Grace to You and Peace

In one paragraph

This message was the closing chapter on the Thessalonian letters and an opening look at First Corinthians, placed in their historical setting as Paul moves into his third missionary journey. The contrast between the two churches drove most of the sermon, with the Corinthian church's factions, sins, and pride standing in sharp relief against the faithfulness of the Thessalonians. The passage...

Read together

1. Romans 6:3-5 Read by Mike Mayer before baptizing Stephanie, on being baptized into Christ's death and raised to new life
2. 1 Corinthians 1:1-2 Opening verses establishing Paul's apostolic authority and his greeting to the church at Corinth
3. 1 Corinthians 1:3 Grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, linked to the same greeting in Thessalonians
4. 1 Corinthians 1:4-8 Paul thanking God for the grace given to the Corinthians and their enrichment in utterance and knowledge
5. 1 Corinthians 1:9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son
6. 1 Corinthians 1:10 Paul pleading that they all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among them
7. 1 Corinthians 1:11-13 Chloe's household reporting contentions, and the rhetorical questions about whether Christ is divided or Paul was crucified for them
8. 1 Corinthians 1:14-17 Paul thankful he baptized few of them, and that Christ sent him to preach the gospel not with wisdom of words lest the cross be made of no effect
9. Matthew 28:19-20 Referenced as Jesus commanding his followers to go into all the world baptizing and teaching

Talk about it

1. Pastor Carl compared the Thessalonian church and the Corinthian church side by side. What struck you most about that contrast, and where do you think our own church lands on that spectrum?
2. Pastor Carl pointed out that Paul opens his letter by establishing his authority as an apostle right from the first verse, because some in Corinth were questioning it. When have you found it difficult to receive correction or teaching from someone whose authority you were not sure about, and how did you work through that?
3. Paul thanked God for the grace given to the Corinthians even though he knew the church was full of serious problems. Pastor Carl said we are too quick to question whether someone is even saved when we are in the middle of a disagreement with them. How do you think we should hold together honest concern about sin in the church with genuine confidence in God's work in other believers?
4. Pastor Carl listed a number of well-known preachers and teachers and made the point that dividing into camps around favorite teachers is not just a first-century problem. Have you ever found yourself more loyal to a particular teacher or tradition than to the gospel itself, and what helped you recognize it?
5. Paul told the Corinthians he was sent specifically to preach, not to baptize, and was clear that not everyone needs to do everything. Nancy Cummins made a similar point about spiritual gifts when she spoke about Bridges Ministry. How well do you feel you understand your own gifts, and what is one concrete thing that might be keeping you from putting them to use in this church?