Jesus Gives You All Of This! (Sermon Only) - 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 - Aligned - Pastor Jason Fritz

I would like to introduce you to the apostle Paul. No doubt one of the most influential men the world has ever known. He's the greatest church planter of all time. He has a long history of pastoral ministry. The scars on his body bear witness to his devotion to Jesus Christ. Now let me introduce you to the church he started in Corinth. It is a young, small and divided group. It wasn't uncommon to see some drunk, many arguing and most affirming what Paul rejects. So Pastor Paul writes them a letter and we get to read it. (I'm certain the Corinthian Christians would not have wanted this to be made public for the last 2000 years.) Reading someone else's mail can reveal a lot. Even though the letter is not written to us, we learn to read it as though it were. Here's what we notice from the very beginning - if our conduct does not match our calling then we're headed for trouble.
We have help. Paul tells us that Jesus has given us everything we need to live the life God has called us to live. We have the speech, knowledge and gifting. So then Illuminate is just like any other church in that our health depends on the alignment of our conduct and our calling. Can I ask you to do something as we begin this new study? Will you use this letter as a mirror and ask yourself this question - What is my part in making Illuminate all that God wants it to be?

[@WrappedUPMMA]

Great word!!

[@mkl62]

I am an ELCA Lutheran from South Carolina. Today (January 19, Epiphany 2), this was our New Testament Lesson (or Epistle) of the Day. Corinth: the New York City/Las Vegas of the Bible. Agree or disagree? Feel free to reply.

[@shawnlikethelight9637]

Paul would almost assuredly know the Old Testament better than all the first 12 together. Corinthians 3 kinda indicates this. I would suggest he was being lead By Holy Spirit, to understand the flood of Old Testament foreshadowing. Just my leading at this time and season.