Sunday Morning Podcast September 10, 2017. Bro. Dave Goble
TEXT:1 CORINTHIANS 1:10-18
10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 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.
11 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?
14 I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;
15 Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.
16 And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.
17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
The apostle Paul was speaking here, to a divided congregation. Some were guilty in this church of shameful sins, such as adultery, and etc. (I Corinthians 5:1). Yet Paul began his letter, (as he did with several others), with a salutation for grace and peace, (“Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father; and from the Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 1:3). Paul was a learned man, but wrote his letter to both the educated and uneducated showing no respect of persons, as God will instruct all that will listen. Jesus as God, as our example, is not divided as men of the church can be (as in this chapter) when following other men, and not following Christ. If we obediently recognize Jesus being as also God, we will follow Him alone; with the power to unify; we will set aside dividing differences which is a stumbling block to others. Without truly recognizing Jesus as part of the trinity of God, there will be no divine power to follow in His footsteps of holiness.
Today the world as a whole, wants Jesus to be less than God. For many people and institutions acknowledge Jesus, but merely as a great teacher or prophet. But without the acknowledgement of Jesus being part of the actual trinity of God (The Father, Jesus The Son of God, and The Holy Ghost), He cannot become our Lord and Savior from sin. Without accepting Jesus as God, there is also no power given to us to live above sin. When Jesus stops being God to us, we can no longer be holy. We become “profane” or merely common, when our behavior is no longer concerned with it’s effect on others.
Jesus as God, doesn’t want our difficulties to destroy and divide us from one another. There will always be differences, but when keeping Jesus, as God in our hearts, those differences will be set aside. Christ will bless us for endeavoring to keep the unity. Problems, trials, and tribulations, don’t have to stop Jesus from being God to us. ‘If ‘ we allow it, Jesus becomes God to us also, because He is not a respecter of persons! When Jesus becomes God to us, we will love one another as He does us! Will you consider letting Jesus become God to you?
When Jesus Becomes God…