1 Corinthians

Passage: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Join us as our pastor, Jonathan Brooks, teaches on 1 Corinthians 15:1-11.

In 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 Paul wants to remind the Corinthians of the gospel they’re going to lose if they keep flirting with this false teachings. He wants to remind them of the glories of the gospel - all of it - including the resurrection. So, he starts this glorious chapter on the resurrection by pleading with the Corinthians to never let go of the gospel and to remind them of what they will lose if they begin to call the resurrection into question. So, this passage gives us three reminders of the glory of the gospel.

The sustaining power of the gospel (1-2)

The historical fact of the gospel (3-7)

The transforming power of the gospel (8-11)

Passage: 1 Corinthians 14:26-40

Join us as our pastor, Jonathan Brooks, teaches on 1 Corinthians 14:26-40.

The Corinthians had turned their weekly gatherings into a chaotic competition, showing off their gifts and speaking over each other. In 1 Corinthians 14:26-40, Paul is bringing order into this chaos, not just for the sake of order, but because God cares about his people. Remember the church is the bride of Christ, the pillar and buttress of the truth, the body of Christ, the place where God’s children are to be cared for and shepherded. Therefore, God cares deeply about the gathering of the church where his people are to be built up. He didn’t leave us in silence about his desire for the church. This passage shows us that God desires well-ordered services so that his people can be built up and mature in the Lord. That, of course, leads to the natural question: Why? Why does a well-ordered gathering matter? Well, Paul lays out 4 clear and compelling reasons why God desires well-ordered gatherings and what those services should look like:

Well ordered gatherings build up the saints. (26)

Well ordered gatherings avoid chaotic confusion. (27-33)

Well ordered gatherings guard godly gender roles. (34-35)

Well ordered gatherings submit to the authority of Scripture. (36-40)

Passage: 1 Corinthians 14:1-25

Join us as our pastor, Jonathan Brooks, teaches on 1 Corinthians 14:1-25.

1 Corinthians 14:1-25 reminds us that when we come together on Sunday mornings we have to fight against our cultural default of individualism and instead understand our presence is about the encouragement of others. This is why Paul rebukes the Corinthians for their unhealthy emphasis on tongues and pushes them toward prioritizing prophecy. Paul argues that prophecy should be pursued because it is a more effective way to build up the church. Furthermore, Paul defines prophecy in verse 3, telling us that's for upbuilding, encouragement, and consolation. So, Paul provides 4 reasons why prophecy is the better gift when it comes to building up the church.

Prophecy is directed toward building up other people. (1-4)

Prophecy can be understood by others. (5-12)

Prophecy engages the mind. (13-19)

Prophecy brings about faith and leads to worship. (20-25)

Passage: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Join us as our pastor, Jonathan Brooks, teaches on 1 Corinthians 13:1-13.

1 Corinthians 13 reminds us that we are called to love the bride of Christ as Christ loves his bride, the church. The Corinthians were failing to love one another as they used their spiritual gifts. All they cared about was their reputation and how they could scheme to have a more prominent position in the church. Therefore, this chapter serves as a direct rebuke to their selfish use of the spiritual gifts. Paul is teaching us that if we’re going to love the bride of Christ, then the spiritual gifts must be motivated by love for the common good of the church.

But, as with our day, love is a slippery concept. Everyone wants to define it for themselves to meet their agenda; to serve their purposes. We often think of this as a modern problem, but it’s simply a human problem. Therefore, Paul spends this entire chapter helping us understand what biblical love is and why we should be motivated by it as we serve the local church. Paul gives us three truths about love:

The necessity of love. (1-3)

The definition of love. (4-7)

The eternality of love. (8-13)

Passage: 1 Corinthians 12:12-31

Join us as our pastor, Jonathan Brooks, teaches on 1 Corinthians 12:12-31.

In 1 Corinthians 12:12-31, Paul is continuing to address the abuse of the gifts in the Corinthians church. He knows the solution to the ego, arrogance, and envy that had taken root in the church at Corinth was to help them understand the nature of the church. The Corinthians needed to understand the reality of who they were corporately in Christ. He wants the Corinthians to understand that the church needs the God-given gifts of every member and every member needs the diverse gifts of the church. In the same way, The church needs your God-given gifts and you need the church’s diversity of God-given gifts. So, as we work through this passage we will see how Paul develops three truths to equip us to fight against having an unhealthy relationship with the local church.

The church needs the diverse gifts of every member. (12-20)

Every member needs the diverse gifts of the church. (21-26)

God gave a diversity of gifts to his people for the good of the church. (27-31)

Passage: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Join us as our pastor, Jonathan Brooks, teaches on 1 Corinthians 12:1-11.

As we move into chapter 12, what becomes clear is that the Corinthians saw spiritual gifts the way they saw just about everything else. It was an opportunity to set themselves apart individually as better than other people, creating divisions in the church. Therefore, the spiritual gifts in Corinth were being used to build up ego and pride and were creating chaos in the public gatherings with people trying to outdo one another with their gifts.  As verse 1 says, however, God doesn’t want them, or us, to be uninformed and continue on in their unhealthy habits, so Paul provides 3 truths in verses 1-11 about spiritual gifts to try to restore health and humility to the church at Corinth.

Spiritual gifts are meant to bring glory to Christ. (1-3)

Spiritual gifts are varied, but all come from one God. (4-6)

Spiritual gifts are given to individuals, but are for the common good. (7-11)

 

Passage: Matthew 27:57-28:20

Join us as our pastor, Jonathan Brooks, teaches on Matthew 27:57-28:20 on Easter Sunday.

Matthew's narrative of the resurrection (27:57-28:20) is concerned both with the theology of the resurrection and also the historical fact of the resurrection. Therefore, while he shows us the theological implications of Jesus rising from the grave, we can also see a detailed case for the historical truth of the resurrection. Matthew lays out 3 truths of the resurrection of Jesus for us:

1. Proof of the Resurrected Savior

2. Patience of the Resurrected Savior

3. Purpose of the Resurrected Savior

Passage: Psalm 24 (Palm Sunday)

Join us as our associate pastor, Nathaniel Miller, teaches on Psalm 24 on Palm Sunday.

Psalm 24 is a psalm of David that points us to Jesus Christ, the King of glory. Jesus fulfills this psalm as he enters Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, lays down his perfect righteous life to make sinners holy like himself, rises from the dead, and ascends to the Father's throne. He will fulfill it finally when he comes as the King of kings in the new heavens and the new earth. We'll see Jesus as the King of glory in the following ways:

The King of Glory in his creation (1-2)

The King of Glory in his character (3-6)

The King of Glory in his coming (7-10)

Passage: 1 Corinthians 11:17-34

Join us as our pastor, Jonathan Brooks, teaches on 1 Corinthians 11:17-34.

In 1 Corinthians 11:17-34, Paul reminds us that the Lord’s Supper is intended commemorates Christ’s sacrifice and display the unity of the church. When properly observed, it serves as a powerful reminder of the new covenant established through Christ’s blood and demonstrates the unity of believers. However, approaching the table requires careful self-examination, consideration of relationships with fellow believers, and participation in a worthy manner. Therefore, Paul provides these 4 principles related to the Lord’s Table:

The Destruction of a Divided Table. (17-22)

The Powerful Purpose of the Table. (23-26)

The Need for Examination before the Table. (27-32)

Pursue Unity at the Table. (33-34)

Passage: 1 Corinthians 11:2-16

Join us as our pastor, Jonathan Brooks, teaches on 1 Corinthians 11:2-16.

In 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 Paul teaches us that God has established a clear order of authority with Christ as the head of man, husband as head of wife, and God as head of Christ. This structure isn’t about superiority but about God-given roles and responsibilities. Our conduct can either bring honor or shame to those in authority over us, whether that’s Christ, church leaders, or spouses. While specific cultural practices may change, the principles of respecting authority, preserving gender distinctions, and honoring God-ordained roles remain relevant for modern Christians. Therefore, men and women must be aware of how their actions can bring shame and dishonor to those God has given as an authority in their lives.

We must understand who we represent when we gather as a local church. (2-3)

Our actions can bring disgrace to those we represent. (4-16)