In Corinth there was a celebrity culture, people desired to be public speakers. This was an excuse for pride.
Impressive rhetoric and great oratory can get in the way of the gospel. The powerful thing that needs to be heard is Jesus. The Bible is all about him.
Life is all about him. Our preaching is not here to offer good advice alone but instead offer Christ. When Jesus is at the centre everything else takes shape.
The Place of Great Words
Paul & God are not anti eloquence. Eloquence is good but when it replaces God it becomes an idol.
People think Jesus and the church is anti creative. It’s not. Very gifted creative people can be in the church but they need humility to seek Christ first not the gift.
Paul was still keen to perusade and could use impressive oratory to do this but Paul used his skillful gifts under
the lordship of Christ.
The Way God Speaks
God speaks through servants who are aware of their own weaknesses and failings. Those that are totally dependent on God’s power.
Preachers are weak, they need the Holy Spirit to make any impression. God is working through us all the time. Our foolish words of witness can be used by God to shape and impact lives.
God could have spoken in any way he wanted, he didn’t even have to speak.
God chose to come among us through Jesus Christ.
After his brief salutation Paul is remarkably positive about this church. He is full of thanksgiving for them. But how can this be so when he is about to open up a can on them? It is because of Paul’s mature gospel based perspective. Do we really understand thankfulness as described and displayed here by Paul?
Without thankfulness we betray an evil heart of unbelief (Romans 1). So we must guard our hearts against ingratitude and learn from the Holy Spirit ways of maintaining a thankful heart.
Remember this is a grace thing – a gospel thing. It cannot be manipulated, true thankfulness is gospel driven.
Grace Promotes Unity
In the third paragraph (10-17) we have Paul’s opening salvo against the fundamental failings of the church. They have written to him about a few things (7.1) – but he will not touch on them until he has got some things off his own chest. He has been told that there is serious division amongst them.
There is nothing about Paul’s message and ministry that should naturally lead to factionalism and party spirit. So another influence is at work here. The culture of Corinth was affected by an obsession with popular orators – who had a kind of rock star image. The believers in Corinth had transferred some of that man-centred hubris into the church, imagining that they belong to a particular team in the congregation – not realising that the preachers themselves – including Paul were simply servants.
Paul brings them back down to earth by pointing out the centrality and sufficiency of Jesus and his work.
Why the City?
There are many similarities between the ancient city of Corinth and our own city of Brighton.
There are unique opportunities in Brighton as, like Corinth, it is a city of consequence. Some cities are just influential. What is created in Brighton will have a much wider affect beyond our city, the ripples go out from here.
What could be possible in the next 20 years if we really make a difference in this city?
How the City? The story of Corinth from Acts 18 emphasises the sovereignty of God in mission – and our partnership with him in it. Our story here in Brighton will be the same. Despite all our efforts and publicity it all rests on His sovereignty.
Like Paul we should seek ‘men of peace’, those who God is already working on, perhaps even people who’ve been part of CCK in the past.
What Price the City?
This great mission will take perseverance and faith.
When the gospel is loudly proclaimed, resistance and persecution will come and sometimes in very public ways. This is when we need to be strong in faith and remember that it’s His gospel.
Church of Christ the King (CCK) serves the city of Brighton & Hove, UK (and the surrounding area), living by and communicating the message of Jesus Christ.
We meet together for worship and teaching on Sundays at 9.15am, 11.30am & 6.30pm at the Clarendon Centre, New England Street, Brighton, BN1 4GQ, UK
