Scripture Passage

1 Corinthians 1:18-31

Message Text

What Divides Us

The city of Corinth was a bustling centre of international commerce.  

It lay right in the middle of the Roman Empire and was a major trading port.  There was a lot of economic opportunity.  Many people came to make their fortunes.  

Consider your own call, brothers and sisters:[a] not many of you were wise by human standards,[b] not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. (1:27)

A lot of people had started off in lower classes, but there was money to be made.  Roman society was very hierarchical and status-driven.  Appearing “wise” was a big part of this status orientation.

Let’s imagine the Christian community in Corinth at this time.

There were no large church buildings where people gathered.  Rather, people gathered at houses.  Often, a wealthy member of the faith would open up their house.  So let’s enter one of these houses where the Christians are gathered.

There was an inner room, where about 20 or so people would fit.  There was also an outer room, where about 40 people could fit.  The inner room had a nice table with nice chairs.  Good food was served in this room.  The outer room was more of a standing room.  Only basic food was served there.  This was a normal division in Roman society.

But the issue was that the church was divided along these lines too!  Those who had attained wealth and status were being invited into the inner room, while those who hadn’t really “made it” were relegated to the outer room.

This was a normal thing in Roman society, and so people probably didn’t really think much of it.  But Paul, the author of this letter, certainly had some things to say about it!

Let’s discuss first:

1. Is the quest for status a source of division among your friends or people you know?
2. If so, how?

A Quest that Divides us from Ourselves and Each Other

We also seek status and achievement to give us meaning, but this quest just divides us further from ourselves and from each other.  

Many of your friends are away today studying for exams.  Those of you here today also feel that pressure.  Your lives are filled with a lot of pressures.  If we unpack some of this thinking, here’s a line of reasoning:

Study hard → Get good grades → Get into a good school/program → Get a good job/career → Make good money → The good life!

What happens when this becomes our life programming?  

We start changing ourselves to fit into that program.  What happens is that we start limiting ourselves and our vision to what fits into this direction.

So for example, I may be interested in a certain hobby or creative endeavour, but if this doesn’t really fit into the path that’s been programmed for me, then I limit that interest.  We say things like “it’s not practical”, or “what use will that be”?  

In this process, we start limiting our authentic and genuine selves.  Our very inner self becomes divided between who we are at our core, and who we think we need to be.

Discussion:

1. Have you ever felt like you limited yourself because it doesn’t “fit” with what you think you’re supposed to be doing?

God Gives us Life

God has a message for us today: God is the source and giver of life.

He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption” (1:30).

We often feel like if we don’t fit with the program, then we are not very useful.  In a way, we feel foolish, not useful and weak if we don’t follow the program that leads to “success”.  But God says this:

27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, 29 so that no one[c] might boast in the presence of God.”

What this means is, that God does not ultimately care about your external achievements and accomplishments.  God does not want us focusing and boasting about those.  Doing that divides us from others and separates us from others in community.

God looks beneath and beyond that to reach us.  God looks to our authentic and genuine self that is beneath the surface: beneath the surface of our grades, our extra-curriculars, our school and programs.  

Our natural tendency is to take pride in our accomplishments.  But God is saying we can leave all those pressures at the door.  God just wants us to take pleasure from God alone, who is the real source and giver of life.  

That is the good news for us today, that God seeks a deep and intimate relationship with our authentic and genuine selves.  

So as you get through this very busy week and deal with the stress, let us be reminded of the love that God has for each of us.  And let us ask God to empower us, who is the ultimate source and giver of life.

Sharing and Prayer:

1. Share what is going on in your life, and present any prayer requests
2. Pray for yourself and pray for the person on your right