Every Believer has three enemies: the World, the Flesh, and Satan. It is to
the third, Satan, that we turn our attention to this morning. Satan is a
formidable enemy, BUT not invincible! He is a defeated enemy — not by
us BUT by Christ on the cross (Hebrews 2:14; Colossians 2:15) — but even
though he is defeated, he still awaits his final demise that will come at the
end of Christ’s Millennial reign (Revelation 20:10). He is not bound today,
and is very active in his work to discourage, harass, and devour believers
(1 Peter 5:8). How does he accomplish his work? What are his schemes?
That’s the focus of Paul in our text. He was concerned for the Corinthians
that they would be “outwitted by Satan”!
I. Background of Paul’s Concern — 1 Corinthians 5:1-13
A. The Corinthians were being tolerant and boasting about sexual sin in
the church! A kind not even tolerated among the pagans! 5:1-2
B. Paul instructs them to disciple the man from the church — purge
the evil person from among you!” 5:3-13
C. The church did it! They disciplined him out!
D. The man turned from the sin, but the church was not willing to
restore him back into the fellowship.
E. Paul wrote to instruct them to forgive him and restore him
2 Corinthians 2:5-10.
Let’s Be Informed About Satan’s Schemes!
September 14, 2014 • Pastor Ron Finch
Let’s Not Be Ignorant About the Lord’s Table!
November 9, 2014 • Pastor Ron Finch
The Corinthian church abused many things but one of the most serious was the Lord’s Table. So bad was their abuse that Paul said it was as if they were despising the church of God! He absolutely refused to give them any praise for the way they were conducting themselves at the Lord’s Table. One writer said, “These verses are like a diamond dropped in a muddy road. One of the most beautiful passages in all of Scripture is given in the middle of a strong rebuke of worldly, carnal, selfish, and insensitive atti- tudes and behavior. The rebuke, in fact, is of Christians who have perverted the very ceremony that these verses so movingly describe.” (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1984). 1 Corinthians (pp. 270–271). Chicago: Moody Press.) If it was that serious, we need to listen in on his counsel to them.
Let’s Not Be Ignorant About Spiritual Gifts! Four VALUES of Spiritual Gifts
November 2, 2014 • Pastor Ron Finch
I. Let’s Review: What We Said In Our Last Message: 1. A Spiritual Gift is given by God so we can do the specific “good works” that He has designed for us to do! Ephesians 2:10 2. A Spiritual Gift is a special gift that comes from God’s grace, and is a super-natural ability given by God the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation, to enable a believer to minister to the Body of Christ, so that God is glorified and the church is edified.” 3. There are many gifts through which many ministries happen with many re-sults. (1 Corinthians 12:3-5). 4. Spiritual Gifts are for the profit of the whole body, not ourself! (1 Corinthians 12:7, 25) 5. Spiritual Gifts are given by the Holy Spirit as He WILLS not as we desire! (1 Corinthians 12:7-11)