Holy Wholly: Sanctified Unity - Align with Jesus no matter where you find yourself (1 Corinthians 7:1-9) - Jordan Byrd

This is a level. For those not as inclined toward construction projects, a level is used to determine the horizontal straightness of something. A plumb-line is another tool used to determine the vertical straightness of something. Both tools help ensure something is vertically or horizontally aligned with the true standard of the level and gravitational pull of the earth.

Our house was built in the 1950s, so, it’s not super old, but also not super new. It’s structure has had time to settle and shift over time. Almost any project we’ve done in our house, we’ve quickly realized that something isn’t level or plumb. And one side of a wall, or one side of a floor or ceiling will be longer than the other. Making measurements and cuts frustrating and messy. Disaster and mess come with being unaligned from the true, original standard, to which the house was built.

This imagery captures the experience of our own lives, especially in relation to sexuality. In 2024, the standard for sex is determined according to a millions different standards. It’s become whatever someone wants it to be. Sexuality is solely a personal right. Sexuality is for someone you have feelings for. Sexuality is a benefit you have with a friend. Sexuality is a recreational activity, like watching a movie. Sexualty is just a physical activity, like eating. Sexuality is exclusive to a dating partner. Sexuality is with anyone, as long as it doesn’t “hurt” others. Sexuality is just for procreation. Sexuality is a reward. Sexuality is bargaining chip. Sexuality is where one can feel completed. And we could keep adding to this list. The standard for sexuality is all over the place. Is this the standard? Or is this the standard? Or, is maybe this the standard for sexuality?

Multiple standards for sexuality cause frustration and mess.

What we discover with so many standards is frustration and mess, like the mess and frustration I encounter when I find parts of my house not level and plumb. It leads to frustrating measurements, and messy progress in a project. So too, when we have so many standards for sexuality all out of alignment with each other, we experience frustration and messiness in how we: measure our own life; and how we measure relationship with others. 

In our world, we’re tempted to believe that we can access some degree of a fuller life, by being sexual however we see fit. But, what we encounter in 1 Corinthians 7:1-9, is that God’s word declares otherwise.

Alignment with Jesus is where we find fullness of life.

In 1 Corinthians 7:1-9, we encounter that alignment with Jesus is where we find fullness of life. It’s in alignment with Jesus that we discover the true standard for sexual activity. We encounter that alignment with Jesus is how we can experience God’s fullness of life in marriage. We encounter that alignment with Jesus is how we can also experience God’s fulness of life in celibacy. Yes, you heard that right, in sexual abstinence. Good news of God that we encounter in this passage, is that we don’t have to guess at the standard for a full life. And we don’t have to guess at the standard for sexuality. We have a true standard that’s been revealed to us in God’s word, in Jesus. The creator of all things has come to show us us what fullness of life looks like. In John 10:10b, Jesus says, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10b)

Jesus has come to show us what fullness of life also looks like in our sexuality. Jesus has come to show us what fullness of life looks like in marriage. And Jesus has come to show us what fullness of life looks like in celibacy, in sexual abstinence.

Align with Jesus no matter where you find yourself.

Whether married or celibate, God’s word is inviting you to consider if you are fully aligned with Jesus, to live into His fullness of life. Align with Jesus no matter where you find yourself. Align with Jesus no matter where you find yourself.

In 2024 America, you have to almost go out of your way to not encounter something sexual or sensual: From tv shows, commercials, billboards, online adds, to fashion styles. Sexuality is on display almost everywhere. American culture is furthest from advocating sexual moderation or abstinence. Celibacy is not considered a virtue in our day and age. Which makes 1 Corinthians 7:1-9 an odd passage for us to make sense of.

Earlier in 1 Corinthians 5, the author, the Apostle Paul has already highlighted a spectrum of Corinthian culture that advocated for sexual freedom, with the man who was sleeping with his father’s wife. That is one extreme swing of the cultural pendulum – away from the standard of God. The other extreme swing of the pendulum is ultra conservative sexuality.

1 Corinthians 7 is the beginning of a section of Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth, regarding questions they had for him about how to follow Jesus in certain areas of life; and one of those areas is in terms of sexuality. Paul notes that one of the matters they wrote to him about is in regard to a Corinthian spiritual ideology. The quoted line in 7:1 captures this ideological belief: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” (1 Corinthians 7:1)

This belief was that it was better, that it was more spiritual to be celebate, even in marriage. This belief was shaping, married, Corinthian followers of Jesus to be celibate – to withhold sex in marriage, because it was considered more spiritual and Godly.

Like I said, American culture does not struggle with this exact temptation per se. If anything, we’re far more tempted to find it good to be sexual in all sorts of relationships and situations. But, if we pause for a moment, there are ways that we find ourselves tempted to a similar belief to this misaligned Corintian belief, even in marriage.

How about someone who is celibate from intimacy with their spouse to work long hours and acquire a wealthy lifestyle? Or, someone who is celibate from presence with their spouse to pursue fun and entertainment. Or, maybe the closest contemporary examples to someone intentionally being celibate in marriage are: A) Someone who is celibate from sexual activity with their spouse because they are pursuing sexual gratification from pornography or other independent sexual activity. Or, B) Someone who is celibate from sexual activity with their spouse as an escape, or protection from a previous hurt or poor self-esteem.

These examples may not be pursuing celibacy to be more spiritual or Godly, but they are pursuits of celibacy from sexual activity with one’s spouse, to experience something something beyond one’s current situation. Something transcendent to one’s current situation in life. Something believed to be a fuller experience of life: a lavish lifestyle; the high of fun and entertainment; the immediate pleasure; an escape or protection. Whatever shape, we still, today, are tempted toward celibacy – or abstinence – from sexual wholeness in marriage, in pursuit of other fulfillment.

Paul seeks to guide this false understanding of celibacy and marriage, In 1 Corinthians 7:2, by highlighting that celibacy in marriage IS NOT THE STANDARD for marriage. Regular sexual relations between a husband and wife is the standard. Rather, regular sexual relations between a husband and wife is the standard. When this isn’t happening, sexual immorality, or misalignment from God’s original true standard happens.

This may partially be why Paul references prostitution in 1 Corihians 6 (a chapter earlier). Meaning, you might be married to your spouse, but you’re not living like a married person. You’re claiming to be Godly by not having sex with your spouse, but, when sexual desire arises, you’re pursuing a prostitute to instead of your spouse. In your pursuit of what you “believe” to be good, you’re actually moving away from God’s way of life.

We’ve been trying to show our 3 year old daughter how to pedal bike. One way that I’ve tried to explain it, is that the initial push forward of the pedal by one foot will bring the other pedal up, for the other foot to push it forward. And the repeat of that process, will keep the cycle happening. The idea is that their is a mutual relationship between both feet, when pedaling a bicycle.

The Bible and the Apostle Paul’s writing is often critiqued as being overly patriarchal and sexually repressive. But notice that in 1 Corinthians 7:2-4, Paul goes out of his way to highlight the mutuality of a man and woman in the marriage relationship, even in relation to sex: “…each man should have sexual relations with his OWN wife, AND each woman with he OWN husband.” (1 Corinthians 7:2)

“The husband should fulfill his marital duty to HIS wife, AND likewise the wife to HER husband.” (1 Corinthians 7:3

It’s in this mutual relationship that sexual relations are designed to take place. It’s in marriage that sex is designed to happen. Men, it’s with your wife – that sex is designed to happen. Women, it’s with your husband – that sex is designed to happen.

One of the toughest things to teach my kids, has been the concept of taking care of things that they have. This is especially hard in the next-day, delivery world that we live in. My kids are already shaped to believe that anything can be replaced in a day. And the challenge has been helping them to see that mistreating something that the family uses: like walls, tables, appliances – doesn’t just affect their life, but it affects our family unit’s life: the structure of our house; the table we have to eat on; the appliances we have for cooking and storing food.

This “unit” idea is what Paul highlights about marriage in 1 Corinthians 7:4, “The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife.” (1 Corinthians 7:4)

Marriage is a unit, or uniting of two people into one. (1 Corinthians 6:16; Genesis 2:24)

It’s the two becoming one flesh idea that Paul has already referenced in 1 Corinthians 6:16, and draws from Genesis 2:24 (when Adam and Eve come together as one). In a marriage: husband, it’s not just about you; wife, it’s not just about you. It’s about both of you. And a marriage is the complete union of two people: intimacy, presence, and bodily union. Marriage isn’t just about intimacy without bodily union. Marriage isn’t just about bodily union without presence. Marriage isn’t just about bodily union without presence in other aspects of life. And marriage isn’t just about presence without bodily union. Marriage is the complete union of a husband and a wife. And this union is ultimately a picture of the union that a follower of Jesus shares with God.

In Orchard Park, we can see the skeleton of the new Bills’ stadium being constructed. The Bills’ are the most recent team to have a new stadium funded with public money. While this debate can go all over the place. The reality is that any team would love to have public money fund every stadium build, as that means less money spent by them. But the reality is that most sport’s stadium builds come down to concessions between the governing entities and the sport’s teams. Such as, the government will fund X amount, as long as the team covers, or finds private financing for the rest. A concession allows for some, but not all of the funding to be publicly financed.

In 1 Corinthians 7:5-6, Paul gives similar direction to the Corinthians asking about celibacy in marriage. Celibacy is not normal between a husband and wife. But the one concession for when it’s ok is for prayer: to seek deeper connection with God; to seek the way of God more fully; to align more fully with the way of God.

Marriage is ultimately about relationship with God: marriage as a picture of God to the world; or marriage as a picture of God to your spouse. And this plays itself out in two ways: Marriage as a picture of God to the world. Or, marriage as a picture of God to your spouse. For the first, this was referenced last week, where Paul uses the marriage relationship between the husband and wife, to depict the union that a follower of Jesus shares with God. We see this in Ephesians 5:31-32, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. (Ephesians 5:31-32)

The marriage relationship depicts the commitment that followers of Jesus have to God; and the commitment that Jesus has to God’s church as his bride. The marriage relationship is a picture of relationship with God to the world.

For the second, Marriage is also a picture of God to your spouse. We see this also in Ephesians 5:21-25, Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her…. (Ephesians 5:21-25)

And the husband and wife here, reflect the attitude of Jesus, that we encounter in Philippians 2:5-11, “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:5-11)

Jesus, who shows us the clearest revelation of God’s character, humbled himself to consider the needs of others. So also, husbands and wives are to be like Jesus to each other, considering each other’s needs. In a broken world, things are not always ideal, especially marriage. There may be times for pauses in sexual intimacy, in order to consider the bodily or mental state of your spouse. But, Paul’s point in 1 Corinthians 7, is that this is a temporary pause – to seek God, or seek God’s way of considering your spouse during a particular situation of life. Otherwise, the fuller picture of marriage is sexual union with each other. Fullness of life in marriage is in regular sexual relation between the husband and wife. Otherwise, husbands and wives are tempted to find fullness of life in outlets unaligned with the way of God revealed in Jesus. Align with Jesus no matter where you find yourself. Align with Jesus in marriage.

I’ve always joked that an example of my lack of decorative skills is reflected in this example. If I took books and sat them on a bed, then it would just look like books on a bed. But, if my wife, Julia did the same thing, it would be creative, stylish, and and complimentary to the room. I don’t have the gift of decorating a room, but Julia does. For me to try to be creatively decorative, I would just be frustrated. Whereas, for Julia, creatively decorating is fulfilling. I can very easily be self-controlled in be celibate in the creative decorating. Whereas, that would be frustrating for her to give up.

In 1 Corinthians 7:7-9, Paul highlights a similar dynamic with sexuality. Last week, we reflected on how we are whole persons: inner and outer selves working in harmony. And Paul is highlighting that some people’s inner drive is different than others. Some people have an inner drive for sexual intimacy, and others don’t. Some people have the gift of celibacy, and others don’t.

You right away may be thinking, that’s me. I definitely don’t have the gift of celibacy, lol. And if that’s you, then marriage is the pathway to align your sexuality, with the fullness of life, that God has for how he designed your life to function. The marriage pathway is how God has gifted you to live. And God’s gifts are always good gifts: Matthew 7:9-11, “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:9-11)

James 1:16-18a, “Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth… (James 1:16-18a).

If God has gifted you to marriage, it’s a good gift.

Or, you may be thinking, that’s me. I definitely have control of my sexual urges. I don’t have a drive toward marriage. And if that’s you, then celibacy is the pathway to align your sexuality, with the fullness of life, that has has for how he designed your life to function. The celibate pathway is how God has gifted you to live. That may be for a season of your life. Or maybe for the duration of your life. If God has gifted you to celibacy, it’s a good gift.

The reality that Paul lays out here, is that sexual activity is not necessary to have a full life. Sexual attraction to someone of the opposite gender or marriage are not necessary to have a full life. Alignment with the God revealed in Jesus, though, is necessary to have a full life. Fullness of life comes primarily from God.

If you’re married, fullness of life in marriage comes from being aligned with God’s way of life revealed in the life of Jesus. Fullness of life comes in marriage when a husband and wife’s relationship extends the character of the kingdom of God into the world. Into the lives of each other. Into the lives of their children and grandchildren. Into the lives of those they bless and serve in their day-to-day activities together.

If you’re celibate, fulness of life in abstinence from sex comes from being aligned with God’s way of life revealed in the life of Jesus. Fulness of life comes in celibacy when a person commits themself to the kingdom of God, and invites others into it. As Sean Cronin will guide us to see in a couple weeks, Paul notes this benefit for a celibate person in 1 Corinthians 7:32, “An unmarried man [or woman] is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he [or she] can please the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 7:32)

Whereas, marriages ensure the future of human life in God's creation, through the birth of children, celibate servants of God ensure the future of spiritual life in God's kingdom, through new birth in Christ, through people becoming adopted sons and daughters of God, through Jesus. A celibate life is not a lesser life. In Jesus, a celibate life can be a full and purpose-fulled life.

Align with Jesus no matter where you find yourself. 

When you’re misaligned with God, you end up frustrated and life gets messy.

We’re tempted to seek fulness of life in a standard, other than what God has revealed in Jesus. And when we do so, we end up misaligned with God. And when you’re misaligned with God, you end up frustrated and life gets messy. When you misalign with God, you get sexually frustrated in marriage, and sexuality gets messy. You feel unfulfilled, questioning if marriage is worth continuing. When you misalign with God, you get frustrated in finding purpose beyond your sexuality. Finding purpose get messy. You feel unfulfilled, questioning if celibacy is worth maintaining.

God is calling you to follow the way of Jesus – to encounter fullness of life. Its’ in alignment with Jesus that you’ll discover the true standard for sexual activity. It’s in alignment with Jesus that you can experience God’s fullness of life in marriage. It’s in alignment with Jesus that you can experience God’s fulness of life in celibacy. Align with Jesus no matter where you find yourself.

Align your life to Jesus in faith, under the water of baptism.

Today, if you’ve never taken a step of faith to align yourself with Jesus, I invite you to consider taking that step today. Please find me, or Mitch, or an elder, or a trusted follower of Jesus, whom you know, and ask them to help you discern how to align your life to Jesus under the water of baptism – being united with him in death, and resurrection hope to new life. What is hindering you from taking that step of faith? 

What temptation are you facing to un-align your life from Jesus?

If you’ve already aligned your life with Jesus in baptism, what temptation are you facing to un-align your life from Jesus? What part of your marriage needs re-aligned with God’s way? What form of sexual intimacy, presence, or pleasure are you seeking apart from alignment with God’s place for sexual union in marriage? What is keeping you from aligning your sexual expression in the commitment of marriage? How is God’s Spirit calling you to find fulness of life in sexuality, marriage, or celibacy? What response is he prompting you to take toward aligning with his standard?

Align with Jesus no matter where you find yourself.

Holy Wholly: Sanctified Unity - Experience your whole self in Jesus (1 Corinthians 6:12-20) - Jordan Byrd

This is a cream-filled donut. Without the cream in this donut, it would just have a giant air-pocket. It would be empty. But, similarly, without the dough surrounding the cream, the cream would be all over the place. The cream would have nothing to give it form. It would be messy.

This represents the experience of our own lives; and the lives of many people in the world today. Where we feel like we’re always trying to figure out who we are. Where we’re always trying to figure out what matters more – the outside (our physical bodies), or the inside (our inner, intangible life: our mind and feelings).

And people struggle with this confusion in different ways. This struggle exhibits itself in: Dealing with one’s body size. Dealing with one’s feelings. Dealing with one’s sexual attraction. Dealing with one’s gender. Dealing with one’s aging body. Dealing with one’s disease ridden body or mental makeup.

Making sense of myself in relation to my height (false sense of who I am as a whole). As I developed through puberty, it became obvious the closer I got to the end of high school, that I was not going to be a tall person. And, you can see, that hasn’t changed. I’m shorter than that average man.

I internally struggled with this reality in relation to women and dating. The stereotype of most couples is a taller man with a shorter women. And when I looked around, most girls that I knew, or who could be potential dating partners, were taller than me, or, possibly closer to my height. But, the difference still stuck out to me. I constantly had the stereotype of a taller man with a shorter women in my mind. And, I could tell quickly the pool of women shorter than me, was pretty shallow.

I constantly wrestled with this reality. My mind constantly reminded me of the “typical” height difference between men and women; and my body didn’t reflect that. Most people wouldn’t probably wouldn’t have thought about this. But, I did. And it was a struggle for me to make sense of my self. My whole self.

Our world is filled with people struggling to make sense of their whole self. And this disjointed understanding of our whole self, has prompted us to seek ways of making sense – of our both our inner and outer realities – make sense of our thought and feelings in relation to the flesh and blood and bodies we were born with, and naturally developed into.

The people of first-century Corinth wrestled with a similar reality. First-century Corinth had people who believed – that the physical body was temporary, and had no bearing on an eternal existence. So, this often resulted in a tendency to – use the body however one pleased. Because, what mattered more, was one’s inner self. Which was believed to matter past death. But on the flip side, first-century Corinth also had people who believed – that their will and desire trumped all. Which often resulted in using their bodies to gratify that will and desire – however they wanted. This treated the body as a utilitarian tool. It was a vehicle to achieve other ends: view themselves as over another with the eyes. Extortion of another with the tongue. Sexual release with the sexual parts of the body. These are all ways that, Paul, the early Christian church leader, addresses throughout the first six chapters of 1 Corinthians – that the first-century, Corinthian, followers of Jesus – were, or, were tempted to emulate.

While this was “normal” for Corinthian culture. And it’s the “normal” for our current culture. Paul reminds the followers of Jesus in Corinth, and us today, that God’s word – that, God’s kingdom – declares another perspective of life. God’s word, in 1 Corinthians 6, declares that: we are more than just an outer shell body –  to use however we can contort or use it. That: we are more than just an inner conglomeration of thoughts and feelings. Rather, God’s word declares that we are a whole self. Created in the image of God. But, this whole experience of self, is broken because of our separation from God. Because of sin. Because we are separated from the wise being who knew the fullest experience we could have as humans – is to live a whole life: inner realities working with the outer. And outer realities working with the inner. And all of that connected to the power and life of God. And because of this separation from God and his original purpose for human life, we are left to make sense of our self – on our own. And what we commonly experience is: war within our self. Pitting the inner realities over the outer; or the outer realities over the inner. And often forcing one to unnaturally fit the other. We long for our inner and outer selves to be in harmony, often seeking ways other than God to achieve this.

Throughout 1 Corinthians 6, Paul frequently asks the question, “Don’t you know?….” Don’t you know that it’s only in Jesus, that your whole self can make sense. It’s only in Jesus that you can truly experience your whole self. Good news God’s word declares to us in 1 Corinthians 6, is the reality that you can: Experience your whole self in Jesus.

Earlier this week, we had a couple over for dinner. And they brought a dessert for us to share. When I was offered the dessert, I didn’t know what it was exactly, so, I asked, “What is it?” Guessing on my own, could have resulted in an awkward situation. The clearer path to know what the dessert was, was to go to the source. To go to the creator. In verses 12-13, Paul draws out this underlying point that God created you: body and spirit. It’s God who made you a personal soul. He knows what a whole experience of your life should look like. But, when we separate from the creator, when we separate from God, when we separate from the authority on human life, we assume authority; and assuming that authority can lead us down some distorted and unwise paths. Because we start guessing, and trying to figure out life on our own. Like, believing that any way of life is beneficial for us. Like, believing that certain ways of life won’t master us. But in the end, we make these choices based on our limited experience, our limited wisdom and perspective.

Paul is reminding us that we were created for God. We were created to live under his wise direction and perspective. Your body is meant for the Lord (verse 13). Your thoughts and feelings are for the Lord. Your whole self is for the Lord. You are an embodied being. All of you is for the Lord. And it’s when we separate the inner or outer aspects of our self to something – other than the Lord – that we separate from God, and live for ourself as Lord. Which, is trading the full authority on human life, for a lesser authority on human life.

Paul uses the sexual culture of Corinth – to highlight how “off the rails” our experience of human life can get, when we live apart from God. Paul may have a particular situation in mind when we addresses sexual immorality, as sexual activity outside of marriage (especially for men), was a normal, acceptable activity in Corinthian culture. But, Paul also uses “human sexuality” to communicate a broader point about human life; and the relationship of human life in connection to God.

As Bills fans, we would be appalled if a Bill’s fan used a Josh Allen jersey to get the autograph of Kansas City quarterback, Patrick Mahommes. Their is a betrayal of loyalty or allegiance happening. The union of the the fan to the Bills is being defiled with the signature of a quarterback from a rival team. This imagery is what Paul uses when talking about a follower of Jesus uniting themself with a prostitute. In verses 15-17, Paul draws out the transfer of allegiance that happens, when a follower of Jesus pursues sexual activity – beyond the shape of how God created a man and a woman to engage sexually in marriage. The sexual union of marriage between a man and woman is a flesh and blood model of the union that a follower of Jesus shares in relationship with God. Now, this union to God isn’t sexual in nature, but there is still a union of your embodied person to the embodied person of God, Paul describes this further in his letter to the church in Rome, Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. (Romans 6:3-5 NIV)

Followers of Jesus become one with the life of God. And Marriage between a man and woman is a picture of the union that we share with God. (1 Corinthians 6:16; Genesis 2:24)

Which, is the “two becoming one flesh” dynamic, that Paul references in verse 1 Corinthians 1:16. And draws from Genesis 2:24 (when Adam and Eve come together as one). Paul similarly says this about the sexual union between a husband and wife in his letter to the church in Ephesus, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. (Ephesians 5:31-33 NIV)

Sexual activity beyond marriage – tearing the union between husband and wife, is a distortion of the sexual nature of human life – that God created. It’s an elevation of personal desire or bodily gratification – over the intimacy that is mutually shared and given in the sexual union that God created between a husband and wife. Sexual union isn’t just a bodily action. And it’s not just something you feel. It’s a whole self experience. It’s a whole communication of self to another self – that is impossible any other way. And this intimacy is torn and distorted when the union is torn and shared. Our culture often cries that sexual activity is just a physical activity, like eating. So also did the Corinthian culture (1 Corinthians 6:13). But, it’s not just a physical activity. It’s also emotional and mental. Because sexual intimacy is meant to be a whole-self experience. But, when one partner breaks that intimacy – breaks that allegiance in marriage (or outside of marriage altogether), messy confusion accompanies that tear.

While this is true of relationship between a husband and wife, the marriage relationship is a microcosm of each person’s relationship with God. When we break intimacy or relationship with God, messy confusion accompanies that tear. Messy confusion about who we are. Messy confusion about how we live in our bodies. Messy confusion about how we embody our thoughts and feelings. Paul is telling the Corinthian followers of Jesus to not fall for a false version of life. Rather, experience (know) wholeness of life – in Jesus, in union with God, in faithful allegiance to the way of Jesus. Know is referenced 6 separate times in chapter 6 (3 in verses 12-20 alone: verses 15, 16, and 19 ). Experience your whole self in Jesus.

Recently, I’ve had an issue with the air conditioning in my car not working. And, I’m the kind of person who is hesitant to mess with the system of a car: mechanical or electronic. I’m afraid if I start messing with things, and pulling things out to look at them, that I won’t be able to get them back in the right place, afterward. Right now, my air conditioning doesn’t work. That brokenness has brought messiness to my life. It was super hot earlier this week!!! It was miserable in my car. That brokenness has also brought confusion. I don’t know how to fix the problem. I could choose to just ignore the issue, and make myself believe that life without air conditioning is all good. Or, I could turn to someone who knows more than me. I could turn to someone who isn’t confused by the brokenness. Someone who is able to wade through the messiness of making the repair. Someone who is able to right what is not right. This is an example of how we find our own lives: Confused and messy in trying to figure out who we are on our own. Confused and messy in how we live into our bodies. Confused and messy in how we we embody our thoughts and feelings. But Paul calls the Corinthians and us – to Turn to Jesus to get out of the confusion and messiness (1 Corinthians 6:14 and 20). In verses 14 and 20, Paul reminds the Corinthians that God is the only one who can redeem the confusion and messiness we encounter about our lives. Originally, God created the human life for the Lord. And in our brokenness, God sent his Son, Jesus – to take on human life; and experience the brokenness and confusion and mess that we all experience – even to the extent of the brokenness, confusion, and messiness of being unjustly put to death. But what we see in the life of Jesus, is that he didn’t give into the brokenness, confusion, and mess. Jesus didn’t allow his thoughts and feelings to override his body. And he didn’t allow the desires of his body to override his thoughts and feelings. Rather, he lived as a whole person. Specifically, as a whole person in union with his heavenly Father – with God, and in union with God, Jesus was restored from death. Restored from brokenness, confusion, and the messiness of life. Jesus exhausted sin and death with the cost of this body – to make way to receive a healed, restored, new body in resurrection. Paul references that Jesus paid this price, so that we all might experience a healed, restored, and new body in resurrection with him (verse 20). So that we can be raised by the power of God, just as Jesus was raised (verse 14).

The only way to experience our whole self, is in entrusting our life to Jesus. And allowing God to show us who we wholly are. Allowing God to show us how we live into our bodies. Allowing God to show us how we we embody our thoughts and feelings. Allowing God to show us who we are as a whole person. Experience your whole self in Jesus.

As I aged into adulthood, I had to come to grips with my height, and how I would allow that to impact how I found a wife. I by no means did this perfectly, but, I had to eventually surrender that area of my life to God – trusting that faithfulness to pursuing marriage, a wife, and sexual intimacy as God has revealed in his word – are what would be best. I had to trust that God is aware of my life: God is aware of the body he gave me. God is aware of the feeling and thoughts that bubbled-up inside my body, in relation to the couples I saw all around me. I had to trust that God knows what’s best for me –  what’s best for my whole life. And to jump ahead in the story, that’’s where Julia fits. God provided what seemed improbable. God unconfused and cleaned-up what was a confusing and messy process to me, of finding a wife.

But, I had to live toward that end. I could have given-in and tried to fix it my way. That could have also led down some more confusing and messy paths. But ultimately, I had to believe: Am I my master? Or is Jesus? Am I my own? Or, am I God’s?

And what Paul is pleading with the Corinthians in this chapter to understand, Is that they were created by God and for God. And God knows what’s best for them. God knows who you are fully: inside and out. And it all matters. And What seems broken and confusing and messy to you, God knows how to make whole. – if you’ll trust him to bing it about. And while that healing hasn’t fully come yet, God asks us to live toward that hope. And honor God with your body. Honor God with your whole life. And following the way and example of Jesus to do so. Experience your whole self in Jesus.

Experience your whole self by being united to Jesus.

Today, if you’re confused about who you are, if you’re not sure how to fully live into your body, if you’re not sure how to embody your thoughts and feelings, I invite you to consider how Jesus wants to give you clarity. I invite you to ask God, in faith, to help you experience your whole self in Jesus. I invite you to see the wholeness of life that Jesus had, and how God wants that same experience for the embodied life he created and gave to you. I invite you to find me, or Mitch, or Sean, or an elder, or another trusted follower of Jesus — to help you discern how to unite your life to Jesus under the water of baptism, and allowing him to heal, restore, and resurrect you to wholeness of life.

Know that you can experience your whole self in Jesus.

If you’ve already united your life to Jesus, I invite you to know – to remember that God knows all of you. God knows who you were created to be. God knows what is broken, distorted, confusion, and messy right now. God knows how to heal the confusion you feel between the inner and outer parts of your life. To know that God knows how to heal you, doesn’t mean that can’t involve medical or scientific help. But it does mean that you’re ultimate understanding of yourself, is how God sees you, and ever other path falls in line with that. I invite you to know – to remember that God knows who you will fully be in the resurrection, when God will put all things right. I invite you to know that you can experience your whole self in Jesus.

Experience your whole self in Jesus.

Holy Wholly: Sanctified Unity - Live your true identity (1 Corinthians 6:1-11) - Jordan Byrd

This is my Enhanced Driver’s License. When we first moved to WNY. It was a new reality to have vehicle access to another country within minutes. I already was aware of some of the ways to get into Canada: birth certificate or passport. But, when I moved here, my passport was expired. I had to get a New York driver’s license anyway, after moving. Enhanced driver’s licenses were becoming a thing here around that time. Where you could cross the northern or southern U.S. border by car or boat with only that form of ID. So, I got that.

When we first moved to WNY, we lived in an apartment. But a couple years later, we bought and moved to our current house. So, when we moved, I wondered how my Enhanced license would work when crossing the border. Would I need to get a new card, with a new address? When I inquired about this, I was told to just write my new address on the back of the card. I was like, “Really?!” “That’s acceptable?!” All the technology used in this card. And my handwritten new address will suffice?! So, the next time I crossed into Canada, I was a little nervous that my ID would be accepted. I was a little nervous that I’d be asked to explain who I really am.

I had a similar situation, In 2002, when I was preparing to go to Honduras on a youth mission trip, when I was in high school. My brother and I were going on the trip. And we applied for our first passports. One of the pre-trip items that the mission’s agency asked our group to do, was make copies of our passports, In case we misplaced our originals along the way. And there could at least be a reference to our information. So, when we got our passports, my mom copied them. And my brother and I had to sign both version of the passport: The authentic version, and the copy. After we signed them, we realized that somehow, we both signed the right copied version. But, we signed each other’s real passport. So, we’re thinking, “Great!” “We’re going to have to go through the whole process to get a new passport.” “And would it be ready in time for the trip.” When we called about what to do to fix the problem, we were told “Just cross out the wrong signature, and put the new signature next to it.” And we were like “Really?! “No way that’s how this works!” And this was within a year of the 9/11 2001 attacks Where airport security was tightened in response. So, we’re thinking, “No way a passport with a crossed-out name, won’t look suspicious.” I remember feeling nervous at the customs counter, as they’re reviewing my passport. And just expecting them to ask me to explain my name and signature. And asking me to explain who I really am.

In 1 Corinthians 6, Paul, the early church leader, writes to followers of Jesus there, who were struggling to answer, “who they were.” Throughout 1 Corinthians, the Corinthians culture is characterized by: Identity of appearance. Appearing powerful, prestigious, unique, standing out, more eloquent, smarter than others, better than others. And the appearance of these qualities, often looked past other qualities and behavior. It looked past the disunity that elevating one person over another caused. It looked past the exclusion that happened when power and prestige were pursued. It looked past the dignity of the human body when sexual relationships were gratified however people desired. And in this chapter, we encounter that Corinthian culture looked past injustice when disputes were judged with wealth, power, and eloquence.

While the Corinthian people pursued identity through power, prestige, gratification, wealth, and eloquence, it has left a wake of destruction in it’s path, Specifically in the community of Jesus followers: disunity, separation from God, and in 1 Corinthians 6, exploitation and poverty. 1 Corinthians 6 is a clash between the identity of Corinth, and the identity of Christ Jesus.

Throughout this section of Paul’s letter, he is asking the Corinthian follower of Jesus to answer the following question: who are you? What is your primary identity? Is it as a Corinthian? Or as a citizen of the kingdom of God? As a member of the body of Christ? Or as a member of Corinthian society?

For Paul, the answer to that question will direct how a person lives. For a person who identifies primarily as a Corinthian, than they will live like a Corinthian. They will push others aside to be powerful or important. Abuse others to gratify their desires. Exploit others to settle a dispute. But for A person who identifies primarily as a citizen of God’s kingdom, will live like a citizen of God’s kingdom. They will live like the model citizen of that kingdom. They will live like Jesus. They will give-up power and importance, to include others. They will consider others in their pursuit of pleasure. They will seek restoration in their disputes. Like Jesus does.

Good news that we can receive from this section of God’s word, is that God has a full and true life for you to live in Jesus. God has a fuller and truer identity for you to have as a citizen of God’s kingdom. Through Paul’s writing in 1 Corinthians 6, God’s word calls us to not live a lesser life outside Jesus. Rather, live your true identity in Jesus. Live your true identity. Live in the washed identity you’ve received in Jesus. Live in the purpose-filled identity you’ve received in God’s kingdom. Live in the undistorted identity you’ve received by God’s Spirit. Live your true identity. Live your true identity.

The 1992 McDonald's hot coffee case involved Stella Liebeck. While Liebeck initially sought $20,000 to cover medical expenses. McDonald's only offered $800. At the conclusion of the trial, the jury awarded Liebeck $200,000 in compensatory damages. Which was later reduced to $160,000 (to compensate for her fault in the spilled coffee). Initially the jury granted Liebeck $2.7 million in punitive damages. This was eventually reduced to $480,000. And Liebeck and McDonald's eventually came to an undisclosed agreement. In U.S. culture, this case has somewhat become a joke – about how rich a person could get from spilt hot coffee. But it does highlight how this case, and others, aimed at exacting a pound of flesh, rather just the righting of a wrong.

This captures a glimpse of the approach taken in Corinthian culture to settling a dispute. A dispute was settled by what could be exacted at another’s expense. And to play the game, eloquent, charismatic orators were utilized to argue one’s case. To do so, required wealth or status – to hire such people. And the form of settlement that was pursued, was exploitation. Eloquent orators were hired to – prop-up the status and privilege of wealthy litigants (lit-i-gants), or the wealth of high-status litigants, bribed judges for favorable outcomes. Overall, what resulted were wealthy, high-status people – taking peasant, poorer folk to court – to exploit them, and maintain their identity of status. And this is way of handling disputes, was happening between wealthy, high status, Corinthian followers of Jesus, and pooer, low-status, Corinthians followers of Jesus.

And Paul is asking the question: who are you? What is your primary identity? Are you primarily a Corinthian or a citizen of God’s kingdom? Their talk would imply that their primary identity is: a citizen of God’s kingdom. But their actions show that their primarily identity: is as Corinthians. Because they are treating a dispute with brother or sister in Christ – like a Corinthian would treat a dispute with someone.

Paul is asking them to evaluate their allegiance. Is it to the culture of Corinth? Or to the kingdom of God. Is their allegiance truly to Jesus, and his way of living? Or to Corinthian ways of living? Ultimately, Paul is distinguishing the harm and destruction that comes by the Corinthian way of living. Compared to the caring and healing way of living like Jesus.

To have the second, the Corinthian followers of Jesus – need to remember who the are. They need to remember that they’re no longer primarily Corinthians. As followers of Jesus, we are now primarily citizens of God’s kingdom. If that’s who they want to continue being, then they need to live their true identity. Live as a citizen of the kingdom of God.

Last week during the communion meditation, KC Cronin referenced an oft-said saying of mothers: Wait til your father gets home. That imagery is in the background of an odd statement that Paul makes within this section of 1 Corinthians 6. The statement in verses 2-3, where Paul says, “Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!” (1 Corinthians 6:2-3)

The Lord’s people will judge the world?! This idea can be drawn together from a few places in the Bible:

Daniel 7:27, Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be handed over to the holy people of the Most High. (Daniel 7:27)

Matthew 19:28, Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Matthew 19:28)

Revelation 2:26, To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations…. (Revelation 2:26)

Revelation 3:21, To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne… (Revelation 3:21)

Revelation 20:4a, I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. (Revelation 20:4a)

Hebrews 2:5-11, It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. But there is a place where someone has testified: “What is mankind that you are mindful of them, a son of man that you care for him? You made them a little lower than the angels; you crowned them with glory and honor and put everything under their feet.” In putting everything under them, God left nothing that is not subject to them. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them. But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered. Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. (Hebrews 2:5-11)

Jesus, who took up human life, is given authority over everything, including angels. And the writer of Hebrews notes, that those who are of the family of God, share in this place of authority in the new creation.

In general, we could take this privileged status, as co-judges with Jesus (that comes with being a citizen of God’s kingdom, part of the family of God) – as an overall reference point to the ultimate of authority that Jesus has as Lord over all. Any authority or judgment that followers of Jesus have in God’s kingdom, or over angels, will be delegated. Which also means that the ultimate judgment of right and wrong –  on anything – is according to the judgment of the God revealed in Jesus.

In a sense, we have Paul giving a “wait til the Father gets home” statement. In that God will come and put wrong things right. So, don’t seek Corinthian justice, which uses injustice to achieve a distorted form of justice. Corinthian justice fights evil with evil. And, handling disputes in this manner, is just as distorted as: sexually immorality, idolatry, adultery, homosexuality, theft, greed, drunkenness, slander, or lying. And does not fit the way of God’s kingdom. What this underlines, is that Anything that’s not aligned with Jesus is a false way to live.  Rather, the true way to live, the true way to handle disputes, is to leave justice to Jesus. And the justice of Jesus, is the way of restoration and healing, not exploitation. Not a pound of flesh. Not what you can get out of someone, because you have the means to do so. The justice of Jesus is fuller and truer, because it doesn’t use injustice to others to bring it about. The justice of God’s kingdom fights evil with the goodness of God. The goodness of God that is revealed to us in the life of Jesus. Settle disputes according to the way of God’s kingdom. Live like Jesus with others. Don’t seek exploitation. Seek God’s healing.

Recently, Tom Brady, the seven-time Superbowl winning quarterback for the Patriots and Buccaneers, was the center of a Roast, that streamed on Netflix. During the event, comedian Nikki Glaser joked, “Five-time Super Bowl MVP, most career wins, most career touchdowns. You have seven rings. Well, eight, now that Gisele gave hers back….” While I don’t know the ins and outs of his personal life, and what led to his divorce from supermodel, Gisele Bündchen (boon-chn). I’m constantly amazed at people who are massively successful in one arena of life, but fail to be successful in other arenas of life.

In 1 Corinthians 6:5, Paul mocks the Corinthian followers of Jesus, by drawing from their fascination with the wisdom and eloquence – and essentially saying, “If you Corinthians are so wise, how do you need an outside judge to settle disputes?!” “If you’re so wise, you shouldn’t need to go to a Corinthian judge.” “But ironically, you’re need to go to a judge, indicts your lack of wisdom.” All of this supports what Paul has, at length – already been saying in 1 Corinthians 1-5 – that human wisdom, alone isn’t enough. The Corinthian people need God’s wisdom. The wisdom revealed in the life of the crucified Jesus. And they already have access this this wisdom, by being identified with Jesus in baptism – being washed, sanctified, and justified.

• Being washed of the messiness of Corintian life – to live into the cleanliness of Jesus’ way of life.

• Being sanctified, or set-apart to live the way of God’s kingdom.

• And justified, or shaped, to see the world and others rightly by the guidance of God’s Spirit.

Any image of the margin ruler on a Word Document

Justification is more than a legal declaration. It’s an actual righting of things. Like righting, or evening the margins of a Word document. You use to be this. You use to live this way. But, now you’re not, but, now you don’t have to, because of Jesus. Live your true identity.

I’m all for the Hallmark-style Christmas movie at Christmas-time. But one of my least favorite versions of those movies, is the “Royal Christmas” versions. The movies where a prince or princess is frustrated with their privileged life. And just wants to experience the common person’s experience of life and love. These royal characters try to live like something that they’re not. Something different from their royal identity.

Paul’s instructions to the Corinthian followers of Jesus in 1 Corinthians 6 is similar. He’s instructing the Corinthian church to stop living lesser than who they are in Christ Jesus. Paul challenges them to live into their true identity. Rather than settling for the false and lesser identity of Corinthian culture, that is disconnected from God. Paul challenges them to Live into your true identity as citizens of God’s kingdom through following Jesus. Live your true identity.

Consider the fuller and truer identity and way of life that following Jesus offers.

Today, God’s word in 1 Corinthians 6 invites you to consider the same question: Who are you? What is your true identity? What is your primary citizenship? What identity shapes the way you live? If you’re primary identity is in something other than Jesus, I invite you to Consider the fuller and truer identity and way of life that following Jesus offers. I invite you to taste and see, and consider surrendering your life to Jesus in faith – under the water of baptism – trusting Jesus to give you a fuller, truer, and righted way of living, than what you’re experiencing now. Please pull me, Mitch, Sean, an elder, or another trusted follower of Jesus aside – to help you discern this step of faith.

If you’ve already identified yourself as a citizen of God’s kingdom through faith in Jesus, I invite you to consider what lesser, false, distorted way of living you’re currently tempted to pursue? What’s God’s Spirit revealing about your actions? What primarily allegiance do your current ways of living convey? Does it reveal a primary identity as an American, or as a citizen of God’s kingdom? Does it reveal a primary identity: in political affiliation, or sexuality, or gender, or nationality, or something else, other than primarily as a follower of Jesus?

What do you need to confess?

I invite you to confess that to Jesus, and live your true identity in him. Confess it out loud to a trusted person (text, call, have coffee). Write it down and put it somewhere that you’ll see, to make this real. And not just an intellectual moment; but a life-changing moment to live differently.

How do you need to repent?

I invite you to repent. Submit your other identities below the primacy of identity as a citizen of God’s kingdom. What steps can you take, to help you live your true identity in Jesus? How can the teachings of Jesus, be your constitution? How can the example of Jesus, be your precedent? How can the life of Jesus be the form of identification that you show – in all that you do, in how you live? Live your true identity.

Holy Wholly: Sanctified Unity - Come as You Are, But Don’t Leave as You Came. (1 Corinthians 5) - Mitchell Knight

In preparing for this morning, I was thinking about my life experiences. If you’re unaware, I was an atheist for most of my life, not really sure if God was real. I just didn’t see the way that He was interacting with the world that we lived in.

In the later parts of my undergraduate years, I started studying philosophy and world religions and was overwhelmed with the amount of evidence for Christianity.

My mind was bought in at that point. But, when I started attending Pillar of Fire Fellowship in Fredonia, a recovery church, my heart was bought in. Why? Because my father struggled with alcoholism, and I felt hopeless that that could change.

When I saw former addicts living completely transformed and resurrected lives, I knew in my heart that God was real and could take us out of death and into life through His grace. I had seen the greatest miracle there was; broken people living a new and upright life with God. That was only possible because of His grace.

What is your view of God’s grace this morning? Is it cheap grace? Does it just give you a license to do whatever you want? Or is it more powerful than that? Is it a grace that has the power to resurrect our lives from death to life?

There’s a common saying in Christian Churches nowadays “Come as you are.” I think we’re all on board with that, and I believe that God is too. But the full picture of that that I’ve gleaned throughout my life experiences and through God’s word is that a more biblical phrase is: “Come as you are, but don’t leave as you came.”

This morning, we will be in 1 Cor 5, and in Corinth, Paul was writing to a church that was struggling with buying into the belief of cheap grace, that it was just a license from God to do whatever we want with. I invite you now to turn there as we start to read this short chapter from verse 1 and see a much more powerful view of God’s grace in our lives.

5 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife. 2 And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this? 3 For my part, even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. As one who is present with you in this way, I have already passed judgment in the name of our Lord Jesus on the one who has been doing this. 4 So when you are assembled and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, 5 hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh,[a][b] so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.

6 Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough? 7 Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11 But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister[c] but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.

12 What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13 God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.”

So to start, when Paul says that ‘it has been reported’ that there was sexual immorality in the church in Corinth, it literally means that he heard about it. Wherever he was, this deplorable situation was so bad that word spread to him as far away as he was! He even mentions that this kind of incest, a man sleeping with his stepmother most likely, wasn’t even tolerated in the Greco-Roman world.

And this Roman world was very lax on social behavior. There was all kind of nastiness that they were participating in, but even this was too much for them, and as we see, this behavior had invaded God’s household.

What’s worse for Paul, this congregation of Christians were celebrating the wickedness of this man. He says that they were proud of what he did!

Looking at the historical context of the Corinthian church, we know that they were buying into a lot of different false beliefs. One of these beliefs was that their bodies and what they did with them didn’t matter, and that in Christ, they could choose to do whatever they wanted. Nothing was off-limits!

Paul argues against this cheap grace that we see throughout the letter up until now. Yes, there is a forgiveness that happens at baptism, but it is also a calling out of the darkness of sin and into the light of righteousness. God’s grace should impact and transform every area of our life!

This idea isn’t just found in the letter to the Corinthians, for example, he mentions this at the start of his letter to the Philippian Church.

3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Christ has begun a good work in us and is faithful to see it through to completion, but the word began is interesting. That means something that has started but is not done yet. The work of Christ in our lives is not yet finished. We are called to faithfully follow Him in self-denial until he makes all things new when He returns again.

What I hope you’re seeing here is that Christ doesn’t just forgive you of your past sins, he is also working right now to transform you into a righteous person that looks like Him! (SLIDE 13) Christ invites you to come as you are, but He won’t let you leave as you came (x2)!

In verses 6-8, Paul starts talking about leavened bread and yeast, and that can kind of be confusing to us today. What is Paul getting at here?

Well in the Passover celebration among the Israelites, they were called to purify their homes and temple of all leavened bread. This was bread with yeast. (SLIDE 14) Yeast in the OT was a common metaphor for sin.

Paul’s point is that this proud boastful and unrepentant sinning that we see in Corinth can work its way through the whole church and become intertwined with it. We can be drawn to it.

Imagine someone wearing a bright white dress shirt, but it has a big stain on it. As great as 99% of the shirt looks, you can’t really help but have your attention drawn only toward the stain. We notice it and are drawn to it.

Also, the world notices the stains and the blemishes of the church, and so how we are living sends a powerful message to them.

Paul’s warning is that the stain was making it’s way through the whole church and becoming the point of focus. The members of the Corinthian church were obviously being drawn to it because they were celebrating the sin of this man!

So, okay Paul, we get there are a lot of problems here, but what is the solution? Well, It’s easy for us to think that his solution is uncomfortable, but I think it’s only uncomfortable because of how we’ve been conditioned by the culture around us, and how we’ve come to misunderstand it. It’s this idea of excommunication or disfellowshipping.

First, let’s be clear on what he’s not saying here. He is NOT saying that we should stop engaging with the people around us. All people have an eternal value to God and are to be loved. Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners, and therefore, so should you and I!

Second, he is telling us that for those who are blatant, proud, unrepentant sinners, and claim to be a member of Christ’s body, people that are unwilling to change unhealthy behaviors, people that are proud of their wrongdoing, that we should separate ourselves from them at least for a time. This man was doing evil and had no remorse for it. More than that, he was proud of it. Keep in mind that that is the context of Paul’s instructions here.

Most people will check out at that point because it doesn’t match their view of who Jesus is, but Jesus calls us to a standard of living when we follow Him. Jesus wants to do everything possible to rescue us from darkness because He loves us! In Matthew 18, Jesus offers this teaching that Paul is referencing:

“15 “If your brother or sister[b] sins,[c] go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.”

Look, the whole point of this process is to rescue those trapped in sin, it’s to restore them, not to punish them. It makes me think of my father again and his struggle with alcohol. Our family wanted nothing more than for him to get the treatment that he needed. We didn’t think the person was the problem, we thought the behavior was the problem.

First, my mother approached him. Then her and my sister and I approached him. When he refused to listen, we had to start telling others about it to get him to wake up. By living alongside him and enabling him, we were telling him that his behavior was okay.

And he eventually chose to go to rehab. Our love for others should surpass our discomfort. We should do and want to do whatever it takes to help someone be restored to a righteous and abundant life that God has for them.

First, when it comes to holding a brother or sister accountable for unrepentant sin, it’s to help rescue them from harmful behavior that’s killing them. The Bible says that when sin is fully grown it gives birth to death! It’s less about finding a way to kick them out of the church, and more about finding every possible way for them to stay. The problem is not the person, it is the sin. We want to rescue the person from their sin.

Some of my least favorite memories in life come from my time at clarence middle school. Even mentioning the name now I have a bit of a gag in my throat. One of the rules that we had to obey was showing up to class on time.

When leaving one class for another, if we knew we were going to be late, we could ask for a late slip from our teacher. The idea is that this would be a one-time exception to the rule of being on time for class. Bookmark that for a second.

In an amazing act of grace and mercy and kindness, Jesus forgives an adulterous woman. This story comes from John 8 where it says,

“2 At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

11 “No one, sir,” she said.

“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

In expecting to receive condemnation and hatred, this woman was given love, mercy, and kindness. However, a lot of times when this story is talked about, we end it before verse 11.

Jesus’ tells the woman that He doesn’t condemn her, therefore, she should go and leave her life of sin. Earlier in John 5 after healing an invalid, Jesus tells him, don’t sin again or something worse may happen to you!

Clearly, God’s grace, mercy, and forgiveness wash away our past mistakes, but it is also powerful enough to transform us out of a life of sin and into a life of righteousness. When I talked about the late slip earlier, I mentioned that it was meant to be a one-time exception to the rule of being on time for class.

We weren’t supposed to seek it out so we could keep being late to class. Instead, we were supposed to be grateful for the opportunity to show up to class and learn, even though we were late.

Even though we’re late, that we’re not who we’re supposed to be, that we’ve fallen, we are still given forgiveness and the opportunity to learn and grow at the feet of Jesus! God’s grace empowers us to come as we are, but not to leave as we came.

In applying what we learn from Paul here to our lives today, we should start with a question: (SLIDE 28) What is your view of God’s grace? Do you think that God’s grace is a license to do whatever you want? Like the Corinthians did? Or is your view of Grace that it is the living power of God actively transforming our lives?

If we want to hold that second view, then we have some action steps that we need to take. First, you’ll notice that throughout this message I’ve been careful to use the language: unrepentant sin. That’s what was being celebrated and promoted in Corinth.

We have to be careful not to abuse God’s grace and become a person who celebrates sin. And once again, the reason I’ve been careful to use the language unrepentant sin, is because I think we unnecessarily read our lives into this text and unique situation far too often.

In a war, there isn’t one single battle. Instead, there are many battles that make up a war.

16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever[a] you want.

When Sean Jordan and I were at the Renew conference in Indiana the other week, we heard a speaker mention this verse when he was talking about living life by the Spirit of God. When he was younger in his faith, he would read this and think “Well I must not have the Holy Spirit.”

However, he said that it wasn’t until an older brother in the faith pointed out the language of verses like this to him that he felt confident in his walk with the Holy Spirit.

The word gratify that Paul uses literally means “to make peace with”. Even if you lose a battle or two, if you are still committed to fighting in the war, you are not in a state of unrepentance. If you aren’t okay with your sins, then you have not made peace with your flesh!

Whether it’s the struggle to trust in your own resources like money, a struggle with anger, pornography or other sexual sin, alcohol, anxiety, ungodly fears and worries, gossiping, slander, laziness.

No matter what, as long as you are committed to winning the war, even though you might lose a battle or two, you are not making peace with your flesh and are earnestly seeking the life of God.

Following Jesus is a life-long process of relying on God’s grace to come as we are, but not leave as we came. Keep fighting, and don’t give up.

Second, in our relationships with others, we also are called not to make peace with the ways of this world.

I want you to imagine that I’m going to a Bills game and I’m bringing my friend who is a die-hard Patriots fan. They have an understanding that the stands will be a sea of red-white-and blue Bills gear, even though he’s more than welcome to wear his Patriots gear.

I am welcoming to him and am still going to support him as my friend. But I will never ever ever cheer for the Patriots to make him feel better. I want him to change his mind and change fanbases!

A simple rule of life is that what is celebrated is repeated. When we celebrate the sins of others, they will never find life. It might be tempting to do that in a culture where celebration and acceptance are everything, but it’s not right.

If I really love someone, then I have to point them away from the behavior that is killing them, so that they can find life in Jesus. Even if that means that I might upset them.

Celebrating sin is the easy choice to make, but real self-sacrificial love is what we’re called to. The good news we should call others to is for them to come as they are, but not to leave as they came!

Come as you are, but don’t leave as you came. This is the picture of God’s grace that we see in scripture. And now I ask you: why not today? Just as you are, come to Jesus for healing through the waters of baptism, and be risen into a new life that is full and true.

If that’s a step you’ve already taken, then I invite you to trust in the true picture of God’s grace.

It can be tempting to think you’re stuck, but God is still working on you.

It can be tempting to give up the fight, but God empowers us through the war against sin.

It can be tempting to view grace as a one-time forgiveness. But forgiveness, yesterday, today, and forever has been bought by the precious blood of Christ. Rely on that grace and find transformation into a full an abundant life with Jesus.

Holy Wholly: Sanctified Unity - Let Go to Live Like Jesus (1 Corinthians 4) - Jordan Byrd

Who are the most successful leaders in history; and what were they filled with that made them successful? Would it be Douglas MacArthur’s military success during WWII? Would it be Steve Jobs innovative wisdom in creation of the iPhone/smartphone revolution? Would it be Ronald Reagan’s judgment in confronting the Soviet Union? Would it be Jerry Seinfeld’s creativity to entertain viewers of his sitcom - almost 30 years after it last aired? Would it be Elon Musk’s ability to accrue a current net worth of almost $200billion? Would it be Jeff Bezos’ ability to produce a distribution service to get things from around the world to your front door in a matter of days, with nothing more than a tap on your phone or computer?

In the lead-up to November, the U.S. society is making a similar evaluation with the office of President. Where we’re deciding what kind of leader we want to lead the country. Do we want a people-pleaser? Do we want a person who will progress society beyond the trappings of the past? Do we want a no-nonsense person, who doesn’t care what other people say? Do we want someone who will take immediate military action? Do we want someone who is open to the influence of the world? If we’re honest, we’re tempted to make a decision on the presidency, or any other leader based on certain qualities. Some of those qualities are: dominant, innovative, critical, captivating, prosperous, and efficient.

The people of first-century Corinth were not much different. From this letter of the Apostle Paul to the church in Corinth, we encounter a culture that valued being: dominant, innovative, critical, captivating, prosperous, and efficient. And we gather that the followers of Jesus were shaped to values these qualities too. But, God reveals through Paul’s writing to the church in Corinth, that these qualities are not the most important, that these qualities are not the most important for leadership, that these qualities are not what is most important for an abundant life. As much as the Corinthian Christians were tempted to believe that they were, as much as today, we’re tempted to believe that they are. Rather, Paul’s writing in 1 Corinthians 4, clarifies that the most important qualities are the qualities embodied in the life of Jesus of Nazareth – in the life of the Son of God. That the most important qualities of leadership are found in Jesus; that the most important qualities for an abundant life are found in Jesus. And, the aspirational qualities, beyond those of Jesus, are what keeps us from participating in and experiencing the life of God, the life of Jesus.

In chapter 1 of 1 Corinthians, Paul addresses the division happening among the members of the Corinthian church. And that – that division resulted from people giving allegiance to people, things, or ideas above the crucified Jesus. In chapter 2, Paul addresses how members of the church tore their allegiance by pursuing paths of wisdom and power celebrated by the Corinthian culture at that time. In chapter 3, Paul highlights the empty, life-less-ness that results from giving allegiance to paths, other than the way of Jesus. And how elevating ways other than Jesus’ ways, led to the division the church was experiencing. And part of that division were factions elevating the leaders, Paul and Apollos over each other.

In chapter 4, Paul continues to address the false truth of ways other than Jesus’ ways by pointing to his own experience of following Jesus, and striving to live like Jesus. He notes how his life has been shaped by Jesus, in 1 Corinthians 4:9-13, by how he has suffered like Jesus for the word of God, by how he blessed when cursed, like Jesus, by how he endured persecution for God’s way, like Jesus, and by how he answered slander with kindness, like Jesus. Jesus’ way is different. But it is a different that we long for. It’s life of freedom from other’s opinions. And full of God’s eternal perspective that we long for. It’s the abundant life that we long for. That only following in the way of Jesus that we can experience it.

In the first-century Corinthian world, and in our world today, we’re tempted and deceived into believing that lesser important things are THE most important things. But, the good news I hope you encounter from God’s word in 1 Corinthians 4, is that Jesus is the most important thing in the world. That the God revealed in Jesus is the best leader in the world. That the life of Jesus is the most abundant life available. The good news that we don’t need anything beyond Jesus.

And while Jesus is everything that we need for life, we’ve allowed our lives to be filled with lesser important things; and in the process, they’ve blocked us from participating in the abundant life of Jesus. A takeaway from 1 Corinthians 4 is that we have to let go of the lesser important things to live like Jesus. Let go to live like Jesus.

In early 2018, the hot topic around here was, which QB should the Bills draft. Josh Allen had risen as a possible top pick. But most people knew little about him, having played at the University of Wyoming. And Wyoming having had little notable success during Allen’s tenure there. With the position the Bills were in to draft a top-tier QB prospect, it seemed that Allen would be a gamble pick. He wasn’t from a notable college program. He wasn’t a Heisman finalist. He wasn’t in the college national championship conversation. He wasn’t even known for being super good, other than having a cannon of an arm. Allen had some athletic ability, but, what else?! When the Bills selected Allen at pick number 7 of the draft, it was a polarizing pick for sure. While it’s easy to have 20/20 hindsight on that pick now, we could say that Brandon Beane was faithfulness to the overall drafting process. Brandon Beane didn’t draft a QB with the tempting qualities: From a notable college. The household name guy. The pundit, applauded prospect. The guy with a heisman trophy. The guy with a college championship. The Bills’ process of drafting Josh Allen is an example of a differing kind of success. Success when it doesn’t appear to be successful in the broader world’s eyes.

In a similar fashion, Paul is saying something similar in 1 Corinthians 4:1-5. Paul is addressing how the Corinthian culture had shaped the Corinthian followers of Jesus to look for leaders that exuded dominant and captivating wisdom and power. Leaders who lord over others. Leaders who persuade with smooth talk. Leaders who could sway things to happen. Leaders who would insult their enemies. Leaders who would think of themselves better than others. Leaders who would think of themselves smarter than others. Leaders who would threaten violence if not followed. These are all the qualities that were considered most important. And these are the qualities that the Corinthians followers of Jesus were falsely trying to make Paul and Apollos fit as leaders. “Paul is better.” “No, Apollos is better.”

Yet, Paul corrects this by saying that neither he, nor Apollos led them in this way. He indicates in 1 Corinthians 4:1 – that they came to lead as servants of Christ. That they are mere stewards of God’s ultimate leadership.

Many people have a financial advisor or money manager, who helps invest funds that you give them. The advisor or manager is just a steward of your money. And ultimately is just executing what you give them authority to do.

Similarly, Paul is saying that he and Apollos only do what what God directs them to do. And nothing more. Paul’s emphasis on being a servant Christ and steward of God is that he and Apollos are not to be judged successful leaders according to Corinthian qualities, but successful leaders according to faithfulness to God’s qualities. And those qualities look like humble, surrendered service to the way of God revealed in Jesus. Faithfulness to the way of Jesus is the measure of successful leadership, not, the dominant and captivating wisdom and power of Corinth. Success that doesn’t appear successful in the broader world’s eyes.

Paul highlights this by emphasizing that he, nor the Corinthian believers, nor anybody else, is the judge of his success as a leader, is a judge of his way of life. In application, this can mean sticking to your guns, even if others think you’re crazy, or doing less than you should, or judge that you’re not being effective enough. It can also mean the reverse. Sticking to what you judge to be right, even if a leader doesn’t judge that to be the right way. But ultimately, Paul is saying, the correct judgment is not his judgment, or your judgment, or another person’s judgment. The correct judgment is what God deems correct, truthful, successful, and abundant. Paul and Apollos had to let go of Corinthian power and wisdom, had to let go of being the ultimate judge of their work to live like Jesus. Let go to live like Jesus.

According to popcorn.org, popcorn kernels contain water and starch. When heated, the water turns to steam, causing the starch to gel. Eventually, the pressure inside the kernel builds up, leading to its burst. This releases steam and inflates the starch, which creates the puffy popcorn shape we recognize. When this puffing of the starch happens, the popcorn kernel is no longer recognizable. It’s no longer recognizable, because the starch is now inflated, puffing it larger than the kernel alone would be. You also recognize while eating popcorn, that popped-popcorn kernels are misleading. They give the appearance of substance. But are mostly just inflated. They are puffed-up.

This is the imagery that Paul uses to describe the followers of Jesus who are elevating the power of wisdom of Corinth over the power and wisdom of Jesus. Those who elevate Corinthians qualities above Jesus, become puffed up. And it’s being puffed-up by worldly power and wisdom that leads to viewing Paul or Apollos or other leaders, as better than another. It’s being puffed-up and filled with these qualities as most important – that has led to the division in the body of Christ in Corinth.

And Paul indicates in 1 Corinthians 4:6, That the follower of Jesus need to let go of Corinthian power and wisdom to live like Jesus. For the church to reflect the life of Jesus as a community. They need to let go to live like Jesus. Let go to live like Jesus.

Have you ever got a piece of furniture, like for IKEA, that has to be put together; and you just open up the box and start putting things together, how you think they’re suppose to fit? All to realize that it doesn’t fit together well, or there are a lot of pieces left-over? In situations like that, it is tempting to let our own abilities and experience puff us up, all to realize that our pride, our arrogance, get’s in our way – get’s in our way to see the correct instructions or standard clearly.

This example of trying to put furniture together, illustrate what Paul references – in 4:6, when he warns the Corinthian follower of Jesus to “not go beyond what is written.” When we look to something other the word of God, revealed in Jesus, we end up with a mess. We end up with division. We end up with people hurt. We end up with sin. Living apart from God. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. …  The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-4, 14)

Jesus is the word of God revealed. Jesus is the essence of the written word of the Bible. Jesus is the God’s standard revealed. Jesus is God’s standard witnessed by John and later Paul, who wrote for generations later to also encounter the truth of God through the life of Jesus. Paul is telling the Corinthians church, that they have been filled with ways of living, beyond the word of God, beyond the standard of the life of Jesus. And in doing so, it’s caused division. Paul instructs them that to live like Jesus, they have to not be puffed-up with Corinthian power and wisdom. They have to let go of that to live like Jesus. Let go to live like Jesus.

While there are many evil beliefs that accompanied the Nazi reign of Germany, one of them was the belief in a superior race of people over another. Historically, this is referred to as Aryanism. A belief that a “pure” German race ought to control the world. That the ideal ideal: pale skin, blond hair and blue eyed people group was most important above all others. The deception in this belief is that those qualities are humanly elevated above others. And they are not derived purely by human ability. As much as transhuman endeavors have tried and come close. Ultimately, the qualities of the ideal German were a gift from God. And as a gift from God, to have value, but not to have ULTIMATE value. This belief is an example of the creation elevating something above the word and purpose of the creator.

In 1 Corinthians 4:7, Paul notes that the Corinthian followers of Jesus are doing something similar. That they are elevating a gift of God, or a God-given trait of God: intellect, charisma, eloquence, strength, etc. As something of ULTIMATE importance. That – those qualities are what make them special – what make them wise or powerful. But Paul points out, “Who made you different from anyone else?” Who gave you those qualities? “What do you have that you did not receive?” Did you give yourself those qualities? “...If you did receive [them], why do you boast as though you did not?” If you received them from God, why are you acting like those qualities make you special, or worth following, or successful? Ultimately, Paul is pointing out that we are nothing without God. All of life is a gift from God. But when we fill our lives with the wisdom and power of the world, we become blinded to the truth of reality, that life is a gift from God, that fullness of life is found only in his way of life. The life revealed in Jesus, to live into that life, as Paul is striving to live into the life of Jesus, the Corinthian church needs to let go of Corinthian power and wisdom, let go of lesser qualities to live into the fuller life of Jesus. Let go to live like Jesus.

In 1 Corinthians 4:14 and following, Paul explains that his writing is a warning. A warning of the deceptive nature of Corinthian power and wisdom. A warning that being puffed-up with those qualities, actually leads to a lesser life, it leads to an infantile life. Like, life under a baby-sitte, never learning how to live into the fullness of life of Jesus. The Corinthians have 10,000 guardians. But they do not have many fathers. Fathers, who can help guide them to live into the abundant life of Jesus. Someone to imitate how to follow Jesus. Someone to imitate how to let go of the worldly ways, and live like Jesus. Let go to live like Jesus.

Let go and be immersed into the life of Jesus (be baptized).

Today, if you’re still seeking abundant life in the ways of the world, I invite you to let go, and taste and see that Jesus’ way of life is what you’ve been seeking. If you’d like to learn more, please find me, or another church leader, or a trusted follow of Jesus, whom you already know; and we’d be glad to help you take your first step of faith, to let go to live like Jesus. By surrendering to Jesus under the water of baptism, letting go of your life to live by God’s word, just like Jesus does.

What is God calling you to surrender? Let go to live like Jesus.

If you’ve already surrendered your life to Jesus under the water of baptism, What is God calling you to surrender? What quality of the world are you tempted to make more important than anything else? How are you tempted to fill your life with the following qualities of worldly wisdom and power the most important thing, or for another leader to be filled with, the qualities of: dominance, innovation, critical judgements, captivating charisma, prosperity, and efficiency. How are you tempted to make these more important the the way the crucified Jesus? Let go of them to live like Jesus. Surrender them to live like Jesus. Humble yourself to the Lord God, revealed in Jesu, to live into his abundant life. Let go to live like Jesus.