In 2 Corinthians 10-13 Paul has to deal with people who are into power, They are challenging his claim to be an apostle prestige, and presentation. while claiming to be apostles themselves, even though he was the one who planted the church and still had spiritual oversight for the church from a distance. [Read]: are the marks of a true Christian community? A true Christian “What community is firmly committed to the truth of the gospel, follows the Lord’s teaching and example in baptism and the Supper, teaches and trains people Lord’s to follow Christ, lives as a family, disciplines sin, emphasizes the importance of each to the health of a body, demonstrates love, worships together, person’s role suffers together, gives generously together, and graciously supports and follows the leadership God has put in place.” Illustration: [Transition by telling about a church or Christian group you have been a part of where you saw these ten marks displayed. Or tell of one where you didn’t see these ten marks displayed. Then move onto the three dangers.] There are a few dangers that are quite pronounced and extremely dangerous for a small community like the emerging community we were part of starting in the Middle East or like the small community of believers founded by Paul in Corinth. Here are three dangers to a Christian community in the Corinthian Letters. These are also warnings to us… Three Dangers to a Christian Community in the Corinthian Letters: The first danger to a Christian community is…DIVISIONS The Corinthian community and some of them were divided into groups having trouble with their founder, Paul. For I have been informed concerning you, my 1 Corinthians 1:11-13 brethren, by Chloe's people, that there are quarrels among you. Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, am of and of and “I Paul” “I Apollos,” “I of and of Christ been divided? Paul was not Cephas,” “I Christ.” Has crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? Illustration: I have heard of Christians over everything from dividing styles of worship music, to the color of the carpet in the main meeting room.
In 2 Corinthians 10-13 Paul has to deal with people who are into power, prestige, and presentation. They are challenging his claim to be an apostle while claiming to be apostles themselves, even though he was the one who planted the church and still had spiritual oversight for the church from a distance. [Read]: “What are the marks of a true Christian community? A true Christian community is firmly committed to the truth of the gospel, follows the Lord’s teaching and example in baptism and the Lord’s Supper, teaches and trains people to follow Christ, lives as a family, disciplines sin, emphasizes the importance of each person’s role to the health of a body, demonstrates love, worships together, suffers together, gives generously together, and graciously supports and follows the leadership God has put in place.” Illustration: [Transition by telling about a church or Christian group you have been a part of where you saw these ten marks displayed. Or tell of one where you didn’t see these ten marks displayed. Then move onto the three dangers.] There are a few dangers that are quite pronounced and extremely dangerous for a small community like the emerging community we were part of starting in the Middle East or like the small community of believers founded by Paul in Corinth. Here are three dangers to a Christian community in the Corinthian Letters. These are also warnings to us… Three Dangers to a Christian Community in the Corinthian Letters: The first danger to a Christian community is…DIVISIONS The Corinthian community divided into groups and some of them were having trouble with their founder, Paul. 1 Corinthians 1:11-13 For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe's people, that there are quarrels among you. Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.” Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? Illustration: I have heard of Christians dividing over everything from styles of worship music, to the color of the carpet in the main meeting room.