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Hair, Head Coverings, and Headship (1 Corinthians 11:2-16) | Imperfect Series

This may be one of the most difficult and controversial passages in all of the bible. There is a lot of debate and a lot of disagreement over what Paul is saying here and even more so about how relevant what Paul is saying to the Corinthians is to us in Canada in 2023. I think at least a few things are clear from this passage:

#1) As both image bearers of God and followers of Jesus our actions can bring either shame or honour to our saviour and our God.

#2) While both men and women are image-bearers we bear that image in distinct ways. Contrary to our culture there are distinctions between the sexes. Contrary to Roman/Greek culture there is no distinction in our value.

#3) We need to figure out what it looks like in Canada in 2023 to bring honour to God as his image-bearers, both male and female, through the way we worship.

Sermon Notes:

• Everything about the Christian life should point to Jesus being the king of your life. (vs. 3)
• “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27
• Gender is part of God’s created design. It is not a social construct. (vs. 6-9)
• One way you honour Jesus as king is by living out what it means to be a male or female made in His image.
• In a community where Jesus is king, humility and unity should define how we relate and function as God’s image bearers. (vs. 11-16)

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Hair, Head Coverings, and Headship (1 Corinthians 11:2-16) | Imperfect Series (K)

This may be one of the most difficult and controversial passages in all of the bible. There is a lot of debate and a lot of disagreement over what Paul is saying here and even more so about how relevant what Paul is saying to the Corinthians is to us in Canada in 2023. I think at least a few things are clear from this passage:

#1) As both image bearers of God and followers of Jesus our actions can bring either shame or honour to our saviour and our God.

#2) While both men and women are image-bearers we bear that image in distinct ways. Contrary to our culture there are distinctions between the sexes. Contrary to Roman/Greek culture there is no distinction in our value.

#3) We need to figure out what it looks like in Canada in 2023 to bring honour to God as his image-bearers, both male and female, through the way we worship.

Sermon Notes:

• There is a debate around defining “men” and “women” – and this is nothing new.
• The Corinthian church struggled with how men and women should worship.
• As men and women, we must worship God in ways that are guided by Scripture and sensitive to culture.
• 1 Corinthians 1:2-16 is a difficult passage, but we shouldn’t shy away from difficult passages of Scripture.
• What this passage IS NOT saying:

1. 1. Men shouldn’t wear hats to church, and women should wear hats.
   2. Men can’t have long hair.
   3. All women must submit to all men.

• What this passage IS saying:

1. 1. Our actions can bring honour or shame to God.
   2. Men and women honour God in distinct ways.
   3. Men and women have equal value.

• How we view men and women and how we worship as a church will be a testimony to the world. 

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Community, Conscience and Conflict (1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1) | Imperfect Series

Imagine a community of people that all functioned with this phrase as their motto: “Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.” Imagine how radically different that type of community would look in a world that trumpets “do what makes you happy.” Community isn’t easy, we are different people coming together with different backgrounds, different personalities, different perspectives. The only way we are ever going to be the church community that God desires us to be is by living lives that have as their goal God’s glory and our neighbours good.

Sermon Notes:

• You shape the health of the communities you are part of. (vs. 23-24)
• You seek the good of others when you live in Christian freedom rather than fear. (vs. 25-27)
• You seek the good of others when you care enough to talk to them about the health of their soul. (vs. 28)
• “My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings him back from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” (James 5:19-20)
• “Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend…” (Proverbs 27:5-6)
• You seek the good of others when you love them more than you love your freedom. (vs. 28-29)
• Living for the good of the other person is ultimately about living as a disciple of Jesus. (vs. 31 – 11:1)

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Community, Conscience and Conflict (1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1) | Imperfect Series (K)

Imagine a community of people that all functioned with this phrase as their motto: “Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.” Imagine how radically different that type of community would look in a world that trumpets “do what makes you happy.” Community isn’t easy, we are different people coming together with different backgrounds, different personalities, different perspectives. The only way we are ever going to be the church community that God desires us to be is by living lives that have as their goal God’s glory and our neighbours good.

Sermon Notes:

• Is what I am doing building others up or causing them to stumble? vs. 23-30
• Is what I’m doing bringing glory to God?  vs. 31
• Is what I am doing pointing people to Jesus or away from Him?  vs. 32-33
• Am I following the selfless, sacrificial example of Jesus in how I live before others?  vs. 11:1

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Don’t Be Idle About Your Idols (1 Corinthians 10:1-22) | Imperfect Series

Paul warns the church in Corinth about the incredible danger of idolatry by reminding them of the story of the exodus. They were a people who had been saved by the blood of a lamb. They had experienced a baptism which had buried their past and drowned their enemies in the deep. They had their own equivalent of the Lord’s Table where they “all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink.” yet despite all God had provided for them they fell into idolatry and ultimately that idolatry led to their destruction. If we are tempted to believe that a similar fate would never befall us Paul makes it very clear that the temptation to idolatry is a constant one, but he also promises us that God in his grace will also give us all we need to escape it.

Sermon Notes:

• Your past blessings do not guarantee your future blessings. (vs. 1-6)
• Idolatry is the core temptation every generation will face. (vs. 7-12 & 16-22)
• “The jealousy of God is the measure of his zeal for our happiness in him. His anger at our spiritual adultery, at our having other lovers besides him, is a reflex both of his zeal for his own worth, but also of his zeal for our joy. If we turn away from him as the greatest treasure, we turn away from our own greatest pleasure.” John Piper
• Every sin is rooted in idolatry.
• God gives you the grace you need to escape your idolatry. (vs. 13-14)

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Don’t Be Idle About Your Idols (1 Corinthians 10:1-22) | Imperfect Series (K)

Paul warns the church in Corinth about the incredible danger of idolatry by reminding them of the story of the exodus. They were a people who had been saved by the blood of a lamb. They had experienced a baptism which had buried their past and drowned their enemies in the deep. They had their own equivalent of the Lord’s Table where they “all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink.” yet despite all God had provided for them they fell into idolatry and ultimately that idolatry led to their destruction. If we are tempted to believe that a similar fate would never befall us Paul makes it very clear that the temptation to idolatry is a constant one, but he also promises us that God in his grace will also give us all we need to escape it.

Sermon Notes:

• Don’t Be Idle About Your Idols (1 Corinthians 10:1-22)
• What does it mean to fall into temptation?
• Warning – Don’t be idle about your idols.
• Your past success doesn’t determine your future success. (vs. 1-5)
• Your past failure doesn’t need to determine your future failure. (vs. 6-11)
• Two things you can count on:
  •  Count on God’s grace (vs. 13)
  • Count on your weakness (vs. 12, 14-22)

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The Gospel > My Rights (1 Corinthians 9:1-27) | Imperfect Series

Paul continues the theme of rights. Last week we looked at the fact that our rights and freedoms need to be constrained by our love for our brothers and sisters in Christ. This week Paul demonstrates through his example and his instruction that as Christians we ought to be willing to set aside our rights for the sake of the gospel. Out of love for Christ and love for the lost we, like Paul, must choose to put aside our rights, preferences, and comfort to reach and rescue as many people as possible with the gospel. Our rights and freedoms are not the ultimate prizes, the souls of people and the glory of God are.

Sermon Notes: 

• Following Christ means being willing to lay down my rights for the sake of the gospel. 
• Lost people are worth losing our rights for. (1 Corinthians 9:19-22) 
• When we let our rights and preferences become an obstacle to the gospel we make a difficult job harder. (1 Corinthians 1:23, 9:12) 
• When you sacrifice for the sake of Christ and lost people what you give up pales in comparison to what you receive. (1 Corinthians 9:23) 
• Are we willing to do whatever it takes to win as many people to Jesus as possible? 

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The Gospel > My Rights (1 Corinthians 9:1-27) | Imperfect Series (K)

Paul continues the theme of rights. Last week we looked at the fact that our rights and freedoms need to be constrained by our love for our brothers and sisters in Christ. This week Paul demonstrates through his example and his instruction that as Christians we ought to be willing to set aside our rights for the sake of the gospel. Out of love for Christ and love for the lost we, like Paul, must choose to put aside our rights, preferences, and comfort to reach and rescue as many people as possible with the gospel. Our rights and freedoms are not the ultimate prizes, the souls of people and the glory of God are.

Sermon Notes: 

• Our default is to choose ourselves over others.
• When we see how following Jesus gives new life, we will gladly give up our rights.
• Three rights the gospel is greater than:
  • The gospel is greater than our right to freedom.
  • The gospel is greater than our right to preferences.
  • The gospel is greater than our right to comfort.
• Three things the gospel compels us toward:
  • The gospel compels us to move closer to the lost, not away.
  • The gospel compels us to contextualize the message and the messenger.
  • The gospel compels us toward a clear missional focus.

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How to be 100% Right and Still be Wrong (1 Corinthians 8:1-13) | Imperfect Series

Our culture puts a high value on rights and freedoms and rights and freedoms are a good thing, but they aren’t the ultimate thing. In Christ we have been set free, but Christian freedom is not to be rooted in individual autonomy but love. If we use our rights and freedoms in a way that causes our brothers and sisters in Christ to sin, even though our actions may not be sinful our attitude and posture are. It is possible to be 100% right on our doctrine and still be wrong. If we win the argument without loving our brothers or sisters we’ve still lost.Our culture puts a high value on rights and freedoms and rights and freedoms are a good thing, but they aren’t the ultimate thing. In Christ we have been set free, but Christian freedom is not to be rooted in individual autonomy but love. If we use our rights and freedoms in a way that causes our brothers and sisters in Christ to sin, even though our actions may not be sinful our attitude and posture are. It is possible to be 100% right on our doctrine and still be wrong. If we win the argument without loving our brothers or sisters we’ve still lost.

Sermon Notes:

• You can be 100% right and still be wrong. 
• Knowledge is not the measure of Christian maturity, love is. 
• If you get your theology right but you fail to love you are still wrong. 
• Being right isn’t what makes you righteous, Jesus is what makes you righteous. 
• We need to care more about others than we care about our rights. 
• Instead of asking “is it allowed?” we should ask “does it build up?” 

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How to be 100% Right and Still be Wrong (1 Corinthians 8:1-13) | Imperfect Series (K)

Our culture puts a high value on rights and freedoms and rights and freedoms are a good thing, but they aren’t the ultimate thing. In Christ we have been set free, but Christian freedom is not to be rooted in individual autonomy but love. If we use our rights and freedoms in a way that causes our brothers and sisters in Christ to sin, even though our actions may not be sinful our attitude and posture are. It is possible to be 100% right on our doctrine and still be wrong. If we win the argument without loving our brothers or sisters we’ve still lost.Our culture puts a high value on rights and freedoms and rights and freedoms are a good thing, but they aren’t the ultimate thing. In Christ we have been set free, but Christian freedom is not to be rooted in individual autonomy but love. If we use our rights and freedoms in a way that causes our brothers and sisters in Christ to sin, even though our actions may not be sinful our attitude and posture are. It is possible to be 100% right on our doctrine and still be wrong. If we win the argument without loving our brothers or sisters we’ve still lost.

Sermon Notes

• Would you rather have people know that you’re right, or know that you love them?
• A little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing (verses 1-3) 
• Our actions must be shaped by knowledge and motivated by love.
• In truth, we know we have freedom from spiritual oppression (verses 4-6)
• In love, we must remove stumbling blocks for our brothers and sisters in Christ (verses 7-13) 
• As challenging as it may be, our freedoms need to be constrained by our love.