Help us.
Our Father God, we thank you for the church and for this church family.
We thank you for every person who is here and every family that is represented.
We thank you for your love to us.
We thank you for your kindness.
And Father, as we meet together like this and as we live together as your people,
we want to become the kind of people you call us to be.
We want to be the kind of church that you say we should be, not what we think or what we decide.
And so we pray for your help and your power to be at work within us,
to show us who you are like and what you are like,
so that we too become people who reflect you
and people who show you to the world around us.
We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.
Amen.
The problem with this church is...
I wonder how would you complete that sentence?
And please don't shout out.
You can have a private word with me on the way out if you like.
Well, whatever you think the problems are in this church,
the problems in Corinth are very disturbing.
Have a look at chapter 3 and verse 1.
Chapter 3, verse 1.
Brothers and sisters,
I could not address you as spiritual,
but as worldly.
Mere infants in Christ.
You see, this church in Corinth behaved more like the world around them
than the Christ they claimed to follow.
And the problems were indeed very serious.
Just look at verse 3 of chapter 3.
You are still worldly,
for since there is jealousy and quarrelling among you,
are you not worldly?
Are you not acting like mere men?
But you know what?
All that jealousy and quarrelling was just the tip of the iceberg.
Have a look at chapter 5, verse 1.
It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you
and of a kind that does not occur even among the pagans.
A man has his father's wife.
They were very serious problems.
In fact, the problems were very, very deep.
They were fighting with each other
and they were suing each other,
taking each other to court.
Have a look at chapter 6, verse 5.
Chapter 6, verse 5.
I say this to shame you.
Is it possible that there is nobody among you
wise enough to judge a dispute between yourselves?
But instead, one brother goes to law against another
and this in front of unbelievers.
So not only were they making a mess of their own lives,
they were a bad witness to those around them.
And to cap it all off,
their church services, gatherings just like this,
were like a drunken feast.
Have a look at chapter 11, verse 20.
Chapter 11, verse 20.
So he's describing a gathering when they come together.
Verse 20, when you come together,
it is not the Lord's supper you eat,
so it's not communion or the Eucharist
that you're sharing in together.
For as you eat, each of you goes ahead
without waiting for anybody else.
One remains hungry, another gets drunk.
So this indeed was a very messy church.
Rather than look like Christ,
they actually looked like the world around them.
No wonder that Paul would tell them in no uncertain terms
at the very end in chapter 15, verse 34.
He is absolutely crystal clear in what he says
chapter 15, verse 34.
Come back to your senses as you ought
and stop sinning.
But let's not be too quick to point fingers.
You see, this isn't just a Corinth problem.
This is a church problem.
It is a carigoline problem.
Because we too are messy people.
We also fail and fall.
We also gossip and quarrel.
We get jealous with one another.
We fall out with each other.
We judge ourselves to be superior and others inferior.
Our marriages are not always what they should be.
We mightn't sleep around,
but we secretly watch porn.
We mightn't turn up to church drunk,
but it can happen when we're out with our friends.
The sad reality is church is messy.
And we too, myself included,
are messy people.
So what should we do with a church
when its behaviour is actually more worldly
than spiritual?
Do we just shut it down?
Say start again,
tell everybody go home,
that's it,
that's the end,
that's finished.
What would Paul,
or what would God,
have to say to this church
through Paul?
Well,
go back to chapter 1 of Corinthians.
Chapter 1 and verse 2.
Look at what he says
to this church.
Verse 2.
To the church of God in Corinth,
to those sanctified,
and sanctified means to be made holy.
So to the church of God in Corinth,
to those made holy in Christ Jesus,
and called to be holy.
Now isn't that amazing?
We might not always look like
the holy church of God,
but that is what we are.
This messy church,
with all its problems,
beginning of verse 2,
is still God's church.
We are his holy people,
set apart from him,
or for him,
and belonging to him.
That's why Paul,
knowing what the church was like,
as he would go on to describe
all the mess that was going on,
and try to correct all the problems,
he could still say this
at the very beginning.
Look at verse 4.
I always thank God for you.
Isn't that amazing?
Despite all the ongoing struggles,
and all the mess in our lives,
we can still say,
thank you to God,
for the church,
and for one another.
Because,
we are loved by God,
treasured by God,
we are his people,
the holy church of God.
But,
how can a messy church,
be also,
a holy church?
Because,
the two things,
seem in contradiction.
There's a bit of a tension.
On the one hand,
we've just seen,
what a mess they are.
And then,
at the very beginning,
he's saying,
you're a holy church.
How can that be?
How do you put those two things together?
Well,
we need reminded of two things.
Here's the first one.
First,
we have been made holy.
Let's read verse two again,
of chapter one.
To the church of God,
in Corinth,
to those sanctified,
in Christ Jesus.
Now,
we often come across that word,
sanctified,
in the Bible.
And it simply means,
to be made clean,
and to be made pure,
deep within our lives.
In other words,
it's to be made holy,
so that we are acceptable to God.
You see,
throughout the Bible,
God reveals himself,
as the only one who is holy.
You start at the very beginning of the Bible,
and very quickly,
God introduces himself,
as holy.
We read it at the very beginning.
He says,
be holy because,
I am holy.
He declares himself,
to be perfectly pure,
in all that he is,
and all that he does.
He's perfect in love,
perfect in goodness,
perfect in his justice,
perfect in mercy.
He is absolutely pure.
There is no fault,
there is no blame,
there is no sin,
there is no evil,
there is no wrong,
he never gets cross.
Everything is perfectly pure,
and good,
and beautiful.
That is what God is like.
And he sets the standard,
for perfection,
and purity.
And because God is holy,
that means,
by nature,
he cannot tolerate anything,
or anyone that is unholy.
Holy and unholy,
cannot mix together.
They are distinct,
they are separate.
Just like oil and water,
you can't mix the two,
they can't be together.
And in the same way,
God in his holiness is one,
and we in our unholiness,
are another.
So that leaves,
unholy people like you and me,
separate from God,
and under his pure judgment.
But look what it says in verse 2.
To the church of God,
in Corinth,
to those made holy,
or sanctified,
in Christ Jesus.
Christ,
who is the God-man,
God who became flesh and blood,
and walked this earth,
is perfectly pure.
And he entered into our imperfect,
impure world.
And Christ,
who is holy,
took on our unholiness on himself.
And he has given to us,
and he has given to us,
his holiness,
so that we are treated,
as if we are holy.
I'm going to repeat that again,
because that is central,
to what it is to be made holy.
Christ,
who is holy,
he came and took,
our unholiness on himself,
died on the cross,
and took the blame,
for our unholiness.
And in place of that,
has given to us,
his holiness,
so that,
we are treated,
as if we are holy.
Have a look at chapter 1,
verse 30.
It tells us there,
chapter 1,
verse 30,
it is because of him,
that is,
it is because of God's work,
not our work,
God's work,
it is because of him,
that you are in Christ Jesus,
who has become for us,
wisdom from God,
that is,
our righteousness,
our holiness,
and our redemption.
Through our faith in Jesus,
we have been made clean,
we have been washed,
deep inside of us.
Our sin has been dealt with,
so that messy people,
like you and me,
are presented before God,
as acceptable,
and holy.
Now that,
is something amazing.
Messy me,
in all my failures,
and in all my falling,
because of my faith in Jesus,
am presented before God,
and treated,
as if,
I am holy.
Now,
incredibly,
the work that God begins,
in us like that,
lasts forever.
It doesn't just happen for a day,
our faith in Jesus means,
it happens for,
an eternity.
Look at verse 8,
of chapter 1.
It tells us this,
he will keep you strong,
to the end,
so that you will be blameless,
and that word blameless,
is connected to the word,
holy,
it's to be pure,
to be right,
before God.
So,
you will be blameless,
on the day,
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
So when Jesus comes back again,
on that day,
you will be presented,
as blameless,
holy,
pure,
perfect,
before him.
What God,
has made,
holy,
if God has done,
that work in you,
you cannot be,
made,
unholy.
If God,
has made you,
holy,
you are kept,
holy.
His cleansing work,
in our lives,
has an eternal,
impact.
Yes,
we are messy people,
but we are also,
God's,
holy people.
We are a,
messy church,
but God,
has made us,
his,
holy church.
That's incredible.
Now,
that doesn't mean,
we ignore,
all the sinful mess,
and go,
okay,
I'm a messy person,
God has made me,
holy,
doesn't matter how I live,
I do whatever I like.
No,
if we understand it correctly,
being made,
holy,
also means,
we begin to live,
holy lives.
Look at the rest,
of verse two.
We'll read it again.
To the church of God,
in Corinth,
to those sanctified,
or made holy,
in Christ Jesus,
and called,
to be holy.
And in case you don't think,
it applies to us,
read the rest of the verse.
We are called to be holy,
together,
with all those,
everywhere,
who call on the name,
of the Lord Jesus Christ,
their Lord,
and ours.
So this is written,
to the church then,
but it applies,
to every Christian,
in every church,
now.
God has given us,
his holiness,
and now he calls us,
to start living out,
that holy life.
You're made holy,
now go and be holy.
Go and live,
a holy life.
There's a great scene,
at the end of,
The Lion,
the Witch,
and the Wardrobe,
that great series,
by C.S. Lewis.
And those four characters,
Peter,
Susan,
Lucy,
and Edmund,
at the very end,
of that story,
they've all arrived,
at the great hall,
of Kerr Paval.
And as they arrive,
they're met,
by Aslan,
the Lion.
And this is,
what it says.
In the presence,
of all their friends,
and to the sound of trumpets,
Aslan solemnly crowned them,
and led them to their four thrones,
amid deafening shouts of,
Long live King Peter!
Long live Queen Susan!
Long live King Edmund!
Long live Queen Lucy!
And then Aslan says,
Once a king or queen in Narnia,
always a king or queen.
Bear it well, sons of Adam.
Bear it well, daughters of Eve.
Now can you see the parallel?
Hello?
God has welcomed us,
into his family,
and he has crowned us,
if you like,
with his holiness.
He has dressed us,
and robed us,
with his holiness.
And once we are made,
holy by God,
always holy before God.
Now bear it well,
sons of God.
Bear it well,
daughters of God.
Live out your new life of holiness.
You have been crowned with holiness.
Now become what you have been made to be.
Start living like Christ,
and stop looking like the world.
And let's be clear,
as to the calling of this,
that doesn't just mean a little private aspect
of a couple of hours on a Sunday morning.
This calling to live a holy life
covers every aspect of our life.
Let me give you just one pointer to that.
Have a look at chapter 6,
verse 19.
Chapter 6, verse 19.
So we're made holy,
we're called to be holy,
and this calling
is covering
every aspect of our lives.
Look at chapter 6, verse 19.
Do you not know that your body,
so your physical body,
as you're sitting there
and I'm standing here,
your body is a temple
of the Holy Spirit,
the perfect,
the perfect, pure Spirit of God.
Your body,
your life,
if you are a Christian,
you are a home
of the Holy,
pure Spirit,
your life.
Who is in you,
whom you have received
from God.
You are not your own.
You don't belong
to yourself anymore.
You don't live
your kind of way.
You now belong to God.
You're God's holy people.
Verse 20.
You were bought
at a price.
Therefore,
honour God
with your body.
We've been made
the holy people of God.
We have become
the home
of the pure,
perfect,
Holy Spirit of God.
So now let us go out
and live
as the holy people of God.
What a calling.
What an amazing thing
he has done for us.
But how do we actually
live out this holy life?
Because as I think about this,
made holy,
get that.
Called to be holy,
I get that.
But how am I going to do it?
Knowing what I am like.
How am I actually going to
start living that out?
Well, thankfully,
he does not leave us alone
because what God begins,
God continues,
and he will finish.
His work continues
in our life.
He gives us three resources
to help us
to live out
a holy life
as a holy church.
Here they are.
Here's the first one.
Three resources
that we're given
to live out
a holy life.
First,
we are given
the grace
of Christ.
Verse 4.
I always thank God
for you
because of his
grace
given you
in Christ Jesus.
Sorry,
we're back in chapter 1,
verse 4.
I always thank God
for you
because of his grace
given you
in Christ Jesus.
Grace,
another good Bible word,
is God's unconditional
kindness
which he has placed
or put upon us.
So what is the grace
that he's put upon us
or placed on us?
Look at verse 5.
For in him
you have been
enriched
in every way
in all your
speaking
and in all
your knowledge.
So this speaking
and this knowledge
refer to
word gifts
that he's going
to talk about later.
They're specific gifts
given to us,
word gifts,
speaking and knowledge.
But for now
he wants us to know
that Christ
in his grace
has placed upon us
this great ability
upon his people,
the ability
to know
God's word
and to teach
God's word
and to share
God's word
with each other.
You see,
without the grace
of God's word
at work among us
we will not be able
to live
as God's holy people
because it is
through the word
that we become pure.
It is through the word
that we become holy.
It is as it goes
into our lives
and changes us
that we become
the people
God calls us to be.
So he says
you've been enriched
in speaking
and in knowledge.
You have these amazing
word gifts
to teach and encourage
and build each other up
to become
the holy people of God.
That is the first resource
that we have.
So I want to encourage
all of us
to make it our priority
to meet together
on Sundays
to come together
as we do
in our home groups
on Wednesdays
to come ready
to speak
God's word
into each other's lives
because as we speak
God's word
into each other's lives
it changes us
it transforms us
it enables us
to become holy
and you can do that
in my life
and I can do that
in your life.
So let's keep
the word central
to our lives
this grace gift
from God
to help us
to go on
to be a holy church.
So that's the first thing
he's given us.
Here's the second.
He's given us
gifts of the Spirit.
Verse 7
Therefore
you do not lack
any spiritual gift
as you eagerly wait
for our Lord Jesus Christ
to be revealed.
Again
a wonderful resource
a wonderful gift.
He gives to his church
all the gifts
that they need.
He doesn't shortchange us
He gives as he determines
He decides to each person
what gifts they have
and what the church has
It's not our choice
it's what God gives to us
and so we are never
ever lacking
what God decides
and what God determines
is what is right
and best
for that church
and for those people.
He gives gifts
to his church
but the purpose
of all of those gifts
is to enable us
to be
what we have been
called to be.
He says we are called
to be holy
so the reason
he gives us
all of these gifts
is so that we can become
holy people.
The gifts are not
for our private use
He will go on
to speak about this
at length
in 11 to 14
but we have
this gift
given to us
to the church
for the purpose
of building each other up
so that we become
more like Him
holy
and pure
and right
and all of that
implies
that this calling
to be holy
is a church project.
It goes on
we are told
in verse 7
until
Jesus Christ
is revealed
so from now
until Jesus returns
He calls the church
together
He gives gifts
upon His church
and upon each person
He places us together
as we are
and He says
now start using
your gifts
amongst each other
and for each other
and through that gifting
He moves us
from messy people
to holy people.
The point being
we cannot become
holy
in isolation
we need
one another
that's why
we meet together
we cannot do it
on our own
we actually need
each other
and God's gifts
to you
are the people
around you
so
He gives us
the grace of Christ
He gives us
the gifts
of the Spirit
and here's
the final resource
we have the promise
of God
look at verse 8
He
that is God
will keep you
strong to the end
so that you
will be blameless
and there's that word
we looked at again already
blameless
to be holy
on the day
of our Lord
Jesus Christ
the calling
to be holy
is great
the fact
of it
can weigh us down
that He would
call me
to be holy
can crush me
can overwhelm me
as I look at
who God is
and what I am like
and say
how can I do it
I am such
a messy person
how can I do it
well not only
do we have
the grace of Christ
not only do we have
the gifts of the Spirit
to make it possible
but God has given
the church
His people
this amazing promise
look at it
in verse 9
God
who has called you
into fellowship
with His Son
Jesus Christ
our Lord
is faithful
the one who
called you
to be holy
the one who's
called you
into fellowship
and who's made you
holy
He
is
faithful
that means
He will not
give up on us
He will never
disown us
or abandon us
as a church
in our failures
He will stick with you
when you fall in sin
He will pick you up
the church
belongs to God
it is God's
holy
project
He's on a mission
to take people
like you
and me
and He is
faithfully committed
from now
until eternity
to make us
holy
and God
is
faithful
we may be
unfaithful
but He is
faithful
He has promised
to move us
from messy church
to holy church
to be the people
He calls us
to be
so what is our
calling
in life
why are we
here
why do we
exist
we're called
to be
holy
like God
and in His
goodness
He has given
us His grace
He has given
us His spirit
He has given
us His promise
and most of all
He's given us
His Son
the Lord
Jesus Christ
who's taken
my unholiness
and your
unholiness
and in His
place
has given
His holiness
upon us
so that we
can be
the people
of God
messy church
but the
holy church
of God
let's pray
together
I'm going
to read
a prayer
this prayer
you will
find
on the
messy church
holy church
little booklet
it's at the
very end
of it
and you
can see
it
afterwards
but let's
pray
our Father
God
thank you
that we
have been
made holy
pure
and blameless
in your
sight
through the
redeeming work
of your
Son
Jesus
Christ
thank you
that through
our faith
in Jesus
we are
forgiven
all our
messy past
and present
failures
and are now
called to live
holy lives
in this
world
by the
power of
your
Holy Spirit
would you
please help
us to live
lives that
reflect you
and honour
you in our
families
schools
and places
of work
please help
us to deal
with the sin
in our lives
to stand
firm in the
gospel
to give
ourselves
fully to
the work
of the
Lord
to make
every effort
to build
up the
church
family
with the
sure and
certain promise
that God
who called
us is
faithful
and will
keep us
strong to
the end
we thank
you for
your word
amen
we're going
to sing
together
a song
which brings
this
theme
to an
end
we are
the
temple
of the
Holy Spirit
if you
are a
Christian
God
lives in
you by
his
spirit
and so
we pray
Holy Spirit
living breath
of God
come
renew my
heart
and make
me whole
cause your
word to
come alive
in me
give me
passion
for your
purity
Holy Spirit
breathe new
life in me
let's stand
together
as we
sing
Holy Spirit
living breath
of God
breathe new
life
into my
willing
soul
let the
presence
of the
risen
Lord
come
renew
my
heart
and make
me
whole
cause
your
word
to come
alive
in me
give me
faith
for what
I cannot
see
give me
passion
for your
purity
Holy Spirit
breathe new
life
in me
Holy Spirit
shall
abide
within
may
your
joy
be
seen
in all
I do
love
enough
to cover
everything
in its
thoughts
and
deed
and
attitude
kindness
to the
greatest
and
the
least
gentleness
that
flows
the path
of peace
turn
my
life
into
works
of
grace
and
oh God
show
Christ
in all
I do
so
show
your
your power once again on earth cause your church to hunger for your way
let the fragrance of the world
lead us on the road to sacrifice
let's pray father we thank you for all that we have and all that we can enjoy together
we thank you for the work you have done in our lives we thank you for your promise
to go on doing that work and we pray that together as your people we would work together to that cause
encouraging helping praying spurring one another on to live lives of holiness that reflect you
to each other and to the world around us we pray this in your name amen
so
you