SERIES
5 Weeks (Including Easter)
Looking at 5 problems in the church in Corinth and how Jesus is the answer to them.
By that I mean the good news about King Jesus and his kingdom are the answer.
When something goes wrong it’s because we’re missing something about what it means to be Jesus people.

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Homework:
1. That you'd access the notes. (You did it! Congratulations!)
2. Read through 1 Corinthians chapters 1-4 several times this week.
3. Next Saturday or early Sunday morning - read chapters 5-7

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Context
Paul is writing to the church in Corinth
We call it 1 Corinthians but it's actually the 4th exchange between Paul and this church.
- Paul planted this church and lived there for 1.5 years (read Acts 18)
- Then Paul wrote a 1st letter to this church that we know about
- Then the church sent oral and written communication about problems and questions they were having to Paul
- And from that, we get 1st Corinthians as Paul's response to their problems and questions. (Look at 1 Corinthians 1:11 as a clue)

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1 Corinthians 1:1-3
1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,

2 To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours:

3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

**Notice the bolded part of verse 2 above. This is the macro theme of the letter. Paul is calling them to be God's holy people. Set apart from the world. Living as colonies of heaven (God's kingdom) on earth.

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1 Corinthians 1:4-9
4 I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5 For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge— 6 God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you. 7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8 He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

**This is a traditional thanksgiving that is part of Paul's template for writing letters. I joke that it's like he's buttering them up before he brings the tough rebuke. Joking aside, he's reminding them who they are and that they will be kept/held by the God who has called them. It's about God's faithfulness more than theirs.

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**This is the main theme for the first four chapters of 1 Corinthians. Paul is going to address the divisions happening in the church.**

1 Corinthians 1:10-12
10 I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, 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”; still another, “I follow Christ.”

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Culture of Corinth
1. Sexual immorality - Temple of Aphrodite with 1000 prostitutes in view of the entire city
2. Wealthy – port city – 3 harbours – Center of trade between East and West
3. Delight in Wisdom - travelling wisdom teachers would create disciples – those disciples would fight with disciples of other wisdom teachers

To be a Corinthian was to pursue a life of shameless pleasure, luxury and wisdom.

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Given the culture of Corinth, and other clues we get throughout the letter, Paul is is likely dealing with divisions around:
1. Who's your favorite wisdom teacher?
2. People picking and choosing teachings, looking for one that was most compatible with Corinthian life. As a hypothetical, perhaps Apollos had a Greek flair, a worldly wisdom focused message that attracted those of higher status who had lots to lose.
3. People looking for fresh wisdom to pursue the same values of the culture of Corinth, rather than pursuing the kingdom.

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SECTION ONE - 1:13 - 1:31

Paul will address what Christian wisdom looks like.

Verses 17-25 – the message of the cross is foolishness to the world
Verses 26-31 - God didn’t call you because you were wise or influential, or of high status

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SECTION TWO - 2:1-5

Paul will address where Christian wisdom comes from.

Verses 2:1-5 - Resolved to know Christ and him crucified which Paul realizes sounds crazy to most people.
How would anyone believe this then? By the power of the Spirit. This may be a reference to miracles. May also mean that this message carries it’s own power and authority to convict and convince people.

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SECTION THREE - 3:1-4:21

Paul teaches how you should regard teachers like Apollos and Paul and Peter.
- Repeats twice 3:5 and 4:1 – “only servants”, “servants of Christ”
- One plants, one waters, but God makes the church grow

3:10-17
Only one foundation -> Jesus
But we get to build on the foundation.
We should use gold, silver, costly stones that will last, not wood, hay or straw that will burn up.
Y’all together are God’s temple where the Spirit dwells. Don’t destroy it, or God will destroy you.

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SECTION FOUR - 4:8-16

Paul paints what a follower of Jesus looks like and calls them to imitate him.

Paul makes a comparison between himself and the other apostles and the Corinthians. It is some scathing sarcasm.
Once you get it, you realize it's very Jesus-y. It's essentially him calling them to deny themselves and pick up their cross.
Verse 16 - Now that Paul has corrected how they view the message of the cross and how they view him as a leader, he calls them to imitate him.

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Some Questions to Ponder:

1. How do you talk about and view Christian leaders? Are they on a pedestal?

2. What are you seeking? What did you sign up for? Are you seeking a message that lets you pursue the same ends as the world? Luxury, wealth, pleasure etc. Re-read Chapter 4:8-16.

3. Are you trying to imitate someone who looks like Jesus? Or someone who looks like worldly success?

4. Is your goal to be part of God’s holy people, the church?

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Brazilian Fisherman and Business Man Parable
https://paulocoelhoblog.com/2015/09/04/the-fisherman-and-the-businessman/

The wisdom of God is foolishness to the world.
Why are you chasing something that is already yours?
"in him you have been enriched in everyway"
"All things are yours"
Why are you trying to climb social ladders, be the smartest person in the room, join the rat race?
All the joy and love and purpose is already yours in Jesus.