WEBVTT 00:00:04.879 --> 00:00:08.080 Welcome to the Celebration Church Orlando podcast. 00:00:08.320 --> 00:00:09.759 Thank you for joining us. 00:00:10.080 --> 00:00:25.359 To learn more about Celebration Orlando, a church devoted to reaching the lost, equipping the found, and helping the hurting, follow us on social media using the handle at celebrationorl or visit our website at celebrationorl.org. 00:00:28.399 --> 00:00:28.960 Amen. 00:00:32.880 --> 00:00:38.479 We're gonna jump right in because I just I feel the Lord in here today. 00:00:39.039 --> 00:00:39.520 I do. 00:00:39.679 --> 00:00:47.039 And and and quite honestly, um what we just experienced wasn't a part of our regularly scheduled program. 00:00:47.679 --> 00:00:51.359 Um I I had a whole intro set up, it was real smooth. 00:00:51.439 --> 00:01:00.880 I put a lot of work into it, but there's some moments where God just wants to interrupt our regular scheduled program, and we got to give them space to move because I believe that God is moving and stirring some things amongst us. 00:01:01.039 --> 00:01:06.799 Um I am excited to be standing in front of every single one of you today, and um I count it as a privilege. 00:01:06.879 --> 00:01:07.920 Again, my name is Keith. 00:01:08.000 --> 00:01:15.040 I I serve as the lead pastor here at Celebration Orlando, my wife and I, and and and we want to thank you so much for coming to worship with us uh today. 00:01:15.120 --> 00:01:19.760 If I hadn't had a chance to meet you, please um be sure to connect with us um outside in the courtyard. 00:01:19.840 --> 00:01:23.200 We would love to just shake your hand and answer any questions that you may have. 00:01:23.439 --> 00:01:24.879 Today is particularly special. 00:01:24.959 --> 00:01:33.760 Every Sunday is special, but but today is one that's very meaningful for me because um we're kicking off a series that's been on my heart for over a year now. 00:01:34.000 --> 00:01:40.079 Maybe when you came in today, you were handed one of these incredibly designed um documents that that Lindsay put together. 00:01:40.159 --> 00:01:42.000 Can we put our hands together for Pastor Lindsay? 00:01:44.319 --> 00:01:47.359 She sings, she creates, she dances. 00:01:47.439 --> 00:01:48.159 What can't she do? 00:01:48.319 --> 00:01:57.920 Okay, so so so Lindsay put this together, and and really what it was meant to be is almost like an outline and a guide for this series that we're about to engage in over the next seven weeks. 00:01:58.319 --> 00:02:13.680 To put it briefly, um, last year my wife and I we had an opportunity to go to Greece where we spent about three weeks there, and we kind of chanced to travel around to some of the places that we didn't know would be places where Paul was, and some of these significant scriptures that we read in the Bible where they were birthed out of. 00:02:13.759 --> 00:02:22.960 And there was a moment when we went to Corinth that I knew then that God had really kind of like wanted me to tell the story of the people and the culture that was there. 00:02:23.199 --> 00:02:31.199 Paul spent about a year and a half, actually about 18 months there, and while he was there, this is a beautiful community that he served and that he worked alongside of. 00:02:31.360 --> 00:02:52.719 And so while I was there, I remember it was this moment where we were reading from Acts chapter 18, and it's a moment where Paul is standing on the beam of a seat or the seat of judgment, where he was basically being confronted about presenting the gospel in Corinth, that it became clear to me that God was telling me to tell the story of Corinth and the people that were there and what the culture and the nuances were. 00:02:52.879 --> 00:02:59.439 And so when we came back, we decided to talk with it with our staff, trying to figure out the best place to do it, and it seemed that it fits perfectly right here. 00:02:59.520 --> 00:03:04.879 And so what you'll find is in your hand is an outline and our heart's desire behind the series. 00:03:05.199 --> 00:03:10.800 And what I want to invite you to do and even challenge you to do is over the next seven weeks, show up. 00:03:11.039 --> 00:03:12.319 Be fully engaged. 00:03:12.400 --> 00:03:16.080 I know that some of us travel, but if you can be in a household of faith, be here. 00:03:16.240 --> 00:03:25.520 If you're traveling, watch online because what we're gonna see is we're gonna be on this journey of allowing us to engage the people in the culture of Corinth, answering this pretty simple question. 00:03:25.759 --> 00:03:30.000 What God was speaking to them then, and understand what he is speaking to us now. 00:03:30.240 --> 00:03:32.240 It's trying to extract these principles from it. 00:03:32.400 --> 00:03:40.080 One of the ways we want to invite you to engage is that we wanted to invite you to participate in Right Now Media, which is ultimately like Netflix with Jesus. 00:03:40.159 --> 00:03:42.159 It's ultimately just content that has curriculum. 00:03:42.240 --> 00:03:47.120 So you're gonna see a barcode on there for you to scan that we're making available to every person that is a part of our church. 00:03:47.280 --> 00:03:54.879 Scan on that, set up your account, and then the barcode to the right of that will lead you directly to the curriculum that's attached to this incredible book. 00:03:54.960 --> 00:03:56.639 I want to point this out to you. 00:03:56.719 --> 00:04:01.280 This is an incredible resource that we're giving it to you for free. 00:04:01.520 --> 00:04:05.599 Well, we paid for it through your generosity, but we're giving it to you. 00:04:07.599 --> 00:04:10.560 It's funny how people are like, oh, we're all kingdom-minded, that'll be$2.99. 00:04:10.639 --> 00:04:13.280 Like, I mean, kids gotta eat. 00:04:13.360 --> 00:04:23.759 So, so we're making this available, but there's no money to be exchanged from us because we wanted to make sure that as a church, when we stored our resources, we stored our resources so that we can equip our community. 00:04:24.079 --> 00:04:25.519 And so we wanted to make this available to you. 00:04:25.600 --> 00:04:36.959 So you're gonna see this incredible resource available for you for you to journal alongside and really invite God into this journey as you're reading through this incredible literature that I believe God is gonna bring some transformation to it. 00:04:37.040 --> 00:04:40.319 There's so much more I can say about that, but I really want to get into the sermon. 00:04:40.399 --> 00:04:45.360 But my ultimate deal is this we're gonna have groups that are specifically around this content. 00:04:45.519 --> 00:04:48.639 We're gonna have resources available specifically around this content. 00:04:48.800 --> 00:04:51.360 What I want to invite you to do is keep showing up. 00:04:51.439 --> 00:04:53.199 And here's why this is so important. 00:04:53.439 --> 00:05:05.199 Because when we begin to really find ourselves digging into the people of Corinth, the church of Corinth, the culture of Corinth, the church of Corinth, here's a conclusion that I'm confident we're gonna come to. 00:05:05.360 --> 00:05:07.279 That church was a hot mess. 00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:14.000 Like, seriously, like when you look at the themes and the problems they were facing, there's not something that was missing. 00:05:14.160 --> 00:05:21.199 I mean, they they had it all going on because Corinth was a very popular city where a lot of industry and trade took place, so think New York. 00:05:21.360 --> 00:05:24.560 But it was also a place that that a lot of other things took place. 00:05:24.720 --> 00:05:25.680 Think Sin City. 00:05:25.839 --> 00:05:27.839 Mixed in one, that was what Corinth was. 00:05:27.920 --> 00:05:34.959 It was a place of community, it was also a place of paganism, and pretty much any indulgence that you had, Corinth was the place for it. 00:05:35.040 --> 00:05:39.199 So I can make me some money, and then I can also find creative ways to spend my money if you know what I'm talking about. 00:05:39.360 --> 00:05:39.680 Okay. 00:05:40.079 --> 00:05:47.439 So what we're gonna be talking about in this series is we're gonna be tackling some of these themes that are very relevant for us today. 00:05:47.680 --> 00:05:50.800 Things that are gonna look very familiar to us today. 00:05:51.040 --> 00:06:04.240 And so the reason why I want us to lean in is because sadly, when we begin to talk about some of these issues that are existence in Corinth, these issues have gotten so sideways that the very mention of them makes people feel uncomfortable. 00:06:04.480 --> 00:06:06.800 Because they have been hijacked by politics. 00:06:07.040 --> 00:06:14.639 So sadly, the moment that you mention something, people think that you're making a political statement and we're missing the redemptive thing that God wants to do in every single one of us. 00:06:14.720 --> 00:06:31.439 So watch, over the next seven weeks, we're we're gonna talk about on we're gonna talk about politics, we're gonna talk about what are the gifts of the Spirit, we're gonna talk about what order in the church looks like, we're gonna talk about the role that women have in ministry, what does marriage look like, what is what does singleness look like, what is healthy sex and sexuality look like? 00:06:31.600 --> 00:06:34.160 We're gonna confront all of these things and watch this. 00:06:34.319 --> 00:06:36.480 If you stay long enough, you will be offended. 00:06:38.959 --> 00:06:42.079 None of us can engage God's word and walk away unscathed. 00:06:42.959 --> 00:06:48.560 There's gonna always be something that's gonna challenge us, but the way that we heal is we do it together in community. 00:06:48.959 --> 00:06:50.079 We don't do it in isolation. 00:06:50.240 --> 00:06:54.160 And so we want to invite you on this journey because we are going to be brushing on some of those topics. 00:06:54.319 --> 00:06:55.920 Do y'all still love your pastor today? 00:06:56.560 --> 00:06:57.120 Amen. 00:06:57.360 --> 00:06:59.120 Amen and amen. 00:06:59.519 --> 00:07:02.160 Here's another thing that I want to establish for us. 00:07:02.240 --> 00:07:14.720 And this is actually our theme scripture for this series that is actually not coming from Corinth or 1 Corinthians or 2 Corinthians, it's actually coming from the wisest man who has ever lived, which is King Solomon. 00:07:14.959 --> 00:07:17.600 Ecclesiastes chapter 1, verse 9. 00:07:17.680 --> 00:07:22.079 I love this because this is where Solomon has already amassed all his success. 00:07:22.240 --> 00:07:25.920 He's very, he's very wealthy, he's done everything, so he becomes very reflective. 00:07:26.079 --> 00:07:28.319 He's almost like an old man who has no filter anymore. 00:07:28.560 --> 00:07:32.000 So when you read Ecclesiastes, you're just getting an old man who's got a lot to say. 00:07:32.160 --> 00:07:34.160 And this is what he says at verse number nine. 00:07:34.240 --> 00:07:36.959 He says, What has been is what will be. 00:07:37.199 --> 00:07:39.920 And what has been done is what will be done. 00:07:40.079 --> 00:07:42.560 There is nothing new under the sun. 00:07:42.959 --> 00:07:47.680 Here's why I want to make that our theme scripture as we're engaging this. 00:07:47.920 --> 00:07:51.600 Because I want every single one of us to calm down. 00:07:53.279 --> 00:08:03.519 Because if we are allowing ourselves to be influenced by what we see in the media, social media, and by politicians, you know what they're telling us? 00:08:03.600 --> 00:08:06.079 Is that the end of the world is nigh. 00:08:06.480 --> 00:08:10.639 And if I don't get in office, it's not gonna be redeemed. 00:08:11.600 --> 00:08:12.319 Calm down. 00:08:13.600 --> 00:08:17.439 The gospel message has survived Caesar. 00:08:18.879 --> 00:08:20.560 Let the church say amen to that. 00:08:22.879 --> 00:08:26.399 Spirit of God stirring us up, trying to wake somebody up because somebody's falling asleep. 00:08:26.800 --> 00:08:27.360 Watch this. 00:08:27.519 --> 00:08:29.360 The gospel message has survived Caesar. 00:08:30.000 --> 00:08:32.399 The gospel message has survived the Emperor Nero. 00:08:32.559 --> 00:08:36.399 In fact, when we read the when we read the book of Acts, here's what it says. 00:08:36.639 --> 00:08:40.960 Every time the church was suppressed, it actually grew even more powerful. 00:08:41.759 --> 00:08:43.120 So let us calm down. 00:08:43.759 --> 00:08:46.320 If if your candidate doesn't get in office, watch this. 00:08:46.480 --> 00:08:47.679 Jesus is still on the throne. 00:08:48.399 --> 00:08:49.759 It is not the end of the world. 00:08:49.919 --> 00:08:50.720 Do we care about it? 00:08:50.799 --> 00:08:51.600 Do we have convictions? 00:08:51.759 --> 00:08:52.399 1,000%. 00:08:52.879 --> 00:08:54.879 But can we put things in a proper perspective? 00:08:55.039 --> 00:09:03.919 So the reason why Ecclesiastes telling us there's nothing new under the sun is no matter how many people come to us and tell us we've never seen something like this before, I assure you we have. 00:09:05.200 --> 00:09:06.399 We've seen it before. 00:09:06.559 --> 00:09:10.399 We've seen worse versions of it, and Jesus is still on the throne. 00:09:11.200 --> 00:09:11.919 And watch this. 00:09:12.080 --> 00:09:16.080 The worst case scenario when people are like, hey, if this doesn't work out, this is gonna be end of time. 00:09:16.240 --> 00:09:17.679 That means Jesus is coming back. 00:09:17.759 --> 00:09:18.720 That's good news. 00:09:19.279 --> 00:09:20.799 So we win either way. 00:09:21.679 --> 00:09:23.600 Six people are excited about it, but we're gonna get there. 00:09:23.679 --> 00:09:24.559 We're gonna get there. 00:09:24.799 --> 00:09:25.919 We are going to get there. 00:09:26.080 --> 00:09:28.960 Turn with me to 1 Corinthians chapter 1. 00:09:29.120 --> 00:09:32.320 We're gonna read verses 1 through 10. 00:09:33.039 --> 00:09:38.559 This is just a foundation and an introduction for this journey we're going to be on. 00:09:38.799 --> 00:09:43.600 So I'm gonna move fairly quickly through this, knowing that we're all gonna show up next week. 00:09:43.679 --> 00:09:46.480 We're gonna get part two and part three and part four all the way through it. 00:09:46.559 --> 00:09:52.000 So I'm gonna move through this fairly quick because I want to get back into a moment of worship and prayer. 00:09:52.159 --> 00:09:57.519 Um but ultimately when we're turning to 1 Corinthians, ultimately, this is a church that Paul has planted. 00:09:57.600 --> 00:09:58.960 He spent about 18 months there. 00:09:59.120 --> 00:10:03.360 He built amazing community and connections with the people that are there, and and then he leaves. 00:10:03.519 --> 00:10:07.840 But when he leaves, he begins to hear about the condition of the church. 00:10:08.000 --> 00:10:12.320 People begin to report to him and say, like, hey man, like didn't you spend about 18 months in Corinth? 00:10:12.480 --> 00:10:12.879 Yeah. 00:10:13.120 --> 00:10:14.799 Bro, you you might need to check on them. 00:10:15.840 --> 00:10:16.879 It's not going good. 00:10:17.039 --> 00:10:25.919 Like he gets a report, and so for him, the the only way that he can respond to this is he can't hop on a plane, he can't call, he can't FaceTime anybody. 00:10:26.000 --> 00:10:36.879 So what they would do then is they would write letters and he would take what he's heard, he'll take what he knows, and he would write these very detailed letters speaking to the issues that he's aware of with that community. 00:10:37.039 --> 00:10:41.919 When the letter would arrive, the person that would gather the people together, hey, we have a letter from Paul. 00:10:42.080 --> 00:10:43.120 All of us, let's come together. 00:10:43.200 --> 00:10:49.440 They're all in a room together, similar to how we are now, and then that person would read the letter out loud to everyone that was there. 00:10:49.600 --> 00:10:50.639 That serves two purposes. 00:10:50.799 --> 00:10:54.720 One, because the literacy rate back at that time was virtually nonexistent. 00:10:54.879 --> 00:10:57.440 So the average person didn't just pick up the Bible and read it. 00:10:57.600 --> 00:11:04.799 They needed to have it read to them and then have a person who knew the author and who also knew the context to interpret and answer questions. 00:11:04.960 --> 00:11:08.480 That's how we gather, and that's how our gatherings became what we are now today. 00:11:08.639 --> 00:11:16.960 Is somebody would stand on behalf of God, reading the letters, interpreting it, and communicating with the people so that we all can come to a place of agreement. 00:11:17.120 --> 00:11:21.279 So the people were gathered, and they were aware that there was a little bit of a hot mess. 00:11:21.360 --> 00:11:31.840 And so Paul begins to engage them, knowing that he has a relationship, 18 years of investment, 18 years of developing them, 18 years of intimacy with them. 00:11:32.000 --> 00:11:32.799 So watch this. 00:11:32.960 --> 00:11:35.840 It could handle the weight of the things that Paul was about to say. 00:11:36.480 --> 00:11:41.200 Paul starts his letter off by saying, I have no control over what's happening in the world. 00:11:41.360 --> 00:11:44.080 I'm not even here to give an indictment on the world. 00:11:44.159 --> 00:11:45.600 That's not who I'm talking to. 00:11:45.759 --> 00:11:52.000 This is a letter for the church, because you're allowing the world to get in the church and we need to knock it off. 00:11:52.639 --> 00:12:01.039 We have enough relational equity that I should be able to say these things to you without you feeling offended and running off, but wrestling with it and let's process through it in a healthy way. 00:12:01.120 --> 00:12:02.240 This is what Paul was saying. 00:12:02.320 --> 00:12:04.480 He was saying these things to people that he loved. 00:12:04.639 --> 00:12:06.480 So starting at verse number 10, he says these words. 00:12:06.559 --> 00:12:14.320 He says, Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say. 00:12:14.960 --> 00:12:23.039 That there be no divisions among you, and that you be united with the same understanding and same conviction. 00:12:23.279 --> 00:12:28.879 For it has been reported to me, my brothers and sisters, by members of Chloe's people. 00:12:29.039 --> 00:12:29.759 Let's pause there. 00:12:29.919 --> 00:12:31.679 I love how Paul just throws them under the bus. 00:12:32.000 --> 00:12:34.240 You know how when somebody's like, I heard this about like, who told you that? 00:12:34.399 --> 00:12:34.960 I ain't gonna say nothing. 00:12:35.039 --> 00:12:37.200 Paul was like, Chloe's people told me. 00:12:38.480 --> 00:12:39.440 I'm in Ephesus. 00:12:39.519 --> 00:12:40.080 What are you gonna do? 00:12:40.240 --> 00:12:45.360 He says, He said, Chloe's people told me that there is rivalry among you. 00:12:45.600 --> 00:12:46.960 And here's what I'm saying. 00:12:47.120 --> 00:12:49.759 One of y'all are saying, I belong to Paul. 00:12:49.919 --> 00:12:52.960 And the other one is saying, I belong to Apollos. 00:12:53.120 --> 00:12:55.919 Or another one is saying, I belong to Cephas. 00:12:56.320 --> 00:12:58.879 And there's another group that's saying, I belong to Christ. 00:12:59.039 --> 00:13:01.120 This is where Paul gets a little bit spicy in his language. 00:13:01.200 --> 00:13:03.039 He says, Is Christ divided? 00:13:03.360 --> 00:13:05.840 Or was Paul crucified for you? 00:13:05.919 --> 00:13:09.679 Or were you baptized into the name of Paul? 00:13:10.240 --> 00:13:21.759 And Paul was challenging them and saying, I'm having a hard time understanding why you are more loyal to the celebrities in your culture than you are to the God who died on the cross on your behalf. 00:13:24.240 --> 00:13:28.480 He's trying to understand what's going on, and so are we. 00:13:29.360 --> 00:13:43.919 So, what I want to do over the next few moments as we kick off this series, I want to lay a foundation by examining what Paul considered to be one of the most important things, by making it the primary focus from the onset, by talking about division and the importance of unity in the body of Christ. 00:13:44.080 --> 00:13:47.440 And I've entitled this message, What's the Problem? 00:13:48.080 --> 00:13:54.240 Because if we can identify the problem, if we can diagnose it, then I believe that we can work towards what healing looks like. 00:13:54.559 --> 00:13:55.679 Let's pray and let's get into it. 00:13:55.840 --> 00:13:57.279 Lord, we thank you so much for your word. 00:13:57.519 --> 00:13:58.559 We thank you for your presence. 00:13:58.639 --> 00:14:03.279 We thank you for the opportunity for us to gather in your name and declare you as holy. 00:14:03.600 --> 00:14:07.360 So, Father, I just pray over the next few moments that you give us open eyes to see you. 00:14:07.600 --> 00:14:12.720 I pray that you give us open ears to hear you and open hearts to be transformed by everything you want to do in us. 00:14:12.879 --> 00:14:14.320 It's in Jesus' name that we pray. 00:14:14.559 --> 00:14:15.039 Amen. 00:14:15.919 --> 00:14:16.480 Amen. 00:14:16.799 --> 00:14:29.840 Many of us probably know what it feels like when you're feeling a little bit unwell and you have that moment where you're trying to find out, is this something that I need to go to the doctor for, or is this something that just needs to run its course? 00:14:30.000 --> 00:14:31.679 I I know I feel like that all the time. 00:14:31.759 --> 00:14:34.960 My wife always tells me, Keith, don't make my don't make my life difficult. 00:14:35.120 --> 00:14:37.919 Because for me, I'm always of the mindset of like, man, it's fine. 00:14:38.080 --> 00:14:39.440 It's just it's just the sniffles. 00:14:39.600 --> 00:14:42.720 But you know, in this day and age, like, you gotta narrate your sicknesses. 00:14:42.799 --> 00:14:46.080 Like, if you sneeze, you better tell them that it's allergies, or people don't want to be around you. 00:14:46.159 --> 00:14:58.879 So so I I'm I'm very aware of how we have things that can be going on in our bodies that may be minimal to us, but it has the potential of spreading to someone else and making them incredibly sick. 00:14:59.039 --> 00:15:04.799 I I saw this during the during the pandemic when when my daughter had got COVID and she didn't handle it well. 00:15:04.879 --> 00:15:08.399 And then my son had got COVID and it had very minimal effect on him. 00:15:08.639 --> 00:15:14.639 So when he got COVID and he was diagnosed, the initial symptom that we saw with him was a little bit of a runny nose. 00:15:14.799 --> 00:15:18.240 And so when I first saw the symptom, I said, hey man, like are you good? 00:15:18.320 --> 00:15:19.120 He's like, Man, I'm fine. 00:15:19.200 --> 00:15:21.759 Like I just got it's my allergies, you know, it's allergy season. 00:15:21.919 --> 00:15:25.759 It's always allergy season somehow, so I don't know when is it not? 00:15:25.919 --> 00:15:27.679 So I don't know if you're telling the truth or not. 00:15:27.840 --> 00:15:30.080 Um it's allergy season, so it's fine. 00:15:30.159 --> 00:15:34.320 So I was with him when we were driving around, and then a couple days later, he just said he was tired. 00:15:34.399 --> 00:15:37.679 We got him tested and then found out that he that he had COVID. 00:15:37.759 --> 00:15:40.000 This is going back in the beginning of the whole thing. 00:15:40.240 --> 00:15:42.080 Back when you had COVID, it was a death sentence. 00:15:42.159 --> 00:15:44.240 So I'm like, oh my gosh, like he has COVID. 00:15:44.320 --> 00:15:46.399 I was around him, but I should be perfectly fine. 00:15:46.559 --> 00:15:49.039 But I remember when I started to feel sick. 00:15:49.200 --> 00:15:52.559 Now, my son, he bounced back literally in maybe 24 hours. 00:15:52.720 --> 00:15:53.919 Hey dad, I don't feel good. 00:15:54.159 --> 00:15:56.480 Runny nose, next day I am going out with my friends. 00:15:56.559 --> 00:15:58.159 Like it was instant for him. 00:15:58.399 --> 00:16:02.320 But for me, my metabolism has forsaken me. 00:16:03.120 --> 00:16:05.200 My immune system has forsaken me. 00:16:05.360 --> 00:16:11.039 What was in him that went undiagnosed and unchecked spread to me. 00:16:11.279 --> 00:16:17.840 And because I didn't have the resilience to be able to handle the germs the way that his body did, it put me out of commission for eight weeks. 00:16:18.159 --> 00:16:19.279 I was gone for eight weeks. 00:16:19.360 --> 00:16:20.320 Eileen remembers that. 00:16:20.399 --> 00:16:20.799 I was gone. 00:16:20.879 --> 00:16:22.080 We had to figure out who was gonna preach. 00:16:22.159 --> 00:16:22.559 I was gone. 00:16:22.639 --> 00:16:24.159 I literally thought I was gonna die. 00:16:24.320 --> 00:16:34.879 So I thought it was interesting how something that was in my son that went undiagnosed had spread to me and it had little effect on him, but it was literally on the verge of killing me. 00:16:35.360 --> 00:16:38.720 Let's step into Corinth because that's exactly what was going on. 00:16:38.960 --> 00:16:47.360 In Corinth, there were these symptoms that were beginning to present themselves that people were recognizing, like, wow, like man, we're seeing a lot of division over here. 00:16:47.519 --> 00:16:50.960 And and wow, like we're seeing these people over here think they're better than everybody else. 00:16:51.039 --> 00:16:52.159 That's a that's another symptom. 00:16:52.320 --> 00:16:59.360 And man, we're seeing these people over here who have very loose morals and sex and sexuality stuff, like, okay, how where is that at? 00:16:59.440 --> 00:17:12.000 So, what was happening in the culture is a lot of chaos and things were bubbling beneath the surface, but they were going unchecked, so they were spreading to other people, and it was beginning to cause confusion and pain and chaos in the community. 00:17:12.240 --> 00:17:27.680 So, Paul hears about these things, and like a great physician, he begins to listen to the symptoms and he begins to diagnose the problems, and he writes this letter that is meant to serve as a treatment plan to help the people of God to get back to a place of healthiness. 00:17:27.920 --> 00:17:32.000 I want to take a moment to unpack why Paul's words carry so much weight. 00:17:32.640 --> 00:17:36.400 Paul was a brilliant man, even by today's terminology. 00:17:36.559 --> 00:17:44.240 That when you understand the nuances of Paul, that Paul was a Roman citizen, so he understood Roman culture, power, dynamics, he understood that. 00:17:44.400 --> 00:17:49.200 He also was a man who was raised fluent, not only in Greek language, but in Greek thinking. 00:17:49.359 --> 00:17:55.759 That means that they spoke with a lot of rhetoric and philosophical terms, and we'll see that expressed in his writings, and we can read about it in the book of Acts. 00:17:55.920 --> 00:18:02.720 But he also was a very, very strict Jewish man of the Pharisees, who was raised up under one of the most strict men within the Pharisees sect. 00:18:02.799 --> 00:18:06.240 So for him, he had the brilliance of understanding culture. 00:18:06.400 --> 00:18:13.680 He understood power dynamics, but he also understood how to utilize the language of culture to reinforce the message of God. 00:18:13.839 --> 00:18:16.960 In fact, Paul was so brilliant that he was in Athens one day. 00:18:17.119 --> 00:18:21.920 We read this in the book of Acts, chapter 18, where he's standing on what we refer to as Mars Hill. 00:18:22.079 --> 00:18:33.519 And where Mars Hill is, is this location where it's like this giant rock that the philosophers would come and they would debate different things and different theories about what they believe the creation of the world looked like. 00:18:33.599 --> 00:18:34.319 They would go there. 00:18:34.480 --> 00:18:41.200 Paul literally goes on their territory while looking at the Acropolis, which is where the Greek pantheon is with all the false gods in Athens. 00:18:41.279 --> 00:18:49.839 Megan were standing on this spot, and it was hard to believe that Paul was in this spot debating against them on their territory, but watch this, using their language. 00:18:50.079 --> 00:18:58.880 There's literally something called an ode to Zeus, which is like basically like a lullaby that they would they had written as a worship tune to Zeus. 00:18:59.039 --> 00:19:04.079 Paul takes that very same thing and he repeats it, but he interjects Jesus into it. 00:19:04.240 --> 00:19:06.799 Here's my point: Paul's not afraid of culture. 00:19:07.359 --> 00:19:17.119 Paul was not afraid to engage things of the world because he understood that if I can speak the language that you can understand, then I can meet you where you are, but ultimately lead you to where God is. 00:19:17.359 --> 00:19:18.880 Paul was brilliant. 00:19:19.039 --> 00:19:29.599 He would lead and go to these different places, he would plant churches, and then he would begin to write letters to encourage and challenge and even correct the people that he invested so heavily in. 00:19:29.839 --> 00:19:34.400 For the Corinth church, when he hears about all the chaos that's going on, he starts off by writing a letter. 00:19:34.480 --> 00:19:39.440 And what I love about the way that he writes the letter is always the way that Paul starts them off. 00:19:39.680 --> 00:19:42.400 There's actually something you can Google called Paul's greetings. 00:19:42.480 --> 00:19:46.240 And Paul always had this way that he would greet his people that he was writing to. 00:19:46.400 --> 00:19:57.039 He would introduce himself, he would talk about the person that was with him, that would ultimately serve as a cosigner, and then from there, he would say something very complimentary about the people that he was about to speak to. 00:19:57.200 --> 00:20:01.119 Now keep in mind, for the church of Corinth, it was a hot mess. 00:20:01.279 --> 00:20:03.599 Sin was everywhere, division was everywhere. 00:20:03.759 --> 00:20:06.160 But you know what Paul's first statement was to them? 00:20:06.400 --> 00:20:09.359 He says, You are saints of the Most High God. 00:20:10.319 --> 00:20:14.559 Now, my understanding of what a saint is ain't that. 00:20:15.200 --> 00:20:17.119 They don't look like saints, they look like ain't. 00:20:17.279 --> 00:20:21.119 Like they don't look like they're anything like that based off of our modern interpretation. 00:20:21.359 --> 00:20:28.160 But Paul speaks to them recognizing who they are and what's in them and is not judging them because of their behavior. 00:20:28.640 --> 00:20:39.599 What would it look like for us that if we could see people who are struggling in sin but still choose to call them a son and a daughter of God in spite of it if they've surrendered their life to Jesus? 00:20:39.759 --> 00:20:42.720 What Paul was saying is we all sin differently. 00:20:42.799 --> 00:20:44.880 And all of us have something that we struggle with. 00:20:45.039 --> 00:20:51.119 So instead of me placing a label on you and isolating you, I'm going to call you by your true name, and that is that you are a son of God. 00:20:51.279 --> 00:20:52.160 You are a daughter of God. 00:20:52.319 --> 00:20:54.160 You are a saint that has been set apart. 00:20:54.319 --> 00:21:00.319 You are a person that has been a city on a hill, that you're salt in the middle of a bland world, that you're light in the middle of darkness. 00:21:00.480 --> 00:21:02.960 And the beautiful thing I love about Paul is that he does this. 00:21:03.039 --> 00:21:04.559 It's so bait and switch. 00:21:04.880 --> 00:21:07.039 Because when he says this, they're like, Yeah, you're right. 00:21:07.200 --> 00:21:08.079 We are saints. 00:21:08.240 --> 00:21:09.519 And then Paul switches it on him. 00:21:09.599 --> 00:21:12.400 He's like, So because you're saints, let me tell you some things you shouldn't be doing. 00:21:14.000 --> 00:21:14.960 Plot twist. 00:21:15.359 --> 00:21:23.200 He brings them in by letting them know I see you for who you are, I see you for who you're supposed to be, I see what's in you, I know the Christ that is working on the inside of you. 00:21:23.279 --> 00:21:25.119 I was with you when you said yes to Jesus. 00:21:25.200 --> 00:21:26.160 I was with you through all of that. 00:21:26.240 --> 00:21:27.440 Man, you're a saint. 00:21:27.839 --> 00:21:29.680 But there's some things that you need to correct. 00:21:30.319 --> 00:21:38.079 He then begins to say, brothers and sisters, I have heard it said that there is division amongst you. 00:21:38.640 --> 00:21:41.440 Paul could have addressed anything off the top. 00:21:41.599 --> 00:21:51.759 If I'm looking at the list of the themes in the book of Corinth, I'm probably not starting with division because you know, there are some, you know how we label sins and we place more power on certain sins than others? 00:21:52.240 --> 00:22:02.160 But Paul, he's writing very intensely, recognizing like, hey, these other things are important, but if we can't figure out this whole unity thing, Then our faith is in vain. 00:22:02.480 --> 00:22:15.200 He starts off with what he perceives as being the most important thing, and it has nothing to do with the things that we get so caught up on as Western Christians, it has everything to do with the fact that the people were divided. 00:22:15.359 --> 00:22:19.759 Paul says, Man, I can't believe that there is division amongst you. 00:22:20.000 --> 00:22:24.480 And the word that he used is schism, which is ultimately meant to mean a tear. 00:22:24.559 --> 00:22:29.440 So I want you to think about your most favorite garment of clothing, a beautiful sweater. 00:22:29.519 --> 00:22:31.839 And then imagine it being torn apart. 00:22:32.079 --> 00:22:38.160 Something that is beautiful when it's together has been ripped to shreds and it's almost losing its value. 00:22:38.319 --> 00:22:42.319 This is the language that Paul is pulling from when he's speaking to the church of Corinth. 00:22:42.480 --> 00:22:51.119 Like y'all are supposed to be together with your unique colors and your unique experiences, a beautiful tapestry of culture and regions, but you know what I'm seeing? 00:22:51.359 --> 00:22:53.359 You guys are being torn apart. 00:22:53.599 --> 00:22:55.200 You're no longer even connected. 00:22:55.359 --> 00:22:57.359 You've lost the thing that makes you unique. 00:22:57.519 --> 00:23:00.319 And for Paul, this was something that was deeply personal. 00:23:00.480 --> 00:23:07.279 Because when we rewind time and look at Acts chapter 15, what we recognize about Paul as Paul was about the father's business. 00:23:07.440 --> 00:23:08.799 He was very mission-minded. 00:23:08.960 --> 00:23:15.279 So when he went on the mission field, and then they had a guy named John Mark that said, like, hey man, this is a little bit harder than I want it to be. 00:23:15.359 --> 00:23:16.640 I'm going to dip out and leave. 00:23:16.799 --> 00:23:22.480 Well, time moves forward, and John Mark comes back and is like, hey, man, I'm ready to come back with y'all on your second missionary journey. 00:23:22.720 --> 00:23:24.480 Paul's like, nah, not with me, you're not. 00:23:24.960 --> 00:23:26.400 Paul's like, you're unreliable. 00:23:26.480 --> 00:23:27.279 I don't trust you. 00:23:27.440 --> 00:23:29.200 I'm not rocking with you like that. 00:23:29.440 --> 00:23:32.480 Again, my translation of the Bible is probably a little bit different than yours. 00:23:32.640 --> 00:23:35.039 They're like, I don't see rocking with you anywhere in my text. 00:23:35.200 --> 00:23:35.519 Okay. 00:23:37.119 --> 00:23:39.920 Paul says, hey, man, like, I can't trust you. 00:23:40.079 --> 00:23:42.160 I'm not going to allow you to come on this journey with me. 00:23:42.319 --> 00:23:47.039 Meanwhile, Barnabas, who is Paul's best friend, is saying, Paul, calm down, dude. 00:23:47.119 --> 00:23:48.240 Like, he made a mistake. 00:23:48.319 --> 00:23:50.640 He had to get himself right, but he's ready to move forward. 00:23:50.799 --> 00:23:52.240 Paul's like, no, he's not coming with me. 00:23:52.319 --> 00:23:53.680 Barnabas was like, yes, he is. 00:23:53.759 --> 00:23:54.160 No, he's not. 00:23:54.240 --> 00:23:54.720 Yes, he is. 00:23:54.799 --> 00:23:55.359 What you want to do? 00:23:55.440 --> 00:23:56.480 I'll fight you right now if we have. 00:23:56.720 --> 00:24:00.400 Like, it literally got to a point where the scripture says they had to be separated. 00:24:00.960 --> 00:24:01.920 They had to be separated. 00:24:02.000 --> 00:24:03.920 They couldn't even be in the same room with one another. 00:24:04.079 --> 00:24:12.559 Paul's best friend, Barnabas and Paul, were divided because they didn't know who was worthy of receiving grace. 00:24:13.680 --> 00:24:16.480 So as a result of that, Paul goes his separate way. 00:24:16.640 --> 00:24:18.960 He takes Timothy and Silas and begins his journey. 00:24:19.119 --> 00:24:20.799 Barnabas goes his separate way. 00:24:20.960 --> 00:24:25.359 And the Bible gives no account of them ever reconnecting again. 00:24:25.839 --> 00:24:37.680 If I can humanize this for a moment, I'm not sure if you've ever been at a place where you felt so deeply about something in the moment, but you get further down the field and you look in a rear of you, Miriam, like, man, was that really worth it? 00:24:38.559 --> 00:24:42.640 Like losing that relationship was it was it that big of a deal? 00:24:42.960 --> 00:24:51.119 Paul now, a little bit older, a little bit wiser, is hearing about the division that is taking place in the Corinthian church, and he's trying to plead with them. 00:24:51.279 --> 00:24:56.319 Listen, I've been there, I know what it feels like to have strong convictions, but trust me, it's not worth it. 00:24:56.480 --> 00:25:01.119 My most trusted friend, I don't have access with because I didn't know how to extend grace. 00:25:01.279 --> 00:25:06.960 So going forward, I'm going to show you what it looks like to extend grace while simultaneously holding people accountable. 00:25:07.119 --> 00:25:10.000 It's not one or the other, but it's both and. 00:25:10.640 --> 00:25:14.559 Paul then says, I'm I'm confused at what I've heard about you guys. 00:25:14.720 --> 00:25:19.839 Because what I've heard about you guys is that one of you are saying that I belong to Paul. 00:25:20.079 --> 00:25:24.799 What that means is that Paul was a he was a person who was a master in Greek philosophy. 00:25:24.960 --> 00:25:32.079 So ultimately, if we were to put Paul in a context of a church or a person that we love to follow, he was very intellectual. 00:25:32.319 --> 00:25:40.720 He loved to intellectualize things, he can connect dots, and people just love to sit under the way that he talked and the way that he was able to articulate things in such a brilliant way. 00:25:40.880 --> 00:25:44.240 But then there was another group of people that said, Hey, we belong to Apollos. 00:25:44.480 --> 00:25:49.839 Apollos was known for being a dynamic communicator, much like myself. 00:25:50.000 --> 00:25:57.200 Okay, anyway, he was he was known for being a dynamic communicator, very personable, knew how to engage the crowd. 00:25:57.359 --> 00:25:58.559 People loved Apollos. 00:25:58.640 --> 00:26:01.680 They said he spoke with such power and conviction and such passion. 00:26:01.839 --> 00:26:05.759 People were like, No, like I love, I love that you like going to that church that doesn't put their hands up. 00:26:06.160 --> 00:26:08.160 I love that you like going to that church where they keep their hands down. 00:26:08.240 --> 00:26:09.359 But my church, man, we get lit. 00:26:09.440 --> 00:26:11.440 We run around the church, like we turn up at our church. 00:26:11.519 --> 00:26:12.799 I don't know what y'all are doing over there. 00:26:12.960 --> 00:26:18.319 And then another group of people said, like, hey man, like I'm actually with Peter because Peter's a little bit more traditional. 00:26:18.480 --> 00:26:20.160 Peter was a person who was Jewish. 00:26:20.319 --> 00:26:26.000 So Peter interjected a lot of the Jewishness back into the faith because he wanted to make sure that they had a standard. 00:26:26.160 --> 00:26:29.440 And then you had another group of people that were like, hey, we're the Jesus people. 00:26:29.599 --> 00:26:30.960 We don't rock with none of y'all. 00:26:31.039 --> 00:26:32.079 We we run with Jesus. 00:26:32.160 --> 00:26:34.000 Here, let me give you a translation of what that is. 00:26:34.160 --> 00:26:35.920 We don't even believe in going to church. 00:26:36.079 --> 00:26:39.839 We just have a relationship with Jesus on our own, so we don't need to be connected to community. 00:26:41.440 --> 00:26:42.640 Looking at you online. 00:26:48.400 --> 00:26:50.559 Week one, guys, I hope y'all come back. 00:26:52.160 --> 00:26:52.960 I'm joking. 00:26:53.200 --> 00:26:54.319 People travel, I get all that. 00:26:54.400 --> 00:26:58.160 But what I'm saying is they understood the power of gathering together. 00:26:58.400 --> 00:27:03.519 But if we honor if we're honest and we look at this, all of us probably identify, like, oh, I love this preacher, he's so animated. 00:27:03.680 --> 00:27:06.079 I love this preacher because the way he exeges the scripture. 00:27:06.160 --> 00:27:08.559 I love the way this preacher is because he connects to the tradition. 00:27:08.960 --> 00:27:12.480 I love this guy because he's leading us and telling us that we don't even need to go to church. 00:27:12.640 --> 00:27:15.279 Pick your poison, they all don't help you. 00:27:15.920 --> 00:27:23.599 So Paul says, I'm having a hard time reconciling how we've gotten to a place that we're exalting people above God. 00:27:24.000 --> 00:27:28.160 So he ends up making this statement that I put in underlines in my Bible. 00:27:28.319 --> 00:27:32.319 He says, It is Christ alone the one that gives us hope. 00:27:32.960 --> 00:27:34.160 Exclamation point. 00:27:34.480 --> 00:27:44.160 Paul reinforces through the entirety of the letter that we don't place our faith and our hope in human beings, but it is only in Christ alone. 00:27:44.400 --> 00:27:50.079 Let me say it this way: Christ alone is your savior, not the politician that you want to be in the White House. 00:27:50.319 --> 00:27:55.200 Christ alone is the redeemer of your soul in spite of whatever promises that have been said to you. 00:27:55.359 --> 00:27:58.720 Christ alone is the Lord and the governor of all things in your life. 00:27:58.880 --> 00:28:02.960 Christ alone is the only one who can truly give you faith and peace. 00:28:03.200 --> 00:28:06.799 Christ alone is the only one who is the shepherd and bishop of your soul. 00:28:07.039 --> 00:28:10.000 Christ alone is the foundation that we build our lives on. 00:28:10.160 --> 00:28:13.039 Christ alone is the only one that can truly give us strength. 00:28:13.200 --> 00:28:15.599 Christ alone is the hope of glory. 00:28:15.839 --> 00:28:20.400 Paul is saying, why are we looking to the world to give us something that it cannot provide? 00:28:20.880 --> 00:28:22.720 We get it all in Christ. 00:28:22.960 --> 00:28:24.720 It's okay if you have a preference. 00:28:24.880 --> 00:28:30.960 It's okay if you have your political ideas, but what we gotta make sure of is that we don't make those things bigger than Jesus. 00:28:31.119 --> 00:28:36.799 Paul is saying, let's stop being divided on things that don't matter and let's find some common ground. 00:28:37.359 --> 00:28:38.720 It's Christ alone. 00:28:38.960 --> 00:28:43.680 And if we can't get to that, then we've turned these other things into idols. 00:28:44.000 --> 00:28:50.240 Paul says, I'm challenging you guys to be united even in spite of your differences. 00:28:50.559 --> 00:28:53.119 That word united talks about being complete. 00:28:53.359 --> 00:28:58.160 That means recognizing that though we are different, we actually complete one another. 00:28:58.480 --> 00:29:07.039 One of the biggest things that has helped me in my marriage and that I have to still reflect on is that my wife and I, we complete one another, we don't compete against one another. 00:29:07.920 --> 00:29:13.759