Real Church

A Study of 1 Corinthians

Arrogance

Division

Immorality

Dysfunctional Families

Courtroom Brawls

Chaotic Worship

This was the Corinthian church. 

It existed in a city that was booming with commerce and culture… as well as corruption. How could this church resist assimilation back into their former way of life in the world? Only by adopting the cruciform way of Jesus through the transforming power of His gospel. 


SHOWING THE SPIRIT

A mini-series in 1 Corinithians

March 13–April 10

 

“Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed.” – 1 Corinthians 12:1

Spiritual gifts tend to be either obsessed over or ignored. Some tend to exalt the gifts so highly that they outshine the giver. Others, out of concern for abuse of the gifts or mere disinterest, disregard them. But God’s Word gives us a better way. 1 Corinthians 12-14 instructs us in a thoughtful use of the spiritual gifts that is motivated by love and results in the glory of Christ.  

 

Part 1 – True Spirituality – Kevin Rogers. The church is one spiritual people, empowered by one spiritual source to use the many spiritual gifts to bless others.

Part 2 – One Spiritual People – Kevin Rogers. Paul uses the metaphor of the human body to explain how the church is one spiritual people comprised of individuals who both need others’ God-ordained gifts and are needed by everyone else.

Part 3 – Let Love Motivate Your Desire for Spiritual Gifts – Jose Troche. Gifts without love are nothing but a joke. Love seeks what is best for others and will remain even after the gifts pass away.

Part 4 – Let's Build Up the Church! – Robin Boisvert. God wants you to make love your aim, to be filled with the Spirit, and to use the gifts he has given you to glorify him and to build up his church.

Part 5 – Order in the Church – Robin Boisvert. Regarding the church gathering, it is not enough that words are intelligible and understood. Words should also be restrained to ensure everything is done decently and in order.


SERMON REVIEW

 

Part 1 – The Church in Union with ChristKevin Rogers. The church must live in light of the fact that it is united to Christ.

Part 2 – Division Robin Boisvert. When we want what we want more than what God wants, divisions occur. The way to heal divisions is by believers coming under the power of God displayed at the cross by a crucified Messiah.

Part 3 – The Unimpressive Power of the Cross  – Kevin Rogers. The world may be unimpressed with the cross and the gospel, but it alone has the power to save.

Part 4 – The Wisdom of the Spirit – Robin Boisvert. God’s wisdom is not the wisdom of this age. Rather, the wisdom of God is the gospel of God revealed by the Spirit of God.

Part 5 – Leaders are Servants – Kevin Rogers. One of the main causes of the disunity in the Corinthian church was a misunderstanding of the nature of leadership and Christian ministry.

Part 6 – How to Build a Church – Kevin Rogers. To build a church, we have to build carefully, sustainably, soberly, and humbly.

Part 7 – How to Regard Leaders  – Robin Boisvert. Leaders are servants of a special kind—stewards. Regarding leaders, Paul warns the church to avoid pronouncing judgment, becoming puffed up, and misunderstanding the times.

Part 8 – Raising the Bottom Kevin Rogers. Excommunication is a way to bring an awareness of the extreme severity of a person’s sin in such a way that the brother or sister might be awakened and repent and turn to Jesus.

Part 9 – Disputes Between Believers – Robin Boisvert. When brothers and sisters in Christ take each other to court to settle minor grievances, they threaten the order of the church and harm her witness to the world.

Part 10 – Glorify God in Your Body Kevin Rogers. Christian bodies are raised by the Father, members of the Son, and temples of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, flee sexual immorality and glorify God in your body.

Part 11 – Live as You Were Called  – Kevin Rogers. Paul teaches married couples to remain one flesh and committed in marriage and to be at peace when marriage ends.

Part 12 – The Gift of Singleness  – Jose Troche. Marriage is good, but singleness can be better. It allows undivided devotion to God.

Part 13 – Don't Flaunt Your Freedeom – Kevin Rogers. You will honor God and will serve the soul of your brother or sister if you prioritize the protection of their conscience.

Part 14 – Paul and His Rights – Robin Boisvert. Following in Christ’s footsteps, Paul set an example for the Corinthian church by not insisting on his rights. He did this to advance the gospel and care for others’ consciences.

Part 15 – Self-Denial for the Sake of the Gospel – Kevin Rogers. Self-denial is always for a greater goal. When Paul calls Christians to deny themselves by accommodating others and disciplining themselves, he does so for the advance of the gospel.
Part 16 – Boundary Lines and Warnings – Robin Boisvert. There are boundary lines between the territory of faith and the territory of unbelief. Participation in idolatry is absolutely unacceptable.

Part 17 – Let Love Lead Liberty to the Glory of God – Todd Keeler. Loving others involves doing what is best for them. Loving God involves showing he is best. This is bringing glory to him, doing all to his glory.

Part 18 – Proper WorshipKevin Rogers. Worship gatherings are not a place where we come to fight our cultural battles. Instead, they should have a relentless focus on Jesus and building people up in him. Everything else is a distraction.

Part 19 – The Most Important Message – Kevin Rogers. As Paul concludes his letter to the Corinthian church, he reminds them of the most important message: the resurrection of Christ is the power for salvation and renewal.

Part 20 – In Fact, Christ Has Been Raised – Kevin Rogers. There is nothing more consequential than the truth of the resurrection, not only for when we die but also for how we live.

Part 21 – The Resurrection of the Body – Robin Boisvert. Christian, upon your death, your body will be sown into the earth like a seed, but one day your body will be raised incorruptible. You will be the same person you are now but in a glorious spiritual body that will be like Jesus’ resurrection body.

Part 22 – Giving to the Church – Kevin Rogers. The Bible is clear that the family of God should meet one another’s needs in response to the gospel of Christ. Christians should contribute thoughtfully, consistently, and proportionally. The church, then, should handle that giving honorably.

Part 23 – Final Words – Robin Boisvert. In the final words of 1 Corinthians, Paul gathers a potpourri of items that he deems important and wants to make sure he relates.

Part 24 – Growth in a Gospel Environment – Kevin Rogers. Spiritual growth is best fostered in an environment that alleviates shame and admonishes with the gospel in the context of real relationships.


HELPFUL RESOURCES

1 Corinthians For You, Andrew Wilson – As Andrew Wilson walks through this compelling, challenging epistle, you’ll see how grace looks in every Christian and how it can shape every church—even a church as flawed as the Corinthian one. Helpful for personal use as well as for small group study. 

ESV Scripture Journal: 1 Corinthians – ESV Scripture Journals pair the entirety of individual books of the New Testament with lightly lined blank pages opposite each page of the biblical text, allowing readers to take extended notes or record insights and prayers directly beside corresponding passages of Scripture.

The Bible Project Video and Overview – The Bible Project creates videos and other media to help people experience the Bible as a unified story that leads to Jesus. Check out their overview video to get oriented to 1 Corinthians and its major themes. 

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