Loving God, while our sinful nature often separates us from you and from others, you bring us back together through the cross of Christ.  Help us to continue to grow in love by the power of your Spirit, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

            Whereas last week we were hearing about the beginnings of the church in Thessalonica, this week we are in Corinth, which is also a city in modern Greece.  We hear about Paul’s first visit, his “tent-making ministry,” and part of a letter that he writes to the church in Corinth once he has moved on to a new location.  One of the interesting things about the church at Corinth is that it doesn’t seem to take very long for divisions to appear.

         Some prefer one leader over another.  Some think that certain spiritual gifts are better than others.  And some disagree over certain worship practices.  Even the Lord’s supper, which should be an expression of unity, is causing problems between the rich and the poor (1 Cor. 11:20-21).  And so, as Paul writes to the Corinthians, he urges them to “be united in the same mind and the same purpose” (1 Cor. 1:10).

         It seems that wherever human beings are involved, there are bound to be disagreements.  Certainly, we see that in politics and in any number of competing protests that are taking place these days.  You can have ten people in the room and ten different opinions on any given day.  One might think, however, that there really should be unity in the church.  However, right from the beginning, there have been questions that have divided people.

         Are Gentiles welcome in the church or do they have to become Jewish by being circumcised?  Was Jesus created or is he eternal like God?  Is somebody who speaks in tongues more spiritual than somebody who doesn’t?  Is Jesus human or divine – or both?  And how do the Father, Son and Holy Spirit all fit in?  These were some of the earliest questions that divided believers and even caused conflict.

         These were also some of the questions that led to the writing of the Nicene Creed.  The big question at the time was whether Jesus was eternal and divine like God or was made by God.  According to legend, things got so heated that St. Nicholas slapped a guy named Arius around the ears at the Council of Nicaea.  Arius had argued that Jesus had been created by God.  As you will hear in the Nicene Creed today, Arius lost that particular argument.

         Today, as we hear Paul urging believers to be united, we also hear his message that who the leader happens to be doesn’t really matter.  In other words, whether you happen to like Paul or Apollos or Cephas better is immaterial.  What matters is Christ.  Apollos was said to be an eloquent preacher, but Paul? – not so much.  As Paul says, he was sent “to proclaim the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power” (1 Cor. 1:17).  To Paul, it is focusing on the cross of Christ that unites people.

         You may have heard the saying that all are equal at the foot of the cross.  When we stand there together, aware of how Jesus suffered, died and rose again for us, there is no room for pride or divisions.  When we stand there together, we are aware of our own sinfulness and of the depth of Jesus’ love for each and every one of us.  Whether Jews or Gentiles, men or women, rich or poor, or from any nation or race, all are of equal value and worth in the sight of God.  There is no such thing as being “more saved” than somebody else.

         Seeing as this happens to be Mother’s Day, and just this past week we heard about some male hockey players disrespecting women, it is significant that Paul actually names female co-workers in his letters.  This is quite unusual for that time and that culture, but it is entirely consistent with how Jesus valued both men and women.  In today’s reading, both Priscilla and Chloe are mentioned, each of whom have significant roles in the early church.  Jesus always included those who were usually excluded.  

It continues to be a challenge, however, to “be united in the same mind and the same purpose,” as Paul urges in his letter (1 Cor. 1:10).  No matter the decision that needs to be made or the conflict that needs to be resolved, it is always a challenge to get everybody involved to focus on Christ and tune in to the Holy Spirit.  Our purpose continues to be to share the love of God with all people.

Currently, there are divisions in the world around us that spill over into the church.  Consider a simple thing like whether you’re going to wear a mask or not.  One doctor says that if you wear a cloth mask or a non-medical mask, it might help slow the spread of the virus.  Another doctor says that masks really don’t do very much unless they’re sealed like an N95 mask.  Yet another doctor says that if you are coughing or sneezing, then wearing a mask might protect others – although you shouldn’t be out at all if you’re coughing or sneezing.  So how do you decide what is best?

I actually like Martin Luther’s approach to the plague of 1527, which I shared in our May newsletter.  He says that preserving life is important, and so you listen to the science, disinfect things, and don’t purposely put yourself or others at risk.  However, he also believed that if there is somebody who needs your help, that always trumps self-preservation.  Thus, he and his wife Katie continued to look after the sick, take the sacrament to the dying and conduct funerals. They both believed that God would take them if it was their time, or would preserve them for future ministry.

And so, what does it mean today to keep our attention on the cross of Christ while we proclaim the good news about the love of Jesus?  Really, it continues to come down to love – showing our love for God by loving others as we love ourselves – a love that has its roots in Christ’s love for us.  Thanks be to God!  Amen.

Easter 5 (NL 2)                                 Acts 18:1-4

May 10, 2020                                   1 Corinthians 1:10-18

St. Luke’s Zion Lutheran Church

Pastor Lynne Hutchison

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