GOOD NEWS FOR GOD’S PEOPLE
1 Corinthians 1:1-9
GREETING:
Well, good morning everyone. It’s so good to be with you.
INTRODUCTION:
I want to begin with a question:
Have you ever looked at your life and the struggles you face (maybe the stumbles you’ve made, or the slow pace at which you’ve think you’ve grown spiritually), and wondered…
At some point will God give up on me?
Or maybe you’ve wondered if, because of your poor choices or bad habits or constant struggles, if it’s possible to go beyond God’s interest in you? Or maybe if you’ll exceed His goodness and exhaust His GRACE?
Well, if you’ve ever wondered that — then you’ve come to the right place today. Because I have some GOOD NEWS FOR YOU — for GOD’S PEOPLE!
TRANSITION:
When I was 15 years old, my parents took me on a trip to Europe. It was a remarkable experience. We saw some amazing sights — we went to Rome and saw the coliseum, and the the Vatican City and saw St Peter’s Basilica; we went to Paris and saw the Eiffel Tower, and to London where we saw Big Ben.
But one of the most fascinating sights to me was seeing the leaning tower of Pisa.
The tower is located in the quaint town of Pisa, in Italy. For centuries it was assumed that the designer was — a 12th century architect named, Bonnano Pisano. Now, in recent years there has speculation as to whether he was the actual designer or not.
But, whoever it was that designed it, you can be sure of this:
They didn’t design the tower to lean!It was designed to stand upright! (In all of its ways).
And, I also know that whoever the original designer was — he also died before the tower was complete. Because, it took 199 years to construct it.
Isn’t that crazy? ! It took so long, especially in comparison to other historical monuments. Like:
— The statue of liberty — which took 9 years to build and 4 months to erect.
— Roman Coliseum — which took 10 years.
— Big Ben — only took 13 years
— Buckingham Palace — took 23 years.
—But the Tower of Pisa continued to be a work in progress for 199 years.
So, most of those who worked on the tower, never got to see the finished product. And I’m not sure we’ve seen the finished product yet. Because it’s still leaning.
And Here’s my point. Much like the tower of Pisa…Spiritual growth (the process of becoming holy, the process of becoming like Jesus) — doesn’t happen overnight. While salvation is instantaneous… The process of becoming, like Jesus, our sanctification, takes time. It doesn’t happen quickly and sometimes seems like it will never be done.
But don’t give up — because God is faithful.
God won’t abandon you…He is in for the long haul. And that’s the message of the opening chapter of 1 Corinthians 1. So, if you have your Bible, turn there with me.
MESSAGE:
And as you do…I’ll give you some background on this book and this church.
The book of 1 Corinthians was written by the apostle Paul to the new and growing congregation in the ancient port city of Corinth.
It was a Roman colony on the lower tip of Greece. In that day, Corinth was a bustling city…flowing with both people and money. It was a short distance from Athens. And was a place of sport and entertainment.
It was a place Paul visited on his second missionary journey. And while there, he won people to Jesus, and started a church. So as you might imagine, he had a great love for the people. But they were a bit of a mess…and had a lot of growing up to do.
Because their lives reflected the culture in which they lived.
Corinth was a port city that majored in trade. It attracted lots of people from all over the world. It was quite transient — and filled with a mix of thought and practice.
It was a place where people went to escape morality. One of the attractions of Corinth was a pagan temple to Aphrodite — housing over a thousand temple prostitutes.
So, as you can imagine…the city was filled with greed and deceit and moral corruption and sexual perversion, and drunkenness and more.
And what was found in the community could also be found in the church. Because, it was young. And as people were coming in…they brought their bad habits and sinful practices with them.
So the church was in disarray, and needed guidance and correction. So God used Paul to address their struggles — by reminding them first of WHO THEY WERE in Christ. And more importantly, to remind them of GOD’S COMMITMENT TO THEM!
So, Paul writes to say — that while they may look more like the tower of Pisa than the Eiffel Tower…God was still working on them…and I tell you, He’s still working on you as well.
So, if you have your Bible — look with me at 1 Corinthians chapter 1. Beginning in verse 1, Paul writes:
1 Paul, called to be an apostle of ChristJesusby the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,
2 To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in ChristJesusand 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.
4 I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.5 For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge— 6 God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you. 7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8 He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
1 Corinthians 1:1-9 NIV
Listen again to that last verse — because, I think it’s the key to understanding this passage…as well as the rest of First Corinthians.
“…God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”
This is really — GOOD NEWS! It’s good news for God’s people.
While this church had a lot of struggles and shortcomings, they could be certain of this — God loved them, He called them, and He hadn’t given up on them.
So, as we take a closer look at this passage, allow me to point out three aspects of Gods work in your life.
1. You’ve been given a holiness you didn’t earn.
Paul begins this letter saying…
2 To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in ChristJesusand called to be his holy people,
The word sanctified refers to something that’s already been accomplished. And while there is a very distinct process that Christ has BEGUN in you — to make you more and more like Him, there’s also a distinctive act that has taken place in the past! Where God (through Jesus) has DECLARED you to be His.
He has made you HOLY…sanctified — meaning “set apart” for Him.
You and I have (in Christ), been set apart so that we might become who we were meant to be. You have been given a HOLINESS that you didn’t earn. But it’s more of a TITLE that you get to GROW INTO.
To be sanctified is to be set apart, called to be holy; it is a sacred identification— but it’s just the beginning of a life-long journey towards obedience and Christ-likeness.
So when Paul states in verse 2, that those in that Corinthian church HAD BEEN SANCTIFIED — He was referencing the salvific work that Christ had done on the cross for them. And through faith — Jesus DECLARED them to be SANCTIFIED.
If you’ve given yourself to Jesus — if you’ve surrendered your life to Christ — if you’ve been saved, then Paul says to you — as he said to them, you have been sanctified in WORD, that you may become sanctified in DEED.
And as you do, you will grow into the person that He has called you to be. You will become holy, like Jesus!
THE GOOD NEWS of this passage — is that while you haven’t earned it, Christ has gifted you with the honor of being called righteous.
But, this gift comes with an invitation — an invitation for you to learn to walk-in the HOLINESS you’ve been given. In fact, that’s what the rest of this letter would address. How to LIVE FOR JESUS!
So remember, like the tower of Pisa, you’re a work-in-progress!
And that’s good news — becauseGod isn’t finished with you yet!
YOU’VE BEEN GIVEN A HOLINESS YOU DIDN’T EARN.
So give yourself some grace…but never abandon the pursuit of becoming like Jesus.
Well…to this, Paul would add:
2. You’ve been given more than YOU NEED.
Now, I know it’s tempting to think that God has called you to something too big for you to do. And He has. Because you can’t live a HOLY LIFE on your own…in your own strength, it’s impossible. But that’s where the next bit of GOOD NEWS comes in.
Because, Paul says — God has given you all you need to be the person He’s called you to be! Listen again to verse 5. He says:
5 For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge— 6 God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you. 7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.
Paul is saying, everything you need…God has given you. The Bible is replete with examples of God doing this.
I’ll just give you one…Consider the story of Moses in Exodus 3. God called Him to go before Pharaoh and lead His people out of slavery…to lead them into freedom…to lead them to the promised land. And what did Moses say?
“I can’t do that!” In fact, Moses questioned God’s call on his life. He asked, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” And God said, “I will be with you.” (Exodus 3:11-12, NIV) This story continues with Moses questioning God. And at one point, God says, “What is that in your hand?” And Moses says, “It’s a staff.” God said, “Throw it down.” And he did, and it became a snake. And God said, “Pick it up.” And it turned back into a staff.
Good was displaying (on a sign), that He and His power would be present with a Moses throughout his life. And so, again and again… Moses would use that staff to fulfill his call and every time he did, he was reminded that God would help him.
And in the same way — God has promised to supply you with His Spirit (as a gift) to help you do His will.
Because, God doesn’t call us to fail! He calls us to fulfill His purposes.
As Paul notes here — God has called you to live a life of HOLINESS and GODLINESS and RIGHTEOUSNESS. And He has gifted you with all you need to do so!
Again, Paul says, “in him you have been enriched in every way.” Don’t miss this, God equips those He calls!
What a promise! He will give you everything you need — and more!
This would prove to be one of the ongoing themes of Paul’s letters to the early church. One of encouragement. One of promise. Later, in Philippians 4, Paul would write to another church and say:
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19 (NIV)
More than a promise of material provisions — this is a promise of strength and spiritual provision to all who would LIVE FOR HIM.
So, don’t look for an excuse to bail on Jesus — because He won’t bail on you. To the contrary, God (through the work of Jesus), will supply you with every gift you need to live SURRENDERED LIFE to Him.
Because, whatever God callsyou to do, He will also equip you to do it!
If you’re ever tempted to think, “I’m not sure I have what it takes to do what God has called me to do.” Or, “I’m not sure that I have what it takes to be the person God intends me to be.”
Understand — you don’t (on your own). But you dothrough His strength and power!
In Philippians 2:13, Paul says,
“For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.”
Philippians 2:13 (NLT)
And that’s the same message that Paul gives us in 1 Corinthians 1.
While it may seem like there’s a disconnect between our calling and our condition…and while it may seem like we are a work in progress…even so, God has given you more than you need to accomplish His will.
So, don’t give up! Keep striving to be who He’s called you to be! Because God isn’t finished with you yet! And that’s GOOD NEWS! Remember…
YOU’VE BEEN GIVEN A HOLINESS YOU DIDN’T EARN.
YOU’VE BEEN GIVEN MORE THAN YOU NEED.
And lastly:
3. You’ve been given A PROMISE OF victory!
Paul would write to that struggling church and remind them — that while they may look more like the world than they did the people they were called to be… God had a victory in store for them.
Listen again to verse 8. Here Paul reminds them of that promise of victory when he writes:
8 He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul was confident that God would finish what He had started — not because of their determination or perfection — but because of God’s faithfulness.
Simply put, we can never be good enough on our own — we can’t fix our problems, and we can’t earn eternity.
But, Jesus was and IS the answer to our problems and the of our victory.
When He went to the cross. He defeated death, he’ll, and the grave. Moreover — He triumphed over all things. And because of His victory — we too can be triumphant.
As John tells us, “Whoever believes in Him will not perish but will have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
In Romans 8, Paul say that Jesus was the “firstborn among many brothers” (Romans 8:29). And, in that same fashion, we who believe in Him will never fully die. For though we die — yet will we live!
Let’s be clear — there will be days (even seasons) in life that are hard and trying. But, when they come — they don’t have to give up in defeat. Because in Christ we have the victory! And no matter what comes our way, we will never walk alone.
So, regardless of how long it may take for us to overcome our struggles with temptation and our battle with this flesh. God is committed to our victory.
As Paul said in Philippians 1:6,
“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 1:6 (NIV)
In the end, we can be certain that Christ will stand with us. And in Him, we have a promise of victory!
So, today — if you feel like you’ll never get there…don’t give up! Because God is with you. And He has given you a promise of victory! You may not see it clearly today—but rest assured, victory is yours! As Paul says in verse 9…
9 “God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”
So let’s rejoice! And celebrate…because this is GOOD NEWS FOR GOD’S PEOPLE! Amen?!
CONCLUSION
As we close I want to remind you…Your potential to become someone great in God’s kingdom may not be obvious to you…and it may not be obvious to others. But God believes in you. And He hasn’t given up on you.
— YOU’VE BEEN GIVEN A HOLINESS YOU DIDN’T EARN.
— YOU’VE BEEN GIVEN MORE THAN YOU NEED.
— YOU’VE BEEN GIVEN THE PROMISE OF VICTORY.
Maybe you feel a little like that leaning tower of Pisa. Maybe you feel like you lean a little bit. Just know that — He who began a good work in you will see it to completion…even if it to takes the rest of your life.
So what are you to do? Simply yield to Him. Each and every day — surrender your heart and will to His. Trust Him. Love Him. And FOLLOW after Him.
You may be leaning a bit ..but the more you yield yourself to Him, the more He’ll shape you into that HOLY and Sanctified person He’s called you to be!
Remember, you are a work in progress. And that’s GOOD NEWS FOR GOD’S PEOPLE!
PRAYER
As we conclude, I want to pray for you. But before I do, I want to challenge you to really embrace this message.
And if you’d like to SURRENDER your life to Christ, invite Him to live in you — then would you pause where you are and pray with me? Maybe you’d pray something like this:
HeavenlyFather, I admit that I am a sinner and I’ve made many mistakes in my life. Too often, I’ve chosen my way over yours. But all that changes today. Because, I believe in Your Son, Jesus. I believe that He came from Heaven to earth to pay for my sin. I believe He died on the cross, shed His blood, was put in a grave — and rose again. So, today — I put my faith in Him. Forgive me of my sin. Save me and give me new life in you forever.I pray this in Jesus name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer — I’m so proud of you. Before you leave today, let someone know! We want to celebrate with you.
And now…for the rest of us…let me pray for you:
Heavenly Father, we thank you…for your incredible patience with us. Thank you for your constant grace and never-ending love for us. Help us to recognize the gift you’ve given us in our salvation…and the holiness you’ve bestowed upon us through Jesus.
And help us to daily surrender our will and our lives to you. May you keep working to straighten out the bends in our character. And fulfill your purpose in making us upright, holy, and a reflection of Jesus in this world.
Keep offering us grace — and help us to embrace it. And as you do…may we live our lives for you. We pray this in Jesus name…amen!
Hey friends, thanks again for letting us join you today. I hope you leave here with a renewed hope in Jesus. I love you much. And hope to see you again real soon. God bless you!