration. 00:17:02.639 --> 00:17:05.839 Um, because that is always the first goal. 00:17:06.000 --> 00:17:16.240 But if you take people with you and they still won't repent, and then you tell the church and they still won't repent, then you cut them off from fellowship with the church, it says. 00:17:16.480 --> 00:17:23.279 And that is so that they can feel what it's like to not be under the care and the protection of the body of Christ. 00:17:23.440 --> 00:17:28.160 They can feel what it's like to be out of fellowship with their brothers and sisters. 00:17:28.480 --> 00:17:34.079 Now, you might be wondering, how does this apply to what we're talking about today? 00:17:34.240 --> 00:17:39.200 Specifically to this court case that we're talking about in this$2,000 dispute. 00:17:39.440 --> 00:17:47.279 Well, the same principles should be our course of action and things that need arbitration as well. 00:17:47.759 --> 00:17:50.720 You know, hey, you know that$2,000 you owe me? 00:17:50.799 --> 00:17:51.519 I really need it. 00:17:51.680 --> 00:17:54.799 And the person says, Well, wait, you said I didn't have to pay it back. 00:17:54.960 --> 00:18:03.440 And then you say, Yeah, but you're obviously doing better, and you just bought that new car, like you need to help me out now, and you arrive at an impasse. 00:18:04.079 --> 00:18:11.440 This is when you take two or three mature, impartial people from the church to help arbitrate. 00:18:11.519 --> 00:18:22.559 It's less of a confrontation, but more of an arbitration of some people are gonna hear this case, they're gonna go, they're gonna pray about it, and then they're gonna come back with a verdict. 00:18:22.799 --> 00:18:34.160 Because the very next verses in Matthew 18, verses 18 through 22 that we just read says, Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven. 00:18:34.319 --> 00:18:37.759 And whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven. 00:18:37.920 --> 00:18:48.720 Again, truly I tell you, if two of you on earth agree about any matter that you pray for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 00:18:48.880 --> 00:18:55.279 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there among them. 00:18:55.680 --> 00:19:00.559 This is the process that we should do instead of taking each other to court. 00:19:00.799 --> 00:19:16.559 And the two people that both feel wronged, that need this arbitration, really need to trust that God is speaking to the mature believers that have come together and be willing to accept whatever the verdict is from those mature believers. 00:19:16.880 --> 00:19:19.920 Even if the verdict is not in your favor. 00:19:20.960 --> 00:19:28.640 Now, verse 6 will tell us what is being done in Corinth instead of this godly arbitration that we've been talking about. 00:19:28.799 --> 00:19:41.839 Verse 6 says, instead, brother goes to court against brother, and that before unbelievers, as it is to have legal disputes against one another, is already a defeat for you. 00:19:42.880 --> 00:19:48.640 If you can't exist in unity, remember, unity is a sign of maturity within a church. 00:19:48.880 --> 00:19:56.480 If you can't exist in unity and are having these disputes, Paul straight out says, You already lost. 00:19:56.720 --> 00:19:59.440 You've already been defeated. 00:19:59.680 --> 00:20:04.400 Both sides of the dispute already lost, even if the verdict is in your favor. 00:20:04.960 --> 00:20:06.240 You've already lost. 00:20:06.480 --> 00:20:09.359 Paul ends verse 7 with a hard question here. 00:20:09.440 --> 00:20:12.880 He says, Why not rather be wronged? 00:20:13.200 --> 00:20:16.000 Why not rather be cheated? 00:20:17.039 --> 00:20:20.319 Anybody else's flesh kind of shudder when you hear that? 00:20:20.640 --> 00:20:22.160 Like, it's injustice. 00:20:22.319 --> 00:20:23.519 That's not fair. 00:20:23.839 --> 00:20:25.839 But think about what Paul's saying here. 00:20:26.079 --> 00:20:33.440 A few weeks back we talked about the Sermon on the Mount and how it was the opposite of worldly wisdom. 00:20:33.599 --> 00:20:37.359 It was the opposite of how we naturally react. 00:20:37.680 --> 00:20:41.359 It's the opposite of what our flesh really wants to do. 00:20:41.599 --> 00:20:54.000 Jesus says in Matthew 5.40 in the Sermon of the Mount, as for the one who wants to sue you, who wants to take you to court, and take away your shirt, let him have your coat as well. 00:20:55.440 --> 00:20:58.559 Which goes right along with what Paul's saying here in verse 7. 00:20:58.720 --> 00:21:04.559 Wouldn't it be better to just tell the person, you know, our unity is more important than$2,000. 00:21:05.119 --> 00:21:06.480 So you keep the money. 00:21:06.720 --> 00:21:12.319 And if we're gonna take Jesus' words literally, you keep the money, and do you need any more? 00:21:12.880 --> 00:21:16.000 That's what Jesus is saying in the Sermon on the Mount. 00:21:16.960 --> 00:21:21.039 Even saying that kind of makes my flesh kind of like, ugh, that's injustice. 00:21:21.200 --> 00:21:23.680 That's just, that's not right, that's not fair. 00:21:24.000 --> 00:21:33.039 But God's wisdom is not the wisdom of man, it is not worldly wisdom, and it's definitely not what our flesh wants. 00:21:33.279 --> 00:21:34.640 Look at verse 8. 00:21:34.960 --> 00:21:42.960 He says, instead, you know, referring back to being wronged and being cheated, he says, instead, you yourselves do wrong and cheat. 00:21:43.200 --> 00:21:46.079 And you do this to brothers and sisters. 00:21:46.640 --> 00:21:51.519 Instead of living as Christ requires, you're living like the world. 00:21:51.839 --> 00:21:59.839 Instead of turning your cheek and offering your cloak after your shirt has been stolen, you're stealing shirts from your brothers and sisters. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:01.359 In the first place. 00:22:01.599 --> 00:22:09.200 You know, one of the most convicting things that I have to remind myself of often is this saying, and I don't remember where I heard it. 00:22:09.440 --> 00:22:18.000 But the saying is you can always tell a true servant of Jesus by how they respond when they're treated like one. 00:22:19.599 --> 00:22:20.799 Think about that. 00:22:21.119 --> 00:22:27.920 You can always tell a true servant of Jesus by how they respond when they're treated like one. 00:22:30.400 --> 00:22:34.720 The Corinthians are not acting like servants of Christ. 00:22:37.039 --> 00:22:45.599 They're not acting like servants of Christ because they're the ones wronging and cheating each other and then taking each other to court. 00:22:45.839 --> 00:22:51.440 They're acting just like the unrighteous people that they're surrounded by in the city of Corinth. 00:22:51.599 --> 00:22:56.160 And Paul will remind them of what happens to the unrighteous here in verse 9. 00:22:56.319 --> 00:23:01.359 He says, Don't you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God's kingdom? 00:23:01.599 --> 00:23:03.200 Do not be deceived. 00:23:03.440 --> 00:23:18.000 No sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, or males who have sex with males, no thieves, greedy people, drunkards, verbally abusive people, or swindlers will inherit God's kingdom. 00:23:18.559 --> 00:23:26.480 Paul's not calling this Corinthian church unrighteous, but he's saying their behavior is just like the unrighteous. 00:23:26.799 --> 00:23:32.559 Their behavior for fleshly motives is just like the sexually immoral. 00:23:32.720 --> 00:23:42.160 Just like the idolaters and the adulterers and the males who have sex with males, the thieves, the greedy people, the drunkards, the verbally abusive people, and the swindlers. 00:23:42.319 --> 00:23:46.400 They're acting just like that list that he just gave. 00:23:48.640 --> 00:23:50.480 And I think it's interesting. 00:23:50.559 --> 00:23:55.039 This list is very similar to the one that we ended chapter 5 with as well. 00:23:55.599 --> 00:24:00.400 As this is one continuous flow of thought that Paul is having here. 00:24:00.559 --> 00:24:10.240 Now, in verse 11, Paul's gonna remind them of who they used to be, and then he's gonna refresh their memory of who they are now in Christ. 00:24:10.400 --> 00:24:11.839 Look at verse 11 with me. 00:24:12.160 --> 00:24:23.359 And some of you used to be like this, but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of God. 00:24:23.599 --> 00:24:33.680 Basically, this is who you are now in Christ, but your actions need to start reflecting who you are in Jesus Christ. 00:24:33.920 --> 00:24:35.839 He reminds them, you were washed. 00:24:36.000 --> 00:24:38.559 Your sins have been forgiven and washed away. 00:24:38.799 --> 00:24:45.920 You were sanctified, you're made holy by Jesus, set apart for God from the world and from your flesh. 00:24:46.240 --> 00:24:50.880 He says, you were justified, you were made righteous in God's sight. 00:24:51.039 --> 00:24:54.400 And on top of that, the Spirit of God lives inside of you. 00:24:54.720 --> 00:24:58.079 Now you need to start acting like it, Corinthians. 00:24:58.480 --> 00:25:10.960 And what I love about this is that Paul has already listed a lot of the faults of the Corinthian church, and he's gonna continue to list their faults as he uh continues to write here in 1 Corinthians. 00:25:11.759 --> 00:25:16.160 But they are now following Christ. 00:25:16.400 --> 00:25:27.200 And even though they have their struggles, they have these issues that Paul is addressing, they are now in Christ. 00:25:27.440 --> 00:25:29.759 They've been washed, they've been forgiven. 00:25:30.079 --> 00:25:39.920 He said, Yeah, you may struggle with alcohol addiction, you may struggle with sexual sin and disputes and disunity and pride and all of those things. 00:25:40.079 --> 00:25:53.200 But even though you struggle with all of these things and so much more, who you are is followers of Christ, and you've been washed, and you've been sanctified, and you've been justified. 00:25:53.359 --> 00:25:58.160 And it's the same exact thing with all of us that are following Christ here in this room this morning. 00:25:58.319 --> 00:26:02.799 We've been washed, we've been sanctified, we've been justified. 00:26:03.119 --> 00:26:05.920 Your identity is no longer in your sin. 00:26:06.240 --> 00:26:09.039 Your identity is in Jesus Christ. 00:26:09.279 --> 00:26:11.680 Galatians 2.20 is one of my favorite verses. 00:26:11.839 --> 00:26:17.279 I've been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. 00:26:17.519 --> 00:26:26.000 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. 00:26:26.240 --> 00:26:34.240 And all that Jesus gives includes being washed, being sanctified, and being justified. 00:26:34.799 --> 00:26:42.400 You know what I hope that we leave here with today is understanding the importance of unity within a church. 00:26:42.720 --> 00:26:50.400 Paul flat out says it's better to be cheated and wronged than to have disunity within a church body. 00:26:51.839 --> 00:26:57.680 And if you can't get past the dispute, then have someone else come in and arbitrate for you. 00:26:57.839 --> 00:26:59.279 But don't take it to court. 00:26:59.359 --> 00:27:05.680 Don't take it to the world to decide disputes among those that have the Spirit of God living inside of them. 00:27:06.000 --> 00:27:10.319 And I think it's important that we remember the goal is always unity. 00:27:10.480 --> 00:27:13.200 The goal is always restoration. 00:27:13.519 --> 00:27:17.599 It's never about being right, it's never about being fair. 00:27:17.839 --> 00:27:22.799 And it's not about making somebody pay when you feel wronged. 00:27:23.599 --> 00:27:26.160 This is all about being more like Jesus. 00:27:26.400 --> 00:27:31.839 If anybody had the right to have a victim mentality, it was Jesus. 00:27:32.480 --> 00:27:36.079 And not once did Jesus ever act like a victim. 00:27:36.400 --> 00:27:40.079 Not once do we see him cry out, this isn't fair. 00:27:40.319 --> 00:27:42.160 I'm telling my dad. 00:27:43.200 --> 00:27:46.240 Like it's laughable to think of Jesus doing that, right? 00:27:46.559 --> 00:27:53.839 Jesus lived by a different set of rules, and he laid that out in the Sermon on the Mount so well for us. 00:27:54.079 --> 00:27:56.400 And this is my challenge to us this week. 00:27:56.640 --> 00:28:03.200 I want to challenge each one of us to read Matthew's chapters 5, 6, and 7. 00:28:03.359 --> 00:28:05.599 That's Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. 00:28:05.759 --> 00:28:13.839 And ask yourself, with every section, with every statement, what would it be like if I lived in this way? 00:28:14.079 --> 00:28:16.720 What would it look like if I lived in this way? 00:28:16.880 --> 00:28:21.200 Ask yourself, what would this statement look like if I did this at my work? 00:28:21.680 --> 00:28:26.000 If I did this at my school or in my home or with my neighbors. 00:28:26.240 --> 00:28:30.240 What would this look like if I did this with my enemies? 00:28:31.039 --> 00:28:32.319 And then do it. 00:28:33.759 --> 00:28:42.319 You know, acting the opposite of how our flesh desires, acting the opposite of our reactions, is really hard. 00:28:44.240 --> 00:28:45.920 Because we want to get even. 00:28:46.240 --> 00:28:47.759 We want to get justice. 00:28:48.000 --> 00:28:52.559 We want to make somebody pay for the way that they've wronged us and know about it. 00:28:52.799 --> 00:28:54.079 It's hard. 00:28:54.480 --> 00:28:56.559 The thing is, we can't do this on our own. 00:28:56.720 --> 00:29:01.119 Our flesh is going to scream against this and say, uh-uh, this isn't right. 00:29:01.279 --> 00:29:03.519 I'm going to get my way this time. 00:29:04.640 --> 00:29:13.920 But we have the Holy Spirit living inside of us, guiding us in those moments, and reminding us that this life is not our own. 00:29:14.160 --> 00:29:21.200 This life has been crucified with Christ, and it's no longer we who live, but Christ who lives in us. 00:29:22.400 --> 00:29:42.000 We can only do this by surrendering more deeply to God, by abiding more closely in Jesus Christ, and by walking by the Spirit in obedience to what he's telling us to do in Scripture, what he's encouraging to do as he counsels us in our daily walk. 00:29:42.240 --> 00:29:49.119 Otherwise, we will have no desire for the unity that Jesus desires within our church. 00:29:49.359 --> 00:29:54.799 And we're only going to be looking out for ourselves and not the people that are sitting around us. 00:29:55.039 --> 00:29:57.039 Would you please pray with me? 00:29:58.319 --> 00:30:00.960 Lord, we need you so deeply. 00:30:01.119 --> 00:30:03.599 I'm just reminded of how much we need you. 00:30:03.839 --> 00:30:08.720 But our flesh wants to do the opposite of so much of what we talked about here today. 00:30:08.960 --> 00:30:11.680 But Lord, you desire that unity. 00:30:12.079 --> 00:30:21.839 You desire us to love one another and to be known for the love that we have for the people that are sitting right next to us and in front of us and behind us. 00:30:22.079 --> 00:30:26.400 Lord, I pray that you would show us how to function in unity as a body. 00:30:26.559 --> 00:30:32.240 And when there is some tension and there is some friction, Lord, that we would turn to Scripture. 00:30:32.480 --> 00:30:34.559 We'd do exactly what you ask us to do. 00:30:34.720 --> 00:30:44.160 That we wouldn't try to find our own justice, but that we would look to you, that we would pull in the right mature people to help us along in the process. 00:30:44.480 --> 00:30:50.000 Lord, for the mature believers that might be brought into this process, help us to seek your face. 00:30:50.559 --> 00:30:55.920 Lord, and to be able to understand what your verdict is for every situation. 00:30:56.160 --> 00:31:01.920 But Lord, I just pray there that there aren't a lot of opportunities because of the unity that's already taking place. 00:31:02.240 --> 00:31:03.920 But Lord, give us wisdom. 00:31:04.000 --> 00:31:14.160 Show us how to live these things out and show us how to become more like Jesus and less like the fleshly reactions that we have inside of us. 00:31:14.319 --> 00:31:16.160 We pray this in Jesus' name. 00:31:16.400 --> 00:31:17.039 Amen.