“Law & Order”
Sunday, November 6, 2011, 10:00 a.m.
Allendale Baptist Church, Allendale, MI
Pastor Jonathan DeCou
1 Corinthians 6:1-11
BIG IDEA: The Church should not hang out its dirty laundry.
“Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters,
appoint as judges even men of little account in the church.”
1 Corinthians 6:4b (NIV)
Lawsuits reveal ____________ ____________. (v 1-4)
Realize Christ-followers will ______ the ______. (v 1-2)
- Realize Christ-followers will ______ the ______. (v 3)
- Realize Christ-followers must ______ each ______. (v 4)
Lawsuits result in ___________ ___________. (v 5-8)
- Shame for NOT ________ the way we ________. (v 5)
- Shame for ________ the way we ________. (v 6)
- Shame for ________ in ________. (v 7-8)
Lawsuits raise ________ ________ ________. (v 9-11)
- There is confusion about ______ without _____. (v 9-10)
- There is confusion about _____ in ______ _____. (v 11)
BIG IDEA: The Church should not hang out its dirty laundry.
Read: Re-read 1 Corinthians 6:1-11.
Think: Reflect on the implications of taking brothers and sisters to court, and then ask yourself the following questions: What type of judge would you be: Hanging judge? Pushover? One known for creative sentencing? Why? What is going on here (v 2-6)? Why do lawsuits cast a shadow over the Church? In the kingdom, are certain people excluded, or will their sin be removed before entering (v 9-10)? How does v 11 fit the rest of the passage?
Do: What attitudes underlying this situation do you see in yourself: Insistence on “my rights”, desire for revenge, desire to make things right, willingness to “bend the rules”, preferring my old way of life rather than following Christ? What steps can you take this week to clarify your position in Christ, especially to those outside the family of faith?
