Well, it is, again, a blessing to be in the house of the Lord and to open up his word. If you're able to, if you could please stand, we're going to read our scripture for this evening. It's going to be 1 Corinthians chapter 6, 1 through 11. This is God's word. When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Do you not know that we are to judge the angels? How much more than matters pertaining to this life? So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church? I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers? But brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers. To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded, but you yourselves wrong and defraud, even your own brothers? Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived, neither sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you, 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. This is God's word. Can you join me in prayer? Heavenly Father, we thank you as we come to you on this evening, as we worship you in song, as we come to the preaching of your word. Be in this place through your spirit working within me, so that your word be acclaimed with clarity, with boldness. And I pray for your spirit to be working in the hearts of the people here. And Lord, we thank you, and we give all praise and glory and honor to your name. Amen. You may be seated. Well, growing up, I made one fatal mistake of asking this question to my parents. And if you're a child, please take note. And the question was, why can't I do what so-and-so do at their house at our house? And parents know the response is, because this isn't so-and-so's house. There was a point made by my parents who I lived under. There was a way that I was called to live that was different from how everyone else was supposed to live. And there was not gonna be any mixing of what people do outside of the house and what my parents would call me to do in their house. And why I bring this illustration up is to show that in our text tonight, we see that the Church of Corinth is allowing and doing worldly things within their congregation. We have seen that they allow sexual immorality to take place within the church by not excommunicating someone in chapter five. And now we see that there is another in-house issue that is taking place within the church. Now I want to make note, and I'm going to make this clear, the interpretation of this text is clear and specific, but the application of this text, it can be applied broadly within the church. Meaning, there is something that can be applied from this passage into our lives, both individually and as a congregation. We see that the main takeaway from this passage is that the church should not handle issues like the world. In handling issues like the world, the church loses its effectiveness in the world. In this text, we see four things. The first thing we see is the problem of handling issues like the world. From the very beginning, we see the main problem that Paul is bringing up is that there are brethren seeking to sue other brethren within the church, which itself already is a problem. But take it a step further, going into worldly courts to litigate and gain property and wealth from someone within the church. We see a problem like this in Luke. While Jesus is preaching, someone in the crowd yells at him, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me in Luke chapter 12. We see that this is a big concern for Paul. The question is why? Why is Paul concerned about this taking place within the church? And the main thing is that doing this brings mutiny to the name of Christ. In the Old Testament, it was frowned upon to look to the Gentile nations for any kind of knowledge and wisdom. It was said here that, in a commentary, if anyone brings the judgments of Israel before the Gentiles, he profanes the name of God and honors the name of an idol. To give more information about what was taking place during this time in Corinth, it was said that litigation was part of everyday life. It had become a form of a challenge and even entertainment. This process was starting private, just the brethren amongst each other, but then they would bring more people in to the point where it's almost a group of 40. Then if it failed there, it would go to the public courts. This would potentially be in the public eye, with everyone over the age of 30 taking place in this, which could be up to thousands. So you can imagine that these disputes among each other was being put on full display for the world to see. And that's not the main issue. Calvin says it simply, by bringing their disputes before the tribunals of the wicked, they by this means made the gospel contemptible and exposed it to derision. In other words, because they sought to handle their affairs like the selfish, sinful people of the world. All the world saw is just a bunch of people fighting tooth and nail to get whatever they wanted with a Christian label placed over their head. Living like the world, acting like the world, being selfish just like the world. But let's not be too quick to judge the Church of Corinth, because if we're not careful, we can put ourselves in the exact same boat. We may not sue each other, but do we harbor emotions towards someone else within the congregation that we're able to save face when we're at the job or on some kind of thing outside of the church and pretend like everything's okay there, but when we have these emotions within us at the church, We not only harbor it, but we even go to people outside the church and gossip about it. Or do you find yourself saying you're non-believing friends of the internal issues within the church, even asking, what do you think I should do in this situation? If we continue to do these things, then we are doing the exact same thing that the church in Corinth was doing at this time, making a mockery of Christ, and his body, the church. Paul then goes into reasons why there shouldn't even be any involvement of the worldly tribunals with church issues. Reasons why the church should be sufficient in handling issues like this within itself. But first I want to bring back to what we talked about last week. Last week in our exposition, we learned that the church, by the authority given by Christ, to excommunicate those who claim to be Christian and then proceed to live in blatant, open sin. So before we can go further to those reasons, Paul says that in chapter five, he has already shown that the church has authority to rightfully judge within itself or the purity of its believers. but back in our context in chapter six, verse two, or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Paul says that the church does not need to have unrighteous judges over the church because it's the church that will judge the nations. This is eschological not only in a grammar sense, but also we see this biblically throughout the Bible. Daniel 7, 18 and 22. But the saints of the most high shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever. And then verse 22, until the ancient of days came and judgment was given for the saints of the most high. And the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom. Revelations 2, 26. the one who conquers and who keeps my work until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations. So if we're able to judge the world in the end times, given that authority by Christ, shouldn't we be able to judge much smaller things, literally what it says by trivial? These smaller issues. But not only do we judge the world, but in verse three, we judge the angels. Not only do we judge these carnal beings, we also judge supernatural beings. Because Christ, as Hebrew says, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. And us being united to him, we not only have the authority to judge and excommunicate within the church and to judge the world during the end times, but we who are in Christ will reign with him and be seated above the angels. If this is the case, we should be able to judge smaller, more carnal matters, right? Because of these truths, the saints must be better at judging, handling worldly issues. But sadly, we see our next point, which is the problem. We see the reason why the church in this instant handles things like the world. Look at verse five. I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers? Now reading this, it comes off kind of sarcastic, because if you look back at chapter one, verse four, he's actually saying, I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge. There was understanding within the church gifted to them by God. So what was the issue here? They had people smart enough to, that have discernment within the church, so what's the problem here? Verse six, but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers. To have lawsuits at all with one another is already to defeat for you. That term for defeat is actually a law term for losing. When why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? But here's the issue, but you yourselves wrong and defraud even your own brothers. One, if not the main route for selfishness and greed to run rampant within the Christian church is a lack of gratitude for God's provision in our own lives. Because look at the spiritual gifts that was given to the church. We have authority to rule over the nations in Christ. We have the keys to the kingdom given to us by Christ. We rule over the angels because of our position in Christ. But to the people of Corinth, that isn't enough. They want earthly things along with the spiritual things. They're not doing what the author of Hebrew says in chapter 10, but recall the former days after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with suffering. Then down in verse 34, for you had compassion on those in prison and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. If we don't see Christ as our biggest prize, we will foolishly seek to gain temporary pleasures. We cannot fall into this trap, saints. We must be so grateful that in the kingdom of God, we rule with Christ, that everything else in this world does not gain our full affection. 1 John 2 15-17, we know this verse. Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loved the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the desires of the flesh, and the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with his desires. A Christian who sees God's provision, ultimately in the giving of his only begotten Son, seeing that is the greatest gift, that he, bearing our iniquity and shame on the cross and nailing it to the tree, sees that and says, that is enough for me. My grandmother, and I know many people know this statement, and she would say this so many times that I still remember it. I still remember her voice saying it. And this statement was, if God doesn't do anything else for me, He has already done more than enough. Now, she would say this, but she actually walked and lived this out. This was coming from a lady who had her valve on her heart detached and lived with a defibrillator in her heart to where you can hear a click every time her heart beat. This is coming from a lady who ran a candy store in our neighborhood. And it got broken into, but she didn't seek vengeance on the people who could have done it. This is a lady who dealt with Alzheimer's, who would forget names, forget addresses, forget where she was, but she would always remember who Jesus was, even to her last days. My brothers and sisters, I ask, is Jesus and his provision for your soul enough for you? Because the moment it isn't, the moment that you look at Christ and his redemption for your soul, and you desire more, left unchecked, you will do anything you want to get what you want. I wanna point something out here, and most of you guys know I'm a elementary school teacher by profession, and I don't like turning sermons into grammar lessons. But I want you to look at that term in verse eight. When it says you yourselves wrong, in that verse, that term wrong is where we get the term unjustly or to act unrighteously. Why is that important? Just hold on to that thought in a moment. But the way that the Corinthian church was acting unjustly toward one another was out of a selfish desire to gain what they wanted, even if it came to the expense of someone within the body of Christ. And if we do not tread lightly and constantly examine ourselves, this can lead us in the same direction. James 3, who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct, let him show his works in meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder in every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. What good is it for to have the mind of Christ, but not just forsake, but to seek harm against someone who Christ gave his life for? Why would I confess to love God, with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength, because I want more money and more property and more prestige, I'm willing to not just defame someone, but to extort someone out of something I want in public courts. Making a mockery of the God that I say I worship, but dividing the body of Christ. making the gospel look insufficient and contemptible. This is why Paul was adamant about this, and this is why we must constantly examine ourselves for selfish intentions. Philippians 2.3, do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. This should be the rung in which we hang our hat, church. The church should be marked by this. So first we see the problem of handling issues like the world. It brings mutiny into the famed Christ. We see why the church handles issues like the world for its selfish desires. Then we see the fate of the world in verses 9 and 10. Remember what I told you, I talked about in verse 8, when it says wrongly. Here's the connection here. The Corinthian church was acting unrighteously because of their selfish greed and immaturity. And here, Paul lays down the eternal reality of those who practice such things. The world seeks to gain socially and devoid of the commands of God. They are bent on doing things they desire, and if push comes to shove, they will do anything within their power to get what they want. And the fate of those who constantly seek to feed their desire outside of Christ is that they will not inherit eternal life and will spend all their eternal days paying for their sin. And Paul's saying to the Corinthian church, you need to wake up and realize this. Do not be fooled. No one who seeks out to gain their fill outside of Christ will be able to inherit the kingdom of God. No one who seeks to get their satisfaction out of the one true God, who all of mankind was made for, no one will be able to inherit his internal kingdom and live. And the application is simple. Do you see what the wages of sin are? Do you see what a life constantly striving for things outside of God, what the end of the road is? All have fallen short of the glory of God. All of us like sheep have gone astray. Each of us has turned to our own selfish ways. And outside of Christ, all we have to look forward to is the all-consuming wrath of God. But there's hope. There is a statement that that gives hope, it tells us the standing of the church in verse 11. And such were some of you. You were constantly doing these things. This wasn't a, I fooled around and did a few times, no. The Greek there says you were continually, actively doing these things. but you were washed. As what Paul says in Acts 22, your sins were washed away. As Hebrews 10 says, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. You were sanctified, you were walking in the path of the world, enjoying the fruit of evil. You have been called out of the darkness into his marvelous light. You have been set apart by him. You've been set apart by him and for him, but you were justified. You're not only acting unrighteously, but were an unjust sinner in the eyes of God, and were made righteous in the name of Jesus Christ. And to make sure of that, you were also given the spirit of our God that allows us to cry out, Abba, Father, letting us know that we are indeed children of God. How is this applied? To the non-believer, this is your only hope. This is the only way you can stand. Outside of Christ, there is no hope for you. You can only be washed by placing your faith, repenting and turning from your sin and placing your faith in Christ and Christ alone. But for the believer, I would like to read this quote by Calvin. And if they, meaning believers, have any sense of God, how can they but dread, once purified, to wallow once more in the mire, so as to disturb and poison, as much as they can, the purity of this fountain? I have washed my feet, says a believing soul, according to Solomon, how shall I defile them anew? In other words, we have been justified before God, been set apart by God and given all the spiritual blessings in the heavenly realm, why will we turn back to the selfish, sinful lifestyle that Christ redeemed us from? This illustration, it's like someone who's fighting for a country that he finds out is corrupt by nature and has been doing so much wrong. And he decides to go to the righteous nation, and the righteous army wants to fight for them. And after he gets done fighting, he goes back to the corrupt nation and decides to continue to live there. Christians, we have been, if before we were in Christ, we were children of wrath, fighting against the things of God, and God, by His grace, regenerated us. justified us, sanctified us, and we seek to be glorified in Him. We desire not to do the things that we were saved from. We wouldn't seek to live for the world, but we have been made children of God. We desire to be made more in the image of Christ. And if we are children of God, who have the Spirit of God dwelling within us, then we have more than enough to handle whatever squabble takes place within the church. We still have the flesh, the world, and the devil seeking to cause division among us. But I'm thankful that the same God that continues to work in us to mortify our selfish, sinful flesh, his work will come to fruition. He will finish his work in us, individually and as a body. We may never be perfect as a church, but I know that with God all things are possible, and he will finish the work at which he started. That his entire body, his church, and his bride will one day present us without spot or blemish to himself in eternity. And that is what we must seek. That is what we must desire, to uplift one another, to love one another in the knowledge and wisdom given to us by Christ. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you so much for your word. Lord, we know that in times of our selfish desires, we seek for the things to feed our flesh. And we know that sin doesn't just impact us, it impacts others. And sometimes in our selfishness, we could be prone to doing that. Heavenly Father, I pray that your spirit work in us that we see the beauty in Christ and what he has done for us as our truest treasure. May our lives be marked by humility, by a unselfishness, a willingness to love others before we seek to gratify ourselves. And God, I just pray that those who do not know you, that we as a church can continue to proclaim this gospel of truth in a loving way so that they can come to know you as well. That they can become part of this body of Christ that will not just be here at this time period, but for ages to come in eternity. Lord, we thank you for your word. We thank you.