I. THE “UNIVERSAL” CHURCH

II. THE LOCAL CHURCH

Sungai Nibong Gospel Hall(21 July, 2013)

One Head and One BodyTwo areas where the Local Church should reflect the Universal Church:

1) HE IS THE HEAD of the body, the church… that in all things He might have the pre-eminence. Col. 1:18

…and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all. Eph. 1:22f

2) For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: SO ALSO IS CHRIST. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles…and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. I Cor. 12:12-14

He is the HEAD of the Church

that in ALL things He might

have the Pre-eminence.

The Lord’s Prayer for the Local Church, Jn. 17

The Local Church – its Purpose. Jn. 17

Not to be taken OUT of the World. 17:15a

To be kept FROM the evil one. 17:15b

To be IN the World. 17:11

Not to be OF the World. 17:14, 16

To Go INTO the World. 17:18

To be One as God and Christ are ONE.17:21-23

• Now, O Father, glorify thou Me with Thine own Self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was.

Jn. 17:5

• Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am; that they may behold My glory, which Thou hast given Me: Jn. 17:24

• And the glory which Thou gavest Me I have given them; that they may be one, even as We are one: Jn. 17:22

III. The Problems of the Local Church in Corinth - Part 1 [Chs. 1-6]

I. THE CITY OF CORINTH.

A. The Capital of Achaia.

B. A Commercial Centre.

C. A Cosmopolitan City of Greeks, Romans, Jews, etc.

D. A Corrupted Citizenry.

Thus, Corinthianise = live with drunken and immoral debauchery - the Sodom of the day. Temple of Aphrodite with 1000 temple prostitutes.

I. THE CITY OF CORINTH.

II. THE CHURCH IN CORINTH A. ITS COMMENCEMENT. Acts 18:1, 4, 11

Paul’s 2nd Missionary Journey.

B. ITS CONGREGATION. (cf. 18:4, 7, 8)

1. Converted Jews.

2. Cultured Greeks.

3. Citizens of Rome.Cf. I Cor. 1:14

4. Combined Church of all sorts. I Cor. 1:26-29; 12:13

I. THE CITY OF CORINTH. II. THE CHURCH IN CORINTH

A. ITS COMMENCEMENT. Acts 18:1, 8. 11 B. ITS CONGREGATION. (cf. 18:4)

C. ITS CONCERNS (Problems)

1. Chloe’ People’s Report (1:11) Chs. 1-6

a. The Problem of Disunity. Chs. 1-4

b. (The Problem of Immaturity. Ch. 3)

c. The Problem of Immorality. Ch. 5

d. The Problem of Illegality. Ch. 6

2. The Church’s Problems: Chs. 7-16

“Concerning…”

III. - The Concerns (Problems) of the Church in Corinth (from Chole’s Report, 1:11)

1.Paul’s Appeal for Unity in the Church Based on… I Cor. 1:10-30

• Their Relationship to one another - brethren • …to the Lord [10 occ.] -

by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, • Their Responsibility: • that ye all speak the same thing, and • that there be no divisions among you; but• that ye be perfectly joined together in the same

mind and in the same judgment .

a. There were Petty Contentions (quarrels, NIV) among them. 1:11

b. There were Personal Cults among them. 1:12-16

c. There was no interest in the Preaching of the Cross –

it was foolishness. 1:17-25BUT WE PREACH CHRIST

CRUCIFIEDI Cor. 1:23a

1. Paul’s Appeal for Unity in the Church. I Cor. 1:10-30

d. They Professed to be Wise and opted out of God’s Calling for them. 1:26-29

•The Problem of their Childishness and Carnality: they still needed Milk, they could not Consume Meat. 3:1-3, 4•They were Prejudiced: they Chose their Ministers; they should know these were Complementary. 3:5-9a

2. Paul was Appalled by their Tolerance of Incest in their midst. I Cor. Ch. 5

a. The Public knowledge of the Incest. 5:1 cf. Lev. 18:6-8ff

b.They were Puffed up with their Inaction. 5:1, 2, 6

c. They did not use their collective Power to Incise the leaven. 5:3-5

d.They needed to Purge out the Leaven Inside the Lump. 5:7, 8

e. They needed to Part company with those who are Immoral, Idolaters, etc. 5:9-11

f. Judge those within; leave God to judge those without. 5:12f

Next Lord’s Day (D.V.)The TEN Serious Sins of Brothers (and Sisters) which need Separation – 6:9-11 ( cp. 5: 10, 11)5. Paul’s Answers (7:1) Re: Relationships. Chs. 7-10a. Re: Relationship between Male and Female. Ch. 7b. Re: Relationship between those who eat Meat offered to idols and those who do not. Ch. 8c. Re: Relationship between the Missionary and the

Church Members. Ch. 9d. Re: Relationships between Israel and God, and the

Church and God. Ch. 10AND NOW MAY "THE GRACE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, AND THE LOVE OF GOD,

AND THE COMMUNION OF THE HOLY SPIRITE WTH YOU ALL. AMEN. - II Cor. 13:14