SLIDE: Messy Church – Sanctified and Holy

 

Messy Church = Letter to the church in Corinth

Authentic, honest, emotional and passionate letter…

 

Corinth / Charlottesville.

 

Are a follower of Jesus or checking out faith

 

Reminder: Last week!

 

SLIDE: Paul

Acts 8 &9 a unique window into Paul

 

The least likely person …

 

Acts 18 – the story of the church in Corinth

 

Paul’s M.O.  Synagogues in influential cities

 

SLIDE: Acts 18:6-8    …they opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”  Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized.

– 18 months in Corinth planting the church

 

Rough start! – pastoral calling – Gentiles

 

SLIDE: Corinth  (church of God in Corinth)

 

44BC. Caesar Augustus rebuilds the city

4.5 miles wide

Trade Wealth –

freedmen

Pausanias describes: The religious expression of Corinth was as diverse as its population. At least 26 sacred places (not all were temples) devoted to the “gods many” (Roman-Greek pantheon) and “lords many” (the mystery cults)”

 

Everyone is Polytheistic – worship many gods

 

Aphrodite –

The Goddess of procreation, passion and relationship

sex cult

 

(Money Sex and Power) – sermon next week!

 

Corinthian!

 

DEFINE : Corinthian (dictionary.com) noun

a man about town, especially one who lives luxuriously or dissolutely

+++ dissolutely = indifferent to moral restraints; given to immoral or improper conduct; licentious; and dissipated.

adjective

(of a person or way of life) overindulging in luxury & sensual pleasures.

 SLIDE:  VIDEO.  Car Commercial

 

1 Corinthians is a response telling + Letters

 

The church of God in Corinth is…

 

SLIDE: 1 Corinthians 1:1-3

Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, ² To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours: ³ Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The recipients of the letter – Christian in Corinth

More Corinthian the Christian!

More Corinthian than Sanctified

More Corinthian than Holy

SLIDE: 1 Corinthians 1:2 … to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people,

 

To whom is the letter written?

 

not a Christian – please listen… PLEASE KNOW this isn’t for you!

 

Christian – this IS for you!

 

SLIDE: “We do NOT force our calling to be holy on those who are NOT sanctified”

This leads to frustration on BOTH sides!

SLIDE: 1 Corinthians 1:2 … to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people

 

Past tense – sanctified

Future tense – called to be holy

 

SLIDE: Sanctification (sanctified), Salvation, Redemption

 

 

SLIDE: Salvation: Ephesians 2:8-9

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast.

 

BY GRACE you’ve been SAVED (SALVATION)

 

It a GIFT –  NOT BY WORKS – cannot earn it!

 

Past tense!  YOU ARE SAVED!

 

 

Future tense  CALLING TO BE HOLY…

SLIDE: Redemption: 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

Do you not know?

“Ignorance is bliss”  VS. “What you don’t know can…”

 

2 THINGS Paul wants us to know!

1. the Holy Spirit dwells IN YOU!
2. You were bought at a price

 

“Bought with a price” = Redemption

O.T. Redemption involves deliverance from bondage based on a redeemer paying “a ransom” .

The verb pada is a legal term concerning the substitution required for the person delivered.

The verb gaal is a legal term for the deliverance of a person, property, or right to which one had a previous claim through family relation or possession.

the third verb, kapar is to cover. To cover sin, atone for.

The substantive koper (ransom) a price paid for a life

 

LEGAL terminology – binding and true!

 

I owed a debt I could not pay HE paid a debt he did not owe

 

SLIDE:  You who are Sanctified in Christ Jesus

 

Salvation – We are saved by grace through faith

 

Redemption – A redeemer paying a Ransom to release us from bondage to sin!  We are REDEEMED!

 

Done for us through faith in Jesus!

 

Sanctified – Sanctification – is different

 

“Sanctified” – sanctification is a lifelong process!

Past tense?!?!

 

Married

 

SLIDE: WEDDING PICTURE! (Oct 21, 1990)

 

Wedding day! Married!

A process –

Pastor Gabe – premarital – marriage mentors

 

Sanctification is me partnering with Holy Spirit and  giving it my ALL to become more like Jesus.

 

SLIDE: FEET TO YOUR FAITH

 

SLIDE: 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

SLIDE: Sanctification…  is an affectionate indebtedness to Jesus (my savior and redeemer) NOT to pay him back but to serve him out of loving gratitude for what he has done for me!

 

THINK DIFFERENTLY ABOUT HOLINESS

What you don’t know can kill you!

The HOLY Spirit is here empowering me

See holiness as a calling of

Fight my battles – ending song