Sermons

Have a think for a moment: What’s the most precious thing you own?

If there was a danger you might lose that thing, what would you do to protect it? How far would you go to ensure you don’t lose your most prized possession?

Today, we continue our journey through Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth. He’s had a number of reports that concern him. Divisions around loyalty to different preachers. A church that’s proud that a man is sleeping with his stepmother. And now today: Christians taking each other to court.

Introduction: A Startling Issue

Well, I wonder what you made of that reading. Paul describes something that would need a movie to be a 15 or 18 certificate. The editors have added a shocking heading to our English Bibles: “Dealing with a case of incest”.

The really shocking thing is that this was happening in a Christian church. Paul makes no effort to hide his disbelief at what has been reported to him.

The challenge for us is that it’s so unexpected, it’s hard to see the relevance of a chapter like this. It may fascinate us, but does it connect with us?

Arrogance is ugly. We don’t like it when people get above their station.

We hate it in our political leaders. We hate it the world of work. One office I worked in, middle managers were the most annoying people to work there. Promoted one step above the rest of us, they then thought they owned the place. And we should hate it in the church, hate it in ourselves.

Because, yes, arrogance exists among Christians, in churches, too.

It is extremely awkward when adults behave in a childish way.

I’m sure you’ve all looked at someone being thoroughly selfish, unable to cope with getting their own way, and thought to yourself: “How childish!”

I’m sure you’ve all also got drawn into some petty squabble or other. Something on the same level as who’s got more than their fair share of the back seat of the car. I know I have.

From time to time, we all behave like children.

Introduction: Divisions

I love these opportunities we have to come together to worship. Three congregations, that normally meet on two different sites, worshipping our one Lord Jesus together.

Church unity is a precious thing. Too often, churches are divided.

The early chapters of 1 Corinthians are an impassioned plea by the apostle Paul to the Corinthian church: Please don’t divide around human personalities.

It’s a sad fact that the Christian church is often divided.

In today’s Bible reading, we get into the first proper section of this letter of 1 Corinthians. I introduced the city of Corinth, its churches, and this letter last time. If you weren’t here, you can catch up on our website. I said that the relevance of this letter would just walk of the page. And as Paul starts by talking about divisions within the church in Corinth, we see that.

Over the past few months, I’ve got to know some churches in a largish town. There are several. St Paul’s. St Peter’s. St Apollos. And Christ Church.

The churches have experienced almost explosive growth, tripling in size in just 5 years. Many of those converts came from some surprising backgrounds. Some were thieves and pickpockets from the criminal underworld. Others worked in the somewhat seedy sex industry in the towns. Others were previously very active participants of other religions before they converted.

“It’s time to consider your verdict.”

So says the judge to the members of a jury after all the evidence has been heard and summed up.

If you’ve ever served on a jury, you’ll know that you then retire to a special room to consider the evidence you’ve heard. You mustn’t be swayed by anything outside. Reports in the media. You can’t look up the defendant on Facebook. You mustn’t discuss the case at home. The evidence you’ve heard should be enough to reach a verdict. Your task is to consider that evidence.

One of the crises in the modern world is hunger. Actually, it’s not new: There have always been people who are desperately hungry. In parts of Africa, crops have failed year on year, often because of a lack of rain. But even in our own country, some struggle to find enough to eat.

It’s Mothering Sunday. Even more desperate than hunger in general is the mother who cannot feed her children, or who feeds them by not eating enough herself. It’s a sad scene, and one that is far more common, and maybe far closer to home, than we often realise.

I wonder what you made of that story.

Many people find it a hard one to read. I don’t know how you picture Jesus.

To some, Jesus was a bit of a hippy. Long hair. Goatee beard. Watching butterflies flap around the field.

Charles Wesley wrote a hymn for children entitled “Gentle Jesus, Meek and Mild”. The hymn actually has moderately rich content. But for many people the title of that hymn sums up the Jesus they picture. Meek and mild.