1 Corinthians 1 Part One: "Hello. I know you better than you do yourself.‪"‬ First Day

1 Corinthians CHAPTER ONE PART I
Thank for listening to the First Day podcast. I am so happy to be a part of your spiritual journey. Please don’t hesitate to reach out; if you have any questions send them to connect@firstday.us. I want to ask that you share this podcast with others if you have found it helpful in your growth as a disciple and journey with Chirst. I am hoping to have an average of seventy listeners per week by the end of 2024. Thank you for your help in growing the podcast. Now on with Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians.
“1Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, 2 To the church of God which is in Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
It was typical to begin letters with the sender’s name. Paul doesn’t call himself by the  Jewish version of his name, Saul. There is no evidence that his name was changed due to any moment of conversion. Rather, as was the convention of his day, the apostle used different versions of his name depending upon the audience or context. 
Sosthenes may well be the former head of the Jewish synagogue in Corinth—also called Crispus—who was beaten before the proconsul Gallio’s tribunal. This incident was reported in Acts 18. He had come to believe Christ was the Messiah and had brought many Corinthians to believe, too. Sosthenes’ relationship with the Corinthian church is not described, but considering Paul mentions him at all indicates a meaningful relationship between the church and the former Jewish leader. 
Paul declares that he is “called as an apostle of Jesus Christ”. Also note that in the very next verse, Paul states that the Corinthians, too, have been “called as saints”. What, then, does it mean to be called? In current usage, we use the word ‘calling’ synonymously with the word ‘vocation’, but here, it seems, Paul means it to be more broadly and meaningfully utilized. Paul’s authority is, therefore, grounded in the eternal, the divine, and cannot be revoked by anyone. This is similar to his description of his calling to the Gospel that he gives to the Galatians. To be called isn’t just about one’s career path—or abandoning them all together. This calling is specifically stated to be “by God’s will” and not by any other person’s whims.
Indeed, Paul didn’t earn a dime from fulfilling his call in Corinth: He worked as a tentmaker or leather worker if you recall from the last episode. No. To be called means so much more than working in an occupation you love or are have skill in. With this in his introduction, Paul is making this letter not only one specifically concerning Corinth but also one intended for the whole Church. 
Calling is about the meaning and purpose of one’s life and not how that person earns a living. For what gives rise to a saint if it is not the willingness to lay down one’s life for what is more meaningful? In Christ not only have the Corinthians been called to live as saints, Paul tells them, but so have “all those in every place who call on the name of Jesus Christ”. Joel 2:32 comes to mind: “But everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved, for some on Mount Zion in Jerusalem will escape, just as the LORD has said. These will be among the survivors whom the LORD has called.” All of Christ’s followers call upon this same Lord. 
I can’t help but think that Paul has found it necessary to remind the Corinthians of this fact—that they are one with every other believer because of the culture of Corinth—for theirs is a city known for its greed and its citizens’ desire for social advancement and advantage. 
In verse three, the apostle offers the Corinthians God’s grace and peace before offering a thanksgiving to God