Tuesday 25 September 2012

1 Corinthians 11 - Pastor Malcolm

Sermon preached on 23rd Sept, 2012 at FBC

Ordering Disorder



INTRODUCTION
·      Paul’s excitement of the Gospel as a deeply learned Pharisee who has been born again in his encounter with the Lord Jesus
·      In the OT, after atoning for his own sin and the sins of the nation, only one Jew can enter the Holy of Holies in the Temple ONCE a year to come into the presence of God with a chain tied to his ankle should he be struck done so that he can be pulled out;
·      With the temple of Jerusalem still standing at the time of Paul’s letter, Paul introduces a new paradigm of the temple as the people of God in whom the Spirit of God dwells, no longer a static, physical body in Jerusalem but a mobile, spiritual body of believers;
·      In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul now moves a step further whereby the people of God is not only the living temple of God but the BODY of Christ with Ch 12 to 14 introducing the many-sided gifts given to this Body.
·      Even more amazing is the Gospel telling us that Christ is in you!

DIVINE COVERING – AUTHORITY/SUBMISSION
·      WOMAN/MAN/CHRIST/GOD
§  GREEKS: No covering of heads signifying independence distinguishing from slaves who have to cover their heads and women as a sign of protectiveness by men
§  ROMANS: Men cover their heads in spiritual activities
§  JEWISH CUSTOM: All are to cover the heads. However, do the Christians have to follow the Jews?
·      CREATION: teaches that it is shameful for men to have long hair but long hair given to women for their glory
·      ISSUE is authority and submission from the heart, not what you put over your head although it is nice to do so, but not as a legal requirement
·      The equality of men and women through the Cross yet recognizing that each have different roles
DIVINE BODY
·      DIVISIONS: not the same as in earlier chapters involving personalities and teaching
·      Now, the difference between the “haves” & the “have-nots”, with one looking down on the other
·      What was the INTENT ?
§  REMEMBERING CHRIST’S DEATH: by giving His Body and His Blood for the forgiveness of our sins
§  RECOGNIZING CHRIST’S BODY:
·      Reconciliation instead of not working with one another, shunning one another – Key: Dealing with the hurts/ disappointments inside towards one another through the Cross
·      Not to cut off one another: just like cutting off our own body parts
·      Caring for one another by sharing and waiting for one another
§  NOT AS LITERAL BODY & BLOOD OF CHRIST: for healing
·       Otherwise, becomes “magical”, it is Christ who heals
·      Then we sacrifice Jesus over and over again: there is only one sacrifice – Jesus, the perfect sacrifice once for all
·      CONSEQUENCES FOR NOT RECOGNIZING THE BODY OF CHRIST: Judgment, Weakness, Sickness, Death
§  It is not the sick who takes the Lord’s Supper that gets healed, but the healthy who get weak, sick & died because of God’s judgment in not recognizing Christ’s Body
·      RESPONSE
§  Recognize Christ’s Body by not despising those who have less and waiting for one another & sharing with one another

Tuesday 11 September 2012

Purpose of This Blog

Celljextension1 is like the name suggest, an extension of the my main blog Cellj.blogspot.  The main purpose is to post additional information, articles, slides, presentation etc that may be too large of lengthy for the main blog.