Defining Our Divisions1 Corinthians 1:10-17

Adapted from a Robert Harmon sermon http://www.sermoncentral.com/print_friendly.asp?

SermonID=155152

“Overcoming Obstacles That Obstruct Obedience”

A teenage guy attended a congregation that was one of the largest in the city at the time.

There were about 85 in the youth group.

He invited a girl to their Bible Study.

That night, the youth minister was talking about a passage in 1 Corinthians where it

discussed division in the Church.

One of the young men asked about denominations, and immediately the youth

minister made his opinions known about each.When it came to the Christian Church, he said, "The Christian Churches of today are a bunch

of legalists!”The girl that came with him clinched her fist and had an angry expression the rest of the

evening.

After they left, he asked her what the deal was, and she looked at him and said, “If there

is anyone that is legalistic it’s that guy!”After talking to her, he found out she and her

family attended the Christian Church! This “minister” had just went into a tirade and

labeled his friend as a legalist.She made the request for him to go to her

congregation and listen to what was preached, and the next Sunday, he did.

The minister never once said, “this is what I believe,” He never said, “you’re going to hell if

you believe anything other than what I do!”He said something much more important! He

said, “Today, we are going to see what the Bible says….” What the Bible says…not what the youth minister says, not what a doctrinal

group believes, not what a denomination believes, not what I believe! What the Bible

says!The unfortunate thing was the guy ignored it,

because he thought he was right!

Internal conflict is seen in families today, and of our Christian families both in the past and

present!Not only is there division on the outside, but

there is division on the inside.Many internal conflicts result from a struggle

over control.If everyone would learn to give the Lord

control for whatever they are responsible for, many internal and external divisions would be

eliminated!

Without the Lord’s leading, there will always be divisions.

So what can we do to prevent this kind of division?

Let’s be like that Christian Church preacher from the story and go right to the Bible and

see what it says!

1 Corinthians 1:10 ESV I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus

Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. 11

For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my

brothers.

12 What I mean is that each one of you says, "I follow Paul," or "I follow Apollos," or "I follow

Cephas," or "I follow Christ." 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank

God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so that no one may say

that you were baptized in my name.

16 (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know

whether I baptized anyone else.) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the

gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of

its power.

The Key To Unity Is Living In Truth!

10 ESV I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the

same judgment.The Word is what unites us!

Romans 10:17 ESV So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of

Christ.

This is where our faith starts!Paul knows that only through Christ’s words

can man know the path to salvation!The Word dissolves barriers, and builds

bridges!Truth is exemplified through the believers! Christians have a direct order from Christ!

John 14:15 ESV "If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

We are to walk the talk!We are to live it out!

That was the problem with the youth minister in the story…he had a lot to say, unfortunately, it got lost because of his own blindness to the

Scriptures!What is our testimony of Christ in our lives?Is it summed up in one hour a week, or is it

based on our dedicated walk in Him!

Truth isn’t a simple, “I believe in Jesus!”

The Golden Rule is a great place to start, but Jesus wants a relationship!

He wants Worship!

He wantsUS-ALL OF US!

What Divides Us?Style over Substance?

11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. 12 What I mean is that each one of you says, "I follow Paul," or "I follow Apollos,"

or "I follow Cephas," or "I follow Christ."One of the issues that the Early Church had was that there was the same message, but different people delivering and hearing the

message!

The Corinthians were so mixed up that they had placed a value on the messenger over the

message!

“I come for the preacher not the Word!”

Does it happen today?

Sure does!

One man said he had been baptized by a very prominent preacher!

He held his head high in the air, a sneer on his face, that was until asked if he was active

there anymore!

His expression changed, and he said he had not been back to Church in some time, because they had changed ministers!

Same Message, different followers?Not in Christ!

We are called to be one body! Ephesians 4:4 ESV There is one body and

one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord,

one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.Apollos, Peter, Paul, and Christ all preached the same message, so why aren’t Christians

listening?

Opinion over Doctrine

13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of

Paul? 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,

Does this mean the Church can’t have opinions?

NO!!!!Music, Style of Worship, The End Times,

Politics, all are open!God doesn’t want puppets that have to be set

in a specific mold and cast!He does want us to use our freedom with

wisdom!

1 Corinthians 10:23 ESV "All things are lawful," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful," but not all things build up. 24 Let

no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.

Ever wonder why there are so many different “churches?”

Opinion!Ever wonder why a congregation might split after a meeting over painting the building?

Opinion!We can have opinion, but when it tears at the Word, it can cause us and others to stumble!

Tradition over Truth

15 so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name. 16 (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach

the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of

its power.

Some would have you to believe Paul is preaching against baptism here, and that is

the furthest from the truth!He is calling out the people on what they have

been saved into!How many times have we heard, “That isn’t the way we’ve done it?” or “Back in my old

church…”

“Years ago, we were such an active congregation! We were always headed to the creek to immerse someone new into Christ?

Oh, & the youth & family nights”

Worst three words - “We Once Were…”

Someone asks if we have a crawdad mentality, “Backing into the future, looking ahead to the

past.”

Do you recall when Nate was immersed a few years back Emmett his dad baptized him.

Dewy immersed Jim Hyatt since he had been studying the Scriptures with him.

Some of us witnessed Cody Immerse Victor in a horse tank on the Rankin Ranch.

Some might argue, "that's the preacher’s job!” What!?

Show me chapter & verse in the Bible!

Phillip was a deacon and he baptized the Ethiopian Eunuch!

Does that mean the Eunuch wasn’t saved because Paul or Apollos or Peter didn’t do it!?

Tradition has its place in worship, but when we allow it to choke out sincere worship of the

Lord, when we allow the past to blind us to the future, when we get comfortable in our

mundane methods, we fall into a snare Satan sets for us.

What Ultimately Unites Us!Let’s read verse 17, and go back to verse 10!

What do they have in common? 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to

preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be

emptied of its power.10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree,

and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the

same judgment. CHRIST!

It is by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Through Jesus, we have life, without Him, we have nothing!

When we have Jesus, we have unity, without Him we fall apart!

Are we in His name, or are we in our own? Is our fondness for a certain style, a certain idea,

or a certain tradition holding us back from being committed to allowing Him to lead our

hearts?

Conclusion

Back to the Christian Church preacher in the story.

After some years had passed the guy saw the preacher’s name on a board at a Bible

College, He wrote him a note and thanked him for his prayers and encouragement that one time he went to the congregation he served.

A few years later the guy was attending a meeting for a church plant they were working

to start!There, coming out of a church van, and

meeting him at the door was the preacher. He shook his hand and introduced himself.

He smiled and said, “You wrote me a letter a while back.” They teared up, hugged, and he

said, “We need Christians now more than ever!”

He’d didn’t say we needed opinions,he didn’t say we needed traditions,

he didn’t say we needed good speakers,he didn’t say we needed more denominations!

He said we need CHRISTIANS!Today, we need Christians to stand united in

Truth!Today, are you ready to commit to truth and to

Christ?