At Cross Purposes

The church in Corinth was beset with divisons; many of these divisons were rooted in the social status of the members.  In this letter, Paul criticized the Corinthians for this; he pointed out that they should treat each other as they really are--as equals in the eyes of God.  He also reminded the Corinthians that Jesus Christ has turned the order of the world upside down, and that all the wealth, power, and wisdom of this world are nothing more than illusions.

Paul's words are for us, as well as for the Corinthians.  All too often, we value ourselves (and others) for what we can accomplish, or how much money we have, or what social circles we move in--not for who we are, as children of God.  The kingdom of God has no VIP lounges, no first-class seats, and no platinum cards; his grace is poured out equally to us all.  God's love for us is what makes us worthy, and nothing else matters.

To see this sermon in the context of the larger entire worship service, please open this bulletin.