October 18 2026 - Bible in a Year - Week 56

In this week’s message, Pastor Scott explores the fascinating relationship between the Apostle Paul and the church in Corinth, revealing how Paul's letters offer a glimpse into the struggles, disagreements, and growing pains of the early Christian church. Through these letters, we discover that living out the Gospel is not always easy, but that God's grace is sufficient for us, even in our weakness. As Paul reminds us, it is often when we recognize our limitations and learn to depend on Christ that His power is most clearly revealed in our lives. Bible Verses Referenced The sermon focuses primarily on 1 and 2 Corinthians, particularly the correspondence between Paul and the Corinthian church and his teaching that God's strength is revealed through human weakness. 1 Corinthians 7:1–2 | The opening reading concerning marriage and sexual relationships. Pastor Scott uses it to introduce the problems Paul was addressing in Corinth. Acts 9:3–9 | Paul's dramatic encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus, where he is blinded and his life is transformed. Acts 18:1–4 | Paul arrives in Corinth, meets Aquila and Priscilla, works as a tentmaker, and preaches in the synagogue. 1 Corinthians 5:9 | Paul refers to an earlier letter he had written to the Corinthians, revealing that some of his correspondence has not survived. 1 Corinthians 1:11 | Chloe's household reports divisions and disagreements within the Corinthian church. 1 Corinthians 5:1–2 | Paul addresses a serious case of sexual immorality within the congregation. 1 Corinthians 7:1 | “Now for the matters you wrote about.” This reveals that the Corinthians had written to Paul asking for guidance. 2 Corinthians 2:1–4 | Paul describes his painful visit and a letter written with anguish and tears, revealing the emotional difficulties in his relationship with the church. 2 Corinthians 7:5–7 | Titus brings encouraging news that the Corinthians desire reconciliation with Paul. 2 Corinthians 9:3–5 | Paul discusses the collection being prepared for the believers in Jerusalem and encourages generosity. 2 Corinthians 10–13 | Discussed as a possible separate letter incorporated into 2 Corinthians, perhaps corresponding to Paul's earlier “Letter of Tears.” This is presented as a scholarly theory, not a certainty. 2 Corinthians 12:7–10 | The sermon's concluding passage. Paul describes his “thorn in the flesh” and God's response: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Exodus 17:8–13 | Alluded to when Pastor Scott describes Aaron holding up Moses' arms during battle, illustrating how God strengthens us through other people. The sermon also refers broadly to Acts 2 (Pentecost), Paul's missionary journeys, and his other letters, including Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Romans. An important distinction in the sermon is that Pastor Scott explains how the Corinthian correspondence may have involved several letters, some of which are now lost. He notes that scholars disagree about whether portions of 2 Corinthians might preserve material from those earlier letters.