Podcasts about Corinth

The city of Corinth was a place of commerce. Nobody went there except to be successful. It was built from scratch just a few decades before Paul's letter was written. There were not old families and traditions. This was a place that attracted an unusually resourceful, talented, ambitious, intense kind of person. And right into this culture, Paul says, “I don't care how rich or talented you are. If you're irritable, impatient, selfish, self-centered, self-pitying, driven and anxious, you have nothing. Don't say, ‘I just have a few personal issues to deal with.' You have nothing.” Paul says character is everything. And so what is inner love and joy? What is the inner supernatural change in character that God can bring? In 1 Corinthians 13, we see 1) two things that heart character is not, and 2) one thing that it is. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on January 13, 2002. Series: Practical Grace; How the Gospel Transforms Character. Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:1-8. Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.

What if one of the clearest signs of generosity isn't simply how much we give, but how deeply we desire to participate?In 2 Corinthians 8, the apostle Paul describes a group of believers whose generosity was remarkable—not because they had abundant resources, but because they were eager to give even amid significant hardship.Their example shows us what happens when grace transforms the heart.Generosity in the Midst of HardshipPaul is writing to encourage the church in Corinth to participate in a collection for believers in Jerusalem who were experiencing severe need. To encourage them, he points to the churches of Macedonia.But the Macedonians weren't wealthy benefactors with plenty to spare. Paul writes:“We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints.” - 2 Corinthians 8:1–4Paul describes their circumstances in striking terms: severe affliction and extreme poverty. Yet alongside those circumstances was an “abundance of joy,” and somehow the combination overflowed into generosity.Perhaps the most surprising detail is that they begged to give.Paul wasn't begging them for money. They were asking Paul for the privilege of participating.From Obligation to OpportunityThat posture can feel unfamiliar. Even within the church, giving can easily begin to feel like another financial obligation—a bill to pay, a percentage to calculate, or a requirement to satisfy. The question becomes, “How much am I supposed to give?”The Macedonians appear to be asking a very different question: How can we be part of this?They knew their brothers and sisters were suffering, and they didn't want their own difficult circumstances to prevent them from participating in their care.Paul tells us where that desire came from. He begins the passage not by praising the impressive generosity of the Macedonians, but by saying, “We want you to know…about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia.”Their generosity was evidence of God's grace at work in them. Verse 5 takes us even deeper: “They gave themselves first to the Lord.”That came before the money. Before offering their resources, they had entrusted themselves to God.Grace Changes What We TreasureWhen we understand that we belong to Christ and that everything we have ultimately comes from His hand, generosity looks different. It becomes less about losing something and more about participating in what God is doing.That doesn't mean Scripture calls Christians to give recklessly or neglect legitimate responsibilities. Paul provides important balance later in the same chapter:“For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.” - 2 Corinthians 8:12Paul continues by explaining that his goal is not for some believers to be relieved while others are left burdened. Rather, he describes a kind of mutual care in which one person's abundance can meet another person's need.So the point of the Macedonians' example is not that everyone should give beyond what they can responsibly afford. The deeper lesson is about the posture of the heart.Do I primarily see generosity as something being taken from me, or as an opportunity God may be placing before me?When I encounter someone in need, is my first instinct to protect what is mine, or am I willing to ask whether God has entrusted me with something I can share?The Macedonians' circumstances were difficult, but grace had reshaped what they valued.The Greater Example of GenerosityUltimately, Paul doesn't leave our attention on Macedonia. He points us to Jesus. 2 Corinthians 8:9 says:“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.”That is the foundation of Christian generosity. We don't give in order to earn God's favor. We give because, in Christ, we have already received grace beyond measure.And when that grace captures our hearts, generosity begins to change.It becomes more than something we have to do. It becomes something we're grateful to get to do.On Today's Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:I have about $36,000 in student loan debt at 9%, and after decades of repayment I feel like I'm barely making progress. Would paying every two weeks help, and should I consider using home equity to pay it off?I have a whole life policy with a term rider I didn't realize was included. Should I remove the rider, keep it until it expires, or redirect that money into the whole life policy instead?I'm selling my home for less than I originally paid, but the buyer wants the contract price listed higher to cover closing costs. How would that affect my taxes, and could any gain impact my Social Security?My husband and I own our home, and I want my daughter to inherit it without unnecessary difficulty. What's the best way to structure that?Resources Mentioned:Become a FaithFi PartnerFaithful Steward: FaithFi's Quarterly MagazineFaithFi Field Guide: How Much Money is Enough? Our Ultimate Treasure: A 21-Day Journey to Faithful Stewardship by Rob WestWisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on MoneyLook At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and AnxietyRich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich FoolFind a Certified Kingdom Advisor® (CKA)FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every weekday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God's resources. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Everyone seems to have something to say in Corinth, but who is being helped by what is heard? Paul would rather speak five understandable words than ten thousand in a tongue. He calls for speech that teaches, encourages, and consoles, then tells some speakers to wait, others to remain silent, and the Church to weigh what is said. His instructions also address women's speaking in the assembly and confront those who claim spiritual authority while rejecting the Lord's command. How does the Church distinguish a speaker's desire to be heard from speech that builds up Christ's people?   The Rev. James Peterson of St. John Lutheran Church in Curtis, Nebraska, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study 1 Corinthians 14:1–40.  To learn more about St. John Lutheran in Curtis, visit facebook.com/stjohncurtis. What happens when Christians turn their pastors into rival teams, take one another to court, and leave their neighbors hungry at the Lord's Supper? Corinth gives Paul plenty to write about. Questions about marriage, meat sacrificed to idols, spiritual gifts, and the resurrection bring the apostle into the daily life of a church struggling with pride and division. Through it all, he keeps bringing them back to Christ crucified and risen.  In 2 Corinthians, the strained relationship between Paul and the people he loves brings its own painful questions about forgiveness, faithful ministry, suffering, and weakness. These letters give us the treasure in jars of clay, the promise of resurrection, and the assurance that Christ's grace is sufficient. Join Thy Strong Word as we study 1 and 2 Corinthians verse by verse and hear what God speaks to a troubled church He has called His own.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

What does Paul really mean when he warns Christians not to be “unequally yoked together with unbelievers”?In today's message, Gary continues through 2 Corinthians 6 and 7, examining Paul's deeply personal appeal to the troubled church at Corinth. Gary explores the danger of syncretism—the blending of biblical Christianity with competing beliefs—and why Paul urged believers to remain grounded in sound doctrine.

00:00:00 Acts 1 – Promise of the Holy Ghost and Matthias Chosen00:03:37 Acts 2 – Cloven Tongues of Fire and Peter Preacheth00:09:04 Acts 3 – Lame Man Healed and Repentance Declared00:12:37 Acts 4 – Boldness of the Apostles and All Things Common00:16:54 Acts 5 – Ananias and Sapphira Smitten and Prison Opened00:22:09 Acts 6 – Seven Deacons Ordained and Stephen Accused00:24:07 Acts 7 – Stephen's Defense of the Faith and Martyrdom00:31:32 Acts 8 – Philip Preacheth Samaria and the Ethiopian Baptized00:36:27 Acts 9 – Saul's Conversion and Aeneas and Dorcas Healed00:42:11 Acts 10 – Cornelius's Vision and Gentiles Receive the Holy Ghost00:48:14 Acts 11 – Peter Justifieth His Ministry to the Gentiles00:51:53 Acts 12 – James Killed, Peter Delivered, and Herod Smitten00:55:20 Acts 13 – Paul Sent Forth and Elymas the Sorcerer Blinded01:02:16 Acts 14 – Paul Stoned at Lystra and Elders Ordained01:05:53 Acts 15 – Jerusalem Council and Decree Touching the Gentiles01:11:14 Acts 16 – Macedonian Call and Philippian Jailer Saved01:16:30 Acts 17 – Paul at Thessalonica, Berea, and Mars' Hill01:21:19 Acts 18 – Paul at Corinth and Apollos Instructed01:25:07 Acts 19 – Exorcists Confounded and Uproar at Ephesus01:30:33 Acts 20 – Eutychus Raised and Paul's Charge to Elders01:35:19 Acts 21 – Paul Warninged, Arrested, and Bound at Jerusalem01:40:58 Acts 22 – Paul's Defense Before the Jews and Roman Citizenship01:45:02 Acts 23 – Paul Before the Sanhedrin and Plot Defeated01:50:07 Acts 24 – Paul Accused Before Felix and Reasoneth of Judgment01:53:56 Acts 25 – Paul Before Festus and Appeals Unto Caesar01:57:59 Acts 26 – Paul's Defense Before Agrippa and Almost Persuaded02:02:16 Acts 27 – Voyage, Tempestuous Wind, and Shipwreck at Melita02:07:52 Acts 28 – Viper at Melita and Paul Preacheth at Rome

“Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, ‘It has come at last—salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth—the one who accuses them before our God day and night.’” (Revelation 12:10 NLT) Victor Hugo, the author of Les Misérables, observed, “A good general must penetrate the brain of his enemy.” Understanding how an enemy thinks is the first step in defeating him. As believers, we face a formidable enemy in the devil. Yet, thanks to God’s Word, we have a pretty good sense of how the devil thinks and works. The apostle Paul urged believers in Corinth to forgive “so that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are familiar with his evil schemes” (2 Corinthians 2:11 NLT). One of the devil’s favorite evil schemes is to accuse believers. And he is relentless in this pursuit. Revelation 12:10 says, “Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, ‘It has come at last—salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth—the one who accuses them before our God day and night’” (NLT). Here’s how he works. First, he comes at you with a temptation, usually one that’s carefully crafted to hit you where you’re most vulnerable. Suddenly, an ungodly, objectionable, dishonorable image or idea appears in your brain and tries to make a lasting impression. The effect can be jarring. You think, “Whoa, where did that come from?” as you try to scrub it from your consciousness. But the devil is quick to pounce. He goes into full prosecutor mode, preying on your conscience and self-image. He might say something like, “You are so twisted! What’s your problem? Why would you think such a horrible thought? And you call yourself a Christian! What kind of representative of Christ are you?” Left unchecked, his accusations can cause spiritual damage. But his accusations don’t go unchecked. Jesus serves as your defense attorney. He intercedes on your behalf. Jesus once said to Peter, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat” (Luke 22:31 NLT). But then He went on to say, “But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail” (verse 32 NLT). Jesus counters the devil’s accusations with prayerful intercession. That’s what Paul was talking about when he wrote, “Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us” (Romans 8:34 NLT). The devil’s accusations are no match for Jesus’ defense. Don’t believe the lies of your enemy. See yourself as God sees you: forgiven and righteous because of the sacrifice of His Son. Reflection question: When are you most vulnerable to believing the devil’s accusations against you? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Imagine knowing every mystery, speaking with extraordinary eloquence, and giving away everything you own. Paul says that without love, even these impressive things amount to nothing. His familiar words about patience and kindness confront a congregation whose spiritual gifts have become occasions for envy and pride. What does love expose about the way we measure Christian maturity? And why will the gifts the Corinthians prize eventually pass away, while love endures when we finally see face to face?  The Rev. Bryan Stecker joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study 1 Corinthians 12:27–13:13.  What happens when Christians turn their pastors into rival teams, take one another to court, and leave their neighbors hungry at the Lord's Supper? Corinth gives Paul plenty to write about. Questions about marriage, meat sacrificed to idols, spiritual gifts, and the resurrection bring the apostle into the daily life of a church struggling with pride and division. Through it all, he keeps bringing them back to Christ crucified and risen.  In 2 Corinthians, the strained relationship between Paul and the people he loves brings its own painful questions about forgiveness, faithful ministry, suffering, and weakness. These letters give us the treasure in jars of clay, the promise of resurrection, and the assurance that Christ's grace is sufficient. Join Thy Strong Word as we study 1 and 2 Corinthians verse by verse and hear what God speaks to a troubled church He has called His own.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

We continue our series on Paul's letters to the church he's planted in Corinth. Today we are reminded that this is all about Him, not about us. This life with Jesus is centred on the cross and on our surrender to Christ as Lord.

Some Christians wonder whether they have anything to offer. Others act as though the Church could get along without everyone else. Paul answers both by pointing to the church as an image of a body that needs its eyes, hands, and feet, including the members that seem weakest. The Spirit who brings us to confess Jesus as Lord gives different gifts and joins us together in Baptism. What happens when we turn those gifts into a measure of someone's importance? And how does belonging to one body change whose suffering we notice and whose joy we share?  The Rev. Chris Matthis, senior pastor of Epiphany Lutheran Church in Castle Rock, Colorado, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study 1 Corinthians 12:1–26. To learn more about Epiphany in Castle Rock, visit epiphanylc.org. What happens when Christians turn their pastors into rival teams, take one another to court, and leave their neighbors hungry at the Lord's Supper? Corinth gives Paul plenty to write about. Questions about marriage, meat sacrificed to idols, spiritual gifts, and the resurrection bring the apostle into the daily life of a church struggling with pride and division. Through it all, he keeps bringing them back to Christ crucified and risen.  In 2 Corinthians, the strained relationship between Paul and the people he loves brings its own painful questions about forgiveness, faithful ministry, suffering, and weakness. These letters give us the treasure in jars of clay, the promise of resurrection, and the assurance that Christ's grace is sufficient. Join Thy Strong Word as we study 1 and 2 Corinthians verse by verse and hear what God speaks to a troubled church He has called His own.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

Welcome! Along with our Sunday sermons, we're trying something new - posting recordings of our 9am Discovery Hour Forums, thanks to requests from many of you! Since this is audio only, you won't be able to see any slides the presenter uses, and we're still working on improving the sound quality. However, we hope this gives you an easy way to join the conversation when you're traveling or can't make it to church on Sunday. This week, our own the Rev. Hannah Pommersheim shared insights about Paul's letter to the early church in Corinth.  Thanks for listening, and enjoy! For more information, visit www.saintlukesdarien.org.

Held FastActs 18Teacher: Tommy BaileyDate: September 27, 2026In Acts 18, the Apostle Paul arrives in Corinth alone and worn down. There he finds Priscilla and Aquila, recently uprooted from their home in Rome by the Emperor Claudius. Even as the gospel begins to bear fruit in Corinth, Paul is afraid. So the Lord comes to him in the night with a word of assurance, "Do not be afraid… for I am with you" (vv. 9–10).Join Pastor Tommy as we consider the God who holds fast the uprooted and undone. Whether your life has been upended by circumstances you didn't choose or you are simply weary, the same Lord who held Paul fast in Corinth will not let go of those who belong to Him.Support the showTo find more resources like these, follow us:Website: https://thevillagechapel.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQVTzDbaiXVUAm_mUBDCTJAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tvcnashville/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tvcnashvilleX: https://twitter.com/tvcnashvilleTo support the ongoing mission of The Village Chapel go to https://thevillagechapel.com/give/. If you are a regular giver, thank you for your continued faithfulness and generosity!

Paul arrives in Corinth frustrated, and facing more opposition to the work God has called him to. In the middle of his discouragement, God reminds him: “Do not be afraid. Keep on speaking. I am with you.” Paul's story reminds us that difficulty doesn't always mean we're headed in the wrong direction. Sometimes faithfulness simply means continuing to show up, trusting that God is working even when we can't see it yet. God gives us people to walk alongside us, moments of encouragement along the way, and His presence through it all. Wherever God has called you, don't give up. Keep going. He is with you.

What was a thorn all about, that God allowed into Paul's life?

Introduction: Church: Be Unified and Purified (1 Corinthians 16:13-24) Be PURIFIED . (1 Cor 16:13) Be WATCHFUL ! Stand FIRM ! Act like MEN ! Be STRONG ! Be UNIFIED . (1 Cor 16:14-24) Be SUBJECT to SERVANTS . (1 Cor 16:15-16) Give RECOGNITION to REFRESHERS (1 Cor 16:17-18) Show AFFINITY to one ANOTHER . (1 Cor 16:19-24) Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Unified and Purified: Motivated By Love Jeff Miller Download Audio Transcript 00:00Amen. Open your Bibles, please, if you haven't already, to the passage that Pastor Taylor just read. 1 Corinthians 16, picking up in verse 13. Just take a moment, please, while you're doing so, and just pray for me to be faithful, to communicate God's Word clearly and accurately as I should, and I will pray for you to receive what it is the Lord wants to teach us in this passage. Let's just take a moment.00:29Thank you, Father, for this journey you've taken us through. And it's a lot. It's so challenging in parts, so contrary to human, natural, worldly thinking. Your wisdom always is, though. Father, give us the faith to truly believe what it is that you said.00:59not just say we believe it but to truly believe what it is that you say in your word may your name be glorified greatly father as we have one more passage here speak to us through your word father we ask in jesus name and all of god's people said amen amen about a month or so ago we get a call here on the church line and the the guy we get these calls from time But the guy went into this very long, confusing, convoluted story. Remember this, Pastor Taylor? It was something about he had a truckload of furniture and somebody was paying him to haul it, but he was running out of gas, so he was calling the church to see if we could help him with gas because he needed to get to, where was he going, Oklahoma City or something? It was just this long, convoluted, confusing story.01:59And then finally, I said, okay, stop, stop, stop, stop. I said, tell me in one sentence what it is that you want. And he said, well, I want to see if I can donate some of this furniture from the truck for gas money. I was born at night, but it wasn't last night. It was one of these scam things, right? So I said, we don't have any room for furniture. Have a great day. But what was the plan then?02:29Somebody was paying him to haul donated furniture. He was going to use that furniture to fund his... Anyway, too long, right? It's like those emails you get. Too long, didn't read. You get those emails? Too long, didn't read? It was like the phone call version of that. And as we get to the end of 1 Corinthians, it's a lot. I mean, we've been covering this since last October. Can you believe that?02:59Everything that Paul has said under inspiration of the Holy Spirit of 1 Corinthians, you're like, whoa, whoa, Paul, Paul, can you tell me in one sentence what it is you want me to know? Right? Can you sum it up? And yeah, actually, that's where we got the theme for the year. Be purified, church.03:28Being purified is about who you are. It's holiness. We've talked about that. You're like, yeah, yeah, but can you give it to me in one sentence? Sure. Look at verse 13. Here it is. Be watchful. Stand firm in the faith. Act like men. Be strong. There it is. Like, yeah, Pastor Jeff, you could have saved a lot of time in the last year if you would have just led with that. Right? That sums it all up.03:58But that's be purified. We've also been looking at what God's Word says about being unified, church. Being purified is about who you are. Being unified is about how you love other people. You're like, yeah, we've talked a lot about unity. Can you tell me about unity in one sentence, Pastor Jeff? Can you tell me in one sentence? He does. Look at verse 14. Let all that you do.04:28be done in love. Wow, you could have saved some time. That's it. Be purified, be unified. Corinth had a lot of problems. Like how many problems did they have? Well, two books worth in the Bible. Right? A lot of problems. And we've spent the last year talking about them. Divisions and lusts and suing one another and insisting on their freedoms.04:58and self-exalting. And we've had, in 1 Corinthians, we've had 15 chapters of don't. And he closes with just a few verses of do. So what we see here is that we get to this home stretch here. What Paul does here in this passage is he puts a big bow on it. He gives us one more word on these two themes that we've been covering this past year.05:27So church be unified and purified. Number one, let's talk about the first command here. Be purified.05:36Church. Look at verse 13 again.05:39Not difficult.05:41It's clear. Be watchful.05:44Stand firm in the faith.05:45Act like men. Be strong.05:48Be purified.05:49Look, if we're going to be collectively pure as a church, you need to be individually holy.06:00You want a pure church? It means you have a part in that. Right? So let's just quickly, he just like blasts us with these four things. We're going to look at them quickly. Letter A, be watchful, he says. Be watchful. Literally, this phrase means be awake.06:27literally means be fully awake. You know the difference between being awake and being fully awake? You know the difference between the two? I think of many years ago, I was taking my Sunday afternoon nap. Delicious. And I was sleeping. I was out. The smoke alarm went off. So I get up. Back to bed. Erin runs in. She goes, Jeff, there's actually a I jump up here. We had a metal garbage can and my son found a lighter and put some papers on fire in the garbage can. No damage to the house. It was a metal can. Everything contained. But my point is this. There is a big difference between the first time I got up and the second time I got up. I was awake and then I was fully awake. And fully awake is what he's saying here when he says be watchful. Because honestly Christians, Many Christians today are in the sleepy stupor. They're in the stupor like the first time I woke up and that's just how they wander through life. Half awake, half asleep. And there's spiritual attacks all around and it's just like, oh, no problem. There's temptations to sin all around and you're just kind of staggering through, not really watching for them.07:57There's needs of others around you and you're just like, don't notice.08:05And that's what Paul, that's what he says here.08:06He goes, wake up.08:07Like, no, wake up.08:09See what's going on around you.08:12Be watchful.08:14Secondly, letter B says stand firm.08:17Church, you've got to know what you believe.08:21You've got to know why you believe what you believe.08:23And when you do, live it.08:25Do not waver.08:26And that's what we saw in 1 Corinthians. They were so sucked into worldly wisdom that some of them were denying that there was even a resurrection. That's why we have 1 Corinthians 15. Like, what? You're like, shame on them. Well, you know what? Shame on us because there are people that they hear some goofy nutjob preacher online teaching some wackadoo doctrine and they just latch on to that. Like, wow.08:56I never heard this before. Do you know why you never heard that before? Because it's wrong. How about that? People believing some bizarre things. How does that happen? Because they don't know what they really believe. People aren't studying God's Word for themselves. And that's why Paul says, hey, hey, Corinthians, stand firm in the faith. Let us see, he says, act like men.09:27Act like men. What's he saying? Be mature. Be mature. Obviously, he's talking to the men here, right? Do you know why he's talking to the men? Because men usually have the maturity problem. True or false? We can be honest here.09:56We have the maturity problem. True.10:01All the fighting. All the bragging.10:04All the self-seeking. We've seen Paul address this in 1 Corinthians.10:07Paul's like, you're acting like children.10:10You're acting like a bunch of toddlers back in Harvest Academy.10:13Fighting over the goldfish crackers.10:15Knock it off.10:17He says, grow up. He says, act like, how about acting like men for a change?10:24But we see that with men. Not acting like men. Acting like children. I'm mad. I didn't get my way. I'm never speaking to him again. I'm leaving the church because I don't prefer this. No. Act like men. Grow up. Be a man. Show the young men how a man acts. Act like men. And then he says be strong. Be strong. Literally.10:54Literally, it's be strengthened. There's a difference, right? Between being strong and being strengthened. The difference is the source. Being strong means I try to muster it up myself. I can't. That's not what he says. He says, be strengthened. I need someone to do that to me. And that's God. I need God's Spirit. I need the power of the Spirit. I need the wisdom of His Word.11:23I was looking through this list. I'm like, you know what? If I'm walking by the Spirit, I will be watchful. I will stand firm. I will act like a man. And as a result, I'll be strong if I do that. Right? It's the result. All of these things obviously are acts of intention, right? They're all resolute postures. All of these things give you that, Like, yes, I am God's soldier. I'm going to stand on the Word of God. I will not waver, right? Right? I'm purified by Him. I'm purified for Him. Here's the only problem with that is if we just commit to going after that, we're going to be crusty.12:24We need to be motivated by love. Right? It's both truth and grace. That's why, number two, you can't just be purified. Church, you also have to be unified. Look at verse 14 again. Verse 14, he says, let all that you do be done in love.12:53Everything that you do. Let it be motivated by love. This is what the Corinthians desperately needed. This is what Harvest Bible Chapel desperately needs. This is what every single church that belongs to Jesus Christ truly needs. That we are motivated. Everything that we do is done because we love one another.13:20Love is action. We talked about that, right? 1 Corinthians 13. Love is action. Like, what does that look like? Well, what you see here when we get to the end of the letter, it's a very easy formula. Paul here gives us three groups of people and then gives us three commands on how to respond to each of these.13:53This is a two-way street.13:54You must respond by doing this.13:57That's the formula.13:58And do you know what that tells me?14:03It's a reminder that love is a two-way street.14:07Right?14:08Love is meant to be a two-way street.14:15If you've ever been involved in a relationship where love was just a one-way street, you know how frustrating that can be. And Paul reminds us here, look, these people did things. You respond in this way. Love is a two-way street. You have to be actively loving each other. Be unified. So what does that look like? Well, letter A, he says, be subject to servants. Be subject to servants. Look at verse 15. He says, now I urge you, you know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia.14:57And that they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints.15:07Devoted themselves. I love that phrase. They devoted themselves.15:12Themselves. Do you know what that means? That means they weren't coerced.15:18They weren't begged to serve. They were self-motivated. They're like, we're doing this because we want to. They devoted themselves. But even more interesting to me than that, that word devoted, that word has the same root from where we get the word addicted. They were addicted.15:48to serving people.15:50And if you've ever known someone that was an addict to a substance, to a chemical, to drugs or alcohol, you know the drive of, I just can't stop doing this.16:05I need more and more and more to satisfy.16:11And this is that attitude, but used in a positive, He says you should be addicted to serving people in Christ. Like, I can't help it. Like, hey, stop doing ministry. I need you to take a couple weeks off. I can't help it. I cannot help it. I want to serve. How can I serve people? Like, you really need to quit. No, I need to do it more. I just can't get enough of it. They were addicted to ministry. And that's just how it is when you find your calling from God.16:47You're addicted. You're addicted. You can't help yourself. If somebody says you're absolutely forbidden in this church to serve the Lord in this way, you'll find someplace where you can serve Him because you're addicted. Have you found your ministry addiction? Well, what do we do in response to these ministry addicts? Look at verse 16. He says, be subject to such as these.17:15and every fellow worker and laborer. Be subject. Paul says, when someone like Stephanas so faithfully serves the Lord, you be subject to them. Be subject to them. You say, look, this is who God is using. This is healthy ministry. I want to do everything I can to support them. And as I was reading and studying this this week, do you know who I was thinking of from our church like this? I was thinking of Joe and Janie Berger.17:46You know, they started a ministry for people in their 20s.17:52They weren't asked to do that. That was on their heart. They said, the Lord put that on us.17:56We want to serve in this way. We want to help disciple young adults, people in their 20s.18:02They were completely self-motivated to do that, and they continue. How can we make improvements to that room?18:08What can we do to make this? They take up a whole other level this year than they did last year.18:15How can we better serve the young adults? They're like addicts. That's exactly what he's talking about here. And you should be looking at people like Joe and Janie Berger and saying, how can I help them along? What can I do to support them? He says, be subject to such as these. Let her be. Be unified. Love is this two-way street, right? Here's the next two-way street.18:45He says, give recognition to refreshers. Give recognition to refreshers. Look at verse 17. He said, I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortinatus and Achaicus because they have made up for your absence. But they apparently didn't have nicknames.19:15I mean, can we do that real quick? Stephanas, we'll call him, what, Stevie? Does that work? Okay. What about, this next one's going to be a little harder. Fortunatus, what do we call him, Fortnite? Did you play that game? Fortnite? 40. 40. And when he turns 40, whoa, that's a All right? What about Achaicus? You guys are really bad at nicknaming people. How about Achy Breaky Heart? Anyways. All right. So these are Stevie and Forty and Achy. What have they done? Paul says they made up for your absence. Literally the Greek there, he says they filled up my lack of you.20:17They filled up my lack of you. You know, as we've gone through 1 Corinthians, we could say in all sincerity that Corinth sounded like the kind of church that you would absolutely love to avoid. Right? Like, hey, if you like cliques, gluttony, and chaos, have we got a church for you? Like, I'm busy.20:45every Sunday.20:47And that's why reading 1 Corinthians and getting to the end here, it's astounding to me that Paul was actually longing to see them.20:58Do you see that?21:02He says, I miss all of you.21:06But Stevie and Forty and Achy, they really scratched that itch.21:12Look at verse 18.21:14He says, for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours.21:19Here's the command.21:20Here's the response.21:21Give recognition to such men.21:26These men refreshed Paul's spirit.21:31And we should come to church.21:34We should come to small group wanting to refresh people.21:39Being positive, thankful, uplifting.21:42We all know people that do the opposite. I think back to my days. I worked at Walmart and Butler in the mid-90s and there was an employee there. I'm not going to say her name. She's surely dead by an hour. She'd be 130. But like there was an employee there that like it was like this running gag. They're like if you see her just say hi.22:12Because, you know, sometimes we're like, hey, how are you? The problem with her is if you ask, how are you? She'll tell you. Not the short version either. And there have been times that I'll pass her in the aisle, and I'd say, hey, how are you? And as soon as it came out of my mouth, I'm like, oh, I did it. I'm like, hey, how are you? She'll be like, oh, you know what? My bad knee's acting up.22:41Now, my good knee's been hurt, and my daughter, you know, my daughter's gone through this divorce, and she has the gout, and her ex-husband has the gout, and they had this landlord who has this uncle who knew this guy, and he has the gout, and my finances are a wreck, and it would just drain the life out of you. You know people like that? Don't point. You know people like that? Some people drain the life out of you, but some people, They seem to do the opposite. They seem to fuel you.23:16Fill up your tank.23:19It's like, you know what refreshing feels like?23:20Here's a real life example of what refreshing feels like.23:24Something that we can all relate to.23:26As if we've ever been at a whether it's small group breakout time or a prayer service where people are going around giving their prayer requests.23:34You know, sometimes it's just like health issue after tragedy, after financial issue and we should be praying for those things. I'm not criticizing that at all.23:44But you know what's refreshing? Is when you get to the guy that's like, you know what?23:49I have a praise. Can I share a praise? And it's like, yes!23:52Thank you! Please share the praise. And that person's like, I just want to thank God for the way that I've seen Him at work in this church.24:00And it's so refreshing.24:03Like, yes! That's what Paul's talking about here.24:07These guys.24:10They refresh you. You recognize or honor them.24:21Some people deserve to be honored. That's just all there is to it.24:24They deserve to be honored. Not because they have money. Not because they're influential. Not because they have cool names.24:33They deserve to be recognized because their attitudes and their words refresh people.24:41You're like, man, I've really had a hard week.24:45And man, it was so good.24:47I ran into so-and-so and it was so good to see him.24:51Man, he just, running into him just made my day.24:56You know what I'm talking about?25:01Paul listed some people here.25:02And again, I was thinking about people here at Harvest. And there were so many names and faces that came to mind. So many. But Paul listed three. I'm like, I've got to just do three right off the top of my head. Of people that when I encounter them, I always feel good after walking away from a conversation with them. And here's who I wrote down. Chris Richards. Always. Do you know our worship team today was like, Literally 50% Richards.25:37But every time I talk to Chris, I just walk away feeling better.25:41He's refreshing. You know who else I thought of?25:43And you might not know all these people. It's okay. You need to meet them.25:46Jillian gave you a chance and you blew it.25:48But you know, somebody else that does that for me is Sally Cousins.25:54If you know Sally Cousins from our church, I always feel like a million bucks after talking to her.25:58She's refreshing.25:59You know who else I wrote down here?26:01Like I said, there's so many.26:02Don't feel excluded. I could be up here till Thanksgiving listing people. I wrote down Russ House. Russ, you all, man, you always make me feel better after talking to you. You're such an encourager. And that's what Paul's talking about here. He says, when you have people like that, give recognition to them. And then finally, letter C, show affinity to one another.26:34Show affinity to one another. Look at verses 19 and 20. He says, The churches of Asia send you their greetings.26:48Akilah and Prissa together with the church in their house send you hearty greetings in the Lord.26:55All the brothers send you greetings.26:59Greet one another with a holy kiss.27:02So here Paul's like, Achille and Priscilla and the churches and the brothers. You know, we're like, tell everybody I said hi. That's what he's doing here. Everybody says hi to you, Corinth. He says, look, hey Corinth, everyone is showing affinity, showing affection to you. And then you notice, he says, now you do it. He says, greet one another with a holy kiss. Greet one another with a holy kiss. Now, wait a minute.27:34This phrase comes up several times in the New Testament. It's in Romans, 2 Corinthians, 1 Thessalonians, 1 Peter. But I want you to understand something. In their culture, men kissed men and women kissed women. In our culture, that's the equivalent of the handshake or the hug. Right? But we can't get so caught up on the method that we missed the big picture because Corinth needed this and Harvest Bible Chapel needs this. We should be expressing affection towards one another. We should be expressing that. People come to church here, they come in during the third song and then they slip out during the last song and then they're like, I just didn't feel very loved at that church.28:32You stared at the back of somebody's head? Really? You didn't feel loved? I can understand why. How about this? How about stick around and talk to people and shake some hands and give some hugs? Then you'll feel loved. That's exactly what Paul's saying here. Don't slip in and out. Stick around. Love each other. Show affinity. People need to know that they are loved and they are valued. You're not a customer here.29:02You are a brother or sister in the Lord. So, who wants a holy kiss? Just Aaron. That's appropriate. Wish granted. I'm going to owe you that. But we'll move on. I'm glad nobody did rush the stage for that actually.29:32Aaron would have knocked you out. But moving on. He says, I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. You know, often Paul would dictate, somebody would write. But Paul's like, I'm signing off on this. And I know we can sort of laugh some of these names and holy kisses and things like that.30:02But this next verse to me is one of the most convicting verses in the entire Bible. Look at verse 22. Paul says, if anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord come. So convicting. Look at the verse again. You should have this underlined in your Bible. He says, if anyone has no love for the Lord.30:32And I just need to ask you, based on what God's Word says here, I need to ask you, do you love the Lord? Do you love Him? We're not saying, hey, hey, hey, you're not anti-Jesus, are you?31:02We're not saying, do you like going to church?31:07And we're not saying, are you okay with having a little religion in your life?31:13You think it's good for the kids, right?31:14You're okay with a little religion.31:16We're not saying any of that.31:17Look at what your Bible says.31:19Do you love the Lord?31:26Do you love the Lord?31:26Because listen, it does not matter if you merely acknowledge that Jesus is right.31:35It doesn't matter if you respect Jesus.31:42It doesn't even matter if you sort of idealize Jesus.31:47The question is, do you love Him?31:51Do you love Him?31:54Well, how do I know?32:00Come on.32:01You know if you love someone. You just know if you love someone. You have a relationship with them. You enjoy talking to them. You long to be with them. It's the same with Jesus. Do you love Him? Do you have a relationship with Him? I mean, do you spend time talking with Jesus?32:32Do you have this desire? Like, I just, more than anything, I want to be with Jesus. Do you have that longing? You know, sometimes we talk to people about heaven, and they're like, oh, I can't wait to go to heaven because my Uncle Fred's going to be there. Like, who cares about Uncle Fred? Do you know who's going to be there? Jesus! Where's the longing to be with Him? Do you love Him?33:01Jesus said, if you love me, you will keep my commandments. Do you love Jesus Christ? Look, here's the thing. Jesus' love for you is not in question. The Bible says he demonstrated his love when he died on the cross. So if you ever get that idea in your head, well, God doesn't love me, that's not in question.33:31Jesus died on the cross in your place to pay the penalty for your sin. And He commands you to respond to that love. Jesus' love for you is not in question. What is in question is this, do you love Jesus? And finally, last two verses. He says, the grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love be with you all.34:01in Christ Jesus. Amen. Do you know what Paul's saying there? Saying, you are loved. We didn't make that up, by the way. We stole that also from the Bible. But that's exactly what Paul's saying. So I understand when we get up here, whether it's me or Pastor Taylor, whoever gets up here and says, you are loved, you know what we're saying is, look, God loves you with an eternal love in Jesus Christ.34:31You are loved by God. And you are loved by us at the church. That's exactly what Paul's saying here. That's what we say when we say you are loved. And I think it was especially important for the Corinthians to hear this after 16 chapters of being taken to the woodshed. Paul's like, look, none of this was meant to beat you down. It's because that I love you, that I want God's best for you. Our worship team would make their way up in our communion servers. I think it's only appropriate that we close this message, we close this series around the Lord's table. Why did Jesus die for us?35:30Jesus died for us so that we would be holy. We could be made righteous so that we would be purified. That's why He died. So that God would look at you, see you in Christ, and say, you are not guilty of sin. You are as righteous as I am. God gave us His righteousness. God did this so that we would be Purified.36:03So why do we, as a church, take the Lord's Supper together?36:08So that we are unified.36:11When we do this together, we are saying collectively, I believe that Jesus is the Christ.36:17I believe that He died for me.36:19I believe He rose from the dead.36:20I believe He's coming back.36:22And we, together as a church, are the body of Christ.36:26This is a great act of unity. Small Group DiscussionRead 1 Corinthians 16:13-24What was your big take-away from this passage / message?What did Paul mean by “act like men” (1 Cor 16:13)? What are some ways men aren't acting like men in the church today? What does it look like to “act like a man”?Who is someone who “refreshes your spirit” (1 Cor 16:18)? How do they do that? How are you doing at being a “refresher”?Though we don't kiss each other in our culture (1 Cor 16:20), what are ways we can show affinity towards one another? Why is it important for us to do so?How would you respond to someone who asks “How do I know if I truly LOVE the Lord?” (1 Cor 16:22)?BreakoutPray for one another.

Scripture is replete with difficult-to-understand passages that are often misinterpreted, misapplied, and perverted for personal gain. One such instance is the Apostle Paul's second letter to the Church at Corinth. Paul instructs the Church at Corinth (and, thus, all believers to follow), “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?” (2 Cor 6:14) While it might be simple to focus on the first part of the command (not to be yoked with unbelievers), all aspects of the verse stem from the second aspect—the lack of commonality between believers and unbelievers. Perhaps one of the most misunderstood and certainly misinterpreted verses in the Bible, when examined from a broader approach, the meaning becomes clearer and it is not related to romantic relationships, as is commonly suggested.

Give to support the ministry: https://valiantmi.com/give Try the BibleACTS app!: https://bibleacts.goodbarber.app/subscribe Shop "Cut to the Heart" apparel: https://cut2theheart.com In **Acts 18**, Paul arrives in Corinth and continues preaching that Jesus is the Christ despite opposition. Along the way, he meets Priscilla and Aquila, receives encouragement directly from the Lord, and spends a year and a half teaching the Word of God. Later, we meet **Apollos**—a knowledgeable, passionate, and powerful teacher of Scripture who still has something important to learn. In this episode, we discuss: - Paul meeting Priscilla and Aquila in Corinth - Paul working as a tentmaker while preaching the gospel - Opposition to Paul's preaching among the Jews - God telling Paul, **“Do not be afraid, but go on speaking”** - Gallio refusing to judge the accusations against Paul - Priscilla and Aquila's continued ministry alongside Paul - Apollos being eloquent, knowledgeable, and fervent in spirit - Priscilla and Aquila privately explaining “the way of God more accurately” to Apollos - The humility required to both give and receive correction - Apollos becoming a powerful help to other believers Acts 18 gives us a powerful picture of **discipleship, perseverance, humility, and teamwork in ministry**. Paul keeps preaching despite opposition, Priscilla and Aquila invest in another teacher, and Apollos is humble enough to receive correction and become even more effective for the Kingdom of God. Watch, listen, and grow in your faith — and subscribe for more verse-by-verse Bible teaching, podcast discussions, and biblical commentary. #Acts18 #BibleStudy #Apollos #Paul #PriscillaAndAquila #EarlyChurch #ChristianPodcast #BibleCommentary #VerseByVerse #BookOfActs

Our Profession Of Being A Sinner Who Needs A Savior And That Is Jesus Only, Gives Us His Spirit In Us Acts 19:1-7 1While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when a you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?” “John's baptism,” they replied. 4Paul said, “John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues b and prophesied. 7There were about twelve men in all.

I serve God when I am kind to those invited to my home. “Share with God's people who are inneed. Practice hospitality” (Romans 12:13, NIV).

I serve God when I am kind to those invited to my home. “Share with God's people who are inneed. Practice hospitality” (Romans 12:13, NIV).

Some leave hungry while others have had too much to drink, and the Corinthians still call their gathering the Lord's Supper. Paul brings them back to the night Jesus was betrayed and the words that make this meal His gift: “This is my body, which is for you.” The Apostle also warns that receiving unworthily brings judgment. How can the Sacrament given for forgiveness be received to a person's harm? What does it mean to examine ourselves and discern Christ's body without imagining we must become sinless before coming?  The Rev. Steven Theiss, serving St. John Lutheran Church (AALC) in Pocahontas, Missouri, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study 1 Corinthians 11:17–34.  What happens when Christians turn their pastors into rival teams, take one another to court, and leave their neighbors hungry at the Lord's Supper? Corinth gives Paul plenty to write about. Questions about marriage, meat sacrificed to idols, spiritual gifts, and the resurrection bring the apostle into the daily life of a church struggling with pride and division. Through it all, he keeps bringing them back to Christ crucified and risen.  In 2 Corinthians, the strained relationship between Paul and the people he loves brings its own painful questions about forgiveness, faithful ministry, suffering, and weakness. These letters give us the treasure in jars of clay, the promise of resurrection, and the assurance that Christ's grace is sufficient. Join Thy Strong Word as we study 1 and 2 Corinthians verse by verse and hear what God speaks to a troubled church He has called His own.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

A covered head, an uncovered head, the length of someone's hair: why does Paul give these things so much attention? In Corinth, outward appearance could communicate honor or shame within the congregation and between husbands and wives. Paul takes the discussion back to creation, then insists that neither woman nor man is independent of the other in the Lord. How do we distinguish the customs of ancient Corinth from the enduring truths Paul teaches through them, and what does our conduct communicate when the Church gathers?  The Rev. Dan Torkelson, pastor of Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Madison, Wisconsin, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study 1 Corinthians 11:1–16.  To learn more about Mount Olive Lutheran, visit molc.us. What happens when Christians turn their pastors into rival teams, take one another to court, and leave their neighbors hungry at the Lord's Supper? Corinth gives Paul plenty to write about. Questions about marriage, meat sacrificed to idols, spiritual gifts, and the resurrection bring the apostle into the daily life of a church struggling with pride and division. Through it all, he keeps bringing them back to Christ crucified and risen.  In 2 Corinthians, the strained relationship between Paul and the people he loves brings its own painful questions about forgiveness, faithful ministry, suffering, and weakness. These letters give us the treasure in jars of clay, the promise of resurrection, and the assurance that Christ's grace is sufficient. Join Thy Strong Word as we study 1 and 2 Corinthians verse by verse and hear what God speaks to a troubled church He has called His own.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

This Sunday, Mike Erre continued our series on 1 Corinthians, Talking Heads. He recieved almost as much chirping as Paul did from Corinth. Now, he's here with Kevin Dixon, Suzie Lind, and Chris McClarney to talk about Suzie's exclusive party and Chris's grassy garage. Happy birthday, Silas.TIMESTAMPS00:00 Intro17:20 The Heads start Talking (content begins)20:00 What should we expect from a Sunday gathering?29:43 How does Journey do discipleship?-----Have a question or comment for the NOW team? Join the conversation by commenting below or texting us at +1 615 861 9503.

Remember group projects? There was the partner who vanished, the one who did all the work, and the crush that made everything complicated. Community can feel the same way: a room full of people you didn't pick and can't control. So what do you do when belonging gets messy? Kicking off our fall series Hot Takes, [Preacher] opens Paul's first letter to the church in Corinth. That was a small, status-conscious community already at odds with itself. Before Paul corrects anyone, he says thank you. This message explores why grace and gratitude, not flawless performance, are what actually hold people together. It also shares how two frustrating grad school partners turned into some of life's most unexpected gifts. Listen if you've ever wanted to quit a group, or a church. Then ask yourself: who's someone you need to thank this week?

This video comes from the 2025 RENEW.org Driven Conference. This video features Orpheus Heyward, teaching on why the Word of God must be preeminent. Heyward argues that Scripture should hold first place in Christian faith, local ministry, and global impact, not competing with Jesus' preeminence but revealing it as God's documented revelation. Using 1 Corinthians 2, he contrasts worldly wisdom with God's wisdom, emphasizing that the gospel's power does not depend on persuasive speech but on the Spirit's revelation of God's hidden redemptive plan. He explains the “natural man” cannot accept spiritual truths, warns against watering down Christianity for comfort or acceptance, and urges churches to remain spiritually grounded in the Holy Spirit's revealed Word as final authority. 00:00 Orpheus Takes Stage 03:02 Why Word Comes First 05:23 Reading 1 Corinthians 2 08:26 Corinth and Worldly Wisdom 12:08 Christ Crucified Over Philosophy 16:55 Mystery Revealed by Spirit 24:04 Natural vs Spiritual Mind 29:08 Final Call Stay Spiritual Visit Renew.org to sign up for our email newsletter and be the first to know about new content, books and resources.  https://renew.org/ Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

1 Cor 12:1-11 What does it mean to have spiritual understanding? And why would the church need to have this kind of understanding as it pertained to spiritual gifts? In the church at Corinth, and even today, there was real confusion about what was a true spiritual gift. This week we consider the guardrails God wants us to understand as we discern what are truly spiritual gifts in God's eyes.

Meat from the market may be eaten with thanksgiving, but a meal at an idol's altar is another matter. Why does the setting change what Christians may do? Paul answers by pointing to the Lord's Supper, where the bread and cup give us participation in Christ's body and blood. Fellowship at an altar means something, even when a person claims otherwise. As Paul distinguishes freedom from idolatry, he brings the question home to ordinary meals: how do we receive God's gifts with gratitude while seeking our neighbor's good?  The Rev. David Boisclair, senior pastor of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Overland, Missouri, joins guest host Andy Bates to study 1 Corinthians 10:14–33. To learn more about Our Redeemer in Overland, visit ourredeemerstl.org. What happens when Christians turn their pastors into rival teams, take one another to court, and leave their neighbors hungry at the Lord's Supper? Corinth gives Paul plenty to write about. Questions about marriage, meat sacrificed to idols, spiritual gifts, and the resurrection bring the apostle into the daily life of a church struggling with pride and division. Through it all, he keeps bringing them back to Christ crucified and risen.  In 2 Corinthians, the strained relationship between Paul and the people he loves brings its own painful questions about forgiveness, faithful ministry, suffering, and weakness. These letters give us the treasure in jars of clay, the promise of resurrection, and the assurance that Christ's grace is sufficient. Join Thy Strong Word as we study 1 and 2 Corinthians verse by verse and hear what God speaks to a troubled church He has called His own.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

Welcome! Along with our Sunday sermons, we're trying something new - posting recordings of our 9am Discovery Hour Forums, thanks to requests from many of you! Since this is audio only, you won't be able to see any slides the presenter uses, and we're still working on improving the sound quality. However, we hope this gives you an easy way to join the conversation when you're traveling or can't make it to church on Sunday. This week, we are joined by Dr. Kyle Sanders, who holds a Ph.D. in Classics and a teaching position at the Pierpont School in Westport, to hear about what it was like to live in ancient Corinth and how that influenced Paul's letter to the early church.  Next week, we'll hear more about this formative time in the life of the church from our own Rev. Hannah Pommersheim. Thanks for listening, and enjoy! For more information, visit www.saintlukesdarien.org.

“If It Is God's Will” Should Always Have More Authority Than Our Plan Acts 18:19-22 18Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae because of a vow he had taken. 19They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined. 21But as he left, he promised, “I will come back if it is God's will.” Then he set sail from Ephesus. 22When he landed at Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch.

Does Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 1:17—"Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel"—mean baptism isn't necessary for salvation? Dr. Karlo Broussard, Director of Apologetics for Catholic Answers and author of Baptism Now Saves You, joins Matt Swain on the Son Rise Morning Show to debunk this common objection. Karlo explains how Paul is addressing tribalism in Corinth, where believers were boasting about which minister baptized them. By looking at Paul's use of hyperbolic "not-but" phrasing and his wider theology in Romans 6 and 1 Corinthians 12, Karlo shows why baptism remains an essential, saving part of the Gospel message. Stream now!Support the show: https://www.sacredheartradio.com/donate-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today’s Topics: 1, 2, 3, 4) William discusses the almost forgotten Early Fathers of the Church including Papias, Aristion, Quadratus, Hegesippus, Agrippa Castor, Dionysius of Corinth, Pinytus of Crete, Melito of Sardis, Apollinaris of Hierapolis, and Musanus

They passed through the sea, ate bread from heaven, and drank from the rock. Yet the wilderness became a graveyard for people God had delivered from Egypt. The Apostle Paul recounts that history to the Corinthian Christians who think they know enough to stand safely near temptation. What makes their confidence so dangerous, and why does Israel's failure belong in a letter to the Church? Alongside the warning comes a promise for those who know their weakness: God is faithful, and temptation does not leave His people without His help.  The Rev. Jacob Hercamp, pastor of Christ Lutheran Church in Noblesville, Indiana, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study 1 Corinthians 10:1–13.  To learn more about Christ Lutheran, visit clc-in.org. What happens when Christians turn their pastors into rival teams, take one another to court, and leave their neighbors hungry at the Lord's Supper? Corinth gives Paul plenty to write about. Questions about marriage, meat sacrificed to idols, spiritual gifts, and the resurrection bring the apostle into the daily life of a church struggling with pride and division. Through it all, he keeps bringing them back to Christ crucified and risen.  In 2 Corinthians, the strained relationship between Paul and the people he loves brings its own painful questions about forgiveness, faithful ministry, suffering, and weakness. These letters give us the treasure in jars of clay, the promise of resurrection, and the assurance that Christ's grace is sufficient. Join Thy Strong Word as we study 1 and 2 Corinthians verse by verse and hear what God speaks to a troubled church He has called His own.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

Episode 2 of Thessalonians: Holy & Hopeful Watch this message along with helpful notes and resources here Learn how to dwell well in these remarkable letters by paying attention to the world behind the text, the world of the text, and the world in front of the text. We'll follow Paul through Acts from Philippi to Thessalonica and Corinth, see how Scripture helps us understand Scripture, and trace the biblical story behind Paul's teaching through Genesis, Isaiah, Joel, Habakkuk, Psalms 27 and 46, and the words of Jesus. Along the way, we'll consider what it means to read Thessalonians as letters written to real people living faithfully while they waited for Christ. Their questions about suffering, grief, holiness, hope, and the return of Jesus weren't abstract theology. Paul was teaching them how to live. This episode accompanies Lesson One of the 50-day Thessalonians: Holy & Hopeful Bible study from Dwelling Richly Ministries. Get the complete study book here: DwellingRichly.org Let Scripture be your guide and the Holy Spirit your teacher. Welcome to Dwelling Richly, a Bible-based, faith-strengthening, community-building ministry devoted to helping believers know and love God's Word, grow in their faith, and help others do the same. At Dwelling Richly, we don't just “do” Bible study. We dwell. We learn to read Scripture carefully, think biblically, ask good questions, make connections across God's Word, and grow increasingly confident opening the Bible for ourselves. Whether you're studying with a Dwelling Richly Grace Group, alongside a friend, or on your own, I'm glad you're here. → STUDY WITH DWELLING RICHLY http://dwellingrichly.org/ → JOIN THE DWELLING RICHLY COMMUNITY https://dwelling-richly.churchcenter.com/ → LISTEN TO THE DWELLING RICHLY PODCAST https://www.jennifergrichmond.com/podcast/ Dwelling Richly exists to disciple believers to love God with heart, soul, mind, and strength, to let the Word of Christ dwell richly in them, and to help others do the same. Subscribe and join us as we dwell in the Word together. #DwellingRichly #BibleStudy #ChristianBibleStudy || SOCIAL MEDIA || Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/dwellingrichlypodcast || PODCAST || Any platform - "The Dwelling Richly Podcast" https://dwellingrichly.podbean.com/ Teaching Session with every lesson - When/Where to Watch/Listen - Main Message Page click here Dwelling Richly on YouTube: click here Dwelling Richly on any Podcast: click here Released every-other Tuesday, 6am (PST). 2026 release dates:

A Sunday morning sermon, scripture reading, testimony, and song by Mike Zello and ther Beauty For Ashes Ministry Team.In the New Testament, we find another letter to the church in Corinth. These people, filled with the Spirit and passionate about God's call on their lives, were nevertheless struggling to live out their faith in ways pleasing to the Lord. They were rankled by Paul's apostleship and his frequent sufferings. They had “a better way” in mind, one in which they could serve the Lord in ways that seemed right to them. Despite all their Spirit-empowerment and commission as a kingdom of priests, they failed to understand how the work of Christ's kingdom comes through humility and weakness (2 Corinthians 1.9; 4.7; 11.30). While others around them boasted in their strength and lorded over people with violent power (2 Corinthians 1.24; Matthew 20.25-26), God's kingdom of priests was to follow in the way of King Jesus, who, “though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you by His poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8.9). These verses reveal how hard it was for the early Church to feel the solid ground of Christ the King's foundation beneath them.The Corinthians' struggle helps us better identify with God's kingdom of priests in the Old Testament, who repeatedly failed to fulfill their high calling to bear God's blessing to all nations. Seven times—a meaningful number of times—the author of Judges repeats how the Israelites did what was evil in the Lord's eyes (Judges 2.11; 3.7, 12; 4.1; 6.1; 10.6; 13.1). Why did they fail so consistently and so miserably? Because they forgot God was their true king (1 Samuel 8.7). Unlike the neighboring peoples with their Baal worship, viceroys, and minor monarchs, the people of Israel were a kingdom brought into the Promised Land by the Lord God, their eternal King (Numbers 23.21). But like the Corinthians after them, and—too often—like you and me, the people lived their lives as if “there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17.6; 21.25). Choosing to live this way, we not only affect the way we live under the Lord's blessing for ourselves, but also the lives of those around us who have yet to know the name of King Jesus.

In the church at Corinth, there were some people who thought they were “super” spiritual, that they had better gifts than others, they had a higher status than others, they had more wisdom and superior knowledge than others, therefore they were abusing the gifts given to them by God. What they were doing was causing chaos in the church and Paul is giving them direction about how to use the spiritual gifts properly and if they disagreed with him, they were disagreeing with the Lord because that's who Paul got his direction from! He tells them, “If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized.”

Paul makes a convincing case that the Corinthians should support his ministry, then explains why he has refused their support. Why defend a right he will not exercise? The answer reaches beyond a pastor's paycheck to the things Christians willingly surrender so that others may hear the Gospel. Paul's freedom makes him a servant, and his calling demands the discipline of an athlete running to win. What might our insistence on getting what we deserve put in the way of someone hearing Christ?  The Rev. Keith Aschenbeck of Grace Lutheran Church in Victoria, Texas, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study 1 Corinthians 9:1–27. To learn more about Grace Lutheran, visit gracelutheran-tx.org. What happens when Christians turn their pastors into rival teams, take one another to court, and leave their neighbors hungry at the Lord's Supper? Corinth gives Paul plenty to write about. Questions about marriage, meat sacrificed to idols, spiritual gifts, and the resurrection bring the apostle into the daily life of a church struggling with pride and division. Through it all, he keeps bringing them back to Christ crucified and risen.  In 2 Corinthians, the strained relationship between Paul and the people he loves brings its own painful questions about forgiveness, faithful ministry, suffering, and weakness. These letters give us the treasure in jars of clay, the promise of resurrection, and the assurance that Christ's grace is sufficient. Join Thy Strong Word as we study 1 and 2 Corinthians verse by verse and hear what God speaks to a troubled church He has called His own.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

In the summer of 2024, about 1,300 people gathered at Saint Mary's College for the premiere of "Behold God's Love," an original Eucharistic musical in three acts: "Root," "Vine," and "Branches." Everyone else missed it. Now the whole world can listen.The full musical is now available as a recorded album, from the manna in the desert, to the Last Supper, to a house church in Corinth. Today, its creator and composer returns to the show to listen to a few tracks with me. We talk about what they reveal, how performing a role becomes a way of dwelling in Scripture, and how listeners can use the music to pray their way back to the Word and the altar.Carolyn Pirtle is Program Director of the Center for Liturgy in the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame, and the writer and composer of "Behold God's Love."Follow-up Resources:Behold God's Love album and resources page via McGrath Institute for Church Life“That we might behold,” article by Leonard J. DeLorenzo via OSV News.Behold God's Love: A Eucharistic Musical, earlier podcast episode with Carolyn Pirtle via Church Life TodayChurch Life Today is a partnership between the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame and OSV Podcasts from Our Sunday Visitor. Discover more ways to live, learn, and love your Catholic faith at osvpodcasts.com. Sharing stories, starting conversations.

Saints Alive | Isaiah 43:15–25 & 1 Corinthians 1:1–9 What if the name God gives us is more important than all the names we give ourselves—and one another? The church in Corinth was far from perfect. Its members argued, divided themselves into factions, looked down on one another, neglected the vulnerable, and struggled to understand what it meant to live together as the body of Christ. And yet when Paul writes to them, he calls them saints. In this sermon, Rev. Dr. Lewis Galloway explores the difference between seeing sainthood as something extraordinary people achieve and understanding "saint" as an identity God has already given us. We may not always live up to that name, but God continues patiently shaping, smoothing, forgiving, and forming us into the people we were created to become. Lewis reminds us of the simple words a mother once gave her children as they walked out the door: "Remember who you are." How we understand ourselves shapes how we live. And perhaps remembering who we are can also change the way we see everyone else. Instead of defining one another with the labels that divide and diminish, what if we learned to see each other through God's eyes? Saints alive. Saints together. Preached by Rev. Dr. Lewis Galloway at First Presbyterian Church of Charlotte on September 20, 2026.

Stand TALL For Jesus Where You Are: Think, Act, Love, Live Like Jesus Acts 18:18 18Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae because of a vow he had taken.

Mike Erre - We look at the factions and divisions that were plaguing the church at Corinth and Paul's response to them.  

The post 1 Corinthians 5:3-5 Church Discipline at Corinth appeared first on Grace Bible Church.

The operating center of your power determines the manner in which you utilize your power.

September 20th, 2026 Pastor Chad McDonald Imagine gathering the history faculty of any major state university and explaining to them that there is no way to understand history without a Bible. Beyond that, there is no way to understand the Bible until they understand that the cross is the pinnacle of God’s revelation of Himself to man. In other words, there is no way to truly understand history without understanding the cross of Christ. His death is watershed moment of all human history. They would probably laugh you out of the room and call you names. This was Paul’s message. He walks into Corinth, the center of philosophy and intellectualism, and does not try to impress his audience with his rhetoric, intellect, or philosophic notions. He simply preaches about the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul does this for a clear and straightforward reason: so that their faith would not rest in the wisdom of men, but the power of God displayed in the death of Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:10-25 gives us a clear reminder of why we must never back away from preaching the cross of Christ. It may be foolishness to a lost and dying world but to those of us who are being saved, it is the power of God. I pray that you will join us this weekend for worship. Make plans today to attend. Weekend worship is a Friday decision. Make the decision today. Bring a friend. Invite a co-worker or neighbor. I’ll see you at church!

Introduction: The Faithful Worker... (1 Corinthians 16:5-12) Prepares for MINISTRY . (1 Cor 16:5-9) James 4:13-15 - Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit” - yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that." By EXPECTING the UNEXPECTED (1 Cor 16:5-7) By viewing OPPOSITION as an OPPORTUNITY (1 Cor 16:8-9) Plays well with OTHER BELIEVERS . (1 Cor 16:1-12) By supporting their EFFORTS . (1 Cor 16:10-11) By respecting their CONVICTIONS . (1 Cor 16:12) Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Unified and Purified: Scheduling Ministry Taylor Brown Download Audio Transcript 00:00Well, as Kelly just read, please turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 16, verses 5 through 12. 1 Corinthians 16, verses 5 through 12. And as you turn there, I want you to consider a question that I have been considering all week. I have my own answer. I'd like to hear your answer. Are there more lazy slackers in the world, or are there more faithful workers?00:30Are there more lazy slackers? Or are there more faithful workers? What do you think? Slackers seems to win the day. Yes, there are a lot of hard workers out there, but they seem to be outnumbered by the amount of lazy slackers that exist. There are a lot of people who don't want to do much besides relax and take it easy. And my wife encountered a lot of these lazy slackers at her old job when she was in human resources at a clothing company that is now bankrupt and no longer exists.01:06But she would come home with the craziest stories of people who worked hard to not work hard.01:13But there was one lazy slacker who stood above the rest.01:18There was a woman who was fired and denied unemployment because she was found dead asleep in a dressing room, RESTING ON A BASKET OF CURLY FRIES AS A PILLOW.01:32I mean, you can't make that up, right?01:35But this woman claimed it was made up. It was false. Her boss just howled it out for her. It wasn't true.01:42Unfortunately for her, there was photographic evidence of the curly fry nap incident.01:47There was unavoidable proof that this woman was a lazy slacker.01:52She slept on the job.01:54She was not a faithful worker. As I look out across the landscape of the American church, I see a lot of lazy slackers. I see an abundance of people who want to take and take and take, but are not willing to give much back. I see a large number of church consumers and not many ministry producers.02:24I see many unfaithful workers. But let's not spend too much time talking about people who are not here. Let's instead focus on you. Are you a faithful worker? Don't worry about the person who's not here. Don't worry about the person next to you. Answer for yourself. Are you a faithful worker? Men, are you a faithful worker?02:54at home.02:55Are you faithfully loving your wife?02:58Are you faithfully discipling your children with the word of God?03:03Or are you being passive rather than active in these roles?03:08Ladies, are you faithfully respecting your husbands and training your children in the ways of the Lord?03:17Or are you unfaithfully disrespecting your husbands and allowing the culture to raise your children?03:25Are you a faithful worker in your community? Are you faithfully shine the light of Jesus Christ and faithfully sharing the good news of Jesus with unsafe family members, friends, co-workers, and neighbors?03:40Or are you slacking because your schedule is packed with good activities that crowd out what matters the most?03:49Are you a faithful worker at harvest?03:53Are you faithfully serving in ministry and participating in the life of the church? Or are you stiff-arming your church family and your church responsibilities? And I know exactly what some of you are thinking right now. Here we go. It's time for a lecture. Fine, Pastor Taylor. Tell me how much I stink. Tell me how much I am failing at everything. Go on, give it to me. I have no interest in doing that. I have no interest in giving you a lecture because that will not help. That will not change you at all. I'm not going to lecture you because I need to hear this word as well. I can be a lazy slacker. I can fail to be a faithful worker. I'm not someone who stands above you as someone who has figured it all out. I am with you in this struggle. This morning we will continue through the final chapter of 1 Corinthians and discuss some final business items from the Apostle Paul. In chapter 16, verses 5 through 12, we receive the ministry schedules of three faithful workers, Paul himself, Timothy, and Apollos. We get a sneak peek of their personal calendars, and we see how they ordered their lives around serving the Lord and serving others. To be honest, this is the part of the book that seems unimportant, but it isn't.05:22This is the part of the book you are tempted to skip over, but you shouldn't. In these eight verses, Paul clearly shows you what it looks like to avoid being a lazy slacker and to embrace being a faithful worker in every single area of your life. So before we continue, let's go to the Lord and ask for his help. Please pray for me that I will faithfully proclaim God's word, and I will pray for you that you will faithfully receive God's word.05:54Father, we come before you as your people to acknowledge our many failures.05:59We thank you that we stand in the victory of the only one who has perfectly obeyed you.06:05The only one who has perfectly been a faithful worker.06:09We thank you for your son and all that he has done for us.06:12Help us to hear this message, to hear this passage in light of what your son has accomplished on our behalf.06:19Lord may we not be motivated by guilt. May instead we be motivated by love for you and love for others. We ask all these things in Jesus name. Amen. So on your outline we're talking about the faithful worker. First up the faithful worker prepares for ministry. The faithful worker prepares for ministry. In verses 5 through 7 Paul opens up his day planner and he tells the Corinthians as well as you and me that he has a lot scheduled in the future and again this may seem boring at a first glance but these verses are absolutely life-changing once you understand how paul arranged his life how paul arranged his schedule let's read verses five through seven i will visit you after passing through macedonia for i intend to pass through macedonia and perhaps i will stay with you or even spend the winter so that you may help me on my journey wherever I go. For I do not want to see you now just in passing. I hope to spend some time with you if the Lord permits. In these verses, Paul is booking his ticket to Corinth. He wants to visit them. He wants not only to visit them, he wants to help this church and be helped by this church. Isn't it amazing that Paul wants to be with the Corinthians?07:50and I've given him a spiritual headache. If I were him, I would have written, you know what guys, I intend to pass through Macedonia and go far out of my way to skip Corinth. Good luck with all those problems I've been writing to you about. See you never. Have a nice life. But that is not what Paul writes. That is not Paul's heart. That is not Paul's plan. Paul has a plan to visit Corinth. Paul has a to-do list that he wants to check off. He has destinations.08:19that he wants to reach. Paul wakes up every single morning with a purpose. With a goal in mind. Paul plans ahead for ministry. This isn't just something that Paul did in the first century. This is something that you should do as well. Right now in 2026. You should plan ahead for ministry. We all know the saying, if you Fail to plan, you what? You plan to fail. This is especially true when it comes to the task that God has entrusted to you. If you never plan ministry ahead of time, you will never do ministry. If you are not planning to do ministry, you will never do ministry. Thankfully, I know that there are many people watching online and in this room who have plans to do ministry.09:18Your schedule is packed out with ways that you are serving the Lord. You plan to serve at church next week. You plan to serve at church the week after that in the AV booth. Back in Harvest Academy on hospitality. You plan to lead or co-lead a small group. You plan to disciple your children tonight by going through family devotions after dinner or before bed. You plan to work with local organizations like Like urban impact. Like life choices. Or life wise. You plan to go on a missions trip next year. It's already blocked off in your calendar. You're going with Vision Appalachia. Think missions. The list goes on and on. You know there are girls in this church from Harvest Academy who plan every single month to raise money for missions. They plan to head to do that. Many of you are faithful workers because you're Prepare and plan ahead for ministry like the Apostle Paul. But sadly, there are others in this room who are not faithful workers because you do not prepare for ministry. You do not plan ahead for ministry. You have no plans to lead your family in devotions tonight or any other night this week. You have no plans to serve this church.10:48You have no plans to disciple anyone. You have no plans to share the gospel with anyone in your life. You have no plans to serve your community or spread the gospel in other parts of the world. Your schedule may be full, but it is missing your most important appointments. If you were to place your calendar next to the calendar of a non-Christian, would you see any difference?11:18Or would they look exactly the same? Remember, if you do not plan ahead for ministry, you are planning to not do ministry. And maybe you're skeptical right now. Maybe you're thinking, I don't know about all this, Pastor Taylor. This seems way too rigid. This doesn't seem very spiritual. Shouldn't I just wake up and see what happens? Shouldn't I just follow the leading and prompting of the Holy Spirit?11:48Depending on the Holy Spirit is always an in the spur of the moment kind of experience. You have to wait till the very last moment and then he'll show up. I would contend that the Holy Spirit works both ahead of time and in the moment. For example, I spent a lot of time working on this message. I read the text dozens of times. I read several commentaries. I made a lot of notes. I created an outline. I wrote out what I wanted to see.12:18I planned ahead of time. I prepared.12:23Should I not have done that? Was that wrong? Was that unspiritual of me? Was that me not trusting in the Holy Spirit?12:30Should I have just gotten up here and winged it and see what happens?12:35Listen, you may not like this prepared sermon very much, but I guarantee you that you would like the unprepared version a lot less.12:44I truly believe that the Holy Spirit met me in that time of study. He helped me to prepare ahead of time so I could be faithful and clear in the moment. I am convinced that spirit-led preparation brings about spirit-led presentation. At the same time, I don't just read my manuscript word for word like an emotionless robot. I pray and ask God to bring to my mind the things I studied earlier this week.13:14I also pray, God, bring to mind things I never even considered earlier this week. There are parts of my messages and Pastor Jeff's messages as well that bless people. They're the parts that we never even considered ahead of time. The Holy Spirit gave us that in the moment. But there are other times that people are blessed by what we thought of ahead of time. And again, the Holy Spirit gave us those things as well. The Holy Spirit helps you in the preparation for ministry.13:44and he helps you in the execution of ministry. This is a both and experience. There is a tension that exists in ministry. Sometimes your plans are executed down to the very last detail and other times the Holy Spirit totally blows up your plans and you just have to go with it. But the main purpose of preparation is that you intend to be faithful. You intend to be used by the Lord. You intend to be productive.14:14you intend to work hard. And this kind of preparation includes you acknowledging your lack of control over the future. This preparation includes you acknowledging your vision for your life is so tiny while God's vision is massive. This kind of preparation includes you expecting the unexpected. That's actually the next part of our outline. The faithful worker prepares for ministry.14:43letter A, by expecting the unexpected. By expecting the unexpected.14:55I'm going to read verses 5 through 7 again, and this time around, I want you to feel the tension of how Paul prepares for ministry, both with confidence and with flexibility.15:07How Paul lays out his personal plans, but he also leaves room for the Lord's plans, which may not line up with his own. Paul says, I will visit you after passing through Macedonia, for I intend to pass through Macedonia. And perhaps I will stay with you, or even spend the winter, so you may help me on my journey wherever I go. For I do not want to see you now to some passing. I hope to spend some time with you if the Lord permits.15:37Do you feel the tension here? Do you see the both and nature of Paul's ministry? On the one hand, he says, I will visit you. On the other hand, he says, perhaps I will stay with you. I hope to spend some time with you. If what? If the Lord permits. Paul isn't presumptuous. He isn't saying, here are my plans that are definite and nothing and no one will change that. No, instead he says, this is the plan I hope will happen, but I do trust that God will make his plan happen. Paul makes his plan with an asterisk. And next that asterisk is the words, if the Lord permits. If the Lord permits. And we see this same exact message, we see this same exact asterisk in James 4, 13 through 15.16:37to town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit. Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, if the Lord wills, if the Lord permits, we will live and do this or that. Here's a hard pill to swallow. You cannot control tomorrow. You do not know what is going to happen tomorrow.17:07You don't even know if you're going to get a tomorrow.17:13No one thinks they know more about marriage than an engaged couple that is not yet married.17:19You're all laughing because I'm assuming you know that.17:20I remember before I got married to Kate, oh, we're always going to go to bed the same exact time.17:24That's really, really important.17:26Guess what?17:26That almost never happens.17:29All that went right out the window as soon as we got married.17:33No one knows more about parenting than a couple expecting their first child. Oh, we'll never do this with our kids. Guess what you end up doing? Exactly that thing you said you would never, ever do. The child arrives, whoa, the parenting books didn't prepare me for this. None of the videos told me about this. So often, you and I can be like those know-it-all parents. Those know-it-all engaged couples. We think we know exactly what we're talking about with tomorrow.18:03But then tomorrow arrives, and we realize how little we actually know. You have such little control over your life. Well, God has absolute control of your life. You have no idea what to expect for tomorrow. But it's not unexpected to God. You may be clueless, but He is not. So instead of being a control freak, let go of your Tight grip on the control that you think that you have. Let go of your preferences. Let go of your timetables. Trust the Lord. Be a faithful worker. Faithful workers are flexible. Faithful workers expect the unexpected. What does this look like in action? Well, last year there was a team of guys from our church, including Russ and Ross Howes, James Murphy, who went to Nepal for ministry. They had a plan.19:03They had an itinerary. And as soon as they got there, God totally upended that with His own plans. They were targeted by the government, brought in for questioning, and unable to carry out a lot of the plan that they had ahead of time. Those guys didn't pout. They didn't whine about it. Instead, they praised the Lord, and they trusted the Lord. And why is that? Because they knew that God was in control, that His plan was even greater than their own, even if they couldn't fully understand.19:33that. Would you say that trip was a failure? No. Would you say those men were unfaithful workers? No, they were faithful workers who planned for ministry ahead of time, but they also planned ahead by expecting the unexpected. And you should do the same as well. The faithful worker prepares for ministry by expecting the unexpected. Next up in the text, the faithful worker prepares for ministry, letter B, by viewing opposite as an opportunity.20:13Check out verses 8-9.20:15Paul says, But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.20:26Paul has his ticket book for Corinth, but in the meantime, he is going to stay in Ephesus.20:32And why is that?20:33because there is a wide door open to him for effective work, for effective ministry.20:39And who opened that door? Was it Paul? You say no to that. Was it Paul? Was it the Ephesians? Very good. Was it God? Yes. God opened that door for effective work and Paul willingly stepped through it.20:56God wanted Paul to stay in Ephesus, so Paul wanted to stay in Ephesus.21:03Have you ever experienced a wide open door for effective ministry? Has God ever put an opportunity right before you that you couldn't say no to? That's happened to me many times in my life. While I studied for ministry at Geneva College and then down in Louisville, Kentucky in seminary, I must have uttered this stupid statement at least a thousand times. I will never be a youth pastor.21:33Side note, be very careful what you say you'll never do, because you'll end up doing that thing, most likely. In late 2014, Kate and I planned to move back to Pittsburgh from Louisville, Kentucky, so I applied to various church positions, and I thought I was applying to a discipleship pastor job in Wexford, but ended up being a youth pastor job. And as soon as I found out, I told Kate, I'm just going to pull my name from consideration. I don't want to do that. And Kate was emphatic. She said, no, don't do that. See what the Lord does. See if the Lord keeps that door open. And guess what? As usual, my wife was right. The Lord opened that door for effective work and he kept that door open throughout the entire process. I kept passing every round of interviews. Pastor Jeff told me to take that job. My family told me to take that job. My friends told me to take that job. My wife told me to take that job. The wide open door for ministry was right in front of me and I willingly walked through it.22:33I worked as a full-time youth pastor at this other church for seven and a half years, and I've helped lead the youth group for two years in this church. It shames me to say that I used to say I will never be a youth pastor because now I love being a youth pastor. I'm so glad I walked through that open door instead of trying to open the closed doors that God didn't want me to walk through. At this point, you may be thinking, well, I'm so glad that worked out for you, Pastor Taylor, but how can I tell if there's is a wide open door of ministry for me. What are the signs of a wide open door? Well, thankfully, Paul gives you a sign in verse 9. It may not be the sign you expect, though. He says, for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. Paul is saying that it's obvious that this work in Ephesus is from the Lord because there are many opponents in Ephesus. There are many who will stand against in Ephesus. The presence of enemies signals the presence of God's power.23:40God-given ministries are so easy to spot because God-given ministry opportunities never look easy.23:48They always look hard. They always look challenging. They always look intimidating.23:54Isn't that the exact opposite of how we usually think?23:58We often believe that the sign of a wide open door for ministry is the total absence of any struggle, any strife. We want the easy way out, but that is not the way our God rolls. Because there is no other way to become like Jesus and serve like Jesus. God the Father opened a wide door for effective ministry that His Son willingly walked through 2,000 years ago.24:27And this wide open door led to rejection, led to suffering, pain, and death upon a cross. Jesus willingly walked through that door even though it led to a hard way because it was the only way for you and I to be forgiven of our sins, for you and I to be saved from eternal punishment in hell. Jesus endured opposition in this life so that you could be accepted in his presence forever.24:57Who am I to say we are exempt from experiencing the opposition that our Lord and Savior experienced? Jesus shows us that faithful workers are also faithful sufferers. Suffering led to your salvation. Suffering will lead to your sanctification. When I took that youth pastor job many years ago, I knew it wasn't going to be easy. I knew there were going to be challenges. I knew there was going to be opportunities.25:28The guy before me bailed after eight months.25:31And the fill-in youth worker was fired for inappropriate behavior.25:35There was a member of that church who killed two of her children.25:38And many in the church were reeling from that trauma.25:42Trust was in very short supply from parents and from students.25:47Within two weeks, I received an email from a volunteer accusing me of things I didn't do, accusing me of lying.25:53For the first year and a half, every single Sunday night when I locked the doors, I'd walk into the parking lot and just look up in the sky and say, God, I can't do this anymore. I don't want to do this anymore. Every single time I said that, I felt the conviction I couldn't quit. I couldn't leave. God had called me here. And this opposition, this struggle, which is another sign of that? As one pastor says, if you have no opposition, in the place you serve, you're serving in the wrong place. If you have no opposition in the place you serve, you're serving in the wrong place. Is there a wide open door for effective ministry in front of you right now? Do you see on the other side people who will stand against you? Situations that will frustrate you. That's fantastic. That is a sign that you should walk through that door, not a sign that you should back away.26:54Walk through that door willingly without being afraid. Trust the Lord and He will sustain you. View that opposition as an opportunity, not an obstacle. I challenge you to come up with even one major accomplishment in your life that didn't require blood, sweat, and tears. I bet you can't even think of one because they don't exist. Don't take the easy way out because the easy way out leads nowhere good.27:25Maybe you've already walked through that wide open door for ministry. It was months ago, years ago, maybe even decades ago. And ever since then, you've been soul slammed with trial after trial after trial. That's great news. That means the forces of darkness are gunning for you because you are doing something worthwhile for the Lord. That means that God is fighting for you and He is forming you more and more into the image of His Son.27:53There is no other way. Do you want to be like Jesus? There is no other way but through opposition. It's impossible. So don't retreat. Don't surrender. Be a faithful worker and keep going even when you feel you can't go even one more step. The faithful worker prepares for ministry by expecting the unexpected. The faithful worker prepares for ministry by viewing opposition as an opportunity.28:24Up until this point, we've been focusing on your plans, your preparations for ministry. We're going to end by quickly focusing on how you should help other faithful workers with their plans and with their preparations for ministry. This is so important because the faithful worker isn't a solo act. The faithful worker is a team player. Next on your outline, the faithful worker plays well with other believers. The faithful worker plays well with other believers.28:57So Paul moves on from his own personal schedule to the ministry plans of his protege Timothy. Verses 10 through 11. When Timothy comes, see that you put him at ease among you, for he is doing the work of the Lord as I am. So let no one despise him. Help him on his way in peace, that he may return to me, for I am expecting him with the brothers. Simply put, Paul is instructing the Corinthians to not be a jerk to Timothy.29:24Don't treat him the way you've treated me. He's going to come back and tell me how you treated him so he better give me a good report. He is a faithful worker. Respect him. Don't think little of him. Help him. You see Paul's fatherly nature pop out here. We've seen other parts of the New Testament that Timothy is like a son to Paul. You know, you can make fun of me and mistreat me if you want. Please don't do that. But if you do it, I can take it. I'm a big boy.29:53But if you mistreat or mock my son, we're going to have a big problem.29:58That's what Paul was saying here. Don't make fun of my son. Don't mistreat my son. Don't drag him through the mud.30:05Paul is saying faithful workers do not hurt other faithful workers. Faithful workers help other faithful workers.30:13How are you dealing with that?30:17Are you faithfully helping other Christians?30:21Or are you unfaithfully hurting other Christians? Are you supporting them? Or are you undermining them? That's the next part of your outline. The faithful worker plays well to other believers by supporting their efforts. The faithful worker plays well to other believers by supporting their efforts. So again, I have to ask you, are you faithfully supporting other men and women?30:51in this room.30:53Are you faithfully praying for other men and women in this room?30:58Are you faithfully encouraging other men and women in this room?31:03How often do you pray for members of your small group?31:07How often do you reach out to encourage one of your elders or one of your pastors?31:12How often do you reach out to encourage other people in this room?31:17Are you showing genuine love and support for other believers?31:22It's so simple. You should reach out to someone else and say, Marina, thank you so much for serving my children faithfully at Harvest Academy. You are making such a big difference in their lives. Thank you. Bob, thank you for leading a small group. Thank you for being faithful and being there for me when I was going through a hard season. Jay, thank you so much for faithfully playing bass every single week for the past 15 years.31:50The Lord has used you in great and mighty ways. Andrew, thank you for faithfully leading our finance team. Thank you. Thank you for faithfully stewarding what the Lord is doing here. Wouldn't you love to hear that kind of support from the mouths of other people about your ministry efforts? Then faithfully share your love and support for their ministry efforts. Let Harvest not be a place of competition. Let Harvest be a place of unifying The faithful worker plays well to other believers by supporting their efforts. Finally, the faithful worker plays well to other believers by respecting their convictions. By respecting their convictions. Now to my favorite part of the entire passage. Verse 12. Paul lays out the ministry plans of his friend Apollos.32:50to visit you with the other brothers. But it was not at all his will to come now. He will come when he has opportunity. I love that. It was not at all his will to come now. Another translation puts it, he was quite unwilling to come now. Wouldn't you love to be able to pull an Apollos and people invite you to something that you do not want to go to? You get a Google invite to a meeting at work and you send back, I am quite unwilling to go to that. Thank you, but no thanks. Your friends invite you out for something you do not want to do and you say, it is not at all my will to do that. Have fun, but I will not have fun with you.33:25This seems like a rude response, right? This seems unfaithful. But this is the response of a faithful worker. At first, Paul tries to convince Apollos to head to Corinth right away, but Apollos is convinced that there's a wide open door for ministry where he is, and he will come to Corinth once that door is closed. And notice that Apollos doesn't keep badgering Apollos.33:49He doesn't drag him down. He doesn't make fun of him. He doesn't get mad at him for disagreeing. Why is that? Because faithful workers respect the convictions of other faithful workers. Paul doesn't know the specific plans and timetables that God has in store for Apollos. Paul doesn't even know what tomorrow holds for himself. So how could he possibly know what tomorrow holds for Apollos?34:19to learn the lesson that I can't make anyone do anything.34:24When I started in ministry, I thought I could be clever enough.34:26I could be smart enough to make people change and make people do something.34:30I can't do that.34:32I cannot want something for someone else that they don't want for themselves.34:38Other Christians are going to serve the Lord in different ways than you are.34:41And guess what?34:42That's okay.34:43That's a good thing.34:44Other Christians are going to serve the Lord in different places than you do.34:47And guess what?34:48That is a great thing.34:49That's okay. On the day of judgment, you will give an account for yourself and your ministry, and others will give an account for themselves and their ministries. In the meantime, instead of forcing your will and your agenda on others, pray that their will and their agenda would be submitted to God's will and God's agenda. Faithful workers do not need to look just like you.35:19to look just like Jesus. To respect their convictions. Respect where God is calling them. As we close, I want to return to the question I asked at the beginning of this sermon. Are you a faithful worker? Are you a faithful worker? You've had a lot of time to think about your answer. What have you come up with? What is your answer? Maybe your answer is a Yes, I think I am a faithful worker, but I have so much room for improvement. If that's you, well done. Good work. Keep serving the Lord faithfully. Don't let up. Keep the pedal to the metal. Do not take a break. Keep being a faithful worker. Keep going in the right direction. Maybe your answer to the question of, am I a faithful worker, is no. And your answer is no, because you know that you are not a follower of Jesus Christ. You can't be a faithful worker in His kingdom because you haven't truly believed in Him. All that can change today. Stop trusting yourself. Start trusting Jesus. Throw yourself at His mercy and His grace. Believe in Him for salvation. The job of a faithful worker is being held out to you today if you simply apply.36:49by faith.36:52Maybe your answer is no to the question of are you a faithful worker?36:56Because you know that you're a Christian.36:58You know you're a follower of Christ.36:59But you have been anything but faithful lately.37:03Again, it's not too late.37:05You can start being faithful today.37:09You can wake up from your spiritual nap and stop being lazy right now.37:14God has so much joy.37:16God has so much blessing in store for you if you simply get to work. I hope and pray that you will. Pray with me. Father, we come before you and we thank you so much for the privilege of working with you, of partnering with you, of doing ministry with you. Lord, we're so sorry for the times where your plans for us don't seem exciting. Where the things you've called us to don't seem worthwhile. Lord, capture us afresh with the the amazing responsibilities you gifted to us. Lord, we get to work with the God of the universe. We get to work alongside our Heavenly Father. We get to work and see men and women come to a saving knowledge of Christ. We get to see destinies changed, family legacies transformed. What an awesome calling you've given to us, Lord. May we be faithful workers at home. May we be faithful workers in our community. May we be faithful in this world. May we be faithful workers right here at Harvest.38:27We thank you that you never leave us or forsake us.38:32You promise to be with us to the end.38:37For may we be faithful to the end as your son was.38:40We ask all this in Jesus' name. Amen. Small Group DiscussionRead 1 Corinthians 16:5-12What was your big take-away from this passage / message?Why is it so important to prepare/plan ahead for ministry? What happens if you don't?What would it look like for you to be a faithful worker at home, in the church, and in your community?How can you go out of your way to support and encourage other believers this week? BreakoutPray for one another.

Share The Gospel With Love That Causes People To Follow. Don't Judge, Demand Or Point Acts 18:12-17 12While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews of Corinth made a united attack on Paul and brought him to the place of judgment. 13“This man,” they charged, “is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law.” 14Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to them, “If you Jews were making a complaint about some misdemeanor or serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to listen to you. 15But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law—settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things.” 16So he drove them off. 17Then the crowd there turned on Sosthenes the synagogue leader and beat him in front of the proconsul; and Gallio showed no concern whatever.

An idol is nothing, and food cannot bring us closer to God. Some Corinthians know both truths and see no problem eating meat offered to idols. But across the table sits a fellow Christian who once worshiped those gods. What happens when he follows their example while believing he is returning to idolatry? Paul confronts a confidence so focused on being free and knowledgeable that it overlooks a brother for whom Christ died. How does love shape the use of Christian freedom when another person's faith is at stake?  The Rev. Matthew Kusch, pastor of King of Glory Lutheran Church in Elgin, Illinois, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study 1 Corinthians 8:1–13.  To learn more about King of Glory Lutheran, visit kogelgin.org. What happens when Christians turn their pastors into rival teams, take one another to court, and leave their neighbors hungry at the Lord's Supper? Corinth gives Paul plenty to write about. Questions about marriage, meat sacrificed to idols, spiritual gifts, and the resurrection bring the apostle into the daily life of a church struggling with pride and division. Through it all, he keeps bringing them back to Christ crucified and risen.  In 2 Corinthians, the strained relationship between Paul and the people he loves brings its own painful questions about forgiveness, faithful ministry, suffering, and weakness. These letters give us the treasure in jars of clay, the promise of resurrection, and the assurance that Christ's grace is sufficient. Join Thy Strong Word as we study 1 and 2 Corinthians verse by verse and hear what God speaks to a troubled church He has called His own.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

Marriage is God's good gift, yet Paul advises the unmarried to consider remaining as they are. His reason brings an urgency to wedding plans and household concerns: “The present form of this world is passing away.” With trouble pressing upon the Corinthians, he wants to spare them added burdens and encourage undivided devotion to the Lord. How should Christians receive that counsel without turning it into a command against marriage? And what does it mean to love a spouse, build a home, and plan a future in a world that will not last?  The Rev. Roger Mullet, Professor of Theology at Concordia University, Chicago, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study 1 Corinthians 7:25–40. What happens when Christians turn their pastors into rival teams, take one another to court, and leave their neighbors hungry at the Lord's Supper? Corinth gives Paul plenty to write about. Questions about marriage, meat sacrificed to idols, spiritual gifts, and the resurrection bring the apostle into the daily life of a church struggling with pride and division. Through it all, he keeps bringing them back to Christ crucified and risen.  In 2 Corinthians, the strained relationship between Paul and the people he loves brings its own painful questions about forgiveness, faithful ministry, suffering, and weakness. These letters give us the treasure in jars of clay, the promise of resurrection, and the assurance that Christ's grace is sufficient. Join Thy Strong Word as we study 1 and 2 Corinthians verse by verse and hear what God speaks to a troubled church He has called His own.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

Reading Acts 18:5-17 continuing the time the Apostle Paul is in Corinth, devoting himself to preaching and giving the gospel to Jews and Greeks under the protection of God. Visit wwutt.com for all our videos!

UNDATED ROMAN PLATO ACADEMYDion's Revolution And Plato's Philosophical LegacyJames Romm, Part Two: Romm details Dion's invasion of Syracuse to overthrow Dionysius II. Dion was welcomed as a liberator but clashed with populist fleet commander Heraclides. Dion ultimately orchestrated Heraclides's political murder, plunging Dion into deep depression before he was assassinated by Callippus, a fellow Academy student. Dionysius II later returned to power but abdicated when Corinthian general Timoleon arrived with a mercenary army. Dionysius lived out his remaining years peacefully in Corinth as a music teacher, inspiring the ancient proverb "Dionysius is in Corinth." Romm examines how Plutarch and Plato sought to protect the Academy's reputation despite these political failures. The discussion explores the Republic, including the hierarchy of regimes, the Allegory of the Cave, and the Myth of Er. Finally, Romm assesses Plato's Epistles, noting how the Seventh Letter defended Dion. (2)

Reading Acts 18:1-4 where the Apostle Paul comes to an immoral city called Corinth, but keeps himself unstained by the culture and focused on the work of ministry. Visit wwutt.com for all our videos!