Hot Mess

Paul's first letter to Corinth begins in a city known for wealth, power, and moral chaos, and with a church that had absorbed more of the city than it realized. Acts 18 tells the story of how the church began: a tentmaker, a synagogue, opposition, and a promise from God that He had many people in that city. Then Paul opens his letter not with a rebuke, but with thanksgiving. He calls them sanctified, called, and enriched in Christ. This message sets the table for the whole series by reminding us that God has never worked with perfect churches. He works with real ones.