This Excellent Church - TEC

An Exhortation to Insensity

LFC Part 30 | 1 Cor 16 | Sam OyeyinkaPastor Sam concluded the teaching on the Corinthian church by explaining that although the church was gifted, it struggled with pride, disorder, and misunderstanding of God’s sovereignty.He noted that Paul consistently submitted his plans to God, often saying “if the Lord permits” (1 Cor. 16:7; Acts 18:21), aligning with James 4:13–16. True faith, he said, is trust in God rather than confidence in self, confession, or force of will. Human life is fragile, and planning without humility is delusional.He reminded us that at the heart of Christian theology, he emphasized, is the sovereignty of God. He explained that although Paul was clear about his purpose yet humble enough to submit his desires to God and openly sought support from the church (1 Cor. 16:6, 9–11). Supporting God’s work, he said, is intentional and necessary and not to be shied away from.Addressing Apollos, Pastor Sam stated that Apollos likely taught inaccurately but showed humility by staying back to learn. Believers, he said, must be kind to the uninformed while being firm against error, correcting without cruelty or insecurity.He added that Christians are called to stand firm and fight for the faith like men while also expressing feminine traits like tenderness and unity, symbolized by a contextual holy kiss. Greeting one another affirms mutual value and acknowledgment within the body.He emphasized that those who serve diligently as Paul asserted, have to be recognized but reminded us that all service must be done in love. Pastor Sam concluded that truth must not be sacrificed for approval. Though Paul corrected the church firmly, he ended with grace and love, showing that discipline flows from love, not hatred.

We begin the teaching series by looking closely at what true wisdom really is. Pastor Sam explains that wisdom is whatever roots us in the fear of God and the life that flows from that fear. Scripture teaches that wisdom is not abstract. It is seen in the way we live. James says, “Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom” (James 3:13 ESV).True wisdom is the grace of God applied in every area of our lives. There is no real difference between growing in godly wisdom and growing in sanctification. Both flow from the same work of God in the believer.It is also important to point out that the kind of wisdom driven by selfish ambition, jealousy and the passions of the flesh is not wisdom from above. James says that such wisdom is earthly, unspiritual and demonic, producing disorder and every vile practice (James 3:14 to 16). Wisdom that is shaped by sin does not bring peace, rest or flourishing. In fact, sin undermines common grace and invites judgment on a people, because God opposes the proud and the wicked.But those who love the ways of God come to know His peace and His rest. They also become people who make wise decisions, because the more they abide in His will, the more they desire to honour God in their choices and in their conduct.

What our ressurection will be like | LFC Part 29| 1 Cor 15:12-58 | Sam OyeyinkaHere, Paul’s point is straightforward: if Christ did not rise from the dead, the entire Christian faith collapses. The resurrection is what proves Christianity true. It shows Christ’s authority over death and confirms the truth of everything He said. The prophets spoke of His death for the sins of the world, and Christ Himself declared that He would lay down His life willingly. His resurrection is the final proof that all of this is real.If Christ has not been raised, then our faith is empty and our sins remain unforgiven. Those who have died have simply perished, and there is no hope beyond the grave. Without the resurrection, life becomes a confusing search for meaning. Do we live like the Epicureans, chasing pleasure because nothing matters? Or like the Stoics, enduring hardship even though the struggle has no purpose? What exactly is the point of life if Christ did not die and rise again?But Christ did rise. His resurrection is the firstfruit from the dead, the assurance that all who believe in Him will share in that same resurrection by the Spirit of God. The imperishable, glorified life promised in 1 John 3:2 is not symbolic. It is the believer’s future, grounded in the fact that Christ has already conquered the grave.This truth also reveals something deeper about us. Our desires shape our thinking. Our sins influence how we reason. Volition comes before intellection. People do not primarily seek what is true. They justify what their hearts already want. The resurrection confronts this tendency and calls us to turn from sin, embrace the truth, and anchor our hope in the risen Christ.

Charis Vigil | How to Pray for Something Without Idolising It | Samuel Oyeyinka