This Sunday, the third Sunday in Lent, we will look at Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. Corinth was a fledgling church in a wealthy trading area, so these new Christians were influenced by many philosophies that contradicted the message of Christ; thus causing problems that permeated the young church. Were the people of the Corinthian church devoted to following Jesus, or more interested in the ideologies of their culture? This was the question and the challenge Paul offered his readers. 1st Corinthians is a popular book of the New Testament, perhaps because so many readers today (especially Americans) see ourselves and our churches in many of the struggles and controversies of this epistle. Read 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 to prepare for this Sunday.