Podcasts about Corinth

2025 Jun 29 SUN: PETER AND PAUL, APS S Vigil: Acts 3: 1-10/ Ps 19: 2-3. 4-5/ Gal 1: 11-20/ Jn 21: 15-19. Day: Acts 12: 1-11/ Ps 34: 2-3.4-5. 6-7. 8-9/ 2 Tm 4: 6-8. 17-18/ Mt 16: 13-19   When we think of Peter and Paul, we think of their leadership in the early Church. They did different things. They both found themselves in Rome, we believe somewhere between the years 64 and 67, and they were martyred while Nero was emperor. They had differing personalities and they did different things. And it is instructive for us to consider how they led the earliest believers in Jesus. We see, of course, from the Acts of the Apostles that Peter spent a good deal of time in Jerusalem and the area surrounding it. And what we hear today from the Acts of the Apostles is the threat of death that he was under there. And in fact that passage from Acts 12 begins with the martyrdom of St. James, the brother of John. He was the first of the apostles to be put to death. And it appeared that Peter himself was going to be part of that deadly process. We read about how he was freed from prison in spite of all those guards and all those locks. The locks and the chains fell away and he felt like he was in a dream. And I think we can apply this to ourselves. Peter did not have an instruction manual for how to lead the People of God. And I'm sure it has occurred to most, if not all of us, that as we carry out our work, it does end up being a case of on-the-job training. We find out for ourselves how to flourish in our chosen work. And we have to get used to that idea for all the dimensions of our life. There are things we feel called to do that we may not dare to do, but the Holy Spirit is giving us strength, giving us the grace to live authentic lives. And we know that that always comes at some risk to ourselves. But we do find ourselves affirmed as we carry out the commands of love and witness to justice for all people. In Peter's case, he became the first bishop of Rome, that is the first of the Popes. And it was with that leadership role that he was put to death.  Paul had a different journey. He was far more educated than Peter was. He was zealous in persecuting the first Christians. But he met the risen Jesus on the road. He experienced conversion. And in fact, when we are engaged in on-the-job training, that is what is offered to us. Conversion, by which we know that we belong to God and to the God who became human out of love for us. And that truth has to work on us every day. Paul became, as we call him, the apostle to the nations. And he traveled around the Mediterranean world to various places. He founded churches, Corinth in Greece, for instance. And as we hear his words today, which we believe were written from prison in Rome, he says he has fought the good fight. Now this doesn't necessarily mean aggression in the sense that we think. He has fought the good fight by witnessing to the one who has completely changed his life. And we seek to do the same thing. In our day, the bishops who have succeeded Peter and Paul are lifting up their voices on behalf of justice, especially for people who are poor and utterly vulnerable in our country. They are lifting up their voices. And this is something that Peter in particular had to learn. To be a leader is not to say I have all the answers. To be a leader is to say I am carrying out a service for the people. And in fact, I do not have all the answers, but I can give witness to what I know is real, to what I know is necessary to live by. I know that the Redeemer of humanity laid down his life out of love for us. And we must ask ourselves every day, in order to be good leaders: Why has God loved us in this way? It is something that just stops us in our tracks. How is it that the Son of God, who did not need to go anywhere near our misery, how would he embrace our misery? Well, he has done so. He has given his life for us. And in submitting to death and to all that would seem to reduce us, in submitting he has been victorious over death. And we give thanks for this sort of leadership.

I want to draw your attention to the last verse of our Bible study today, 1 Thessalonians 3:13. "To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints."Me? Unblamable? Jude 24 says, "Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy."Before you begin pounding your chest with pride like Tarzan, we must never forget that we are only "unblamable" because of the imputed righteousness of God by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ, The Lamb of God Who took all of our sin and nailed it to His cross.But I want you to see the phrase in holiness that is mentioned in connection with the coming of The Lord. The Lord Jesus is coming back just like He promised us in John 14: 2,3. And when He returns, He is coming for a holy bride, not a bride that looks, acts, and thinks like this fallen world system. Leviticus 19:2 "Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy."God is entirely holy in His nature, His motives, His thoughts, His words, and His deeds so that He alone is exclusively called Qadosh, “the Holy One” or Qedosh Yisrael, “the Holy One of Israel,” but He calls the children of Israel to be holy as well.  1 Peter 1:14-16 "As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy."The word holy in Hebrew. qadosh: Greek hagios; Set apart, dedicated to sacred purposes; holy, sacred, clean, morally or ceremonially pure. The verb form of the word means “to set apart something or someone for holy purposes; different.”People or even objects, such as anointing oil or vessels, were be considered holy to the Lord (Ex. 30:25; Jer. 2:3; Zech. 14:20, 21). Set apart from ordinary use; different.  Holiness thus speaks of a separation (not separatism) from everything profane and defiling; and at the same time, it is dedication to everything holy and pure. Beloved, holy calling of separation coincides with our calling to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. You cannot be salt or light in a monastery or in a cave.  1 Peter 2:9 "But ye are a chosen (one picked out; recipients of God's grace) generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; WHY? that ye should show forth (demonstrate; put on display) the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."Paul would put it this way when he writes to the church at Corinth. 2 Corinthians 6:17-7:1 "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness (holiness is an ongoing progressive process) in the fear of God."Beloved, holy living is a vital part of being a witness for Jesus Christ in this fallen world that we live in. Ephesisns 4.24 tells us, "And that ye put on (moment by moment) the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness."1 Thessalonians 4.7 "For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness."Dear ones, what makes a child of God different, (not better than) the unsaved is that we are walking in the way of holiness (Isa 35:8). The saving grace of God does not diminish the need for us to be holy, it commands it. SELAH

In this series we're going to study through the book of 1 Corinthians to deepen our spiritual maturity. All of us need to be more intentional with our spiritual growth. Paul, the author of this letter, will challenge us, just as he challenges the church at Corinth, to move into a deeper level of spiritual maturity.

Jesus Delivered Us (2) (audio) David Eells – 6/25/25 I'm going to continue speaking about how Jesus has delivered us. When the Syrophoenician woman asked Jesus to deliver her daughter in (Matthew 15:21-28), who was “grievously vexed with a demon” (Mat.15:26) … He answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread and cast it to the dogs. Deliverance is for God's people; deliverance is “the children's bread.” Those who think they can go and just cast demons out of any lost person do not know anything about deliverance. In the first place, it's a very dangerous thing to do. We are the ones who are in covenant with God, the covenant being deliverance from the curse of sin and of death (Rom.8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death.). This is our covenant. We have a right to total deliverance from bondage of the flesh and from bondage to demon spirits. We have the right, but that does not mean we will attain it. The right to deliverance comes when we receive knowledge and understanding of the promises, and then we enter into those covenant promises by faith. The Bible says in (Heb.4:3) …the works were finished from the foundation of the world. So the only thing remaining is for us to enter into those works through faith. It also says in (Heb.4:2) …but the word of hearing did not profit them (the Jews), because it was not united by faith with them that heard. When the Israelites were supposed to conquer their Promised Land, all they needed to do was what Joshua and Caleb did; they believed the Word of God. Ten of the twelve spies who came back did not believe the Word of God. They believed only what they saw, felt, and heard, and those were the things they confessed. They did not enter into the Promised Land because they brought back a bad report. Let's read that. (Num.13:25) And they returned from spying out the land at the end of forty days. (26) And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. (27) And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us; and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. (28) Howbeit the people that dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. (29) Amalek dwelleth in the land of the South: and the Hittite, and the Jebusite, and the Amorite, dwell in the hill-country; and the Canaanite dwelleth by the sea, and along by the side of the Jordan. (30) And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. (31) But the men that went up with him said, We are not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. (32) And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had spied out unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of great stature.  (33) And there we saw the Nephilim, the sons of Anak, who come of the Nephilim: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight. (Num.14:1) And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. This is also a type and shadow. There are ministers today who do not believe that we can be holy. They do not believe we can overcome sin and the devil. God wants to lead us through our Promised Land or Land of Promise to come against our enemies and conquer them all. But you have no authority to cast a demon out of a person who is full of bitterness, unforgiveness, anger, and resentment. You'll waste a lot of breath trying to deliver these people because, without true repentance, they can come back. And you do not know the tormentors; you just know that they are demons. They could be demons of spiritual infirmities or they could be unclean spirits. Anyone wanting to help in the ministry of deliverance should first be filled with the Holy Spirit. We need this gift, and a person who is not filled with the Holy Spirit has no business in any deliverance ministry. In the days of the first disciples, all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they would make sure other disciples were also filled with the Holy Spirit. (Act.19:1) And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper country came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples: (2) and he said unto them, Did ye receive the Holy Spirit when ye believed? And they [said] unto him, Nay, we did not so much as hear whether the Holy Spirit was [given]. (3) And he said, Into what then were ye baptized? And they said, Into John's baptism. (4) And Paul said, John baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people that they should believe on him that should come after him, that is, on Jesus. (5) And when they heard this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. The Holy Spirit is God's authority to know what is going on in people. We are to live under the law of the Spirit (Romans 7:6,8:2,4; etc.). The Old Testament Law, all those rules and regulations, was given to Israel because they did not have the Spirit of God, and so they didn't know what to do when they got into such-and-such a situation. It does not work that way in the New Testament because we have the Holy Spirit to lead us. (Gal.5:18) But if ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law. He guides us in the ministry of deliverance from lusts of the flesh and demons that rule over the lusts of the flesh. The most common reason why people don't get delivered from demons is because they are not right with their brother, and what often happens is that not being right with their brother does not get revealed. Jesus tells us to make things right with our brother before we bring our gift before the altar; otherwise, He will turn you over to the jailer and the jailer will throw you into prison. That “jailer” is the devil. (Mat.5:23) If therefore thou art offering thy gift at the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee, (24) leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. (25) Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art with him in the way; lest haply the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Jesus came to set the captives free. That is what we were, but that is not what we are now supposed to be. We were captive to the lusts of the flesh, representing the old man of the land, who seems like a giant to us, and were captive to the devil. We were in prison, having no hope without God. In Luke 4, Jesus was quoting from Isaiah, (Isa.61:1) The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening [of the prison] to them that are bound… Liberty to the captives has been proclaimed, but not everybody is entering into this liberty being cowards before their giant flesh. Our job as ministers of reconciliation is to minister the same thing that Jesus ministered. (2Co.5:18) But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave unto us the ministry of reconciliation. Our job is to proclaim the liberty that was given to us at the Cross. This liberty is deliverance from bondage to the flesh man, and deliverance from the demons that rule over the him. Then Jesus went on in (Luk.4:18) … to proclaim release to the captives, and recovering of the sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, (19) to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. He did not quote the second part of the sentence in (Isa.61:2) To proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God… He only quoted the first half of this verse because the day He was ministering in was the day of the Lord's favor, but in these days we're coming to the second half, “the day of vengeance of our God.” While grace and liberty to the captives are being offered, to the extent that we will humble ourselves to the Word is the extent we can enter into it. The Bible says in (Rev.22:18) I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto them, God shall add unto him the plagues which are written in this book: (19) and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book. Even though we have authority to cast out demons, there won't be anything lasting you can do for a person who is adding to or taking away from the Word. If you think you are going to deliver them from that curse, then you're deceived, and you haven't read Deuteronomy 28 for yourself. So that person should fill themselves with the Word to keep their gift. It was not the devil who put the curse on this earth; it was God. He sent the curse because of man's rebellion. The curse is designed to motivate us to run to the Cross and to make us run to Jesus Christ, Who has the only antidote for the curse. The world likes to deceive us into thinking they can solve our curses for us, but it's not possible. All the world can do is just shove the curse around without solving a thing, and they're about to see the truth of that now. For example, diseases they thought they had wiped out are coming back, and they're coming back stronger than ever because of man's intervention. And mans so called cure is killing a lot of people.  You see, it's not possible to destroy a curse that God has put out there, but He also sent Jesus Christ to deliver us from that curse when we repent. God is so merciful that He sent the curse to turn us away from the wrath of hell. The devil will laugh at you when you want to deliver somebody who has not repented. It's a waste of breath and time, and I know because I've tried to do it. When you have people who have not repented, it doesn't matter that they call themselves “Christians.” It makes no difference, lasting deliverance from the curse comes by repentance, faith, and obedience. There's no way we can get around that.  Jesus said, (Mat.28:18)… All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. This does not leave anything for the devil if it is not given to him, since Jesus delegated His authority to us when He said, (Mat.18:18) Verily I say unto you, what things soever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and what things soever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. That was delegating authority to us; so how is it then that the devil gets his authority? He gets it from us. When we walk out from under the Blood and walk in the flesh, submitting to demon spirits, we give the devil authority. The only way to take away his authority in that case is through repentance and faith that Christ delivered us. The apostle Paul, by the Holy Spirit, turned a man over to Satan (1Co.5:5) to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh so that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Again, you cannot get around this. If you had come to that man after Paul had turned him over to the devil, thinking to cast out all of the demons from him, you would have been deceived because those demons will literally play with you. Sometimes they'll act as if they are gone, and sometimes they will even come out, but they will not be gone for long. When you turn your head, they're right back, and if you ask them, “Hey, what are you doing? I thought I cast you out of there!” They'll tell you, “No, we have a right to be here. They want us to be here.” Or, “They invited us to be here.” I've actually heard demons say that. The demons know when they have a right, and you'll be wasting your time because they'll just deceive you. What does the Bible say will happen if you cast demons out of a person who does not repent? They may come back seven times worse. (Mat.12:43) But the unclean spirit, when he is gone out of the man, passeth through waterless places, seeking rest, and findeth it not. (44) Then he saith, I will return into my house whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. (45) Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man becometh worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this evil generation. These were apostate covenant people. Mere flesh can be dealt with by repentance and faith, but sometimes you find that even when you exercise repentance and faith, you are still not having success. That's because demonic oppression or possession is a compelling bondage that goes beyond just mere flesh. It is still repentance and faith that gets rid of the bondage of a demon spirit, but first you have to take away the “stink” that brings them. The “stink” arises when someone is giving in to the flesh or sin. “Flies” represent demons, and the “flies” come to the stink. Beelzebub, the devil, is known as the “Lord of the Flies.” Scripture calls him “Beelzebub the prince of the demons.” (Mat.12:24) But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This man doth not cast out demons, but by Beelzebub the prince of the demons. As long as you have the stink, the flies will come because they have a right to come. If you repent of the stink and get rid of the stink, that will cast out the demon or demons, and they won't be able to come back. Most deliverance happens when people do not have the foggiest idea that they have ever been delivered of anything. A lot of deliverance happens when people get saved. By the depth of their commitment to Christ, they are delivered of many demon spirits. I, and others close to me, have had demons from which we were delivered. We mentioned a man whom Paul turned over to Satan in 1 Corinthians 5:5. Did you know this man was a Christian? So what was it that caused him to be delivered over to Satan? It was the lusts of his flesh. You are protected if you walk under the Blood of Jesus Christ, but willful disobedience is not under the Blood. The Bible warns in (Heb.10:26) For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins, (27) but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which shall devour the adversaries. Willful disobedience brings judgment by the “tormentors,” who are demons. (Matthew 18:34) And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due. Demons can bring forth sickness and corruption of all kinds. When Jesus cast out demons, who was receiving that deliverance? Well, what did Jesus say? (Mat.15:24) … I was not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. It was not the Canaanites who lived around them; it was the Israelites, the people who had God's Covenant promise. Jesus said that casting out demons is for God's children. He did not cast demons out of the world, because deliverance is the “children's bread” (Mark 7:27). This makes it clear that the Covenant people were the only people out of whom Jesus was casting demons. Deliverance is what God has provided for His children. The world is not in covenant with God, and they have no right to deliverance, healing, or any of the promises of the New Covenant, nor the blessings of the New Testament. If it is the “children's bread,” then it is not to be given to the world; however, Jesus had to have been awed at the Syrophoenician woman's great faith. Since He was right on the edge of a new covenant, He counted her as a believer and He gave her what she asked. (Mar.7:26) Now the woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by race. And she besought him that he would cast forth the demon out of her daughter. (27) And he said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread and cast it to the dogs. (28) But she answered and saith unto him, Yea, Lord; even the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs. (29) And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the demon is gone out of thy daughter. The Bible says, (Rom.1:16) For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. You see, there's a condition in the Gospel that has to be met in order to receive deliverance, healing, soul salvation, and so forth, and that condition is believing what the Gospel says. You may ask, “Does God ever cast a demon out of somebody who does not believe or even think because they are totally possessed?” Yes, He does, but it's usually because they are among the elect and will later believe, like with the demoniac of the tombs (Mark 5:1-20; Matthew 8:28-34; Luke 8:26-39). Sometimes they are oppressing others who have a right to peace. In most cases it takes repentance and belief in order to get deliverance. (Mat.8:16) And when even was come, they brought unto him many possessed with demons: and he cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all that were sick: (17) that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying: Himself took our infirmities, and bare our diseases. This word “our” is talking about us. Christians spoke and wrote these words. Jesus took the curse from us. Did He bear the curse for the world? Yes, but it is ultimately to “whosoever will” (Matthew 16:25; Mark 8:34; Revelation 22:17; etc.) Who is “whosoever will?” The Bible says, (Joh.6:44) No man can come to me, except the Father that sent me draw him… The elect will; this is absolutely clear. The elect are those who bear fruit and were chosen before the foundation of the world, as the Bible says. (Eph.1:3) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly [places] in Christ: (4) even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before him in love: (5) having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, (6) to the praise of the glory of his grace, which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved: (7) in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, (8) which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, (9) making known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him (10) unto a dispensation of the fulness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth; in him, [I say,] (11) in whom also we were made a heritage, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his will; (12) to the end that we should be unto the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped in Christ: (13) in whom ye also, having heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation,-- in whom, having also believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, (14) which is an earnest (down payment) of our inheritance, unto the redemption of [God's] own possession, unto the praise of his glory. The “elect” are the overcomers who will be standing at the end of their time of testing (Romans 12:21; 1 John 5:4; Revelation 2:7,11,17,26-28; 3:5,12,21; etc.). Many of the called will not, but the elect will have gotten what Jesus was talking about here because the elect are those who bear fruit. (Mat.22:14) For many are called, but few chosen. The Greek word here for “chosen” is the same word for “elect,” eklektos. Many are the called, as we see from when God called the Israelites out of Egypt (Exodus 3:10; Hosea 11:1-7). He said in (Mat.2:15) … Out of Egypt did I call my son. He also said in (Jud.1:5) Now I desire to put you in remembrance, though ye know all things once for all, that the Lord, having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. You see, “calling” is not “election”; “calling” is on the way to election. “Calling” just means “an invitation,” from the Greek word klētos, “to invite.” Jesus has invited us to partake of the Body and Blood of Christ. If we do this, we will not have any problem bearing fruit. 2Pe 1:10  Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never stumble:  The Bible says, (2Co.7:1) Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. So you may be wondering how a Christian can have a demon and the Holy Spirit at the same time. It's simple; let me explain. The body is a temple. (1Co.6:19) Or know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own; (20) for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body. The ancient manuscripts say, “a temple of the Holy Spirit” because the Temple was threefold (Exodus chapters 25-27). It had an outer court, a holy place, and the Holy of Holies, and the outer court was called the “Court of the Gentiles” (Revelation 11:2). Were Gentiles holy? No, and we have proof from Old Testament examples that evil people did come into the outer court. They even laid hands on the horns of the altar to receive mercy (1 Kings 1:50; 2 Chronicles 23:12;15; Matthew 23:35), and sometimes they found mercy and other times they did not. So we see that evil could come into the outer court, but it could not come into the Holy of Holies. Some people like to say that the Spirit of God will not dwell in an unclean temple. If you're talking about the flesh, the flesh is unclean and it's also the enemy of God. (Rom.8:6) For the mind of the flesh is death; but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace: (7) because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be: (8) and they that are in the flesh cannot please God. In fact, when the Bible talks about the lusts of the flesh, those lusts have the same nature as the demons do because the flesh is unclean and it's not going to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. (1Co.15:50) Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Only the “High Priest” Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, dwells in your “Holy of Holies,” your spirit. The demons do not enter into the spirit. Except for the High Priest, anybody who came into the Holy of Holies was struck dead. (Lev.16:2) And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil, before the mercy-seat which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy-seat. No evil could go into the Holy of Holies because that was the place of only the High Priest. The Holy Spirit is not dwelling in an unclean temple when He dwells in your spirit. Your spirit is clean. He has to give you a new spirit before He can even come and dwell there. You need to be born again before He can come and dwell in that spirit. (Gal.4:6) And because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Demons come into the flesh with the desire to possess your soul, which is your mind, will, and emotions. The Lord comes into your spirit with the desire to possess your soul. The warfare is between spirit and flesh; God and demons seek to possess the soul. (Act.10:38) Even Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. We've been lied to about the supposed difference between “possession” and “oppression.” “Possession” is when the demon is reaching out of the flesh and into the soul, taking control of the mind, the actions, and the character of the person. If you've ever seen a schizophrenic, where one moment they are given over to the lusts of the flesh, and the next minute they seem to straighten right back up. Is that person possessed or not? They are possessed when that happens and they are not possessed when the demon backs off. The demon is still in them; he hasn't gone anywhere. All he's done is just back out of the soul into the flesh, becoming dormant, and he remains there until the next time he wants to take control. The Holy Spirit is the same way. Just because you have the Holy Spirit does not mean you are being led by the Holy Spirit. Having the Holy Spirit is not even going to save you! (Rom.8:14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. You can have the Holy Spirit, but not be led by Him, and it's the same with demons. You can have demons, without the demons being in control. We should desire to give possession of this “land” to the spiritual man (Hebrews 6:4-8). God, through the Spirit, gives our spiritual man the power to possess our soul. When you walk after the flesh, the Bible says you must die. (Rom.8:13) For if ye live after the flesh, ye must die; but if by the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live. When you walk after the flesh, you permit the demon's power to reach into your soul to take control of your thinking, actions, and character, your very nature. In the world they call this “schizophrenia,” but it's demon possession. There is only one nature that is the “real you”. The demons like to come into Christians and impart their own thoughts to deceive them into thinking that this is their nature. The demons give themselves up to the lusts of the flesh and then rule the Christians by speaking in their minds and blending into their characters so that they do not even know that it is them. Christians think it's themselves, but those demons can be forced to manifest by the Authority of God. Some of you may have heard or seen the Gospel being preached and demons manifesting in Christians. They are forced to manifest because they hate the Gospel. They hate tongues and they hate the Blood of Jesus. They hate all things that are Godly. If you learn the things that they hate, those are your best weapons against them. Some of you have already found out that these demons can hide in you very tactfully, convincing you that their thinking is your thinking. Thoughts coming through your mind might seem to be yours, but when forced to manifest by the Word of God, you realize they're coming from a demon. Where the Word of God is tormenting these demons, they will manifest, and this is exactly what happened in Jesus' Presence. The Word of God forced them to manifest. (Mat.8:28) And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, there met him two possessed with demons, coming forth out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man could pass by that way. (29) And behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? If you have a repentant person and you command these demons to give their name and to manifest in some way, they will do it. If they have never been commanded to manifest, you may have never actually felt their presence. When they are commanded to do so, they will literally speak out of a person and give their name, but they'll also argue with you and lie to you. They will do all the things that demons like to do. Now it's helpful to have other people alongside, but you can deliver yourself because we have that authority. (2Co.7:1) Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. If you suspect something is more than just flesh, then exercise your authority and command those demons to go. Sometimes they will speak in your mind, or you'll get their name in your mind. Sometimes their names will come right out of the person's mouth. Many times, a strong, compelling desire turns out to be a demon, not the flesh, but the devil wants you to think that it is only flesh. We are in the process, called “sanctification,” of being delivered of two things: defilement of flesh and spirit (2 Corinthians 7:1). But is your spirit defiled? If you are a Christian, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in a new, clean spirit Who is called the Spirit of Christ in you. (Gal.4:6) And because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father. This is a Christian. God says, (Eze.36:26) A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. 27  And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes… Notice, a “new spirit” and then “My Spirit” or the Holy Spirit. You do not have a defiled spirit, so why does Scripture say to Christians, “let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit”? It's because this defilement of spirit is talking about the defilement of you by demon spirits. This is not talking about the defilement of your spirit because your spirit is the only part of you that is totally white and clean. If it is not, you are not a Christian. The defilement that we have the authority to get rid of is the defilement of our souls by the flesh and evil spirits. Do you know what “self” is in the Bible? It is a synonymous term for the word “soul.” One Gospel will say “self” and another Gospel will say “soul” in a same text in another Gospel. “Self” and “soul” are the same. We want to be delivered of all defilement of our soul by both flesh and spirits. (Col.3:5) Put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry; (6) for which things' sake cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience: (7) wherein ye also once walked, when ye lived in these things; (8) but now do ye also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful speaking out of your mouth: (9) lie not one to another; seeing that ye have put off the old man with his doings, (10) and have put on the new man, that is being renewed unto knowledge after the image of him that created him. The Bible tells us in (Eph.4:27) Neither give place to the devil. The Greek word “place” there is a geographic term meaning “region” or “area.” This is the exact thing God talked about when He was cleansing the Promised Land from the pagan tribes that controlled it. (Deu.7:1) When the Lord thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and shall cast out many nations before thee, the Hittite, and the Girgashite, and the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, seven nations greater and mightier than thou… All these “ites” had their demonic “gods” (Deuteronomy 32:17). If you leave a place for the lusts of the flesh to live in your land, you are going to sin because they will make you sin, so we are not to leave them any place in our land. (Deu.7:2) And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them up before thee, and thou shalt smite them; then thou shalt utterly destroy them: thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor show mercy unto them; (3) neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. (4) For he will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and he will destroy thee quickly. When Jesus delivered the woman with a “spirit of infirmity” in (Luke 13:11), He said in (Luk.13:16) And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan had bound, lo, [these] eighteen years, to have been loosed from this bond on the day of the sabbath? Jesus called this woman a “daughter of Abraham,” and you might think, “Well, He's just talking about Jews,” yet Jesus never called the literal, physical Jews “daughters and sons of Abraham.” These Jewish leaders and their followers were professing Abraham to be their father, but Jesus totally disagreed with them because a daughter or son of Abraham, like the woman He loosed, is someone who is truly in covenant with God. (Joh.8:38) I speak the things which I have seen with [my] Father: and ye also do the things which ye heard from [your] father. (39) They answered and said unto him, Our father is Abraham. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. Here's the point: “Ye would do the works of Abraham.” (Joh.8:40) But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I heard from God: this did not Abraham. (41) Ye do the works of your father. They said unto him, We were not born of fornication; we have one Father, [even] God. (42) Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I came forth and am come from God; for neither have I come of myself, but he sent me. (43) Why do ye not understand my speech? [Even] because ye cannot hear my word. (44) Ye are of [your] father the devil, and the lusts of your father it is your will to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and standeth not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father thereof. Paul said the same thing; he said that people who walk by faith are the sons of Abraham. (Gal.3:7) Know therefore that they that are of faith, the same are sons of Abraham. Jesus never disagreed with this. This woman who was loosed, got her deliverance because she was a daughter of Abraham. The people who were coming to Jesus were Covenant people, just as we are Covenant people. They had the right of the Covenant and therefore they got healing and deliverance from God. We are proving ourselves through this “trial in the wilderness,” through the things that we're going through, to be either sons of Abraham or sons of the devil. The Bible says in (1Jn.2:6) He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked. Sons of the devil in the world have no Covenant rights, and you're just casting the children's bread to the dogs when you try to deliver an unrepentant person (Mark 7:27). You'll have the same problem, too, if you're trying to give deliverance to a Christian who is unrepentant. We are proving who are overcomers, those who truly belong to Christ. They are going to be the ones who are proven to be the Elect of God (Philippians 2:12; 2 Peter 1:10). We can prove ourselves just as much sons of the devil by our actions as these people proved themselves sons of the devil by their actions. Jesus pointed out to them, “No, if you were of your father Abraham, you would do the works of Abraham!” Amen.

Preached by Pastor Duncan Ross on 6/22/25. Acts 18:1-18. More info and sermon manuscripts at www.nshorechurch.org.To The Ends of The Earth: The Book of Acts || Ep. 51

Paul sends Timothy back to Thessalonica to check on them. He wanted to know if their faith was still strong or if the tempter had gotten the best of them and they had quit following Jesus. By the way, Timothy, a fairly new convert to Jesus, would be going alone. Is there any fear in Timothy? If so, he didn't let him stop him from doing what Paul asked! He went to Thessalonica, he met with the believers there, and he came back to Corinth and reported to Paul about what he discovered from his visit. As a follower of Jesus, can we have fear? Absolutely...but, it's what we do with that fear. Do we let that fear hold us back from being obedient? Or do we have courage and overcome our fear, being obedient to our calling?

In this powerful sermon delivered on June 22, 2025, at First Christian Church in Brazil, Indiana, Pastor Chris Gregg dives into the transformative message of 1 Corinthians 2:1-16. Addressing a world filled with division—whether over global events like the recent bombing of Iran or local rivalries like Cubs vs. Cardinals fans—Pastor Chris emphasizes that Jesus Christ is the only one big enough to unite us. Drawing from the Apostle Paul's letter to the Corinthian church, he highlights the simplicity and power of the gospel, urging believers to focus on the message of the cross rather than worldly wisdom.Key Topics DiscussedUnity Through Jesus: Pastor Chris discusses how countless issues, big and small, can divide us, but Jesus is the unifying force for believers (00:01:04 - 00:01:52).The Message of the Cross: Paul's approach to sharing the gospel was not through persuasive speech but through the power of God, a model for all Christians (00:04:22 - 00:05:34).God's Hidden Wisdom: The sermon explores the “mysterion” (mystery) of God's plan, revealed through the Holy Spirit to those who believe (00:07:00 - 00:09:06).Spiritual vs. Natural Understanding: Pastor Chris explains why some reject the gospel, not due to comprehension but because they deem it worthless without the Spirit's revelation (00:15:33 - 00:19:02).Living as Ambassadors: All believers are called to share their faith, valuing the cross through their lives to spark curiosity in others (00:19:30 - 00:22:04).Prayer and Intimacy with God: The sermon closes with a call to pray fervently for those far from God and to seek God's specific guidance through prayer and His Word (00:21:00 - 00:25:30).Useful Timestamps00:01:04: Introduction to division in the world and the church.00:04:22: Reading of 1 Corinthians 2:1-16.00:07:00: Explanation of the “mystery” (mysterion) of God's wisdom.00:15:33: Contrast between worldly and godly wisdom.00:19:30: Call to value the message of the cross in daily life.00:24:18: Closing prayer for believers and those far from God.Additional NotesThis sermon is part of a series on the book of First Corinthians, addressing the challenges faced by the early church in Corinth—a community Pastor Chris describes as “really messed up” yet relevant to modern congregations. The message is both an encouragement for believers to deepen their relationship with God and a heartfelt invitation for those exploring faith to encounter Jesus. For those interested in further study, Pastor Chris references Isaiah 64:4 and the parable of the hidden treasure in Matthew 13:44.Connect with First Christian ChurchWebsite: fccbrazil.orgSocial Media: Follow us on all platforms @fccbrazil (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook)Contact: Reach out via email at info@fccbrazil.org or call (812) 446-1111 for more information or to connect with our community.Recommended ResourcesBible Gateway for exploring scripture references.YouVersion Bible App for daily Bible reading plans, including First Corinthians.Join us next week for the continuation of our First Corinthians series, and share this episode with someone who needs to hear the unifying message of Jesus Christ!

Joel Wood June 22 2025In a world filled with confusion, brokenness, and spiritual darkness, how does real transformation happen? In Acts 18–19, the Apostle Paul enters two very different and very diffit cities — Corinth, known for its global commerce, rampant immorality and cultural corruption, and Ephesus, a hub of spiritual idolatry, magic, and political power. What happens next is nothing short of miraculous: people come to faith, lives are changed, and communities are impacted — not through flashy programs or celebrity preachers, but through the simple, powerful, personal method of discipleship. Walking with people. Teaching truth. Clarifying faith, and boldly speaking the Gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit. No matter who you are or what you do, God has placed you where you are for a reason. And as you walk faithfully with Jesus, He will use you to help others do the same and be a part of transforming lives and communities.

Boasting in God and His Work, Not Ourselves or Our Work Please turn to 2 Corinthians 10. Our sermon text is chapter 10 verses 8-18. That is on page 1150. As you are turning there, be reminded that the apostle Paul has been defending his apostleship over and against the false apostles. This morning's reading continues the contrast between true and false apostles. These verses focus on boasting and comparing. In whom should we boast and with whom should we compare ourselves. Listen for those things as I read. Reading of 2 Corinthians 10:8-18 Prayer As I was studying this passage, I realized that it's pretty relevant for our church's 5th anniversary. I promise I didn't pick this text for that purpose. And then as I studied it, more, I realized, oh this is actually pretty convicting. I was reflecting back on all the feelings I was going through when we were organizing. This is going back to 2019 and early 2020. A big one was fear of failure. I had read that something like 80% of church plants don't make it. That was hard to consider. My temptation, like other pastors, is to connect my identity to the success or failure of the church. When things are seemingly going well, it's tempting to think that somehow it's due to my gifts or leadership. And on the other side, when things are seemingly not going well, the temptation is to feel like a failure instead of turning to Christ and relying on him. So that was one thing. But also, I had feelings of rejection. Like when a person or family was exploring churches, but decided to go to another church, it was (and it still is!) easy to feel a personal rejection. Related to that, it has been tempting to compare myself with other pastors or compare our church with other churches. I have struggled with those but especially when we were beginning. I've had to ask myself some hard questions. 1. Is my identity wrapped up our church instead of Christ? That's a hard question for any pastor. 2. Do I have a worldly understanding of success and failure? That's another hard one. Am I focused on numeric growth or, instead, spiritual growth? 3. Am I comparing myself with others or looking for affirmation from others instead of from Jesus? Those are hard things to ask. The reason I'm bringing these up is because our text this morning asks and answer some of these very questions. Now, to be sure, none of us are apostles. No, Paul had a special ordained role as one of the apostles called by Jesus himself. Moreover, the office of apostle concluded in the first century when the Scriptures were complete. However, even though none of us are apostles, the foundation that Paul laid for the church, and the pattern that he modelled as a faithful shepherd certainly apply to us today. In these verses, as Paul compares the true apostles to the false apostles, we can see the pattern. On the one hand, God glorifying, Christ exalting ministry and on the other, man-centered, self-exalting ministry. As we work through this, my hope is that we, as a church, can hear and apply these words to us. In the outline provided, you'll see 3 questions. 1. Whose standard are we using? 2. Whose glory are we seeking? 3. Whose message are we proclaiming? Actually, I want to extend that third question. Whose message are we proclaiming and what mission are we pursuing? Pencil that in. Again, whose standard, whose glory, whose message, and what mission. 1. Whose standard are we using? So, #1 whose standard? We've already considered that the impostors in Corinth critiqued Paul because he appeared weak in the flesh. Look at verse10: “For they say, ‘His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account.'” There are really three critiques here. 1) Paul was physically weak or at least he came across as wimpy; 2) his speech was unimpressive. In other words, because he didn't use all the rhetorical devices of the era, he was therefore sub-par... and 3) he was self-contradictory. His letters were strong but that wasn't matched by a strong in-person impression. That last one is addressed directly in verse 11. Paul writes, “Let such a person understand that what we say by letter when absent, we do when present.” He was saying to them, you may have an impression of weakness when we are in person, however, we are living out our boldness in our lives when we are with you. And make no mistake, we are prepared to speak with the same boldness if necessary. What was the false apostles standard? How were they evaluating Paul? And the answer is, they were using the world's standards. They were comparing Paul to what they considered superior. Verse 12 gets to the heart of their problem. It says, “Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.” They were measuring themselves with one another. Their standard did not come from God, it came through their worldly comparison. I think we can all understand the temptation. Our natural sinful disposition is to look to others. We constantly measure ourselves by what we see around us. I was recently reading a book that identified the 10th commandment – do not covet – as the consummate problem with the entire world. The author was saying that man's covetous heart is the source of all evil and war and anger and stealing and adultery. Someone has something that we don't have and we want it. We want to be better than and stronger than and more prominent than and more popular than our neighbor. Do you see how that is true? A covetous heart leads to ungodly and self-centered thoughts and words and actions that betray God's standard of righteousness. Now, I do not believe the 10th commandment is the only path to sin and evil in the world. I think the 1st and 2nd commandments are also an entry point into corruption and evil. The 1st and 2nd commandments are about having no other god and not making or worshiping an idol in the place of God. But for sure, coveting was a big problem in Corinth. The false apostles coveted what Paul had – they wanted his authority and popularity. And so what did they do? They turned to each other and the world's standards… and they undermined Paul, whom God had ordained as faithful and true. Last month, something really sad and unfortunate happened. A prominent pastor in the reformed church world was found to be slandering other pastors. He had created multiple anonymous X accounts, and he was using those fake accounts to criticize and undermine other pastors. This pastor was doing the same thing as the false apostles in Corinth. He was elevating himself and suppressing others. Now, that's a negative example and I think it's a rare example. At least, I hope. A more common example is when we envy the so-called success of other churches and try to mimic their tactics. In other words, when we see or hear of another church attracting a bunch of people, we think, what are they doing that we could also do or even do better? On my way here last week, I drove by a big church. Lots of cars were pulling in. And there was a guy with one of those giant bubble makers. You know, with the rope, and it makes big ubbles. And I thought, do we need a giant bubble maker? Just kidding. Actually, I was a little irritated because one of the bubbles popped on my car. On a serious note, much of today's church growth movement is focused on external things. It's just a modern version of what the false apostles were doing. Today it's about emotionally driven and high production experiences; or innovations to attract people; or it's a focus on feel-good messages that avoid difficult topics like sin and judgment and repentance and holiness; Now, I am not saying that we shouldn't be thoughtful and engaging in the responsibilities God has given his church. We definitely should. Rather, I'm saying that our natural sinful proclivity is to turn to the world's standards and approach which includes compare ourselves to others. It's one of my temptations and I think probably to some extent, a temptation for all of us. Instead, we should be looking to the Lord and his criteria. That begins by seeking to be faithful to him and to his ways and to his purposes rather than the world's. Instead of being man-centered we should seek to be God glorifying. We should focus on the Gospel – our utter need for God's grace in Christ because of our sin and God's judgment. In our practices, we should submit them to God's Word. Those are just a few. So, whose standard are we using? Are we following God's standard which he has reveled to us in his Word, or are we following the world's standard, comparing ourselves to one another? 2. Whose glory are we seeking? #2. Whose glory are we seeking? Are we seeking God's glory and are we boasting in him, or are we boasting in and exalting ourselves? You heard the word boast in these verses. It's used 7 times. In fact, the theme of boasting will continue into chapters 11 and 12. And we get the sense that Paul doesn't even like the word boasting. But because the so-called super apostles were boasting, Paul needed to correct their misguided boasting by presenting what they should really be boasting in – which is the Lord. By the way, let me give you a definition of the word boasting. The Greek word boast is to brag about, or rejoice in, or have confidence in something. To boast is to lift up something or someone as exceptionally noteworthy. Paul is saying all throughout these verses that our boasting needs to be in the Lord and his work. Nowhere in these verses does Paul commend himself. Rather, he directs their attention to the Lord and what the Lord commends. Let's look at two examples here. First, verse 8. Paul writes, “For even if I boast a little too much of our authority.” Do you hear that uneasiness. But listen to what he says next,  “which the Lord gave….” You see, he focuses on the Lord. It's not a self commending authority, but an authority that the Lord gave. Verse 18 is similar. “For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.” The impostors were boasting in their own self-assigned authority. It was not a God-ordained authority. They were putting each other on a pedestal. I don't know if you'll remember this from chapter 3, but they even had letters of recommendation to somehow prove their authority in the church. It was all very self-serving and not God glorifying. It's kind of like they were applying for a job. You know the drill. The way to get a job is self-promotion. You put together a resume or a CV. You have to include all your expertise and credentials and education and certifications. Then if you get an interview, you basically have to talk about why you are the best… or at least the best fit for the job. It's a little uncomfortable, isn't it? …because you are essentially boasting about yourself. That's the way the world works, and it's hard to break out of that mindset in ministry. It's not that Paul didn't have the credentials. Actually, in the next chapter he is going to be clear about his credentials. Rather, what he is emphasizing is that we need to direct our attention to the Lord. It is his work, not ours. It's his work in us, his work through us, and he is the one to be exalted in it. Let me put it this way: No heart transforming work happens in anyone's life by man's work. No, it is the work of God in Christ through the Holy Spirit that turns hearts of stone into hearts of flesh. Furthermore, there is no sanctification in one's life that happens by our will, no, rather it is likewise the ministry of God's Word through his Spirit that matures us in Christ. Our church is here today, not because of anything that any of us did. I am not saying that seeking to be faithful to fulfill God's call for the local church is not important. It is important. But there have been many faithful church plants that have closed. There was a church plant in Lilburn that closed a couple of years ago. It was a daughter church of Perimeter in John's Creek – Perimeter is a sister church of ours. And I remember a very meaningful comment by Perimeter's church plant director. As they prepared to close their doors, he encouraged them that their labors were not in vain. No, rather that the Lord had been faithfully at work during the time of their existence as a church. And furthermore, he said, that when that great day comes when Christ returns, the work that the Lord did through their church plant will be celebrated… celebrated as part of the broader kingdom work of God throughout the world. It was a great reminder that it was the Lord's work. That's hard to get our minds around because we often apply the world's criteria of success and failure. But we can still boast in what God has done in that community and the lives of his people. The key verse is right there in verse 17. It's a quote from Jeremiah. “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” Paul is clearly boasting here. But he is boasting in God's authority over his apostleship, and he is boasting in the Lord's work in Corinth. There is only one place to direct our boasting. It is to the Lord. What he has done and is doing. So, whose glory are we seeking? Are we seeking our own glory? Are we commending and boasting in ourselves or are we seeking to give glory to God and his work? 3. Whose message are we proclaiming and what mission are we pursuing? Which brings us to the third question. Whose message are we proclaiming and what mission are we pursuing? We've already seen throughout 2 Corinthians that the false apostles were not only promoting themselves, but they were proclaiming a false gospel. Their gospel was about power and it was about prestige. It was not about the true Gospel of Christ crucified and the weakness and suffering and humility that comes from that. Furthermore, their mission was to build up themselves and their little kingdom. We're not given any sense in 2 Corinthians that the false apostles desired to spread the Gospel. Paul focuses on these things in verses 14 and 15. And they merit a little explaining. He says in verse 14, “we are not overextending ourselves as though we did not reach you.” What he means is that they had a vested interest in Corinth. Corinth was under their oversight. They were not interjecting themselves into the situation in Corinth without warrant. On the contrary, they had come, as it says, “all the way to them to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” Paul and the others had sacrificed much to bring the Gospel to them and had labored many months to establish the church. When Paul planted the church in Corinth, he was there for 18 months. Of course he desired to see the church in Corinth prosper. And there are two things on his mind. First, he wanted them to be firmly established with the Gospel message and, second, he wanted them to participate in the Gospel mission. The message of the Gospel and the mission of the Gospel go hand and hand. As Paul said in his letter to the Romans in chapter 1, “The Gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Gentile.” Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles. He wanted to see the Gospel message go to the ends of the earth. And he wanted the Corinthians to help. That is what the second half of verse 15 means. “our hope is that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you may be greatly enlarged.” In other words, as you grow in your faith, we hope you will take the Gospel to other communities around you and thus enlarge what God began. And then look what he says in verse 16, “so that we may preach the gospel in lands beyond you.” When the church in Corinth matures in Christ and stabilizes, two things will happen. First, the Gospel will spread in southern Greece. And second, Paul, Timothy, Titus, and the others will no longer need to focus their efforts on Corinth. They will be able to take the Gospel to other lands that have never heard of Jesus Christ. A church that loses the Gospel message loses the Gospel mission. You may have heard this, but a couple of months ago, the mainline Presbyterian denomination in the US ended its foreign mission's agency. They let go their remaining 60 missionaries. Over the last 100 years, they had slowly lost their belief in Jesus as the only hope for salvation. And with that loss of message, they slowly lost the purpose of missions. If there's no message, then why bother with the mission? When the so-called super apostles infiltrated Corinth, not only did they distract the church away from the truth, they also distracted the church away from its mission. And it furthermore required a lot of effort from Paul and others, which distracted them from their broader mission to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Are we seeking to be true to the message of the Gospel and faithful to our mission to proclaim it to all the world? Conclusion To recap: 1. Whose standard are we using? Are we comparing ourselves to others using the world's standards or are we seeking what the Lord commends and has designed for his church? 2. Whose glory are we seeking? Are we boasting in ourselves , or are we boasting in the Lord and his work, recognizing that in him and through him and to him are all things? 3. Whose message are we proclaiming and what mission are we pursuing? Are we being faithful to the hope that is found in Christ alone and faithful to the great commission… or is the message and mission waning in our lives and church? Every church needs to be constantly evaluating and re-evaluating these questions. I don't know what plans the Lord has for us over the next 5 years. But my prayer is (1) that we would not align ourselves to the standards of the world, (2) that we would boast in the Lord and his work, and (3) that we would be faithful to Christ, seeking to be a light of his Gospel to our neighbors and taking that Gospel to the “lands beyond” as the apostle put it. In all of it, boasting in the Lord. Amen.

When you try to combine the church with the culture, the result is chaos — and the book of 1 Corinthians is proof of that. In this letter, Paul tenderly addresses the church that he planted in Corinth and dives headfirst into its unbridled dysfunction. Through the lens of the gospel, he cuts through the noise and painstakingly tackles their confusion on topics such as division, sexuality, Christian freedom, gender roles, corporate worship, and the resurrection — all of which are relevant pressure points in the modern church today. In a culture that attempts to blur the lines between the worldly and the godly, we too need to remember our calling to be countercultural.

In this segment of the Wonderful Words of Life Radio Program, we will be looking into the first 11 verses of 2 Corinthians, Chapter 7. Our study will center around Paul's exhortation and commendation of the church at Corinth concerning their heart felt desire to turn to the Lord in godly repentance with a desire to make things that were wrong in the church right. +++++++ You can find more information on my website: https://pastorjohndunning.com/ You can hear my personal testimony on this website: https://www.ifyouonlyknew.life/

“For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.” The Apostle Paul wrote those words to the church in Rome, a few years before he made it there in person. He penned the letter from Corinth, either during or shortly after his third missionary journey, when God's power was on full display. Ron gives us an in-depth look at Paul's third and final mission trip today, as he moves ahead in his teaching series, “Paul: Surprised by Grace.”  

Jesus called His church the light of the world.  And He called us to pierce this present darkness, not to avoid it. The Apostle Paul spent eighteen months getting the Corinthian church up and running. That means he didn't just turn the light on, he left the light on. Today, Ron shares three key lessons from Paul's time in Corinth, as he continues his teaching series, “Paul: Surprised by Grace.” 

Take Aways:1. Though Paul reviewed his credentials that demonstrated his status as a true apostle including visions, revelations, perseverance, signs, wonders, and mighty deeds, he ultimately boasted in his infirmities knowing that the Lord Jesus would be glorified in his weakness as he humbly relied on the grace and power of God—“But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ…that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,” Philippians 3:7, 102. As Paul demonstrated his sincere care for the church at Corinth through his sacrificial and blameless conduct, so we should strive to edify the body through selfless, loving action focused on glorifying God and blessing others—“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:35

St. Paul reminds the people of Corinth that God's abundant grace is manifest when we cheerfully share our blessings with one another.  (Lectionary #367)

“I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work.” (1 Corinthians 3:6–8 NLT) In the process of preaching the gospel, every Christian plays a part. Some of us sow seeds. Others water seeds that have already been sown. And still others have the privilege of reaping the seeds that have already been sown and watered. In 1 Corinthians 3, the apostle Paul addressed a problem that was causing divisions among the believers in Corinth. Some Christians there were identifying themselves as followers of him, Paul. Others were identifying themselves as followers of Apollos. And still others were identifying themselves as followers of Peter. These believers thought that their allegiance to a particular leader made them morally and spiritually superior to their fellow Christians. In his response to this burgeoning cult of personality, Paul gives us an important glimpse into the nature of evangelism. Look what he says in verses 6–7: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase” (NKJV). Paul made it clear that he and Apollos (and Peter) were simply laborers, planting and nurturing the seeds of the gospel. God was the one who made the seeds grow. Therefore, He was the One the people needed to follow. But the principle of sowing seeds and trusting God to make them grow still applies today. Sharing our faith with others is a personal investment. It often involves opening up about private matters and making ourselves vulnerable to rejection. It’s only natural that we’d want to see dividends from our investment—to see the seed we planted sprout and grow before our very eyes. But that doesn’t always happen. And sometimes if we don’t see immediate results, we grow frustrated. We question whether the seed has taken root. We wonder why God isn’t blessing our efforts. But remain steadfast, Christian. God is trustworthy. The seed that we sow today may not be reaped in our lifetime. It may grow after we’re in Heaven. That may be when the nonbeliever that we loved, nurtured, and shared the gospel with will come to faith. Then again, that nonbeliever might come to faith tomorrow. The timing is out of our hands. As Paul made clear to the believers in Corinth, it doesn’t matter who sows or waters the seeds of the gospel, as long as the work is being done. That’s not where the credit goes. The credit goes to the One who makes the seeds grow. Our responsibility is to sow the seed of the gospel in as many lives as possible and then leave the results to God. Reflection question: How was the seed of the gospel planted in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Before America had Las Vegas, ancient Greece had a Sin City of its own. During his thirty-five-year ministry, the Apostle Paul shined the light of Jesus Christ in some very dark places. But none was darker than the city of Corinth. Idolatry, immorality and sexual sin ran rampant. And yet, Paul not only took the Gospel to this den of depravity, he stayed for eighteen months in spite of heavy opposition. It's a testimony of great faith and perseverance, and Ron takes shares it with you today in his continuing series, “Paul: Surprised by Grace.”  

Margaret Loftus is a former public defender.  She's now a farmer. She and her husband Jonathan left Brooklyn for Vermont in 2006 in search of a better place to raise their kids—Keelan, Tobin and Wendell—and grow their own food. After years of learning about farming, growing organic vegetables, and raising animals for beef, pork and lamb, the family-run Crossmolina Farm—named after a town in Ireland—became a full-time enterprise in 2018. In this episode, Margaret talks about creating a new life in Vermont, learning how to farm, and creating a tight-knit community around food.    Read about Crossmolina Farm in Daybreak  Find events, stories and more podcast episodes on HappyVermont.com Help support this podcast on Patreon and get free swag.   

In the church of Corinth, Paul identified a critical shortage of spiritual fathers and mothers - a problem that persists today. While instructors abound, true mentors who invest deeply in others' spiritual growth are rare. Effective mentorship provides confidentiality, loving correction, and personal development. Every Christian should have both someone pouring into them and someone they're pouring into. Through intentional relationships that go beyond Sunday services, we can address spiritual deficiencies and become people worth imitating, as Paul urged the Corinthians to imitate him.

Corinth was messy, resistant, and spiritually dark — but God still called Paul there. In this message from Acts 18:1–17, we're reminded that the call to follow Jesus often leads us into hard places, but we don't go alone. We pursue people with truth, preach with Spirit-powered boldness, press on with God's presence, and persevere under His protection.Support the show

During his second missionary journey, Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half. We catch glimpses of big events and ordinary moments of daily living. We are invited to offer God all the (extra)ordinary moments of our lives.

In this sermon, Pastor Chris Gregg of First Christian Church in Brazil, Indiana, delves into 1 Corinthians 1, addressing the challenges faced by the church in Corinth and drawing parallels to modern believers. The sermon, part of the "#Unfiltered Church" series, focuses on the unifying power of the cross and the church's mission to be salt and light in a diverse and divided world.Topics DiscussedCorinth's Context: Corinth, a bustling "Crossroads of Greece," was a diverse, chaotic city, much like Indiana's nickname, "The Crossroads of America." This diversity led to divisions within the church (1 Corinthians 1:10).The Church's Mission: The church is called to be on mission, embodying the Great Commission to "Guide People Home" and act as a "City on a Hill" (Matthew 5:14). Pastor Gregg emphasizes the risks of absorption (losing distinctiveness by blending into culture) and isolation (withdrawing from the world).Division in Corinth: The church was divided over different leaders, causing disunity. Paul appeals for unity in mind and purpose (1 Corinthians 1:10).The Message of the Cross: The cross, seen as foolish by Jews (seeking signs) and Greeks (seeking wisdom), is the power and wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:18-25). It unifies believers despite cultural expectations.God's Grace and Weakness: God chooses the weak and foolish to shame the strong (1 Corinthians 1:26-31). Grace, unique to Christianity, empowers believers to live dependently on God, finding strength in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9-11).Practical Application: Believers are urged to respond with compassion, not judgment, meeting people where they are. The cross overshadows sin and failure, offering justification, sanctification, and liberation.Additional NotesThe sermon draws from First Christian Church's mission to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ, emphasizing outreach and community.Pastor Gregg highlights the cultural relevance of Corinth's challenges, encouraging modern believers to avoid absorbing secular culture or isolating from it.The message aligns with the church's vision to be a welcoming community that guides people home to God.Links and Contact InformationChurch Website: fccbrazil.orgSermon Series: Learn more about the #Unfiltered Church series on the church's sermons page.Social Media:FacebookYouTubeContact: Reach out at office@fccbrazil.org or call (812) 446-2214 for more information.Follow First Christian Church on social media for updates on services, events, and more inspiring content!

Keywords: 2 Corinthians,Book of 2 Corinthians,Revival, Character Of God,Free Sermons, Video Sermons, Jesus Christ, What Is The Gospel, Sermon Index, What Is The Truth, kjv bible, Audio Bible, Bible, God, God's Love, Scriptures, Holy Bible, Prophets, Apostles, KJV, Jesus,Christ, audiobook, book, holy life, love, bible verses, king james bible audio, audio bible KJV, king james bible online audio, bible audio, online bible kjv, audio bible kjv, daily bible verse, bible verse of the day, KJV audio, Remastered, Best Version, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Holy Ghost, The Chosen, Salvation, Saved, Christian, Suffering Servant, Arm of the Lord, Plants Roots, Despised Rejected, Sorrows, Peace War, Crucifixtion, The Cross, Violence, Judgement, Master Servant, Life Death, Old Testament, Exposed, Music, Education, Great Tribulation, Endtimes, Top Bible Verses, Bible Topic Prayer, Evangelicalism, bible study, Word of God, scripture, scriptures, Matthew Henry's biblical commentary, bible commentary, Matthew Henry commentary, God's Word, Matthew Henry, studying the Bible, understanding the Bible, God, Father, Son, Holy Spirit, Spiritual, Hope, Jesus Answers Prayer, Answers to Prayer, Prayer, Pray, God Answers Prayer⚠️ Support our ministry: https://ko-fi.com/jesusanswersprayers❓️ How does this chapter apply to you?

This Sunday, Jesus' resurrection takes center stage.  Jesus' resurrection is the most profound mystery (truth) the world will ever know.  It's the central teaching of the Christian faith alongside the cross of Christ.  1 Corinthians 15 is the longest chapter in Paul's letter to the church of Corinth by far.  What's the topic?  The Resurrection!

When you try to combine the church with the culture, the result is chaos — and the book of 1 Corinthians is proof of that. In this letter, Paul tenderly addresses the church that he planted in Corinth and dives headfirst into its unbridled dysfunction. Through the lens of the gospel, he cuts through the noise and painstakingly tackles their confusion on topics such as division, sexuality, Christian freedom, gender roles, corporate worship, and the resurrection — all of which are relevant pressure points in the modern church today. In a culture that attempts to blur the lines between the worldly and the godly, we too need to remember our calling to be countercultural.

2 Corinthians 10 1-7 The Weapons of Warfare Please turn to 2 Corinthians 10. You can find that on page 1150 in the pew Bible. This is the last section of the apostle Paul's letter to the church in Corinth. It runs through the final 4 chapters. Before we read, I want to remind you of two things in 2 Corinthians. First, Paul has been emphasizing his authority as an apostle. That emphasis began all the way back in chapter 1 verse 1. In the very opening words of the letter, he identified himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ. His defense continued throughout chapters 1-9 in different ways. For example, in chapter 3, he identified himself as a minister of the new covenant through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. In chapter 5, he stressed that the apostles were ambassadors of Christ. And in several places, he has emphasized that the apostle's ministry is patterned after Christ's ministry. Just like Jesus suffered and died so to the apostles have and would continue to suffer and would die for the Gospel. So that's the first thing – Paul was a chosen ambassador of Christ as an apostle. Number 2, the whole reason that Paul emphasized his true apostleship is because there were false apostles in Corinth. They taught a false Gospel – Paul said that they were tampering with God's word. They used cunning practices, he said, and were blinded by the god of this world. That's pretty strong. These false apostles had been attacking Paul's credentials. That is why Paul defends his apostleship. And that is also why he corrects several misguided beliefs (like suffering and God's Covenant promises and grace in giving). So again, #1 Paul is a true apostle of Jesus Christ and #2 false teachers were trying to blind the church. Those two things are important because in these last 4 chapters, the apostle Paul doubles down on them. You'll hear that in our text this morning. Let's turn our attention to 2 Corinthians 10:1-7 Reading of 2 Corinthians 10:1-7 Prayer On the wall of my office is a picture of the USS Maryland. It was a battleship. The picture was taken in 1945 as it was on its way to the battle of Okinawa. The reason that I have it on my wall is one of the Navy sailors in the picture is my grandfather. The battle of Okinawa was the most intense and decisive battles in the pacific theater of World War 2. 180,000 US troops fought in that battle. One of those soldiers was a man named Desmond Doss. Just to be sure, Doss was not my grandfather. He was a different soldier who likewise enlisted to serve his country. The interesting thing about Private Doss is that he refused to carry a weapon. He wanted to serve but he held strong convictions and would not carry a gun. Because of that, his fellow soldiers harassed him. They called him a coward and considered him a liability. One soldier threw his boots at Doss while Doss was praying. Another threatened him, “I'll make sure you don't come back alive.” Nonetheless, Doss continued to serve and became his unit's medic. Well, Doss was part of the 77th infantry division deployed to Okinawa. His regiment attacked the enemy forces at a 400-foot cliff on the southern part of the island. That cliff is known as Hacksaw Ridge. Maybe you've heard of it. It was a very brutal battle. Many many soldiers were killed. The US forces had no other choice but to retreat. However, Doss stayed behind. Under the darkness of night, Doss rescued 75 wounded men. He dragged each soldier to the cliff's edge, he had a makeshift harness, lowered each down with a rope and a pulley system. And every time, he prayed that God would help him save one more. Doss rescued some of the same men who had earlier mocked him. In several ways, Private Doss is a picture of the apostle Paul here. On the outside, Paul looked weak. His detractors critiqued him for his small stature and for not being an eloquent speaker and for his humble demeanor. Yet, despite their perception of his weakness, the apostle, in reality was a formidable warrior. And like Doss, Paul risked his life to save others. In Paul's case, the battle was spiritual, and he was rescuing their souls. Really, this whole chapter, chapter 10, is about perceptions and reality. Some of the Corinthians had a faulty perception that Paul was weak and he was therefore “walking according to the flesh”  (verse 2). But the reality was quite the opposite. So, this morning, we'll be re-orienting our perceptions to reality. That is what the apostle Paul is seeking to do. 2 points this morning related to that. 1. Reorienting our disposition to the meekness of Christ. Our disposition is our attitude or our posture in relation to others. Reorienting our disposition to the meekness of Christ. That is in verses 1-2. 2. Reorienting our warfare to the power of Christ. That is in verses 3-6. Reorienting our warfare to the power of Christ. 1. Reorienting our disposition So, first… reorienting our disposition. Now, let me ask, what was the critique of Paul in these verses? Well, they were saying that Paul was bold when he was writing to them, but he was wimpy in their presence. They believed Paul didn't have the guts to challenge them face to face. Even though his letters were bold, he was weak. He was therefore walking in the weakness of his flesh. In the Greco-Roman culture of the time, strength was found in external displays of power like physical presence and bold rhetoric. In other words, if you could grab the attention of a crowd through eloquent speech and puffed up confidence you would be elevated in society. A gentle and humble spirit was not a trait of a strong leader. So, in the eyes of Paul's detractors, he was unworthy. He could not be a true apostle because he did not fit their perception of what an apostle should be like. Now, look at verse 1. Paul goes right to the heart of their problem. He opens with a direct appeal to Christ. He says, “I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ.” The false apostles had critiqued him as weak because of his meekness and gentleness. And in response, he directs them to Christ. He was saying, “If you are going to critique me and my apostleship because of my humble disposition, you are actually critiquing Christ.” To be sure, yes Jesus was very forceful at times. Like his criticism of the pharisees' hypocrisy. But overall his disposition was gentle and humble. Jesus ministered with compassion and meekness to those who came to him. Those who were suffering or those who were convicted of their sin. Jesus said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Paul was appealing to Jesus' gentleness and meekness as the pattern which he, as an apostle, was modelling. It's hard to argue with that. To be sure, someone can be bold and humble at the same time. Speaking the truth in love is having a godly confidence but also having a humble spirit when conveying God's truth. Paul was a sinner, just like you and me. He recognized the mercy of God in his life, just as we should. He was bold but humble because of the undeserved grace of God. That is very different than the self-centered confidence of the false apostles. All they focused on was external. That is why Paul didn't measure up to them. These so-called apostles cared about someone's cultural credentials like physical stature and social status and financial means. Paul's suffering and meekness went against their norms. In their minds, that disqualified Paul as an apostle. But Paul flips their understanding on its head. They needed to reorient their perception of Paul using Christ's disposition. Just as Jesus was gentle and meek, so should those be who serve and lead. Ok, reorienting our disposition to the meekness of Christ. That #1. 2. Reorienting our warfare And now, number 2 – reorienting our warfare to the power of Christ. You see, part of the problem was that the false teachers were fighting the wrong battle with the wrong weapons. They thought that to win the battle of culture they needed to use the culture's weapons. Remember, they considered themselves Christians. We'll see in chapter 11 that they even called themselves “super apostles.” They had those Greco-Roman traits that Paul did not have. They were superior to him in stature, eloquence, and social standing. They were the ones, they believed, who could truly fight the battle. But not only were they fighting the wrong battle with the wrong weapons, they were not even on the right side of the war. Look at verse 3. “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.” Paul is saying, “yes, we are flesh and blood. We are embodied souls that live on this earth. But that does not mean that the battlefield is in the flesh. In fact, it is not.” And then he goes on to describe the spiritual battle. By the way, there's something here that is not obvious to us. Verses 4 to 6 use the language of military siege against a fortified city. Here's how it goes: ·      First, an army would attack the stronghold. The stronghold was the fortified wall around the city. They used special weapons like battering rams and catapults and ladders. ·      Second, at the same time they would take down the elevated defenses - the lofty defenses, you know like towers with archers, or other defenses that were protecting the city. ·      Then, third, after a city was conquered, the invading army would take the inhabitants captive. They would enslave them or parade them as symbols of conquest. ·      And last, they would punish any disobedience – those who would not willingly submit or who would continue to rebel against their conquest. It the same progression.  First destroying strongholds and every argument. Second, destroying lofty opinions. Those ideas that perpetuate the false beliefs. Third, taking captive every thought and turning them to Christ, and finally, if necessary, punishing disobedience. Those that persist to teach or live in a way contrary to Christ. Do you see that? And Paul is very clear that it is not a battle of flesh and blood. Look at verse 4. “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God.” We are engaged in a cosmic war. We are fighting over what is true and right and good. The world is full of perspectives on those things, let me call them worldviews… It is full of worldviews that seek to make sense of the reality outside of us and inside of us. That is why verse 5 talks about arguments and opinions and knowledge. That is why Paul is saying that our weapons are not of the flesh. Our weapons are not those external things like flashy performances or political might or social power. What then are our weapons? Well, we read about them earlier from Ephesians 6. Our weapons are truth and righteousness, our weapons are faith in Christ and salvation in him, and we're given the sword of the Spirit – which is the Word of God. These are the spiritual weapons that God has given us to fight the cosmic war. Here's what Paul was saying to them. “You have mocked me as weak. But as a true apostle, I am waging the cosmic spiritual war with the divine power of God almighty.” That's the phrase there: “divine power” What is that divine power? What is the divine power that will tear down the strongholds and lofty opinions and take every thought captive and punish disobedience? It is the power of Christ. It is the power of the cross. The divine power that destroys the strongholds and arguments is the salvation that God has accomplished for us in Christ - in his death and resurrection. I am not saying that to try and shoe-horn the Gospel into this passage. Rather, I am saying that because the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been the unifying theme of every single chapter of 2 Corinthians. To highlight some of it… ·      The Gospel is the victory spoken of in chapter 2 as we spread the fragrance of Christ. ·      It is the transforming power of the new Covenant spoken of in chapter 3. ·      It is the surpassing power mentioned in chapter 4, which we carry in our jars of clay bodies. ·      In chapter 5, it is the means through which we are reconciled to God… remember, we are given the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. ·      And one more, in chapters 8 and 9, God's grace in Christ is the foundation of God's work to support his churches. Jesus who was rich, became poor so that in our spiritual poverty, we may become rich. The divine power of God in the cross of Christ. Through it and the resurrection God has defeated sin and death and the devil. Those are the strongholds. The weapons of the flesh cannot defeat those enemies. Now, it is very common to hear that believing in Christianity takes a “leap of faith.” Have you heard that? Some believe that Christianity is not reasonable or rational. However, the Scriptures never say that having faith means that you have to check your mind at the door. Look one more time at verse 5. “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God.” We, in part, believe Christianity because it does answer central matters of life. It answers the questions of our existence and our purpose. Christianity presents a clear understanding of a moral order that transcends all humanity. It's very difficult to dispute that. In fact, the corruption of the human heart and evil in the world are central aspects to a Christian worldview. That is why these verses speak of waging war. In other words, evil and sin and death do not disprove Christianity, rather their undisputed existence testifies to Christianity and the need for salvation. I could go on and include the historicity of Christianity or the logical consistency of Christianity, but for the sake of time, let me just say that Christianity is not a passive religion devoid of answers. Rather, the Scriptures beautifully convey a transcendent God, who is both loving and just. And at the very heart of that love and justice is the wonder of the person and work of Jesus. To put it simply, the faith that Christianity calls for is not a blind faith. Rather it is a faith that sees the world around us and knows our own corrupt hearts… and submits to the God who is sovereign and who saves. Faith is a reasonable response to something real. Christianity takes every thought captive (every misleading thought captive) to the obedience of Christ. Let me take a brief tangent. We love that phrase. You know, taking every thought captive to Christ. I love it. I desire to take every thought captive in my life. However, in context, it is speaking of taking the errant thoughts of the false teachers captive. That is what God is doing through Paul in this letter. He's correcting the false beliefs and voices in Corinth with the truth of the Gospel. To be sure, that doesn't mean we can't apply that phrase to our lives. We all have thoughts and beliefs that need to be taken captive to Christ. How do we do that? Well, first of all, it says, take every thought captive to obey Christ. So, it is more than just beliefs. It includes taking any thoughts that dishonor Christ and submitting them to him. We should ask, do my thoughts align with God's Word? Are they false or do they truly reflect the truth? Are my thoughts covetous or prideful or idolatrous? Are my thoughts God honoring and worshipful? Are my thoughts idle? Or am I seeking to transform them and grow in my knowledge of God and his Word? And let me say, it is spiritual warfare.  When you take every thought captive to Christ, you are preparing for and fighting… the spiritual battles against sin and death and the devil. So, beloved in Christ, yes, take every thought captive to obey Christ. And finally in verse 6, Paul continues. “being ready to punish any disobedience, when your obedience is complete.” That last phrase can be somewhat difficult to understand. What does it mean when it says  “when your obedience is complete?” The answer is in the situation. Remember, the Corinthian church had turned a corner. Through the work of God's Spirit through Paul and others, many in Corinth had returned to a faithful understand of God's truth. In other words, the church had begun the process of being restored to faithful obedience. What verse 6 is simply referencing is that they were nearing the end of that restoration. And when that obedience was complete, to use the words here, any remaining unfaithfulness would need to be dealt with. In essence it's talking about spiritual discipline. The spiritual battle includes the church's responsibility to maintain purity and faithfulness to Christ. Conclusion. So, to recap, these verses reorient us to God's reality. 1, they reorient our disposition to see the meekness and humility of Christ. Paul modelled that humility as a true apostle. 2. They reorient our understanding of the war that is being fought. It is a spiritual war which requires weapons of faith. And the ultimate weapon that destroys the stronghold is the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. All of Christianity centers on this great truth, through which we take every thought captive. I included verse 7 because it ties the first 6 verses together. Paul says to the Corinthians, “look at what is before your eyes.” In other words, can you now see what is true and what comes from Christ and what is false and comes from the flesh? If truly you are in Christ… know this, so also are we. It's an appeal to reembrace Christ in his fulness and to fight with Paul, not against him in the spiritual battle of truth. The morning after Desmon Doss rescued his fellow soldiers, everything changed. They had a new respect for Doss. Before his unit resumed their attack on Hacksaw Ridge, they asked Doss to pray, and they waited for him to finish. And that day they overcame the enemy. Doss received the Medal of Honor for his bravery. In fact, he was the first ever to receive the medal without carrying a weapon of the flesh (to use the language here). May we fight not with the weapons of the flesh, but with the spiritual weapons of Christ, in his meekness and power.

As Paul prepares for this third visit to the church at Corinth, he is apprehensive over what he might find. He is concerned about the damage done by the false apostles and by those who are self-willed and self-indulgent. He writes, therefore, to give them the heads up by: 1. making a foolish admission (vv. 11–13), 2. professing his fatherly affection (vv. 14–18), and 3. pastorally admitting his fearful apprehension (vv. 19–21)

This week, Jonathan (Central Service) taught from Acts 18 – looking at Paul's time in Corinth. We looked at what the passage teaches us about living with kingdom purpose wherever we are, holding to God's promise to overcome fear when sharing our faith, and fighting complacency and apathy in our discipleship to Jesus.

Every church is “at” some location. God strategically places them to reach their “at”

In this episode, we explore Paul's transition from preaching in Athens to his missionary work in Corinth. We delve into his initial strategies to reach the Athenian intellectuals and his subsequent efforts to spread the gospel among the pleasure-seeking Corinthians. Paul's journey also highlights the significance of his work as a tent maker, which provided both income and opportunities to engage with the local community. Additionally, this episode examines the challenges Paul faced, including opposition from synagogues and legal confrontations, which ultimately helped legitimize Christianity in Roman law. This week, we learn the need to evangelize through everyday work, the importance of community in ministry, and the sovereign role of God in reaching His people. So, join us as we unpack the lessons from Paul's missionary endeavors and learn how to apply them to our own lives. Turn to Acts 18 to follow along.

“You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything’—but not everything is good for you. You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything’—but not everything is beneficial.” (1 Corinthians 10:23 NLT) As Christians, we need to avoid anything in life that will hinder our spiritual growth. To help you mature spiritually, here’s a litmus test that will assist you in identifying what might weigh you down in your spiritual walk. The first question to ask yourself is: Does this thing benefit me spiritually? The apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Corinth, “You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything’—but not everything is good for you. You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything’—but not everything is beneficial” (1 Corinthians 10:23 NLT). Certain things are permissible for us to indulge in—that is, they’re not necessarily sinful. But that doesn’t mean they’re necessarily harmless. They can still weigh us down in our walk with Christ by pulling us away from God and His people or by dulling our hunger for God’s Word. Any pastime or hobby—from fishing to hiking to playing in fantasy sports leagues—could fit this description. There’s nothing wrong with them—in moderation. We’re certainly allowed to do them. But if they start to overrun the boundaries of a pastime or hobby, if they begin to occupy an unhealthy amount of our time and attention, we need to adjust our priorities. And that brings us to the second question: Does this thing bring me under its power? Earlier in his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul wrote, “You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything’—but not everything is good for you. And even though ‘I am allowed to do anything,’ I must not become a slave to anything” (1 Corinthians 6:12 NLT). There are a lot of things that can gain power over us: family, friends, significant others, work responsibilities, goals, and aspirations, just to name a few. None of those things are bad in and of themselves. It’s when they start to dominate our priorities and overshadow other areas of our lives that they become dangerous. That’s when we need to take steps to wrest control back from them. As believers, we want to be under the power of Christ and Christ alone. The final question of our litmus test pertains to the gray areas in life—things that aren’t condemned in Scripture, but also aren’t endorsed. When we face these gray areas, we must ask, Do I have an uneasy conscience about what I am doing? To put it scripturally, when these situations arise, remember the words of Paul: “If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning” (Romans 14:23 NLT). The Holy Spirit is your ally in this area. He communicates to you through your conscience. He gives you discernment and wisdom regarding your “life inventory.” He helps you recognize the things that will help you grow in your Christian faith, as well as the things that will hinder you. Wise Christians constantly take inventory of their lives and avoid whatever aspects of life can hurt their spiritual walk. Be wise and take inventory of your walk with God. Reflection question: What’s an example of something that might be permissible for you, but not necessarily beneficial to your spiritual growth? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How Does Paul Understand Authority | Learning Leadership with the Apostle Paul, pt. 1 How does Paul understand what his authority is for? 2 Corinthians 10:8 For if I boast somewhat more about our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be put to shame,   2 Corinthians 13:9-10 9 For we rejoice when we ourselves are weak, but you are strong; this we also pray for, that you become mature. 10 For this reason I am writing these things while absent, so that when present I need not use severity, in accordance with the authority which the Lord gave me for building up and not for tearing down.   2 Corinthians 12:19 19 All this time you have been thinking that we are defending ourselves to you. Actually, it is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ; and all for building you up, beloved.   2 Corinthians 1:23-2:4 23 But I call God as witness to my soul, that it was to spare you that I did not come again to Corinth. 24 Not that we domineer over your faith, but we are workers with you for your joy; for in your faith you are standing firm. 2:1 But I decided this for my own sake, that I would not come to you in sorrow again. 2 For if I cause you sorrow, who then will be the one making me glad but the one who is made sorrowful by me? 3 This is the very thing I wrote you, so that when I came, I would not have sorrow from those who ought to make me rejoice; having confidence in you all that my joy was the joy of you all. 4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears; not so that you would be made sorrowful, but that you might know the love which I have especially for you.     Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:  https://www.johnwhittaker.net   Support this ministry: Set up a recurring monthly or a one-time donation at the link below. http://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/   The Listener's Commentary - In-depth teaching through books of the Bible to help you learn the Bible for yourself:  https://www.listenerscommentary.com   Connect with John: Social Media- connect on facebook and instagram Email - john@johnwhittaker.net If you've been helped by this teaching leave a review and share freely - on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, via email.

Pat takes us through Paul's 6th chapter to the brothers and sisters of Corinth. Paul takes the church into some deep waters of God's grace, bearing fruit, being yoked with unbelievers and more.

(5:03) Study: 2 Corinthians 1:18-22 How did the bible come about? Matthew 5:13-16 What does it mean to be salt of the earth? (22:16) Break 1 (24:23) Letters: Can you attend the wedding of non-Catholics? What is the best vocation? Why was Solomon considered good and wise? Father explains these and other questions. Send him a letter at simon@relevantradio.com (34:59) Break 2 (35:40) Word of the Day Down Payment (39:01) Phones: Gerard - Fr. has mentioned that the words faith and belief really mean 'trust'. Is that reflected in the Creed? Deanne - Question about mass: when the bell rings during consecration why do some people beat there chest three times. Pat - where is Corinth? Diana - what is considered exorcised holy water? is salt exorcised by priest blessing or does it need special blessing? Nora - How did St. john end up in Crete before he died there.

In our last episode, Paul boasted about his works in order to show the church at Corinth that if boasting were a contest, he would win against his so-called competition, the super-apostles. In the end, however, he concluded that it was better to boast of his weaknesses. He continues where he left off, telling the church that the Lord gave him a “thorn in the flesh… a messenger of Satan to torment me so that I would not exalt myself.” It is when we are weak in the flesh, that we can be strong in Christ. He concludes this line of thinking by assuring the church that everything he has said was for building up the church and not as a defense. Finally, he ends with exhortations to test yourself to see if you are in the faith, and to rejoice. :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

As mentioned in previous episodes, the church at Corinth has been influenced by false teachers whom Paul calls “super-apostles.” They came to town with eloquent speeches, self-exaltation, pedigrees of varying kinds, and, unsurprisingly, requests for money. Paul is jealous for the church at Corinth as a husband would be jealous for his bride. He doesn't want the church at Corinth to be impressed with polished public speaking or crafty teachings that are inferior to the gospel. He knows that if Satan can appear as an angel of light, then it is certainly no surprise that his servants would disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Paul riffs on the idea of boasting by boasting about himself in jest, for if boasting is necessary Paul has these guys beat hands-down. :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Acts 19:1-7 English Standard VersionPaul in Ephesus19 And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. 2 And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John's baptism.” 4 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.7 There were about twelve men in all.English Standard Version (ESV)The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. 

When you try to combine the church with the culture, the result is chaos — and the book of 1 Corinthians is proof of that. In this letter, Paul tenderly addresses the church that he planted in Corinth and dives headfirst into its unbridled dysfunction. Through the lens of the gospel, he cuts through the noise and painstakingly tackles their confusion on topics such as division, sexuality, Christian freedom, gender roles, corporate worship, and the resurrection — all of which are relevant pressure points in the modern church today. In a culture that attempts to blur the lines between the worldly and the godly, we too need to remember our calling to be countercultural.

In earlier sections of 2 Corinthians, we read about the distress the church experienced when Paul came to them with confidence and authority in addressing the sins of one of Corinth's church members. Today, he assures them that his boldness comes from a desire to demolish arguments, not people. There are some in the church who say that Paul isn't all that captivating or bold in person, he just talks a big game in his letters. Paul's aim, however, is not to come across as impressive, but instead, to impress upon the church the goodness of the gospel and the right-ness of taking every thought captive to obey Christ. :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Send us a textGood morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:Amazon - (paperback, hardcover, and Kindle)Spiritbuilding.com - (premium quality paperback)Youtube Video Introducing the ContentFeel free to reach out with any questions: emersonk78@me.comActs 18 The apostle Paul continues his second missionary journey, focusing on Corinth, where he meets Aquila and Priscilla, Jewish tentmakers expelled from Rome. Paul stays with them, working as a tentmaker while teaching in the synagogue every Sabbath. Although some oppose him, Paul stays committed, preaching to Jews and Gentiles and guiding many to Christ, including a leader of the synagogue named Crispus. God instructs Paul in a vision to stay in Corinth, promising his protection, and Paul teaches there for eighteen months. Afterward, he travels to Ephesus, where he teaches briefly before completing his journey to Caesarea and Antioch. Meanwhile, Apollos, an eloquent preacher in Ephesus, is taught more accurately about the gospel by Aquila and Priscilla. Apollos goes on to powerfully refute the Jews in defense of Jesus as Christ.  Paul's time in Corinth serves as a guide for sharing the gospel today. He reasoned with religious individuals who were misinformed about the truth; some believed, like the synagogue leader, while others resisted. When opposition arose, Paul turned to the Gentiles, sharing the gospel with many who embraced it. God protected and used him in this work. We should engage with believers who lack the full truth, as Priscilla and Aquila later did with Apollos. This is meaningful work for God. However, if they refuse to listen, do not stop teaching about Jesus—focus your efforts on people who have yet to know the Lord. There is always an opportunity and a need to share the truth about Jesus Christ.   Benevolent Lord, thank You for providing us with all we need to carry out Your will in this life. Paul found companions such as Priscilla and Aquila, Silas, and Timothy on his journey. Thank You for the faithful workers who have been there to assist us in serving You. Help us to lean on them, learn from them, and be of help to them as we all strive to stand strong for Jesus and share His beloved gospel with the world. Many do not want to listen, and we often feel discouraged. Encourage us to keep working by Your grace.   Thought Questions: -       The most common instruction in scripture is in today's read, “Do not be afraid” (v9). Why not? Is God with you? How do you know? -       Gallio, like many Gentile leaders, had little interest in the gospel. Why is it so difficult for people in power to surrender to Christ? -       What does it say about Apollos that he listened to correction and altered his teaching? Is that something you may also have to do?

What if your biggest questions about faith, culture, and the future were all connected to something ancient—yet incredibly relevant? Join Pastors Josh Howerton, Carlos Erazo, and Tim Smith as they dive deep into the city of Corinth, uncovering its wild spiritual landscape and the surprising ways it mirrors our modern world. From the powerful symbolism of the Bema Seat to the tension between God's sovereignty and our free will, this conversation uncovers the richness of Acts 18, Paul's ministry, and the doctrine of predestination. Along the way, they explore the impact of Christian nationalism, religious liberty, and perspectives from Charlie Kirk and Texas Governor Greg Abbott—wrapped in grace, wisdom, and good humor. This one is packed with both spiritual depth and cultural insight… because yes, there is more.  

What can we learn from the confusion about tongues in Corinth?Reading Plan: Old Testament - 2 Samuel 17-18Psalms - Psalm 68:28-35Gospels - Mark 12:35-44New Testament - 1 Corinthians 14:12-25Visit https://www.revivalfromthebible.com/ for more information.