A Tale of Two Churches

TEXT:  Rom. 16:16

INTRODUCTION:

A.      NO GREATER CONTRAST THAN BETWEEN CORINTH AND JERUSALEM.

          1.       Corinth was Gentile - Jerusalem was Jewish.

          2.       Corinth was immoral - Jerusalem was a bastion of morality.

          3.       Corinth was imaginative and inventive - Jerusalem stedfast in tradition.

C.      THIS CONTRAST SEEN IN THE CONGREGATIONS IN THOSE CITIES.

I.      CORINTH WAS FULL OF DISORDER.

A.      THEIR LIVES WERE IMPURE.

          1.       They tolerated the most sinful( 1 Cor. 5:1-2 ).

          2.       Impurity exemplified in this act( 6:1-10 ).

          3.       Not the only example.

B.      THEY ALLOWED THEIR WORSHIP TO BE CORRUPTED( 11:17-22, 30 ).

C.      THEY WERE UNSOUND IN THE "BASICS."

          1.       The resurrection( 15:12 ).

          2.       Foolish questions( 15:35-38 ).

          3.       No answer, argumentative speculation( 2 Tim. 2:14-18, 23 ).

D.      DIVISION!

          1.       Doctrinal division evident.

                   a.       9 or 10 distinct issues.

                   b.       ( 7:1 ).  They wrote to him for answers.

          2.       Personal divisions.

                   a.       "Puffed up"( 4:6;  5:2 ).

                   b.       The Lord's Supper( 11:17-22 ). Economic & social rifts.

                             c.       Spiritual gifts( ch 12 - 14 ).

                   3.       God's reaction?

                             a.       Root of the problem( 3:1-3 ).

                             b.       Solution( 1:10-12;  4:6 ).

E.      REPENTANCE WAS EVIDENT IN 2 Corinthians.

II.     JERUSALEM WAS A "SOUND" CHURCH.

A.      FOUNDED & SUSTAINED BY GOSPEL PREACHING( Acts 2:36, 40; 5:42  ).

B.      STEDFAST( 2:42;  1 Cor. 15:58 ).

C.      UNIFIED( 2:44;  1 Cor. 1:10 ).

D.      MANIFESTED THEIR MUTUAL LOVE( 2:44-45;  1 John 3:16-18 ).

E.      THEY ENJOYED THEIR FELLOWSHIP( 2:46; Rom. 12:10; 1 Cor. 15:33 ).

F.      INFLUENCE( 2:47 ), good( 1 Thes. 1:8-10 ), or bad( Rev. 3:1 ).

G.      THEY FACED DIFFICULTY( Acts 2:44-45;  8:1;  Heb. 10:32f. ).

H.      IN SPITE OF THIS, THEY WERE A GROWING CHURCH( Acts 2:47;  4:4 ).

I.       ZEAL AND FAITH.

          1.       Acts 8:4;  Titus 2:14,  3:1.

          2.       Phil. 4:13.

CONCLUSION:

A.      WHICH CHURCH SHOULD WE BE LIKE?  WE CAN GO EITHER WAY!

B.      ARE YOU A MEMBER?( Acts 2:47;  1 Cor. 12:13 ).