Middlebelt Baptist Church
October 11, 2026
Psalm 100CSB
- Pour My Praise On You
- I Call You Faithful
1 Corinthians 16:13–14CSB
- Worthy
- IntroIllustration about My Father expecting me to take of the family in absence! Locking the door and being man!Saints in two Sunday’s we will celebrating 69 years of Gospel Ministry, and I will be celebrating 10 years of ministry at MBC.Saints how can we assure that if God tarries another 100 years MBC will still be at this corner doing Gospel Ministry?We have to raise people who are willing to lock the door
1 Corinthians 16:13–14 CSB 13 Be alert, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, be strong. 14 Do everything in love.I am going to fly-over Corinthians like a drone then land the drone in 1 Corinthians 16:13-141 Corinthians 3:1–4 CSB 1 For my part, brothers and sisters, I was not able to speak to you as spiritual people but as people of the flesh, as babies in Christ. 2 I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, since you were not yet ready for it. In fact, you are still not ready, 3 because you are still worldly. For since there is envy and strife among you, are you not worldly and behaving like mere humans? 4 For whenever someone says, “I belong to Paul,” and another, “I belong to Apollos,” are you not acting like mere humans?Paul rebuking them for the spiritual immaturity1 Corinthians 4:14–20 CSB 14 I’m not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my dear children. 15 For you may have countless instructors in Christ, but you don’t have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you to imitate me. 17 This is why I have sent Timothy to you. He is my dearly loved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you about my ways in Christ Jesus, just as I teach everywhere in every church. 18 Now some are arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk, but the power of those who are arrogant. 20 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.Paul rebuking them for the arrogance of rejecting the authority given to the apostles1 Corinthians 5:1–3 CSB 1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and the kind of sexual immorality that is not even tolerated among the Gentiles—a man is sleeping with his father’s wife. 2 And you are arrogant! Shouldn’t you be filled with grief and remove from your congregation the one who did this? 3 Even though I am absent in the body, I am present in spirit. As one who is present with you in this way, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who has been doing such a thing.Paul rebuking them for allowing sexual sins to run rampant in the local church2 Corinthians 13:1–4 CSB 1 This is the third time I am coming to you. Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. 2 I gave a warning when I was present the second time, and now I give a warning while I am absent to those who sinned before and to all the rest: If I come again, I will not be lenient, 3 since you seek proof of Christ speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but powerful among you. 4 For he was crucified in weakness, but he lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but in dealing with you we will live with him by God’s power.Paul says “Since you seek proof of Christ speaking in me” constantly making Paul prove his apostolic credentials and working against his mission in the churches of Corinth causing division and factions.None of these enemies were external enemies. They weren’t fighting the paganism of rome, they were not fighting the legalism of Judiasm, they were fighting internal enemies found right inside of the church.Always: The people of God under the power of the HS are responsible for setting the condition in the local church for the spirit to sanctify, set apart, and utilize its testimony for the glory of God.Analogy of the robo-vacuum and setting up the places you would like it clean.I. Right Action1 Corinthians 16:13 CSB 13 Be alert, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, be strong.(EXP)(13) “Be Alert, Stand Firm in the faith” In order for someone to be alert they would need to be aware of what’s threatening and what is innocent.Paul gives 5 imperative verbs. Explain Imperative verbs.I heard Red Died-heard is the verb and it is active. Active verbs simple state factsDid Red Die?-“did” is the verb in the subjunctive voice verbs imply question and unsuretyGo to the hospital Red is dying! “Go” is the verb and it is imperative which are commands.Paul is not making suggestion. Paul is not giving kind thoughts of encouragement. Paul is not giving proverbial statement like the book of Proverbs. Paul is speaking like a parent who is laying the law down to their children.(13) “Be Alert, Stand firm in the faith”How can we stand at post if we are unaware of the enemies schemes and tactics and what uniform they wear?(13) Paul in the verse gives us a little help. First he says to be “alert” this carries the idea of “staying awake” staying awake is half the battle in spiritual warfare. Paul is calling for the church to “stay woke” The Corinthians in these 2 letters showed a complete lack of discernment in terms of tracking the enemies movement.In Black culture, “woke” means being actively aware, alert, and conscious of systemic racial prejudice, discrimination, and social injusticeNotice 1 Corinthians 1:10-151 Corinthians 1:10–15 CSB 10 Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, that there be no divisions among you, and that you be united with the same understanding and the same conviction. 11 For it has been reported to me about you, my brothers and sisters, by members of Chloe’s people, that there is rivalry among you. 12 What I am saying is this: One of you says, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in Paul’s name? 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so that no one can say you were baptized in my name.They beefing about who’s the most prominent evangelist and their connection to him. Only one was right among these sets of rivalries and its the one who said “I am of Christ” this group got it right.They celebrated Division & FactionsNotice 1 Corinthians 5:1-31 Corinthians 5:1–3 CSB 1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and the kind of sexual immorality that is not even tolerated among the Gentiles—a man is sleeping with his father’s wife. 2 And you are arrogant! Shouldn’t you be filled with grief and remove from your congregation the one who did this? 3 Even though I am absent in the body, I am present in spirit. As one who is present with you in this way, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who has been doing such a thing.(1-3) Paul says a man is sleeping with his step-mom. Even the world has enough sense to say this is wrong, but in the church it happening without any accountability.The celebrated sexual liberalityIn 1 Corinthians 7 Paul has to correct their Theology around marriage. They were loose and liberal. In Isaiah 5:20Isaiah 5:20 CSB 20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness, who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.In 1 Corinthians 16:10-11 The Corinthians had become celebrators of everything that was antithetical to God while giving grief to those sent by God.1 Corinthians 16:10–11 CSB 10 If Timothy comes, see that he has nothing to fear while with you, because he is doing the Lord’s work, just as I am. 11 So let no one look down on him. Send him on his way in peace so that he can come to me, because I am expecting him with the brothers.(10-11) Listen to Paul warning the Corinthians about Timothy. Paul says yall leave my son alone. Me and him are on the same team. I betta not hear of yall trying to intimidate him because of his age. And when he come back to me he better be in the same condition as when I left him.Why would Paul need to say this to them?They were so carnal they could not even tell when someone was preaching and teaching for their good or when someone was leading them straight to hell. Notice again in the salutation of this book in 1 Corinthians 16:151 Corinthians 16:15–16 CSB 15 Brothers and sisters, you know the household of Stephanas: They are the firstfruits of Achaia and have devoted themselves to serving the saints. I urge you 16 also to submit to such people, and to everyone who works and labors with them.(15) Paul says those of the household of Stephanas are the “firstfruits of Achaia” this likely means “Achaia was the evangelist who lead the people in the house of Stephanas to Christ” Achaia was most likely a well respected person who the Corinthians knew. Paul has to remind the Believers at Corinth to Submit to Stephanas and his householdWhy?(16) Because they have devoted themselves to gospel ministry and yall are always giving grief to true servants of God.Men it is so dangerous when we get to the point we celebrated what God hates and punish what God loves. In 1 Corinthians 16:131 Corinthians 16:13 CSB 13 Be alert, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, be strong.(13) I have established that the whole book of Corinth was a policy and procedure manual of how to conduct yourself as a christian for the spiritually immature. Notice Paul tells us where to start in (13)(13) “Stand Firm in the faith” another imperative. He commands us “stand firm” then he gives the referent, which is a prepositional phrase “in the faith” Saints this is Paul’s way of telling us where we need to set our feet. In life most of us have learn to pick our battles. This verse tells us where he need to stand firm.(13) “In the Faith” This means in the truths of the faith. Saints we need to know and understand what we believe and be able to stand firm in it, and hold our other brothers and sisters accountable to it in thought and practice. We cannot compromise on this one. Some conflicts can be compromised not this one. I am not talking about “Disputable matters” or “personal conviction” I am talking about primary doctrines.Romans 14:1–6 CSB 1 Welcome anyone who is weak in faith, but don’t argue about disputed matters. 2 One person believes he may eat anything, while one who is weak eats only vegetables. 3 One who eats must not look down on one who does not eat, and one who does not eat must not judge one who does, because God has accepted him. 4 Who are you to judge another’s household servant? Before his own Lord he stands or falls. And he will stand, because the Lord is able to make him stand. 5 One person judges one day to be more important than another day. Someone else judges every day to be the same. Let each one be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 Whoever observes the day, observes it for the honor of the Lord. Whoever eats, eats for the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; and whoever does not eat, it is for the Lord that he does not eat it, and he gives thanks to God.Saints of God we need to be building soldiers who can rightly divide the text so that they can stand at post in our churches.While more Americans are reading the Bible, they are less likely to fully endorse the accuracy of its teachings. In 2000, 43 percent strongly agreed that the Bible is totally accurate in the principles it teaches. That number fell below 40 percent in recent years but now sits at 36 percent. Even among self-identified Christians, only 44 percent strongly affirm the Bible’s accuracy.“Engagement is outpacing conviction,” says Kinnaman. “People are opening the Bible more often, but they’re still wrestling with what they believe about it. That gap between reading and trusting is worth paying attention to.”In 2022, Ligonier found that US adults increasingly view the Bible as not literally true. When asked whether they agreed or disagreed with this statement, “The Bible, like all sacred writings, contains helpful accounts of ancient myths but is not literally true,” 53 percent of American respondents agreed. Since 2014, this marks a 12 percent increase in the number of adults who do not believe in the veracity of the Bible. The study emphasized this finding: “This is the clearest and most consistent trend revealed by the State of Theology survey since it began in 2014.” When this same question was asked of US evangelicals, the 2022 survey results reported that 26 percent agreed that the Bible was closer to being a helpful account of ancient myths than true history (a 9 percent increase since 2016).Ligonier found other concerning trends as well. When asked to agree or disagree with this statement, “God accepts the worship of all religions, including Christianity, Judaism, and Islam,” 56 percent of evangelicals agreed, up from 48 percent in 2016. Also, from 2020 to 2022, there was a 13 percent increase in the number of evangelicals who agreed with the statement “Jesus was a great teacher, but he was not God.”The Pew Research Center survey cited earlier confirms Ligonier’s findings. Pew found that only one in five Americans know that Protestantism (not Catholicism) traditionally teaches that salvation comes through faith alone. This survey and others mentioned consistently find the same thing: not only are Americans (and professed evangelicals) reading their Bibles less, but they are also losing a comprehensive understanding of the Christian faith taught in the Bible. This is doubly concerning.These data points tell us that our churches are littered with people who could not name 5 of the ten commandments. Could not name all four gospels and who generally believe salvation is attain through works. Now how can we put people on post to guard the doors of the church theologically & practically if they are eating spiritual baby food in their own personal life.Around 59% to 60% of self-described American Christians have viewed Satan not as a real, living entity, but merely as a symbol of evil. Barna Research!Now how can you stand at Post if you cannot affirm that Satan is real person with Intellect, Emotion, and Will.Acts 2:41–47 CSB 41 So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added to them. 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles. 44 Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. 45 They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.(42) “They Devoted” The remain persistent in “The Apostles teaching” The power in the early church was rooted in their devotion, persistence and discipline in studying “The Apostles teaching”Have you ever been truly devoted to something? what did it require?PatienceDeterminationTimeWorkDiscipline(42) Saints if we are to grow as a church from spiritual babe’s to spiritual teenagers it will require all the things I just named.Remember my single objective for MBC is that if the Lord tarries and does not return for 100 years this church is not just on this corner but it is changing the world through its testimony!!Know that when a church decides its going to be transformative there will be Spiritual Warfare but we can rest on this verse in Matthew 7:24-25Matthew 7:24–25 CSB 24 “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the rock.Rain, Rivers rising, and winds blowing describes spiritual warfare, trials and tribulation.We have a guarantee in this text that “On Christ the Solid Rock we stand all other ground is sinking sand!”Paul then transition from the right action to the right attitude!Part IIWho’s going to lock the door!!!!1 Corinthians 16:13–14 CSB 13 Be alert, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, be strong. 14 Do everything in love.Intro:ReviewThe Church of Corinth is a church out of controlThey have factions and rivalriesThey are engaging in sexual sins not seen even among the worldThey have no control of worship on the Lord’s dayThey have no respect for the Religious heirarchy installed by Jesus and the ApostlesTo top it off they were arrogant and confident in their sins rather than be ashamed and open for rebuke.The Apostle Paul gives 5 imperatives, which are commands:Be alert-Be woke. stay viligentStand firm in the faith-Our policy and procedure manual for what to stand on is “The Word of God” it is not myth, wives tales, your own personal experiences. The Apotles have already spoken the Canon is closedLast week we learned that less than half of most church attenders do not believe in the innerancy of scripture.We learned that a large portion of the local church believes Jesus to be a good teacher but not GodWe also learned that a large portion of the evangelical church does not believe Satan is a real being only a symbol of Evil.These truths tell me we have a discipleship issue in the church. People are sitting in churches picking and choosing what they will believe. Treating the Word of God like a Salad BuffettII. Right Attitude1 Corinthians 16:13–14 (CSB) 13 Be alert, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, be strong. 14 Do everything in love.1 Corinthians 16:13–14 NASB95 Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.(EXP)(13) “be courageous, be strong” In (13) Paul says “Be alert, Stand firm” these are in the “active voice” meaning these are things he expects us to do. The next three imperatives are all in the “Middle voice” be courageous, be strong, Do everything in love”The Middle Voice is something you do to yourself. You are both the actor and recipient of the action.(13) “be courageous”-This word means “to be manly” (13) “Act like men” The NASB picks up the middle mood better than the CSB. Acting like men is a mindset, its an attitude.(13) This suggest in this text “be courageous, be men(strong) is something you do its something you become. As one exhibits courage it starts to become the attitude of his life. You see this in the life of David. One the backside of mountain taking care of sheep he ran into a lion and killed him, then a bear attack his sheep so he killed him, so when David came to the battlefield and listen to Goliath running his mouth he is looking around wondering why everyone is hiding behind rocks. David says I will take he was able to do this because courage was his mindset. It became apart of his ethos.The world’s concept courage is often a self-reliant action that is taken in spite of fear. The Cambridge Dictionary defines courage as “the ability to control your fear in dangerous or difficult situations,” or “to be brave and confident enough to do what you believe in.”Psychology Today describes courage as “the mental or moral strength to face fear, danger, or difficulty,” emphasizing that courage is not the absence of fear but the decision to act despite fear. It further identifies three common expressions of courage:Physical courage: an action taken despite the chance of bodily harmMoral Courage: standing up and speaking out despite the chance of ridiculePsychological courage: overcoming a mental challenge or fear to act as is needed.Both Wordly Courage and Biblical Courage are action oriented. But the difference between the two is were your confidence is rooted in:Wordly Courage is rooted in “Self-Reliance”Biblical Courage is rooted in “Trust in God”Wordly Courage can accomplish great wordly resultsBiblical Courage can accomplish Supernatural Results(13) Lets take a look at the word “courage” in the OT in Joshua 1:9Joshua 1:9 CSB 9 Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”(EXP)(9) “courageous”- Amets-To be stengthen and to make strong or stand firm. Notice these verses in Joshua 1:1-5(9) you will notice that Paul uses the exact same verbiage in the conclusion of Corinthians that Moses uses in Joshua 1:9. This tells me Paul wanted the readers to become familiar with this passage in Joshua.Joshua 1:1–5 CSB 1 After the death of Moses the Lord’s servant, the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’s assistant: 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now you and all the people prepare to cross over the Jordan to the land I am giving the Israelites. 3 I have given you every place where the sole of your foot treads, just as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will be from the wilderness and Lebanon to the great river, the Euphrates River—all the land of the Hittites—and west to the Mediterranean Sea. 5 No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. I will be with you, just as I was with Moses. I will not leave you or abandon you.(EXP)(1-5) God was not asking Joshua to “be strong” in himself. He is not asking Joshua to pull himself up from his boostraps. He is not asking Joshua to go out and fight these battles to prove you are worthy. Look at (5) this is the promise of this portion of scripture. “no one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. I will be with you, just as I was with Moses. I will not leave you or abandon you.”Summary: Joshua let your courage be in my history with the you witnessed with my care and provision for the children of Israel specifically my servant Moses the leader of the children of Israel. So when God in 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 says “be courageous, be strong” he is not talking about self-reliance. He is talking about rooting all of your trust and hope in Christ.What does courage look like on a Practical level?Most of us will not die or be martyred for our faith.So what does everyday courage look like in the culture that we live in?(13) The Bible roots courage in character not in acts of heroismSacrificial Love-This is a willingness put your needs aside for the sake of those around you.Providing and Protection-This is a willingness to “lock the door” spiritual, physically, emotionally. As well as mentor & pour your life into the success of another. If you have children it starts with them, then it reaches outside of the home to those in the local church and community.Servant Leadership-This is a willingness to serve without concern for who gets the credit. (everyone can’t be the QB. God needs some OL. OL are those who are willing to protect the QB and pave a way for him to lead the team to victory.Spiritual Integrity-Spiritual Integrity is a man who is not double-minded and double-tongued. We would say they aren’t “two-faced” He public persona matches his private behavior.If I wanted to find out whether a man was a christian, I wouldn’t go to his minister. I would go and ask his wife…..D.L MoodyIf we can get some people to just commit to these Biblical Principles in their homes, their church, their jobs and their communities it will arouse Satan and his demons, but it will also serve to advance God’s kingdom.transistion statement: Paul knows these 4 imperatives can be interpreted as very harsh so he makes sure to sanitized them by saying “Do everything in love”III. All in Love1 Corinthians 16:14 CSB 14 Do everything in love.(EXP)(14) “Do everything in love” This is the final imperative by Paul in his exhortation to the believers at Corinth. He says “Do everything(all) in love” lets define “love” in this text:Love-Agape: Divine and Selfless Love: Derived from the ancient Greek word ἀγάπη (agápē), it is traditionally understood as the highest form of love. In Christian theology, it represents God's unconditional love for humanity, as well as the selfless love people should extend to others regardless of circumstance.(14) Last week during the sermon we flew over the book of Corinthians. We pointed out how out of control they were. Paul is saying in this final imperative. As you stand at post, as you stand firm in the faith, as you trust in the Lord an be courageous do it in love. When you have to confront Sin, rebuke a brother, even put someone out the church let it all be done out of love.Analogy: A good soup will have some celery, carrots, chicken, onions, garlic, and all kinds of ariomatics but the base of the soup is chicken stock or beef stock. All of the ingrediants of the soup swim around in the stock. The stock then infuses the carrots, the onions, the chicken and the ariomatics. Well Love is the liquid through which all the ingrediants swim in.When God says “be alert” did it in loveWhen God says “Stand firm in the faith” did it in loveWhen God says “be courageous” did it in loveWhen God says “be strong” did it in loveThe Church at Corinth needed to be cleaned up, and Paul says while you are cleaning up Conflict will happen, confrontation will happen but make sure you do it in love!!!!To do something in love means your intention is for God’s glory and their good!You might say Pastor how is putting someone out the church loving?Notice what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 5:4-51 Corinthians 5:4–5 CSB 4 When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus, and I am with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 hand that one over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.(EXP)(5) “hand that one over to Satan” is a euphemism for putting them outside of the confines of the church. This phrase tells me two things:As members of the local church one the benefits of your membership is protection from Satan. It does not totally shield you but its like “airbags” in a car. They are not 100% but they have prevented many deaths since their inception. The church is like a wall around your house.When you don’t participate or you have no relationship to a local church you are naked and defenseless against Satan. You are like a city without walls.(5) “so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord” The verb “may” is in the subjuntive mood. Meaning uncertainty or unsurety. Paul is saying when you remove someone for the body its the most loving thing you can do because it forces them to face their behavior and repent. And in repenting they could come to a true knowledge of Jesus Christ and truly be saved. Saints when we fail to address behavior that offends a holy God your are offending two people:You are to Love the Lord your God with all your heart soul mind and strength-God desire a bride without spot nor blemish. This makes it neccesary to confront public & practiced sin in the body. Our Lord understands something we don’t a church that looks like the world loses its attracting power.When the church is absolutely different from the world, she invariably attracts it. It is then that the world is made to listen to her message. Though it may hate it at first….Martin Lloyd JonesYou are to Love your neighbor as yourself-You are offending your neighbor because your silence is an implicit permission to them that it is alright to live in sin without consequences. Listen to Ezekiel Talk about this in Ezekiel 33:7-11Ezekiel 33:7–11 CSB “As for you, son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. When you hear a word from my mouth, give them a warning from me. If I say to the wicked, ‘Wicked one, you will surely die,’ but you do not speak out to warn him about his way, that wicked person will die for his iniquity, yet I will hold you responsible for his blood. But if you warn a wicked person to turn from his way and he doesn’t turn from it, he will die for his iniquity, but you will have rescued yourself. “Now as for you, son of man, say to the house of Israel, ‘You have said this: “Our transgressions and our sins are heavy on us, and we are wasting away because of them! How then can we survive?” ’ Tell them, ‘As I live—this is the declaration of the Lord God—I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked person should turn from his way and live. Repent, repent of your evil ways! Why will you die, house of Israel?’Open the Doors of the Church 1 Corinthians 16:13–14CSB
1 Corinthians 3:1–4CSB
1 Corinthians 4:14–20CSB
1 Corinthians 5:1–3CSB
2 Corinthians 13:1–4CSB
1 Corinthians 16:13CSB
1 Corinthians 1:10–15CSB
1 Corinthians 5:1–3CSB
Isaiah 5:20CSB
1 Corinthians 16:10–11CSB
1 Corinthians 16:15–16CSB
1 Corinthians 16:13CSB
Romans 14:1–6CSB
Acts 2:41–47CSB
Matthew 7:24–25CSB
1 Corinthians 16:13–14CSB
1 Timothy 3:1–11CSB
1 Corinthians 16:14CSB
Ezekiel 33:7–11CSB
2 Corinthians 6:2bESV
1 Timothy 3:16NASB95
Middlebelt Baptist Church
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