The Cross Shaped Life
- The real problem in Corinth
- Lack of Focus on the Cross of Jesus Christ
- Focus on Human Leaders
- Focus on Themselves
- Over-Realized Eschatology
- They had the wrong answer to the question, “What time is it?
- Jewish View of the Messianic Age
- The mystery of the Church Age – Inaugurated Eschatology
- They had too much “already” in their “not yet.”
- Message of 1 Corinthians
The life we live in the present age needs to be “Cross-shaped” as we trust King Jesus and live out his example by the power of the Holy Spirit by..
Serving as an Extension of Christ
Serving Others
Serving The Gospel
Serving to Build Up the Body of Christ
Motivated by the truth that we will be resurrected and rule with the ascended Christ in the age to come.
- Jesus’ “Gospel Acts”
- Incarnation: “In the Holy Spirit we can know God with the same kind of immediacy that Abraham enjoyed. But how can this be? Because in Jesus Christ, God did not send a substitute or a surrogate, no angelic mediation, no merely human go-between. In Jesus Christ, God, the one and only God, came himself.”
- Crucified: Paid for the sin of the world
- Resurrected: Defeated Sin and Death
- Ascended: Presently Rules and Distributes the Spirit
- Return: Will come again to consummate the Messianic Age
- 5 Essential Elements of Paul’s Gospel
- God has raised from the dead Jesus, the crucified Messiah (King), vindicating his claim to be one with the Father.
- Jesus has been exalted to the right hand of the Father but is still vitally connected to his people on earth through the Holy Spirit. This began the “already.”
- The risen Christ will come again in power and glory to fulfill all the messianic prophecies of the old covenant, bringing history to a climactic closure in a display of divine judgment and wrath. This will begin the “not yet.”
- In the meantime (“already”), God has opened the door of salvation for Gentiles as well as Jews. Paul, and we, have been commissioned to herald this good news to all persons.
- The basis for acceptance with God, for Jews and Gentiles alike, is justification by faith apart from the works of the law
- Adapted from Timothy George, Galatians. The New American Commentary p. 122
- Jesus’ Gospel Life
- Jesus lived fully as a human being, without sin, in the power of the Spirit
- As Jesus taught, healed and lived in the power of the Spirit, the Messianic Kingdom broke into the world.
- Jesus focused on his mission: the cross
- Luke 9.51: As the time drew near for him to ascend to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.
- Jesus becomes the missional example!
- Our Gospel Lifestyle
- We live in the “already” in which the kingdom is breaking into this world through us.
- We must also live “cross-shaped” lives
- Our Gospel Lifestyle
- We must live as an extension of Christ’s body into the world.
- We must have Jesus’ missional focus Luke 9.62
- Christ has provided all we need 1.1-9
- Kingdom focus: “Die to Self”
- Give away power, position, prestige
- We must live to serve others.
- Lawsuits: Give up the right to be right 6
- Marriage: Give up the right to my person 7
- Love: “Living for the benefit of others under Jesus’ Kingship” 13
- We must live to serve the Gospel.
- I give up freedoms and rights in order to reach people with the Gospel 9.22
- Everything Paul writes need to be understood according to this concept
- We may even need to give up “kingdom rights” or experiences. 14.23, 34
- We must live to build up the body of Christ
- I give up rights to help my weaker brother or sister 8
- We discipline in order to restore 5
- We worship and exercise spiritual gifts, not to show off, but to build unity and serve the body 12, 14
- When you do crucified ministry, resurrection will break out all around you.
- The motivation
- Crucifixion in God’s program leads to resurrection – Death is Defeated
- We participate in Christ’s victory
- Everything Cross-shaped action we do is worthwhile and meaningful
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