Part 6: Intimacy, Accountability, & Judging (1 Cor. 5)

                      
                      

SERMON OUTLINE & SUMMARY

Series: Free to Love - How to Leave the Judging to the Judge Part 6: Intimacy, Accountability, & Judging (1 Cor. 5) October 25, 2009 | by Ken Wilson SERMON OUTLINE & SUMMARY Review: Last week compared two different mindsets regarding truth:  Greek Mindset: abstract, precise, universal; Hebrew Mindset:  personal, holistic, paradoxical. Today text stands in paradoxical tension with judge not: 1 Cor. 5, p. 782 1 Cor. 5: 1-6 Paul misjudged by moderns as trigger happy bad cop; but he is a mystic, a pastor, a missionary; in his day, he was mainly accused of being soft on righteousness, that his gospel promoted sin (See Ro. 3:8) Extreme case: a man (adult) sleeping with his father's wife; something condemned even by the sexually permissive Corinthian pagans. Background: Corinthian church thought they had superior knowledge that placed them completely above any law or rules. (See 1 Cor. 4:8, 6:12) "hand this man over to Satan": unclear, could mean if he is out of church will be handed over to accusation of rest of society (under the Satan's rule) and be in heap of trouble; will have only God to turn to, who can then talk sense into him. 1 Cor. 5: 6-13 A careful reading reveals challenge of applying: sexually immoral = porneia; drunkards, greedy, idolaters, bullets not easily dodged. Example Greed: global scale of wealth. Poorest of poor =  no family,  job, housing, health care, place to die; Ordinary poor = limited access to income, housing, food, health care; Ordinary wealthy = access to jobs, housing, food, health care, transportation; Wealthiest of wealthy = billionaires Most of us are "ordinary wealthy" [some ordinary poor].  For follower of Jesus what's expected in are of giving? Maximum: give away everything; Minimum give away a tenth. [Spiritual disciplines = discipline of disciples] If we have access to income, housing, food, health care, transportation and don't do the minimum expected of disciples, might we be at ask risk of being evaluated as greedy?  At risk of being evaluated as serving money above God (idolatry.) Doesn't mean this is not inspired Scripture, it is. Doesn't mean we should be casual about sin just because it's common. We shouldn't, especially not our own. Does mean we should not cherry pick when it comes to application.  And we should cry out to the Spirit for a genuine work of repentance-revival. Sidebar: speaker's frustration with those who complain about pastors being "soft on sin" We misapply this text when we forget the context: a community of believers in intimate relationships, house church, small group, high level of financial sharing.  [contrast with modern "community"]  (see Acts 5: 32-35; 1 Cor. 16: 19-20) Modern churches are semi-public venues that offer opportunity for growth toward the kind of community experienced as normative in NT era (and much of developing world today) HOW IT WORKS: A small group learns to love each other: bear each others burdens and so fulfill law of Christ [Royal Law] (see Gal. 6:2)  Over time [not automatic, requires intention, discipleship to Jesus, leading of Spirit] people share their burdens, little ones first, then big ones, most personal & sensitive later.  In such setting accountability works and is life-saving as it probably was in 1 Cor 5  [2 Co 2: 6 indicates redemptive effect] Modern church has taken a different path: attempted high accountability, low intimacy...and shocked (!) when it doesn't work.   [Example: modern emphasis on moral policy statements that are developed like planks in a party platform, adopted at a convention run like a political convention.] Paul's approach: Create a community of those pursuing Jesus. Form households, cells, small-intimate units where people practice Royal Law with each other.  Coach them along the intimacy-accountability scale until they can actually speak truth in love.   Jesus taught need for accountability in church: Matt 18: 15-20   Text about confronting sin in church. Context: intimate circle of believers (wherever two or three are gathered). [See wider context of Matt. 18: 15-20, emphasizing gentleness, mercy] For complete sermon notes online, visit our sermons page.

                      

PRACTICAL TIPS

1. If part of a small group: Discuss the intimacy-accountability scale. 2. If desire to move up scale, consider how. Invite additional coaching as desired.  Read Life Together, Dietrich Bonhoeffer 3. For those with nerve, curiosity and sense of adventure: invite a trusted friend to offer you input on any area of your life.  Ask them to be prayer before offering it. Take whatever they offer to prayer. See if God speaks to you through this.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1. Is your own way of thinking more in line with Greek thought or Hebrew thought? 2. Which spiritual disciplines are the most challenging for you?  Are there any disciplines which you haven't tried to incorporate into your own life? 3. Which of the sins listed by Paul in 1 Cor 5 is the most promenint in members of the American church today? 4. Do you consider yourself wealthy? Take the quiz at the Global Rich List.  What percentile are you at? Does this change your perspective? 5. Which sins is the American church most soft on? 6. Do you have people in your life with whom you share both intimacy and accountability? If you don't, how could you begin to experience this? 7. How do we apply the teaching of Paul in 1 Cor 5 in light of the Royal Law (James 2:8)?