Woodland Hills Church of Christ

Bible Classes / Speaker:Berry Kercheville Don’t Waste Your Life Ecclesiastes 12:9-14 Introduction: The words of the Preacher have taken the failed life of Solomon and warned every person about how easy it is to waste your whole life. No, you won’t waste your life in the eyes of the world because the world has a different standard on how success and failure is judged. To illustrate, to the worldly mind, a man like Solomon was a success and the apostle Paul was a failure (in the mind of the carnal Corinthians). The Preacher’s Encouragement: “You Are Going to Die” Ha! What a way to start a sermon! Doesn’t sound very encouraging! Oh but it is. “The day of death is better than the day of birth. It is better to go to the house of mourning…for it is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart” (7:1-2). Consider this: how many times do you think the name “God” is used in Ecclesiastes? It is used 34 times not including the many times God is implicitly referenced by context and pronouns. In spite of the emphasis on life under the sun (life without godly considerations), the Preacher’s focus is the impossibility of taking God out of the equation. Look at the text before us: 11:9 “…for all these things God will bring you into judgment.” 12:1 “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come…” 12:7-8 “…and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, all is vanity.” Notice how these sentences come together. How long before the “spirit returns to God who gave it?” Lake a breath! Like a vapor! 12:13 “The end of the matter; all has been heard: fear God and keep his commandments…” 12:14 “For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.” These words are not intended negatively. These are encouraging words because this is reality, and we have the opportunity to get ready for it. The Preacher’s Epilogue: The Words of the Wise (9-12) The Preacher obviously places himself in the category of those inspired by God. His words are “given by one Shepherd.” Notice that he gives words that are delightful , that is, they are words to be desired and will give pleasure to the hearer. And they are words of truth. A person could argue with his words, but the practice of the rest of his life under the sun would prove him wrong. Notice in verse 11 the value of the inspired words given by God, the one Shepherd. They are like goads. A goad is a prod to move a farm animal in the direction desired. Goads are pointy at the end so that the animal is more motivated to move. At first thought, you wouldn’t think we would need a goad. But that is why the word of God is so important. We tend not to make changes in our lives. We get comfortable. But the word of God is intended to make us uncomfortable so that we move to where God wants us to be. Therefore, though God’s word can be of great comfort, it also has parts that are described as a “two-edged sword” that penetrates the “thoughts and intents of our heart” (Hebrews 4:12). God’s word is also like “nails firmly fixed.” A firmly fixed nail or screw is what we use to hold shelving and other heavy objects on a wall. The word of God is the only thing in the world that we can depend on to hang the future of our lives. Jeremiah 10:23 “I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps.” As much as we would like to think so, we are completely incapable of directing our own lives without without totally destroying ourselves. Think of how this applies to marriage & How it applies to parenting. Notice also the word “Shepherd.” That is the position God is taking with us. We are like sheep, completely helpless to preserve out lives. When the Lord is our Shepherd, we shall not be in want. Vs. 12: “Beware of anything beyond these—of the making of many books there is no end.” Give attention to the word, “Beware.” This is not a suggestion. It is a strong warning about all writings that are not “given by one Shepherd.” Isn’t it interesting that nothing has changed in 2500 years. The message of God’s word still competes with the writings and wisdom of man. There are millions of books telling us how to raise kids, have a great marriage, how to get the most out of life, how to solve stress/anxiety, and every other concern that living life under the sun brings. This isn’t to say that all books written on these subjects are bad. To be sure, some are from a strong biblical perspective, applying God’s word in practical ways for today’s culture. But the challenge is, when our lives are those painful tribulations, are we turning completely to the one Shepherd? Who is turning to Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song? For example, just in Ecclesiastes, who is remembering: “What is crooked cannot be made straight”? “And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no plea

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Bible Classes / Speaker:Berry Kercheville How to Live Life Ecclesiastes 11:7–12:8 Introduction: “Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” The Preacher began his sermon with these words and ended his sermon with these words. It sounds so depressing, so hopeless. But if that is what we are thinking when we hear these words, we are sorely mistaken! There are two reasons we are mistaken: First, we are not reading “vanity” the way the Preacher intends it. As nearly every biblical scholar points out, the Hebrew word carries the idea of vapor, that which appears for a moment and then vanishes. In fact, 11:10 removes all doubt. No one, under any circumstances, even considering it as “under the sun,” would say that childhood and youth are meaningless, as translated by the NIV, or futility as rendered by other versions. To emphasize further, NASB deviates from translating “futility” when they come to 11:10 and they translate “fleeting.” Yes! That makes sense, especially in the context: “Remove vexation from your heart, and put away pain from your body, for youth and the dawn of life are fleeting.” Second, when we realize that the Preacher has been teaching us that finding joy and pleasure under the sun is fleeting, soon vanishes without permanence, and therefore does not give lasting profit and fulfillment, he doesn’t mean we can’t find joy and pleasure in this life! And that, is his message in this conclusion of his sermon. Rejoice, Remove, Remember! (11:9–12:1) Verses 7-8 are the introduction or foundation for the rest of our text. Do not let the uncertainties of life and future (3-6) cast a pale of discouragement over your life. “Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun.” God has given us a wonderful gift of light and life. Every morning when the sun comes up we should be thankful and rejoice. Light and the sun are a daily message from God, just as the cloud and the fire in the wilderness, that God is present and only he is the ultimate source of life and light. John even begins his gospel with, “In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind” (John 1:4). In fact, these words are not only metaphorical, going outside and feeling the sun and the light helps defeat anxiety and “vexation.” Remember the Covid shutdown. Depression was rampant. In the next three verses, the Preacher turns to those who are young. Young people, this is the best of the best! These admonitions need to be examined carefully and repeatedly rehearsed to make sure you are staying on track. Verse 9: “Rejoice in your youth…” It is very possible that those of you who are young have thought God doesn’t want you to find enjoyment and pleasure. It is not so. Even Paul makes this point in 1 Timothy 6:17, “…do not set your hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.” There are many things your “eyes” and your “heart” may want to explore and enjoy. But there is a warning in the text: All things that you choose will be brought into judgment before God! Therefore, consider how you should navigate this period in your life. Obviously, to involve yourself in anything sinful or that will weaken your spiritual life must be excluded. This means you must continue to make careful evaluations of what you might pursue. Therefore, there are at least two considerations: First, youth is when you will be pursuing a career. Your choice can greatly affect your spiritual life! If you choose a career that typically requires a lot of extra hours and time away from home, that will have a significant affect on your marriage, your family, and your walk with God. Warning! Do not allow the glitter of more money affect the priority of God and your family! The second consideration is that recreational activities can become addicting to the point that God, the church (God’s people), and your personal spiritual growth get little attention. This is super dangerous and sinful! Recreation is an idol in America, and Christians have too many times bought into this idolatry. Remember, it is quite easy to revert to “life under the sun” — chasing the wind… and all is vanity. Verse 10: “Remove vexation from your heart and pain from your body…” “Vexation” is translated different ways: “pain, sorrow, troubles, anger, worry, anxiety, emotional stress.” “Pain” in the Hebrew indicates, “troubles, calamity, disaster, evil, wickedness, that which is harmful.” In all, the idea is, pay attention to Proverbs! There is a cause and effect to everything you do and everything you choose, and everything you say. As NIV states, “Banish” these activities from you life. Let’s get something straight: everyone suffers the consequences of their actions and words, and young people are the ones most susceptible to this. When you deal with the above—pain, sorrow, troubles, anger, and emotional stress—look at yourself first! You are the most likely source of your misery, and there is no sense in t

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New Testament Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville Strengthened with Power in Your Inner Being Ephesians 3:14-21 Introduction: Take a moment and think about the content of your prayers. What do you pray about most? When Paul prayed in Romans 10:1, he said, “Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.” Paul explained prayer as that which originates from the deep desire of the heart. We all pray about what concerns us, and we are evidently not concerned about matters we do not include in our prayers. Prayer expresses desire. Prayer exposes the desires of our heart. In my personal studies, I have been searching for foundational themes that are not ordinarily observed in the NT letters. Our tendency is to notice what is immediately obvious but miss messages that are critical our growth and discipleship. In this lesson, we will look at one of the neglected messages in Ephesians. Ephesians has obvious applications in chapters 4-6, and if we have been good observers, we are super impressed with God’s purposes in chapters 1-3 that all things are to be to the praise of his glory. However, what is often easily passed over, is Paul’s prayer. His prayer begins in 1:15 and concluded in 3:14-21. The question for us is, do we care about this prayer? Is this prayer the desire of our hearts and the expression of our words to God? Seeing the Main Emphasis 1:15-20 Simply put, our eyes need to be opened and enlightened to know God’s purpose that we will be “his glorious inheritance,” and to know “the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us” (illustrated by the resurrection and glorification of Jesus in the heavenly places. Paul’s sentences are long, and thus his words can be complicated. But notice especially the last words, “the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us.” God’s power toward us is the key to the rest of chapters 2-3 and is the main message of the conclusion of the prayer in 3:14-21. Therefore, notice this emphasis in 3:14-21. Vs. 16: “that you may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner being…” Did you notice the power and strength in the inner being. It is not difficult to understand why we need strength in our inner being. Discouragement is not uncommon for all Christians, especially as we think of our failures. Sometimes we think, “Will I ever get this together?” Vs. 17-18 “…that you, may be rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth…” Vs. 19 “…to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” Vs. 20 “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly…according to the power at work within us…” Vs. 21 “…to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” The verse bookends the first three chapters. 4:1 “I therefore…urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called…” This verse is the pivotal point of the Ephesian letter. This is the reason for Paul’s prayer. We must walk worthy of our calling, but what is needed is the fulfillment of the prayer! Learning the Prayer “I bend my knees before the Father, from whom the whole [NASB; NET] family in heaven and on earth derives its name…” We read this so easily, but how amazing that Paul is doing what we all can do and directly appealing our Creator and Father, to the one who is Father over the whole family, whether that family is in heaven presently with him or that same family who are still on earth. It is this whole family that derives our name from him. “…according to the riches of his glory he may grant you…” The appeal is that God will take the inexhaustible riches of his glory and share that with us. God’s purpose has always been to glorify us so that he may be glorified. “…to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.” Notice that the power comes by the strength of the Spirit, which then brings about the indwelling of Christ in our hearts. To have Christ dwelling in us and the work of the Spirit, or even the Spirit dwelling in us, are deeply connected and are referring to the same principle. Some might be confused by this, thinking that since these Ephesians are already Christians, isn’t Christ and the Spirit already dwelling in them? True, but Paul is speaking about something greater, a process that is fulfilled in degrees. The above is solved by understanding the two Greek words that are translated by “inhabit” or “dwell.” The first word is referenced by Paul in 2:19 when he speaks of strangers and aliens. These temporarily inhabit a place, but it is not their home. They are briefly living away from home. The second word, the “dwelling of Christ in our hearts,” refers to a permanent dwelling place, an abiding home. Christ living and abiding in the heart of the Christian. Colossians 2:9-10 “Fo

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New Testament Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville 1 & 2 Corinthian Themes: Saving Others Introduction: As I have mentioned in introducing these lessons, because Paul deals with so many of the Corinthian “errors,” we are often distracted from deeper themes in these two letters. On the surface, Paul’s letters focus on correcting sinful practices. However, all sins have at their root deeper heart issues. When the heart is changed, the sins disappear. This is one of the major mistakes that most of us preachers have made: more emphasis on stopping the sin than changing the heart. That brings us to the foundational theme for this lesson: Paul’s emphasis on being aware of the spiritual condition of people around us, whether those who are Christians or those who haven’t come to Christ. Paul’s Approach Before you think that Paul gives a number of commands for the Corinthians to be more evangelistic, that is not true. In fact, what is uniquely absent from all the NT epistles is an apostolic urging for the first century Christians to go save others. That should be a major concern for us when we compare them with us. No one needed to tell them to tell 1st Christians to seek to save others. It was prophesied repeatedly that the Messiah’s disciples would spread the gospel message, and the only direct command given in the NT was the Great Commission. Saving souls was an automatic response by all Christians in the book of Acts, and it continued for over 1900 years in all churches. Suddenly, halfway through the 20th century that emphasis began to change. Our churches typically need to be urged and reminded that saving others was Jesus’ primary goal, the primary goal of the apostles, and the primary goal of all who came to Christ. The point is, Paul’s approach was not, “Go out and teach the gospel,” his approach was twofold: First, God allowed Paul to use himself as an example for all Christians. 1 Corinthians 4:16 “I encourage you, then, be imitators of me.” Paul taught Christians that we are called to “work together with God” (2 Cor. 6:1) to save others. Paul taught that Jesus made us a new creation so that we look at other differently than before: “He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.” (2 Cor. 5:15-18 NLT) It is scary to realize how easy it is for a church to become so inward thinking, so “this is all about us,” that saving a soul is not only absent from the church’s work and goal, lost souls come and go and even fall into the lap of Christians and preachers without any desire to save their soul! It begs the question: Are we really the prophetic picture of the Messiah’s disciples? Do we really care and have the love of God as a shepherd for a lost sheep and as a father for his lost son? Does it truly disturb us that this person is “destroyed for whom Christ died” (1 Cor. 8:11)? Paul’s Emphasis on Saving Others (ch. 8-10) 1 Corinthians 8:8-13 “Now food will not bring us close to God. We are no worse if we do not eat and no better if we do. But be careful that this liberty of yours does not become a hindrance to the weak. For if someone weak sees you who possess knowledge dining in an idol’s temple, will not his conscience be “strengthened” to eat food offered to idols? So by your knowledge the weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed. If you sin against your brothers or sisters in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. For this reason, if food causes my brother or sister to sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I may not cause one of them to sin.” (NIV) 1 Corinthians 10:31-33 “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.” 2 Corinthians 2:14-15 “But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.” Paul’s Description of Winning People to Christ, 1 Corinthians 9:19-27 First, please note Paul’s primary argument and discussion in chapters 8-10. The primary argument of the text is teaching the Corinthians the need to give up self and one’s rights so that others may be saved. Paul first warns them about giving themselves up to save believers, but then turns to outsiders. Paul uses himself as an example of giving up one

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Bible Classes / Speaker:Berry Kercheville Finding Life ECCLESIASTES 11:1- #10 INTRODUCTION: We have noticed a pattern in this sermon by the wise preacher: He so strongly wants to lead us away from a life of vanity, that he very nearly depresses us with his descriptions of the things that can and do go wrong in life. But, just about the time we are ready to throw up our hands, he turns us to the bright side by showing us how we can live joyfully in spite of the vanity of life under the sun. We must never forget this! The vanity of this life can and often does swallow us up. But it does not have to be this way. In this lesson, the Preacher gives us a portrait of the way life ought to be lived regardless of the most dismal of times. In this final section, the Preacher is setting us up for his grand conclusion. The Path to Life, 11:1-8 The Preacher has introduced us to reality. There are two ways to live our lives. There are not three or four ways of choosing to live. When a young person is asked the question, “What are you wanting to do with your life?”, the question should not be just a choice of occupation, but how are you planning on living your life? Is your primary goal the attainment of earthly accomplishments? Jesus said it is either laying up for yourselves earthly treasures or heavenly treasures. So which will it be? Matthew 6:19-24. Listen carefully to the words. Jesus taught the same thing as the Preacher. There are two treasures to seek. There are two choices. You must choose one or the other. Jesus said, you cannot serve both. Only one can be your master. It is either God or pleasure. It is either living under the sun or above the sun. The “rub” is that back in our minds we want to quietly decide to do both. And the problem with that is, you will then lose both earthly and heavenly treasure. Solomon had it all and found that the earthly pursuit was vanity, and then he lost his soul! So the Preacher commands us to do something with our “bread.” Therefore, the question is, What are we doing with our bread? That is, what are you going to do with what God has given you? Are we cramming every bit of bread we can into our mouths and the rest storing it up? The problem is storing up treasure on earth has no lasting value. “Cast your bread on the waters…” teaches us some important principles about finding life: The spiritually successful person is a giver, not a hoarder. Now as soon as we say this, most people think in terms of giving money. And though that is certainly part of the point, it is not the whole point, nor even most of the point. Paul said in 2 Cor. 8:5 that the true givers first give of themselves. This is a generous and liberal giving of oneself to others. It is a broad spectrum of giving, it is giving in a variety of ways. It is giving that does not keep an account of what is given: to seven and also to eight–give to all you can and then some. The beauty of finding joy in the giving of oneself is that it doesn’t matter if anyone is thankful or appreciative of your efforts because your joy is in others, not yourself. That is exactly the point of the Preacher’s exhortation—getting our minds off of self and on others! It is a giving especially in things that do not appear to have any immediate personal benefit. When you “cast your bread on the waters,” the benefit is not readily apparent. Therefore, we are not to be greedy givers, always looking at how we may be repaid or immediately see the benefit. That attitude keeps us from giving. Some people only help those who help them. This is not God’s style of giving. It is giving in spite of what evil one may perceive is going to come. It is giving in the worst of times as well as in the best. The Preacher says, “You really don’t know what’s going to come anyway, so give.” It is this kind of giving that trusts God that “you will find it after many days.” Pro.19:17 “He who is gracious to a poor man lends to the Lord, and He will repay him for his good deed.” If the Lord asked to borrow from you, would you hesitate wondering if you will be repaid? We let God take responsibility for repaying, not man. Don’t wait for conditions to be perfect before you act. You can apply this principle in just about any area of life. It would apply in business and in personal investments. But obviously the area we ought to especially think about is in terms of doing good and especially in doing good to save souls. We are constantly losing opportunities because we are waiting for the perfect occasion. We start “observing the wind” and therefore we do not sow. Don’t say, “When I get married, get children, children leave, etc.” Pro.26:13 gives a similar warning: “The lazy man says, ‘There is a lion in the road! A fierce lion is in the streets!’” Therefore we see two things we must understand to live life the way we ought: Vs. 2: “…You don’t know…” Vs. 3: “Clouds drop rain…trees fall where they will fall…” Vs. 4: “Wind blows” wherever it will blow & storms

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New Testament Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville Your Body Is a Temple of the Holy Spirit 1 Corinthians Introduction: We have been looking at key themes or primary messages that the apostle Paul used in the Corinthian letters in order to bring the Corinthian Christians to understand what it looks like to be a disciple of Christ. Paul began the letter with, “…to those sanctified in Christ, called to be saints…” Paul’s words to the Corinthians are so needed today! The problem is we tend to easily miss Paul’s foundational messages because of the tendency to focus on the individual sins being committed at the church. Paul’s subtle emphasis is training their hearts to be in line with the life of Jesus. Many of Paul’s short words/phrases are delivered almost “off the cuff,” but have deep meaning for the way we should live. In this lesson, we will explore a phrase used twice in Paul’s first letter: “God’s Spirit dwells in you.” This picture of “indwelling” is critical to understanding what it means to live as saints. The phrase is used in 3:16 to refer to the church as a collective, and in 6:19 to refer to the body of the individual Christian. So, how do we make sense of the Holy Spirit in our lives today? And possibly more importantly, how can we explain this to a friend in a way that can be simply understood? Four Aspects of the Work of the Holy Spirit The Spirit in Revelation [2 Samuel 23:2; 2 Peter 3:2; John 16:13; Eph. 3:3-5] The Spirit in Regeneration [restoring life—Isa. 32; Ezek. 37; Romans 8, “the law of the Spirit of life…”] The Spirit in Re-Creation [Genesis 1:2; 2 Cor. 3:18; John 3; Titus 3:3-5; Ezek. 36; Ephesians 3:14-21] The Spirit in God’s Abiding Presence (it is on this final point that we will spend most of our time since that seems to be Paul’s primary emphasis in 1 Corinthians. [1 Cor. 6:19-20. Temple analogy — see above.] The Spirit in Revelation, Regeneration, and Re-Creation The Spirit in Revelation: Within the religious world, this may be the most neglected part of the Holy Spirit’s work. Consider Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 4:6, “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” This text parallels the words of God when he spoke light into existence and the word of God revealed through the Spirit that gives the light of the knowledge of the glory of God into our heart through Jesus. All of us need to understand the amazing power of God’s written word which was exhaled out of his mouth with the same power of, “Let there be light.” This goes far beyond just, “Read your Bible.” It drives us to immerse ourselves in his word, knowing that there is extraordinary power that will change us into his image and prepare us for that eternal day (Cf. vs. 7). The Spirit in Regeneration Genesis 1:2 “…and the Spirit of God was hovering (moving) over the face of the waters.” This indicates the life-giving force of the Spirit in creation. Job 33:4, “The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the almighty give me life.” Romans 8:1-2 “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” This “life” is later in the text summarizes by Paul’s phrase, “you are in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you.” We have been regenerated from death to life by the work of the Spirit through Jesus. The Spirit in Re-creation 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” Notice that Paul’s emphasis on the power of God’s word was prefaced by this text. In contrast to the “tablets written on stone,” Paul has revealed the Lord through the words of the Spirit that is written on our hearts, and thus transforms us from one degree of glory to another. When we understand this text, we then have an “aha” moment that goes back to what Jesus said to Nicodemus and then was repeated by NT writers: John 3:3-8 “Born of water and the Spirit” is a direct reference to Ezekiel 36 where the Lord prophesied of cleansing us by “sprinkling clean water on us,” and then changing our hearts and our desires by “putting his Spirit in us.” Titus 3:3-7 “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior.” We see the same principle of God cleansing us and then renewing us by the Spirit. Ephesians 3:14-21 We could spend our whole time just in this text, but for now the following phrases: First, “strengthened with power th

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New Testament Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville The Body Is For the Lord, and the Lord for the Body 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 Introduction: In David’s excellent sermon on Sodom we learned that one of the biggest threats we encounter in living for Christ is the culture in which we live. This is especially true in how culture affects Christians is in the realm of morality. Immorality, and especially sexual immorality doesn’t shock us any more. It is so common place that is nearly impossible to avoid. The fact that we deal with this in the public view is not new; surely Paul saw this constantly in Corinth. It was part of their religious culture in the city. We tend to approach this subject simplistically. We say, “Don’t do that.” But as is typical in scripture, God rarely just gives us a “don’t.” It is important to God that he gives us reasons so we can understand how it damages us and is destructive to his purposes for us. In the text before us, Paul does not go directly to the point and give us the “7th of the 10 commandments.” Instead, Paul reasons with the Corinthians so that they understand the damage they are doing by participating in sexual sins. Paul’s reasoning focuses on our bodies, and that will be the focus of our lesson. The Corinthian Cultural Argument (12-13) First argument: “we have liberty! All things are lawful for me.” Paul’s answer: But not all things are helpful/beneficial/builds up (a derivative of this word is used repeatedly by Paul for “building up the church”). Second argument: “All things are lawful for me.” We do not know where this argument came from. Possibly a conclusion of “freedom in Christ” or a Corinthian’ doctrine derived from the Epicureans. Paul’s answer: But I will not be dominated/enslaved by anything. Paul warns that even if you could argue this as a liberty, a Christian is not allowed to be enslaved by any human passion. This principle goes beyond sexual sins and includes all activities, even something that is not sinful of itself. Third argument: “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food.” This seems to be the argument for sexual immorality (similar in today’s culture). The stomach and food are made for each other. Therefore the sexual part of the body is made to be satisfied by sexual immorality. Paul’s answer: And God will destroy both food and the stomach! Further, the body is not made for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. Paul’s Explanation of God’s Purpose for the Body Notice the emphasis on “body” throughout the text. The word is used 8x from verses 13-20, not counting the implication of body (vs. 14, “us”) and “members” in reference to the body (vs. 15), which then counts 12x. Further, though Paul speaks of the stomach and food that are temporary and will be destroyed, Paul does not say the body will be destroyed. In fact, just the opposite. Just as God raised up the Lord, so he will also raise us up. The message is that though there is a body now, there will also be a heavenly body to which the earthly body will be transformed. In other words, it is this body that will put on the imperishable and the immortal, and it is therefore important how we use our body. It is our body, and to violate it with sexual immorality has an eternal effect. Did you ever think of your body that way? Do we consider what we do with our bodies so that we present ourselves in purity for when the Lord takes our same body and transforms it? Paul then says something that would be truly shocking to most people in the world, and even at times to us. It is not just that the body is not destroyed and has a connection to our eternal bodies, it is also that “the body is for the Lord.” Paul reinforces this point in verses 19-20. Note carefully, “you are not your own, for you were bought with a price.” That is, your body is not your own. We do not get to do with our bodies whatever we want. What that makes us is stewards of our body, that is, God has given us this body and we are to be caretakers of it. This brings up an interesting parallel to Jesus. Hebrews 10:5, “Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, ‘Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me.’” It is only in a body that Jesus is able to glorify God, which is exactly Paul’s point in 6:20, “So glorify God in your body.” Vs. 15-17 Paul’s next argument follows up on the concluding statement of verse 13: “The body…is for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.” “…your bodies are members of Christ.” Just as our own bodies have various “members” (arms, legs, eyes, etc.), so we each are a member of Christ’s body. This argument is different than chapter 12 where we see ourselves with gifts that are to be utilized together with gifts in the body. In this case, the emphasis is on our connection to Christ, our bodies connected to him and used by him to glorify God. Now notice the phrase, “s

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New Testament Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville 1 Corinthians: “Be Imitators of Me” Introduction: When we think of the letters to the Corinthians, often our first thought is the many ways Paul needed to correct the Corinthian Christians for worldly beliefs and practices. Sexual immorality, lawsuits, turning the Lord’s Supper into a feast, and a myriad of other faults needed correcting. However, before Paul corrects these specific sins, he lays down a foundation of why all of these are a violation of the gospel, which is defined by preaching Christ crucified (2:2). It is the message of Christ crucified that solves: The problem of following the wisdom of men with their lofty speeches that appeal to the flesh. A man having his father’s wife since “Christ our Passover lamb has been sacrificed.” Sexual immorality since we have been bought with a price and you are not your own. And we could go throughout the letters. Whatever the problem, living the message of Christ crucified, answers the problem. In all of this, Paul pursues a repeated theme of “there is a pattern of teaching and living that must be pursued as a Christian.” We are not surprised that Paul commands these Christians to imitate is teaching. But it is shocking when Paul commands them to imitate is life. It is even more amazing when we realize that God gave Paul permission to use himself as a model for the life of a believer. That is not to say that we are all called to travel like Paul or expect to be beaten and imprisoned. But Paul’s life-example teaches us how to view our purpose in the world to make the life of Jesus “visible in our mortal bodies.” (2 Cor. 4:10). Paul’s Emphasis on a Pattern: “Be Imitators of Me” Let’s begin with a quick overview of how many times Paul calls on Christians to imitate him: 4:6 In answer to their self-exaltation, Paul concludes the first section of book by using himself and Apollos as examples “…that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another.” 4:16-17 Paul mentions a “pattern” three times: 16 “Be imitators of me” 17 “I sent Timothy to remind you of my ways in Christ…” 17 “… as I teach them everywhere in every church.” 7:17 Paul’s principles on marriage is something that is a “rule in all the churches.” 9:26-27 Paul uses himself as an example of a life with discipline and purpose. 11:1 The verse is a conclusion of a lengthy section from chapters 8-10 in which Paul calls on us to “Be imitators of me.” –– sacrificing self for the salvation of others and the glory of God. 11:2 Paul commends the Corinthians for “maintaining the traditions even as I delivered them to you.” 11:16 Concerning how the roles of men and women: “If anyone wants to argue about this, we have no other custom, nor do the churches of God” (CSB). 14:33-35 Paul again appeals to his teaching in “all the churches” concerning women keeping silent in an assembly where the church is being instructed. In this assembly, they are not allowed to use their gifts. 16:1-2 Adding this up, we now have the eleventh time Paul reminds the Corinthians that what he is teaching is universal for all the churches. What do we learn from this? We live in a time when a large majority of religious teachers shame those who believe that there is a pattern of worship and practice that is to be held universally among all churches. It is such an amazingly foolish position since there is nothing new about God having a universal practice of worship. Throughout the OT God insisted on certain rules of worship and utterly condemned or even struck dead those who deviated! Further, Paul does not say this exclusively to the Corinthian church. Consider his words to the Philippians: “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me — practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:9). How Does This Pattern Apply in Worship? It is not difficult to observe what NT Christians did in worship and follow the pattern. Jesus said the same when he quotes Isaiah in Mark 7:7, “…in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandment of men.” Paul said, “…that you may learn in us not to go beyond what is written…” (4:6), so what is written that was done by NT churches? Acts 2:42 “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” Hebrews 10:24-25 They assembled to stir one another up (and other types of assemblies): “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” Ephesians 5:19 They sang together: “be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart…” 1 Corinthians 16:1-2; 2 Corinthians 8-9; Philippians 4:15-16 As we have already seen, they participated in givin

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New Testament Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville 1 & 2 Corinthians: The Gospel of Boasting Introduction: When I was a young preacher I asked an older preacher a question about a passage in 1 Corinthians. The first words out of his mouth were, “You know that’s the milk of the word.” Being a little bashful I said, “Yes sir, I know, but I still don’t understand this particular text.” Now, many years later, I still recognize that Paul taught the Corinthians “milk” and not “solid food” because they were not ready for it (3:1-2). However, a careful study of 1 & 2 Corinthians also reveals that questions are not quickly answered by a cursory reading. In fact, it is evident that when we study these letters, our deep focus on the answers of various problems in the church causes us to miss the broader message. This is a letter! And when we divide this letter up over a 3-6 month study, we usually “see the trees” but not the “forest.” In fact, we quickly come to the uncomfortable realization that in many ways we too are babes, “people of the flesh,” in need of Paul’s spiritual milk! Therefore, we will look at three questions as we discover the broader message of the Corinthian letters: What is the real problem at Corinth? Paul highlights two primary issues (boasting and a misappropriation of the gospel). How did the Corinthians’ culture affect the Corinthian Christian? How does Paul’s message solve the major problems found in all churches today? The Real Problem If you were asked to describe the main theme or message of the Corinthians letters, what would you say? Most of us would immediately answer that the Corinthians had a ton of problems: lack of unity, envy, jealousy, immorality, self-centeredness, and numerous flawed doctrinal beliefs that begged for correction. In other words, we might say, “There really isn’t a theme; it is Paul correcting a myriad of problems.” There is certainly truth in that, however, in diving into the “corrections” we miss the actual message and the actual Corinthian problem. There are two ways to discover such a message: First, examine the beginning and the ending of the letters. As with most writers, Paul introduces his message in the opening, and concludes his message at the end with a summary of the message he introduced. Second, pay attention to repeated words and phrases that give clues to Paul’s message that underlies the “surface problems” present in the Corinthian church. Let’s put it this way, though Paul gives a lot of “do’s and don’ts, the sins of the Corinthians, or of any church, are not solved by simply teaching, “that’s wrong, this is right; don’t to that, do this…” etc. The scriptures are not a list of do’s and don’t’s, but messages that transform our hearts so that pleasing God is embedded in our thinking. Therefore, let’s look at the Corinthian letters from the “30,000 foot level.” We will notice two foundational and thematic messages, that if followed, would correct all the Corinthian shortcomings. The Gospel of “Boasting” The first of two words/phrases that are thematic in these letters is boast. It is used at the beginning of 1 Corinthians (1:29-31), and extensively at the end of 2 Corinthians (11-12) as Paul ridicules the boasts of the false teachers by “boasting” in his weaknesses and afflictions. Amazingly, Paul uses the word 32 times in the two letters. You may be thinking, “I don’t see how the boasting of the Corinthians have anything to do with me!” Actually, boasting has a lot to do with all of us. It is virtually impossible for humans not to boast, to have a constant desire to be rewarded for our accomplishments. In fact, boasting in humans is so evident that the boasts do not just include “look at my accomplishments or what I can do,” we even boast about our illnesses and physical maladies or even accidents in which we hurt ourselves. [“I fell getting out of bed last night” — “Wow, that reminds me when I fell down the stairs and fractured my ankle” — “Goodness, I wish that’s all I’ve done; I fell off the roof and broke both my wrists!” — “Yeah, that’s nothing. You want to see my x-rays!” ] Paul explanation of boasting in 1 Cor. 1:17–2:5. There is much that can be said about this text, but we will look primarily on Paul’s emphasis on “preaching the gospel, not with eloquent words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.” Connect verse 17 with 2:1, 4. The principles Paul teaches here are incredibly important for today’s church. The question immediately arises, what is wrong with speaking impressively or eloquently? Isn’t that what preachers are trained to do, to speak so a listener can enjoy and appreciate the lesson? Obviously, Paul isn’t condemning people who speak or teach well. It is necessary to understand the Corinthian culture. In our culture today, we have athletic and musical superstars along with actors and actresses. But in the Greco-Roman world, the most famous were those who excelled in rhetorical and philosophical

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