Jesus really died. Jesus really rose. This changes everything. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul reminds us that the reality of Christ’s resurrection gives us an unshakeable hope for the future and a compelling purpose in the present.

Are our gatherings all they could be? How can we make them truly edifying? In 1 Corinthians 14:26-40, Paul gives practical instruction for gatherings that edify the church. This sermon explores God’s heart for our time together, and how that should shape not only what we say, but also when we speak and when we remain silent, so that everything is done for the strengthening of God’s people.

Love feels like love when people communicate intelligibly. Love is at work when people feel edified, encouraged and comforted. So, how does the excellent way of love work when people speak in tongues or bring words of prophecy? Let’s open up a conversation about the ways 1 Corinthians 14 connects to our practices today.

In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul makes the astonishing claim that we could do great exploits for God, sacrificing much in the process, and yet that it could all amount to nothing if we lack love. How, then, can we learn to follow the way of love? In this chapter, Paul shows us why love is indispensable to any true ministry, what it looks like in practice as it turns us toward others, and why it alone endures into eternity.

In 1 Corinthians 12:12-31, Paul says that God has deliberately incorporated us into the body of Christ. By definition, a body is unified yet diverse, requiring difference in order to be a body. And this isn’t just about gifts, it is about people first. God deliberately wants to bring diverse people under the lordship of Christ. Which means he will give gifts out to his people in such a way as to reinforce our need for every single one of us.

How do we approach the role of spiritual gifts in church? Do some people have more value because they appear to take more prominence? In this passage Paul lays the foundation for everything he will go on to say in 1 Corinthians 12-14 about spiritual gifts and our use of them in church life. Who is “spiritual”? Who is able to be of use in church life? What are gifts anyway, and what are they for? What Paul says here is essential to know before we dive into wider discussions about spiritual gifts.

God’s people have been brought together in Jesus, to be one people under him. Living this unity, as his church, is paramount. This means his people are to prioritise the maintaining of their unity, avoiding anything that damages or compromises it. To create divisions in God’s church goes against the very essence of what it is to be God’s people.

How should the freedom we have in Christ be expressed in church? As Paul turns his attention to the Corinthians’ public meetings, he begins by addressing the ways people were presenting themselves. Both men’s and women’s head covering practices were creating problems, but how does this relate to us? What do “heads”, head coverings, honour and shame have to teach us about how we should gather together?

As Christians, we are to flee from idolatry and false worship, instead worshipping God alone. And yet we are also commanded to go into the world to make disciples, becoming like people in order to win them. How do we manage that tension? How do we reach people engaging in false worship without joining them in their false worship? When it comes to becoming all things to all people, how far is too far?

In 1 Corinthians 10:1-13, the sad example of the exodus generation from Israel’s history serves as a warning for the church at Corinth. Just as then, we (unfortunately) have plenty of examples of people who have started well but failed to finish. The goal for all Christians is to hear those wonderful words from Jesus: “Well done, good and faithful servant.” May it be so.