Introduction
Let me begin with a discipleship question: how will you follow Jesus in prayer and dependence on God this week?
Main Points
In this lesson shaped by Calvary Boise's teaching on DISTRACTED: Distracted by Conflict, Christ invites us to receive truth with humility, practice repentance, and walk in faithful obedience.
Life in the Church
My name is Parker O'Shea and I haven't had the opportunity to shake all the hands in this room or give you guys hugs. Or really get to know everybody in an intimate way deep personal conversation and so what I wanted to do to start is I.
- Wanted to introduce myself and my family if you guys is that okay cool um so there's a there's a picture that's my.
- Wife and our two daughters my wife and I actually on Friday celebrated our fifth year anniversary which is kind of cool I'm really.
- Excited the one on the Left that's Ayla that's our oldest daughter she's about three and a half she is awesome she has a.
- Really tender heart she's super intelligent and if you come up to say hi to her she'll probably scowl at you she's really inquisitive.
And tries to figure people out and so um it's not personal if that's happened to you and then the younger one in Sierra's. Lap that's Everly we call her Evie she's about a year and a half and she's probably the friendliest among us she loves to.
Hope in Suffering
A little bit of background if you guys haven't been around or if you have hopefully this isn't too boring for you but to. Catch us up we're gonna jump into the sixth chapter so it's kind of the middle of a conversation that's been going on but.
- What was going on in the church in corinth first of all we I think we have to understand the city and the times.
- Corinth was a major port city it was think New York City LA San Francisco it was a hub of culture and a hub.
- Of religion there was a temple to a goddess named Aphrodite do you guys have studied Greek or Roman mythology maybe you're familiar the.
- God of love the god of beauty the god of fertility and this city as a whole sailors would come through again it was.
A port city people were living there was it wasn't it was a major city but the way that they would worship this particular. False God was every night from the temple they would go out of the temple a thousand temple prostitutes and they would find people.
Identity in Christ
So if you've been around for a little while as we've been going through 1st Corinthians it's been pretty heavy he hasn't pulled any. Punches he's like this is what it is this is what I have for you and he's ultimately it's a letter of correction how.
- Many guys know that love corrects we're not called to be accepting as Christians were called to be loving and at times that means.
- That in love we correct if your parents you know that if you're a teacher you know that if you're a young person you've.
- Been corrected by people who you love and in the moment we don't enjoy it we don't love the correction but in the long.
- Run it is for our good and so Paul is writing this letter to say hey guys there are some issues here and ultimately.
The primary issue he's gonna address these secondary issues but the primary things is that they have become distracted they have lost focus of. The primary thing and it is the love of God that has drawn them together it is the love of God that has started.
Hope in Suffering
The conference that we were sitting in that was like the main takeaway for many of us and it was just such a simple. Concise statement to summarize what it is to be focused as a Christian and our lifestyle and loving and living for God everywhere you.
- Go everything you do represent the king and so as we go through this passage I hope to kind of that's going to be.
- The application of what we're looking at in this passage and hopefully we'll unpack why that's so important as we get going but let's.
- Jump in first corinthians chapter 6 verse 1 paul says dare any of you having a matter or a conflict against another go to.
- Law before the unrighteous and not before the Saints there any of you having a matter against another go to law before the unrighteous.
And not before the Saints he's so confused he's asking this question to these people and as we jump in we'll unpack this some. More but he categorizes the people into two categories they're the unrighteous and then there are the Saints and so let's see verse 2.
Faith and Obedience
For some of us is that Saints are not super spiritual elite Christians they are not people who have done certain things or haven't. Done certain things or people from ancient days Saints are believers in Jesus Christ and what he's done for our lives and we have.
- A new identity in Christ if you are a follower of Jesus if you have given your life to Christ and all of your.
- Imperfection you are a saint that's who you are and anybody other is unrighteous according to this passage and we're going to unpack that.
- So don't disconnect right now but verse 3 he says do you not know that we shall judge angels again the Saints will judge.
- Angels how much more things that pertain to this life is this talking about something I don't know a whole lot about if you.
Guys know Tom Velasco he's one of the elders here I would encourage you to ask him about this okay he's on a trip. With some high school students right now so you can get his email if you need to or ask Tucker but do you not.
Faith and Obedience
Is to represent the king if you are a follower of Jesus Christ and what's happening in this church family in this group of. Believers is that they are taking the representation of Jesus Christ and one another before people who are on the outside looking in and.
- These people who are on the outside are looking in and they're saying while there's nothing different among that group of people as there.
- Is anywhere else brother goes to law against brother and is challenged to them at the very beginning in this passage is to say.
- Is there really not one wise among you where you can take those two parties and have a third party come in and intervene.
- And give some wisdom give some counsel give some insight on how to work your way through this conflict there's a challenge here but.
Instead of keeping it as a family matter you're taking it beyond the family and understand the representation that is giving of Jesus Christ. This is making sense there's a family matter and it's not intended to keep it separate from the rest of the world so people.
Faith and Obedience
Do these things to your own brother into your own family it's like there's an issue here there's not somebody wise among you to. Judge but the fact that there has to be somebody to judge between the conflicts you guys are having that's a bigger issue he's.
- Calling out there Christ's likeness the maturity of these believers and if I didn't have to preach this message I wouldn't if we weren't.
- Here in this passage of the Bible I was it I'd rather not necessarily talk about this because this is challenging if you guys.
- Would be so kind flip with me to Matthew chapter 5 I want to bring us to potentially a familiar passage Matthew chapter five.
- And we'll come back to first Corinthians and we'll jump in verse 38 I believe the mark of our maturity as followers of Christ.
Is I think it would make sense if we looked like Christ right I think that's kind of the standard if we intend to. Be a student of Jesus that we should reflect the lifestyle of Jesus we are imperfect but more and more so I think the.
Conclusion
We return to the opening teaching: discipleship is not just information, it is transformation through faith and obedience to Jesus. If we receive His Word and walk it out, He will shape us into people who endure and bear fruit.
Lord Jesus, help me hear Your Word, obey it with faith, and grow as Your disciple. Amen.
Conclusion
We return to the opening teaching: discipleship is not just information, it is transformation through faith and obedience to Jesus. If we receive His Word and walk it out, He will shape us into people who endure and bear fruit.
Closing Prayer
Lord Jesus, help me hear Your Word, obey it with faith, and grow as Your disciple. Amen.