A sermon on unity. Part 1 of a study of 1 Corinthians from a series entitled "Learning From Other People's Mistakes."

1. 1
Learning From Other People’s
Mistakes
A Study of 1 Corinthians

2. A House Divided
1 Corinthians 1
2

3. Big Idea
Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name
of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree
and that there be no divisions among you,
but that you be made complete in the
same mind and in the same judgment.
1 Corinthians 1:10 3

4. A House Divided
1 Corinthians 1
4

5. Greetings!
Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the
will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, To the
church of God which is at Corinth, to those who
have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by
calling, with all who in every place call on the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and
ours: Grace to you and peace from God our
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 1:1–3 5

6. AAA
Author
Audience
Agenda
6

7. The Apostle Paul
Former persecutor of the
Church
Not universally accepted
as an apostle
Founder of the Corinthian
1st Assembly
Wrote a good portion of
the New Testament
7
Author

8.  The Church of Corinth
 A church in trouble
 A church in a wild town
 Extreme class division
8
Audience

9. Letters from
three different
sources detail
troubles in the
church. They
need correction,
instruction and
unity
9
Agenda

10. Giving Thanks
I thank my God always concerning you for the
grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus,
that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all
speech and all knowledge, even as the testimony
concerning Christ was confirmed in you, so that
you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly
the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will
1 Corinthians 1:4–9 10

11. Giving Thanks
also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day
of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, through
whom you were called into fellowship with His
Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
1 Corinthians 1:4–9 11

12. Paul’s prayer of thanksgiving for the church
 God’s grace towards them.
 Grateful for the words of their lips to the
understanding in their hearts.
 Their spiritual giftedness .
 Their hope of Heaven.
12

13. A Sandwich
Sandwiched two desirable outcomes between
two immutable truths.
Speaking prophetically
Planting seeds
13

14. Some problems I need to address
Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our
Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there
be no divisions among you, but that you be made
complete in the same mind and in the same
judgment. For I have been informed concerning
you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there
are quarrels among you. Now I mean this, that
1 Corinthians 1:10–17 14

15. Some problems I need to address
each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of
Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.” Has
Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for
you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of
Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you
except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one would
say you were baptized in my name. Now I did
1 Corinthians 1:10–17 15

16. Some problems I need to address
baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond
that, I do not know whether I baptized any other.
For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to
preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so
that the cross of Christ would not be made void.
1 Corinthians 1:10–17 16

17. Solution First
Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name
of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree
and that there be no divisions among you,
but that you be made complete in the
same mind and in the same judgment
1 Corinthians 1:10 17

18. What all churches
need
All agree
No divisions
Same mind
Same Judgements
18

19. Agree
Speak the same things
don’t continue in dissention
be knit together
19

20. Schisms
warring
political
factions
20
No
Divisions

21. What were they warring about?
1. Their personal preference for certain leadership skills (rhetoric)
2. Pride and jealousy over spiritual gifts
3. Believers’ recognition of economic categories (rich and poor)
4. Their prejudice over social rank (slave and free)
5. Racial pride (Jew and Gentile)
6. Misguided jealousy or pride over marital status (married and unmarried)
7. Pride over intellectual prowess (first century educational elitism, sophists)
21

22. Thom Rainer asked on social media about church arguments
1.Argument over the appropriate length of the worship pastor’s beard (I think I saw a verse in Scripture that indicated it is to
be no more than 1.5 inches longer than the pastor’s beard.).
2.Fight over whether or not to build a children’s playground or to use the land for a cemetery (I’m dying to know the
resolution of this one.).
3.A deacon accusing another deacon of sending an anonymous letter, and deciding to settle the matter in the parking lot
4.A church dispute of whether or not to install restroom stall dividers in the women’s restroom
5.A church argument and vote to decide if a clock in the worship center should be removed (I think this one is a timely
argument.).
6.A 45-minute heated argument over the type of filing cabinet to purchase: black or brown; 2, 3, or 4 drawers.
7.A fight over which picture of Jesus to put in the foyer (I just want to know who took the pictures.).
8.A petition to have all church staff clean shaven
9.A dispute over whether the worship leader should have his shoes on during the service.
10.A big church argument over the discovery that the church budget was off $0.10. Someone finally gave a dime to settle the
issue.
22

23. Divisions
Décor Style
Bible Version
Change
Leaders
Politics
COVID
LGBTQ
Popular Culture
23

24. They needed to be made complete
“…completely united with only one thought and
one purpose.” (TEV)
That purpose is the Kingdom of God, the gospel,
the Great Commission, personal holiness, not
personal biases, preferences, or agendas!
24

25. Personal favorites
I am of Paul-personal loyalty
I of Apollos-excellent speaker
I of Cephas-apostolic authority
I of Christ-super holy
25

26. BOOM!
Has Christ been
divided? Paul was
not crucified for
you, was he? Or
were you baptized
in the name of
Paul?
1 Corinthians 1:13
26

27. A question for you…
What is YOUR Christianity about?
27

28. Unity is powerful
Tower of Babel – a bad thing
Day of Pentecost – a good thing
28

29. The message is more important than the messenger!
For Christ did not send me to
baptize, but to preach the
gospel, not in cleverness of
speech, so that the cross of
Christ would not be made void.
1 Corinthians 1:17 29

30. Change your focus
For the word of the cross is foolishness to those
who are perishing, but to us who are being saved
it is the power of God. For it is written, “I WILL
DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND THE
CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE.”
Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe?
Where is the debater of this age? Has not God
1 Corinthians 1:18–25 30

31. Change your focus
made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since
in the wisdom of God the world through its
wisdom did not come to know God, God was
well-pleased through the foolishness of the
message preached to save those who believe. For
indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for
wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a
1 Corinthians 1:18–25 31

32. Change your focus
stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but
to those who are the called, both Jews and
Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom
of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser
than men, and the weakness of God is stronger
than men.
1 Corinthians 1:18–25 32

33. In a nutshell
It’s about the message
33

34. The unifying principle
For the word of the cross is
foolishness to those who are
perishing, but to us who are being
saved it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 1:18 34

35. The Cross
The symbol of salvation
The symbol of God’s power
35

36. It destroys arguments
Wise
Clever
Scribes
Debater
36

37. Message not messenger
For since in the wisdom of God the
world through its wisdom did not
come to know God, God was well-
pleased through the foolishness of
the message preached to save those
who believe.
1 Corinthians 1:21 37

38. The Gospel is divisive
Greeks find it Foolishness
Jew are looking for the wrong messiah (Stumble)
The cross is offensive
The blood is misunderstood
38

39. What?
Because the foolishness of
God is wiser than men, and
the weakness of God is
stronger than men.
Foolishness-God message
Weakness-God’s messengers
1 Corinthians 1:25 39

40. Why we are chosen
For consider your calling, brethren, that there
were not many wise according to the flesh, not
many mighty, not many noble; but God has
chosen the foolish things of the world to shame
the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of
the world to shame the things which are strong,
and the base things of the world and the despised
1 Corinthians 1:26–28 40

41. Why we are chosen
God has chosen, the things that are not, so that
He may nullify the things that are,
1 Corinthians 1:26–28 41

42. Church look at yourselves
Not many wise
Not many powerful
Not many upper-class
42

43. Church look at yourselves
We are weak
We are foolish
We are common
43

44. Why would God do this?
2 Corinthians 12:9 And He has said to me, “My
grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected
in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather
boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of
Christ may dwell in me.
44

45. The rest of the reason
so that no man may boast before God. But by His
doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us
wisdom from God, and righteousness and
sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it
is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.”
1 Corinthians 1:29–31 45

46. A House Divided
1 Corinthians 1
46

47. Unity is powerful
Tower of Babel – a bad thing
Day of Pentecost – a good thing
47

48. A House Divided
1 Corinthians 1
48