I Appeal To You... No Divisions!

3rd Sunday After Epiphany - January 23, 2005

1 Corinthians 1:10-17

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Divisions in the church? Such a thing should never be, even as Paul writes to the church Ephesus. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephes. 4:4_6 ESV)

Our Lord Jesus Christ, begotten of the Father from eternity and born of the Virgin Mary, is our Lord. Those who believe in Him are One Body, Christ’s church, because they all share the one Spirit, the Holy Spirit, who works in them saving faith.

The divisions that scandalize Christ’s church are tragic. The denominationalism that runs rampant even hinders the church’s witness to those who are outside the church. However, the solution is not to merge the visible denominational structures. To do so is not a unification of Christendom, for the bringing together the Body of Christ into One church can only happen by common agreement upon the Word of God.

Dear friends, this topic is timely. We need to discuss this topic in our world and society today. Society is pushing a religious pluralism that is attempting to seek compromise at every hand. In this process, there are many who would use Paul’s words in our text today to sweep all theological differences aside and bring all those different stripes of Christianity together as if they all believed the same thing. Unfortunately, they do not.

Listen again to what Paul writes in our text: I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?

As I said, some contend that Paul is advocating a breaking down of all divisions. Yet, in this same book to those in Corinth, Paul writes: But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, for there must be divisions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. (1 Cor. 11:17_19 ESV)

It almost appears as if Paul disagrees with himself. But, we must remember that this is not Paul’s word, but God’s Word. Paul penned what the Holy Spirit inspired him to write, there can be no contradiction. Therefore, there must be a rather simple explanation, an explanation that clearly shows us something important.

The whole discussion revolves around this one little Word, Christ. In our text, Paul is addressing something very simple, divisions about favoritism. There were a few men who had served these Christians at Corinth as pastors. Division arose among them because each had their favorite preacher. Paul wasn’t a very eloquent speaker, he admitted that himself, but Apollos and Cephas must have been. Though neither wanted the devotion or cultic following that had developed in their names, it appears that all three had their devotees.

The divisions Paul is addressing that must cease - are divisions of petty bickering about personality and who is the favorite. Paul is even disgusted that they are putting forth his name as being preeminent People developed factions in the church, divisions over which group should have power because of which pastor baptized them. Paul says that these things are not important, what is, is Christ. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Where you baptized into Paul?

We see similar things happening in the church today. There are petty bickerings over simple things in the daily life of every congregation. I have seen this happen when the congregation says, “Well Pastor Schmidt said the bathrooms need purple paint.” The retort is, “So what? Pastor Kaddidlehoffer said they should be green.” Amazingly, a congregation can become embattled and parishioners angry with one another over whether to have the service times change. The Body of Christ should not be divided over such petty squabbles. That is Paul’s point.

There are disagreements that will arise between brothers and sisters in Christ. Each and every one of us is a sinner, and when two sinners get together, there will inevitably develop, a division - a squabble, a spat. Sometimes, they may appear to be a huge thing. In reality, most of them are incredibly petty. Whatever the difference, God’s instruction is that we are to reconcile all our differences - especially when they exist between members of the body of Christ. This is also Paul’s point.

At the same time, as Paul later instructs, Christ and the truth of Him crucified should be held in such regard that it will cause divisions. Yes, Christ will cause division. Why? In order that those who are genuine might be recognized, for there are many who will claim the name of Jesus, but are not genuine. We are to be wary of those who teach and believe contrary to God’s Word. Christ Himself said that there will be those on the last day who will try to claim that they prophesied, did miracles, and cast out demons in His name. He said that He will speak to them directly the last day. He said, “I will declare to them; I never knew you, depart from Me you who practice lawlessness.” (Matt. 7:21-23)

I don’t care how people want to try and explain differences between Christian beliefs away, there is incredible finality to Christ’s word. He is saying that on the last day, there will be those who claimed to preach in His name who He calls the practitioners of lawlessness and they will be confined to hell.

This is why there are and will be, divisions in Christ’s Church, for there are those and always will be those, who claim to be of Christ’s church, but do not follow Christ. They follow teachers who tell them what they want to heard. We are not to followers of Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or Pastor Jerabek, or even Luther. We are followers, disciples of Christ.

Luther addresses this topic as well, he says. True, by any consideration of body or soul you should never say: I am Lutheran, or Papist. For neither of them died for you, or is your master. Christ alone died for you, he alone is your master, and you should confess yourself a Christian. But if you are convinced that Luther’s teaching is in accord with the gospel and that the pope’s is not, then you should not discard Luther so completely, lest with him you discard also his teaching, which you nevertheless recognize as Christ’s teaching. You should rather say: Whether Luther is a rascal or a saint I do not care; his teaching is not his, but Christ’s.

For you will observe that the tyrants are not out merely to destroy Luther, but to wipe out the teaching. It is on account of the teaching that they attack you and ask you whether you are Lutheran. Here you must be sure not to speak with slippery or evasive words but frankly to confess Christ, no matter who did the preaching—Luther, or Tom, Dick, or Harry. The person you can forget; but the teaching you must confess.

Dear friends in Christ, I have been accused of being inflexible. I will boldly confess, there have been times when I have been asked to compromise the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ, or been asked to have something other than Christ be the focus of what we do as a church - I have stood resolute and firm - uncompromising. On this I make no apologies! I also confess that Todd Jerabek is nothing - a worm, a miserable sinner. Christ is everything, and all I do will bring glory only to His holy name. His Word is all I preach - His law and His Gospel. His eternal solutions to all aspects oof life, are all I proclaim. Christ crucified is all I desire to know among you, for it is the power of God for salvation to all those who believe.

After our text, in the next Chapter, Paul proclaims. And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. (1 Cor. 2:1_5 ESV)

A couple weeks ago, there was a letter to the editor which was entitled, God Will Not Clear the Guilty. Christ crucified was never in this letter. There was some truth hidden in the letter about the Law of God. But, that Christ died for sinners, for the express purpose of clearing the guilty from the fear of hell was blatantly missing. The title and the article were a lie.

On the week following there was another letter to the editor entitled, God Comforts, Not Punishes. In this letter, the claim that Christians do not deserve punishment for their sin was made. This also obscures Christ, for if the letter were true, then there was no reason He needed to be crucified. The title and article were also a lie.

Christ came for a specific purpose. God’s own Son took on human flesh because of His great love for sinners - sinners who love to bicker and hold angry grudges with one another, over some of the most ridiculous things. He came to purchase forgiveness for their sinful, petty squabbles.

Today, I come before you as a sinner who needs that precious gift of forgiveness which Christ purchased. And so, it is with great joy and pleasure that I preach to you Christ crucified. It is what Christ has called me to do.

I appeal to you, that there be no divisions among you. You were all baptized into Christ - into His death and also His resurrection. The waters of baptism are nothing more than Christ crucified, cleansing you and making you whole, each and every day you remember His calling you by name in repentance. He removes all division.

I appeal to you, that there be no divisions among you. You all confessed your sinful state, and brought your individual sins and left them at the foot of the cross in your confession. You all heard the proclamation from Christ, that your sins are forgiven. You are all being built up by Christ the Word as you are gathered in His name in this place, all divisions are abolished.

I appeal to you, that there be no divisions among you. When we gather at the altar, the cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. (1 Cor. 10:16_17 ESV) At Christ’s table, He gives His peace which heals divisions.

I appeal to you, that there be no divisions among you. And, by the grace of God in Christ Jesus our Lord, there are none, for in Him, we are one Body, now and forever more. Amen.

The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

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