1. 3. The Letters of Paul (1) Groups Books available Kindle version
Family Guide – 40 days.
Audio available (free on website and on itunes)
1-2 Cor. Galatians
Back story to Corinth
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2. 4 miles
Corinth
IF you are traveling between Europe to Asia, What do you do?
Travel distances 4 miles by land. 200 miles by sea.
Peloponese – size of Massachusetts
Sea travel very treacherous.
So they devised a way to help ships save time and avoid danger. They dragged boats across the 4 mile strip.
Lots of trade through there.
So, that’s the location. Here is more detail about the city.
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200 miles

3. Corinth Wealthy. High interest in athletics, drama, and music.
Far from God.
Church was divided and immoral.
Because of its position:
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Wealthy
Great trading and commercial centers of the ancient world
2. High interest in athletics, drama and music
The Ithsmium games held there every 2 years, second only to the Olympics
3. Far from God
Sexual confusion.
Prostitution, same sex, incest.
Temple of Aphrodite, (Roman goddess Venus) temple prostitutes (by day) prostitutes for hire (by night).
4. Church was divided and immoral
This is a short summary of the spiritual climate there.
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4. The Problem in Corinth
Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality,  or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God.  
P. 133 (1 Cor. 6:9-10)
Those who indulge in sexual sin: pornos - a person who is habitually or frequently involved in illegitimate sexual activities.
Skip to adultery – sex between one married person and someone else who is not a spouse.
male prostitutes,/ practice homosexuality. The ESV has “men who practice homosexuality” That is good. It actually refers to the passive participant, and the active participant in homosexual activity.
Worship idols – serving any false god.
Thieves – klepto – stealing from an entity
Cheat – literally means to prey on someone – extortion. Stealing from a person.
Guy who stayed with Wally – stole him blind. Greed – simply wanting more all the time. An addiction to more. In the extreme it is seen as being a hoarder.
Drunkard – substance abuse. Alcohol, drugs.
Abusive – very loud, verbally abusive person.
What’s in your heart comes out your mouth.
When a person is caught up in sexual sin; habitual, adulterous, acting out in same sex,
Or in thievery, greed, addictions and substance abuse,
Treat people terribly, abusive or cheating.
What do they need?
If you think about the ultimate goals of God and Satan, as found in John 10:10,
The thief comes to rob, Kill, destroy. That is what is going on here. Anyone who is caught in this kind of life knows the kind of death that is experienced.
Death of innocence. Death of bodily health. Death of a clear conscience. Death of trust of people. Death of relationships. Death of favor with people.
And ultimately eternal death, apart from the kingdom of God.
So it isn’t just a problem in Corinth, it is our problem too.
If our life looks like this, What do we need?
Rather than a life that looks like that, what do we need?
Actually what we see here is not the main problem. C. S. Lewis actually points to what the real problem is.
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5. “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.”
- 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.”
- C.S. Lewis: The Weight of Glory
So the people in Corinth were too easily pleased. They tried all kinds of things to make them happy. But in actuality, they were settling for something far less than what God offers. In other words, he is saying we are settling for a cheap imitation, when we could have a real life. What does real life look like?
There is some good news! As we look at 1 & 2 Corinthians, as well as Galatians, Paul by the Spirit of God offers us some great, great news.
God has a life that is way different than the bondage and destruction described here. That text goes on to say some important things that point us to the beautiful contrast, the way better option that Jesus provides for us. What does real life look like?
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6. 1. New Life 2. Freedom Some of you were once like that…
But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. P. 133 (1 Cor. 6:11)
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! P. 156 (2 Cor. 5:17)
Some of you were once like that…
Like what?
Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, commit adultery, Involved in practicing homosexuality,  or are thieves, or greedy people, or
Addicted drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people.
Notice it is past tense.
Paul is saying that they are not like that anymore. Why?
CLICK New Life. Real life, not an imitation, is a new life. Not stuck in the old life.
Our vision statement at Riverwood is “lives transformed through hope in Christ.
That means we are being made new.
What did you used to be like?
We have former addicts, people with huge sex issues, etc. If you know Jesus, what did you used to be like?
We sang the song no longer slaves. Past tense. Paul insists that we are different when we come to Christ.
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This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)
But you were cleansed; Freed from the stain of sin.
you were made holy: sanctification – freed from the power of sin.
you were made right with God - freed from the penalty of sin.
by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:11 (NLT)
That brings us to the second way Jesus brings a real life rather than a cheap imitation.
CLICK – FREEDOM
When we come to know Jesus, we not only have a new life, but we are free. Wow.
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7. 2. Freedom
So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery... P. 172 (Gal. 5:1) For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. P. 172 (Gal. 5:13)
So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery... P. 172 (Gal. 5:1)
Truly set us free. Free from the penalty and power of sin. Free from a
People who know Jesus sometimes get caught up going back to a shallow, imitation life, even when they have seen real life. How sad.
Slavery, a huge word. We have a blight on our land about racial slavery. That is completely awful. Think about the way our African American brothers and sisters were treated. Awful.
Can you imagine how it must have felt to have been a slave, and was finally set free? Unbelievable.
Now imagine a slave wanting to go back to bondage. That would make no sense. But sometimes it happened. Sometimes a slave did not know how to live as a free person. This is just so sad.
We don’t want to return to slavery. We don’t ever want to allow recidivism to happen. Spiritual atrophy, becoming luke-warm.
One way to keep strong in the Lord is to serve the Lord. Look at what Paul goes on to say.
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For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. P. 172 (Gal. 5:13)
In other words, you can do so much with your time, energy, and talents. You are free to use them in whatever way you want.
We are called to not be free to serve our own interests, but especially those of others.
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8. 3. Power
And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit.  I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God. 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 (NLT)
For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power. 1 Corinthians 4:20 (NLT)
And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit.  I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God. 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 (NLT)
Sometimes we rely on the wisdom of the world, rather than the power of God.
Paul was about the power of God.
He gives us the power to resist temptation.
The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NLT)
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For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power. 1 Corinthians 4:20 (NLT)
Hebrews tells us that Jesus upholds the universe by the word of his power.
Peter tells us that his power has given us everything we need for life and godliness.
Romans tells us that God’s power gives us hope.
Isaiah tells us that he gives power to the weak.
Jesus gave the disciples power and authority to heal and cast out demons.
The power of God raised Jesus from the dead!
We need God’s power in our lives.
With God all things are possible.
Last week we had many people come forward for prayer. We were able to see God’s power in action.
Maybe you have seen God’s power in other ways too.
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9. Of New Life Of Freedom Of Power
Our Stories
Of New Life
Of Freedom
Of Power
Our stories (Testimonies)
Of New Life
Of Freedom
Of Power
Worship team come forward, begin playing underneath
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10. Your Story: what do you most need today?
New Life
Freedom
Power
Your Story: what do you most need today?
New Life
Freedom
Power
Prayer for each aspect
Move into closing song – reprise of Resurrection Power
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