Love the Lord and Serve the Flock

As we conclude the sermon series on 1 Corinthians, we examine Paul’s expressions of greeting, love, and grace to a congregation which was often very critical of him. Their wayward ways did not stop Paul from expressing his wish for the grace of the Lord to be with them.

His expression of grace in 16:23 serves as an inclusio with 1:2,3. Paul begins and ends this epistle with “grace to you” and “grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.” In this final sermon of the series, we cover key themes from 1 Corinthians, including love as shown in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.

We point out warnings against various false claims about status which make up much of the letter, including false spirituality, jealousy and strife, special knowledge, and abuse of the flock at the Lord’s Supper.

Yet Paul never gave up on them and always prayed for their wellbeing. We need to do the same with all Christians we meet and especially those with whom we worship.