I AND II CORINTHIANS -- Sermon 6
Introduction: In the previous lesson we studied Acts and Romans. We will continue our survey in this lesson as we go through the letters of Paul to the Corinthians.
I CORINTHIANS
I. SURVEY
A. Writer: The Apostle Paul
B. Date: around A.D. 57
C. Theme: The Lordship of Christ and His appearing.
D. Key Verse: “For other foundations can no man lay than that that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” I Cor. 3:11
E. Purpose: To set in order the things that are in disorder at the Church in Corinth. Paul had established the
Church at Corinth, and had remained there for some time. He later sailed to Ephesus, and remained in this city
for two or three years. It was while here that several elders of the Corinthian Church called upon Paul and
informed him of the low spiritual condition of the brethren in Corinth.
F. Interesting Items in I Corinthians
1. Corinth was Sports-minded
a. Due to emphasis place on sports in the Roman world, Paul used a runner in a race and a boxer to illustrate
the need for a Christian to be in good physical shape for God’s service.
b. The runner will discipline himself and master his body so he can be at the peak of performance for a race.
Only one could win the prize.
1. The prize was usually a laurel wreath placed on the victor’s head. It is likened to a “corruptible crown,”
one that fades away.
2. But if believers will so discipline themselves in the race of life, each can win a trophy, an “incorruptible
crown. ” I Cor. 9:24-26
c. The Boxer will also discipline himself, so that when he faces his opponent in the ring, he will be able to aim
every blow well.
1. Should he fail to train properly, he will swing his arms right and left, just “beating the air.”
2. He soon becomes an easy target for his opponent, a castaway, and is sidelined.
3. Paul did not want to be guilty as one who “beateth the air” and soon become sidelined in the Lord’s service and neither should we.
2. Seeing through a “glass darkly” - I Cor. 13:12
a. This refers to a copper mirror. The copper would be finely polished to give a good reflection.
b. The Word of God is the Mirror. It gives a good reflection but at his coming we shall be “face to face.”
c. It also refers to our limited knowledge here on earth as finite being. We know by faith but when we see
Christ we shall be as He is and we will know ourselves as He knows.
3. Man’s Nature
a. Natural - An Alien in need of Salvation - I Cor. 2:14
b. Carnal - A Baby in need of Sanctification - I Cor. 3:1
c. Spiritual - A Saint in need of Activation - I Cor. 3:14
4. Bought with a Price - I Cor. 6:20
a. Illustration: A Man walked with a companion by a certain house and said it was his. Soon after, another
man walked by the same house and remarked that it was his. A third man approached the same house with
a friend and stated it was his. Pulling a key from his pocket, he opened the door and walked in.
b. Explanation: The first man built the house. It was his because he built it.
The second man purchased the house. It was his because he bought it.
The third man lived in it. It was his because he has residence there.
c. Point: The Lord Jesus claims possession of Christians on all these grounds. We exist because he made us.
When we are saved we are His because He bought us with his blood. When we surrender our wills to His,
He dwells in us to the fullest. We should not be satified with anything less than being owned in all three
ways by the Lord Jesus Christ.
II. OUTLINE
A. CORRECTING THE CARNAL - I Cor 1-11 - While these Scriptures show that it is possible for a child of
God to sin, they do not encourage the believer to do so. Rather, truths are here set forth to correct the brethren
who fall into the snare of the Devil. These first eleven chapters rae set forth to pull, as it were a backslider our of
the mire and set his foot on the rock once more, to walk in the paths of righteousness. God plan for the child of
God is to live an overcoming life. Paul gives five things in these first eleven chapters to help the Corinthians
overcome.
1. The Rapture - I Cor. 1:1-9 If there is any one thing that will correct an erring child of God from backsliding,
it is the appreciation of the soon coming of Jesus Christ.
a. The Salutation to the Church - vs. 1-6 In these words the spostle sends forth his personal grettings to the
Church which he had been led to organize on his second missionary journey.
b. The Second Coming of Christ - vs. 7-9
1. The phase of the Second Coming which is emphasized here is the Rapture of the Church.
2. The Day of Christ is the Tribulation Period.
3. During the seven years of tribulation the Church appears before the Judgment Seat (Bema - rewarding stand) of Christ.
4. Here we see Paul stressing the importance of living a good life, as every Christian must give an account of the deeds done in the flesh at this time.
2. The Report - I Cor. 1:10-11
a. While Paul was at Ephesus a delegation composed of the spiritual leaders of the Corinthian Church called upon him, informing him of the carnal condition of the saints at Corinth.
b. Paul did nothing underhandedly. In this epistle he reports of this “secret meeting.” Not only for he report
this meeting, but he gives the name of his informer, Chloe.
c. The report, of course, was that there was much division in the church.
d. It shows that division never right even if you feel that you are doing right. Most of the time only the super
spiritual ones try to straighten everyone out. If you are spritual, you will have a spirit of humilty, realizing that you are weak and sinful at times as well.
3. The Rebuke - I Cor. 1:12 - I Cor. 6:8 As we study this epistle we find that the church was dvided in many
ways, and that sin was running rampant.
a. Whenever there is division in the Church, there is always sin, whether the division is justified or not.
b. This Church had become so divided that the members were taking sides.
1. One group said it was following Paul.
2. One group said it was following Apollos.
3. One group said it was follwing Cephas.
4. One group labeled itself as only following Christ.
c. Paul tells them that he made not converts to himself and gives the praise and glory to the Lord.
d. He emphasizes three things in this Rebuke.
1. The Preaching of the Cross - I Cor. 1:12-2:8
a. He ephasizes the Gospel which he had been ordained to preach.
b. It is the Gospel of the Cross on which Christ died; it is the Gospel of blood, death and of Resurrection.
c. The wisdom of the world counts the preaching of the Gospel, foolishness. God calls it the power of God unto Salvation.
2. The Person of the Spirit - I Cor. 2:9-3:4
a. Given to the Saint - 2:9-13
b. Witheld from the Lost - 2:14
c. Abounding to the Spiritual - 2:15-16
d. Limited to the Carnal - 3:1-4
3. The Pre-eminence of the Lord - I Cor. 3:5-5:23
1. Above his Servants - 3:5-11
2. Over His Building - 3:12-23
4. The Ratification - I Cor. 6:9 - I Cor. 9:27
a. Of Marriage - 6:9-7:40
1. The Body is Preserved by the Lord - 6:9-12
a. The Lord is the one who has saved us from sin. We are owned by Him
b. While the Christian is not under the Law, and there is no barrier between him and the things of the world, yet the Christian is not to do anything that will be displeasing to his Lord.
2. The Body is Prepared for the Lord - 6:13-20
a. As the Lord has saved, cleansed. washed, sanctified and justified us, we are completely His. We are not our own, we have been bought with a tremendous price, the blood of Jesus Christ.
b. The body of every believer is now the temple of the Holy Ghost. GOD DWELLS WITHIN!!!
c. Christian should be careful that they do not defile their bodies by any means. In the Context
fornication is mentioned as being a means of defilement.
3. The Body is Presented to the Lord - 7:1-40 In this chapter we are given the regulations of marriage.
b. Of Meats - I Cor. 8
c. Of the Ministy - I Cor. 9
5. The Reprimand - I Cor. 10 - 11 -- Paul gives examples drawn up by the Holy Spirit to illustrate the
admonition to live a separated life. Paul had just taught them to be separated and now he’s giving examples of
what will happen if you don’t live separated.
B. STIRRING THE SPIRTUAL - I Cor. 12 - 16 - This begins the second division of this great epistle. The firsst
eleven chapters have been set forth to correct the Carnal; now we consider those things that are spiritual in the
last five chapters. There are three things that ought to stir the spiritual in these five chapters
1. The Gifts of the Spirit is Stirring - I Cor. 12:1-14
a. The Fact that they are Distributed is Stirring - 12:1-11
1. To even think that we can be used for God’s glory is wonderful.
2. We are nothing in ourselves. We were hopeless sinners.
3. God has taken us in and made us a part of his work. We are sharing God’s work.
b. The Fact that they are Distinquished is Stirring - 12:12-31
1. Each member of the body has it’s own purpose.
2. We have our own unique way of being used of God.
3. God uses Individuals
2. The Gospel of the Saviour is Stirring - I Cor. 15
a. In this great chapter Paul sets forth again the simple plan of salvation.
b. There was a need for it. Skepticism and doubt had entered into the Church concerning the resurrection of even the dead saints.
c. The Holy Spirit, through Paul, would have us know that Christianity is a religion of resurrection; everything about it is built upon this glorious truth.
d. The Church is built on the Resurrection of its Founder; the believers are resurrected from the deadness of tresspasses and sin, and the believers, with their Lord shall experience the glorious resurrection of their own bodies.
3. The Grace of the Sovereign is Stirring - I Cor. 16
a. In Providing for the Saints - vs. 1-9
1. The Church at Jerusalem seems to have met with some disaster, which was caused either by persecution or the confiscation of goods.
2. The Apostle Paul was led of the Spirit to take offerings everwhere he went for these destitute saints at Jerusalem.
3. These words in the first nine verse are his instructions as to how the offering was to be taken and sent.
b. In Preparing for the Servant - vs. 10-12
1. Paul lets them know that Timothy is to be sen to them shotlyy to administer unto them the things that were needful in the Spirit.
2. He tells them that they are to honor him as they would Paul himself, and provide his necessities while living among them.
c. In Prospecting for the Second Coming - vs. 13-24
1. The Corinithians are instructed to be militant soldeirs of Christ.
2. They are to awake and abound in the work of the Lord while waiting for His return.
II CORINTHIANS
I. SURVEY
A. Writer: Paul
B. Date: 57 A.D.
C. Purpose: To instruct the Corinthians to complete the work Paul had commanded them to do in I Corinthians;
also to establish Paul’s authority against false teachers, and to prepare this church for his coming.
D. Key Verses: “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were
all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him
which died for them and rose again.” II Cor. 5:14-15
E. Interesting History of this Book
1. Paul had found out that after he had completed the writing of I Corinthians that even though the Corinthian
church obeyed his injunctions, they were rejecting him as a true apostle.
2. It is the most personal of Paul’s Epistles. It is almost an apology for his apostolic life and ministry.
3. No matter who you are, there will come times when your character is attacked if you stand for God.
4. It helps me to know that one of the greatest men that ever lived faced many of the same problems that today’s
preachers face.
5. Unjust charges and insinuations had been made against him and for this we find the whole inner life of Paul
revealed before us. He reveals human weakness, spiritual strength, the deepest and tenderest affection, wound
feelings, sterness, irony, rebuke, impassioned self vindication, humilty, self respect, and zeal. He is concerned
for the welfare of the weak and suffering, as well as the for the progress and welfare of the Church.
6. Paul shows us how to handle the situations.
a. He maintained the right Spirit and took it head on.
b. It never helps to run from problems. They can’t be swept under the rug.
c. What a great example God gave to us as Pastors in the way of a man named Paul.
F. While we are on the subject of preachers let’s study some particular verses in II Corinthians on preachers.
1. Satan’s Minister’s - II Cor. 11:13-15
2. These are those that are responsible for Modernism
3. Modernism is killing our churches. What is Modernism?
Modernism has no message, for it denies the only hope of the world, a supernatural Bible and a supernatural
Christ. It is rooted in evolution and therefore rotten to the source. It denies the depravity the human
heart and the need of a blood bought redemption. It laughs at a “slaughterhouse religion” and eliminates
the “blood” songs from our hymnals. It gives the congregation a set of blocks, and lets the people
spell “God” the best they can. It calls weakness what God calls Wickedness. It recommends culture instead
of Calvary and a polish instead of pardon. It has tried to revise the Bible, streamline the gospel, remodel
Heaven, explain away the Devil, and air-condition Hell. It has no Hallelujah. It’s never produced a revival.
It’s never saved a soul. It’s never convicted a sinner. It’s never changed a dopehead into a disciple. It’s
never transformed a criminal into a Christian. It’s never taken away the drunkard’s love for booze or loosed
the shackles of lust off of a harlot. It is a form without force, a religion without redemption. That’s
Modernism. God hates it and his wrath is upon it. IT DEFIES THE BOOK, DENIES THE BLOOD
AND DERIDES THE BLESSED HOPE!!!
