We are making our way through a letter Paul wrote to Jesus followers in Corinth. Today, Paul tries to correct our focus.
1 Corinthians 3
... You are God’s building. 10 Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have - Jesus Christ. 12 Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials - gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. 13 But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. 14 If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. 15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames. 16 Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? 17 God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
Building. Growing up, I was told that the church was “God’s house” as if he somehow lived there and we just stopped by to visit him on the weekends. In this passage, Paul corrects that thought. The church isn’t a physical building made up of bricks and drywall. The church is a community of people made up of men and women that are striving to understand and express the love of God. As a Jesus follower, this is very important ... we should never let ourselves become more preoccupied with where we meet as a community than the spiritual development of one another when we meet.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Workers
We are making our way through a letter Paul wrote to Jesus followers in Corinth. Today, Paul reminds us of all the work that needs to be done.
1 Corinthians 3
5 After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. 6 I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. 7 It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. 9 For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field...
Workers. As we have been talking about all week, there is more to Christianity than just being “saved”. There is a level of maturity that we need to aspire to with the help of God’s Spirit; but there is other work that needs to be done as well. There are people in our “circle of influence” that need to know what God has done in our life. There are organizations in our community that need help with caring for so many. There are tasks at our church that need to be completed (rooms that need to be cleaned, guests that need to be welcomed, children that need to be taught, groups that need to be led, etc.). The beauty is that all this “work” ... growing, reaching, caring and serving ... is really worship. The key is managing our resources (our time, our abilities, our passions, our money) wisely so that worshipping ultimately becomes the central focus of our life.
1 Corinthians 3
5 After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. 6 I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. 7 It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. 9 For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field...
Workers. As we have been talking about all week, there is more to Christianity than just being “saved”. There is a level of maturity that we need to aspire to with the help of God’s Spirit; but there is other work that needs to be done as well. There are people in our “circle of influence” that need to know what God has done in our life. There are organizations in our community that need help with caring for so many. There are tasks at our church that need to be completed (rooms that need to be cleaned, guests that need to be welcomed, children that need to be taught, groups that need to be led, etc.). The beauty is that all this “work” ... growing, reaching, caring and serving ... is really worship. The key is managing our resources (our time, our abilities, our passions, our money) wisely so that worshipping ultimately becomes the central focus of our life.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Controlled
We are making our way through a letter Paul wrote to Jesus followers in Corinth. Today, Paul asks an important question.
1 Corinthians 3
1 Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in the Christian life. 2 I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready, 3 for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world? 4 When one of you says, “I am a follower of Paul,” and another says, “I follow Apollos,” aren’t you acting just like people of the world?
Controlled. In yesterday’s passage, Paul discussed a layer of Christianity that goes beyond accepting God’s grace (and receiving God’s Spirit). It is a level of spirituality that involves taking time to intentionally drown out the distractions of this world so we can “hear” God’s Spirit. In today’s passage, Paul alludes to another layer that goes beyond listening to God’s Spirit. It is a level of maturity that involves acting on the “promptings” God’s Spirit gives you ... to the point of letting God’s Spirit control you. You can hear it in Paul’s writings ... he wanted the Corinthians to aspire to that level of maturity. I long for that level in my own life ... and I pray for it in your life. We need to ask ourselves the same question Paul asked them ... what is controlling our lives ... our desires or God’s desires?
1 Corinthians 3
1 Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in the Christian life. 2 I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready, 3 for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world? 4 When one of you says, “I am a follower of Paul,” and another says, “I follow Apollos,” aren’t you acting just like people of the world?
Controlled. In yesterday’s passage, Paul discussed a layer of Christianity that goes beyond accepting God’s grace (and receiving God’s Spirit). It is a level of spirituality that involves taking time to intentionally drown out the distractions of this world so we can “hear” God’s Spirit. In today’s passage, Paul alludes to another layer that goes beyond listening to God’s Spirit. It is a level of maturity that involves acting on the “promptings” God’s Spirit gives you ... to the point of letting God’s Spirit control you. You can hear it in Paul’s writings ... he wanted the Corinthians to aspire to that level of maturity. I long for that level in my own life ... and I pray for it in your life. We need to ask ourselves the same question Paul asked them ... what is controlling our lives ... our desires or God’s desires?
Monday, November 17, 2008
Spiritual
We are making our way through a letter Paul wrote to Jesus followers in Corinth. Today, Paul encourages us to listen carefully.
1 Corinthians 2
6 Yet when I am among mature believers, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world or to the rulers of this world, who are soon forgotten. 7 No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God - his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. 8 But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord. 9 That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” 10 But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. 11 No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. 12 And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. 13 When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. 14 But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. 15 Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. 16 For, “Who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?” But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.
Spiritual. Last week, we acknowledged that God’s viewpoint is different than our viewpoint (check out Foolish). Today, Paul goes on to explain that what God considers wise is different than what our world considers wise; and more importantly, that this wisdom is available to those that are “spiritual”. So, how do we get this wisdom (become “spiritual”) that allows us to “know” and “explain” and “evaluate”? Paul seems to imply three steps ... two in this passage and one in tomorrows. The first step is really pretty simple ... you have to receive God’s Spirit (reread verse 12) by accepting God’s grace and becoming a follower of Jesus (check out Acts 2:32-39 and John 14:15-17). The second step requires a little more perception ... you have to be tuned in to God’s Spirit. The best analogy I can think of is a weather alert radio that I can remember my grandmother listening to. It was tuned in to the broadcasts of the National Weather Service. These special broadcasts are transmitted 24/7, but aren’t available on a regular AM/FM radio. They are only available through one of these special receivers. When we become a Jesus follower, God places a special “receiver” (his Spirit) in each of us that is tuned in to and “broadcasting” his wisdom. The key is listening carefully to hear it (reread verse 13) which can be very difficult in a world that wants to offer so much wisdom from so many different sources. Have you ever practiced the spiritual discipline of solitude ... where you took some time to be alone in God’s presence and “listen”? Jesus did (check out Mark 1:35) ... maybe we should try it too.
1 Corinthians 2
6 Yet when I am among mature believers, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world or to the rulers of this world, who are soon forgotten. 7 No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God - his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. 8 But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord. 9 That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” 10 But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. 11 No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. 12 And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. 13 When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. 14 But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. 15 Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. 16 For, “Who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?” But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.
Spiritual. Last week, we acknowledged that God’s viewpoint is different than our viewpoint (check out Foolish). Today, Paul goes on to explain that what God considers wise is different than what our world considers wise; and more importantly, that this wisdom is available to those that are “spiritual”. So, how do we get this wisdom (become “spiritual”) that allows us to “know” and “explain” and “evaluate”? Paul seems to imply three steps ... two in this passage and one in tomorrows. The first step is really pretty simple ... you have to receive God’s Spirit (reread verse 12) by accepting God’s grace and becoming a follower of Jesus (check out Acts 2:32-39 and John 14:15-17). The second step requires a little more perception ... you have to be tuned in to God’s Spirit. The best analogy I can think of is a weather alert radio that I can remember my grandmother listening to. It was tuned in to the broadcasts of the National Weather Service. These special broadcasts are transmitted 24/7, but aren’t available on a regular AM/FM radio. They are only available through one of these special receivers. When we become a Jesus follower, God places a special “receiver” (his Spirit) in each of us that is tuned in to and “broadcasting” his wisdom. The key is listening carefully to hear it (reread verse 13) which can be very difficult in a world that wants to offer so much wisdom from so many different sources. Have you ever practiced the spiritual discipline of solitude ... where you took some time to be alone in God’s presence and “listen”? Jesus did (check out Mark 1:35) ... maybe we should try it too.
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