Unity - 1 Corinthians 12:12-30

 

This Sunday, January 22, is the Third Sunday after the Epiphany.

Verse of the Epiphany Season:

Isaiah 9:6

This week’s sermon is Follow Me

This week’s readings are:

Isaiah 9:1–4

Psalm 27:1–9 (10-14)

1 Corinthians 1:10-18

Matthew 4:12-25

Unity – 1 Corinthians 12:12-31

A Lament – the divisions within the church.

            Root of the matter – Word.

                        Essence of Christianity – Morality? Ethics? Gospel? Justification? Grace?

                        Nagel – “Who does the verbs?”

            Sacraments – the Embodied Word.

Everyone who believes Jesus is the Christ (savior) – that foundational spiritual gift – is part of the body of Christ.

            Jesus’s salvation links.

            The Holy Spirit is our common bond.

Love for our fellow Christians.

            Telling the truth.

            “Gentleness and Respect”

                        For our brothers and sisters in Christ.

                        For God’s Work in and through our brothers and sisters in Christ.

                                    Do we trust God’s promise and Word?

                                    There is only one body.

                                    Apostles’ Creed – “one holy, Christian, apostolic church.”

From the Universal Church to the Congregation

            Hopefully the closer we get to the congregational level we get the more outwardly united we are

                        Doctrine

                        Mutual Support

                        Worship Aesthetic

                        Mission and Purpose

Simil – same time saint and sinner.

Corresponds to the unity of body of Christ

Outwardly divided

Another truth – promised, proclaimed, and confessed – united in Christ.

Final hope – Jesus sets all things right in the end.

Until then we live by faith and confess our sins in repentance.

“He who has begun a good work in us ….”

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