Category: Preaching

“Fools for Christ” – a message from 1 Corinthians 4

Matt Erickson1 Comment

This past weekend at Eastbrook, we continued our preaching series entitled “God’s Grace for an Imperfect Church: 1 Corinthians.” In this message from 1 Corinthians 4 I took us through Paul’s striking words about finding confidence in Christ, freedom from peoples’ opinions, and the ability to live according to a different measure from the standards around us. This builds upon my earlier exploration, in a message entitled “The Holy Spirit and the Deep Things of God,” of how the apparent foolishness and weakness of the Crucified Messiah connect with the wisdom of this age and the work of the Holy Spirit.

You can find the message outline and video below. You can access the entire series here. Join us for weekend worship in-person or remotely via Eastbrook at Home.

“We are fools for Christ.” (1 Corinthians 4:10)

Living with God and Entrusting Ourselves to God (1 Corinthians 4:1-5)

The calling and identity of Paul and the apostles

Not being controlled by others’ opinions 

But not thinking too highly of oneself

The opinion, and judgment, of God

  • Living with God set us free from others’ opinions

Living as Christ’s Fools in an Upside Down (1 Corinthians 4:6-13)

The Corinthians’ perception problem, both of themselves and others

The Corinthians’ sense of having already “arrived”

Paul and the apostles’ confusing resume in an upside-down world

  • Living with God sets us free to live by a different measure

Living with God for Others’ Goodness (1 Corinthians 4:14-21)

Paul more than an instructor but a father to the Corinthians

Paul’s pattern of living, Timothy, and the Corinthians

The gospel beyond speech and the gospel’s efficacy or power

  • Living with God enables us to bring blessing to others

Dig Deeper

This week dig deeper in one or more of the following ways:

“Leaders in the Church” – a message from 1 Corinthians 3 by Pastor Femi Ibitoye

Matt Erickson2 Comments

This past weekend at Eastbrook, we continued our preaching series entitled “God’s Grace for an Imperfect Church: 1 Corinthians.” In this fourth message of the series Pastor Femi Ibitoye explored Paul’s comments on leaders in the church from 1 Corinthians 3. This was also an African Global Gateway weekend.

You can find the message outline and video below. You can access the entire series here. Join us for weekend worship in-person or remotely via Eastbrook at Home.

“For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

 (1 Corinthians 3:11)

The mark of the “worldly” Church (1 Corinthians 3:1-4)

Not living by the Spirit of God. Worldly.

Mere infants.  Not growing in faith.

Not accepting the spiritual food/milk given to them. 

Jealousy and quarreling going on

Following a particular church leader instead of Christ.  Idolatry

Division and rivalry.

The mark of Church leaders (1 Corinthians 3:5-15)

Church leaders are servants (deacons), not Lords.  They serve Jesus and the church.

Church leaders are chosen and called by Christ.  They belong to Jesus

Church leaders have their unique gifting, calling, and strength

Church leaders are to work together for the purpose of seeing the church thrive and Christ magnified

Church leaders are farmers and architects in God’s farm and building. 

Jesus is the foundation that leaders must build on.

Jesus is the Cornerstone of the church

The DAY will bring all leader’s work to light. Whether it is “gold” or “hay”.

The mark of the “true” Church (1 Corinthians 3:16-23)

The Church is the temple of God. 

God dwells in the midst of the Church

God will destroy the person who destroy God’s temple-the Church.

The church should not rely on human wisdom for the things of Christ

The church should boast in Christ, not human leaders. 

The Church belongs to Jesus.  He gave his life for her. 

Dig Deeper

This week dig deeper in one or more of the following ways:

  • Memorize 1 Corinthians 3:11 or 3:16
  • Bible trivia observation. A large number of the “3:16s” in the New Testament are worth memorizing. These include 1 Corinthians 3:16, John 3:16, Luke 3:16, Acts 3:16, Ephesians 3:16, Colossians 3:16, 2 Thessalonians 3:16, 1 Timothy 3:16, 2 Timothy 3:16, and 1 John 3:16. Read them and choose a couple to memorize. It can be the Scripture in the first bullet point.

“The Holy Spirit and the Deep Things of God” – a message from 1 Corinthians 2

Matt Erickson1 Comment

This past weekend at Eastbrook, we continued our preaching series entitled “God’s Grace for an Imperfect Church: 1 Corinthians.” In this third message of the series I explored how the apparent foolishness and weakness of the Crucified Messiah connect with the wisdom of this age and the work of the Holy Spirit. All this is found in 1 Corinthians 2:6-16.

You can find the message outline and video below. You can access the entire series here. Join us for weekend worship in-person or remotely via Eastbrook at Home.

“For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:11)

God’s Powerful Wisdom and the Waning Wisdom of this Age (1 Corinthians 2:6-9)

God’s wisdom revealed as different from the wisdom of this age

God’s wisdom planned from before time

God’s wisdom revealed in the crucified Jesus who is the Lord of glory

God’s wisdom triumphs over the rulers of this age

The Holy Spirit and the Personal Revelation of God’s Wisdom (1 Corinthians 2:10-12)

God’s wisdom revealed from beyond us not merely grasped by us

God’s wisdom revealed by the Holy Spirit who reveals the depths of God

God’s wisdom revealed shows God’s grace and generosity to humanity

The Holy Spirit and the Mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:13-16)

The Holy Spirit explains spiritual realities to spiritual people

The person living at an entirely human level misses out on God’s wisdom

The spiritual person discerns God’s wisdom because we have the mind of Christ

Dig Deeper

This week dig deeper in one or more of the following ways:

  • Memorize 1 Corinthians 2:11 or 2:12
  • This week read some or all of these passages about the Holy Spirit:
  • John 14:15-17 
    • Acts 1:7-8
    • Acts 2:1-12
    • Romans 12:4-8 
    • Galatians 5:19-26
    • Ephesians 1:13-14

“The Message of the Cross” – a message from 1 Corinthians 1-2

Matt Erickson1 Comment

This past weekend at Eastbrook, we continued our new preaching series entitled “God’s Grace for an Imperfect Church: 1 Corinthians.” In this second message of the series I explored the message of the Cross which Paul writes about in 1 Corinthians 1:18-2:5. Here Paul declares “the message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18).

You can find the message outline and video below. You can access the entire series here. Join us for weekend worship in-person or remotely via Eastbrook at Home.

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18)

The Cross Proclaimed (1 Corinthians 1:18-25)

The Corinthians’ disunity and misunderstanding of the message of Christ

The message of the gospel of Jesus Christ

God’s work in wisdom and foolishness, power and weakness

The desire of Jews and Greeks

Our cross-centered faith

The Cross Proclaimed and the Community of Christ (1 Corinthians 1:26-31)

How others see us

How we perceive ourselves

How God sees us when we are “in Christ Jesus”

The Cross Proclaimed and Paul’s Ministry (1 Corinthians 2:1-5)

The Corinthians’ desire for Christian leaders who appear strong and wise

Paul’s apparent weakness and foolishness

The weakness and foolishness centered in Christ crucified 

The weakness and foolishness that demonstrates the Spirit’s power

Dig Deeper

This week dig deeper in one or more of the following ways:

“A Unified Church in Divided Days” – a message from 1 Corinthians 1

Matt EricksonLeave a comment

This past weekend at Eastbrook, we began a new preaching series entitled “God’s Grace for an Imperfect Church: 1 Corinthians.” In this first message of the series I explored what it means to live in unity in Christ from 1 Corinthians 1:1-17 with some background on 1 Corinthians and why it is applicable to our day and time.

You can find the message outline and video below. You can access the entire series here. Join us for weekend worship in-person or remotely via Eastbrook at Home.

“To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours.” (1 Corinthians 1:2)

Background on Corinth and the Corinthian Church

Paul’s ministry there (Acts 18)

The setting of Corinth

The letter of 1 Corinthians

The opportunity to focus on discipleship

The Centrality of Christ (1 Corinthians 1:1-9)

In Paul and his ministry

In all those who call on Jesus’ name

In the Corinthians and their faith

The Challenges of Disunity in the Church (1 Corinthians 1:10-12)

Interpersonal disunity

Partisan disunity

The Calling Toward Unity in Christ (1 Corinthians 1:13-17)

The essential unity of Christ

The practical unity of Christ’s people

The underlying message of the Gospel

Dig Deeper

This week dig deeper in one or more of the following ways: