1 Corinthians 1
The Family of God!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Wednesday, September 16.
Did you know that your church is called to be one big happy family? That sounds wonderful until you commit your life to actually bring it about.
All our families have problems—communication and conflict—so, just imagine how difficult it is being a big old healthy church family when we are bringing more than one family dynamic and those issues together to have all things in common and as Paul commands us in 1 Corinthians 1:10, to live with no divisions among us, in perfect unity in mind and thought.
True confessions? This is an impossible expectation from my experience! You want to talk about dysfunctional families, try putting dozens or hundreds of family units together… It’s not just impossible, it’s an insane social experiment!
Welcome to Paul’s letters to the family of God located in ancient Corinth, which probably could have earned the honor of most dysfunctional family in the history of the New Testament Churches. Listen to Paul start off the conversation with them in 1 Corinthians 1:26-29,
For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.
Paul agreed with me: “IMPOSSIBLE!” Paul knew and taught the Corinthians and I am teaching you today: what is impossible for us, is possible for God! When the church lives up to God’s commands, then the world will see and give God glory!
Seize the moment and trust God to do the impossible in you and through you for His glory!