From 890f2eabee6768985230efa9f8256ed2e27e9aaf Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Gary Talent Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2025 16:50:48 -0500 Subject: [PATCH] Add 1 Cor 1:10-13/17 sermonette --- .../1Cor/1_10-4/1_10-16-manuscript.md | 209 ++++++++++++++++ PHBC/Sermonettes/1Cor/1_10-4/1_10-17.md | 236 ++++++++++++++++++ .../1Cor/1_10-4/1_17-25-manuscript.md | 76 ++++++ 3 files changed, 521 insertions(+) create mode 100644 PHBC/Sermonettes/1Cor/1_10-4/1_10-16-manuscript.md create mode 100644 PHBC/Sermonettes/1Cor/1_10-4/1_10-17.md create mode 100644 PHBC/Sermonettes/1Cor/1_10-4/1_17-25-manuscript.md diff --git a/PHBC/Sermonettes/1Cor/1_10-4/1_10-16-manuscript.md b/PHBC/Sermonettes/1Cor/1_10-4/1_10-16-manuscript.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..845a45a --- /dev/null +++ b/PHBC/Sermonettes/1Cor/1_10-4/1_10-16-manuscript.md @@ -0,0 +1,209 @@ +# One Foundation + +This passage begins Paul's first major line of thought in this epistle. +This line of thought will stretch from 1:10 to 4:17. + +This passage explains the occasion and is the launching point for a three and a +half chapter treatment on how we should think about our teachers. +The occasion for this treatment is division in the Corinthian church. + +Paul begins this section with a simple appeal to the Corinthians to be united. +The appeal is almost bafflingly simplistic. + + "be united in the same mind and in the same judgment." + +When was the last time you resolved a disagreement by simply telling the +parties involve to agree? + +## Do Not Divide Over Teachers + +But as we read on, we see that these are basically just really dumb +disagreements. +The Corinthians are dividing over different *faithful* teachers. +Now, when someone is teaching dangerous things, depending on degree, we might +divide over it. +And we should note that Paul is rebuking all divisions, but specifically +division over faithful teachers. + +### Good & Bad Division + +There are times when division is absolutely necessary. +Later in this letter, in chapter 11, Paul speaks of an unfortunate necessity of +division, saying that "there must be factions among you in order that those who +are genuine among you may be recognized." +In chapter 5, Paul instructs the Corinthians to divide from an individual who +is living in flagrant sin. + +And we here at Park Hills Baptist Church divide over teachings. +We have a confessional standard for membership in the form of the Baptist Faith +and Message 2000. +If someone is unable to subscribe to that, we do not receive them as a member. + +This is not an alien idea to Paul either. +In Galatians, he does establish that there are categories for orthodoxy and +heterodoxy. + +In Galatians, he rebukes the teaching of a faction in the Galatian church that +advocated for teaching that was so bad that you cannot believe this and be a +Christian. +In Galatians 5:3-4, Paul writes this: + "I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated + to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be + justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace." + +All of that to underscore the point that there is good division and bad division. +We absolutely do divide over teach-*ing*. +Taking the Bible as a whole, this text should not at all be used to say that we +should never divide over anything. +But the division over teach-*ers* that we see here is bad division. + +I have known very faithful believers who have avidly listened to very bad +teachers. +When I point out the dangers, they agree wholeheartedly that those are +serious deficiencies. +I don't know how these friends could listen to this teacher believing what they +believed, but they don't believe as he teaches, so we went on to have great +fellowship around all of the teachings that agree on. +I imagine many of you have similar stories. + +This is not to say you should not have serious concern if someone is listening +to a bad teacher. +It might be wise to warn them away from that teacher. +But if they remain firmly rooted in God's Word, we should be slow to break +fellowship over who they listen to. +Wisdom may dictate that we need to create some separation at a certain point, +simply over the teachers, regardless of the teaching that someone accepts, but +we should be much slower to divide teachers than teachings. +And certainly, we should not divide over different faithful teachers. + +Now, I'm going give a warning here. +I need to start dropping some names and drawing controversial contrasts to make +this real for us. +I don't want to divide with these names, but this is where the this passage +speaks to us and hopefully brings unity amidst unspoken divisions. +We must touch the wound to tend to it. + +I also want to focus on teachers that teach mostly the same things here. +We want to think on divisions over teachers, not teachings. + +We'll start with the easy ones. +We should not divide over our preference for John Piper over John MacArthur, or +vice versa. +In the Reformed Baptist world today, we have factions around the likes of Mark +Dever and Tom Ascol, generally teach very similar things. +These two men run ministries, 9 Marks and Founders, with a great deal overlap, +and there is some tension between them. +There are some differences in their teaching to be sure, but the overlap is far +bigger than the difference and they would generally be far more charitable +toward each other than many of their followers are to the other camp. +If they both, by in large, serve Christ faithfully and would be joyfully +claimed by Him, we should wish them both well and rejoice when our brothers are +helped by them. + +## Christ Is Not Divided + +In verse 13, in response to the teacher oriented factions of the Corinthians, +Paul asks, "Is Christ divided?" +If someone is claimed by Christ and commissioned by Christ, if they teach +Christ faithfully, then to set Him against another that teaches Christ +faithfully is to divide Christ. + +Now, notice that among Paul's list of factions in verse 12, there is a faction +that says it follows Christ, and yet Paul still rebukes them. +We might be inclined to sidestep such disagreements in this way. +But if we receive Christ and do not receive those who are His, then we set Him +against His own. +By saying I follow Christ and I do not follow Paul, we set Christ against Paul. +We set the Head against the Body. + +Saying that you learned from a particular teacher as opposed to another is +fine. +We all have teachers who have influenced us more than others, but we are united +in the truth of the gospel. + +I would not say that I follow Josh Hayward. +He just hasn't had much influence in my life and I've spent very little time +listening to him. +With that said, he seems to be a faithful teacher and I would not have any beef +with the members of Kinney Avenue Baptist Church over the fact that they follow +him. +We should and generally do recognize Josh Hayward, and happily greet those who +sit under his teaching, because he teaches and they receive Christ. +We should happily commend him and Kinney to our visitors. +Where we lack unity in under-shepherds, we are united in the Great Shepherd. + +## Christ Is The Teaching + +In verse 13, Paul asks, "Was Paul crucified for you?" +Paul points us to what Christ has done, in turn points us to who He is. + +Paul then asks, "were you baptized in the name of Paul?" +Which is to ask, did you profess faith in Paul in baptism? +Is it by the name of Paul that you entered the church? + +No. +We have one baptism, which is in Christ. +It is by professing the name of Christ that we enter the church. + +Thus far, we have compared Christ to other teachers, and it is true that Christ +is the ultimate teacher. +Christ is the great fountain from which all of this flows. +All teachers, when faithful, teach in accord with what Christ taught. + +But Christ is more than merely the pedagogical ancestor of all other faithful +teachers. +A fully trained teacher cannot ever become a substitute for Christ Himself. +Many people today like to talk about the message of Christ, usually His +teachings on love and giving to the poor. +Those are good things that Christ did speak to, but the real message of Christ +is Christ. + +Christ did not pass on ideas that can exist apart from Him. +Without Christ, there would be nothing to teach. +Many philosophers and mathematicians have systems of thought and formulas named +after them. +There can be Platonism without Plato. +The Pythagorean theorem exists apart from Pythagoras. +God could have used anyone to convey what we know as the Mosaic Law. +But without Christ, there is no Christianity. + +These other systems could have been invented by anyone, but that simply +cannot be said of Christianity. +Where Aristotle taught logic, Christ taught Christ, and no other man would do. + +Christ did tell us how we should live, but we do not derive our life from these +things. +Christ taught more than mere principles by which we should live. +We do not have life because of how we live, we have life because of Christ. +We have life because of who Christ is and what He has done. + +And there is simply no other person who could do what Christ has done. + +No one else's death could have accomplished what His death has accomplished. +Every other man already owes his life for his own sin, and even if he did not, +he simply is not worth what the Son of God is worth. + +Christ is the one and only God-man. +The one and only truly righteous man. +The Son of God, in the flesh of man, giving His life. +The just for the unjust. +The Creator for the created. + +PAUSE + +No other teacher is the great fountain from which life springs. +If someone claims to offer you something you cannot get from any other teacher, +run. +The only one who offers what no one else can is Christ. +All faithful teachers are united to Christ, and thereby united other faithful +teachers. + +Christ died for members of Park Hills Baptist Church and for members of Kinney +Avenue Baptist Church alike. +He died for 9 Marks followers and for Founders followers. +We have different under-shepherds, but we share the same Chief Shepherd. + +God can take away our teachers or assign us to other teachers at any time. +But whoever He assigns to us and to those we love, we should receive warmly as +gifts from God so long as they remain faithful to the gospel of our Christ. + diff --git a/PHBC/Sermonettes/1Cor/1_10-4/1_10-17.md b/PHBC/Sermonettes/1Cor/1_10-4/1_10-17.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..267ce65 --- /dev/null +++ b/PHBC/Sermonettes/1Cor/1_10-4/1_10-17.md @@ -0,0 +1,236 @@ + +# Analysis + +1. Structure + + * 10-11: Opening appeal for unity in the face of division - just agree! + * 12: Examples of specific category of divisive behavior. + * 13: Is Christ divided? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? + * 14-17: Thankful he baptized a only small number of people. + * 17: Paul was sent to preach the gospel, but not by his own prowess. + +2. Context + + 1. Before: Greeting, After: The power of the gospel is not in man. + 1 Cor. 1:10-4:21 basically makes one long argument about how we should + regard teachers, for the sake of speaking against dividing over + teachers. + 2. Christianity is not highly regarded in Roman or Jewish society. + Christians represent a small minority. + Christianity is seen as a sect of Judaism started by a band of + uneducated commoners. + 3. + 4. + * 1 Cor 10:12-31 - divisions issuing from pride over gifts + +3. Argument of author? + + Christ died for us, so we center on and agree in him. + Christ is the focal point, thus we are united with all who unite with him. + +4. What aspect of the gospel is here? + + * Christ's death is explicitly talked about. + * The word gospel is used. + +5. My argument. + + Following author. + +6. Application + + * Don't identify with teachers over Christ. + * Don't divide over faithful teachers. + +7. Title and Outline + + The Unity of Christ + + * Christians ought to be united in and agree in Christ. + * The form of division being addressed here is quarreling over teachers. + * Side note: unity in Christ requires unity in belief, as tested through + our lives. Grave sin is cause for division. + * Setting the Body against itself divides Christ, as does setting the Head + against the Body. + * Christ is our focal point, not lesser teachers. + +# Manuscript + +## Intro + +This passage begins Paul's first major line of thought in this epistle. +This line of thought will stretch from 1:10 to 4:17. + +Paul's argument through these chapters revolves around how we should regard our +teachers. +The occasion for this is an early instance of a pattern behavior that would +repeat itself countless times between his writing this letter and now. +To our sorrow and to our shame, the history of the Church is replete with +unnecessary division. +We are no strangers to cults of personality. + +In our own church here, we know various people who like and dislike the +teachers that we listen to. +We can form an affinity for someone from knowing that they listen to the same +people that we listen to the same people, that they think like us. +On the other hand, we can have a tendency to regard our brothers as foolish or +even as adversaries when we hear that they listen to people that we do not +like. + +## The Corinthians should be in agreement. + +Paul starts this section of this letter to the Corinthian church with a +bafflingly plain admonishment. +On the surface this admonishment sounds rather naive. +"Agree. Be united in one mind." +It's a bit like asking a sick person, "Have you tried not being sick?" + +My initial reaction as I approached this passage was, "Paul, don't you +understand that they disagree? They can't just snap their fingers and agree!" +Disagreements can take much effort and contention to resolve. +On what should we agree? +How about telling them how they should resolve their disagreements? + +Now, we do have other places in Paul's writings where he addresses how to +handle disagreement. +In Romans 14, Paul instructs us to show grace with regard to differences of +conscience. +There are some issues, with examples given, that we should not divide with a +brother on. +Not every conviction that we hold should be regarded as essential to a credible +profession of faith. +We should have unity in Christ amidst certain disagreements. + +Calls for unity are not simply unbounded either. +Later in this same epistle, Paul tells the Corinthians to expel one of their +own for sexual immorality. +But Paul gives no qualifier here. +He is not telling us to, tolerate our differences on Pentecost or foods or +yoga. +Where in Romans 14, Paul tries give some sort of instruction for navigating +disagreement, here Paul simply says to agree, be of one mind, and be united. + +I think plainness of Paul's admonishment here directs us to look at the nature +of the disagreement. +This is not an appeal for unity that can be applied to any division in the +church. +Paul is able to make such a plain and simple appeal here because the +disagreements that Paul is addressing have no substance to them. +These disagreements are baseless, and Paul is about to spend the next two and a +half chapters explaining why they are baseless. + + +## The Corinthians are dividing over faithful teachers + +So, what is it that the Corinthians are dividing over? +They are fighting about which teachers they like best. +That might be a matter of substance in some circumstances, but we know from +other parts of the New Testament that Paul happily partnered with both Peter +and Apollos in the gospel. +The Corinthians are fighting about teachers who all more or less teach the same +things. +These teachers in fact happily commend one another. + +And if you think you can side step all of these disagreements by simply saying, +"Well, I'm of Christ", then Paul has something for that too. +If we cannot affirm Paul and Peter and Apollos as all being of Christ, then we +set Christ against his faithful servants. +You cannot preserve the unity of the church by throwing faithful men under the +bus. + +It can seem godly and enlightened to try to transcend conflict by saying that +both sides are wrong, and we just follow Christ. +But what if Christ is actually pleased with the person that we are throwing +under the bus? + +If a teacher is faithfully doing what God, through his Word, has told him to +do, and we indict him as unfaithful, then we are sinning. +For one, we are sinning against a faithful brother with false charges. +Two, we undermine his good work by saying that it is not of God, and thereby +hinder our hearers from benefiting from it. +So, we sin against those who might benefit from his work. +Three, we besmirch the name of Christ by setting him against something +legitimately good and lie about his loving regard for a faithful servant. + +We are allowed to have our favorite teachers. +I could certainly name some well respected teachers that I think are overrated, +and I could name others that I wish were more highly regarded. +Even among faithful men, I think some of the big names are just overhyped. +And I don't see anything wrong with me holding that opinion. + +But if I set Christ against them, either directly or through +other faithful men, then that harms the Church. + +So, this sinful division can manifest in a couple of ways: + + 1. We can singularly associate following Christ with a particular teacher + or institution. + Looking at history, western Christians made entered into this error + rather strongly 1000 years ago when we allowed the Pope at the time to + anathematize all who do not recognize the Papacy. + Within our circles, we might look upon with suspicion anyone who is not + explicitly a proponent of John Calvin. + Or we might be more narrowly only want to associate with those who + follow John MacArthur or 9 Marks. + 2. We can be overly dismissive of other believers for who they do follow + and associate with. + Now, there is prudence in teachers choosing to only work closely with + those with whom they share fairly close agreement. + And if someone is following teachers with radically differing teachings, + there can be real challenges to unity. + If someone listens to the likes of Andy Stanley, then most of us would + probably find meaningful disagreements with that person. + But if our factions revolve around pitting the likes of John Piper + against John MacArthur, then we are probably making mountains out of + molehills. + Factions within evangelicalism do exist around these two individuals, + despite the fact that the have happily worked together as recently as + last year. + +## Setting the Body against itself divides Christ. + +Our focal point should be Christ. +Our unity should be set on Christ. +But simply saying that we are united in Christ is not enough. + + +## Christ is our focal point, not lesser teachers. + +The Church is defined by her union with Christ. + +Other than Christ, there is no unifying head of the Church. +We are not all united in Peter, who is listed here with the name Cephas, as +among those who are not the focal point of unity. +The supposed first Pope receives no special mention as a uniting head of the +Church. +Peter's name shows up right along side Paul and Apollos, as nothing particularly +special. + +Unity with Christ means unity with others who are also united with Christ, and +so dividing with them divides Christ. + +Now, thus far, we have compared Christ to other teachers, and it is true that +Christ is the ultimate teacher. +All teachers, when faithful, teach in accord with what Christ taught. + +But Christ is more than simply the pedagogical ancestor of all other faithful +teachers. +Many people today like to talk about the message of Christ, usually His +teachings on love and giving to the poor. +Those are good things that Christ did speak to, but the real message of Christ +is Christ. + +Christ did not pass on ideas that can exist apart from Him. +Without Christ, there would be nothing to teach. +Many philosophers and mathematicians have systems of thought and formulas named +after them. +But Platonism could exist apart from Plato, and the Pythagorean theorem could +exist apart from Pythagoras. +These systems could have been given invented by anyone, but that simply cannot +be said of Christianity. +Where Aristotle taught logic, Christ taught Christ. + +We unite in Christ not merely because of his teaching, but because of His deity +and because of He died for us. +And His death carried a significance that no other death could. +... diff --git a/PHBC/Sermonettes/1Cor/1_10-4/1_17-25-manuscript.md b/PHBC/Sermonettes/1Cor/1_10-4/1_17-25-manuscript.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..49f7629 --- /dev/null +++ b/PHBC/Sermonettes/1Cor/1_10-4/1_17-25-manuscript.md @@ -0,0 +1,76 @@ + + +Now, thus far, we have compared Christ to other teachers, and it is true that +Christ is the ultimate teacher. +Christ is the great fountain from which all of this flows. +All teachers, when faithful, teach in accord with what Christ taught. + +But Christ is more than merely the pedagogical ancestor of all other faithful +teachers. +Many people today like to talk about the message of Christ, usually His +teachings on love and giving to the poor. +Those are good things that Christ did speak to, but the real message of Christ +is Christ. + +Christ did not pass on ideas that can exist apart from Him. +Without Christ, there would be nothing to teach. +Many philosophers and mathematicians have systems of thought and formulas named +after them. +There can be Platonism without Plato. +The Pythagorean theorem exists apart from Pythagoras. +God could have used anyone to convey what we know as the Mosaic Law. +But without Christ, there is no Christianity. + +These other systems could have been given invented by anyone, but that simply +cannot be said of Christianity. +Where Aristotle taught logic, Christ taught Christ. + +As Paul says in verse 17, he brought nothing to give power to the gospel +through eloquent wisdom. +There is nothing that man can devise that will truly turn man's heart to God or +make man acceptable to God. +We must go to the cross of Christ. + +Some teachers are well spoken, and we appreciate that, but the gospel is of +Christ. +It is more than a man's instruction on how to live. +It is about the God-man who lived and died and lives again for us. + +Philosophy and ethics are laughably hopeless endeavors to set man aright. +Stoicism will not save us, neither will someone's 12 rules for life. +Those things may do some worldly good, but they will make for a pitiful defense +on the last day. + +Christ did tell us how we should live, but we do not derive our life from these +things. +Christ taught more than mere principles by which we should live. +We do not have life because of how we live, we have life because of Christ. +We have life because of who Christ is and what He has done. + +And there is simply no other person that could do what Christ has done. +Christ is the one and only God-man. +The one and only truly righteous man. +The Son of God, in the flesh of man, giving His life. +The just for the unjust. +The Creator for the created. + +No one else's death could have accomplished what His death has accomplished. +Every other man already owes his life for his own sin, and even if he did not, +he simply is not worth what Christ is worth. + +PAUSE + +No other teacher is the great fountain from which life springs. +If someone claims to offer you something you cannot get from any other teacher, +run. +The only one who offers what no one else can is Christ. + +Christ died for members of Park Hills Baptist Church and for members of Kinney +Avenue Baptist Church alike. +He died for 9 Marks followers and for Founders followers. +We have different under-shepherds, but we share the same Chief Shepherd. + +God can take away our teachers or assign us to other teachers at any time. +But whoever He assigns to us and to those we love, we should receive warmly as +gifts from God so long as they remain faithful to the gospel of our Christ. +