Paul's
Epistles - 1 Corinthians
Part
2 – Division over Leaders
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House
of Faith Church | www.PS127.org
| www.TruthDigest.org
INTRODUCTION
We
have just finished looking at the first epistle of Paul, Romans, which was
written to the Christians in Rome in February of 58AD.
We
now turn to the second of the epistles authored by the Apostle Paul, I
Corinthians.
The
church in Corinth was founded by Paul after he worked there for 18 months. (I
Corinthians 4:15; Acts 18)
Last
week we spoke about Paul's Introduction to the letter.
Today
we will read about division in the congregation over the leaders within the
church.
SCRIPTURE
REFERENCE I Corinthians 1:10-17
10 I appeal to you, brothers and sisters (believer's), in the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there
be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and
thought. 11 My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s
household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12 What
I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow
Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas (This is Peter)”; still another,
“I follow Christ.”
13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you?
Were you baptized in the name of Paul?14 I thank God that I did
not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so
no one can say that you were baptized in my name. 16 (Yes,
I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t
remember if I baptized anyone else.) 17 For Christ did not
send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and
eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
I.
BELIEVER'S MUST BE
IN AGREEMENT
a.
In the name of our
Lord Jesus Christ
i.
He begins by proclaiming WHO is the Head of the Church
ii.
Invoking Jesus' full title.
b.
Agree with one
another in what you say
i.
Speaking directly about "who" is the head of
the church.
ii.
It's not Paul, nor Peter as some denominations teach,
rather, it is the one who was crucified for our transgressions, the Lord Jesus
Christ.
c.
There must be NO
division among you
i.
You MUST be united in mind and thought
ii.
In regards to Christ and the Cross
iii.
Without doubt, the Lord Jesus Christ IS the head of the
church, and the work of the Cross is the ONLY object of our faith.
II.
NO QUARRELS AMONG
BELIEVER'S
a.
Paul then mentions
where he received these reports
i.
This is to show that he knows of what is going on, and
is not just mentioning these things in passing.
ii.
The debate centered on disagreements concerning the
Cross.
b.
One says he follows
Paul, another Apollos, another Cephas (Peter), and another Christ
c.
In effect, the last group was saying they did
not need a preacher at all, because they had Christ.
i.
If one did not need a preacher, the Lord would not have
the Spiritual Gift of Preaching and Teaching.
ii.
Remember, the Spiritual Gifts are for the encouraging,
uplifting and strengthening of the Body of Christ, which all followers of
Christ belong.
iii.
But we do NOT follow the preachers and teachers...the
Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of the Body of Christ, and the one who was
crucified for our sins, and the only one you can be baptized in to receive the
promise of the Father in Heaven, which is the Holy Spirit.
III.
IS CHRIST DIVIDED?
a.
Paul wants to get
everyone's understanding on the same page.
i.
We must all agree, the Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of
the Church
ii.
We must all agree, the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified
for our sins
iii.
We must all agree, we can only be baptized into Jesus
iv.
These are non-negotiable, if you are to say you are a
member of the Body of Christ.
b.
Was Paul crucified
for you?
i.
Were you baptized in the name of Paul?
c.
Paul was thankful
he only baptized a few
i.
Then they would not run around saying they were
baptized in his name.
ii.
If water baptism was not simply symbolic, but essential
to salvation, it would not make sense that Paul had blatantly announced that he
had only baptized a couple people during his ministry.
d.
"Christ did not send me out into the world to
baptize" (this presents
what we may call a Cardinal truth of doctrine), but to preach the Gospel
i.
In the Great Commission Jesus commands that we go into
the world preaching the Gospel, baptize in the name of the Father, Son and Holy
Spirit (not water), then teach them to obey all that Christ's commands.
ii.
The scriptures reveal Paul's calling in the Book of
Romans
iii.
Paul was called to preach the Gospel of salvation to
the Gentiles who had never heard the name of Jesus.
iv.
The Gospel is the manner in which one may be saved from
sin.
e.
Preaching the
Cross, not in wisdom & eloquence
i.
Lest the cross be emptied of its power.
ii.
Intellectualism is not the gospel.
iii.
This tells us that the Cross of Christ must be the
emphasis of the message, and the message must be simple in terms, because the
road to salvation is simple to understand.
CONCLUSION
Paul
makes it clear, as far as the leadership of the Body of Christ, the leadership
of the Church is concerned, it is the Lord Jesus Christ, and no one else.
Not
Paul, not Peter...but Jesus.
We,
as a congregation, must be in full agreement that;
i.
The Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church
ii.
The Lord Jesus Christ was crucified for our sins
iii.
We can only be baptized into Jesus
iv.
If you are to say you are a member of the Body of
Christ.
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