1. 1 Division within the church

2. 2 The importance of the gospel…
The Gospel is…
Foolish to those who are unsaved
A Christian’s primary message
A Christian's primary role
Only received by revelation by Holy Spirit
Is All powerful…

3. 3 Moral Purity 5 reasons we are to live in purity
Christians are children of the King
Immorality has personal consequences
Our sin can harm others
Unchecked Immorality spreads
Immorality destroys our witness…

4. 4. Sex, Marriage, Divorce, Singleness, Eligibility for marriage, Godly Engagement
Sex was God’s idea, and is pure
within His parameters
Both Marriage & Singleness are valid choices
Christians must marry other Christians
Purity while engaged lays a foundation for God’s blessing on a marriage

6. 1 Corinthians 8
4So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one… 5….for us there is but one God…. 7But not everyone knows this. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat such food they think of it as having been sacrificed to an idol, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. 8But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.

7. 1 Corinthians 8
9Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. 

8. 1 Corinthians 9
1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord? 2Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. 4the right to food and drink? … 5… to take a believing wife… 6 Or is it only I and Barnabas who must work for a living? 7Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk? 9“Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” 12If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more?...

9. 1 Corinthians 9
12…But we did not use this right. (& v15But I have not used any of these rights.) 19Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.27No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

10. 1 Corinthians 10
1For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea.2They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3They all ate the same spiritual food 4and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. 5Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert. 7“The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry.” 8 they committed sexual immorality, …–and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. 9 they tested God’s patience by complaining about the food quality and water…–and many were killed by snakes. 10 They grumbled against God–and were killed by the destroying angel. 11These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.

11. 1 Corinthians 10
The Believer’s Freedom 23“Everything is permissible”–but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible”–but not everything is constructive. 24Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. 25Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience,26for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.” 31So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God– 33even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. …Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

12. Invitations of Christ
NB: we don’t benefit from an invitation unless we accept it and act
1/ To enter into His rest… (the Gospel)
Join His family… a sense of belonging…
Take on a new name… a new sense of identity…
Be at Peace with God
Be forgiven … to be “right with God”
Rest … Matt 11:28“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

13. Invitations of Christ 2/ To be made whole
When you become a Christian… you are immediately forgiven… but you were not immediately made whole… this process takes time
Holy Spirit power…
Spiritual gifts… Effective prayer
Healing… Physical, Emotional & Spiritual
from past hurts & wounds
Forgiveness- freeing us from bitterness, resentment, revenge …
Deliverance… setting free from demonic affliction
Generational curses…
Power to overcome addictions and habits
Authority to declare blessing
Authority to bind the devils activity

14. Invitations of Christ
3/ Discipleship… to partner with Jesus in His mission to rescue the lost…
Mark 16: He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.
You and I are invited to partner with Jesus in His mission to rescue the lost…
“Missio Dei” ie God is a sending God

15. Invitations of Christ 4/ Self-denial, slavery and death
An invitation to unlimited and unqualified commitment and devotion…
Surrendering every area of life to the Lordship of Christ
1 Cor 9:19Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.
Matt 16:24Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.