WEBVTT 00:00:01.550 --> 00:00:04.110 Today we come in the book of 1 Corinthians and 00:00:04.110 --> 00:00:07.710 our study there to chapter 1 verse 4 through 00:00:07.710 --> 00:00:14.210 9. Subject today is apostolic prayers and Paul's 00:00:14.210 --> 00:00:17.769 prayer for the Corinthian church. Apostolic prayers 00:00:17.769 --> 00:00:21.010 and Paul's prayer for the Corinthian church. 00:00:21.530 --> 00:00:24.789 We'll read today beginning in verse 4 down to 00:00:24.789 --> 00:00:29.219 verse 9. Hear the word of the Lord. I thank my 00:00:29.219 --> 00:00:32.880 God always concerning you for the grace of God 00:00:32.880 --> 00:00:36.340 which was given to you by Christ Jesus, that 00:00:36.340 --> 00:00:39.140 you were enriched in everything by him in all 00:00:39.140 --> 00:00:42.939 utterance and all knowledge, even as the testimony 00:00:42.939 --> 00:00:46.359 of Christ was confirmed in you, so that you come 00:00:46.359 --> 00:00:49.960 short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation 00:00:49.960 --> 00:00:52.979 of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm 00:00:52.979 --> 00:00:56.159 you to the end. that you may be blameless in 00:00:56.159 --> 00:01:00.460 the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, 00:01:00.600 --> 00:01:04.219 by whom you were called into the fellowship of 00:01:04.219 --> 00:01:09.879 his Son, Jesus Christ. Our Father, we bow before 00:01:09.879 --> 00:01:13.980 you today. Lord, this wonderful prayer, as the 00:01:13.980 --> 00:01:17.120 other prayers found in Scripture, they speak 00:01:17.120 --> 00:01:20.400 to us, Lord, and we thank you. for the teaching, 00:01:20.620 --> 00:01:23.439 for the love, for the sound doctrine, and for 00:01:23.439 --> 00:01:26.340 the exhortation that they are to us. Lord, we 00:01:26.340 --> 00:01:28.760 pray that today you would open up our hearts 00:01:28.760 --> 00:01:31.400 and our minds, that we might see, that we might 00:01:31.400 --> 00:01:33.480 hear, that we might believe, and that we might 00:01:33.480 --> 00:01:37.079 trust in you. For you are faithful, and we thank 00:01:37.079 --> 00:01:40.620 you that your love endures. Please, Lord, open 00:01:40.620 --> 00:01:44.480 this book, open this word to us today. We pray 00:01:44.480 --> 00:01:50.519 in Jesus' name. Amen. Psalm 92 verse 1 begins 00:01:50.519 --> 00:01:55.439 a song for the Sabbath day. It is good to give 00:01:55.439 --> 00:01:59.040 thanks to the Lord and to sing praises to your 00:01:59.040 --> 00:02:03.799 name, O Most High. Indeed, it is good and right 00:02:03.799 --> 00:02:08.180 and seemly to give thanks to our God. In many 00:02:08.180 --> 00:02:10.699 places throughout the Holy Scriptures, we are 00:02:10.699 --> 00:02:14.259 commanded to be a thankful and grateful people. 00:02:15.379 --> 00:02:18.319 Ezra chapter 3 verse 11 gives us an example. 00:02:18.699 --> 00:02:21.039 When the children of Israel were gathered together, 00:02:21.139 --> 00:02:25.180 it says, And they sang responsively, praising 00:02:25.180 --> 00:02:28.439 and giving thanks to the Lord, for He is good, 00:02:28.620 --> 00:02:31.840 for His mercy endures forever toward Israel. 00:02:32.219 --> 00:02:34.620 Then all the people shouted with a great shout 00:02:34.620 --> 00:02:37.740 when they praised the Lord, because the foundation 00:02:37.740 --> 00:02:41.599 of the house of the Lord was laid. Gratefulness 00:02:41.599 --> 00:02:45.449 is the opposite of murmuring. and complaining 00:02:45.449 --> 00:02:48.789 or being grouchy and hard to get along with. 00:02:48.969 --> 00:02:51.949 And we're always just kind of upset with things 00:02:51.949 --> 00:02:54.590 or carry a chip on our shoulder. Gratefulness 00:02:54.590 --> 00:02:57.229 to God is something that we are called to do, 00:02:57.310 --> 00:03:01.430 to give praise to the Lord. Paul begins his prayer 00:03:01.430 --> 00:03:07.110 with, I thank my God. Now in this prayer of thanksgiving, 00:03:07.759 --> 00:03:10.539 The apostle gives us an example of a spirit -filled 00:03:10.539 --> 00:03:14.219 prayer for his people. Paul gives thanks to God 00:03:14.219 --> 00:03:19.039 for a gifted church who has the testimony of 00:03:19.039 --> 00:03:22.819 Jesus Christ. And yet they also have a lot of 00:03:22.819 --> 00:03:26.759 problems. and needs and he writes down this prayer 00:03:26.759 --> 00:03:30.639 to be given not only to them but to the whole 00:03:30.639 --> 00:03:34.379 world and to all generations hereafter we are 00:03:34.379 --> 00:03:38.000 reading today this prayer in god's word and thus 00:03:38.000 --> 00:03:40.879 we can enter into that prayer and we can understand 00:03:40.879 --> 00:03:44.620 the heart of paul and the heart of god in this 00:03:44.620 --> 00:03:51.250 prayer Overseers and shepherds should pray prayers 00:03:51.250 --> 00:03:55.030 of thanksgiving for the congregations that God 00:03:55.030 --> 00:03:59.710 has entrusted to them. And sometimes it is good 00:03:59.710 --> 00:04:02.330 for those prayers to be written down for the 00:04:02.330 --> 00:04:06.210 generations to come. Now we have already considered 00:04:06.210 --> 00:04:08.629 the greatness of God and the work that he did 00:04:08.629 --> 00:04:11.289 in the city of Corinth as we looked at it last 00:04:11.289 --> 00:04:14.979 Sunday. What an incredible testimony of the church 00:04:14.979 --> 00:04:19.300 that Jesus raised up in this big city, this cosmopolitan 00:04:19.300 --> 00:04:24.959 place, with a renowned temple dedicated to idols. 00:04:26.339 --> 00:04:29.639 It had idol worship that included sexual immorality 00:04:29.639 --> 00:04:32.300 as part of their worship. And the glorious thing 00:04:32.300 --> 00:04:36.120 is that in the midst of this false and idolatrous 00:04:36.120 --> 00:04:39.620 worship, God was raising up his people to be 00:04:39.620 --> 00:04:43.959 salt and light. He was raising up a people to 00:04:43.959 --> 00:04:48.680 worship God, the Father, through Jesus Christ, 00:04:49.019 --> 00:04:53.120 by the Holy Spirit, a church of Jesus Christ. 00:04:53.399 --> 00:04:55.800 And there are great things that are being done 00:04:55.800 --> 00:04:58.779 in this church. There are gifts that have been 00:04:58.779 --> 00:05:01.620 distributed to the people by God himself. And 00:05:01.620 --> 00:05:05.439 these are wonderful gifts. One of the interesting 00:05:05.439 --> 00:05:09.959 notes about this book. is that Paul does not 00:05:09.959 --> 00:05:14.600 get into much deep doctrine in the book. Now, 00:05:14.620 --> 00:05:16.420 there were a few questioning the resurrection, 00:05:16.740 --> 00:05:19.959 and so Paul really thoroughly develops the doctrine, 00:05:20.100 --> 00:05:22.439 the wonderful doctrine of the resurrection in 00:05:22.439 --> 00:05:26.300 chapter 15. But most of the book is dealing with 00:05:26.300 --> 00:05:30.540 problems that they had, were having. Most of 00:05:30.540 --> 00:05:33.139 these problems... were not deep -rooted problems 00:05:33.139 --> 00:05:37.180 of major doctrinal import, but were rather weaknesses, 00:05:37.680 --> 00:05:41.439 sins of the flesh, areas where worldly thinking 00:05:41.439 --> 00:05:44.759 and worldviews were affecting the people of God, 00:05:44.939 --> 00:05:47.300 some of them living in the culture that they 00:05:47.300 --> 00:05:49.899 did, and then some coming from members of this 00:05:49.899 --> 00:05:52.800 body who had not put off the old man and his 00:05:52.800 --> 00:05:56.899 deeds. In other words, they were in need of further 00:05:56.899 --> 00:06:01.319 sanctification. We see this in chapter 3 at the 00:06:01.319 --> 00:06:04.319 beginning of the chapter, verse 1 to 3. Paul 00:06:04.319 --> 00:06:07.959 says, And I, brethren, could not speak to you 00:06:07.959 --> 00:06:10.920 as to spiritual people, but as to carnal, as 00:06:10.920 --> 00:06:15.959 to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not 00:06:15.959 --> 00:06:19.060 with solid food, for until now you were not able 00:06:19.060 --> 00:06:22.139 to receive it. But even now you are still not 00:06:22.139 --> 00:06:34.800 able for you. But this prayer is accompanied 00:06:34.800 --> 00:06:39.279 then also by other prayers in the Bible, particularly 00:06:39.279 --> 00:06:41.939 by the Apostle Paul for the people to whom he 00:06:41.939 --> 00:06:45.360 is writing. In all of the other letters to churches, 00:06:45.459 --> 00:06:50.959 except for Galatians, Paul begins with a prayer 00:06:50.959 --> 00:06:55.959 of thanksgiving. for them. And this is no exception. 00:06:56.339 --> 00:06:59.120 These prayers are not only addressed to God, 00:06:59.259 --> 00:07:03.740 but they are also ways of bringing truth and 00:07:03.740 --> 00:07:06.959 encouragement to God's people. In other words, 00:07:06.980 --> 00:07:11.620 the prayer is edifying. It is to God, but it 00:07:11.620 --> 00:07:16.540 is also edifying to them. This prayer does four 00:07:16.540 --> 00:07:19.459 things in this letter besides addressing the 00:07:19.459 --> 00:07:22.899 thanksgiving to God. Four things. First, it is 00:07:22.899 --> 00:07:26.480 didactic. That is, it is a teacher. It is a teaching. 00:07:26.600 --> 00:07:30.660 It reminds the people of the teaching that they 00:07:30.660 --> 00:07:33.319 have received and that the source of that teaching 00:07:33.319 --> 00:07:38.240 is God. The source of everything that they are 00:07:38.240 --> 00:07:43.329 experiencing of God's grace is God himself. Secondly, 00:07:43.430 --> 00:07:46.930 this prayer is an exhortation. It's a type of 00:07:46.930 --> 00:07:49.269 writing that gives guidance and encouragement 00:07:49.269 --> 00:07:53.129 and admonition to good behavior. It is pastoral. 00:07:53.490 --> 00:07:57.009 We see here that in this prayer, he is showing 00:07:57.009 --> 00:08:00.750 love and care for the church, even as he gives 00:08:00.750 --> 00:08:04.410 thanks to God. And finally, this prayer also 00:08:04.410 --> 00:08:07.850 lays the foundation for the counsel that is forthcoming 00:08:07.850 --> 00:08:13.079 by introducing the themes of the letter. In it 00:08:13.079 --> 00:08:16.800 all, Paul is thankful for them. He is thankful 00:08:16.800 --> 00:08:20.720 for what God has done and what God is doing and 00:08:20.720 --> 00:08:25.439 what God will do in them and for them. This prayer 00:08:25.439 --> 00:08:31.180 is very God -centered. In it, Paul thanks God 00:08:31.180 --> 00:08:35.379 for the very things that they are not using rightly. 00:08:36.139 --> 00:08:39.779 Think of that. He is thanking God for the gifts 00:08:39.779 --> 00:08:41.940 that he gave to them, the gifts that they're 00:08:41.940 --> 00:08:46.779 not doing right. The particular things that are 00:08:46.779 --> 00:08:50.480 causing them problems, their focus on utterances 00:08:50.480 --> 00:08:53.539 and on knowledge and the spiritual and the miraculous 00:08:53.539 --> 00:08:56.720 gifts that God gave them. Well, let's take this 00:08:56.720 --> 00:08:58.700 prayer apart a little bit and see what we can 00:08:58.700 --> 00:09:01.460 learn from it for ourselves. First of all, as 00:09:01.460 --> 00:09:06.350 he says, I thank my God concerning you. I thank 00:09:06.350 --> 00:09:12.570 my God for you, concerning you or for you. This 00:09:12.570 --> 00:09:18.710 teaches us that even though a church has problems, 00:09:18.909 --> 00:09:23.730 even of a very significant nature as were the 00:09:23.730 --> 00:09:28.169 problems that we will see, yet a minister of 00:09:28.169 --> 00:09:33.990 God, even an apostle of God as Paul was, can 00:09:33.990 --> 00:09:37.370 be very thankful for the congregation to whom 00:09:37.370 --> 00:09:42.409 he is writing or to whom he is ministering. This 00:09:42.409 --> 00:09:45.850 teaches against the doctrine that everything 00:09:45.850 --> 00:09:49.190 must be perfectly and completely pure in order 00:09:49.190 --> 00:09:51.730 to bless the people and consider them worthy 00:09:51.730 --> 00:09:58.700 of praise. There is no 100 % pure church. And 00:09:58.700 --> 00:10:01.259 where there is impurity, we should seek to labor 00:10:01.259 --> 00:10:04.539 to expose that impurity and to bring it to light 00:10:04.539 --> 00:10:07.039 and to pray earnestly for them. But we can still 00:10:07.039 --> 00:10:09.720 be thankful for all of the wonderful works of 00:10:09.720 --> 00:10:14.860 God that are there. There can be commendation 00:10:14.860 --> 00:10:18.159 and praise for the good that is there in spite 00:10:18.159 --> 00:10:23.000 of the problems. Now we who are overseers, do 00:10:23.000 --> 00:10:26.360 we give God thanks for the people he brings to 00:10:26.360 --> 00:10:31.480 us? We who are parents, do we thank God for the 00:10:31.480 --> 00:10:35.059 children he has given us? Or for the wife he 00:10:35.059 --> 00:10:37.980 has given us? Or for the husband he has given 00:10:37.980 --> 00:10:41.220 us? Even though they are imperfect people, of 00:10:41.220 --> 00:10:45.139 course they are. For we all are. And yet we can 00:10:45.139 --> 00:10:49.080 give thanks to God for the blessings of the congregation, 00:10:49.159 --> 00:10:51.659 or of the people, or of our children, or our 00:10:51.659 --> 00:10:54.620 husbands, our wives, our brothers and our sisters 00:10:54.620 --> 00:11:00.259 in Christ. or even our natural siblings. We can 00:11:00.259 --> 00:11:05.200 so easily find fault, nitpick, criticize, downplay, 00:11:05.379 --> 00:11:08.340 disregard, and be discontent with the people 00:11:08.340 --> 00:11:11.279 that God puts in our lives. Oh, we can do this 00:11:11.279 --> 00:11:15.720 so easily. But it is rather that God has placed 00:11:15.720 --> 00:11:18.419 them there, and Paul exhorts us in this prayer 00:11:18.419 --> 00:11:24.240 by example. He says, I thank God for you. Think 00:11:24.240 --> 00:11:27.639 of Paul. as he later speaks to them. But I'm 00:11:27.639 --> 00:11:30.419 going to give this summary in my own paraphrase. 00:11:30.500 --> 00:11:32.779 Now just think of this, and this is kind of an 00:11:32.779 --> 00:11:35.759 overview of the book put together. You rowdy, 00:11:35.759 --> 00:11:39.659 worldly -minded saints who are immature, you're 00:11:39.659 --> 00:11:42.320 carnal, and you're babes in Christ when you should 00:11:42.320 --> 00:11:45.960 be mature. You still even have envy and strife 00:11:45.960 --> 00:11:48.519 and factions among you, and you can't get along 00:11:48.519 --> 00:11:51.679 with each other. Your Lord's Supper observances 00:11:51.679 --> 00:11:55.070 are a mess. Some of you get drunk, others go 00:11:55.070 --> 00:11:58.230 hungry, and you don't wait for one another. The 00:11:58.230 --> 00:12:00.750 women are disorderly and are out of place, acting 00:12:00.750 --> 00:12:03.309 in a shameful manner. And when you get together 00:12:03.309 --> 00:12:06.389 for worship, it sounds like a babble or a rabble, 00:12:06.470 --> 00:12:09.250 a confused garbling of some speaking in tongues, 00:12:09.450 --> 00:12:11.649 others trying to give a word of knowledge, and 00:12:11.649 --> 00:12:15.269 all speaking at the same time. Y 'all are taking 00:12:15.269 --> 00:12:18.009 each other to civil courts of the unbelievers 00:12:18.009 --> 00:12:20.850 with lawsuits against one another. And through 00:12:20.850 --> 00:12:23.470 your liberty, you are making weaker Christians 00:12:23.470 --> 00:12:28.029 stumble. Even worse, some of you are still involved 00:12:28.029 --> 00:12:31.129 in immorality and partaking in a type of idol 00:12:31.129 --> 00:12:35.029 worship. And still worse, one of you is having 00:12:35.029 --> 00:12:38.190 sex with his father's wife and he's boasting 00:12:38.190 --> 00:12:41.679 about it. Even the Gentiles don't do it. And 00:12:41.679 --> 00:12:44.519 you are puffed up and arrogant about it rather 00:12:44.519 --> 00:12:47.559 than dealing with this sin. Talk about a royal, 00:12:47.720 --> 00:12:53.559 carnal, confused mess. And to these people, at 00:12:53.559 --> 00:12:57.039 the beginning of this letter, Paul says, I give 00:12:57.039 --> 00:13:02.679 God thanks always for you. I am undone by this. 00:13:02.899 --> 00:13:08.139 Really. This just breaks my own heart to just 00:13:08.139 --> 00:13:11.659 think how often. We rise up in pride. Things 00:13:11.659 --> 00:13:13.799 shouldn't be this way. No, they shouldn't be 00:13:13.799 --> 00:13:17.720 this way. But they're our people. And we need 00:13:17.720 --> 00:13:20.879 to love them. Because God has his hand on them. 00:13:21.240 --> 00:13:24.720 And God is dealing with them. Now, of course, 00:13:24.759 --> 00:13:29.240 this does not stop Paul from going on and ministering 00:13:29.240 --> 00:13:32.139 to this people who are in this state. But how 00:13:32.139 --> 00:13:39.250 he begins. This just, this crushes me. It just 00:13:39.250 --> 00:13:44.149 really, it challenges me. Secondly, he goes on 00:13:44.149 --> 00:13:47.610 and he says, I thank my God for the grace of 00:13:47.610 --> 00:13:52.269 God, which was given you by Christ Jesus. So 00:13:52.269 --> 00:13:54.429 he gives thanks for them as a church, but he 00:13:54.429 --> 00:13:58.090 also gives thanks to God for the grace that they 00:13:58.090 --> 00:14:03.590 have. God is the source of this grace, of all 00:14:03.590 --> 00:14:06.370 of these things. The grace, the enrichment, the 00:14:06.370 --> 00:14:09.970 gifts, the confirmation to the end, and the faithfulness 00:14:09.970 --> 00:14:14.009 in this. He points ahead to chapter 4, verse 00:14:14.009 --> 00:14:17.590 7, which says, For who makes you differ from 00:14:17.590 --> 00:14:20.389 one another? And what do you have that you did 00:14:20.389 --> 00:14:23.350 not receive? Now, if you did receive it, why 00:14:23.350 --> 00:14:27.730 do you boast as if you had not received it? All 00:14:27.730 --> 00:14:32.169 are gifts. are from god and in this he shows 00:14:32.169 --> 00:14:35.429 them he teaches them in this prayer that the 00:14:35.429 --> 00:14:39.990 source of all of their gifts is god himself and 00:14:39.990 --> 00:14:43.710 this should humble them and bring them to abasement 00:14:43.710 --> 00:14:47.710 and humility they were in fact endowed by god 00:14:47.710 --> 00:14:50.490 with wonderful things and though they were boasting 00:14:50.490 --> 00:14:53.610 wrongly about it it was nevertheless a gift from 00:14:53.610 --> 00:14:57.789 god but this reminds us that we are tempted to 00:14:57.789 --> 00:15:01.629 do the same things, are we not? We have great, 00:15:01.929 --> 00:15:06.870 great gifts. We have much abundance. We have 00:15:06.870 --> 00:15:13.769 incredible tools and resources by which we can 00:15:13.769 --> 00:15:17.070 serve God and make His name known in the world 00:15:17.070 --> 00:15:22.090 and glorify Him. We have abilities beyond measure 00:15:22.090 --> 00:15:26.759 with opportunities galore. And yet, how often 00:15:26.759 --> 00:15:31.759 the words of our mouths give us away. I, me, 00:15:32.039 --> 00:15:37.259 my, our abilities, my gifts and resources. Oh 00:15:37.259 --> 00:15:41.100 God, strip us of our boastfulness and our pride 00:15:41.100 --> 00:15:47.320 because these are God's gifts to us. The word 00:15:47.320 --> 00:15:50.870 grace here. can certainly refer to the gift of 00:15:50.870 --> 00:15:53.509 salvation. That is the glorious gift of salvation 00:15:53.509 --> 00:15:57.649 that God gave to them in rescuing them from paganism 00:15:57.649 --> 00:16:00.769 and from idolatry and save them from their sins. 00:16:00.990 --> 00:16:06.039 For they nor we are worthy. of any of these gifts. 00:16:06.120 --> 00:16:08.840 We are not worthy. We all deserve the wrath of 00:16:08.840 --> 00:16:11.899 God. And yet in Christ, both they and we are 00:16:11.899 --> 00:16:14.440 called to be saints and are sanctified in Christ 00:16:14.440 --> 00:16:18.000 Jesus. So the word grace here could refer to 00:16:18.000 --> 00:16:22.139 that unmerited favor of God. But the grace that 00:16:22.139 --> 00:16:25.200 is bestowed upon them also has another meaning. 00:16:25.340 --> 00:16:31.159 And that is, it can refer to the graces or to 00:16:31.159 --> 00:16:35.750 the grace gifts. That God gives to them. And 00:16:35.750 --> 00:16:38.789 there's some discussion among commentators. As 00:16:38.789 --> 00:16:41.529 to which of these Paul is referring to. But it 00:16:41.529 --> 00:16:44.509 seems from the context of this verse. That Paul 00:16:44.509 --> 00:16:46.809 when he speaks of grace. Is referring to the 00:16:46.809 --> 00:16:53.570 grace gifts. God had abundantly poured out upon 00:16:53.570 --> 00:16:57.450 the Corinthian church. Grace gifts. So much so 00:16:57.450 --> 00:17:00.750 that Paul says. They come behind in nothing. 00:17:01.690 --> 00:17:06.160 They have. gifts amazing and wonderful gifts 00:17:06.160 --> 00:17:10.460 and God has given them to God has given them 00:17:10.460 --> 00:17:15.660 God has given these great gifts to these grace 00:17:15.660 --> 00:17:21.019 gifts to them an abundance of them now the word 00:17:21.019 --> 00:17:24.059 for this the word gifts is the word charisma 00:17:24.059 --> 00:17:28.170 from which we get our word charismatic So these 00:17:28.170 --> 00:17:31.710 grace gifts that were given to them include two 00:17:31.710 --> 00:17:35.589 kinds of gifts. There were miraculous gifts with 00:17:35.589 --> 00:17:39.210 extraordinary powers, and there were gifts of 00:17:39.210 --> 00:17:43.789 ministry or gifts of service to others. Miraculous 00:17:43.789 --> 00:17:47.430 gifts are listed in chapter 12, verses 8 through 00:17:47.430 --> 00:17:50.880 10 of this book. It's Paul deals with them about 00:17:50.880 --> 00:17:53.859 some of these things. Some of the examples of 00:17:53.859 --> 00:17:56.059 these miraculous gifts were gifts of healings, 00:17:56.119 --> 00:18:00.160 working of miracles, prophecies, which I believe 00:18:00.160 --> 00:18:03.440 there he's referring to foretelling the future, 00:18:03.559 --> 00:18:07.420 or also of God's word being revealed to them. 00:18:07.519 --> 00:18:09.359 Remember, the scripture was not finished yet. 00:18:09.740 --> 00:18:12.680 Also discerning of spirits, different kinds of 00:18:12.680 --> 00:18:15.200 tongues, and interpretation of tongues. These 00:18:15.200 --> 00:18:18.119 were all miraculous gifts that God had given 00:18:18.119 --> 00:18:21.759 to them. Grace gifts of ministry and service 00:18:21.759 --> 00:18:25.779 are then also listed in Romans chapter 12. Having 00:18:25.779 --> 00:18:28.380 then gifts differing according to the grace that 00:18:28.380 --> 00:18:31.339 is given to us, let us use them. If prophecy, 00:18:31.500 --> 00:18:35.839 let us prophesy in proportion to our faith. Probably 00:18:35.839 --> 00:18:39.880 referring there to preaching. Or ministry, let 00:18:39.880 --> 00:18:42.880 us use it in our ministry. He who teaches in 00:18:42.880 --> 00:18:46.880 teaching. He who exhorts in exhortation. He who 00:18:46.880 --> 00:18:50.660 gives with liberality. He who leads with diligence. 00:18:50.859 --> 00:18:55.259 He who shows mercy with cheerfulness. These are 00:18:55.259 --> 00:18:59.519 gifts of ministry, of service to others. And 00:18:59.519 --> 00:19:03.980 God gives us all gifts in one way or another 00:19:03.980 --> 00:19:08.160 to bless other people. God has gifted every one 00:19:08.160 --> 00:19:12.200 of you with some type of gifts of ministry to 00:19:12.200 --> 00:19:15.839 others. And some of this I can observe even in 00:19:15.839 --> 00:19:18.279 the church or afterward in the fellowship meal. 00:19:18.359 --> 00:19:21.980 I can observe some of these gifts at work because 00:19:21.980 --> 00:19:26.160 God has blessed us. He has endowed us with these 00:19:26.160 --> 00:19:30.640 grace gifts. God pours out upon his church these 00:19:30.640 --> 00:19:33.690 wonderful gifts. And while we believe that some 00:19:33.690 --> 00:19:36.390 of these gifts, the miraculous ones, are no longer 00:19:36.390 --> 00:19:39.890 given by God in the same way after the scripture 00:19:39.890 --> 00:19:42.390 canon was closed, and we'll get into that later 00:19:42.390 --> 00:19:45.910 in this book, the fact is that they were in existence 00:19:45.910 --> 00:19:49.069 at this time in the church, and they were wonderful 00:19:49.069 --> 00:19:52.009 gifts from God. The canon of the scripture was 00:19:52.009 --> 00:19:55.349 not yet closed. So God was speaking through the 00:19:55.349 --> 00:19:57.789 apostles and through the prophets, and he was 00:19:57.789 --> 00:20:01.509 speaking to the church through miraculous gifts. 00:20:01.390 --> 00:20:05.289 speech. God was attesting to the validity of 00:20:05.289 --> 00:20:08.309 Jesus and to the truth through these various 00:20:08.309 --> 00:20:12.190 miracles. Our study of 1 Corinthians will include 00:20:12.190 --> 00:20:15.710 looking at all of these. The gifts of ministry 00:20:15.710 --> 00:20:19.230 and service though are those that God continues 00:20:19.230 --> 00:20:22.950 to pour out upon his people today and we are 00:20:22.950 --> 00:20:26.390 to cultivate these gifts to ask God for them 00:20:26.390 --> 00:20:30.150 and to promote their use within the congregation. 00:20:30.880 --> 00:20:33.519 Now in receiving the gifts that God gave to them, 00:20:33.640 --> 00:20:36.720 Paul says they did not come short. That is, in 00:20:36.720 --> 00:20:38.839 my paraphrase, they didn't come short in the 00:20:38.839 --> 00:20:42.539 gift department. They were enriched by Christ, 00:20:42.640 --> 00:20:46.819 he says, in everything by him, in utterance and 00:20:46.819 --> 00:20:49.980 in knowledge. These people had great knowledge. 00:20:50.099 --> 00:20:53.380 They were able to speak great and lofty things. 00:20:53.480 --> 00:20:55.420 They had the miraculous gift of utterance and 00:20:55.420 --> 00:20:58.690 of tongues that were among them. So much so that 00:20:58.690 --> 00:21:01.609 Paul says you come short in no gift in verse 00:21:01.609 --> 00:21:04.470 6. Now these gifts were not an end in themselves, 00:21:04.589 --> 00:21:07.809 but the congregation even promoted and exalted 00:21:07.809 --> 00:21:10.940 the Lord Jesus Christ through those gifts. Paul 00:21:10.940 --> 00:21:14.059 continues in verse 6. He says, even as the testimony 00:21:14.059 --> 00:21:18.940 of Christ was confirmed in you. So they're using 00:21:18.940 --> 00:21:21.500 these gifts. Now, there was some improper use. 00:21:21.680 --> 00:21:24.339 We know that. But they were using these gifts 00:21:24.339 --> 00:21:28.039 and the testimony of Jesus was confirmed among 00:21:28.039 --> 00:21:32.799 them. It was clear and plain in this congregation 00:21:32.799 --> 00:21:35.599 through the use of these gifts. It was a wonderful 00:21:35.599 --> 00:21:40.430 thing to see. But of course, as is so often the 00:21:40.430 --> 00:21:44.890 case in the lives of his people, Satan also sees 00:21:44.890 --> 00:21:48.710 that and he begins to attack the congregation. 00:21:50.849 --> 00:21:54.230 And we will see, we will look at the first of 00:21:54.230 --> 00:21:57.769 these attacks, which many times happens from 00:21:57.769 --> 00:22:02.890 within the congregation. We'll see that next 00:22:02.890 --> 00:22:06.440 Sunday. As we consider the divisions between 00:22:06.440 --> 00:22:09.539 Christian believers in the congregation that 00:22:09.539 --> 00:22:14.299 happened. Satan loves to attack from within. 00:22:15.500 --> 00:22:20.980 There are also attacks from without. Many times 00:22:20.980 --> 00:22:24.640 there can be a quick united response to the attacks 00:22:24.640 --> 00:22:27.500 from without. But when the attacks come from 00:22:27.500 --> 00:22:31.420 within, it's a lot more difficult. Paul told 00:22:31.420 --> 00:22:34.670 the Ephesian elders. when he met with them, when 00:22:34.670 --> 00:22:36.569 what he thought was going to be the last time, 00:22:36.609 --> 00:22:38.630 when they met on the seaside and they knelt down 00:22:38.630 --> 00:22:41.130 and prayed together on the shore, he told them, 00:22:41.150 --> 00:22:47.190 some of you are going to be led astray by these 00:22:47.190 --> 00:22:52.650 false teachers of doctrine. Now these grace gifts 00:22:52.650 --> 00:22:55.690 must not puff up. They must not fill us with 00:22:55.690 --> 00:23:00.230 knowledge in order to be proud or boastful. With 00:23:00.230 --> 00:23:04.609 knowledge must come wisdom. It must come a good 00:23:04.609 --> 00:23:07.490 and practical application to the knowledge that 00:23:07.490 --> 00:23:10.650 comes. We know that one of the things, and we'll 00:23:10.650 --> 00:23:13.329 see this in chapter 13, is that knowledge can 00:23:13.329 --> 00:23:16.269 puff up. It can make us proud. And that was one 00:23:16.269 --> 00:23:18.190 of the problems that the Corinthian church had. 00:23:18.329 --> 00:23:23.329 They were proud of their gifts. And they were 00:23:23.329 --> 00:23:26.210 puffed up from the knowledge. But the knowledge 00:23:26.210 --> 00:23:28.609 wasn't wrong. It's just that they weren't humble 00:23:28.609 --> 00:23:33.599 in it. This grace will teach them how to say 00:23:33.599 --> 00:23:38.619 no to immorality, to idolatry, and to pride, 00:23:38.660 --> 00:23:44.279 and yes to purity of life and worship. They needed 00:23:44.279 --> 00:23:47.220 to be taught this, reminding them that everything 00:23:47.220 --> 00:23:51.420 they have comes from God, as is so evident in 00:23:51.420 --> 00:23:54.940 this whole passage. Number three, they were eagerly 00:23:54.940 --> 00:23:58.029 awaiting the coming of the Lord. eagerly waiting 00:23:58.029 --> 00:24:00.829 for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:24:00.930 --> 00:24:04.250 This is in the latter part of verse 7. They were 00:24:04.250 --> 00:24:06.650 looking forward to when Jesus would return and 00:24:06.650 --> 00:24:09.730 call his people to himself. Now one of the great 00:24:09.730 --> 00:24:13.890 truths of the Christian faith is that all Christians 00:24:13.890 --> 00:24:20.210 believe is that Jesus Christ will return again. 00:24:20.329 --> 00:24:25.269 That he will be revealed. This is confessed in 00:24:25.269 --> 00:24:28.009 all of the creeds. And it's something that we 00:24:28.009 --> 00:24:31.650 have in common even with the various understandings 00:24:31.650 --> 00:24:35.549 of prophecy and of the end times. Premillennials, 00:24:35.589 --> 00:24:38.890 amillennials, and postmillennials, we are all 00:24:38.890 --> 00:24:43.569 in agreement that Jesus will return again in 00:24:43.569 --> 00:24:48.670 bodily form and he will raise up the dead. He 00:24:48.670 --> 00:24:51.130 will raise both the unbelievers unto destruction 00:24:51.130 --> 00:24:54.970 and he will raise the dead believers and he will 00:24:54.970 --> 00:24:58.009 lift up the believers who are alive at that time. 00:24:58.329 --> 00:25:02.130 We take great comfort in this wonderful doctrine 00:25:02.130 --> 00:25:05.829 and we confess it right alongside our brethren 00:25:05.829 --> 00:25:10.650 in the faith. Even though we disagree on the 00:25:10.650 --> 00:25:13.069 timing and the state of the world when this happens, 00:25:13.230 --> 00:25:16.250 we have this in common. And the Corinthians were 00:25:16.250 --> 00:25:19.849 very good on this. They were eagerly looking 00:25:19.849 --> 00:25:23.630 for the revelation of Christ. Eagerly, you know, 00:25:23.630 --> 00:25:28.990 with zeal, with great anticipation. The manifestation 00:25:28.990 --> 00:25:32.789 and the appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:25:38.170 --> 00:25:41.829 This is not the Greek word parousia, which refers 00:25:41.829 --> 00:25:45.529 to our going to him. It is referring to Christ 00:25:45.529 --> 00:25:50.289 being revealed. The revelation, the manifestation 00:25:50.289 --> 00:25:54.130 of Christ when he comes to gather his saints 00:25:54.130 --> 00:25:57.809 home. Paul frequently speaks of this in his introductions 00:25:57.809 --> 00:26:01.329 about this time. He writes that we eagerly wait 00:26:01.329 --> 00:26:05.069 for it with perseverance in Romans 8, verse 25. 00:26:05.490 --> 00:26:08.509 And in Galatians 5, 5, we through the Spirit, 00:26:08.609 --> 00:26:11.470 we eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness 00:26:11.470 --> 00:26:15.369 by faith, considering that the sufferings of 00:26:15.369 --> 00:26:18.759 this present time. are not worthy to be compared 00:26:18.759 --> 00:26:21.980 with the glory which shall be revealed in us 00:26:21.980 --> 00:26:26.380 for the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly 00:26:26.380 --> 00:26:30.160 waits for the revealing of the sons of God. Romans 00:26:30.160 --> 00:26:34.220 8 verse 18 and 19. And the Corinthians come short 00:26:34.220 --> 00:26:37.539 in no gift eagerly waiting for the revelation 00:26:37.539 --> 00:26:41.309 of the Lord Jesus. And so even though they were 00:26:41.309 --> 00:26:43.390 enamored with the gifts, they were proud, they 00:26:43.390 --> 00:26:46.089 had these other things, yet they eagerly waited 00:26:46.089 --> 00:26:52.670 for the revelation of Christ. Number four, we 00:26:52.670 --> 00:26:56.309 now look at the faithfulness of God and the preservation. 00:26:58.109 --> 00:27:01.170 Of the saints. He says here. You become behind 00:27:01.170 --> 00:27:03.250 in no gift. Eagerly waiting for the revelation. 00:27:03.250 --> 00:27:07.049 Of our Lord Jesus Christ. Who will also confirm 00:27:07.049 --> 00:27:10.670 you to the end. That you may be blameless. In 00:27:10.670 --> 00:27:14.009 the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful. 00:27:14.309 --> 00:27:18.250 By whom you were called. Into the fellowship. 00:27:18.950 --> 00:27:24.109 Of his son. Jesus Christ. our Lord. At the end 00:27:24.109 --> 00:27:26.109 of this prayer of thanksgiving to God for the 00:27:26.109 --> 00:27:29.390 Corinthian church, the apostle concludes with 00:27:29.390 --> 00:27:34.710 these two great assertions. Number one, our Lord 00:27:34.710 --> 00:27:38.710 Jesus Christ will confirm you to the end that 00:27:38.710 --> 00:27:43.410 you may be blameless in that day of Christ. He 00:27:43.410 --> 00:27:46.710 will confirm you to the end. And then secondly, 00:27:46.910 --> 00:27:51.690 God is faithful. He is the one. who called you 00:27:51.690 --> 00:27:55.490 into the fellowship of his son, Jesus Christ 00:27:55.490 --> 00:27:58.750 our Lord. So here's what is astounding. To the 00:27:58.750 --> 00:28:01.920 Corinthian church, yes. to this church in Corinth 00:28:01.920 --> 00:28:04.720 with all of its problems. He says, Paul says, 00:28:04.900 --> 00:28:07.920 the apostle with apostolic authority says, Jesus 00:28:07.920 --> 00:28:11.380 will confirm you. He will confirm you to the 00:28:11.380 --> 00:28:14.200 end so that you will be blameless before him. 00:28:14.299 --> 00:28:16.779 What an incredible statement. How can this be? 00:28:17.059 --> 00:28:20.259 Well, it's because Jesus will confirm you. He 00:28:20.259 --> 00:28:22.799 will make you firm. He will make sure that this 00:28:22.799 --> 00:28:25.359 will happen, that you will be blameless in that 00:28:25.359 --> 00:28:30.000 day. This is because God has called and summoned 00:28:30.000 --> 00:28:33.740 them and God is faithful. God can do it. Jesus 00:28:33.740 --> 00:28:37.819 will do it. And God is faithful. Sampa and Rosner 00:28:37.819 --> 00:28:41.000 say of this, to be blameless on that day and 00:28:41.000 --> 00:28:44.559 to wait for it calmly and joyfully is a wonderful 00:28:44.559 --> 00:28:48.359 thing. It forms a fitting climax to this Thanksgiving. 00:28:48.720 --> 00:28:52.279 Paul is at pains to stress. to the Corinthians 00:28:52.279 --> 00:28:56.220 that their pardon will be due to God's grace 00:28:56.220 --> 00:29:01.559 alone. He will confirm you. There will be no 00:29:01.559 --> 00:29:05.599 room for Corinthian boasting on that day except 00:29:05.599 --> 00:29:11.539 in God. End quote. Now this is the doctrine of 00:29:11.539 --> 00:29:16.329 the preservation of the saints. The preservation 00:29:16.329 --> 00:29:19.890 of the saints. This is a wonderful truth. God 00:29:19.890 --> 00:29:22.750 will bring his people through. Jesus said to 00:29:22.750 --> 00:29:26.670 the father about the apostles in John 17, verse 00:29:26.670 --> 00:29:30.210 12, as he was praying, he said, while I was with 00:29:30.210 --> 00:29:32.630 them in the world, I kept them in your name. 00:29:32.990 --> 00:29:36.750 those whom you gave me I have kept and none of 00:29:36.750 --> 00:29:39.890 them is lost except the son of perdition that 00:29:39.890 --> 00:29:43.069 the scripture might be fulfilled the son of perdition 00:29:43.069 --> 00:29:45.670 is Judas he's the one who betrayed Jesus and 00:29:45.670 --> 00:29:48.730 that betrayal led to our salvation on the cross 00:29:48.730 --> 00:29:51.730 Jesus developed this further not only of the 00:29:51.730 --> 00:29:56.569 apostles but to all the ones of whom Paul told 00:29:56.569 --> 00:30:00.630 the Thessalonians that God has from the beginning 00:30:00.630 --> 00:30:04.869 chosen you for salvation through sanctification 00:30:04.869 --> 00:30:09.930 by the Spirit and belief in the truth. Jesus 00:30:09.930 --> 00:30:12.750 said in this great promise in John chapter 6, 00:30:12.890 --> 00:30:18.170 verse 37 to 39, He says, All that the Father 00:30:18.170 --> 00:30:22.049 has given will come to me. All that the Father 00:30:22.049 --> 00:30:25.720 gives me. Will come to me. And the one who comes 00:30:25.720 --> 00:30:29.880 to me. I will by no means cast out. For I have 00:30:29.880 --> 00:30:32.720 come down from heaven. Not to do my own will. 00:30:32.880 --> 00:30:36.299 But the will of him who sent me. This is the 00:30:36.299 --> 00:30:39.160 will of the father who sent me. That of all he 00:30:39.160 --> 00:30:42.740 has given me. Jesus says. I should lose nothing. 00:30:42.839 --> 00:30:46.019 But should raise it up at the last day. Jesus 00:30:46.019 --> 00:30:50.289 will hold us fast. He keeps us to the end. It 00:30:50.289 --> 00:30:54.369 is he, Jude says in verse 24, is able to keep 00:30:54.369 --> 00:30:59.089 you from stumbling and from falling and to present 00:30:59.089 --> 00:31:02.210 you faultless before the presence of his glory 00:31:02.210 --> 00:31:05.970 with exceeding joy. It is he who will maintain 00:31:05.970 --> 00:31:09.670 us and strengthen us. Paul told the Philippians 00:31:09.670 --> 00:31:13.309 in chapter 1 verse 6, being confident of this 00:31:13.309 --> 00:31:17.089 very thing, that he who has begun a good work 00:31:17.089 --> 00:31:21.869 in you. will complete it until the day of Jesus 00:31:21.869 --> 00:31:25.430 Christ. With the teaching of the preservation 00:31:25.430 --> 00:31:28.890 of the saints, we are also taught the perseverance 00:31:28.890 --> 00:31:33.009 of the saints in the scriptures. Because of this 00:31:33.009 --> 00:31:38.009 great truth, therefore, brethren, Peter says 00:31:38.009 --> 00:31:41.430 in 2 Peter 1, verse 10, therefore, brethren, 00:31:41.549 --> 00:31:45.579 be even more diligent. to make your call and 00:31:45.579 --> 00:31:48.680 election sure. For if you do these things, you 00:31:48.680 --> 00:31:51.380 will never stumble. For so an entrance will be 00:31:51.380 --> 00:31:53.720 supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting 00:31:53.720 --> 00:31:56.700 kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 00:31:56.980 --> 00:32:00.299 While God preserves us, as is so clearly stated 00:32:00.299 --> 00:32:04.220 in our text, the scriptures teach that true believers 00:32:04.220 --> 00:32:09.359 will actively persevere in faith, in holiness, 00:32:09.519 --> 00:32:12.880 and in good works, not to earn or maintain salvation, 00:32:13.690 --> 00:32:16.809 but as the inevitable fruit of God's preserving 00:32:16.809 --> 00:32:21.170 grace. God preserves us and we persevere because 00:32:21.170 --> 00:32:26.710 of that preservation. True faith endures trials. 00:32:26.890 --> 00:32:30.089 It repents of sin and it grows in godliness, 00:32:30.289 --> 00:32:33.529 though imperfectly, yes, and with very real struggles 00:32:33.529 --> 00:32:36.650 as seen in biblical examples like David and Peter. 00:32:37.029 --> 00:32:41.849 And so these truths... which are really two sides 00:32:41.849 --> 00:32:44.430 of a coin. They're really brought together. These 00:32:44.430 --> 00:32:48.289 truths avoid legalism, which is salvation by 00:32:48.289 --> 00:32:52.130 our works, and antinomianism, which is license 00:32:52.130 --> 00:32:56.910 to sin because of security. It brings everything 00:32:56.910 --> 00:33:02.329 together. Preservation and perseverance together. 00:33:03.490 --> 00:33:06.950 This stops us from thinking that we will be saved 00:33:06.950 --> 00:33:10.299 by our works or that we can sin. Because we have 00:33:10.299 --> 00:33:14.200 grace. Therefore, the doctrine of the preservation 00:33:14.200 --> 00:33:18.059 and perseverance of the saints is not a once 00:33:18.059 --> 00:33:21.200 saved, always saved in a cheap grace sense that 00:33:21.200 --> 00:33:24.039 says, I trusted in Christ, so now it doesn't 00:33:24.039 --> 00:33:27.559 matter how I live. No, the scripture is diametrically 00:33:27.559 --> 00:33:32.900 opposed to that kind of teaching. True conversion 00:33:32.900 --> 00:33:37.920 changes and transforms the person. producing 00:33:37.920 --> 00:33:42.400 a life that increasingly hates sin and pursues 00:33:42.400 --> 00:33:47.059 godliness. Nor does it depend on human willpower 00:33:47.059 --> 00:33:51.759 alone. Our confidence rests in God's unbreakable 00:33:51.759 --> 00:33:55.599 promises and not in our personal performance. 00:33:57.079 --> 00:34:03.359 God is faithful. He demonstrates that faithfulness 00:34:03.359 --> 00:34:05.559 to the Corinthians by promising that they will 00:34:05.559 --> 00:34:08.519 be blameless in the day of Christ. And he is 00:34:08.519 --> 00:34:10.739 the one who called them. He is the one who has 00:34:10.739 --> 00:34:14.519 called us who believe and who trust in him. Therefore, 00:34:14.639 --> 00:34:19.880 we also can rely on his faithfulness to us. We 00:34:19.880 --> 00:34:23.199 can trust in him. We can hang on to him even 00:34:23.199 --> 00:34:25.940 when troubles mount and difficulties come and 00:34:25.940 --> 00:34:29.099 when our faith wavers. We run to him. We cast 00:34:29.099 --> 00:34:32.320 our cares upon him. He will maintain us. He will 00:34:32.320 --> 00:34:36.559 keep us. Hebrews 10 verse 23. Let us hold fast 00:34:36.559 --> 00:34:39.800 the confession of our hope without wavering. 00:34:39.800 --> 00:34:46.809 Why? For he who promised is faithful. And again 00:34:46.809 --> 00:34:50.230 in 1 Corinthians 10 and verse 13. No temptation 00:34:50.230 --> 00:34:54.070 has overtaken you. Except such as is common to 00:34:54.070 --> 00:34:59.050 man. But God is faithful. Who will not allow 00:34:59.050 --> 00:35:02.369 you to be tempted beyond what you are able. But 00:35:02.369 --> 00:35:05.849 with the temptation will also make the way of 00:35:05.849 --> 00:35:10.949 escape. That you are able to bear it. Number 00:35:10.949 --> 00:35:15.840 five. This call. The call that is given here 00:35:15.840 --> 00:35:21.099 in verse 9 to the Corinthians is to the fellowship 00:35:21.099 --> 00:35:25.500 of God's Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful 00:35:25.500 --> 00:35:29.059 by whom you were called into the fellowship of 00:35:29.059 --> 00:35:34.500 His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. In chapter 6 00:35:34.500 --> 00:35:37.719 of Corinthians, Paul reminds them, Do you not 00:35:37.719 --> 00:35:40.519 know that the unrighteous will not inherit the 00:35:40.519 --> 00:35:46.969 kingdom of God? Do not, do you not, I apologize, 00:35:47.030 --> 00:35:51.269 I jumped ahead of myself. This fellowship is 00:35:51.269 --> 00:35:55.920 union with Christ. We are called into the fellowship 00:35:55.920 --> 00:35:58.380 of God's Son. It is union with Christ. It is 00:35:58.380 --> 00:36:01.300 communion. It is partnership. It is participation 00:36:01.300 --> 00:36:04.860 with Him. So that we glory in Him and not in 00:36:04.860 --> 00:36:08.039 ourselves. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, 00:36:08.260 --> 00:36:11.579 who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness, 00:36:12.000 --> 00:36:15.280 and sanctification, and redemption. That as it 00:36:15.280 --> 00:36:17.880 is written, He who glories, let him glory in 00:36:17.880 --> 00:36:20.460 the Lord. This we find later in chapter 1, verse 00:36:20.460 --> 00:36:25.630 30. When we stand before God, the dread judge 00:36:25.630 --> 00:36:29.969 of all, on that great judgment day, and all our 00:36:29.969 --> 00:36:33.409 works are manifest before him, those who are 00:36:33.409 --> 00:36:37.849 in Christ will be declared righteous, redeemed 00:36:37.849 --> 00:36:40.949 by the Father, and sanctified by the Spirit. 00:36:41.210 --> 00:36:44.510 And we will not be proud, boasting in our great 00:36:44.510 --> 00:36:47.889 deeds, our prowess, our perfection, or in any 00:36:47.889 --> 00:36:51.579 way of ourselves, but rather, Boasting of him 00:36:51.579 --> 00:36:55.340 who loved us and washed us from our sins in his 00:36:55.340 --> 00:36:58.119 own blood. And has made us kings and priests 00:36:58.119 --> 00:37:01.659 to his God and to his father. And to him be glory 00:37:01.659 --> 00:37:05.000 and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Revelation 00:37:05.000 --> 00:37:08.239 chapter 1 verse 5 and 6. Now we'll see a little 00:37:08.239 --> 00:37:12.139 bit later in the book of Corinthians. Paul does 00:37:12.139 --> 00:37:15.099 write about how that every man's work will be 00:37:15.099 --> 00:37:17.800 revealed. And any works that are wood, hay and 00:37:17.800 --> 00:37:20.650 stubble will be burned up. Yeah, they will be 00:37:20.650 --> 00:37:24.409 burned up. But the gold, the silver will remain. 00:37:24.769 --> 00:37:29.190 So our works are manifest. The bad ones, the 00:37:29.190 --> 00:37:31.269 ones that are filled, that are empty, that are 00:37:31.269 --> 00:37:35.650 straw, they're burned up. But yet God retains 00:37:35.650 --> 00:37:39.989 us and Jesus retains us by his spirit. We are 00:37:39.989 --> 00:37:43.809 his. We'll get into that deeper when we get to 00:37:43.809 --> 00:37:46.869 chapter three. Now in chapter six of Corinthians, 00:37:47.150 --> 00:37:50.730 Paul reminds them, Do you not know that the unrighteous 00:37:50.730 --> 00:37:53.670 will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be 00:37:53.670 --> 00:37:56.869 deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, 00:37:56.989 --> 00:38:00.250 nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 00:38:00.309 --> 00:38:04.030 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor 00:38:04.030 --> 00:38:07.070 revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom 00:38:07.070 --> 00:38:10.150 of God. And then he says this. And such were 00:38:10.150 --> 00:38:14.969 some of you. Such were some of you. But you were 00:38:14.969 --> 00:38:18.110 washed. But you were sanctified, but you were 00:38:18.110 --> 00:38:21.489 justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by 00:38:21.489 --> 00:38:24.849 the Spirit of our God. They were brought into 00:38:24.849 --> 00:38:28.050 the fellowship of Christ. This fellowship simply 00:38:28.050 --> 00:38:31.329 means that He loves us. And we love Him. We are 00:38:31.329 --> 00:38:34.650 one with Him. We are united together with Christ. 00:38:34.730 --> 00:38:37.550 Dear believer, as you have trusted in Christ 00:38:37.550 --> 00:38:41.070 and He has washed you clean, you are united together 00:38:41.070 --> 00:38:47.170 with Christ. He is your God. You are his people. 00:38:47.989 --> 00:38:52.070 God is faithful who has called us and has chosen 00:38:52.070 --> 00:38:57.170 us to be in Christ. In the letter, in a letter 00:38:57.170 --> 00:39:01.329 in which Paul declared, verse 2, says, For I 00:39:01.329 --> 00:39:04.230 determined not to know anything among you except 00:39:04.230 --> 00:39:08.869 Jesus Christ and him crucified. Paul then references 00:39:08.869 --> 00:39:13.929 Jesus over and over again. Paul referenced Jesus. 00:39:14.699 --> 00:39:19.719 Ten times in these nine verses. He loves Christ. 00:39:20.019 --> 00:39:24.000 And he knows the Corinthians love Christ. And 00:39:24.000 --> 00:39:28.300 that Jesus loves them. He speaks of the forgiveness 00:39:28.300 --> 00:39:31.219 of sins. Being blameless in the day of Christ. 00:39:31.639 --> 00:39:34.480 And then goes to their union and fellowship with 00:39:34.480 --> 00:39:37.820 Christ in the present. Forgiveness of sins in 00:39:37.820 --> 00:39:41.440 the past. Union and fellowship with Christ now. 00:39:41.800 --> 00:39:47.820 And they have this. They have this. Let's give 00:39:47.820 --> 00:39:50.820 a few applications here as we bring this to a 00:39:50.820 --> 00:39:56.219 close. First of all, how can we read this and 00:39:56.219 --> 00:39:59.340 not understand that God is long -suffering and 00:39:59.340 --> 00:40:04.380 patient? God is long -suffering and patient. 00:40:06.179 --> 00:40:09.679 Not only was he with the church in Corinth, but 00:40:09.679 --> 00:40:13.590 he is also with us and with. our fellow believers. 00:40:14.110 --> 00:40:18.150 Sometimes we do really stupid stuff. Sometimes 00:40:18.150 --> 00:40:22.789 we fall into sin and God needs to smack us hard 00:40:22.789 --> 00:40:27.949 because of it. And yet we are in Christ and God 00:40:27.949 --> 00:40:30.809 is long -suffering and patient with us. So brothers 00:40:30.809 --> 00:40:33.789 and sisters, let us not be too quick to judge 00:40:33.789 --> 00:40:37.110 one another harshly, but to be patient and long 00:40:37.110 --> 00:40:40.289 -suffering as well. And in all of our dealings, 00:40:40.650 --> 00:40:43.110 Let love for God and our fellow man characterize 00:40:43.110 --> 00:40:46.989 our relationships, even with those with whom 00:40:46.989 --> 00:40:51.909 we have disagreements. Let us receive those who 00:40:51.909 --> 00:40:55.409 are in Christ and be long -suffering and patient 00:40:55.409 --> 00:41:01.710 with them. Second, watch out for those who speak 00:41:01.710 --> 00:41:05.429 of many things, of many ills perhaps in society 00:41:05.429 --> 00:41:09.289 or problems. Men who make a business of pontificating 00:41:09.289 --> 00:41:12.630 and opining, always stirring something up, exposing 00:41:12.630 --> 00:41:15.510 some issue or problem, fighting against others 00:41:15.510 --> 00:41:18.130 who don't believe rightly. But watch out for 00:41:18.130 --> 00:41:21.989 them. Do they have a fervent love of Jesus and 00:41:21.989 --> 00:41:25.269 a love of the saints, the communion of believers? 00:41:25.730 --> 00:41:29.449 If Paul could say these things to the Corinthian 00:41:29.449 --> 00:41:33.750 church, how much more we, as we look around us 00:41:33.750 --> 00:41:38.309 and we see our brothers and sisters, who sometimes 00:41:38.309 --> 00:41:42.690 are in egregious error or in problems. And I'm 00:41:42.690 --> 00:41:45.110 not saying that we just wash all that away. No, 00:41:45.230 --> 00:41:48.349 we understand that. And sometimes it takes exhortation. 00:41:49.230 --> 00:41:51.690 But we also ought to be long -suffering. And 00:41:51.690 --> 00:41:53.969 the biggest thing is, we must be characterized 00:41:53.969 --> 00:41:56.429 by our love of Jesus and our love of the brethren. 00:41:56.690 --> 00:41:59.690 So even when we bring things to light, let it 00:41:59.690 --> 00:42:02.929 be out of a heart filled with love and a fellowship 00:42:02.929 --> 00:42:06.619 with God and His people. Let that be characteristic 00:42:06.619 --> 00:42:10.519 of us. Not that we're always shooting from the 00:42:10.519 --> 00:42:13.320 hip at other people. Trying to bring other people 00:42:13.320 --> 00:42:16.820 down. Or continually lifting ourselves up in 00:42:16.820 --> 00:42:22.019 a prideful way. I will say, this can very easily 00:42:22.019 --> 00:42:26.219 happen with podcasting. And I'm not against listening 00:42:26.219 --> 00:42:28.679 to podcasts. I do it myself. I'm just saying, 00:42:28.760 --> 00:42:31.059 it can easily happen. You're not there face to 00:42:31.059 --> 00:42:33.880 face, working together. And it's so often to 00:42:33.880 --> 00:42:37.780 just... Use a scatter shot. It happens a lot. 00:42:38.239 --> 00:42:41.780 So I would just say there, watch out for those 00:42:41.780 --> 00:42:44.780 who do not show and demonstrate a fervent love 00:42:44.780 --> 00:42:47.440 for Jesus and a union and communion with him 00:42:47.440 --> 00:42:50.579 and a love for God's people, some of whom have 00:42:50.579 --> 00:42:53.280 great shortcomings. If we have fellowship with 00:42:53.280 --> 00:42:56.420 him, then we also love the brethren, those who 00:42:56.420 --> 00:42:58.900 are united with Christ in this glorious fellowship 00:42:58.900 --> 00:43:02.860 that we have been called to. Number three. We 00:43:02.860 --> 00:43:05.800 also have been given many gifts. We have been 00:43:05.800 --> 00:43:09.340 given great gifts. We have been given great tools 00:43:09.340 --> 00:43:13.579 to use. We have the ability to publish things 00:43:13.579 --> 00:43:17.039 or to promote things or to reach people in ways 00:43:17.039 --> 00:43:20.199 that the apostles and the early church and for 00:43:20.199 --> 00:43:22.820 many centuries thereafter could only dream of. 00:43:23.500 --> 00:43:27.739 We have all of these gifts. We have great gifts 00:43:27.739 --> 00:43:32.550 among us in our abilities, sharp minds, Good 00:43:32.550 --> 00:43:36.710 voices. Ways of coming alongside and of loving 00:43:36.710 --> 00:43:39.349 and caring one another. Of being hospitable. 00:43:39.809 --> 00:43:43.329 Of being able to speak the word of God. Or even 00:43:43.329 --> 00:43:45.630 just loving our children and raising them. God 00:43:45.630 --> 00:43:49.570 has given us so many wonderful gifts. Let us 00:43:49.570 --> 00:43:52.789 use them for his glory. Do not be ashamed of 00:43:52.789 --> 00:43:55.590 them. Use the gifts that God has given to you. 00:43:56.730 --> 00:44:00.059 But do not hide them. Do not be ashamed of them. 00:44:00.139 --> 00:44:04.820 But give God the glory for them. Give God the 00:44:04.820 --> 00:44:08.380 glory. And do not be proud. Lift up ourselves. 00:44:08.880 --> 00:44:13.440 Let us use our gifts well for his sake. In the 00:44:13.440 --> 00:44:16.460 name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 00:44:17.119 --> 00:44:21.019 Amen. Let's pray. Father, thank you for this 00:44:21.019 --> 00:44:24.159 wonderful prayer. For this exhortation that Paul 00:44:24.159 --> 00:44:27.320 gives in this prayer of thanking you, oh God. 00:44:27.760 --> 00:44:30.860 For these people. And Lord we look at them. And 00:44:30.860 --> 00:44:35.079 we realize. All of the challenges they face. 00:44:35.400 --> 00:44:40.079 And we look at. The church in America. Those 00:44:40.079 --> 00:44:43.219 who profess your name Lord. And we see so many 00:44:43.219 --> 00:44:47.920 similar things. Oh God I pray. Purify your church. 00:44:48.780 --> 00:44:51.460 Use the word of God to cleanse us. And to purify 00:44:51.460 --> 00:44:54.340 us. But Lord above all. Give us a fervent love 00:44:54.340 --> 00:44:57.599 for you. And a love for your people. and a love 00:44:57.599 --> 00:45:01.500 for the truth. Lord, I pray that you would convict 00:45:01.500 --> 00:45:04.340 us when we sin, that you would draw us to you, 00:45:04.440 --> 00:45:07.480 and that you would use this word, Lord, for your 00:45:07.480 --> 00:45:11.559 honor and for your glory. We ask this in Jesus' 00:45:11.739 --> 00:45:15.099 name. And now we open it up for public prayer.