Shalom, my dear brothers and sisters. We have the privilege at this present time to begin with the study of the book of 1 Corinthians, The letter that the Apostle Shaul Paul wrote to the Corinthians as a corrective ministry to a local assembly who needed much grace from the Lord and much correction in their way of their behavior. Though the Corinthians were a company of believers in the city of Corinth that belonged to the Lord Jesus the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. This study of 1 Corinthians is very important because there are lessons that we all can learn from this letter that was written to them because it shows us in this letter, the first Corinthians, that Paul wrote that there is so much need and there was so much concern of the apostle for a local assembly that needed correction.

And Apostle Paul, in love for his own brothers and sisters in the city of Corinth, wrote them this very important letter, which teaching us many, many lessons in our own lives, even in our own local kehilot, local assemblies, local churches. And it is very needful for each and every one of us in our own personal life and collective life. In this ministry today, at this time, I would like to begin just with the introduction. And I will read the first verse. And so we read in 1 Corinthians 1, verse 1, Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach, through the will of God, and through Thenis, our brother.

Let me read the first part of verse 2, unto the church of God, which is at Corinth. So, beloved brothers and sisters, this letter to the Corinthians is a letter that was addressed by the apostle Paul. You notice that he calls himself in 1 Corinthians 1.1, Paul called to be an apostle. The word to be should really not be there. Paul called an apostle of Jesus Christ, of Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus the Messiah. And so here the apostle Paul is writing to this assembly of believers who have turned to the Lord Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior and became part of the local assembly in the city of Corinth.

We want to know how did this assembly was formed. Let me remind you, beloved brothers and sisters, that the Apostle Paul, throughout his ministry, he had three missionary journeys. The first one, he began from Acts chapter 13 and verse 3 and ended in Acts chapter 14 and verse 28. The second missionary journey is found in Acts chapter 15 and verse 40 all the way to Acts chapter 18 and verse 22. And Paul, Shaul's third missionary journey, is found in Acts chapter 18 verse 23 all the way up to Acts chapter 21 and verse 17. These three missionary journeys God used Shaul Paul to be a vessel to reach out to Asia Minor where he was used to preach the message of the gospel in various towns and cities in Asia Minor and the apostle Paul was used by God to form local assemblies fascinating to see how the Lord used the apostle Paul in Hebrew is called shaliach amazing to see in his three missionary journey how the apostle Paul was used by the Lord let me remind you that the very fact that Paul emphasized the fact that he is an apostle notice the word in first corinthian 1 and verse 1 Paul called an apostle that word in first corinthian 1 and verse 1 apostle come from the a Greek word apostolos in the Hebrew it comes from the word shaliach a sent one and the apostle mentioned the fact that he is an apostle many times throughout his letters that he wrote in Romans chapter 1 and verse 1 he calls himself an apostle here in first Corinthians 1 and verse.

1 he calls himself an apostle in 2nd Corinthians 1 and verse 1 he calls himself an apostle in Galatians 1 and verse 1 he's sharing with the local assembly that he is an apostle in the book of Ephesians chapter 1 and verse 1 he's saying i am Paul an apostle shaliyah apostolon in Colossians chapter 1 and verse 1 once again Shaul Paul mentioned to the fact that he is an apostle a messenger from the Lord Jesus the Messiah to Timothy in both first Timothy one and second Timothy one Shaul Paul mentioned to the to Timothy that he is an apostle as well as to Titus beloved brothers and sisters Paul mentioned the fact that he is that apostle sent by the Lord Jesus the Messiah the glorified Messiah who called him to be apostolos to be the messenger of the Lord Jesus to the Gentiles in fact in Galatians chapter 2 the apostle Paul shared the fact with the Galatians that he was specifically called to be the apostle to the.

Going to the Gentiles and he wanted the believers to understand that he was raised by God to reach the Gentiles with the message of the gospel Paul wrote of himself in Galatians chapter two he said contrary wise when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision this is verse seven was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision, was unto Peter, for he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the Jewish people, the same was mighty in me towards the Gentile the uncircumcision and so Shaul Paul was a messenger of God an apostolos in Hebrew a shaliach to the Gentile world to share with the Gentile world the gospel of the grace of God to share that message that salvation can be received through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and so beloved brothers and sisters as the apostle was initially before he began his ministry he was this parush a pharisee a Jewish person who loved the God of Israel and yet opposed the early believers who trusted that Jesus was the Messiah.

And if you remember as you read the book of Acts, especially in chapter 9 and onward, on the way to Damascus, as this person by the name of Shaul was so upset that the early Hebrew Christians came to know Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah. He took with him letters from the spiritual leaders in Jerusalem to go all the way to the synagogues. Because the early Jewish believers still went to the synagogues in Asia Minor. And he took letters to Damascus, to the synagogues, Batei HaKneset, Beit HaKneset, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

And if you remember, beloved brothers and sisters, On the way to Damascus, Shaul was met by the glorified Messiah. Our Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah, who had finished the work of redemption. He died, he was buried, and he rose again. And here we find sometime later on, after Yeshua, Jesus' resurrection and ascension, when the early believers in Jerusalem and Judea experienced much, much, much trouble from their own brethren, who reject them because they believed that the Lord Jesus is indeed the promised Messiah. And so Paul was so upset and offended because he assumed that these early Hebrew Christians have gone astray. And so he pursued them.

And on the way to Damascus, he, as we read in Acts chapter 9, As he journeyed, verse 3, he came near Damascus, and suddenly there shined around about him a light from heaven. And he fell to the earth, and he heard a voice saying unto him, Shaul, Shaul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Yeshua. I am Yisus in Greek. I am Jesus. I am Yeshua, whom thou persecutest. It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he, trembling and astonished, said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And notice what the Lord Yeshua, Jesus, said to Paul.

The Lord said unto him, He said to him, Arise and go unto the city. Go to Damascus, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. At the same time, the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, spoke to another Hebrew believer in Damascus by the name of Hananiah. And to Hananiah, Ananias, he said to him concerning Paul that he wanted him to give Paul, give Shaul a message to him. And you know, Hananiah said to him, he said to the Lord, to Yeshua, he said, he said to him that he was so concerned. He was concerned because of who Shaul is. He said, Lord, I have heard by many of these men how much evil he has done unto the saints that at Jerusalem.

You see, the early saints, believers in Jerusalem have experienced a lot of tribulation because of Shaul who have persecuted them. And now he takes letters and he's on the way to Damascus and the Messiah, Jesus, met him on the way to Damascus. And you remember what we have read in Acts chapter 9. He says, and here he has authority from the chief priest to bind all that call on the name, on thy name. Whoever called on the name of Yeshua the Messiah, that was there in the local Jewish community in Damascus. Shaul Paul brought a letter to the Senegag, to the Batei HaKnesed, to take them from there and to bring them to Jerusalem.

And notice what the Lord Jesus said to Hanania. Ananias but the Lord said unto him go thy way for he the chosen vessel unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles and Kings and the children of Israel for I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. And so, beloved brothers and sisters, the Apostle Shaul Paul was a chosen vessel by the Lord Jesus the Messiah, the glorified, the resurrected Messiah, whom he met on the way to Damascus. And the Lord Jesus the Messiah said to Ananias, to Hananiah, you go your way. You speak to him. I have chosen him to be a vessel unto me.

He will bear my name before the goyim, the Gentile, before Kings, and before the children of Israel. And I will show him how much great things he must suffer for my name's sake. And sure enough, Hananias, he went his way, and he entered into his house, and he put his hands on him. And notice he called him Brother Shaul, verse 17 of Acts chapter 9. The Lord, even Jesus, even Yeshua, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou came, he has sent me that thou might receive thy sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. And here Shaul Paul became a believer in Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah.

And he is that servant of the Lord that is called the apostle to the uncircumcision. Shaul Paul began his ministry. He was baptized immediately, nitbal, he was immersed. And after he was immersed, after he was baptized, he ate. Then was Shaul, certain days with the disciples which were in Damascus. And he preached the message of the gospel of the Messiah already there in the synagogues in Syria, in Damascus. Letting his own Jewish brethren know that Yeshua Jesus is indeed Christ the Messiah the Messiah it says in Acts 9 verse 20 and straightway he preached Christ Messiah where in the synagogues where they had the Hebrew Scriptures open every Shabbat there he preached a message that Yeshua is the Messiah verse 20a and also that he is the son of God ben ha Elohim the son of God and from here on beloved brothers and sisters the apostle Paul Shaul Paul he became an apostle a shaliyah a messenger a called by the by the Lord Jesus the glorified Messiah as a messenger to preach the message of the gospel among the Gentile world and so from act chapter 13 and verse 3 as he was there in Syria in a city of antioch as we read in act chapter 13 beloved brothers and sisters now they were in the church in the assembly that was in antioch certain prophets and teachers and barnabas and Simon Shimon and lucius lucius and menachem menaen.

Which had been brought up with herod the tatrach and Shaul notice his Hebrew name Shaul and after he became a believer he was still called Shaul because he had two names Shaul in Hebrew polos the diaspora name and you notice that even after he became a believer in the Lord Jesus the Messiah in the local assembly he was called Shaul but when he went out to reach out with the gospel to the nations of the world in Asia Minor he used the diaspora name that is called Paul which name is found throughout all the letters the epistles that he wrote when he was writing them to local assemblies and to individuals to build them up in their most holy faith and so beloved brothers and sisters when the apostle Shaul Paul began to have this missionary journey from Acts 13 verse 3 to Acts 14 28 we see him going out in the ministry to share the gospel and to establish brothers and sisters as he was moving along he came to perga and then from perga he went to.

Antioch in pisidia and other localities beloved brothers and sisters and he preached a message of the gospel and he formed with the help of the Lord local assemblies that would begin to function in their localities a group of believers that have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ the Lord Jesus the Messiah the Lord and Savior and formed local group of believers in their locality each city in their locality and so he had Paul had had his first missionary journey and he began to travel and to minister beloved brothers and sisters as he was presenting the message of the gospel many came to know the Lord and formed local assemblies we read, beloved brothers and sisters that the Spirit of God according to Acts chapter 13 and verse 4 they being sent forth by the Holy Spirit they departed and they went to various localities seleucia and then they sailed to cyprus and from here from there on to to papos and and so on and so on perga and so on and and then pisidia and various places where they minister the word of.

God now how did that passage of all Paul arrived to Corinthians to Corinth to the city of Corinth Well, the ministry in the city of Coins began actually in Acts chapter 18 in Shaul Paul's second missionary journey. According to Acts chapter 18, beloved brothers and sisters, after the apostles have fled from Antioch, left. Antioch have gone again through these various areas, including Thessalonica and other localities. And then they finally have arrived to the city of Corinth in chapter 18 of the Book of Acts. We read in verse 1, after these things, Paul departed from Athens. He left Athens. He came to Corinth. You remember in Athens, it was on Mars Hill, where Paul preached this amazing message about the unknown God on Mars Hill.

From there, he left and he arrived to Corinth. And here in Corinth, beloved brothers and sisters, he continued to do what he always did. He went unto the synagogue of his own Jewish brethren. In a local synagogue. Apparently, the city of Corinth was the capital of the province of Achaia. And in about 49 AD, the Jewish community had been expelled from Rome. And many of the Jewish people have immigrated to the city of Corinth. And to remind you that wherever the Jewish community have gone to throughout the ages of our people, they always formed a synagogue in the local city so that Jewish people could meet together and worship the God of Israel in the midst of a world that was filled with those who believe in various gods in the world and so there in the city of corns there was a local synagogue in Hebrew it is called bait kneset bait kneset simply mean a house kneset of gathering bait it's a house kneset is where they meet together and the Jewish community met together there every Shabbat for the reading of the Torah, as well as various activities that have been conducted among the Jewish believers of that local city.

Now, sadly, the Jewish people, according to Acts chapter 18 and verse 4, we read that he reasoned in the synagogue every Shabbat, And he persuaded the Jews and the Greeks that came, these are Greek proselytists that came into the synagogue and they worshiped the God of Israel. They believed on him. But beloved brothers and sisters, what we really learn here is that when he came to the synagogue, he also met Aquila and Priscilla, those that have departed from Rome because of the fact that they were chastened by the emperor, Claudius. Who commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome, and Paul came unto them also, and he went to the synagogue with all those who were there, and he began to share his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, in the Lord Yeshua HaMashiach, seeking to persuade them that he is indeed the Christ.

The word Christ comes from the Greek word Christos, which is the equivalent to the Hebrew word Mashiach, anointed. That the Lord Yeshua, Jesus, is indeed the anointed one, the Messiah, the Savior, the Redeemer that came from heaven. Well, we can see, beloved brothers and sisters, that Paul, according to Acts chapter 18 and verse 4 and 5, He reasoned every Shabbat day in the synagogue with the Jewish community there telling them concerning the person of the Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah. And Paul, later on, when he was rejected and the message was not accepted, according to chapter 18 of Acts, verses 6 and 7, he eventually left the synagogue and he went to the next door to the Gentiles to share with them now the message of the gospel.

It is very interesting that that was a principle that Paul practiced in his ministry as he went throughout Asia Minor preaching the message of the gospel to remind you that we read in Romans 116 when he spoke and wrote to the Romans he said to them i am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ besorat HaMashiach why for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believe to the Jew first and also to the Gentile for therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith unto faith as it is written the just shall live by faith so Paul throughout his missionary journeys he practiced this he always went first of all to any city to the synagogue and then after that some of the people in the synagogue had accepted the message some has not and because he was not accepted by all Paul Shaul went then to the Gentiles and share with them the message of the gospel apparently in act chapter 18 when he was in Corinth because.

He was not accepted and all the Jewish community did not accept the fact that Jesus is indeed the promised Messiah he says when they opposed we read it when they opposed them themselves and blasphemed, this is the religious leaders in the synagogue, then he shook his raiment and he said unto them, your blood be upon your heads, I am clean, from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles. And that expression, from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles, it's something that happened in every local place when he was not accepted by all the Jewish communities. We read of that I will go on to the Gentiles as well in other passages like Acts 13 verse 44 to 46 Acts 28 verse 26 to 28 in Rome so it was in Antioch and here in Corinth and later on in Rome in other words he went to the Gentiles in the locality of that city once he was not accepted by all in the synagogue in that city or another whether it is in Antioch or here in Corinth or later on in Rome.

It was a principle he went to the Jew first then went on to the Gentiles and praise God because both Jews and Gentiles we all need a Savior we all need to realize that all of us have sinned and come short of the glory of God and here we have the Apostle Paul faithfully now going to preach to the Gentiles and especially beloved brothers and sisters as we study the book of Corinthian, 1st Corinthian, Paul is the one that is called in Scripture the apostle to the uncircumcision and his burden was to reach the Gentile world with the message of the gospel though he never ever forgot his brethren and in principle he always went to the Jew first so Corinth was a very wealthy city actually Corinth was one of the economical center of Greece Corinth was also known to be as a city that was filled with idolatry Adultery, immorality, out of which many beloved dear brothers and sisters, God graciously have led many to know the Savior, the Redeemer, the Messiah, Jesus, out of this city of Corinth.

We read, beloved brothers and sisters, in 1 Corinthians 6, verse 9. Listen to what we read concerning the believers there at Corinth. In verses 9, 10, and 11, we read. 1 Corinthians 6, verse 9. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be ye not deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, no effeminate, no abusers of themselves with mankind, no thieves, no covetousers, no drunkards, no revilers, no extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And notice in verse 11 of 1 Corinthians 6, he said, And such were some of you. Corinthians, you were there. You came from this condition. But ye are washed. But ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of our Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

You are cleansed, you are washed by the blood of the Lamb. You belong to the Lord Jesus Christ, to the Lord Yeshua HaMashiach, and therefore such were some of you. Idolatry, adultery, immorality, and yet God is so graciously saved so many in that very city of Corinth, beloved brothers and sisters, that tells us that there is no one that is without hope, without the possibility to come to know the Lord, to come to know the Savior, the Redeemer, the lover of our souls. How wonderful to see that. And God desires so much that there will be a change in our life. It is said, as we study the book of 1 Corinthians, we will see the many, many problems that existed in Corinth.

But they were people who were saved, who were forgiven, who were part of the local assembly, actually part of the heavenly company called the Ecclesia, the church. They belonged to the Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah. Such were some of you. You came from idolatry, adultery, immorality, All that which happened in the city of Corinth, the Lord used Shaul Paul to lead through the preaching of the message of the gospel of the grace of God many to himself. So, beloved brothers and sisters, yet sadly, the believers in Corinth, not all, we are confident, because there's always in every local assembly you have those that were godly, desiring to please God.

And yet you have the others who are living carnal like the world. But Corinth, the Corinthian assembly, were characterized according to what we will study in this book, in this letter. The believers in Corinth have allowed themselves to be influenced by the life of those who were without. And they therefore had many many many problems in their local assembly which we will deal with in our study together in fact beloved brothers and sisters as we study you can see the extreme different because they came from immorality they came from idolatry they came from worshiping pagan gods and yet beloved brothers and sisters they have believed in the Lord Jesus the Messiah as we read in first Corinthians 6 and verse 11 such were some of you fornicators idolatrous adulterous effeminate abusive of themselves with mankind thieves covetous drunkards revilers extortioners they came from there they became believers they receive forgiveness but as we will study this first corinthian we will learn that they had problems with divisions among themselves they had friction and problem they had challenges with immoralities they had problems with marriage life they have problems with the liberties that one has, the liberties that believers have.

They have problems with respect to the Lord's table, beloved brothers and sisters. They had problems concerning the gifts that God had given to the assembly. They had problems with the resurrection, the truth. Of the resurrection. They have even problem who is giving and supporting of the Lord's work so throughout this letter as we will study this together by the grace of God and with the help of the Spirit of God we will see how this is applicable to each and every one of us beloved brothers and sisters today in the last days of the assembly of the church is the loudest day in which we live in today so they failed so much there was they had defilement they were practicing even sexual immorality there they had drunkenness drunkenness that you're going on in the assembly others even were characterized by worldliness and sadly they were they were divided and they took one another to court can you imagine in a world to the unbelieving world that took one another to court and and some in a corinthian simply disgraced God and God's word and that's why the apostle Paul wrote to them this letter that is called the first letter to the Corinthians beloved brothers and.

Sisters, the Apostle Paul, apparently, he had already written a letter to the Corinthians earlier, and really this letter would be reckoned to be as the second letter, the first letter is actually not even known where it is. Apparently, in 1 Corinthians 5 and verse 9, we read, I wrote unto you. In an epistle not to company with fornicators, yet not altogether with fornicators of this world, or with covetous, covetous, and with extortioners, or with idolaters. So, in other words, Paul already wrote to them not to accompany with the people of the world in which they came out from, And especially with those who became believers, but then went back to live this kind of lifestyle.

So the letter he had already sent them earlier, this actually, 1 Corinthians, is in actuality would be the second letter that he writes to them, even though it is called 1 Corinthians. But from chapter 5 and verse 9 and 10, you can see that Shaul Paul already written to them a previous letter, which is really lost, is not found. And we don't know where is this letter, but it is interesting that now Paul writing to them once again, but give them an extensive instruction and corrective ministry. It is fascinating. So beloved brothers and sisters, the Corinthians had a problem with pride. They really depended on their own human wisdom. You will see we will speak about the wisdom that they needed to learn of the wisdom that come from above.

And that is why the Apostle Paul is writing to them this letter that is called the first letter to the Corinthians. And we want to see, as we study this letter, beloved brothers and sisters, that the apostle Paul, the Shaul Paul, emphasizes the fact that he is an apostle. You remember what we read in 1 Corinthians 1 and verse 1, Paul called an apostle. Why is it that Paul mentioned the fact that he is an apostle? He is not writing to them that he is an apostle because he wanted to pride himself. He doesn't want to take a title for himself. Shaul Paul was a humble man who was broken before the Lord, who wanted to serve his master, his Messiah, his Savior, his Lord.

So why is it that he is emphasizing nearly in all his epistles out of the 13 epistles he is mentioning in 10 of them that he is an apostle the only time he doesn't mention the fact that he is an apostle in philippian 1 1 in first and second thessalonian he doesn't mention these three letters in the beginning that he is apostle because he is including other believers in the writing of that letter but beloved brothers and sisters to the Corinthians in his first letter any second letter that I mentioned here he's emphasizing the fact that he is an apostle simply because of the fact that truly he is the apostle that had authority and the Corinthians had a problem with the fact that they say well really the apostle this Shaul Paul he doesn't have any authority who is he he was not among the 12 apostles that were with the Lord when the Lord Jesus the Messiah where Yeshua HaMashiach was with his own people in the land of Israel and those early apostles the 12 apostles that he had chosen for.

Himself so Paul was using the fact that he was an apostle because he wanted to emphasize the fact that even though he was not one of the 12 apostles whom the Lord have established and called them and sent them to be messages for him to the world to preach the message of the gospel even though he was not there with them when Yeshua was alive before his death even though he hasn't as far as we know seen him yet he has an authority that was given to him by the resurrected Messiah from glory as we have read in act chapter 9 let me remind you that in Matthew chapter 10 we read Verse 1, and when he had, this is when Jesus had called unto him 12 disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits to cast them out and to heal all men of sicknesses and all men of diseases.

Now, the name of the 12 apostles, you notice in verse 1 of Matthew chapter 10, they call 12 disciples, Talmidim. In verse 2, these 12 disciples are now called apostles, apostolos, shlichim, 12 shlichim, 12 apostles. And we have the name, the first one, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew, his brother. James, the son of Zebedee, and John, Yochanan, his brother, Philip, and Bartalmai, Thomas, and Matthew, the publican, James, this is Yaakov, the son of Alphaeus, and Labias, whose surname was Tadius, Simon, the Canaanite, and Yehuda, Ishkaiot, who also betrayed him. You remember the Judah, Yehuda Ishkayot, he betrayed him, and he died, he committed suicide, he killed himself, and then Matityahu, Matatayaz, was chosen to become the number 12 instead of Yehuda.

So Shaul Paul really became a unique apostle, unique messenger, unique apostolo that was to be going out to the Gentile world called the apostle of the uncircumcision and he is the one that is called by the Lord but not when he was here on earth. He was called by the Lord Jesus the Messiah to become an apostle when he met him on the way to Damascus. And the Lord revealed himself unto him in other times of Paul's, Shaul's ministry. Again, I would like to remind you what the Lord Yeshua the Messiah said concerning Paul. Shaul in Acts 9 verse 15. Said it to Hananiah, Ananias, go thy way, for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and Kings, and the children of Israel, for I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.

So Paul had an apostolic authority, and even though he was not part of the first twelve that the Lord had chosen, in the apostolic days when the apostle in the city of Jerusalem began to form the early assembly in the city of Jerusalem, and that they were the ones that all were learning they continue with their apostle doctrine even though Paul was not part of it initially yet Paul Shaul who initially persecuted his Jewish brethren the Hebrew Christians he received apostolic authority from the glorified Messiah according to act chapter 9 in fact we read in act chapter 2 and verse 42 and they continued can you imagine in the city of Jerusalem they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayer this was the foundation of the church of the ecclesia that began in the city of Jerusalem.

And though Shaul was not part of it, he opposed them. Yet later on, he was called by the Lord, the glorified Lord Jesus, our Messiah, to become an apostle to the Gentiles. And so no wonder Paul emphasized the fact that he was the apostle because he felt like he needed to explain, to show to everyone the fact that he persecuted the early believers, but now he is no longer persecuting the believers, but he is with the early believers, sharing the message of the gospel. Paul also saw the Lord Jesus, the resurrected Messiah, in Acts 9, Just as the other apostles saw the Messiah after his death, burial, and resurrection here on earth before his ascension.

Yet Paul saw the risen Messiah and the qualification to become an apostle is to witness the risen Messiah according to the book of Acts. If you remember, after Judas or Yehuda, Ish-Krayot, killed himself, you remember when Matityahu was chosen, we find out that he was chosen because he was part of those that have seen and walked with the Lord Jesus. Notice what we read in verse 22 of Acts 1. Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection. Now notice, from the baptism, the immersion of Yeshua by Yohanan, John the baptizer, when the Lord was at about 30 years of age.

Yeshua, Jesus, was about 30 years of age when he began his public ministry. Then, until he was taken up, that means that he lived, he ministered, our Lord Jesus the Messiah died on the cross, he was buried, he rose again on the third day, he remained with his disciples another 40 days later, and then he was ascended up to heaven, And Matityahu, Matatayas, according to Acts 1 and verse 26, he was chosen because he was part of these individuals that literally walked with Jesus, walked with Yeshua from his public ministry until his ascension to heaven, which is including the Lord Jesus' ministry, life, death, burial, resurrection, and ultimately ascension.

So, beloved brothers and sisters, the reason that the apostle Paul, mentioning in 10 of his letters that he is an apostle, beginning the whole letter with him, it's simply because he wanted to establish the authority that he received from the Lord. And that those who doubted his authority will know that he has the same authority as the rest of the other 12 apostles who were chosen by the Lord. Less Judas and replaced by Matityahu, Matatayas. So, beloved brothers and sisters, this is a fascinating letter that we will enjoy to study as we're studying it one verse at a time and one chapter at a time with the Lord's help.

I would like just to mention that in Acts chapter 18, we do read how this local assembly had began. It is interesting, we do read, and I want to read one more time, Acts 18 verse 4. And he reasoned in the synagogue every Shabbat, and he persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. And when Silas and Timothy were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in spirit and testified to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ, that Yeshua was the Messiah. And when they opposed themselves and blessed him, he took his raiment and he said unto them, Your blood be upon your head. I'm clean from henceforth. I will go unto the Goyim, unto the Gentiles.

And he departed hence, and entered into a certain man's house by the name of Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue. In other words, there was another Jewish believer by the name of Justus. His house was next, his tithe to the synagogue. He worshipped God. He worshipped the true and living God. And notice we read, and Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord and with all his house and many of the Corinthians. In other words, beloved brothers and sisters, when you really think about it, the local assembly in Corinth was a composition of the early Jewish believers here in Corinth from the synagogue, including Crispus, who was the chief ruler of the Senegal.

He was actually, in Hebrew we call it Rosh Beit HaKneset. He was responsible over the Senegal. He became a believer. All his house believed on the Lord. Notice how beautiful. But then we read, then spake the Lord to Paul in a night vision. He said, be not afraid, but speak... And hold not thy peace for I am with thee and he said no man shall set on thee to hurt thee for I have much people in this city this city of Corinth in other words the Lord Jesus encouraged Paul there in Corinth even though initially he was opposed and rejected by his own Jewish brethren in the synagogue but there were those who did believe And according to the Lord, to the Lord's word to him in that vision, verse 9 and 10, according to these verses, Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah, have encouraged Paul.

The Lord spoke to Paul, and it was in the night vision, and he said to him, don't be afraid. Speak. Don't hold your peace. I will be with you. I am with you. No man will set to hurt thee. I have much people in this city, this city of Corinth. We learn of the truth that the Lord knows who will come to him. We learn the truth of election here. I have much people in this city. Paul did not know. Those that were with him did not know. Silas and Timothy who came did not know. But the Lord Jesus the Messiah knows his own beloved brothers and sisters remember what we read in the gospel my sheep hear my voice and I know them and I'll give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish we also learn the truth of election while for you and I it is a mystery and yet for the Lord of glory God the Son who became a man who died on a shameful cross for our sins and was buried and rose again for our justification who had been taken to heaven had been glorified and is sitting at God's right hand he knows who belongs to him I have much people he said to Shaul Paul in this city which city?

Corinth they belong to me I have elected them I have chosen them and i will use you Paul to be a vessel speak don't hold your peace i'm with thee no man shall set on thee to hurt thee Paul was told by the glorified Redeemer the Lord Jesus. The Messiah and so beloved brothers and sisters as we read all the way to verse 18 in this very interesting chapter act chapter 18 verses 1 to 18 we see the apostle Paul there ministering not only that he ministered in the synagogue and then later on beloved brothers and sisters the apostle Paul went elsewhere and he began to minister the message of the gospel beloved brothers and sisters concerning the person of the Lord Jesus the Messiah he had an opposition yes he did his own Jewish brethren did not understand him did not accept his message but beloved brothers and sisters the apostle Paul also began to minister the word outside of the Jewish community to the people at Corinth as he wonderfully preached that amazing message of the grace of God and so you notice beloved brothers and sisters as we continue here it says in verse 11 of Acts chapter 18 that Paul continued there this is in Corinth for one year and six months one and a half year Paul ministered there taught the word of God among them all.

He presented there that message of the gospel in the city of coran and many came to know the Savior and became part of the local assembly in the city of coran and so beloved brothers and sisters we read how wonderful that this message has been brought to coran and many became believers trusted in a Savior became a local assembly and began to function together as believers in that local assembly but there were many many problems in their midst and the apostle Paul wrote this letter as a corrective ministry the brothers and sisters in the city of Corinth now just to mention before we will close the introduction to the book of Corinthians.

We read in 1 Corinthians 1 and verse 1, Paul called, notice not to be, but called an apostle. You might have in your Bible the word to be, but no, Paul was not called to be, he was already an apostle. In the King James, the words are here in italic, but not supposed to be there. Paul called an apostle, but notice, an apostle of Jesus Christ, of Yeshua the Messiah. He was sent by the person of the Lord Jesus the Messiah who said, as I have already mentioned it, and I must repeat it one more time, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord Yeshua HaMashiach said, For he is a chosen vessel unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles and Kings and the children of Israel.

For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. So when Paul writes to the Corinthians as one that have an authority, He says, Paul called an apostle of Jesus Christ. And not as it said, it is through the will of God. It's not the will of man. Beloved brothers and sisters, Paul became the shaliyah, the apostle, not on the basis of man. And the reason that he's mentioned it here, beloved brothers and sisters, is because some have doubted the fact that he has an authority. Some have said, well, you are not coming from Jerusalem. You did not receive this authority from the apostles in the city of Jerusalem.

Paul wanted to emphasize the fact that he was called an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God. Through the will of God. In Galatians chapter 1 we read in verse 1 to 4, Paul an apostle not of men. Neither by men, but by Jesus Christ, by Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus the Messiah, and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead, and all the brethren which are with me unto the churches of Galatia. Grace be to you and peace from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world according to the will of God and our Father.

In verse 15 of Galatians 1, He continued to say, But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me by His grace to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the heathen, Immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood, neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me. But I went into Arabia and returned again unto Damascus. Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter and abode with him fifteen days. In other words, beloved brothers and sisters, Shaul Paul is an apostle, not of men, neither by men, but he was an apostle that was called by God himself.

How wonderful to see that. And so we have to realize the apostolic authority that Shaul Paul had from the risen Lord Jesus, the Messiah. Wonderful, beloved brothers and sisters. So notice now, 1 Corinthians 1 and verse 1, Paul called an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, Sustenus. He was a brother. One of the believers that he's writing along with him, he's our brother, he's saying, unto the church of God, which is at Corinth. The church, the assembly at Corinth, did not belong to any man. It is the church of God, which is at Corinth. Now, beloved brothers and sisters, I just want to emphasize the fact that a church, the word church in the Greek, ecclesia, in Hebrew, kehila, simply means those that were called out to believe on the person of the Lord Jesus, the Messiah.

Whenever you have a gathering of people, whenever you have a gathering of individuals, who believe in the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, who truly belong to the Lord, they are gathering together and they are called out. They are called out of the world. They are called out from every people, tongues, and nation. They are called out unto the Lord. And they belong to Him. They are the church, the assembly, the congregation, the Kehillah. They're called out of God. They belong to God. A church is not a building. A church is not a stone and cement. A church is not wood. A church is nothing that has to do with the physical structure.

Ekklesia, called out one, a church is a composition of living stones. People, sinners saved by grace, forgiven people that belong to the Lord. Those who have trusted in the person of the Lord, Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah. So Paul is writing this letter with an authority. He is an apostle. And he's writing this to, notice verse 2a, unto the believers, to the local believers, to the church, to the ecclesia, who belong to God, believers that belong to God, the church of God, which is at Corinth. In other words, in every city where there are truly people who belong to the Lord, they are the local congregation, assembly of believers in their local city, local town.

Every place in this world where there are truly those who are born again, born of the holy Spirit of God they are part of the locality of the believers in its locality but there is the universal there is a universal church that belong to God and that church is a composition of all true believers everywhere here in this world there is only one body of all believers that belong to the Lord Jesus Nemesad, the Church of God, the universal Church of God, the universal people of God, the universal assembly of God, the universal Ekklesia of God, the universal Kehillat Ha'Elohim, the people that belong to God, Jewish believers and Gentile believers in the person of our Lord.

Jesus Christ they are forming together the church the assembly the called out company that belong to the Lord Jesus the Messiah in this case in Corinth they were in a locality they were in the city of Corinth and so beloved brothers and sisters may the Lord help us as we learn together from the first letter to the Corinthians that Shaul Paul wrote to these believers the many lessons that we can apply this in our own life and learn and hopefully learn from the corrective ministry that Shaul Paul shared with the believers in the city of Corinth well may God bless his word dear beloved brothers and sisters until the next meeting together may God bless you and we say to you shalom shalom