Introduction
A. Last week I mentioned that Paul uses “Jesus” in combination with “Christ” and “Lord 6 times in this first chapter of 1 Corinthians
1. However, He also uses “Jesus” in combination with “Christ” 9 times in these first 10 verses
2. And He uses “Jesus.” or “Christ” 10 times in these first 10 verses
3. Why do you suppose that might be?
4. Paul wanted the minds of the Corinthian believers to be immediately centered upon Jesus Christ
a. He knew this: the answer to the Corinthian problems did not lay in his ability to discuss and reason
b. Nor in his laying down rules and regulations for them
c. But the solution was and is in Jesus Christ
d. Therefore, he immediately discussed some of the resources which the believer receives when he accepts Jesus Christ as his Savior and Lord
e. Let us talk about resources, this passage can be outlined as follows
(1) Resource 1: the grace of God (v.4)
(2) Resource 2: the gifts of God's grace and Spirit (v.5-7).
(3) Resource 3: Jesus Christ Himself-His security (v.8).
(4) Resource 4: God Himself--His call (v.9)
(a) Lets turn to 1 Corinthians 1:4
(b) In this message when I mention Church, understand I am talking about the called out ones, the ekklesia
i) Not a building
ii) Or even the group who meets together
a) Which might include no-believers
b) In this case, I am referring only to believers
II. Body
A. The first resource, the Grace of God
1 Corinthians 1:4 (NKJV)
I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus,
1. In the epistles of Paul, he generally expresses thanks for the church’s faith, hope, and love
2. However in this epistle, Paul talks about his thanks to God for God’s grace and other provisions
a. In verse 4, Paul expresses thanks for the grace of God given to the church in Corinth
3. Very simply, grace means the undeserved favor and blessings of God
a. We do not deserve God looking upon us with favor nor God blessing us with His favor
b. But God loves us with an unbelievable love, so He favors us with the most unbelievable gifts
c. The Corinthian church, the called out ones, knew and experienced the grace of God
(1) They knew what it was to receive the favor and blessings of God
(a) Grace, the favor and blessings of God
i) The undeserved and unmerited favor and blessings of God
ii) The depth and richness of the heart and mind of God
iii) The kindness and love that dwells within the very nature of God
(b) God's grace covers all of life
(2) Grace means the kindness and love that God freely gives to those who have acted against Him
(a) It is the favor of God showered upon men who do not deserve His favor, men who are...
i) "without strength" (Ro.5:6)
ii) "ungodly" (Ro.5:6)
iii) “sinners" (Ro.5:8)
iv) "enemies" (Ro.5:10)
a) Let us turn to Ephesians 2:8 - 9
4. No other word so expresses the depth and richness of the heart and mind of God.
a. God has done a thing unheard of among men: He has given His very own Son to die for His enemies
(1) God's grace is not earned
(a) It is something completely undeserved and unmerited
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV)
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, {9} not of works, lest anyone should boast.
b. God's grace is the free gift of God
(1) Lets turn to Romans 3:24
(2) God extends His grace out toward man
Romans 3:24 (NKJV)
being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
c. God's grace is the only way we can be saved
(1) Let us turn to John 14:6
(2) These are Jesus own words and testify to the truth that only by grace through Christ Jesus is there salvation
John 14:6 (NKJV)
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
(a) Lets turn to 1 Corinthians 1:5 - 7
B. He second resource: the gifts of God's grace and Spirit
1 Corinthians 1:5-7 (NKJV)
that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, {6} even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, {7} so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
1. .God's grace enriched the Corinthian believers "in every thing"
a. Notice the all inclusive word, “everything”
(1) Everything could run the gamit of spiritual, emotional, physical and material things
(2) But, Paul points out specifically two special gifts
(a) Utterance
(b) And knowledge.
b. The gift of utterance is all the spiritual gifts involving speech, which would include gifts such as
(1) Prophecy
(2) Teaching
(3) Tongues
(4) Well, all forms of speech needed to praise God and to witness for Christ
c. The gift of knowledge
(1) The spiritual gift of understanding spiritual truth and doctrine, of having unusual insight into the nature of God and His call and mission in the world
(2) The church and its believers were enabled by God's grace to know and understand the truth of God's Word and to speak the truth to a lost and dying world
(3) The Spirit of God had enriched their lives by giving them all the gifts of spiritual knowledge and spiritual speech
2. The results of God's grace and gifts were wonderful
a. They show what can happen to our faith when we truly experience the grace and gifts of God's Spirit
b. There are three significant results mentioned by the Scripture
(1) I don’t want to go into the gifts of the Spirit right now
(a) Just understand that every believer has one or more spiritual gifts to be used for the edification or benefit of God’s people
(2) Lets turn to 1 Corinthians 1:7
C. The third resource: Security and Assurance
1 Corinthians 1:8 (NKJV)
who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1. The believer's third resource is the security of the Lord Jesus Christ, the assurance which He brings to the believer's heart.
2. The word "confirm" means preserve and establish, make steadfast and firm and secure
a. Jesus Christ will preserve and secure the believer from falling
(1) Note the glorious reason: that the believer may be "blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ."
(a) The word "blameless" means guiltless
(b) It means that no one will be able to accuse or bring any accusation against the believer when he stands before Christ in the day of judgment
i) Turn to Romans 14:10-12
(c) The "day of our Lord Jesus Christ" will bring about the judgment seat of Christ, and only those who are preserved by the blood and power of Jesus Christ will be counted blameless
Romans 14:10-12 (NKJV)
But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. {11} For it is written: "As I live, says the LORD, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God." {12} So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.
b. Isn’t it comforting to know that when we do stand before Christ’s judgment seat, we will be found guiltless
(1) Turn to 1 Peter 1:3-5
c. Our stand will be by the power of Christ
1 Peter 1:3-5 (NKJV)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, {4} to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, {5} who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
(1) Lets turn to 1 Corinthians 1:9
3. Our fourth resource is fellowship with God and Christ
1 Corinthians 1:9 (NKJV)
God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord
a. God has called believers for one specific purpose: to be in fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord
b. The longing of God's heart is for men to know His Son
(1) Turn to Romans 8:15-17
(2) This fellowship comes by becoming personally related to Him through adoption
Romans 8:15-17 (NKJV)
For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." {16} The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, {17} and if children, then heirs; heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
c. God is not after us to fellowship with His Son only on a temporary basis
d. God desires we fellow ship with Him day by day, all day long
e. When God calls us to fellowship with His Son, He means eternal fellowship
(1) He is adopting us as children so that Jesus Christ will have our fellowship as brothers
III. Summary
A. God has called us into fellowship with Him by Christ Jesus
1. He has given grace to enable us to do just that
2. Grace to make available these four resources
a. Resource 1: the grace of God
b. Resource 2: the gifts of God's grace and Spirit
c. Resource 3: Jesus Christ Himself-His security
d. Resource 4: God Himself--His call
B. Aren’t we glad Christ is the keeper of our securing?
1. I believe in the here after, I walk into a room and wonder, “What am I here after?”
2. I lose thing all the time, put something in a safe place and then can’t find it
3. Christ has a much better track record than I have
4. Aren’t we glad He is the keeper of our present and future?
