Lessons From I Corinthians
1 Corinthians 1:17 (8/22/19)
August 22, 2019 • Benham Brothers
* Baptism was a good thing, something God called some to do. * But Paul knew he was not one of them - he was called to evangelize. * Paul knew his primary thing, so it limited his options. * Often times our lives get out of balance with busyness because we’re not operating according to our calling. * This increases our options and weighs us down. * Are you operating out of guilt in doing some things that are outside your calling? * Too many of us operate out of a CAUSE rather than a CALL. * If we are cause-focused rather than call-focused we lose our ability to see Christ. * We are all called to do certain things - stand up for the defenseless, give to the poor, etc. * But when it comes to our vocation - the thing we spend our lives for - we operate according to a call, not a cause.
1 Corinthians 1:18-25 (8/17/17)
August 17, 2017 • Benham Brothers
* vs 18 - those without the spirit of God inside them believe the gospel is nonsense. * Testimony of Bill Maher. * vs 21 - it’s not foolish to those who “believe” - faith unlocks understanding. * vs 22-23 - it’s foolish to the Jews and nonsense to the Gentiles. * The same boiling water that hardens the egg softens the carrot. * We preach the gospel regardless of the response. * Why is the cross offensive? * 1) Because of what it says about us - we’re sinners in need of a Savior. * 2) Because of what it says about other religions - Jesus is the “only” way. * 3) Because of what it says about God - He is a God of love and justice - He punishes and He forgives. * 4) Because Jesus divides humanity - He separates the wheat from the chaff. * vs 24 - our faith leads us to the power and wisdom of God. * Wisdom is the marriage of knowledge with understanding - and our faith w/works unites the two. * Faith with works is our testimony - it shows how God worked through us and/or for us in a situation.
1 Corinthians 2:1-5 (8/17/17)
August 17, 2017 • Benham Brothers
* Warren Wiersbe shares these three points to keep in mind when we’re sharing the gospel: * 1) Our Approach (vs 1-2) - this has two facets: * * We shouldn’t try to focus on eloquence and being attractional - this will get people to focus on us and not God. * * We don’t need to shy away from speaking because of our lack of eloquence - we should speak regardless. * 2) Our Attitude (vs 3-4) - two facets: * * We should have reverence toward God. * * We should have humility toward others. * Our job is not to persuade - it’s to present the truth so the Holy Spirit can do the persuading. * 3) Our Aim (vs 5) - for others to experience God’s power in their lives. * The best way to do this is by sharing our own testimony.
1 Corinthians 2:16 (8/16/18)
August 16, 2018 • Benham Brothers
* Imagine if you had to come up with a crazy theory in quantum physics. * Impossible. * Now imagine if you were given the mind of Albert Einstein. * What was once impossible is now possible. * When we get saved we have the mind of Christ. * We just need to learn how to tap into it. * We can see like God sees but we have to feed the spirit that’s inside us. * One of the marks of maturity in Christ is discernment (Hebrews 5:13-14). * This is the ability to penetrate beneath the surface and see things as they really are. * To have the mind of Christ means to see life as God sees it and value the things He values. * We have this mind.
1 Corinthians 3:1-7 (8/18/16)
August 18, 2016 • Benham Brothers
• The Corinthians were in to people-worship. • They were staying baby Christians who focused on people and not God. • The truest sign of spiritual maturity - when you can see God through people and circumstances. • When a person does something good for you then you recognize God doing it - you will worship God. • When a person does something bad to you then you recognize God using the person to work on you - you won’t get bitter at the person. • As Christians we need to KEEP WATCH - look and listen for God in all things. • This is the sign of spiritual maturity.
1 Corinthians 3:5-8 (8/31/17)
August 31, 2017 • Benham Brothers
* Paul talked about spiritual maturity for individuals and now he’s talking about it for the church. * His goal was that they would be one as Jesus and the Father we were one. * But this can’t happen if people are spiritually immature. * Before you can have “oneness” you need “twoness” - two complete individuals. * Complete in the Bible refers to maturity - a spiritually mature person. * vs5 - The Corinthians were struggling with people worship, which is a sign of spiritual immaturity. * Spiritually mature people can see God working through people - both good and bad people. * God uses peoples’ strengths and their weaknesses! * Four Principles - Twoness leads to oneness when we: * vs 6 - He uses the analogy of a plant to define roles - it’s planted, watered, then it grows. * God causes the growth, but He uses people to plant and water. * The foundation for maturity is seeing God. * vs 7 - to properly view God you have to properly view yourself - as nothing apart from Him! * The important thing is the growth, and that’s God’s job. * vs 8a - He reminded them they are on the same team - they are one. * vs 8b - He then lists a caveat - each will be rewarded for their work. * The planter needs the waterer and the waterer needs the planter. * Each must do their job as two distinct individuals, or else their job as a team won’t get done. * Four Principles - Twoness leads to oneness when we: * 1) See God * 2) Know our role * 3) Have a common goal * 4) Willing to work together
1 Corinthians 3, 4, 5 (8/20/15)
August 20, 2015 • Benham Brothers
In 1 Cor 3 Paul talks about the church. In 1 Cor 4 he talks about the ministers in the church. In 1 Cor 5 he talks about sin in the church. 1 Cor 3:10-15 - Two types of church builders: 1) Those who build with gold, silver, precious stones. These are pastors who take people from immaturity to maturity through properly expositing the Scripture. They focus on feeding people what they need so that they can go out into the world. 2) Those who build with wood, hay, stubble. These are the pastors who keep people in perpetual immaturity. They focus on fun and feeling and give the people what they want in order to keep them coming back. The test for which type of leader you are is FIRE! The precious metals still retain their value, while wood, hay, and stubble burns up and is no more. 1 Cor 4:15 - The role of the minister is to be a father, not just a teacher or guide. Paul and Timothy both were not physical fathers, but they were fatherly to their flock. A father provides and protects - gives his kids what they need and not what they want. Think about today - what type of leaders do we have? 1 Cor 5:1-13 - what do we do about sin in the church: 1) Mourn over sin (vs 1-2) - Ask yourself, “What doesn’t break my heart that should?” 2) Judge sin (vs 3-5) - the church shouldn’t tolerate unconfessed sin. 3) Purge sin (vs 6-13) - unrepentant sinners have to be separated or they will contaminate the whole group.
1 Corinthians 3:1-15 (8/20/15)
August 20, 2015 • Benham Brothers
Two types of people: 1) Unsaved (natural). 2) Saved (spiritual). Two types of saved people: 1) Mature. 2) Immature - Paul calls these people "carnal," which means "fleshly." When we get saved our spirit is reborn and it grows just like a person, because it is a Person! Immature Christians concern themselves with what Jesus did “then.” Mature Christians concern themselves with what Jesus does “now.” Growth takes place in two ways: 1) Eating - you can tell a person's maturity by his diet. An infant drinks milk, eats with plastic utensils, eats what he wants (taste), and is sloppy with it. An adult eats meat, uses regular utensils, eats what he needs, eats in an orderly manner. 2) Exercising - you can tell a person's maturity by how he acts. A child just does what he wants (fun) and will fight over anything that doesn't go his way - he's led by the flesh (carnal). An adult does what he needs to do and will live at peace with everyone - he's led by love. A mature believe uses his gift as a tool to build and a weapon to fight evil / An immature believer uses his gift as a toy to play with or trophy to boast about.
1 Corinthians 3:21-23 (10/16/14)
October 16, 2014 • Benham Brothers
Paul was reminding the people that they didn't need to focus on people but on God. Paul reminds them that they are just as important as he is and that "all things belong to them" just like they belong to him. Paul was bringing others up to his level. Remember Matthew 16:19 - Jesus gives the church "keys to the kingdom," which represent access to authority - they are given to all of us, not just those who speak for a living. Paul is reminding these believers - "you have just as much authority as I do!" We belong to Christ, and He has granted to us authority to extend His kingdom on this earth in the realm in which He's placed us.
1 Cor 4:3-4 (8/22/13)
August 22, 2013 • Benham Brothers
Paul says, "I don't even examine myself" "The One who examines me is the Lord" God-Awareness trumps Self-Awareness If your Self examines you conviction will not be a part of the picture If you are self-aware without God's Spirit you may know why you do what you do but you will be void of the POWER that can only come through God-Awareness! You may have the right WORDS, but only your life will show if you have the POWER to go along with them Words without Power is a Life without the Spirit Sin saps Power, but the Words will still remain
1 Cor 4:15 (8/21/14)
August 21, 2014 • Benham Brothers
Paul had just admonished the people for tolerating a grotesque sexual sin. Although not everyone did it, they still didn't see anything wrong with it. This is when an individual sin morphs into a national one - when the culture finds it acceptable. God deals with individuals and He deals with nations. Paul saw himself as a father to the Corinthians. Because he saw himself as a father he saw them as his "kids." A father loves his kids more than a person loves a stranger. A father is willing to rebuke in the spirit of restoration. We must see ourselves first as God's children. Then we need to see other people as: 1) Father / Mother - older more mature people in the faith. 2) Brother / Sister - those who are along the journey of life with us. 3) Son / Daughter - younger less mature people in the faith. If we view people like this then we will love our neighbor as ourselves, because it's all in the family!
1 Corinthians 4:15 (4/24/24)
April 24, 2024 • Benham Brothers • 1 Corinthians 4:15
* We are “watchmen” not “watchdogs.” * We don’t do the “latest news.” * Our mandate from God is to expose evil and help you stand strong. * We do that by helping you think through stuff. * Five observations from the Mark Driscoll saga. * 1) The Jezebel spirit is real - it thrives on three things: * Sexual Anarchy (LGBTQ+) * Child Sacrifice (Abortion) * Murderous Spirit (Cancel Culture) * 2) A fatherly mindset is the only way to deal with Jezebel. * 1 Cor 4:15 - “For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.” * A pastor is a “father” - a dad doesn’t let the kids lead the home. * Pastors today are allowing creatives to take the lead. * Jehu was the one who was tasked to take out Jezebel - he was a “bad” dude. * 3) Etiquette should not be valued over purity. * Pastor Lindell should’ve addressed both issues. * 4) The consequences of private sin will affect you down the road, even after you’ve repented. * Mark’s personal sin caused him to shrink back. * 5) We have to “let the prophets speak” - because their words are hard. * Most prophets travel alone - often because they have “issues.”
1 Corinthians 5:1-7 (8/16/18)
August 16, 2018 • Benham Brothers
* Paul discussed the church in chap 3, ministers in chap 4, and now he talks about how to deal with sin in the church. * He said we are to do 3 things: * 1) Mourn over sin (vs 1-2). * Don’t just ask “what breaks my heart?” * Ask, “what doesn’t break my heart that should?” * 2) Judge sin (vs 3). * We are called to make a proper judgment (discernment). * Unconfessed sin will ruin a church. * Proper judgment has a heart of restoration. * 3) Purge sin (vs 4-6). * Unrepentant sinners have no place in the church. * Just a little bit of poison will ruin the entire batch. * Specifically, we are not to associate with those who call themselves Christians but don’t live like it.
1 Corinthians 5:5 (8/24/22)
August 24, 2022 • Benham Brothers • 1 Corinthians 5:5
* Love is compassion with standards. * You can’t have one without the other. * Compassion - “to suffer together.” * Marriage vows include “in sickness & in health.” * You’re saying, “Whatever life throws our way, I want to share it with you.” * Standards - the rules of relationship. * Paul’s letters open up with fatherly salutations. * He really feels genuine compassion for the people to whom he’s writing. * But he showed what true love looked like as well. * Vs 1-5 - this is what a true father looks like. * Tony Evans - “What was the Corinthian church to do (with this man)? They were to gather in the name of our Lord Jesus and with the power of our Lord Jesus, acting on Jesus’s behalf, under his authority, to exercise his kingdom power by handing over this man to Satan—that is, kick him out of the church, so that God’s covenant protection was removed from his life. With that umbrella gone, the man would have no defense against the devil’s schemes. But the goal of this move was not punitive. Rather, the goal was for the destruction of the flesh so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. In other words, Paul wants the man to be driven to repentance and even allows the devil to be used as the instrument to accomplish this so that the man could be delivered from this sin before facing Christ’s judgment seat.” * This was Paul exercising the “standards” side of love. * But then he went right back to compassion. * 2 Corinthians 2:6-8 - “The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him.”
1 Corinthians 5:9-11 (8/17/17)
August 17, 2017 • Benham Brothers
* Paul tells us the type of person we are not to associate with: * People who calls themselves Christians but lives lifestyles of unrepentant sin. * The type of people who wants the fruit of Christianity but not the root of it. * They want the blessings but not the boundaries. * The most dangerous people are those who claim to know Jesus but live contrary to His Word. * The only thing more dangerous than a wolf is a wolf that looks like a sheep. * This type of person finds a way to wrap Scripture around his ideas rather than his ideas around Scripture. * Paul tells us not to hang with people like this.