“Growing in the Spirit” (1 Corinthians 2:14-3:4)

Natural People and Spiritual People

Today’s scripture consists of two parts and contrasts two different pairs of people. In part one, natural people versus spiritual people (2:6-16), and in part two, spiritual Christians versus worldly Christians (3:1-23). We will explore them one by one.

So first, natural people and spiritual people. In 1 Corinthians 2:14 Paul says, “Those who are unspiritual (cf. “natural” – KJV, ESV, NASB) do not receive the gifts of God's Spirit, for they are foolishness to them, and they are unable to understand them because they are spiritually discerned” (NRSV). Then, what is a “natural” person? The word for “natural” is used only one other time in the New Testament, namely, in Jude 19, which says, “These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit” (NASB). From the context, natural people are defined here as people who do not have God’s Spirit, namely, non-Christians. Natural people are simply ordinary people whose hearts and minds are not renewed by the Holy Spirit. Then, what is a “spiritual” person that Paul refers to in verse 15? “Those who are spiritual discern all things, and they are themselves subject to no one else’s scrutiny.” Spiritual people are the ones whose minds and hearts are renewed by the Spirit, namely, Christians.   

Receiving the Gifts of God’s Spirit

Paul says, “Natural people do not receive the gifts of God’s Spirit, for they are foolishness to them” (v. 14). What are “the gifts of God’s Spirit” here? “The gifts of God’s Spirit” refers to the heart of the Christian message – “the message of the cross”: we are so sinful, so helpless, so lost that Christ had to be crucified to save us. This message of the cross is an insult to natural people and their pride, and simply foolishness to them. Think about the time when you heard the gospel for the first time. Was it easily acceptable? Or were you offended? How were you? Paul says that he is not ashamed of the gospel (Rom 1:16). The word translated “ashamed” also means “offended.” When we take the gospel seriously to heart, it offends our natural human pride. How is the gospel offensive? Regarding this important question, Tim Keller rightly answers in four different ways:[1]

1.     The gospel is insulting to moral and religious people who think their decency gives them an advantage over less moral people, because it tells us that our salvation is free and undeserved. It tells us that we are all such spiritual failures that the only way to gain salvation is for it to be a complete gift.

2.     The gospel offends the modern cult of self-expression and the popular belief in the innate goodness of humanity, because it tells us that Jesus died for us. It tells us that we are so wicked that only the death of the Son of God could save us.

3.     The gospel offends the modern notion that any nice person anywhere can find God “in his own way,” because it tells us that trying to be good and spiritual isn’t enough, thereby insists that no “good” person will be saved, but only those who come to God through Jesus.

4.     The gospel offends people who want salvation to be an easy life; it also offends people who want their lives to be safe and comfortable, because it tells us that our salvation was accomplished by Jesus’ suffering and serving, and that following him means to suffer and serve with him.

If you are among those who believe in the message of the cross and who see God’s beauty, God’s glory, God’s wisdom in the cross of Christ, today’s scripture is given to encourage you to even more rely on Christ, savor him, love him and be thankful for the gift of salvation. But if you are still among those who do not embrace the cross as God’s wisdom and who do not accept the gifts of God’s Spirit, today’s scripture is an urgent invitation for you. Consider this morning what a hopeless condition you are in without Christ. Forsake pride. Look to Jesus, believe in the message of the cross, and be saved.

Spiritual Christians and Worldly Christians

If part one is about Christians and non-Christians, part two is about spiritual (mature) Christians and worldly (infant) Christians. In 1 Corinthians 3:1 Paul says, “And so, brothers and sisters, I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but rather as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ.” When we believe in the message of the cross, we are born anew – our hearts and minds are renewed by the Holy Spirit. We become Christians. We have the Spirit living in us. Indeed, when Corinthians heard Paul preaching the message of the cross, they believed. They were born anew. They had the Holy Spirit living in them. But sadly, they did not grow. They remained as infants in the Christian life. Why? Because they followed their fallen human nature (selfishness, pride, jealousy, quarreling) rather than followed the Spirit’s leading. The key point here is that all Christians have the Holy Spirit living in them. But only when they yield themselves to the Spirit, they continue to grow and be transformed by the Spirit.

Recently, my children watched the Walt Disney film, tilted Ratatouille. It’s a story about Remy, a young rat who is dying to become a chef, and the restaurant’s new garbage boy, Alfredo Linguini. Remy has cooking talents, and Linguini works at the restaurant. They team up with each other to achieve their goals. The two learn that Remy can guide Linguini's movements like a marionette by pulling on his hair while hiding under his toque. Together they are able to make excellent dishes. I share this because many Christians think that is how the Holy Spirit works in our lives – guiding us like a marionette by whispering in our ear what to do. But Paul says to Corinthians, “No, that is not how the Holy Spirit helps us!” Corinthians wanted to have milk, “soft food,” but not ready for solid food. They wanted to have a quick fix for their problems. But in our Christian life the Holy Spirit does not spare us the hard work of rigorous reflection and discernment. As we pray, the Holy Spirit doesn’t speak to us in an audible voice. Instead, he would make us humble enough to be formed and shaped by God’s word rather than twisting it and using it to justify our agenda. It’s a process – a process of how “solid food” is taken into our Christian life.

Spiritual Disciplines: APTAT

By God’s grace we are saved. By God’s grace we grow. It’s all God’s grace from beginning to end. We cannot add anything to our salvation. But in order to grow spiritually, we must be willing. We must say “yes” to the Spirit. In that respect, it’s God’s work and ours. Here our part is called “spiritual disciplines.” This morning I would like to share one of the spiritual disciplines I have learned from John Piper. It’s called A.P.T.A.T.:

A is admit you can do nothing.

P is pray for the help you need.

T is trust the promise of God to give you what you need in the moment of crisis, or whatever else.

A is act in that faith.
T is, when you’re done, thank him.

I am going to walk through A.P.T.A.T. in relation to my preaching life. But I believe you can easily apply the same principle to your daily unique challenges (ex. Raising strong-willed children, or helping with a family member with mental illness, etc.). A.P.T.A.T. is not a mechanical formula. Rather, it is a lifestyle – all of life. The goal of the A.P.T.A.T. is to cultivate a surrendered heart and mind and will, that we may live by the Spirit and grow until we become like Christ.

Admit. The chief end of preaching is to help people to see Jesus for who he really is and to bring them to Christ. The aim of preaching is humanly impossible. They are only possible in the power of the Holy Spirit. Before I start my sermon preparation, before I step into this pulpit, I admit, “Father, I can’t do any of that.” And I embrace the word of Jesus from John 15:5, “Apart from me you can do nothing.” Lord, I can’t do it. That’s a starting point.

Pray. I come to Jesus and cry out to him, “Lord, help me!” Most of the time I feel some particular burden or challenge or weakness or need at that moment. So I pray for those specific needs and ask for help with that. I pray for self-forgetfulness and humility. I pray for the right words. I pray for joy and boldness. I pray for compassion. I plead, “Lord, give me your heart. Help me to love these people. Help me care about their marriages and their parenting and their jobs and their daily struggles and sufferings. Give me the right words.”

Trust. As I pray, I trust the promises of God to give me what I need, in this case – preaching. One of the habits to help us trust is to draw from a pool of promises and stick with them. So it’s very important to have in our minds Bible verses memorized. In my case there are many times when I feel very unworthy. I feel emotionally distracted. I feel depressed and discouraged before I come into this pulpit. What should I do? I go to God’s promises, and dwell in them. This past week I recited Isaiah 40:31: “But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” I admit. I pray. I trust.

Act. Then, I act in that faith. I preach in the power of the Holy Spirit. When I am done, I rejoice, I rest, I leave it up to God.

Thank. When I go down out of the pulpit, I say, “Thank you for your lifegiving work. Thank you for giving me a heart to preach your word today. Thank you for strengthening, helping, sustaining your people with your promises.” I thank him.

I exhort you to join me in this very precious walk. Let us admit we can do nothing apart from Christ, come to Jesus and pray for help, trust his specific promises in our daily challenges. And let us act in that faith and thank him when we are done. “The one who calls us is faithful, and he will do it” (1 Th 5:24). Amen.

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[1] Timothy Keller, Romans 1-7 For You: For reading, for feeding, for leading (The Good Book Company. 2014), Kindle Locations 217-227 of 2850.

“The Spirit-Filled Life” (1 Corinthians 2:1-5) - A Tribute to My Grandfather -

Grandfather’s Legacy

Back in January 2011 I visited Korea to attend my grandmother’s funeral. While I was there, my grandfather gave his handwritten autobiography, saying, “Since you are now called to ministry, I want you to have this.” When I received that notebook, I felt like I inherited a share of his spirit and became his successor. I always admired my grandfather and his faith. But as I was reading it, I became even more inspired. He was appointed to several different churches throughout his life. Wherever church he was sent to, that church became alive and revived. In particular, he recorded the surprising work of God in details at his last church where he served for 27 years. He wrote, “For 27 years there, 13 people were set free from unclean spirits in the name of Jesus and became faithful Christians and church leaders, 4 paralyzed people were healed, 7 people (5 children and 2 adults) were raised from the dead, quite a few suffering from various cancers were healed in Jesus’ name.” I have personally seen some of them with my eyes while I was attending his church. Surely the power of the Holy Spirit was with him and his ministry. As I was reading his story once again this past week, some questions came to my mind: “I understand he lived a Spirit-filled life. But his context is different from mine. Then, what does it mean to live a Spirit-filled life in today’s context? What does it look like? Are there any timeless principles?” Thankfully, today’s scripture gives the answer to these questions.

Crucified Message

First of all, today’s passage teaches us that the Spirit-filled life begins with the message of the cross. If we read the Book of Acts, we find the acts of the Holy Spirit. Without any doubt, the Apostle Paul was one of the main divine channels the Holy Spirit used. Wherever he went, there were powerful works of the Holy Spirit – people were changed, healed, set free from evil spirits, and came to the faith. So what’s the secret? We can find the answer in today’s text. Paul says, “I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (v. 2). And he continues, “My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power” (v. 4). Paul was a well-educated person. He could use his own knowledge and wisdom. He could impress his audience with polished speeches and the latest philosophy. But he deliberately kept it plain and simple. He preached Jesus – who he is and what he did – Jesus crucified. He preached why Jesus had to be crucified. The message of the cross was always at the center of his preaching. And the message came through, not by Paul’s wisdom or power, but by God’s Spirit and God’s power.

My grandfather always enjoyed telling a Bible story and also his story – how God saved him, healed him, and led him up to this day. I still vividly remember the day when I officially introduced to him Joyce as my fiancée. We had a meal together at a restaurant, and on our way home in the van, he began to tell us a story. He says, “The cross of Christ is the most powerful and loving gesture of God. Since Adam and Eve rebelled against God, he kept reaching out to us. He gave us his law, but we did not obey. He sent us his messengers – prophets, judges, kings, priests, but we just didn’t want to listen to them. So finally, God sent his Son, his one and only Son, to die in our place on the cross, so that we might be deeply moved by his love and come to Christ and have life.” As I was listening to my grandfather, I felt the Holy Spirit. That day I was deeply touched by Christ’s love and surrendered my life to him. Oswald Chambers rightly said that by the preaching of the message of the cross God creates what was never there before, that is, faith in Himself on the ground of Christ’s sacrificial death. When we humbly believe the message of the cross, we are then filled, empowered, directed by the Holy Spirit.

Crucified Life

First, the Spirit-filled life begins with believing the message of the cross. Secondly, the Spirit-filled life and the crucified life go hand in hand. In fact, the Spirit-filled life is the crucified life. In verse 3 Paul says, “I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling.” What does it mean by that? Acts 18 gives us a hint. When Paul arrived in Corinth, he was compelled by the Spirit, and testified that Jesus is the Christ. He proclaimed the message of the cross. But then he faced great opposition and persecution. He felt totally inadequate. He was afraid. He was scared to death. So Paul shook the dust from his clothes and said, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the gentiles.” Then he left the synagogue. But the Lord said to him in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent; for I am with you, and no one will lay a hand on you to harm you, for there are many in this city who are my people” (18:9-10). So, Paul stayed there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. Paul felt weak, vulnerable, inadequate, afraid. You see his natural desire was to leave the unlovable and move on. But God’s Spirit wanted him to stay and love those people and preach the good news. So Paul chose to abide and love anyway. That’s the Spirit-filled life. That’s the crucified life – not my will but yours be done.

In Matthew 10:37-38 Jesus said, “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” Here we find two qualifications to be followers of Jesus. First, we ought to love Jesus more than our family. Secondly, we must deny ourselves and take up our cross. In other words, we must love Jesus first, put Jesus first more than anyone else. By comparison we must hate everyone else – our father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, even our own life. Otherwise, we cannot be his disciple (Luke 14:26 NLT). In his autobiography my grandfather shares how God helped him to love Jesus more than anyone else. When the church appointment season came, a district superintendent heard about my grandfather’s family situations and promised to appoint him to a certain church. There he would get a good salary to support his three children. My grandmother was also promised work as a nurse at the hospital. They were excited. But at the last minute, because of church politics, my grandfather was appointed to the most difficult church in the district. That church was located on a remote island, suffering from deep divisions for years. About 20 people were gathered without the pastor for more than three years. The parsonage was abandoned. My grandfather was very upset and about to make a request for a new appointment. But while he was praying, he realized it was God’s will for him to stay. So he stayed. For a while, he and his family suffered a lot. But later, the church was healed and renewed. That church became one of his family’s favorite places for life. At his retirement service, my grandfather and grandmother did special music, titled “God’s great grace it is has brought us”:

 God renews our failing powers with his might from day to day

And in mercy on us showers grace sufficient for the way

Though the loveless streets be dreary harsh and bleak the mountain ways

We shall walk and not be weary clasp his hand and sing his praise

The Wonderful Spirit-filled Life

When I think about my grandfather’s influence on me, I just want to give thanks to God for sending him into my life. When I was young, I had serious ear infections and lost my hearing in my right ear. But he prayed for me, and I was healed. When I was in my 7^th grade, he was a main speaker at the youth Bible camp. After hearing his message of the cross, I believed the gospel and received a call to ministry. The day before I went to the army, he prayed for me with Isaiah 41:10, which became my life verse since then. When I got married, he blessed Joyce and me and officiated our wedding. My grandfather was always my inspiration.

The other day my parents shared one thing that they had found very interesting during my grandfather’s visiting hours. My parents didn’t expect many visitors because of the pandemic and his age (95). He had been already retired for 26 years. But to their surprise, many visitors came. Among them, quite a few were young adults my parents didn’t recognize. So my parents asked them, “What brings you here?” One person said, “My grandmother always talked about him. So I feel like I have known him well. So I came on behalf of my family.” Another said, “He helped my parents when they were in need. So I came.” Another said, “He prayed for my mother to be healed. So I came to show my respect and gratitude.”

Today we are standing on the shoulders of giants, as Isaac Newton said. For me, I came to Christ my Lord and Savior because of the message of the cross my grandfather shared and the crucified life he had lived. I am sure you have your “heroes” who took you under his or her wing, loved you no matter what, shared the good news, and led you to Christ. Today let us remember them and their legacy. And be thankful. May we carry on their legacy and pass it on. May we believe the message of the cross and live out a crucified life. Amen.

“Beautifully Broken” (1 Corinthians 1:18-31)

The Art of Public Speaking  

TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) is a nonpartisan nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks. The TED conference has been held annually since 1990. Some of the most-watched TED Talks presenters have some 22 million video views. American Psychological Association gives us 10 tips for powerful public speaking like a TED Talk pro as follows:

1.     Know your audience.

2.     Keep it simple.

3.     Emphasize connection over content.

4.     Be authentic.

5.     Diversify your delivery.

6.     Shake it up.

7.     Stick to your points.

8.     Know the setup.

9.     Don’t lecture the whole time.

10.  Leave time for questions.

The Message of the Cross

If we evaluate Paul’s public speaking according to the TED talk guidelines, probably his preaching would not be convincing, attractive, powerful enough. He would not have that many video views. At the center of what Paul preaches is the bloody, criminal, scandalous cross of Jesus Christ. That is the heart of his message. Christ was mocked, insulted, beaten, spat on, and then hung up like the worst criminal for hours for all to see and speared to see if it was done. Verse 18 says the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.

That is how God saves us. God saves us, not through miraculous demonstrations or philosophical wisdom, but through the gospel – the message of the cross. Paul says,

“… God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation (NRSV; of preaching KJV) to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs (power) and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” (vv. 21b-24). 

God still saves his people through the foolishness of preaching today. When we preach the message of the cross, the same thing happens that happened when Paul preached. Some are offended. Some say it is foolishness. But still, some respond and say, “This Christ is the true power of God and the true wisdom of God.” And they believe and are saved.

Chosen, Called, United

In today’s passage Paul tells us not only about the method of God’s salvation (through preaching the message of the cross), but also the steps of salvation on how God loves us and powerfully draws us to his salvation. In sum, they are: (1) God chose us; (2) God called us; (3) God united us with Christ.

First, God chose us. Verses 27-28 say, “But God chose what is foolish in the world… God chose what is weak in the world… God chose what is low and despised in the world…” The only other place this word “choose” is used in Paul is Ephesians 1:4–5: “[God] chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ.” So what Paul is saying here is that before we were born, before the world began, God loved us and chose us and decided in advance to adopt us into his family.

Second, God called us. In verse 26 Paul says, “Consider your own call, brothers and sisters.” What is Paul referring to? Their vocation? Their job? No. Here Paul is referring to the work of God in calling them to himself out of darkness into light, out of death into life. In other words, it is a spiritual wake-up call. This wake-up call is God’s supernatural work that opens our eyes to see our spiritual reality – wretched, poor, blind, and our ears to hear the voice, saying, “Wake up! Turn! Come!”

Third, God united us with Christ. Verse 30 says, “He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus.” This verse literally means, “From him, or of him, are you in Christ Jesus.” God chose us. Then God called us, and we came to realize that we cannot save ourselves and need a savior. Not only that, God specifically led us to Christ and united us with Christ. And our eyes were open to see Christ as powerful and wise and compelling so that we receive him for salvation. In other words, Jesus has become for us everything we need. Christ made us right with God (righteousness); he made us pure and holy (sanctification), and he freed us from sin (redemption).

Testimony

If you are a Christian today, that is how you got saved. That is God’s plan of salvation. God chose us. God called us. God united us with Christ. That’s exactly what happened to Paul. He shares his faith journey with us this way:

You know what I was like when I followed the Jewish religion – how I violently persecuted God’s church. I did my best to destroy it. I was far ahead of my fellow Jews in my zeal for the traditions of my ancestors. But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles (Gal 1:13-16 NLT).

Paul was a pure-blooded Israelite from the elite tribe of Benjamin. He was a member of the Pharisees, a strict and devout adherent to God’s law. He was a man of power and a man of wisdom in people’s eyes. Then he heard about Jesus of Nazareth who claimed to be the Messiah and died on the cross. He was furious. He knew God’s law so well saying, “Anyone who is hung on a tree is under God's curse” (Dt 21:23). So for him, Jesus who died on the cross (the cursed one) couldn’t be the Messiah (the blessed one). That’s why he persecuted Christians and destroyed the church. But then on the way to Damascus, God called him. He encountered the risen Christ saying, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads” (Acts 26:14). Then his eyes were open to see how wretched and blind he was. He realized that God vindicated Jesus by raising him from the dead. He also realized that Jesus’ death on the cross was not because of his own sins, but because of someone else’s. All the scripture began to fall into place. “But he [Messiah] was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed” (Isa 53:5, NIV). Then Jesus has become everything to him. God chose Paul, God called Paul, God united Paul with Christ.

Recently, I had a chance to hear a story of one pastor’s faith story. He grew up in the church but remained uninterested in Christianity. He believed he could be a good person without embracing the supernatural claims of the Bible. He believed all religions were heading for the same glorious summit. Then, he joined the Boston Resistance, a student group promoting nonviolent opposition to the draft and the Vietnam War. In 1970, he left school to join a commune in Oregon. He became a hippie. During his summer there, he hiked, camped, and enjoyed many deep discussions the meaning of life with others. But life in the commune was deeply demoralizing. It washed away his naïve confidence in the inherent goodness of humanity. He witnessed the depths of depravity. Then he returned home in Boston, still wandering, still searching for the meaning of life. He was powerless and hopeless. One day while he was sitting despairingly in his room, he looked at a picture of Jesus he had received from a friend in the commune. The picture showed Jesus smiling benignly. But his bleeding heart reminded him of the Crucifixion. Then all of sudden, he came to realize, “Jesus had died for sinners just like me.” Almost immediately, he grabbed his Bible and turned to the book of Jonah. He saw himself in Jonah’s story. Then, he turned, he repented, he believed the good news of Jesus Christ. This pastor concludes his story this way: “Sixties revolutionary fervor did nothing but plunge me into despair. Now, thanks to Christ, my hope is built on solid rock, not sinking sand.”[1]

 Being a Kintsugi Pot

Each of us in this room has our unique faith story to tell. But if we are Christians, our stories have always three or four things in common: in love God chose us, God called us, God united us with Christ. And Christ became everything to us. This is every Christian’s love story.

Paul invites the Corinthians (and us!) to think about how God advances the good news, saying, “Consider your own call, brothers and sisters!” When did you hear the call? When did you receive the gospel? When did Jesus become precious to you? It does happen when we are poor in spirit, when we are weak and lowly, when we are broken and wounded. Still today, God chooses and calls the foolish, the weak, the lowly, the despised, the brokenhearted. And through them God advances the good news to this broken world.

As I close, let me share the story of Makoto Fujimura, Japanese Christian artist. He describes his work in kintsugi – the Japanese art of mending broken ceramics by pouring gold between the shattered pieces. Taking something that appears ruined and making it more beautiful and more valuable than the original, unbroken vessel. In the work of Kintsugi the places of healing are important, and the scars are to be celebrated, not to be hidden. Mako also describes the trauma of confronting the 9/11 terrorist attacks up close as a New York City resident. He describes how that trauma transformed his painting in a creative, redemptive way.

It’s a mystery how God saves us and makes us whole. But before you leave this room today, I want you to know this. In love God chose you before you were made. God called you. And he is still calling you today, if you haven’t recognized it yet. God is calling you to come to a holy ground that allows you to journey into your faith, your doubts, your traumas. So come and believe the good news of Jesus Christ. God will make everything beautiful in Christ. And Christ will become for you everything you need. Amen.  

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[1] Gregory E. Reynolds, “Christ and Counterculture,” Christianity Today (May/June 2021), 95-96.

“Living Under the Cross” (1 Corinthians 1:10-17)

Unity Impossible

There was once a man in San Francisco walking along the Golden Gate Bridge, and he saw a second man about to jump over the edge. He stopped him and said, "Surely it can't be that bad. You know God loves you." The man about to jump got a tear in his eye. He said, "Are you a Christian or a Jew or a Hindu?" The fellow said, "I'm a Christian."

"Me, too. Are you Protestant or Catholic?"
"I'm Protestant."
"I am, too. What franchise?"
"I'm Baptist."
"So am I. Northern Baptist or Southern Baptist?"
"Northern Baptist."
"That's a miracle! I am, too. Are you Northern Conservative Baptist or Northern Liberal Baptist?"
"Northern Conservative Baptist."
"Me, too. Are you Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist or Northern Conservative Reformed Baptist?"
"I'm Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist, Karl Ripley."
"Me, too. Are you Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes region or Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Eastern region?"
"I'm Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes region."
"So am I. Are you Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes region council of 1897 or Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes region council of 1912?"
"I'm Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes region council of 1912."

 And the guy said, "Die, heretic," and threw him over the bridge.

 We live in a polarized world. It seems more and more people think, when you and I have different visions of the way the world is supposed to be, there is no room for unity. But in fact, this is not something new. This was exactly what was happening in Corinth. Today’s scripture, 1 Corinthians 1:10-17, is about Christian unity. What I would like to do is

1.     Identify the root cause of division; then

2.     Examine how Paul attempts to build a foundation for unity; and  

3.     See what it looks like living in unity in our context today  

The Root Cause of Division

First, Paul describes how the Corinthian Christians were dividing: "My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you" (v. 11). Here Paul says, "I hear you guys are all fighting." And one group says, "I follow Paul"; and another group says, "I follow Apollos"; and another says, "We follow Peter." You don't sit together. And one group, holier than thou, says, "We follow Christ." Then and now, the nature of the disunity is deeply rooted in pride. Most of us feel like “nobodies” in a world where the media constantly encourages us to live as somebodies. So what we do is to line up behind “somebody” and to satisfy this desire. So for the Corinthians, this pride expressed itself in lining up behind favorite Christian leaders and boasting about their superiorities – I am better, I am holier, I am more right than you. And the result was quarreling and schisms in the church.

Let us ponder for a moment how relevant this is today. We see divisions and schisms at every level – group against group, denomination against denomination, race against race, nation against nation. I am deeply grateful to the Lord Jesus Christ for the peace and unity in this congregation. But we need to be vigilant. Let’s face it; we each come to this church with our own convictions, ideas, experiences which are different. We each come with some sinful inclinations and pride. So you and I are not entirely to be trusted if we should meet one another on a bridge. We are prone to fight and quarrel just like anybody else. So we need God’s word right now. Today’s scripture will help us stay connected and united with each other.

Foundation for Unity

We just learned the root cause of division is pride. Then, what is the cure? The best cure is Christ Jesus and his cross. Paul says, “Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” (v. 13) Here Pau is saying, “It doesn’t matter who started the church, who taught you the Bible, who baptized you. What matters most is in what name you believed, you were baptized and saved.” Jesus is the only name to be remembered, honored, glorified. The Bible says we were dead in our sins. We were following the course of this world, trying to find our identity in union with somebody, another patron. We were all divided and polarized. We were hostile to God and to each other. But in his own body on the cross, Jesus broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. Through the blood of his cross Jesus cleansed us, unified us, created a new nature in us, so that we would live a new life and find our identity in union with him. Not only that, but Jesus created one new humanity, the Church, so that we would belong to him, love one another, and serve the world together in his name.

When we recite the Apostles’ Creed, we say, “I believe… the holy catholic church.” Here the word “catholic” comes from the Greek word katholikos, which means “according to the whole” or “universal.” When we say that the church is catholic, we are affirming a wide variety of believers, traditions, polities, and denominations. As long as we have Jesus Christ as our only foundation, a diversity of perspectives is not contrary to the catholicity of the church. Do you think there is any way two separate hands could become one? Although we tie them together for years, they will never become one. But, there is a way! If each hand is connected to the same body, the two hands are considered one because they belong to the one body as a whole. Oftentimes, in the church there are people who never mix just like oil and water. But, if we each are truly willing to obey the head of the church, Jesus Christ, we are still able to become one. Isaiah 11 beautifully describes what the church would look like when Christ becomes the head. It says, “The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them… The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest.” When Jesus is the head of the church, we, as the body of Christ, can live together in unity!

Living Under the Cross

This gift of unity is available to all God’s people, all Christ’s church. But in reality, we live more like the Corinthians – divided. I am thinking about the United Methodist Church and its future. As many of us are aware, we Methodists are at a crossroads, waiting to see what happens with possible church split over LGBTQ issues. I believe John Wesley, founder of the Methodist movement, can be a good example of Christian unity.

John Wesley should have left the Church of England. His theology was too radical and his methods too unorthodox. So they kicked him out of churches and pulpits. So he preached in fields, markets, and cemeteries. He should have left the Anglican Church, but he didn’t. His message was clear: Any split would damage the Methodists’ witness and thwart their divine calling to renew the Church of England. Wesley wrote, “We look upon ourselves, not as the authors, or ringleaders of a particular sect or party … but as messengers of God, to those who are Christians in name, but heathens in heart and in life.” Throughout his life, Wesley remained within the established Church of England, insisting that the Methodist movement lay well within its tradition.

However, in his sermon “On Schism,” Wesley also argues for when a church separation is not only acceptable but demanded by conscience. He preached, “Suppose you could not remain in the Church of England without doing something which the word of God forbids, or omitting something which the word of God positively commands; if this were the case, (but blessed be God it is not) you ought to separate from the Church of England.” Here Wesley provides guidance for when to stay or go. In other words, as long as we can preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and practice our faith freely according to our conscience influenced by God’s word, we should stay. But if we are demanded to do or undo something against our good conscience, it’s time to go.

For Wesley, the doctrines of salvation were key. As we are trying to find a way forward, I believe we too should focus on the core doctrines of salvation. In fact, that was exactly what Paul was doing for Christian unity in Corinth. He said, “For Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power” (v. 17). Again he said, “For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified” (v. 23a). And again he said, “I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (2:2). Jesus and his cross – the crucified Christ is our song, our banner, our motto, and our salvation.

The 3S’s of Unity                            

As we engage the current controversy which threatens the unity of the UMC, I exhort our church to practice the 3 S’s of unity: stop, study, and struggle. First, stop. In an age of social media, many of us are so busy trying to keep up with all the information. But few of us take time to stop. We need to stop with purpose – stop to listen, question, understand, ponder, abide. Second, study. We should not afraid of taking an unpopular stance if Scripture required it, but never rush into an opinion. With humility and love, we need to study and work tirelessly to understand every perspective on this complex human sexuality issue. Third, struggle. We do not need more commentary. We need more pain in the mind. Whatever our stance, we need to struggle together and create more welcoming, compassionate, beloved community for LGBTQ people.

After the General Conference next year, we will have a better picture. But our Christian unity is more about our character and attitudes, and less about the right outcome. So whether the UMC would remain or split, God’s will be done. In the meantime may we stop, study, and struggle. May we never stop proclaiming Christ and him crucified. Amen.