Sermon Series: 1 Corinthians

Man’s wisdom differs greatly from God’s wisdom! In this study we examine the entire 2nd chapter of 1 Corinthians to discover Paul’s preaching of God’s Wisdom, the rulers’ blindness to God’s wisdom, Paul’s revelation of God’s wisdom, and man’s response to God’s wisdom. In so doing, we discover some very important lessons about how God would have us seek to win people for Christ.

How will God judge Christian Workers — those that lead, preach and teach God’s people? What will He be looking for? How can those of us who have leadership in the body of Christ make sure we are preparing ourselves for this solemn judgment to come? How can we “be careful how we build upon the foundation” Paul laid? In this study, we examine Paul’s architectural metaphor of those that work to construct God’s building – God’s temple, and the fire which will test the qualitiy of their works.

What is the true minister of Jesus Christ like? What is his job? What is required of him? What will God’s judgment be like? This message is especially appropriate for those who have a calling to serve Jesus Christ in a special way.

One of the worst problems in the Corinthian church was their divisions based on exalting various leaders. To combat this spirit of pride and arrogance in the Church of Corinth, Paul compares their estimate of themselves with his estimate of himself and the other apostles. They considered themselves to be kings. He considers himself to be scum. What do you consider yourself to be?

Paul was a spiritual father to the Corinthians, and as such had certain responsibilities toward them. In this message, learn our duties toward those we are a spiritual father or mother to.

Church discipline is a very unpopular subject in our modern “feel good” Christianity, but it is clearly taught in Scripture. In 1 Corinthians 5 Paul goes to great lengths to teach the need, method, reason, and sphere of church discipline. May God grant us “ears to hear” as we search His Holy Word on this vital subject!

The United States spends $250 billion annually on the costs of lawsuits, equaling 2% of its Gross Domestic Product. Our sue-happy culture has infected the Church so that often Christians take other Christians to court. What is God’s will concerning lawsuits among believers? Find out in this message.

In this passage, Paul deals with the last problem reported to him from Chloe’s people — that of men in the church going to prostitutes. What does God have to say about the proper us of our bodies? What does God’s Word have to say about sexual immorality? What are Biblical motivations for holy living regarding the use of our bodies? Find out in this message!

There was a group of married believers in Corinth who believed that it was more “spiritual” to remain celibate in their marriage than enjoying normal physical relations. Tune in to see what God’s will is for married couples concerning their sexual relationship.

In this passage the apostle Paul gives spiritual counsel to 3 groups of believers: the unmarried, believers married to believers, and believers married to unbelievers. Admittedly there are some difficult and thorny problems in this section of Scripture when it comes to interpretation, but the rewards of careful study here give light on this difficult issue. The church has struggled with understanding and applying Paul’s counsel in this section for hundreds of years. I guess we’ll contribute our 2 cents to the whole!

Paul’s counsel to the Corinthian believers is “remain in the condition in which you were called.” Whether you are married or single, slave or free, Jew or Gentile, serve Christ in that condition. But where can believers receive the strength to be content in their present circumstances. The Word of God gives us answers to that question from this passage.

What should unmarried people seriously consider before deciding to get married? Paul gives counsel considering this very issue in this passage. He says they need to consider the present distress, the fact that the time has been shortened, the truth that marriage will bring new distractions, and the fact that marriage is permanent until your spouse dies.

The 1st century church in Corinth had questions for Paul related to whether it was all right to eat meat sacrificed to idols or not. Today we might ask whether it is all right to get a tattoo, listen to secular music, drink alcohol, or send our children to a public school. The apostle Paul gives us principles by which we may discern God’s will in whether we ought to engage in these “gray” issues.

1 Corinthians 8-10 comprise a single section in which Paul is teaching the Corinthians to be willing to yield their rights for the sake their brothers.  In 1 Corinthians 9 Paul refers to his own example to be willing to give up his right to refrain from secular work as an apostle so that the gospel will not be hindered.  This section touches on whether it is the will of God for those who labor to proclaim the gospel today to receive their living from the gospel.  

What did Paul mean that he had become all things to all men? How should we apply this principle in our own lives? Does it mean watering down the message or compromising with sin? 

Our Christian life can be compared to race.  What is at stake in this race?  How must we run this race?  Join in this study to find out.  

The Corinthians were wanting the “freedom” to eat the idol feasts at the pagan temples. Paul tells them to flee idolatry because they become sharers in demons.     

God has given us the examples of the children of Israel to demonstrate His judgment upon willful sin. In this passage Paul urges the Corinthians not to become self-confident and cocky simply because they were baptized and observed the Lord’s Supper. The Israelites had their own form of baptism and a sacred meal, yet they were laid low in the wilderness.    

Paul brings his teaching on meat sacrificed to idols to a close in this passage. He concludes the whole thing with 3 important commands.  Also, listen for the 7 bonus questions at the end of the message which will really help when you are trying to decide whether you should engage in a particular activity or not!   

Have you ever wondered about whether a woman should wear a head covering?  This study focuses on this issue. Admittedly, this is a touchy issue, and comes from a confusing and obscure passage. Hopefully, our study will throw some light on this subject for those who are seeking to know what Paul was teaching on this subject.     

Jesus gave His disciples 2 ordinances:  one to celebrate a disciple’s entrance into the New Covenant community (baptism), and one to commemorate the basis for a disciple’s inclusion in the New Covenant community (the Lord’s Supper).  We believe there has been much misunderstanding concerning the section dealing with “examining yourselves” before observing the Lord’s Supper. We hope that this message will bring light and clarity to this subject!

In 1 Corinthians 12-14 Paul launches into a 3-chapter discussion of spiritual gifts. In this message we are going to survey 9 different manifestations of the Spirit. We are continuationists who do believe that these manifestations of the Spirit are still available to the church today. However, we are Charismatics with a seatbelt! We hope you gain spiritual blessing from this study. 

In this section, we find Paul’s extended teaching on the Body of Christ, especially the unity of that body. How does a person get into this body?  What enemies did the Corinthians face regarding this unity?  How should we live in the body so that we actively promote this unity?  These are some of the questions that we seek to answer from this message.

1 Corinthians 13 is arguably the best known chapter in the entire Bible – the famous Love Chapter.  But how does this chapter “fit” in the context of spiritual gifts in chapters 12-14?  What does this chapter teach us about the importance and definition of love?  More importantly, what does it teach us about the duration of spiritual gifts?  Are they still available to the church today?

There are few subjects more controversial than the role of tongues and prophecy in the church today.  But that is exactly the theme of 1 Corinthians 14.  In this study we seek to learn the comparative value of tongues and prophecy in the public meetings of the church, and the regulations the apostle Paul placed upon the exercise of each.  Listen in!

Women are to keep silent in the churches!  What in the world did Paul mean by that?  In this message, we survey several different possible interpretations of this thorny passage, and decide which one makes the most sense from its context. If you’ve ever wondered what this passage means, this message is for you!

The Gospel is the most wonderful news in all the world! In this passage, the apostle Paul gives an extended teaching on both the Content and the Power of the Gospel.

What difference does it really make whether Jesus rose from the dead or not?  Find out as we examine the apostle Paul’s masterful teaching on the implications of Christ’s resurrection.

When Jesus rose from the dead, God set in motion certain things that must take place:  the resurrection of His people, the destruction of His enemies, and the handing over of His kingdom. In this message we discuss the age to come in terms of resurrected bodies. May God whet your appetite for that day!

What is “baptism for the dead”? What does Paul’s reference to bad company corrupting good morals have to do with his discussion of the resurrection?  This paragraph has many puzzling enigmas in it that we seek to sort out and see in its original context.

What will our resurrection bodies be like? In this passage the apostle Paul gives us the most detailed information about this intriguing subject that we have in Scripture!

How did Jesus Christ conquer death? What obstacles did He have to remove? What is God’s will for us in light of the certain resurrection of our bodies?  These are some of the questions we address in this message.

What should guide us as we give to poor believers around the world? What can we learn from specific 1st century believers about serving the Lord? What are the specific exhortations that were on Paul’s mind when he closed out this letter?