The Party of the Cross
Saints Sinners Soldiers
January 20, 2019
Rev. Gabe Sylvia
Paul calls the church to resist divisive loyalties by centering its life on a single confession — Christ crucified — and by practicing shared confrontation and commitment to that cross rather than allegiance to human leaders.
Summary
The sermon draws on Paul's letters to the Corinthians (and echoes Philippi) to argue that Christian community is sustained only when believers are bound together in Christ: a single common confession (Jesus Christ), a shared confrontation (both proactive care and corrective accountability), and a common embrace of the cross. Paul’s rhetorical questions — “Is Christ divided?” — expose the danger of factionalism when people follow personalities instead of the Lord. His preaching emphasizes the power and beauty of the cross over rhetorical flair, and practices like the Lord’s Supper remind the congregation to hold fast to that common confession for present unity and the faith of future generations.
Key Points
- The church must resist cultural divisiveness and be intentionally bound together in Christ.
- Paul’s challenge: “Is Christ divided?” — Christians must confess Jesus, not follow competing leaders.
- Unity rests on three commitments: a common confession (Jesus Christ), a common confrontation (mutual care and correction), and a common cross (Christ crucified).
- Factional loyalty to apostles or personalities undermines seeing Christ in His ministers and kills community.
- Paul’s preaching prioritizes the cross and the coming kingdom over human eloquence.
- The Lord’s Supper and prayer help the church remember and hold fast to the cross for the sake of current and future generations.
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