Cornerstone Community Church

I Corinthians 16: 1-24

I Corinthians 16 summarizes the first 15 chapters of I Cor. and sets practical ways for the Corinthian church to live out their lives in a God-honoring way. Paul ends I Corinthians with a list of to-dos that are meant for the church’s edification and growth in spiritual maturity. Three areas we can glean from the text for our 2022 church context is within the areas of:

StewardshipFaithfulnessObedience

Paul is consistent throughout I Corinthians and stays on message through all 16 chapters as he uproots the behaviors, mindsets, values that are not rooted in the Christian faith.

When Jesus Christ returns for us, we will be changed.From perishable to ImperishableFrom mortal to ImmortalDefeated to Victorious

This faith causes us to be steadfast in our walk, and in our labor of love. Because we are assured that our labor is not in vain!

Pastor Calvin Robinson continues in 1 Corinthians 15:12-23 on the facts of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the implications of what that means for all believers.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is simply this. That Christ:

Died for our sinsWas buriedRaised from the deadAppeared to many

It is a simple message, but the most powerful message ever delivered to the world. This message is the very power of God!

Nothing in this world will last forever. Every flower that blooms will eventually fade away.

Nothing in this world will last forever. Neither treasure nor triumph, not talent, and not even time! These are all temporal things.

The spiritual gifts Paul had been discussing in chapter 12, they are all temporal things as well. So inferior are they to the realities of heaven, that Paul describes them as “childish things”, that in the end will also be done away with.

There is only one thing in this world that is not temporal. Only one currency that spends in earth as well as in heaven. Love. God is love.

The person who loves is the most mature among all believers, no matter his spiritual gifting. While one gift may be greater than another, love is greater still. The quality and value of any spiritual good is measured based upon it’s durability.

Love is the most durable of every spiritual good.

Jesus Christ has invested His church with self-sustaining spiritual gifts for the purpose of growth, edification, and the common good of all it’s members, and for the good of the world.

Jesus has also assigned these spiritual gifts to specific parts or functions within and without the Body, in order to accomplish His purposes in an orderly manner. God equips each part with the necessary spiritual gifts to be effective in the appointment to which they each have been called.

Paul has taught us in verses 12-26 that there is no static hierarchy in the Body of Christ, but that each part would have the same care one for another. And by doing so we avoid divisions in the Body.

He now lays out for us Christ’s organizational plan by which He will care for His people, and minister to this dying world.

The Body of Christ consists of many parts.

The three most common appointments within most congregations are the Teacher, the Helper, and the Administrator.

Jesus Christ has invested His church with self-sustaining spiritual gifts for the purpose of growth, edification, and the common good of all it’s members, and for the good of the world.

Jesus has also assigned these spiritual gifts to specific parts or functions within and without the Body, in order to accomplish His purposes in an orderly manner. God equips each part with the necessary spiritual gifts to be effective in the appointment to which they each have been called.

Paul has taught us in verses 12-26 that there is no static hierarchy in the Body of Christ, but that each part would have the same care one for another. And by doing so we avoid divisions in the Body.

He now lays out for us Christ’s organizational plan by which He will care for His people, and minister to this dying world.

The Body of Christ consists of many parts.

The second most impactful Appointment Christ has invested in His church is the prophet.

Our Lord Jesus centered His entire life around the glory of God. He lived to make God known to us as He truly is. There is nothing Christ desires more than for all of humanity to get to know and develop a relationship with our Father.

God is GOOD! As many as have tasted and come to know this truth, we too should desire that the Father would make Himself known to all people as He is in truth. So that He will be glorified among the nations, to the ends of the earth!

Jesus Christ has invested His church with self-sustaining spiritual gifts for the purpose of growth, edification, and the common good of all it’s members, and for the good of the world.

Jesus has also assigned these spiritual gifts to specific parts or functions within and without the Body, in order to accomplish His purposes in an orderly manner. God equips each part with the necessary spiritual gifts to be effective in the appointment to which they each have been called.

Paul has taught us in verses 12-26 that there is no static hierarchy in the Body of Christ, but that each part would have the same care one for another. And by doing so we avoid divisions in the Body.

He now lays out for us Christ’s organizational plan by which He will care for His people, and minister to this dying world.

The Body of Christ consists of many parts.

The first part Paul introduces to us is that of the Apostle.

Apostle: Sent one, Messenger.

The apostle is assigned to various geographical places and people groups. His role is to lead men and women to Jesus Christ, to establish and oversee the churches, to engage all principalities and powers (human and spiritual) with the truth of the gospel, by words and by demonstration, to evaluate doctrine and to establish sound doctrine, to teach and to train.

The apostolic gift is the broadest part of the Body of Christ, with wide ranging responsibilities. To accomplish the apostolic mission, the Holy Spirit allows the apostle access to all of the spiritual gifts.

Since the apostle may be the only individual representation of Christ to a people, until some become converted, it is essential that the apostle has the capacity to function in every role and fulfill the function of every part, at least for a season.

According to Jesus, the path to glory is through the grave.The believer who desires glory (eternal life) must follow the Jesus Christ in an act of self-abandonment.

It is the paradox of kingdom living. Those who desire to be great in the kingdom should leave off all ambition of being great in this world. Take up our crosses and follow Him to Calvary!

Join us as Pastor Calvin Robinson shares a message from John 12:20-26.