Podcast: 2025-03-09: Pastor Mark Quist – The Gospel and Lawsuits

In the 1st letter to the Corinthians, Paul is on fire.  Waxing eloquent, with passion, of the wisdom and power of the cross, of Christ crucified and risen, of life in the Holy Spirit!  As we enter into chapter 6, Paul is concerned for their witness in the world for Christ.

It appears that followers of Jesus were suing other followers of Jesus and taking them to the public courts.  Paul is aghast at this.  “Don’t you know that a watching world is waiting to meet Jesus?!”  Then he rattles off a wide ranging list of sinful behaviors to make essentially the same point, “A watching world is waiting to meet Jesus!  And when you do these things, people can’t meet Jesus.”  (He doesn’t say exactly that – but close to it.).

What’s Paul’s solution?  Similar to Jesus’ solution.  Why not turn the other cheek?  And then points them to Jesus, “This is what some of you were. But no longer.  You have been washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”  So… live like it!

That’s a good word! 1 Corinthians 6:1-11 for Sunday, see you then,
Pastor Mark