October 28, 2001
1Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, 2Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours: 3Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 4I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; 5That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; 6Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: 7So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: 8Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
Chippie the parakeet never saw it coming. One second he was peacefully perched in his cage. The next he was sucked in, washed up, and blown over.
The problems began when Chippie’s owner decided to clean Chippie’s cage with a vacuum cleaner. She removed the attachment from the end of the hose and stuck it in the cage. The phone rang, and she turned to pick it up. She’d barely said "hello" when ssssopp! Chippie got sucked in.
The bird owner gasped, put down the phone, turned off the vacuum, and opened the bag. There was Chippie -- still alive, but stunned. Since the bird was covered with dust and soot, she grabbed him and raced to the bathroom, turned on the faucet, and held Chippie under the running water.
Then, realizing that Chippie was soaked and shivering, she did what any compassionate bird owner would do . . . she reached for the hair dryer and blasted the pet with hot air.
Poor Chippie never knew what hit him.
A few days after the trauma, the reporter who’d initially written about the event contacted Chippie’s owner to see how the bird was recovering. Well, she replied, Chippie doesn’t sing much anymore -- he just sits and stares.
It’s hard not to see why. Sucked in, washed up, and blown over . . . That’s enough to steal the song from the stoutest heart.(1)
In many ways the residents of Corinth 1950 years ago were as happy as the pre-vacuumed Chippie. The culture was economically prosperous, well educated, and religious. That parallels our society too.
In fact the comparison is scary. Our economy still surges past the rest of the world; our education is accelerating – we have more religiousness in America than ever before. We are so much like first century Corinth – they had so many different religions, everybody could have had his own.
One other identity twin – Corinth was as obsessed with sex as America. They even combined sex with their religion. The Aphrodite temple had 1,000 prostitutes. It was part of their cult rituals to provide sexual encounters as part of worship. Sexual intimacy was understood to cultivate the divine.
One historian noted that the prostitutes served their shifts at the temple, and then moonlighted in the marketplaces. It’s not so far-fetched…our temples are attached to cable – operated with a remote control!
The Church in Corinth
On Paul’s second missionary journey (Acts 18) he wandered into Corinth – on purpose – and met Priscilla and Aquila. With their help Paul set about winning folks to Jesus. He spent longer there (18 months) than at any previous stop.
He stayed because God was blessing. The Spirit gave many gifts and the church at Corinth was founded. And when Paul left, this young group of converts was strong in their commitment to win that part of the world for Jesus.
What Happened?
Three years later, Paul wrote to his loved ones in Corinth. They had started strong, but divisions within the church, and the influence of their culture had mixed-in with their Christianity – the result was not pretty.
They were polarized.
Disagreements over which hero to follow, Paul, Apollos, Peter or Jesus had taken what was a loving bunch of new converts, and turned them into vipers, nipping at each other’s throats.
They were paralyzed.
From a spiritual perspective, this crew was blessed. But they had slipped back into the cradle roll.
Far from progressing – growing in the faith, they were spiritual catatonics. In matters of Spirit-growth and progress they were like Chippie – sitting and staring off into space.
So What Did Paul Do?
Spanked ‘em, right?
Well, let’s say Paul did bring their wayward and mis-directed activity out into the open. But, spank? No!
Threaten? Definitely not!
Listen to the words: Grace to you…and peace…I thank God for you…you are second to none in gifts…! Those are not unkind words. Paul was positively celebrating his connection with those folks. They were Corinthian Chippies, and Paul’s attitude was one of patience.
Is there a message in that for us?
…Paul shares an important perspective here. He “always thank[s] God” (1:4) for this divided, flawed church, for he knows that potential exists. When we’re discouraged with others, let’s remember Paul’s example. Let’s join him in thanking God for the potential that, in His time, God will help even the dullest Christian realize. (2)
As we come to the table this morning, let’s do so with the same attitude Paul had.
If we will do so, we will also accomplish what he told them later in the letter, to examine themselves – and then eat!
Two examples in the attitude:
#1. Be Thankful for What is Done
Cicero, the great Roman orator and philosopher, said, A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue but the parent of all other virtues. Perhaps that explains the large part gratitude plays in Paul’s letters. (3)
Paul was thankful, not only for the friendship of the Corinthian church, but for their salvation (and his). He was thankful for what had been done.
It’s a matter of attitude and outlook. This week on the ABC network morning show, Diane Sawyer interviewed the sister-in-law of Osama bin Laden. She has been estranged from bin Laden’s brother and is seeking a divorce. For 27 years she put up with abuse – and she wants out!
Diane Sawyer asked her, Do you hate Osama bin Laden? Her response was a classic picture of the Christian response to anger, hatred, and the evil actions of terrorism. She said, Hate him? No I cannot hate Osama bin Laden. He hates, and look at what he does. I must not hate.
How about that? If I was Osama’s brother I might be tempted to sit in a corner like Chippie the parakeet – stare off into space and have a pity party.
But grace and peace gives you a different response – an outlook and attitude of thanksgiving, no matter the circumstances of life. Paul was thankful for what Jesus did on the cross – dying for our salvation.
Are you thankful enough to God to come to this table willing to put your hatred of anyone in His hands? Do that, and be thankful for what He has done. And, a second example in Paul’s attitude…
#2. Be Positive About What is Coming
How do you feel about the future? Is it settled with you that God is going to take care of you? In the last two weeks our church family has lost two good men, Homer Rothrock, and Charlie Myers. They both now see clearly what we only see as possibility – or as Paul put it – through a glass, darkly.
Times like these make us search our own hearts – consider our own mortality. That is good!
Do you have trouble being positive with what’s coming? Well, if you are up to speed with the first part – being thankful for what He has done in the past, allow me to remind you about the rule of lesser and greater when it comes to being positive about what’s coming tomorrow…
It works like this… the lesser is always contained in the greater. That is like quarters and dimes. If I have a quarter in my pocket, and something I want to buy costs a dime, I have no financial worries. The dime (lesser) is contained in the quarter (greater).
The fact is, when it’s my turn to die, I am the lesser, because God has already raised the greater – Jesus! The future is secure. I can be positive!
Paul looked down the road for the Corinthian chippies, and he saw the faithfulness of God – having provided a witness of Christ for them to be saved, and the willingness of God to keep them saved and spotless in Jesus’ righteousness. He called us, and He’ll keep us.
That’s what this table is about. We celebrate Calvary’s shed blood – thankful for what He did.
And we look for our coming King.
We look forward, positive our hope is well-founded, positive the homesickness we feel for a country we’ve never seen before, is the longing to be with our king….and our loved ones.
We look forward, positive that in just a few days, a few more labor-filled days, we take our heavenly flight…Beulah land, home eternal, sweet Beulah land.
(1) Max Lucado, In the Eye of the Storm, Word
Publishing, 1991, p. 11.
(2) Richards, Lawrence O., The Victor Bible
Background Commentary, NT
(3) Robert C. Shannon, 1000 Windows, (Cinn, Ohio:
Standard Publishing Co. 1997).
