Sermon March 22nd
“This week our Sermon was from 1 Corinthians 11:2-16
“There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” Prov. 14:12
In many ways this verse describes not only the original sin in the garden but the root of every sin since that day. 1 Corinthians 11 reminds us that God created us male and female. If we forget this distinction and allow men and women to become interchangeable we create the environment where chaos becomes normal and purpose is lost to pain. As much as we might want to challenge God on His design for humanity, when we deviate from His perfect plan of creation we take a path leading to death, not life. THE FIRST CENTURY CHURCH HAD AN ESTABLISHED WAY OF REMEMBERING THAT GOD CREATED MEN AND WOMEN DIFFERENT BUT EQUAL. The “custom” or “practice” of the first century churches was for the women to wear head coverings while the men removed their hats when praying and prophesying. A HERMENUETIC is “the method you use to interpret the bible.” It’s a guide to keep you from getting lost in the process. It’s a guardrail to keep you from getting off track. One of the basic rules of hermeneutics is: ALWAYS TAKE THE SIMPLE OVER THE COMPLEX MEANING UNLESS THERE IS A COMPELLING REASON NOT TO IN THE TEXT. When we find “kephale” in our text 14X we must ask “what does this word mean?” If we get the meaning of this word wrong, we will get the meaning of this passage wrong. There are three possible meanings for this word: 1) “a literal appendage on the body called your “head.” 2) “authority” as in, “he’s the head of the company.” 3) “source” as in, “the head of the river is in the mountains.”
v.10 “It is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels.” THE TEXT ITSELF INDICATES THAT THE MEANING OF HEAD IS AUTHORITY vv11-12, “Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.” Interdependence. Men need women. Without women men do not exist. Women need men. WE ARE BOTH EQUALLY IMPORTANT BUT WE ARE NOT THE SAME. WE ARE FIGHTING THE SAME BATTLE ON THE SAME SIDE FOR THE SAME REASON. What is the sign in our church today that recognizes that God made us male and female and that our roles are distinct? It’s not the head covering. It’s the Church Constitution.
Discussion Questions
- How has your understanding of the Complementarian and Egalitarian view of men and women been shaped? What arguments favor each view in light of this passage of Scripture?
- Can we uphold the complementarian view as Trinity Church does in its Constitution that specifies the offices of Pastor/Preacher and Elder are for males only without devaluing women in our Church? What makes this possible?
