The People of the Church

My sermon notes
4/28/13
FABC 
Pastor Fred Luter, Jr.

1 Corinthians 2:14, 3:1-9

There are many misconceptions of the ppl of the church. 

Have you ever thought of the ppl that make up the church? The ppl who occupy the same seats every Sunday... But how much do you really know about these ppl? Do you know their name, marital status, address, occupation, etc? 

The question is, who are the ppl in the church? How do they look, act, dress, smell a certain way, etc? 

All kind of ppl are represented in the church on Sunday morning. Despite all of the obvious differences there are only 3 types of people in the congregation. This was true in the church of Corinth and true of the church today. Apostle Paul addresses these ppl. 

1) The Natural Person 
But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (I Corinthians 2:14 NKJV)

These are the unsaved... Those that don't want to be here at church but they are here.

Everyone sitting in church isn't saved. Knowing this you shouldn't expect certain things, i.e. don't leave your purse, phone, iPad, keys, etc on the pew. 

These natural ppl have no conviction of what they do, what they say, or who they hurt. They didn't come to worship, they came to watch. They isn't come to pray, they came to play. There are ppl of the church who are spiritually lost. 

These ppl are something to be thankful for b/c they are the ppl that Christ died for. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. They may be converted today...

2) The Carnal Person
And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? (I Corinthians 3:1-3 NKJV)

These are the saved that haven't had spiritual growth so their flesh causes them to do things that they know they shouldn't do. 

A carnal person raises their hands in church but raises hell at home. They speak in tongues at church and curse in other tongues at home. 

Instead of being controlled by the spirit, they are controlled by the flesh. 

They are dedicated to their ministry but not devoted to the Messiah. 

The Bible calls them babes in Christ. Think of a baby... They think of themselves, what they want how they want it... There are some ppl in the church that get upset when things don't go their way. 

Paul says we are the church, we are supposed to be better than this. You are not a Christian because of the choir, pastor, usher board, etc. You are a Christian b/c of God. Whatever you do, it should be for the glory and honor of God. 

You can't continue to act carnal and expect God to bless you. Whatever we do, we do it unto God.

3) The Spiritual Person
A spiritual person loves b/c of and forgives in-spite of. 

They love b/c God loves and forgives b/c He forgives.

A spiritual person is led by the spirit. They are wrapped up, tied up and tangled up in Jesus. This is the person we should strive to be. 

You can be saved today, renewed today, born again today... Because of the Spirit of God. This is good news for the natural person and carnal person and even the spiritual person. The same Spirit that can save the sinner can sanctify the saint. God promises that those who live holy He will never leave nor forsake. 

Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me...

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so... B/c we are ppl of the church.

AMEN