We are making our way through a letter Paul wrote to Jesus followers in Corinth. Today, Paul reminds us of an important message.
1 Corinthians 15
1 Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. 2 It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you - unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place. 3 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 5 He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. 6 After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. 7 Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him. 9 For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church. 10 But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me - and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace. 11 So it makes no difference whether I preach or they preach, for we all preach the same message you have already believed.
Message. We receive hundreds of messages every day ... phone calls, voicemail, email, letters, commercials, signs, advertisements, etc. When you add it up, over the course of a lifetime, you will receive millions of messages. This message, “Christ died for our sins,” is the most important message you will ever hear, because the most important issue that you will ever deal with has already been dealt with. Take a minute to reread that message. Let the hope of that message soak in. Let the freedom of that message soak in. Let the peace of that message soak in. Let the importance of that message soak in. Now, share that message with someone else.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Order
We are making our way through a letter Paul wrote to Jesus followers in Corinth. Today, Paul makes an important point about God (and us).
1 Corinthians 14
26 Well, my brothers and sisters, let’s summarize. When you meet together, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in tongues, and another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must strengthen all of you. 27 No more than two or three should speak in tongues. They must speak one at a time, and someone must interpret what they say. 28 But if no one is present who can interpret, they must be silent in your church meeting and speak in tongues to God privately. 29 Let two or three people prophesy, and let the others evaluate what is said. 30 But if someone is prophesying and another person receives a revelation from the Lord, the one who is speaking must stop. 31 In this way, all who prophesy will have a turn to speak, one after the other, so that everyone will learn and be encouraged. 32 Remember that people who prophesy are in control of their spirit and can take turns. 33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the meetings of God’s holy people. 34 Women should be silent during the church meetings. It is not proper for them to speak. They should be submissive, just as the law says. 35 If they have any questions, they should ask their husbands at home, for it is improper for women to speak in church meetings. 36 Or do you think God’s word originated with you Corinthians? Are you the only ones to whom it was given? 37 If you claim to be a prophet or think you are spiritual, you should recognize that what I am saying is a command from the Lord himself. 38 But if you do not recognize this, you yourself will not be recognized. 39 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and don’t forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But be sure that everything is done properly and in order.
Order. I love Gordon Fee’s quote about this passage ... “The theological point is crucial: the character of one's deity (God) is reflected in the character of one's worship.” We worship a God of order and peace, not a God of disorder and confusion. A thought that should be reflected in our corporate worship of God in our weekend services; but also (and maybe more importantly) reflected in our personal worship of God ... our daily lives. As Jesus followers, we should be people of order and peace.
1 Corinthians 14
26 Well, my brothers and sisters, let’s summarize. When you meet together, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in tongues, and another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must strengthen all of you. 27 No more than two or three should speak in tongues. They must speak one at a time, and someone must interpret what they say. 28 But if no one is present who can interpret, they must be silent in your church meeting and speak in tongues to God privately. 29 Let two or three people prophesy, and let the others evaluate what is said. 30 But if someone is prophesying and another person receives a revelation from the Lord, the one who is speaking must stop. 31 In this way, all who prophesy will have a turn to speak, one after the other, so that everyone will learn and be encouraged. 32 Remember that people who prophesy are in control of their spirit and can take turns. 33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the meetings of God’s holy people. 34 Women should be silent during the church meetings. It is not proper for them to speak. They should be submissive, just as the law says. 35 If they have any questions, they should ask their husbands at home, for it is improper for women to speak in church meetings. 36 Or do you think God’s word originated with you Corinthians? Are you the only ones to whom it was given? 37 If you claim to be a prophet or think you are spiritual, you should recognize that what I am saying is a command from the Lord himself. 38 But if you do not recognize this, you yourself will not be recognized. 39 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and don’t forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But be sure that everything is done properly and in order.
Order. I love Gordon Fee’s quote about this passage ... “The theological point is crucial: the character of one's deity (God) is reflected in the character of one's worship.” We worship a God of order and peace, not a God of disorder and confusion. A thought that should be reflected in our corporate worship of God in our weekend services; but also (and maybe more importantly) reflected in our personal worship of God ... our daily lives. As Jesus followers, we should be people of order and peace.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Strengthen
We are making our way through a letter Paul wrote to Jesus followers in Corinth. Today, Paul provides an important challenge.
1 Corinthians 14
1 Let love be your highest goal! But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives - especially the ability to prophesy. 2 For if you have the ability to speak in tongues, you will be talking only to God, since people won’t be able to understand you. You will be speaking by the power of the Spirit, but it will all be mysterious. 3 But one who prophesies strengthens others, encourages them, and comforts them. 4 A person who speaks in tongues is strengthened personally, but one who speaks a word of prophecy strengthens the entire church. 5 I wish you could all speak in tongues, but even more I wish you could all prophesy. For prophecy is greater than speaking in tongues, unless someone interprets what you are saying so that the whole church will be strengthened. 6 Dear brothers and sisters, if I should come to you speaking in an unknown language, how would that help you? But if I bring you a revelation or some special knowledge or prophecy or teaching, that will be helpful. 7 Even lifeless instruments like the flute or the harp must play the notes clearly, or no one will recognize the melody. 8 And if the bugler doesn’t sound a clear call, how will the soldiers know they are being called to battle? 9 It’s the same for you. If you speak to people in words they don’t understand, how will they know what you are saying? You might as well be talking into empty space. 10 There are many different languages in the world, and every language has meaning. 11 But if I don’t understand a language, I will be a foreigner to someone who speaks it, and the one who speaks it will be a foreigner to me. 12 And the same is true for you. Since you are so eager to have the special abilities the Spirit gives, seek those that will strengthen the whole church.
Strengthen. I was struck by Paul’s challenge for us to seek gifts that strengthen others. As a Jesus follower, we should desire to help others ... a desire based on loving others (reread verse 1). Earlier in this letter, Paul described the church as the “body of Christ”. The question that has to be asked ... and not out of guilt, but a sincere desire to develop as a Jesus follower ... what am I/are you doing to strengthen the body of Christ?
1 Corinthians 14
1 Let love be your highest goal! But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives - especially the ability to prophesy. 2 For if you have the ability to speak in tongues, you will be talking only to God, since people won’t be able to understand you. You will be speaking by the power of the Spirit, but it will all be mysterious. 3 But one who prophesies strengthens others, encourages them, and comforts them. 4 A person who speaks in tongues is strengthened personally, but one who speaks a word of prophecy strengthens the entire church. 5 I wish you could all speak in tongues, but even more I wish you could all prophesy. For prophecy is greater than speaking in tongues, unless someone interprets what you are saying so that the whole church will be strengthened. 6 Dear brothers and sisters, if I should come to you speaking in an unknown language, how would that help you? But if I bring you a revelation or some special knowledge or prophecy or teaching, that will be helpful. 7 Even lifeless instruments like the flute or the harp must play the notes clearly, or no one will recognize the melody. 8 And if the bugler doesn’t sound a clear call, how will the soldiers know they are being called to battle? 9 It’s the same for you. If you speak to people in words they don’t understand, how will they know what you are saying? You might as well be talking into empty space. 10 There are many different languages in the world, and every language has meaning. 11 But if I don’t understand a language, I will be a foreigner to someone who speaks it, and the one who speaks it will be a foreigner to me. 12 And the same is true for you. Since you are so eager to have the special abilities the Spirit gives, seek those that will strengthen the whole church.
Strengthen. I was struck by Paul’s challenge for us to seek gifts that strengthen others. As a Jesus follower, we should desire to help others ... a desire based on loving others (reread verse 1). Earlier in this letter, Paul described the church as the “body of Christ”. The question that has to be asked ... and not out of guilt, but a sincere desire to develop as a Jesus follower ... what am I/are you doing to strengthen the body of Christ?
Monday, February 2, 2009
Love
We are making our way through a letter Paul wrote to Jesus followers in Corinth. Today, we continue with one of Paul’s most beautiful passages.
1 Corinthians 13
1 If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. 3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing. 4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. 8 Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever! 9 Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture! 10 But when full understanding comes, these partial things will become useless. 11 When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. 12 Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. 13 Three things will last forever - faith, hope, and love - and the greatest of these is love.
Love. If you have ever attended a wedding, you have most likely heard this passage. I don’t say that negatively because the passage certainly fits; but it wasn’t Paul’s original intent. One of the most important rules of reading/studying God’s story is making sure you read/study God’s story in its original context (specifically the intended audience). Paul wrote this letter to a community of Jesus followers that had become severely divided over issues like who was the best/most important teacher (reread 1 Corinthians 1:10-13) and which was the best/most important spiritual gift (reread verses 1-3). Paul’s original intent for this passage was to remind them of Jesus’ commands (check out Mark 12:29-31 and John 13:34-35) and reverse the affects these divisions were having on the way they treated each another. I’m not suggesting couples should stop using this passage in their wedding ceremony. It is a great way to evaluate the way you “love” your spouse. All you have to do is reread the passage and insert your name wherever you find the word love or its pronoun and see if the statement is true. Here is an even better idea, we (as Jesus followers) should use it to evaluate how we “love” others. Seriously, take a minute and try it right now (reread verses 4-8 and see how you do). I think Paul would love it.
1 Corinthians 13
1 If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. 3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing. 4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. 8 Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever! 9 Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture! 10 But when full understanding comes, these partial things will become useless. 11 When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. 12 Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. 13 Three things will last forever - faith, hope, and love - and the greatest of these is love.
Love. If you have ever attended a wedding, you have most likely heard this passage. I don’t say that negatively because the passage certainly fits; but it wasn’t Paul’s original intent. One of the most important rules of reading/studying God’s story is making sure you read/study God’s story in its original context (specifically the intended audience). Paul wrote this letter to a community of Jesus followers that had become severely divided over issues like who was the best/most important teacher (reread 1 Corinthians 1:10-13) and which was the best/most important spiritual gift (reread verses 1-3). Paul’s original intent for this passage was to remind them of Jesus’ commands (check out Mark 12:29-31 and John 13:34-35) and reverse the affects these divisions were having on the way they treated each another. I’m not suggesting couples should stop using this passage in their wedding ceremony. It is a great way to evaluate the way you “love” your spouse. All you have to do is reread the passage and insert your name wherever you find the word love or its pronoun and see if the statement is true. Here is an even better idea, we (as Jesus followers) should use it to evaluate how we “love” others. Seriously, take a minute and try it right now (reread verses 4-8 and see how you do). I think Paul would love it.
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