Like all of us, he was held in bondage by the fear of death (Heb. A 2011 survey by the United States Postal Service indicated that the typical American home receives a personal letter—not including greeting cards or invitations—once every seven weeks. 1 Corinthians 13, before it became a common passage to be used in weddings, was included in a letter to a church whose sins of pride and arrogance, whose misuse and misunderstanding of spiritual gifts, and whose socioeconomic differences had become sources of division. What about a Christian “play ethic”? Read: Judges 3:1-11 | Bible in a Year: Joshua 1-3; Mark 16. The Master made answer in words true and plain, He had only to follow the Lord in obedience. People have got to be able to get their hands on it and see it.”. God, as Your servants please help us to value others the way You do, regardless of who they are or what they do. The same God who manifested His presence in the tabernacle and the temple is also present with the individual believer. But if we quench or grieve the Holy Spirit, our witness in words will be either ineffective or nonexistent. When flagrant sin has been committed in the church, and when there has been no remorse or repentance (as seems to be the case here), the church’s first reaction should be grief (v. 2). We may shed tears today in memory of those who have died. Take all my will, my passion, self, and pride; When you stop changing, you stop growing. Rusty Woomer lived his final days knowing the precise date of his death and exactly how it would occur. Paul levels a charge of complicit sin against the Corinthians in today’s reading. “Lord, I will die with you!” he declared emphatically when only a short time later, he denied the Lord three times. He’s talented, fun, handsome, and a committed Christian. We must exercise "self-reverence, self-knowledge, self-control." It is not God’s good plan for His creation! —1 Corinthians 13, A young man told his father, “Dad, I’m going to get married.”, “How do you know you’re ready to get married, Ron?” asked the father. It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that we can understand the “foolishness” of the cross (2:13-14). Are you ready and willing, for Jesus’ sake, to lend an ear? A news report said that only 7 of the remote Indonesian island’s 75,000 inhabitants died when 30-foot waves struck just half an hour after the quake. The assurance of life after death shouldn’t just make us feel better, it should make us live better, too! Jesus, having died for our sins and been raised, now lives to destroy the enemies of God. We’ll serve God, see our Savior, and reign with Him forever. —1 Corinthians 3:13. Pleasing the Lord isn't just some pious-sounding phrase we use when we want to sound spiritual. —Mark 16:2. This passage teaches us never to presume that we are fully blameless in any given situation. . THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS INSIGNIFICANT SERVICE FOR CHRIST. Each of us has been uniquely gifted with the capacity to make a contribution to the work of Christ. Weeping for our loss is good, but we need not weep like those who have no hope. God is concerned about the way that we use our bodies—we are often ready to acknowledge this regarding obviously sinful behavior, but we're less likely to consider the same concerning actions that are not in themselves sinful. Because of God's goodness, we are spared much bad that we deserve and are given much good that we do not deserve. Pastors have been run out of town during these kinds of arguments. Why? Maybe it seems as if you are surrounded by the open waters of relationship problems, or money woes, or simply an inability to put your life in order. Here’s your all-access pass into the ultimate historical fiction guide: revisionist history, speculative history, and good old-fashioned historical fiction can all be found here, spanning Biblical Ages through to the early new Millennium. One of the early church leaders referred to his body as “Brother Donkey.” Like that hardy animal with a reputation for being stubborn, his body served him well as long as he placed it under firm discipline. 16:13 niv). This committed missionary understood and practiced a ministry of stewardship on a level most people never reach. His heart was crushed by the answer: “Father, for my generation the cross is just a fashion statement.” The apostle Paul saw the cross as a symbol of the very core of his faith. Where is the wise? Uncle Tom’s Cabin, published in 1850, provoked a maelstrom of public outrage at the institution of slavery. We must be careful, therefore, not to partake of the elements “in an unworthy manner” (1 Cor. - From Thinking and Acting Like a Christian, Thinking And Acting Like A Christian, D. Bruce Lockerbie, p. 52, Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? 13:1-3). Experience the deep satisfaction of finding in it the right tool for each spiritual task you have to do. God, help me to remain focused on You and Your sacrifice for Your people. It’s not about the food, although it helps if it has been cooked with love. A rift developed as one family thought the thank-you had been given, while the other thought the lack of a thank-you was a snub. Answer quickly when He calls you, Every follower of Jesus can stand firm on God’s promise: “He will see to it that every temptation has a way out, so that it will never be impossible for you to bear it” (v.13 Phillips). Lord, help me see the way that I'm going, These unbelievers will eventually be punished for what they have done to the church (v. 17). Some people are spiritually uplifted in a liturgical service, whereas others are enriched in an informal setting of praise, testimony, and preaching. To show love, open your heart to others. Third, we must understand the depth of this exhortation. Precious treasure, thou art mine; Paul uses strong language here to describe his approach toward self-control: “I beat my body and make it my slave” (v. 27). This top half has an air lens, and the bottom half has a water lens. He was determined not only to catch up with the pack but to win. When we believe in Him and His death-conquering resurrection, the dread of death vanishes. The apostle Paul used running a race as a picture of the Christian life. Knowledge has trumped Christian character, and Paul wants to reorient them towards the priority of love. The tone of the letter and the force of his criticisms are evidence enough of that. How did the rescue of such a small thing make national news? —D J DeHaan. Thinking that life is all about “me.” Demanding our rights. So let’s run as though we want to win! One of the clearest indicators that the Holy Spirit is working in our lives is our contentment and our thankfulness for what we have. He knew the truth of the gospel. !” You may have heard that phrase when your mom told you to clean your room and found you playing with your toys instead, or maybe when your teacher caught you passing notes in class. That lens is one we have to readily acknowledge (and shed) when we come to a passage like the one we’ve read today. Today, no matter how eloquent a sermon may be, it is not the gospel if it leaves Jesus on the cross or in the tomb. From the beginning, Paul wants to establish why and by whom the gifts are given. He also came to realize that serving the Savior does not usually entail heroic martyrdom. 11:23-26 | Bible in a Year: Isaiah 17-19; Ephesians 5:17-33, For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes. Love never fails. 1:11, 3:3). They were actually getting drunk and quarreling among themselves while going through the motions of celebrating the Lord’s Supper. When a believer in Christ dies, we who are left behind can find comfort and confidence in Him. Some analysts think that further research will eventually solve the mystery of death. ", No matter how hot the conflict, the Lord is ready to intervene at the right moment. Paul did not seek his own good, but the good of others by imitating Jesus’ example of love, unity, acceptance, and sacrifice. Therefore "put away from yourselves the evil person." It is a reminder of your own sure resurrection! We may plant the seed, as Paul did, or we may water, as did Apollos (v.6). The apostle Paul had something similar to say about Christianity. He might bury the hatchet for a time, but he gave the impression of always marking the spot.”. If we have any reason for people to follow our example—if we have any courage to point others to the Savior—it is because of Him, not us. 11:24). In the Old Testament, Isaiah talked about running well in the course of life. When we are born again, the indwelling Holy Spirit gives us understanding of the “deep things of God” (1 Cor. If just one sin had been unatoned for, Jesus would not have come out of the tomb. We’re doing just that with our life if we are building it according to our own ideas instead of God’s Word. In the days that followed I visited him regularly, and I can testify that he died with great peace. Outside my study window a beautiful monarch butterfly rested on a flower blossom. Choose now, just now; your soul’s at stake; Life’s biggest decision is what you do with Jesus. The apostle Paul gave his life to do God’s work. When he was accidentally killed, she lamented, “It is the end of everything, everything, everything!”, Our attitude should be radically different. IN THE CROSS OF CHRIST I GLORY In some mysterious way we now have a capacity for divine wisdom that no scholarly degree or natural experience could ever provide. A nod will do.”. However what is little known is that William Carey’s sister was paralyzed and bedridden for 50 years and unable to speak much of that time. Read: Exodus 17:1-6 | Bible in a Year: Exodus 16-18; Matthew 18:1-20, We are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. Do you experience sorrow of heart when a child of God is passing through the deep waters of affliction and trial? Paul largely stuck to this convention when writing his letters, but he included modifications that underscored his Christian commitments. But it is in the world’s perception of our alleged foolishness that we might best represent the Master’s different goals to this world. 9:19-22). Read: 1 Corinthians 3:7-15 | Bible in a Year: 2 Chronicles 4-6; John 10:24-42, We are God's fellow workers. Is this perspective biblically sound? I ask not to see--I ask not to know--I ask simply to be used. He rejoices in our loyal actions, no matter what others may think. I learned that I can’t change the direction things are going if I’m on the bank of the river. Then it was cutting edge to provide them for dorm rooms. He came to earth as a man, faced all our human trials (Heb. The king became suspicious and thought he was plotting a conspiracy So he asked to look inside this secret room. Why the one and not the other? After midnight they gathered up their possessions and left Egypt to begin a new way of life as a free people. The Christian life also has an essential element: love. Anger puts every offense on an endless playback loop, but love turns off the switch. 11:21). This boat has a tarred canvas over a wooden frame. Most of those eyewitnesses were still alive and could testify that Jesus’ resurrection body was as real as the one He had before He died, though it possessed new powers. Rather, it’s to confirm the point that spiritual gifts are diverse! By handing “this man over to Satan” (v. 5), by removing him from the protection and privilege of one belonging to the church community, we pray fervently that his new vulnerability will renew a fear of God and ignite repentance. Paul too affirmed that God “gives us richly all things to enjoy” (1 Tim. John Adams and his wife, Abigail Adams, wrote over 1,100 letters to each other during the period of their courtship and John’s political career. These boxes are insulated to protect against extreme temperatures and are fitted with underwater locator beacons that emit sounds to the surface. As he did, he was convicted of his sin. Then He will display His handiwork and our loveliness for all to see. Then from 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, I pondered the words so often read at communion services: “The Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread … ” (v.23). God calls us to put the good of others ahead of our selfish desires (1 Corinthians 10:24). That’s the cure for spiritual deafness. A wise king wrote centuries ago, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge" (Proverbs 1:7). In 1 Corinthians 11 we read of a different kind of memorial day. In the chapter from which our text is taken, St. Paul distinguishes between the Gifts of the Church and Love. Paul wrote, “Let each one take heed how he builds” on the foundation (1 Cor. —1 Corinthians 10:14. The person leaves his body and enters the presence of his Savior, where he beholds His glory. We treasure Scripture. They practice this tradition because it is believed the cleaning sweeps away the bad luck of the preceding year and makes their homes ready for good luck. Some of you were once like that” (1 Cor. R. De Haan, M.D. The work of the church will not get done unless all of us do what God has called us to do. He had one message when he wrote to the Corinthian believers: “Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” Calvary was the heart of Paul’s communication and the basis of his power. Nothing is a greater curse than when people neglect their real business in order to get to their sports and games. I recall the illusion-puncturing challenge John Alexander, one-time president of InterVarsity, gave to a group of students: “What have you done this past year to make a helpful difference within a mile of your home?” The hungry, the suffering, the unevangelized at our doorstep lack the more appealing aura of the needy souls elsewhere on the planet. How does this affect God’s reputation? When I expressed my concern, he replied, “When I stand before my Lord, I hope He’ll say of me that I’ve loved too many, rather than too few.” I’ve never forgotten his words. God wants us to use our spiritual gifts to benefit others in the church. Christ's resurrection is the guarantee of our own. First Corinthians 13 is often read at weddings. In a commentary on 1 Corinthians, one New Testament scholar says, “Love requires the formation of character.” He means to highlight that what Paul has described in this chapter isn’t necessarily how we feel love for others but how we show love. All you talk about is Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!”, “That’s true,” he replied kindly. The offense depends on their strength and agility. Salvation depends on what Christ did for us; rewards depend on what we do for Him. —D. Discover your spiritual gifts by using the talents God has given. No travel expenses. After her mom was hospitalized for a couple of days last year, Beth wrote these words to some of her friends: “As backwards as it may seem, I’m very thankful for the journey I am on with my mom. Yet it was not by Christ's great teaching nor through His astounding miracles that He best represented the eternal purposes of God. 4:2,5 niv). Paul, with a pastoral nudge, encouraged the Corinthians to agree on the essentials and not be divided over the nonessentials. I was told that a house built according to code could withstand a hurricane—and it did. Second, we recognize that we are part of His body, the church, in the practice of participating in the Lord’s Supper. How do we test ourselves? The key factor is to attend a church where the right information is shared—where salvation through Jesus Christ is preached (1 Cor. We aren’t sure what the tests will show or what the doctors will say. Read: 1 Corinthians 15:51-58 | Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 47-48; 1 John 3, Our Savior Jesus Christ … abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. (1 Cor. The person who exercises godly love doesn’t do so for personal benefit or gain but rather “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (13:7). Likewise, the same body we have now becomes our resurrected body. Perhaps the next "blow" will be the one that makes a life-and-death difference in someone's spiritual life. Ecclesiastes 3:16-4:3 reveals the need for a God-instructed faith. In our community, our neighbors observe us and see how Christians live, even when we don’t realize they are watching. Love is always eager to believe the best about a person. They had a saying, “God loveth adverbs; and careth not how good, but how well.” Adverbs describe verbs—our words of action and activity. Was it an original thought at the time? In the days after the French Revolution, a man tried to start a new religion that he believed was superior to Christianity. They support lines of communication that enable people to “reach out and touch” others in just about any corner of the globe. Some deny that anyone has absolute control over anything, or even that anyone should. Read: 1 Corinthians 13 | Bible in a Year: Isaiah 59-61; 2 Thessalonians 3. (Psalm 92:14). Because godly love endures beyond life’s hurts by pulling us relentlessly toward the never-diminishing care of the Father. IN 1992, Hurricane Andrew destroyed thousands of homes in South Florida. And in Philippians 3:12-13, the apostle Paul said, “I press on, … forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.”. And it gives us confidence that we will spend eternity in heaven. Moses and God were fellow workers. Wheaton College recently hosted a panel of business leaders to discuss the topic, “Business as Mission.” They considered what it might look like to affect issues of global poverty and social injustice by establishing businesses in the poorest countries. Many of God’s people are troubled because they can’t give themselves to what is called “fulltime ministry.” All of us, though, whatever our vocation—accounting, farming, nursing, homemaking, or something else—need to recognize that we are always to work for the Lord. What did Jesus do? It might have been that the Corinthian men were continuing in the accepted cultural practice of visiting prostitutes. Do any of those relationships suffer from a willful pride in our heart? He replies, “Wheat.” “But your fields look unplowed and unplanted,” you say. In candidly expressing his feelings about death, that famous thinker admitted he was no different from ordinary people. While some concepts may be difficult, they’re not impossible to comprehend. Our current spiritual vision is impaired, but in eternity we will see clearly. Paul even disqualifies himself from the task of judging his own heart. Let’s check our devotion. 10:13). But when Paul talks about giving ourselves to “the work of the Lord,” what exactly does he mean? The angry retort of a child infuriated by his parents' hypocrisy is: “Practice what you preach!”. 8:26), guides us (John 16:13), gives us spiritual gifts (1 Cor. And of what consequence is it really, for do our physical bodies matter? The rubber tree had multiple uses that needed only to be discovered. Foolishness is wisdom. The report points out the devastating effects of this practice. They’ll pay large sums of money to get the athlete who will help them win the championship. A professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology used computers and high-speed cameras to find out how a good horse runs. With the knowledge of the church, a man was still publicly enjoying an incestuous relationship with his father’s wife. He doesn’t waste energy trying to do things on his own. When patients awoke in pain, their loved ones would gently massage them until they went back to sleep. God always has ways of surprising us. We must be careful not to teach the wrath of God apart from the grace of God. Think about the good of others. Or perhaps you are like Hans Egede, who struggled to express love in a way that taught people about God. Read: Romans 3:21-26 | Bible in a Year: Psalms 54-56; Romans 3, For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. This was hardly the answer the teacher expected, but the youngster was right. Help me point others to You in a way that makes You more and me less. “For when one says, ‘I am of Paul,’ and another, ‘I am of Apollos,’ are you not carnal?” he asked (1 Cor. The city of Texarkana sits squarely on the state border between Texas and Arkansas. How quickly we rely on our intellect and reasoning, only to find that it is a “shaky instrument.” Let’s never forget that Jesus is the only rock-solid foundation of truth on which we can always depend. It’s like receiving a new name written on a white stone, which shows that we are forgiven—completely. The majority of us as Christians may feel unqualified to debate such intellectual giants. Ro Tate tries to change everything. For example, Moses heeded the good counsel of his father-in-law and began delegating responsibility (Exodus 18:18). So may we face life without fear, and death without fainting. The Cartwright family was master of everything as far as the visitor could see. Imagine pizza without cheese, strudel without apples, a banana split without bananas. He had probably stood, many times, watching the great games, which were held in various parts of the Greek-speaking world. The world will see one last terrifying moment of suffering before the full victory is ushered in. Long after the cards and flowers are forgotten, there is love from God’s heart to ours! "Can they be effective witnesses?" That relationship is usually helpful, but occasionally it seems that the athlete is not guided toward the true source of divine power. Certainly sound doctrine is vital! Down through the centuries, many have held that same conviction and have proven it by dying as martyrs rather than denying their Lord. Jacob, however, left the Promised Land and became bound to the service of Laban. I heard the saddest words today. Seeing him trying bravely to bear the agony of those moments, I said, “Son, I’m truly sorry. The Christian faith rests on the authenticity of this story: Jesus died on the cross and was raised from the dead. to minister? Where did Jesus find the strength to continue. 5:14). He tried to hide in the tall grass and began screaming for help. No sooner had the bee been brushed away when it went straight for the younger son and began buzzing around his head. That’s the kind of attitude we should adopt if we are serious about wanting to display the masterpiece of God’s glory on the canvas of our lives. Your duty is to give your best regardless of what happens.” The preacher, with a renewed determination, lifted the pick-axe high in the air and gave the granite a crushing blow. These believers had received the gospel but had not allowed the Holy Spirit to change their hearts. But then came a surprising discovery. I object to it … I’m terribly curious. Of course not. Crosses decorate church steeples and designate burial places. Some Christians assume that being a good example means keeping up an appearance of strength—even when they are weak. Sweetly echo the gospel call— Someone asked, “Sam, don’t you feel strange surrounded by so many tall people?” He replied, “Yes, I do. I also built it according to the Florida state building code. - 1 Corinthians 10:31. Exercises were prescribed to train her neck muscles to do what they were designed to do. —DC E. In America's Cup yacht has a crew of 16 people, including the navigator, the helmsman, and the mastmen. It captures the essence of Paul’s message to the church at Corinth: Serve the Lord in whatever situation He has placed you (1 Cor. A computer study of five thousand racehorses has revealed a way to predict whether or not a young horse will develop into a good runner. The apostle Paul used this same illustration of planting seed to describe death, burial, and resurrection to the Corinthian church (1 Cor. We are to run faithfully, Paul is saying, spurred on by the knowledge that we run to honor our King and to receive from Him an eternal crown. Each cedar post is important. One day a friend asked him why he kept writing and driving himself to the edge of exhaustion. Because He took our punishment for sin on Himself, He can forgive our sins and make us children of God if we put our faith and trust in Him (Acts 13:38-39). Yes, if we’re being bothersome, intrusive, smothering, manipulative, or controlling. The subtle but crucial difference was the self-serving attitude that drove Jacob to find his bride.
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