Sermons
February 26th, 2023 by Pastor Solley010823AM Demonstration of Power
Sub. God’s power
Theme: God’s power in our lives.
Text: 1 Cor 2:1-5
“Demonstration of Power” 1 Cor 2:1-5
Introduction
I want to bring the second of two New Year’s messages that the Lord laid upon my heart this morning looking at the need for the power of God upon the lives of the child of God. – 1 Cor 2:1-5 – The church at Corinth was started by the Apostle Paul along with Silas and Timothy as recorded in Acts 18. The missionary team was at Corinth for a year and a half preaching, teaching, establishing and strengthening the church and those believers. I am confident that when they moved on from Corinth they left a strong church, an active church, one moving forward in the Lord. But things did not remain that way as Satan will leave no work of God go unchallenged. Satan worked against God, the plan of God, the child of God at that time and Satan does the same ting today. About five years pass from the time the church at Corinth was started until this first epistle was written.
I. As Paul addresses this church it was a church in trouble: The church at Corinth had become worldly, not Godly. The church at Corinth was walking in sin, not in Christ. The church at Corinth was filled with problems, not with peace. No doubt that when Paul wrote this letter to the church at Corinth it was will a broken heart and not a joyful heart. There are a number of very serious problems addressed in 1 Corinthians, problems that were destroying that church and would destroy any church.
A. Paul knew what that church could be and was when he and the missionary team left: 1 Cor 1:1-9 That was the church he left. Here we have a local church just like all the others the Holy Spirit used Paul to start, one walking in the power of God and while we are not given a great deal of information in the book of Acts one I am sure doing great things for God, great things in the name of Christ.
B. Paul also knew what they had become: 1 Cor 3:1-3 Two times in three verses Paul states that they were carnal. There is nothing good about the word carnal. Carnal means worldly, fleshly, sinful. They were now walking after the flesh and not the Spirit. They now sought to please self and not God. There is nothing good about the word carnal.
1. Something happened to those believers and that church: When Paul left them just about five years before they were walking in the power of God. Now they were walking after the flesh and being overtaken by the world.
2. Now the power of Satan was more evident than the power of God: That is clear by the problems that overtook that church.
3. They needed anew and afresh a demonstration of the power of God:
C. What Paul brought to them what they needed once again: It was Paul’s desire to bring that to them. – 1 Cor 2:2
II. Is there a greater need today in our churches and in the lives of God’s children than for both to found walking in the power of God? Perhaps only that we put our times in His hands as we saw last week. But is there a greater need today than the power of God to be evident in the lives of the born again believer and in the church?
A. Just look at the state of churches today and you know that answer is yes: Few and far between are those examples like the one we find in Acts 4:31 where the place they met was shaken with power from above. Today it is a weak and worldly church. Recent poll show that only about 58% of professing Christians believe the Bible to be true. Less than half of them believe the Bible should be taken literally. That 25% of professing Christians believe in hell. No wonder the church today is being overtaken by liberalism and Satanic practices. Today the majority of churches are nothing more than social clubs.
B. Just look at the young people today those churches are producing: New polls show that 75% of young people leave the church. The saying is that the church is losing them but if what we just mentioned is true they never had a real church in the first place. What we are seeing today is a demonstration of the power of Satan and not the power of God. Is there a greater need for the young people today, your children and grandchildren today, than for churches today, than for the lost today that to see the power of God and be drawn to Jesus Christ by a demonstration of that power?
C. But who can demonstrate the power of God today in a way that power will reach the lost, will influence the young people, and will strengthen and build up the church? Who can demonstrate that power? The same ones that demonstrated that power at that time. Notice again. – 1 Cor 2:4-5 – That power was demonstrated by men and women who were walking with the Lord Jesus Christ. That is who can demonstrate the power of God today in a way that can and will change lives just as it did at that time. I want to look this morning at the importance of the demonstration of the power of God in our lives today. If you think that not important then the message not for you.
PROP: But what this world needs, our church needs, you family needs, is a demonstration of the power of God today. TS. And brothers and sisters in Christ that demonstration must come from you and from me.
Body
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I. Take note of what Paul did not bring to them and what they did not need: 1 Cor 2:1-4 In this passage three things that Paul did not bring to them are brought out. Three things that seem to be present in religious circles today and often dominate peaching today even in what would be considered Bible preaching and Bible believing churches but three things they did not need.
A. Paul did not come with excellency of speech: 1 Cor 2:1 The word excellency means superior, it means with an authority made known, it means to be arrogant, it means to think highly of ones self. Paul states he did not come to them with excellency of speech.
1. If any individual could have done just that it would have been Paul: Paul was in the eyes of the Jews superior. Paul had in the eyes of the Jews authority. Paul was one that was thought highly of in the eyes of the Jews. Paul was one who was arrogant before he was born again. If any individual could have come to then with excellency of speech it was Paul. – Phil 3:4-6 – That is Paul before he was born again in Jesus Christ.
2. When Paul spoke people moved: In Acts 7:58 as the mob was about to stone Stephen they laid their garments at a young man’s feet so they would not be soiled and that man was Saul who we know became Paul. Friend, Paul was not a coat bearer.
a. When they laid those garment at his feet Paul had the authority to stop the stoning. Paul had authority.
b. In Acts 9:1 Paul was breathing out “threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord” and was going about to destroy the church that is founded upon the Lord Jesus Christ. How arrogant was Saul before he was born again.
3. Paul could have lifted himself above those ones at Corinth: But he did not. – 1 Cor 2:1
4. Many come with excellency of speech and that is not what people need today: Paul came not with excellency of speech.
B. Paul did not come with enticing words: 1 Cor 2:4 The word enticing means to persuade or to convince by argument. What is interesting about the word translated enticing in this verse is that it means to persuade or to convince by argument one to come to a position if it be true or not.
1. If any individual could have done that it would have been Paul: A Pharisee of the Pharisees would have been a very polished speaker, one who could convince people that he was right even when he was not.
a. Paul helped convince the mob it would be better to stone Stephen than to believe that man and get saved.
b. Paul convinced the High Priest it would be better to go to other cities and arrest people that were not a threat to him and bring them back to be murdered.
c. Paul had to convince the Roman authorities it would be better to allow them public executions of innocent people.
d. Paul would have been a very moving public speaker. Paul could have came to them with enticing words.
2. But Paul did not use enticing words: Paul presented truth in a straight forward manner, he did not lie, did not use tricks, did not try and move people to Jesus Christ with enticing words.
ILL. Enticing words are like the pre game speeches coaches gave when you played sports as they tried to convince you of things that were just not true.
3. Many come with enticing words and that is not what is needed today: Paul came not with enticing words.
C. Paul did not come in the wisdom of men: 1 Cor 2:4 That speaks of higher education, of much learning.
1. If any individual could have done that it would have been Paul: When the rulers and elders of Israel, and Paul was one of them, examined Peter and John they found them to be unlearned and ignorant men. No one could say that of Paul.
a. Paul was a highly educated man.
b. If any man could bring to the people the wisdom of men it would be Paul.
2. But Paul did not come in the wisdom of men: Those people did not need to see an educated man, they needed to see Jesus.
3. Many today want to hold up their education, want to be exalted, want people to know just how much wisdom they have acquired: That preaching is of man and is not of God.
4. People do not need the wisdom of man:
D. Please take note of the three things that Paul did not bring: Paul could have brought them but did not because that was not what those people needed in that day and they are not what people need today. (1) Excellency of speech. (2) Enticing words. (3) Wisdom of men. Those things will not change the lives of people today just as they would not at that time. It is not what people need.
II. Paul came to them in the power of God: 1 Cor 2:2 , 5 Paul came to them a man with a life that was touched and changed by the power of God. Could there be another in all the pages of the Word of God that went through a greater change than Paul did? When Saul knelt on that dusty road and prayed “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” he stood up a changed man.
A. So great were those changes that people could not believe they were true: No man so arrogant, so filled with hatred for even the name Jesus, who was set on destroying all who would call on that name, no man like that could possibly change.
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1. As God told Ananias to go to him that man did not want to go: No man like Saul could be changed.
2. When he finally went to Jerusalem the believers did not want to receive him: No man like Saul could be changed.
3. But those changes were real and Saul became Paul and there was a great change because of the power of God: 1 Cor 2:2
B. And Paul by the time he arrived at Corinth had been doing great things for Jesus Christ by the power of God 1 Cor 2:2 All you need to do is watch the record of Scripture concerning Paul after he was born again to see the power of God upon him.
1. The disciples first called Christians at Antioch: Acts 11:25-26 Paul a part of that group.
2. Paul sent out as a missionary: Acts 13:2-3
3. The miracles by Paul’s hand begin: Acts 13:9-11 ; 14:10
4. Paul stoned to death and brought back to life by the power of God: Acts 14:19-20
5. Churches started in several cities and people getting saved: All by the power of God. – 1 Cor 2:2
6. Paul went to them in the power of God:
C. How many of us could give testimony this morning to the power of God in our lives? If you can’t then you had better make sure you are in the faith. Paul came to them in the power of God.
III. But Paul came also in demonstration of the power of God: 1 Cor 2:4 What makes this different from the point that was just made, Paul coming in the power of God, is that this is a demonstration of the power of God. – 1 Cor 2:2 , 4 – In other words this was something that they could see and not something they were being told about.
A. Paul came in demonstration of the power of God: They did not live in the information age as we do and FOX news was not reporting on everything that happened.
1. But they knew of what was taking place in the cities around them: The Jews would have known about Pharisee Saul. The Gentiles would have known about missionary Paul. They knew what had taken place in the past.
2. But Paul was not satisfied in his life with what God had already done: Paul was not staying in the past, living in the past, Paul was walking in demonstration of the power of God in the present.
B. It is a dangerous thing when a Christians is satisfied living in the past, satisfied with what God has done in the past: Living in the past, being satisfied with the past workings of God leads to a powerless Christianity and often to a fall.
1. Consider David living in the past, being satisfied with the past power of God in his life: 2 Sam 11:1 Ever wonder why David sent Joab and did not go to battle himself? David was the king, it was time for the kings to go to battle, why didn’t David go? Could it be that David thought he had already done his part?
a. David fought Goliath when no one else would.
b. David put the Philistines to flight.
c. David stood against Saul.
d. David drove the enemies of Israel out time after time.
e. David did his part and could give great testimony to what the power of God did in his life.
2. So David stayed home and what is one of the things we remember David for? David should have went out and once again demonstrated the power of God in his life. Things would have been better if he did.
C. What the world needs to see in us, what our church needs to see in us, what our children and grandchildren need to see in us is a demonstration of the power of God: They don’t need to hear what God has done in the past and what we have done for God in the past. They need to hear what God is doing now today and what we are doing for God today. They need to see a demonstration of the power of God in our lives in the present. A demonstration is something you see.
1. Sunday morning is not testimony time but testimonies could be given here today: You folks share in these testimonies of what God has done and the power of God in the past.
a. I can share of how few people were here in 1984 when the pastor resigned and we did not know what we would do…
b. I can share of souls being saved.
c. I can share the beginnings of a camp ministry.
d. I can share of God’s provisions here…Especially with the camp…
e. I can share of this building falling in while we were building it and God sending an angel to hold it up.
f. So many things over the years where the power of God has been demonstrated
2. We also can share personal testimonies of what we have done and how we have served and how God has blessed us and used in His work over the years: We should look back and we should be able to give testimony. That is good.
3. But we need to be careful we don’t become a David and be satisfied with the past: There is a danger in staying in the past.
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D. People need to see the power of God being demonstrated in our lives today, in the present: If we want the lost to have what we have, if we want our families, our children and grandchildren to be found walking in the power of God, if we want our church to go forward in the power of God then we need to demonstrate that power in our lives today.
1. My family, my children although they are grown, my grandchildren do not need to hear how I never used to miss a church service, how I was so faithful in the past: They need to see me right now being faithful.
2. My family, my children although they are grown, my grandchildren do not need to hear how I worked for the Lord in the past: They need to see me right now working for the Lord.
3. My family, my children although they are grown, my grandchildren do not need to hear how I used to teach this class and organize this event and do this in the church in the past: They need to see it right now.
4. My family, my children although they are grown, my grandchildren do not need to hear how I prayed and saw the hand of God working miracles in the past: They need to see it right now.
5. When I decide I can live in the past and be satisfied I give them nothing to look at in the present and no vision for the future:
E. But Paul came also in demonstration of the power of God: 1 Cor 2:4
IV. There needs to be a real demonstration of the power of God in our lives for the generations that are coming: Ps 71:18 Let these words speak to your heart this morning. – Ps 71:18 We need to be demonstrating the power of God in our lives today and when we decide we do not need to then we have no right to ask what is wrong with the church today or what is wrong with young people today because they are not seeing the power of God.
A. The generations that are coming need to see: Ps 71:18 Notice again “ O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.”
B. We need to be like Caleb in this regard: Josh 14:10-13 Caleb is eighty years old at this point and says something that could not possible be true in a physical sense. – Josh 14:11 – An eighty year old is not as strong as a forty year old.
1. But Caleb was still walking in and demonstrating the power of God in his life: Josh 14:11-12
2. And God gave Caleb that mountain:
C. What are you demonstrating today, what do you want to demonstrate in 2023?
Conclusion
I. Take note of what Paul did not bring to them and what they did not need: 1 Cor 2:1-4 Not with excellency of speech or enticing words.
II. Paul came to them in the power of God: 1 Cor 2:2 , 5 Paul came to them a man with a life that was touched and changed by the power of God. Could them be another in all the pages of the Word of God that went through a greater change than Paul did? When Saul knelt on that dusty road and prayed “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” he stood up a changed man.
III. But Paul came also in demonstration of the power of God: 1 Cor 2:4 What makes this different from the point that was just made, Paul coming in the power of God, is that this is a demonstration of the power of God. – 1 Cor 2:2 , 4 – In other words this was something that they could see and not something they were being told about.
IV. There needs to be a real demonstration of the power of God in our lives for the generations that are coming: Ps 71:18 Let these words speak to your heart this morning. – Ps 71:18 We need to be demonstrating the power of God in our lives today and when we decide we don not need to then we have no right to ask what is wrong with the church today or what is wrong with young people today because they are not seeing the power of God.