Sermon Series: In ≠ Of
A Gospel-Shaped Church in the City
Sometimes Christians disagree. After spending the summer reflecting on a picture of the church in which everyone seems to have embraced a beautiful togetherness, we’re heading into more turbulent waters this fall. In Acts 2:42-47, the church seems to be firing on all cylinders—united and living out their faith in ways that led to rapid growth. Only 15 years later, the Apostle Paul founded a church in the city of Corinth where things didn’t go as smoothly.
In 1 Corinthians, Paul writes to a church in crisis to encourage them to be “perfectly united in mind and thought” as they find their identity in the Gospel. To address their divisions, Paul starts with the cross of Christ and reminds us to root our faith in who Jesus is and what he has done for us. Next, he dives into a series of questions and controversies that Christians were facing in Corinth. From tensions between rich and poor to questions related to sexuality, marriage, and singleness, Paul covers a range of issues that are as relevant to us as ever.
We are called to be in the world, but not of the world. What does it look like to lead distinctively Christian lives in a diverse, cosmopolitan city that worships self-gratification? Whether it’s Corinth or Toronto, Paul calls us to unity as one body in Christ—and then he urges us to use our gifts to build up the church and to serve God's mission. In the first chapter, he sums up the Gospel by saying “we preach Christ crucified” and, in the final chapter, he explains the hope of the resurrection and pictures the defeat of death. Throughout the letter, he navigates a list of cultural controversies by bringing us back again and again to a focus on Jesus Christ and his grace and truth.
I can’t wait to see how the Holy Spirit will use our study of 1 Corinthians to shape us as a church and to align us with his purposes in the city of Toronto.
—Rev. Alex
Let’s grow together through this series.
Check out the scripture. Listed below, or read ahead through 1 Corinthians.
Listen in Sunday. Catch up at soundcloud.com/knoxtoronto or Apple Podcasts anytime!
Debrief with your buds. Join a Home Church or get intentional in your conversations after church.
Reflect through the week. Jot down reflection q’s on Sundays, or follow us on Instagram for a refresher in the week.
Sunday Sermon Line Up
SEP 22 — 1 Cor. 1:1-3
SEP 29 — 1 Cor 1:4-17
SEP 6 — 1 Cor 1:18-2:5
OCT 13 — 1 Cor. 2:6-16
OCT 20 — 1 Cor 3:1-23
OCT 27 — Missions Sunday, Christian Clement-Schlimm preaching
NOV 3 — 1 Cor. 4:1-13
NOV 10 — 1 Cor. 4:14-21
NOV 17 — 1 Cor. 5:1-13
NOV 24 — 1 Cor. 6:1-11
We’ll loop back to 1 Corinthians in the new year after a break for Advent and Christmas.
