TITLE: Words for Kingdom Judges TEXT: I Corinthians 6:1-20 THEME: As citizens of the Kingdom the believer needs to make wise moral judgments.

Question: What alternative value system do you offer? "I believe everyone ought to be free to do his own thing."

Question: What alternative value system do you offer? "I believe everyone ought to be free to do his own thing." Sproul I then asked, "Does that include your mother?"

Response "Maybe your mother's `thing' is to harass children by shoving religion down their throats," I said. "How can you possibly object to that?" (R.C. Sproul. How Should I Live in This World? (Kindle Locations 58-63).

I. In the coming Kingdom we will be judges. (1-6)

I Corinthians 6:1-6 6 “If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people? 2 Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!

I Corinthians 6:1-6 4 “will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! 4 Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church? 5 I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? 6 But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers.”

I. In the coming Kingdom we will be judges. (1-6) A. In present disputes between believers we need to make wise judgements

I. In the coming Kingdom we will be judges. (1-6) A. In present disputes between believers we need to make wise judgements B. The criteria for our judgements are different from those of the world.

Romans 14:16-18 “16 Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, “

Romans 14:16-18 “because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval. 19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.”

I. In the coming Kingdom we will be judges. (1-6) A. In present disputes between believers we need to make wise judgements B. The criteria for our judgements are different from those of the world. C. The issues of this world are trivial and temporal when contrasted to eternal things.

Kenny Luck, “The Deadly Deception of Sexual Atheism in the Church.” “In a recent study conducted by Christian Mingle “Christian singles between the ages of 18 to 59 were asked, "Would you have sex before marriage?" The response? Sixty-three percent of the single Christian respondents indicated yes.”

Kenny Luck, “The Deadly Deception of Sexual Atheism in the Church.” “It is equally honest to say that nearly nine out of 10 self-proclaimed single Christians are, in practice, sexual atheists. In other words, God has nothing to say to them on that subject of any consequence or, at least, anything meaningful enough to dissuade them from following their own course of conduct. It is the ultimate oxymoron

Kenny Luck, “The Deadly Deception of Sexual Atheism in the Church.” “A person who at once believes in a wise, sovereign and loving God who created them and all things, can also believe simultaneously He should not, cannot or will not inform their thinking or living sexually. It reminds me of those famous red letters in Luke's Gospel where Jesus says, "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord' and do not do what I say?" (Luke 6:46, NIV).

C.S. Lewis, “The Weight of Glory” “It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

II. It is better to wronged than to be subject to worldly judges. (7-11)

I Corinthians 6: “The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? 8 Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters. 9 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived:”

I Corinthians 6:7-11 “Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

I Corinthians 6:7-11 “11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

II. It is better to wronged than to be subject to worldly judges. (7-11) A. The presence of lawsuits among believers means we have already failed as judges.

II. It is better to wronged than to be subject to worldly judges. (7-11) A. The presence of lawsuits among believers means we have already failed as judges. B. How can we be examples to the world if we cannot have unity among ourselves?

II. It is better to wronged than to be subject to worldly judges. (7-11) A. The presence of lawsuits among believers means we have already failed as judges. B. How can we be examples to the world if we cannot have unity among ourselves? C. Wrongdoers on this earth will not inherit Gods Kingdom- you will.

Judge Paul Herbert ‘The Holy Spirit continues to reveal how much I've been forgiven, and how similar I am to the individuals that come before me. That's really hard to say! [My] job is to judge. But the farther I go along [in my faith], the more I realize that I'm just like most of them—and that makes me more understanding, more kind, more merciful.’”

III. We are to use our freedom for the benefit of all. (12-20)

I Corinthians 11: “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. 13 You say, “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.” The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.

I Corinthians 11:12-20 “14 By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! 16 Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.” 17 But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit. “

I Corinthians 11:12-20 “18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”

III. We are to use our freedom for the benefit of all. (12-20) A. Your body belong to God.

III. We are to use our freedom for the benefit of all. (12-20) A. Your body belong to God. 1. It is to be used for God- not physical pleasures.

Kenneth Luck “Practical sexual atheism among Christians says God can speak into some things but not sex. This ultimate expression of self-deception and loss of mind goes all the way back to the garden, when a certain character asked Adam and Eve: "Did God really say that?"

III. We are to use our freedom for the benefit of all. (12-20) A. Your body belong to God. 1. It is to be used for God- not physical pleasures. 2. In sex we unite our bodies with something.

Genesis 2:24 “24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.”

III. We are to use our freedom for the benefit of all. (12-20) A. Your body belong to God. 1. It is to be used for God- not physical pleasures. 2. In sex we unite our bodies with something. B. Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit.

III. We are to use our freedom for the benefit of all. (12-20) A. Your body belong to God. 1. It is to be used for God- not physical pleasures. 2. In sex we unite our bodies with something. B. Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. 1. In uniting with a prostitute the two become one flesh.

III. We are to use our freedom for the benefit of all. (12-20) A. Your body belong to God. 1. It is to be used for God- not physical pleasures. 2. In sex we unite our bodies with something. B. Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. 1. In uniting with a prostitute the two become one flesh. 2. God but we sin against our own body, a body that belongs to God and now ourselves.

Three-year-old Katie "No, Jesus is in my heart. Barney is on my underwear."

APPLLICATION: 1. Let us not miss the overall tone of the passage. We are called to be judges, to make discernments about what is or is not righteous. But it is not for the purpose of condemning (that is God’s role) but to see and expose sin for what it is and to direct people to the Kingdom and how to get there.

APPLLICATION: 2. Paul says in I Timothy 1:15, “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

APPLLICATION: 3. Remember: You will inherit the Kingdom. Therefore, let’s not get so obsessed with the things of this world that we lose out or fail to make people aware of the greatness of the Kingdom.

Major David Dixon Some military experts believe that the murder could have been prevented if just one other Marine in that unit had the courage to confront their fellow-soldier and hold him accountable. It would have taken only four simple words: "Marines don't do that."

Citizens of the Realm Our calling as citizens of the realm has a similar responsibility as we seek to live out our lives here on earth? I pray that we can be free to say, “Citizens of the Realm don’t do that.”