3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. (Acts 20:28; Titus 2:14) The church, therefore, belongs to God and to his Son—not to any man or body of men. James A. Lee II. 1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. The apostle Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to a church struggling with their identity as Christians. [Message] Well, the subject for this evening, as we finish up our study of 1 Corinthians, is Final Personal Words to the Corinthians. The words of institution bring to mind the Lord’s death, but the bread and wine also have compelling power to bring to mind the sacrifice that Christ made on the cross. 1 Corinthians 2:4 Context. 1 Corinthians 1 – Jesus, the Wisdom of God A. Greeting and giving of thanks. (14 sessions) The Christians in Corinth faced many of the conflicts that Christians today encounter as they seek to live their faith in a culture that contradicts Christian beliefs and principles. The rest of the letter centers around it. Although the church worldwide forms one single church or body of Christ, it is made up of many local churches around the world. Designed to help modern readers understand and apply this biblical letter to their own lives—especially when it comes to fighting sin and interacting with a fallen world—this commentary by Pastor Stephen Um explains the biblical text with clarity and insight. St. Matthew tells us, our Lord bade them all drink of it ch. 1. He clearly understood that there were problems in the Corinthian church, and wrote this letter that we know as his First Epistle to the Corinthians … The words above were written in 1982 in my introduction to a sermon which I preached on this same text in 1 Corinthians 16:1-4. (1) Whom the letter is from: Paul, a called apostle. It seems best to begin this parenthesis with knowledge puffeth up, and to end it with known of him (1 Corinthians 8:3). Paul then learned of divisions within the Corinthian church (1 Corinthians 1:11) and mentioned receiving a letter from the Corinthian church (1 Corinthians 7:1). discussion starters that help participants apply God’s Word to their daily lives. 1 Corinthians 1 1.1.05 2 Christ Jesus, and through faith in the risen glorified Redeemer. One of the commentators in his comments on chapter 16 has said that the very practicalness and ordinariness sheds a vivid light on the day-to-day life of the early church. The latter is as plainly a part of this institution as words can make it. In the Small Catechism’s presentation of the Sacrament of the Altar one may be a bit surprised at the amount of attention Luther gives to the words of institution. Since then, some … Evidently a parenthesis intervenes between the beginning of 1 Corinthians 8:1 and 1 Corinthians 8:4. by Rev. The apostle Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to a church struggling with their identity as Christians. Designed to help modern readers understand and apply this biblical letter to their own lives—especially when it comes to fighting sin and interacting with a fallen world—this commentary by pastor Stephen Um explains the biblical text with clarity and insight. Ray Stedman feels that 1 Corinthians 1:9+ is "the key verse of First Corinthians. We all have knowledge (πάντες γνῶσιν ἔχομεν) The exact reference of these words must remain uncertain. Bread and the cup are both made use of, because it is a holy feast. The rest of the letter centers around it. 26:27), as if he would, by this expression, lay in a caveat against the papists’ depriving the laity of the cup. 2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.