(#001) 1 Corinthians - Grace and Peace to the Saints at Corinth

Class Outline:

---

Pop quiz - What are the first seven books of the new testament?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome To 

BARAH MINISTRIES

a Christian Church

Rory Clark

Pastor-Teacher

 

Good Morning!

 

Welcome to Barah Ministries…a small, intimate, and local Christian Church with worldwide impact.  

 

My name is Pastor Rory Clark.  

 

At Barah Ministries, we know that Jesus Christ is God…He our Lord because He is 100% Deity…He is our Savior…He is 100% true humanity… Barah Ministries makes a difference by teaching the Word of God from His perspective, and not from man’s perspective.  

 

How our God sees things is very different from how people see things.  So instead of trusting what man has to say about God, we prefer to learn what God says about Himself and His plan for mankind in His Word.

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

Grace and Peace to the Saints at Corinth

 

LESSON INTRO

 

For those of us who choose to have children, maybe we have never consciously thought about our purpose in raising them.  Quite often, as parents, when we haven’t even figured out ourselves yet and well before we are “ready,” God charges us with an “other” purpose in Proverbs, Chapter 22, Verse 6…

 

PROVERBS 22:6

Train up a child in the way he should go…even when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Some of us are “blessed” by God with children, and we are asked to start our children off in the way of wisdom…preparing them for adulthood…so that when they grow up, they’ll follow the excellent path laid out for them.  God the Father is the ultimate parent, instructing His children in the way, even though in omniscience He knows we will depart from it at times.  God still gives His children a map, and when His children get lost, they always have directions for the way back to Him.

 

As we transition into the study of the apostle Paul’s first letter to the church at Corinth, we’ll be learning about a church Paul “trained up in the way,” and they got lost.  When Paul hears reports that the church is lost, he follows the advice he gave to his protégé in Second Timothy, Chapter 4, Verse 2…he writes the letter we are about to study…the letter to the Corinthians to…

 

SECOND TIMOTHY 4:2

…preach the word…being ready in season and out of season…to reprove… to rebuke…and to exhort…with great patience and instruction.

 

Welcome to the study of the seventh book of the New Testament…First Corinthians.

 

SONG INTRO

 

When your’re experiencing tough times, Proverbs, Chapter 3, Verses 5 and 6 remind you to…

 

PROVERBS 3:5

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding…

 

PROVERBS 3:6

…in all your ways acknowledge the Lord…and He will direct your path straight.

 

Psalm 46, Verse 1 says…

 

PSALM 46:1

God is our refuge and strength…a very present help in times of trouble.

Here is the group NeedtoBreathe reminding us that the Lord is our shelter in

the storm…our lighthouse on the journey…with their song BROTHER.

 

MUSIC AND REFLECTION

Be Occupied with the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ

Enjoy the Singing of His Praises

 

BROTHER

NeedtoBreathe

 

OPENING PRAYER

Let us pray...

 

We’re grateful, Heavenly Father, for the privilege of studying Your absolute truth...the Word of God…

 

Father, thank you for this amazing letter to the Corinthians…because in it You will cause us to think about a more excellent way than we choose by following the “wisdom” of the world…we ask You to transform our minds and our lives with all You share with us in this letter…

 

…we ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit…in Christ’s

name...Amen.

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

Grace and Peace to the Saints at Corinth

 

The first few lessons of our study of First Corinthians offer a bit of background.  

 

In Matthew, Chapter 28, Verse 28, at the Lord’s Supper, He says…

 

MATTHEW 26:28 

“…for this is My blood…the blood of a new testament… blood poured out for many for the forgiveness of their sins.”

 

As Church Age believers in Christ, our instructions come from this New Testament…27 of the 66 books of the Bible.  

 

The first book of the New Testament is Matthew, who tells us about Jesus as the long-awaited King of the Jews…the Messiah.  Matthew, Chapter 27, Verse 11…

 

MATTHEW 27:11

Now Jesus stood before the governor (Pontius Pilate), and the governor questioned Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” And Jesus said to Pilate, “It is as you say.”

 

The second book of the New Testament is Mark, who tells us about Jesus the servant-priest…Mark taught us that Jesus was God among men.  Mark Chapter 10, Verse 45…

 

MARK 10:45

“For even the Son of Man (Jesus Christ) did not come to be served…but to serve…and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

 

The third book of the New Testament is Luke, who taught us about Jesus Christ as true humanity…the Son of Man.  Luke, Chapter 2, Verse 40…

 

LUKE 2:40

The Child (Jesus Christ) continued to grow and to become strong… increasing in wisdom…and the grace of God was upon Him.

 

The fourth book of the New Testament is John, who taught us about Jesus Christ, the Lord…as Deity.  John presented the Lord Jesus Christ as the One in whom we must believe to be saved.  John, Chapter 20, Verses 30 and 31…

 

JOHN 20:30

Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book (the Bible)…

 

JOHN 20:31 

…but these things written here have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ (The Messiah) … the Son of God (in human form)… and that by believing in Him you may have the resurrection life in His name.

 

The fifth book of the New Testament is Acts, which details the formation of the first century church. This book provides some of the set up for our study of First Corinthians in Acts, Chapter 18, Verses 1 to 11…

 

ACTS 18:1

After these (latest) things (on his missionary journey) Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.

 

ACTS 18:2 

And Paul found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus (a region that is modern day eastern Turkey…bordering Iran) … having recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla…because Claudius (the Roman Emperor at the time) had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul came to them…

 

ACTS 18:3 

…and because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and they were working together, for by trade they were tent-makers.

 

ACTS 18:4 

And Paul was reasoning in the synagogue every Sabbath and trying to persuade both Jews and Greeks (concerning Christ as the Messiah).

 

ACTS 18:5 

But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul began devoting himself exclusively to the Word (instead of tentmaking), solemnly testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ (The Messiah).

 

ACTS 18:6 

But when they resisted and blasphemed (the Jews continuing to reject Christ as their Messiah) … Paul shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads!  I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

 

ACTS 18:7 

Then Paul left the synagogue and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God, whose house was next to the synagogue.

 

ACTS 18:8 

Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his

household, and many of the Corinthians when they heard were believing and being baptized (as Christians).

 

ACTS 18:9 

And the Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid any longer, but keep on preaching and do not be silent…”

 

ACTS 18:10 

“…for I (the Lord) am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you…for I have many people in this city.” 

 

ACTS 18:11 

And Paul settled in Corinth for a year and six months, teaching the Word of God among them.

 

Paul likely started God’s church at Corinth at this time.  

 

It was also from Corinth that Paul wrote the letter to the Romans, the sixth book of the New Testament.  We have just completed a seven-year study of Paul’s letter to the Romans, the foundational book of biblical Christianity.  Romans teaches us what to believe and how to behave as Christians.  Romans, Chapter 5, Verse 1…

 

ROMANS 5:1

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we believers in Christ have peace with God the Father (He has nothing against us)…through our Lord Jesus Christ…

 

Faith in Christ alone is the ticket to eternal life.  As for our conduct, Romans, Chapter 6, Verses 13 and 14 give us guidance…

 

ROMANS 6:13 

…and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as

instruments of unrighteousness…but keep on presenting yourselves to God as those who are alive from the dead would present themselves…and keep on presenting the members of your body as instruments of righteousness to God.

 

 

ROMANS 6:14 

For sin shall no longer be a master (a lord…a sovereign) over you…for you are not under law but you are under grace.

 

After a from foundation is laid in us, the issues that present themselves are lasciviousness and legalism.  In First Corinthians, Paul addresses lasciviousness in the Corinthian Church.

 

When we return from our five-minute break, we’ll take the offering and then we’ll take our first look at the first chapter of seventh book of the New Testament…First Corinthians.

 

FIVE MINUTE BREAK

Unconditional Love

Donna Summers

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

Grace and Peace to the Saints at Corinth

 

As followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, there is one thing we know for sure…this lifestyle we have chosen by following Him is one of sacrifice and generosity.  Let your voluntary generosity and your desire to sacrifice guide your provision in today’s offering.  Let’s welcome Deacon Denny Goodall with today’s offering message.

 

THE OFFERING

Deacon Denny Goodall

 

OFFERING VERSE

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 1:18

For the word of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing (unbelievers)…but to us who are being saved (believers in Christ)…the word of the Cross is the power of God (divine omnipotence in action).

 

OFFERING SONG

THERE IS NONE LIKE YOU

David Bauer, Instrumental

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

Grace and Peace to the Saints at Corinth

 

SONG INTRO

 

As believers in Christ, at the moment of salvation, the Lord entered us into a unity from which we cannot escape.  All believers in Christ in the Church Age…the present age…are the one body of Christ…He is the One head.  In Ephesians, Chapter 4, Verses 1 to 3, the apostle Paul reminds us to keep this unity in mind…

 

EPHESIANS 4:1

Therefore I (Paul), the prisoner of the Lord (writing from a prison in Rome) … implore you believers in Christ to live your lives in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called…

 

EPHESIANS 4:2 

…with all humility, with gentleness, and with patience, showing tolerance

for one another in UNconditional love…

 

EPHESIANS 4:3 

…making every effort to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

 

When Christians are living the unity they have been entered into by God, they realize that in a spiritual life following the Word of God, it is impossible to disagree…because the Lord, through His Word, is only saying a single thing. It’s our job to learn what He is saying to us and not to take liberties with what He is saying to us.  Here’s Tommy Walker to encourage us with his song YES, WE ALL AGREE. 

 

MUSIC AND REFLECTION

Be Occupied with the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ

Enjoy the Singing of His Praises

 

YES, WE ALL AGREE

Tommy Walker

 

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

Grace and Peace to the Saints at Corinth

 

Welcome back!  Let’s listen to the first chapter of First Corinthians.  As you listen, see if you can pick out the issues the apostle Paul is addressing in this chapter.

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 1:1

Paul, called (as a “sent man”) to be an apostle of Jesus Christ BY THE WILL OF GOD…and Sosthenes our brother…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 1:2 

…to the church belonging to God that is in Corinth…to those who have been sanctified (set apart as possessions by God…placed) in union with Christ Jesus…called to be saints (no longer sinners)…together with all those in every place who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ…their Lord and our Lord…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 1:3 

…grace to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Grace and peace are the production of God the Holy Spirit…they are the fruit of the spirit…(toward self) love, joy, peace…(toward others) patience, kindness, goodness…(toward God) faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 1:4 

I (Paul) thank my God the Father always concerning you…for the grace of God the Father which was given you who are in union with Christ Jesus…

 

Paul is giving thanks for the worst church in history…demonstrating a contentment regardless of circumstances…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 1:5 

…that in everything you were enriched in union with Christ Jesus, in all speech and all knowledge…

 

Enriched with spiritual gifts…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 1:6 

…even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 1:7 

…so that you are not lacking in any gift…AWAITING EAGERLY the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 1:8 

…who will also confirm you to the end…blameless (free from condemnation and accusation) in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

The outcome of a Christian’s life is secure…perfection!

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 1:9 

God the Father is faithful…through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

Who placed us into fellowship with God?  An immutable God!  Who put Christians into unity?  An immutable God!  Who is da baddest mother in da universe?  Our immutable God!  

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 1:10 

Now I (Paul) exhort you, brethren (fellow believers in Christ), 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.

 

Christ is mentioned ten times in the first ten verses…who is the SOURCE of everything?  CHRIST…and Paul knew it…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 1:11 

For I (Paul) have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you.

 

Divisions among those in unity…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 1:12 

Now what I mean by this is that each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.”

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 1:13 

Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 1:14

I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 1:15 

…so that no one would say you were baptized in my name.

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 1:16 

Now I did baptize also the household of Stephanas…beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any other.

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 1:17 

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.

 

The baptism of the Spirit is the one that counts…we simply preach the gospel…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 1:18

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 the Father (divine omnipotence in action).

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 1:19 

For it is written, “I (the Lord) will destroy the wisdom of the wise…and the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.”

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 1:20 

Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God the Father made foolish the wisdom of the world?

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 1:21 

For since in the wisdom of God the Father 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.

FIRST CORINTHIANS 1:22 

For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 1:23 

…but we preach Christ crucified…to Jewish unbelievers a stumbling block and to Gentiles unbelievers…foolishness…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 1:24

…but to those who are the called ones, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God the Father and the wisdom of God the Father.

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 1:25 

Because the foolishness of God the Father is wiser than men, and the weakness of God the Father is stronger than men.

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 1:26 

For consider your calling, brethren (fellow believers in Christ), that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 1:27 

…but God the Father has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God the Father has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 1:28 

…and the base things of the world and the despised God the Father has chosen, the things that are not, so that God the Father may nullify the things that are…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 1:29 

…so that no man may boast before God the Father.

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 1:30 

But by His doing you are who are in union with Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God the Father, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption…

 

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 1:31 

…so that, just as it is written, “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

 

We’re in for a good time as we begin our journey into First Corinthians.  It would be a good idea for you to do as I do this week…and to read the entire letter so you know what you’re in for.

 

GOD WANTS YOU!

Make the Most Important Decision of Your Life

 

The closing moments of our study are for the benefit of anyone who does not have a personal relationship with the Sovereign God of the Universe, the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  We want you to know that GOD WANTS YOU. 

 

As human parents, often we are emotional, arbitrary, and sentimental.  We tell our children exactly what we want them to do, expecting that they will do it.  Quite often, they do the opposite.  And when they do the opposite, often they ask us for an exception to our request.  “I know I didn’t do exactly what you asked…but please, please, please…can I do it my way?”  Our emotional, arbitrary, and sentimental side kicks in, and we allow them to go against our requests.  We allow them to disobey.  By doing this, we teach them to ignore our requests in critical matters.

 

Many people think God is a similar parent.  God tells us exactly what we must do to be saved, and many don’t do it, but they think in the end God will be emotional, arbitrary, and sentimental...and He will let them into heaven their own way.  But in John, Chapter 14, Verse 6…

 

JOHN 14:6

Jesus said…“I am the way (to salvation)…and I am the truth (through the Word of God)…and I am the resurrection life…and no one comes to God the Father (in heaven) but through believing in Me.”

  

Your salvation is a critical matter, and the Lord isn’t emotional, or arbitrary, or sentimental about it.  He’s crystal clear.  In Matthew, Chapter 7, Verse 21, the Lord says…

 

MATTHEW 7:21

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven...but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter into the kingdom.”

 

What is God’s will in the matter of your salvation?  Second Peter, Chapter 3, Verse 9 tells us what is NOT God’s will…

 

SECOND PETER 3:9b

…(it is not God’s will) for any of you (unbelievers) to perish (in the Lake of Fire) but for all of you to come to repentance (a change of mind about having a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ).

 

What IS God’s will is a simple thing, revealed in Acts, Chapter 16, Verse 31…

 

ACTS 16:31 

“Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and everyone in your household who also believes.”

 

If we ignore God’s critical request, there are consequences… John, Chapter 3, Verse 36…

 

JOHN 3:36

“He who believes in the Son has the resurrection life right at that moment… but he who does not obey the command to believe in the Son will not see the resurrection life…instead the wrath of God (the Lake of Fire) abides on him.”

 

Who is this God who saves you?  The apostle Paul describes the Lord Jesus Christ in First Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verses 3 and 4… 

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:3

For I (Paul) delivered to you as of first importance what I also received… that it was Jesus Christ who died for our sins according to the Scriptures…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:4 

…and that He was buried…and that He was raised from the dead on the third day…according to the Scriptures…

 

So, if you want to get to heaven, it’s probably just best to do what God asks you to do…Acts, Chapter 16, Verse 31…

 

ACTS 16:31 

“Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and everyone in your household who also believes.”

 

When we believe, we simply take God’s word for it in the matter of what it takes to be saved.

 

SONG INTRO

 

With God, everything is one…Ephesians, Chapter 4, Verses 4 and 5…

 

EPHESIANS 4:4-5

There is one body and there is one Spirit…just as also you were called in one hope of your calling…one Lord…one faith…one baptism…

 

Here’s June Murphy singing one of her songs to let us know where our hope lies…THERE’S JUST ONE HOPE!

 

CLOSING SONG

THERE’S JUST ONE HOPE

June Murphy

 

CLOSING PRAYER

Let us pray...

 

Thanks for coming!

Thanks for watching!

Thanks for listening!

www.barahministries.com