The Corinthian church had been extraordinarily gifted by the Holy Spirit. Why weren’t they moving in a good direction? They weren’t seeking to serve each other with the gifts they had been given. The great synchronizer of the gifts, love, was sadly lacking. This message was given at Memory Chapel on Sunday July, 17, 2022.

By his Spirit the Lord has given the members of his Body gifts by which they might serve one another in love. But some in the Corinthian church had failed to use their spiritual gifts for the benefit of each other. Indeed, it seems that they had developed an infatuation with some of the gifts that Paul would consider lower priority gifts. Having admonished them in the previous chapter to desire the greater gifts that serve the greatest good for the greatest number of the Body of Christ, he now proposes to show them a better way to live and use the gifts of the Spirit.

One God, one Lord, one Spirit has gifted and equipped each member of Christ’s Body to serve each other in love.

What do you think would be the greatest gift that could possibly be requested or given? Jesus tells us what he thinks it is. This message was originally delivered at Memory Chapel on Sunday June 26, 2022.

Paul issues a call to the Corinthians church. A call to identify the Body. Their self-centered attitudes and behaviors have blinded them to their own brothers and sisters - the Body of Christ! Recognize the Body of Christ for the precious thing it is and love one another. This message was originally delivered at Memory Chapel on Sunday June 12, 2022.

Jesus visits his hometown synagogue and provokes a violent response. Why? What set them off?

1 Corinthians 11:1-16. The previous chapter supplied us with three guiding principles: 1) we are not to seek our own God but rather the good of others. 2) We are to do all things to the glory of God. 3) We ought not create stumbling blocks or obstacles for others to come to faith in Christ but should instead clear the path to give them the best opportunity to respond to the gospel. These three principles will be key to our understanding of a rather difficult passage in today’s message. This sermon was originally delivered at Memory Chapel on Sunday June 6, 2022.

1 Corinthians 10. A Word of Warning. “Christ has set us free from the requirement of the Law,” was perhaps the protest of some in Corinth who wished to engage in things that were stumbling blocks for others. “Christ has set us free to do as we ought, not merely as we please!” This might be a good way of summarizing Paul’s response to their assertion. And so the Apostle directs their attention (and ours) to the sobering example of Old Testament Israel. That ancient people of God had had a salvation experience, a baptism experience, and a communion experience when the Lord brought them out of Egyptian bondage; yet they continually provoked the Lord through sin, idolatry, and unbelief and tested the limits of his forbearance. Their faithless attitudes and actions had serious consequences. Paul points the Corinthians (and us) to consider the tragic example of rebellious Israel and forced the Christian to ponder the question, “Do I really want to test Christ through unfaithfulness and sin?” This sermon was originally delivered at Memory Chapel on 05-29-2022.

Mother’s Day 2022. “A few interesting details”. Living in a time when there is much controversy over ‘choosing pronouns’ it’s important to remember that God has chosen His. He has chosen to reveal himself to his people as Father. But today we look at ways that the Living God has used interesting word pictures from a feminine perspective to communicate some of his nurturing qualities. And it really shouldn’t surprise the careful student of scripture because after all, he made humanity in his image - male AND female - to reflect the glory of the unseen God to the visible realm. And that’s what we’re talking about today. This sermon was originally delivered at Memory Chapel on May 8, 2022, Mother’s Day.

This sermon on 1 Corinthians 9 was originally delivered at Memory Chapel on Sunday May 1, 2022. Christ has set us free by fulfilling the righteous requirement of the Law. So does that mean the Christian is free to do as she pleases? In explaining the obligation each member of the Body of Christ has for each other, Paul uses himself and his own ministry as a practical example of what it looks like to not avail yourself of your own prerogatives but to instead seek the good of others.