January 25 Sermon from Pastor Donald Nwankwo

Let us pray. Our gracious Father, we return to your Word. We want to live in your Word.

Your Word gives life. Where else can we find life but in you, O Lord?

Pray that your written Word and your Word proclaimed may today shine light on your Word

incarnate. May we see Jesus clearer, that we may follow him closer. In Jesus' name, Amen.

If someone were to walk into TLC, if someone were to walk into our church for the first time,

there are things that would be obvious to them. There are a few things that they would see. It's

obvious. It's visual. First of all, we're a church, not a restaurant or a library.

We're a church, but they would see from our sign outside that we're an Anglican church.

And then they come inside, they would notice in a short while that we're a liturgical church.

Our worship is ordered in a certain way. The signage all around the building,

they probably notice that we have a non-English translation in our signage. And for a fuller

church, when we're fuller, they would notice that our congregation is diverse.

And once they get seated and look up there, there's no doubt that the altar is center front

of the sanctuary and so on. There are things that are visual, that they can see. And every

organization hopes that the things that are visual about them in churches can tell the truth

about who they are. And some of this is what they would call overt culture. The overt culture

of the church are the things that can be identified easily. There's also something

else that they call the covert culture of the church. These are the inner dynamics that work

around an organization, a church. We're talking about churches today, so we'll stay on church.

These are the inner dynamics that work around. You don't see them the first day. They're not

visual, but it takes a while. But once you've entered into the organization,

those things begin to show up, and they are powerful in telling who the organization

really is. For example, who are the people that hold power? What are the kinds of things that

they reward? And what kinds of things do they punish? Are people free to speak? If you speak,

how do the people hear sound? How do people relate to one another? Are there dynamics that

are unhealthy? These are what you can call the covert culture of the church.

Paul's letter to the Corinthians, the first letter to the Corinthians, is sometimes described as

occasional. It's called occasional not because it happens once in a while,

but it's called occasional because Paul is trying to address a whole range of issues

that are specific to that church. He is writing to an occasion in that church. And if you've ever

read the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians, you might be surprised at the wide range of issues

he covers in just a few chapters. It's so wide, divisions in church, avoiding becoming

a personality-driven church between Apollos and Paul, sexual immorality, church discipline,

lawsuits among parishioners, marriage, single life, head coverings, food sacrifice to idols,

the Lord's Supper, exercise of spiritual gifts, even the resurrection. He covers

a wide range of issues. And in some ways, reading 1 Corinthians can feel like bouncing from one

topic to the other. And sometimes we say there's no thread that connects them, but if you wanted

to thread the entire letter together, I feel, I believe that you can narrow down Paul's concern,

or you can narrow down Paul's heart in 1 Corinthians to two things.

How can we do the common life well? Number one, how can we do life together

well as the body of Christ? And number two, how can our common life be transformative

for the people in it? How can our common life be transformative for the people there? So Paul

is looking to see the Corinthians do the common life together, because God calls us into a family,

God calls us into a group. One of the biggest challenges, I think, for those living in the West,

it comes a bit more naturally for communal societies where I'm from, but for those living

in the West, I think one of the big challenges that you'll encounter is when we come into church

to realize that we all become part of a bigger body, and so we think communally and not individually.

Last week, we considered the body of Christ as a worshiping community. We are called to be a

worshiping community. Today, we're going to consider the body of Christ as a transforming

community, as a transforming community. I believe in my heart, deep in my heart,

that it is the intention of God, it is the will of God that when we come together,

parts of our old self will begin to drop away, and we experience a transformation that is based

on the gospel, and that transformation happens in God's school, and this life together is God's

school. Life together is God's classroom where it happens, that in this place, there will be

transformation by the sheer fact of doing life together, by the sheer fact of our common life

together. As we all know, 1 Corinthians 12 talks a lot about spiritual gifts,

and I'm going to stick to my confession booth because I'm going to begin with a confession,

but it speaks largely to the idea of spiritual gifts and the exercise of them in the church.

It uses the metaphor of a body, the analogy of a body, and Paul is basically teaching

us some things. It reminds us that the reason it's a body is because it brings together. It's

an organism that brings together many parts, so I have the eyes, I have ears, I have hands,

I have knees, I have toes. It brings together, but it's a single organism, so Paul ultimately

teaches that it's a body because it has many parts, but it's also a body because the parts

are not independent of each other, but here's my confession. Starting out the week, I felt pretty

sure where I was going to go with this passage. It doesn't happen to me every week, but it has

happened a few times, and the more it happens, the more I think I can tell when my spirit starts

wrestling with where I was going to go, and somewhere around, you know, the God Spirit also

operates in a different time zone, so by Friday, I started yielding to the struggle

because I wasn't very enthusiastic about changing as someone I thought was ready,

but by Friday, I yielded because I was struggling, and here's where I believe I was taking.

I was going to focus on how we can be different parts, but one body, different, not independent,

but by yesterday morning, I became very sure that my focus was not going to be on the things that

Paul was already affirming in the passage, but my focus was going to be on the things that Paul

was concerned about in the passage for the church. If you walked into the Corinthian

church for the first time on a Sunday morning, there are a few things that would impress you.

It was a dynamic church. I mean, I know that Paul had already opened up their belly,

and we can see a lot of the stuff that's going on in there, but it was a dynamic church. It was an

impressive church. It was a charismatic church, and if you met them on a Sunday morning during

worship, you would love them. Spiritual gifts were in abundance. I mean, some of them naturally, a

lot of them were supernatural. I mean, they had people that would prophesy on a given Sunday

and speak word that the Spirit had given to them. They had people that spoke and prayed

in tongues, and not only that, they had a few other people that by the power of the Holy Spirit

interpreted tongues and languages that they did not know initially. It was a vibrant community.

Paul himself said it. If you were looking for a church that was deeply, deeply gifted, go to the

Corinthian church. Paul opened up in his prayers. When he was praying for them in the very opening

of his letter, he said, I always thank my God for you because of His grace given to you in Jesus

Christ. For in Christ, you've been enriched in every way with all kinds of speech and with all

kinds of knowledge. God is confirming our testimony about Christ among you in the way He

works. Therefore, you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus

Christ to be revealed. Corinth was it, really. I mean, Corinth was what you would call vibrant,

but Paul was concerned. All of that that you saw on Sunday morning in Corinth was kind of the

explicit culture, was kind of the overt culture. But underneath the impressive,

impressive overt culture of Corinth, they had struggles. There were informal things.

There were informal dynamics within the congregation that was kind of eating them hollow.

And Paul was drawing attention to that. And he wanted to remind them of how their common life,

whatever they brought, how their common life was supposed to be God's training ground

for His transformation of their lives. They had the gift of tongues, but underneath that,

they were in a personal competition. They were competing with one another. They prophesied,

but underneath that was a lot of pride and attention seeking. And they wanted people

to look at them and they controlled how much time they stayed on it. They received immense

words of knowledge from the Spirit. But then a lot of that was personality driven.

They looked out for their name. They enjoyed the Lord's table, but underneath that was a sort of

selfishness that wanted to grab the most of it and forget about the people who were sitting at the

back, whether it got to them or not. And there was just so much that was happening in Corinth,

but it was just this paradox that the Spirit was alive. The Spirit was active in the congregation,

but the old self was struggling in that place.

But the church is God's center. I wrestled with this, and I wrestled, and I wanted to see,

is Paul reprimanding them? No, I believe that Paul is showing them how God's move among them

in the outward can become an opportunity for God's, the gospel's transforming power to catch

on to them individually. If you knew Corinth well, you should not be surprised at the things

you see in church, and we should not be surprised at what we see in church today as well.

Corinth as a culture, Corinth as a city, next to the waters, it was a maritime city.

Next, Corinth liked the external, was huge for them. You can do a 30-minute speech and say

absolutely nothing, but if you had the power of speech, if you sounded intelligent, they loved you.

I mean, at the end of the day, you know, one of those speeches that people give and they say,

what did he say? I don't know, but boy, it was good. That was what Corinth was like.

Corinth was a place that admired people who can climb up the ladder and make a name for themselves.

Corinth was immoral. I mean, I think most societies, if not all societies, have immorality

in them. The difference in Corinth is that it didn't mean anything to them. They weren't ashamed

of certain immoral lifestyles. In Corinth, they had a lot of admiration for uncommon knowledge.

If there's something new that you want to sell, an idea that's new, Corinth is a good place to start.

They had all of that in their culture, so you're talking about people in church who were molded

by their culture as well, and I want to tell us it's really no different than us. I mean, we can

talk about how Corinth is so unhealthy, but it's really no different than us. Think about it. All

of us here, all of us here, we come from different perspectives. We come from our family backgrounds.

We come with our political views into the church. We come with our social ideas into the church.

We come with all the things that have shaped who we are, and we bring all of that into our common life

as a church family, and Paul is not saying that that is wrong. Paul is hoping that our common

life together, that the things that we do together, including all the ways that the Spirit works

through us, that in this place can be the God's center for transformation in our own lives.

Church exists so we can worship. Ultimately, also, church exists so we can be transformed.

I know that like the church in Corinth, we all want to come to church and try to transform the

church to suit who we were, but God's ultimate plan is that as we do our common life together,

as we serve Christ together, as we worship together, as we do ministry together, as we reach

out to the world, as we share our pain, as we share our joys together, as we live as an alternate

reality in the world, that it will give the Holy Spirit the opportunity to do a deeper work in our

lives. It's interesting because I'm already approaching my, so how can this passage speak

to us? And I haven't even talked about the passage yet. Don't worry. I'm gonna talk about

the passage in our take-home. So what can we take home with us today? My hope, and I really,

what I really would like to do, except that I have this chain that's tied around, it's called

I don't know. I keep negotiating my way through every week,

but there are three things I noticed in the passage. Really, chapter 12 is a long passage,

so I just read the end of it and, you know, it overflowed into chapter 13,

but there are really three things I can deduce from Paul's words to the Corinthian church.

The three things that I believe that if we were to see that at light of Christ,

then our community will be a transforming community.

That if we were to see it, and my hope, my desire is that our life together might be God's center

for transformation of lives. People do not need to, actually, I hope people don't come in here

already perfect. As a church, I really don't think we should be receiving perfect people in here.

They're the only ones that are disqualified. Has your week been tumultuous? Has your week been,

are you struggling with conscience? You're in the right place. Are you a Pharisee? Keep walking.

But in this place, God brings us all together so he can do a work in our lives. I hate to put it

as bluntly, but if in this place the gospel does not have an inroad into personal lives, we are

we are a dead community. If in this place Jesus does not have access to change us, to make us

into who he wants us to be, if this is a place where people can worship for 10 years

and there hasn't been a difference, we're dead. There was a church like that in Revelation,

but we'll leave that one alone. Three things from this passage that

if it were to happen in this place, I believe that it will give the Holy Spirit opportunities

to transform lives. Number one, everyone is seen and there's a place at the table for everyone.

That's what Paul was talking about. God put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts

that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should

have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it. If one part

is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you has

a part in it. A church that is not driven by status, a church that is not driven by who has

the most explicit kind of gift, a church that's not driven by who can preach the better, a church

that's not driven by who does this or who does that, but a church that understands that every,

as a matter of fact, Paul went into long cane to talk about how the parts that we don't often see

are actually the ones, the parts that we hold modestly are actually the ones that have to be

treated with care and sensitivity, because every part in the body, hopefully you don't want to use

your floss for your eyes, because the part that is sensitive is handled, the eyes are more sensitive,

I see some people looking at me somehow, but eyes are more sensitive hopefully than the teeth,

but Paul is saying that every single part receives the kind of attention that is due it,

but no part is missed in all of that. In a church where we do not have personalities that matter,

in a church where the power dynamic does not revolve around us, in a church where some people

are not afraid, I say look, in God, we are transformed when everyone is seen, when everyone

has a place, when everyone experiences the love of Jesus Christ, when everybody experiences their

belonging among the people of God, whether you're rich or poor, whether you're introverted or

extroverted, when the Lord can reach everyone through his body, we will be transformed.

I'll tell you in my own Christian life, one of the things that triggered, a lot of things

contributed and I'm not even so mature spiritually, but one of the things that have contributed to my

spiritual maturity is that I served under a pastor and I served in a church that gave me a chance

to try out things. I served in a church that invited me to try out things and I don't even

want to go into how many times I tried and failed. I served in a church that showed me grace.

I served in a church that allowed me, served in a church that forgave me many times. Everyone has a

place at the table and when one part suffers, all of us suffer with it. Secondly,

the Spirit will convert this place into his center for transformation when our ministries,

our ministries, when the things we do, when our actions, when our ministry is fueled

by Christ-like love. When it's not fueled by what I get out of it, when it's not fueled by

how much I want people to see how good I am in it, but when it is fueled by the kind of love that

only comes from Christ. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels but do not have love, I am

a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have a gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries

and all knowledge and if I have a faith that can move mountains but I do not have love, I am empty,

nothing. If I can give all my possessions to the poor and give my body to hardship that I may boast

but do not have love, I gain absolutely nothing. When the mind of Christ reigns in this place,

when the mind of Christ governs our hearts and actions, everything is done

from the point of view of what honors God and lifts up the other person.

Self takes backstage and the love, the kind of love that Christ brings forth

is what fuels it, is what inspires it. We do what we do. We run the ministries. We train

our children. We do Christian ed. We set up the table. We read. We do all that we do

out of the love of Christ. Where the mind of Christ reigns, sacrifice and service are driven

by humility and love. You see others before you see yourself. This all so far has been

sounding easy but I'll get through the third one.

This community, our common life will become transformative for people. Number three,

when the challenges of our common life become opportunities for the spirit.

When our challenges and common life become opportunities for the spirit.

One of the reasons Paul consoled me and I love Paul is that Paul understood. Paul did not expect

that there would not be friction in their common action. As a matter of fact, it was expected.

Paul wasn't expecting that we all will be angels coming in here and would all agree

all together and nobody would make mistakes and things will run smoothly and it was

happy ever after. No, Paul was in fact, the implication of Paul's stuff here is that

there's going to be friction. It's going to be hard at times. We'll rub against each other sometimes

and so he writes to them, love is patient. The kinds of things he uses to describe love is

patient. Love is kind. It does not envy. It does not boast. It is not proud. It does not dishonor

others. It is not self-seeking. It is not easily angered. It keeps no record of wrongs. Love does

not delight in evil. It rejoices in the truth. It always protects. It always trusts. It hopes

for the best. It always perseveres in hardship. Love never fails. The kind of love Paul is talking

about here is not the kind of love that comes naturally. I know the kind of love that came

naturally to my old self. The kind of love that came naturally to me was the kind of love that

happened when the other person is lovable. Then it's natural. When the other person does the

kinds of, they do exactly what I wanted them to do, I love them. That's the love of the old self.

That's the love that's natural. That's the love that's easy. What Paul is asking of here does not

come naturally. It can only come from transformation because Paul is implying that love is not a

feeling. It's a character. It's character that's built. It's something you develop over time.

It's you, you love intentionally because you have to stop and take a deep breath

and let it out and calm down and five minutes later you decide I'm gonna love.

That's the kind of love Paul is talking about here. It's not a feeling.

Love is patient because there will be missed expectations. Love is kind.

There will be need to show some grace. Love is not self-seeking. Desires and preferences will clash

sometimes. It is not easily angered. There will be annoying moments.

It holds no record of wrongdoing. It implies that there was wrongdoing in the first place.

Love protects because some people will be vulnerable.

It trusts because sometimes we'll be tempted with doubt. It perseveres because there'll be

discouragement along the way. You cannot develop this kind of character alone. You develop it in

common life in the church. I look around us today as TLC and I see so much to praise God for.

There's a lot that I see someone comes in here and we're a community that's trying stuff that's

hard for others to try. They come into our services and we've figured out a way to blend

our services and our liturgy to even reflect our multicultural nature. We're a small church. It

holds advantages. I know there are advantages, big churches, advantages, small churches. We're

a welcoming church. There's so much else but my prayer, my prayer is that TLC would also be

God's center for the transformation of lives. We don't have to be perfect. We actually don't want

you to be perfect when you're working but I pray that our life together, our common life

will be opportunities for the Spirit of God to shape us individually.

You know we are all different parts, the hands, the limbs, the head, the shoulders

but there's something that holds us all together into one body and that seems to be this thing

Paul is calling love but it's love of a different kind. It's the kind of love that we get from our

master Jesus Christ. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus that being equal

with God did not consider his equality with God something to hold on to but he let go of it.

Taking on flesh and coming in human form and not only that he came in human form,

he decided to take on the yoke of a servant and he died the most shameful of deaths,

giving death on the cross but that's the kind of love that Paul is calling us into and I pray

that the inner dynamic of this place will be glorifying to the Father. Amen.