1 Corinthians 5: A Balanced Church, a Biblical Church

Joshua 13-14, Psalm 77, Mark 2:13-17, 1 Corinthians 5 1 Corinthians 5: The great challenge: how can a church be both a friend for sinners and discipline Christians who unrepentantly continue in public and flagrant sin? Despite its challenge – and the great need for wisdom from God sought in humble prayer in community of godly leaders –…

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1 Corinthians 4: Servants of God

Joshua 10-12, Psalm 76, Mark 2:1-12, 1 Corinthians 4 1 Corinthians 4: What is the nature of true apostleship? Or to put it more broadly, what marks out or characterizes godly Christian leadership? Paul is defending himself to the Corinthians who were doubting his credentials. And in that defense he establishes a number of important principles. First, Christian…

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1 Corinthians 3: All Are Yours

Joshua 8-9, Psalm 75, Mark 1:35-45, 1 Corinthians 3 1 Corinthians 3: Paul now begins to address their conflict over human leaders more directly. In the process he establishes some very important principles that pertain to church health and dysfunction. First, divisiveness in church life is a sign of a lack of maturity. We should be hungering for…

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1 Corinthians 2: The Mind of Christ

Joshua 6-7, Psalm 74, Mark 1:21-34, 1 Corinthians 2 1 Corinthians 2: In this passage Paul first explains his evangelistic strategy, and then his discipleship philosophy. First, his evangelistic strategy. Paul deliberately voided himself of superior eloquence of “Sophia” (Greek for wisdom) that was so well-known of the “Sophists” of his day. He did not use their techniques…

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1 Corinthians 1:18-31: The Cross

Joshua 3-5, Psalm 73, Mark 1:9-20, 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 1 Corinthians 1:18-31: An extraordinary passage with an extraordinary message: all is centered on the cross so that God would get all the glory! First, consider why people do not center on the cross? Paul tells us it is because it seems like foolishness. We do…

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1 Corinthians 1:1-17: Focus on the Gospel

Joshua 1-2, Psalm 72, Mark 1:1-8, 1 Corinthians 1:1-17 1 Corinthians 1:1-17: As we begin this letter of Paul’s to the Corinthians, we dive in at what is frequently one of the most difficult – and tiresome – matters for churches to effectively resolve. It seems as if the church at Corinth was struggling with divisions related to…

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