dailywalkinthelight

A Daily a Walk in the Light of God's Word

Archives for April 2020

Testimony, Life Lesson or Both

 

Today’s blog post is a bit different from most. It came from the devotional my wife, and I read this morning. Which is not so unusual, but what is different is where it took my thoughts. It took me to a time when I was struggling with prayer and not seeming to get an answer or at least the one I thought I wanted.

The devotional was called “Resurrection Hope.” The premise of the devotional was the power of the resurrection.  If Jesus could conquer death, there was nothing that he could not overcome. There could be no issue we had that he could not overcome, and that is true.

Ephesians 1:19-20 (ESV)

19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,

I do not know about you, but when I read these verses, my issues seem so small. Sometimes so little that I am reluctant to take them to the Lord, or maybe too small to press Him on the subject.

For Your Consideration

Sometimes I will be in prayer, and I will feel like I do not have anything to bring before the Lord.  I will be praying, and I am trying to decide whether to make a purchase, or maybe I am having a migraine (not a bad one but one I can manage), or perhaps just some little things that I do not want to bother God about.  But when Pat, my wife, read this devotional, I was taken back to a place where I had been while I was still able to work before the strokes took away so much.

It was a decision about a possible transfer to another job.

The Opportunity

The job was a good opportunity for me.  One that I had held before.  It would have been pretty easy for me.  It would have been a good job to be in while I was waiting to retire.  But I was not sure about making a move.  So I prayed, and I prayed, and I prayed.

I thought this might be one which the Lord wanted me to figure out on my own, but I continued to pray, and I remembered that passage in Luke

Luke 11:9-13 (ESV)

9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

So, I kept on praying.  Then I considered a passage in James 4.

James 4:3 (ESV)

3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

 

Maybe I was being prideful or asking wrongly.  So, I considered this verse in my prayer, from a position of repentance and asking for direction. But in the meantime, I was beginning a study in Acts.

The Study in Acts

I guess this had been about one or two weeks I had been asking the Lord for help in this decision when I started the Acts study. The heading that I came to preceded verse 12, and it was “Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas.”

This section explained how they needed to replace Judas, who had betrayed Christ Jesus and had hung himself.  So they prayed, and this was part of their prayers.

Acts 1:24-26 (ESV)

24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” 26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

When I read this, I was pretty shaken up.  When I read about casting lots, I thought of this job, and I also thought about complete surrender.  To cast lots meant I would have to surrender the decision to God and trust Him completely.

The Decision

That whole thing shook me up.  I guess I pondered it for at least a couple of days and that pondering had pretty much left me unwilling to flip a coin over this job.  Flipping a coin was the closest thing to casting lots that I could come up with.

I was convinced I could not do it, so I tossed things back and forth for a couple of days, and one day I had to go downstairs and get some change for the vending machine.

The vending machines took quarters and such, and there was a Change Machine that was smart enough to break a one or five-dollar bill.  I had a five, so I had a hand full of quarters that would last me a few days.

As I was going back to my desk, I was reminded of that passage in Acts 1, and it nagged at me all the way up the steps.  But when I got to my desk, I had decided not to flip a coin yet again.  But things did not work out that way.

I opened that drawer on my desk to throw my change, and only $4.75 hit the drawer.  One quarter landed on the desk spinning like a top. I looked at that coin spinning there on my desk, and my stomach fell a bit. I have to admit I was a bit shaken, but as I watched it spin, under my breath, I said, “OK, Lord, if it is Heads, I will stay where I am, and if it is Tails, I will interview for the other job.”

Well, the coin fell heads up, and I stayed in my job for about 18 months before taking medical retirement from the strokes.

What I learned

I learned that I did not need to flip the coin to determine the right choice.  I need to trust God in all things.  The decision had been so difficult because leaving really was never the right choice.

I needed to flip the coin to make this decision to show myself that I could let go and trust God in all things…  His plans for me are always the best.  I needed to see that I could and should surrender control to God.

I know that I can trust Him in all things.  Just like the devotional this morning… if he can overcome death, there is nothing I can throw at Him that is too big for Him.  Also, It is important for me to remember that there is nothing too small to give him because, to Him, all things are small; after all, He spoke the universe into existence.  He is the breath in my lungs.

Final Thoughts

Reflecting on all of this, it is clear to me that I still fall short of taking everything to the Lord in prayer. It is a bit different now than it was.  Instead of thinking it is to small for Him, I find I simply forget or neglect it because my prayer time is shorter than it should be.  But the Lord never stops reminding me of the correct path.  He always shows me what is right and what I need.  All that I need to do is stay in tune.

Two passages help me with this. The first is the easiest for me to paraphrase with a Swiss cheese memory.

 Matthew 6:33 (ESV)

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

The other I think I might like a bit better, but it is one I have to google to get right.

Colossians 3:1-4 (ESV)

​1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Our God is awesome.  His mercy endures forever.  When I look at His Word, my heart is filled with a feeling of peace and joy that cannot be found by things of this world.

Prayer

Father, thank you for the day.  Thank you for linking yet another memory of mine through Your Word. You are an amazing God. Father help me never to lose sight of your word or your plans for me. Help me stay focused so that I might not miss anything.  I know I fall short every day, Lord. I pray you forgive me for those sins of commission and omission. Break my heart for what breaks yours so that I might repent, and we might have no obstacles between us.  In Jesus name, I pray, Amen

An Example

This morning I began my day with 1 Corinthians 4.  As I read it, I could not help but consider the current self-quarantine that we are all dealing with today.  Paul wrote the letter to the Corinthians to address some serious issues of discipline and sound council.  As I was reading this chapter, it seemed that the Corinthians were not following any real example.  Instead, they seemed to put their spin on it.

The coronavirus has forced us to quarantine, and that has led to some isolation.  There has been an absence of fellowship that we are used to sharing, like Sunday Services and Small Groups.  If we are not careful we could fall into the same trap that plagued the Corinthians.

Without focusing on a Godly example, the Corinthians found themselves focusing on worldly standards and wisdom.  Given the twenty-four-hour news cycle that we face, this chapter just was a potent dose of reality I needed this morning.  Without the fellowship with other believers and easy access to my mentors in the faith to help guide me, I need to keep my focus on God’s Word as my example, and follow what Paul and others demonstrated in God’s Word.

A Biblical World View

The first warning I saw in chapter four was in the form of holding the Church together.  I have a habit of going back a paragraph or two before a chapter break to help with context.  Today that took me back to 3:18 and led me through 4:2

1 Corinthians 3:18 – 4:2 (ESV)

18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” 20 and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” 21 So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, 23 and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.

The Ministry of Apostles

​1 This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.

As I read and reread this passage in my mind, it was clear that Paul wanted unity in the Church and no one person above another.  He even went so far as to call out the three Apostles that he had mentioned in the beginning of this letter to make sure the Corinthians knew that all were on the same footing.   He desired a Biblical world view, not one based on the wisdom of man.

No One Above Another

In those passages, 1 Corinthians 3:18 – 4:2 (ESV), Paul reminds the Church that worldly wisdom is foolish in God’s eyes.  There is nothing to be gained by it.  He reminded in no uncertain terms, “let no one boast in men.”

I like verse eighteen in chapter three.  I think Paul spells it out pretty well there.

1 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV)

18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.

Verse eighteen is so powerful.  Paul reminds me that the wisdom of the world, that I once regarded so important, was of no value. I was a new creature in Christ Jesus, humbled by all he had given me.   It puts me in mind of a passage in Colossians.

Colossians 3:9-11 (ESV)

9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

Paul more than once has had to remind the Church that we are all one in Christ Jesus.  Each of us serves a purpose.

Pride and Division

The Corinth Church had taken to throwing their support behind men rather then Christ Jesus.  Paul’s opening remarks referred to this division.

1 Corinthians 1:10-12 (ESV)

10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. 12 What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.”

In that first chapter, he reminded them that the truth of the Gospel did not come from man but God.  He reminded them that Christ Jesus died for their sins.

In chapter four he added to this in verses six through seven.

1 Corinthians 4:6-7 (ESV)

6 I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another. 7 For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?

I am humbled by Paul’s stance with the Church at Corinth.  These verses force me to do some self examination, for I am nothing without God and all that I have came from Him…

Reflection

Paul continues with his discipline in verses eight through thirteen.  It is almost like the comments to the Church of Laodicea in Revelation three.  I can hear the frustration in his words.

1 Corinthians 4:8-13 (ESV)

8 Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! Without us you have become kings! And would that you did reign, so that we might share the rule with you! 9 For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. 10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. 11 To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless, 12 and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; 13 when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things.

I would bet that some took the opening words initially as a compliment, missing the sarcasm.  But I would find it hard to believe it took long to realize that Paul was very frustrated with the Church at Corinth.   But that puts me in mind of another verse from revelation.

Revelation 3:19 (ESV)

19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.

As frustrated as he was, he had no desire to embarrass them.

Admonishment

Paul closes this teaching with the Church with a firm hand but in love.  Sometimes it is easy to treat the truth of the Gospel lightly when in truth, it is a matter of life or death, and in that Paul has a passion that never wavers.  I think his best example is in Romans 9.

Romans 9:1-3 (ESV)

​1 I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— 2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.

He would give up his own salvation to save his kinsmen, (fellow Israelites).  How could we expect him not to be passionate when admonishing us. How can we be any less passionate?

Corinthians 4:14-21 is the reminder I need.

1 Corinthians 4:14-21 (ESV)

14 I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. 15 For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the Gospel. 16 I urge you, then, be imitators of me. 17 That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every Church. 18 Some are arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power. 20 For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power. 21 What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness?

I read these few verses, and I see this quarantine that we deal with today.  We are a bit isolated.  We do not have access to our mentors or the fellowship we are so used to having.  We also are not sharing with others as we might.

I cannot speak for everyone, but I tend to stay home and not get out nor do I talk much on the phone.  The phone is not my strong suit; I do better face to face. So I need to be diligent in study and prayer… and I am not always as diligent as I should be.

Closing Thoughts

This chapter has helped me put some things in perspective.  It is easy to be distracted in a world with a 24-hour news cycle that rants on about the end of society.  It is amazing how that machine can so impact people without a biblical world view that they empty the grocery stores of toilet paper and cleaning supplies.

The challenging part is that we can easily lose our support system within the church body if we are not careful, and that can push us to the same worries and concerns as the world.  But we have the tools to avoid that.

We have God’s Word, and in it is guidance filled with the example of right living, putting faith in Jesus.  In it are examples like Paul, Peter, James, John, and others from both the old and new testaments… and do not forget the Psalms and Proverbs.

We also have the phone and email and text if we need help.  I don’t mind taking a call if you do not mind my stuttering or loss of words.  I will pray with you too, again if you do not mind my struggle with speech… I get there it just sometimes takes a while.  God is patient and true.

I guess today I just needed to take the time to remind myself of these things.  It is easy to drift a bit if we lose sight of the shore.  But God is ever faithful.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for Your Word.  I am filled with joy over the guidance of the Holy Spirit, who helps me navigate its pages and gain the understanding that I need for each day.  Help us, Lord, through our days that we may not lose sight of the shore and that we might follow the example laid out in your Holy Word.  In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.

 

Not Our Job???

I had this experience this week shortly after writing my blog around 1 Corinthians chapter one. It came in the discussion of abortion.  There was a pro-life post made by a friend from the front porch of an abortion clinic in Louisville.  It was a reasonable post asking the Governor to make abortion non-essential during the coronavirus.  I am pro-life. In my mind, abortions are more than non-essential.

The reason for the post is one pro-choice Christian that took an opposing, and confrontational view in the comments of the original post.  It was clearly a pro-choice view of abortion and that was no surprise.  He was angry about the prolife post and that too was no surprise.

What got to me was one point that he tried to make regarding sharing of the Gospel.   He called it “pushing faith” on people trying to get to the clinic.  Most of what he said was “boiler plate” pro-choice rhetoric, but that one comment is just wrong.  Here is the direct quote from the post.

“But again it goes back to pushing faith on others. If they seek faith I’ll be the first to step forward to walk with them while they seek the word of god. But not steer someone who isn’t ready and not wanting. Telling somebody when I comes legally ethical yes in committing a crime. But when it involves pushing religion or ethical views no not our job it’s gods”

I read that and was just saddend, especially in the last few words; “not our job it’s gods.”

He could not be more wrong. That is in direct opposition to what we are to do.  We are to share the Gospel in LOVE.  Somehow this person has determined that sharing the Gospel is pushing it on others.  We are told to share the Word in love; we do not beat them over the head or force it on them.  You present it to them in love.

Now in all fairness he did say if someone approached him and asked about God he would be glad to help them through the Gospel, but only if they ask him.  But the downside is that is not what I saw Jesus or any of the Apostles do.  In fact the word is clear that nobody seeks after God.  Romans is a good place to start.

Romans 10

In Romans 10, Paul reminds us that we cannot know God without His message of salvation and applying it to our lives, and we cannot do that without first hearing it.  The other point in this is that no one seeks this out.  It must be presented to them, and even then, they may not accept it.  I like how Romans 3 spells it out.

Romans 3:9-18 (ESV)

No One Is Righteous

9 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written:

“None is righteous, no, not one;

11 no one understands;

no one seeks for God.

12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;

no one does good,

not even one.”

13 “Their throat is an open grave;

they use their tongues to deceive.”

“The venom of asps is under their lips.”

14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”

15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;

16 in their paths are ruin and misery,

17 and the way of peace they have not known.”

18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

Those nine verses are intense.  No one is righteous is a pretty brutal charge, and to say that no one is seeking after God is even more difficult.  So if these statements are true, we cannot wait for someone to ask us about Jesus.  We need to ask.  And how can a person be saved unless one of us shares the Gospel with them.

Share the Good News

Paul asks the same question in Romans 10.  His message is pretty clear to me.

Romans 10:14-17 (ESV)

14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the Gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

So we are to share this Gospel.  No where in the word does God give us office hours or situational guidance.  I think he is pretty clear through Paul in his letter to Second Timothy.

2 Timothy 3:16 – 4:2 (ESV)

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Preach the Word

​1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching

I like the close of that passage… “with complete patience and teaching.”  Nowhere in the letter to Rome or Timothy does it say to use aggression or intimidation to teach the Gospel.  Instead, the message is to be spoken and taught with complete patience and teaching.

Reflection

So this individual that thought this was “God’s Job” was confused about our role in God’s plan.  It is clear that we need to share the Gospel and we need to be the ones to take the first steps.  Paul shows us in these few passages.

I must admit that I am not the best at confronting people with the Gospel.  I never know how it is going to work out.  Sometimes I just plain fail.  But with this clear direction I know what I must get better at every day.

I did reach out to the guy on social media.  I suggested that he might want to rethink his position by reading the last chapter of Matthew and consider some of the writings of Paul, but it fell on deaf ears.  He simply inferred that I was judging him, and I assured him that it was not my intention, apologized, and promised to pray for him.

So often, battles begin with a misplaced or out of context quote from God’s Word.  Even what I write here can be misconstrued.  That is why relying on the Word itself is so important. I copy and paste scripture in these blog posts, but never hesitate to check the context.  We need to know God’s Word for ourselves that is where the truth and power rests.

I love all of Paul’s letters.  I have no real favorite, but the message in 1 Corinthians 2 seems best describe what I mean about truth and power.

1 Corinthians 2

When Paul came to Corinth, he did not use fancy vocabulary to share his message.  Instead, he chose to come humbly to these people to take no glory for himself.  The first verses of this chapter humble me.

1 Corinthians 2:1-5 (ESV)

​1 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

What a powerful passage.  Paul humbled himself to the point of weakness and fear that the power of his message did not rest on his strength but only on the power of God.  He did not want the Corinthians to look to him for their strength but to God. Look again at verses 3-5.

1 Corinthians 2:3-5 (ESV)

3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

He knew that there was no real wisdom in men.  He wanted to make sure that no one confused the power of his message being from anyone other than God. The same is true of all teaching.  It needs to stand up to testing in the Word just as Paul told Timothy.

2 Timothy 4:1-2 (ESV)

​1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.


Closing Thoughts

The one thing that I know is that I have nothing but that which God have given me.  I am reminded of that every time I open His Word and I am thankful.  I know that not that long ago I was silent when it came to sharing God’s Word.  I feard I would say the wrong thing or be put in a position that I might not know the answer.  But I have fond that I do not have to express great speaches filled with “MY” wisdom, of which there is little if any, all I need do is draw on God and prayerfully study His Word and he will give me what I need.  That is even if I am talking to someone on social media.  I do not have to stand on my own.  The Holy Spirit will help me find the words in God’s Holy Word…  that is where the truth and power come from always wraped in Love.

Reminder

I have this one thing that keeps coming to mind today, and it is a command that Paul speaks in Colossians.  It seems an essential piece if we are to be effective with sharing the Gospel as he outlines it in 1 Corinthians 2 and supporting text.

Colossians 3:5-17 (ESV)

5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Praise God!

Prayer

Father, help me to simply share your Gospel with love and patience in all circumstances.  Give me the courage and certainty in Your Word to step out in faith, in Jesus’ name, Amen!

 

Division or Focus? 1 Corinthians 1

Over the last little bit, the book of first Corinthians has been on my mind.  I had a bit of trouble getting started with it for some reason, and when I finally did begin reading, I became fixated on the first three chapters of the book.  I have not been able to move forward.

The more that I read these chapters, the more it sounded like life today when I read some of the commentaries that spoke of the city from a historical perspective that confirmed it for me.

The City of Corinth

To begin the study of this book, I read the “Background and Setting” found in my John MacArthur Study Bible.  The city of Corinth was a wild town.   It also seemed to have a reputation for being a party town filled with every kind of vice, and it was known for its excesses.  The notes from John MacArthur’s study bible described the city as grossly immoral.

(MacArthur Study Notes (ESV))

Even by the pagan standards of its own culture, Corinth became so morally corrupt that its very name became synonymous with debauchery and moral depravity. To “corinthianize” came to represent gross immorality and drunken debauchery.

He also mentioned what appeared to be the biggest problem of the Church at Corinth.

(MacArthur Study Notes (ESV))

The most serious problem of the Corinthian Church was worldliness, an unwillingness to divorce the culture around them. Most of the believers could not consistently separate themselves from their old, selfish, immoral, and pagan ways.

I am stuck here because, as I read this text over and over, I just keep seeing these same things in the world today, and it is not limited to the world but is part of the Church as well.  It is a difficult time surrounded by worldliness but as Paul almost always does he opens with thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving

Paul opens with, telling the Church about his prayers for them.   Verses four through nine are a beautiful reminder of all the gifts that were bestowed upon the Church when it was established in Corinth.

 1 Corinthians 1:4-9 (ESV)

4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— 6 even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— 7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

As I read over those six verses, I am surprised by the focus of Paul’s praise.  It was somehow different than others I had read, but I was not sure how, so  I looked at some of his other letters.

I looked at Ephesians 1: 15-23, Philippians 1:3-11, and Colossians 1:3-14. The difference was in his focus.  Paul wrote these three passages giving thanks to God for the faith and commitment shown by the churches.  Corinth was different.  In Corinth’s Prayer, Paul thanked God for all he had given Corinth to sustain them.  He began with Grace and ended with the fact that God is faithful.

Reflections

As I considered the difference, this one thought just kept returning.  We are so blessed.  We, too, have the same blessings that the believers in Corinth had.  Every one of them and more.  The more we have is God’s Word accessible in any translation and available almost anywhere, including the internet.  If you have a smartphone, you have the bible at your fingertips.  But it is so easy to lose focus and become distracted by the world.

Just like the Corinthians, it can be hard to let go of worldly things.  Seemingly innocent things can become distractions and distractions idols.  On top of all of that, there is a new movement afoot. That is the belief that there is no such thing as absolute truth.  Combine those things with all that is available in this society; it can be challenging to maintain focus on those things that are truly important.

Division or Out of Focus

Paul speaks directly to the issues as division.  He appeals to the people to be of one mind in our Lord Jesus Christ.  There should be no division.  He speaks of the quarreling he has heard tell of and the fact that the Church is picking men to follow… MEN…  not Jesus, but MEN.  It makes me shudder when I read this part…

1 Corinthians 1:12-13 (ESV)

12 What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

These people seemed to have lost focus from the message to the messenger.  It is as if the Gospel was less important than how it is delivered.  Paul, Apollos, and Cephas did not cause this issue to occur; the members of the Church did.  It split into factions.  Some still had their focus on Jesus, but many chose to follow men.

I can hear Paul’s disdain as he further explains his real purpose.

1 Corinthians 1:17 (ESV)

17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the Gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

Paul reminded them of this verse that it was not his goal to impress them with his abilities but to Glorify God.  The power is in the cross, not the wisdom of man.

1 Corinthians 1:18-19 (ESV)

18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written,

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,

and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”

There is no power in any one man.  The power rests in the cross and the message of the Gospel.  None of the men that are delivering this message can save anyone.  Salvation is only through Jesus Christ. I like the way Paul puts it in his other letter to the Ephesians.

Ephesians 2:8-10 (ESV)

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

It seems that the Corinthians lost focus.  They chose to focus more on the messenger than the message, and that led to division in the Church.  That division made them more susceptible to the distractions of the worldly things around them as well.

Christ The Wisdom and Power

I think about the things Paul is saying to the Corinthians, and I cannot help but think about how easy it can be to become distracted by the attractions of this world.  But the wisdom and power are not in this world but Christ alone.  I was reminded of a couple of verses that give me strength when days get long, and spirits may get a bit low.  The first is in Matthew and reminds me of my focus point.

Matthew 6:33 (ESV)

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

The second is in Psalms and reminds me of the source of my strengths.

Psalms 121:1-2 (ESV)

​1 I lift up my eyes to the hills.

From where does my help come?

2 My help comes from the LORD,

who made heaven and earth.

Paul made one other thing clear, and that was where I ranked next to God.

1 Corinthians 1:25 (ESV)

25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

These verses only defined the magnitude of the difference between God and man.  It is like placing a Gnat next to the Sun…  and I chose those things simply because I can think of no more enormous visual difference.  Yet he loved us enough to save us through the death burial and resurrection of his Son, Jesus.

Closing Thoughts

Like the Corinthians, the world around us is a pretty wild place.  I believe that it is similar to the days of the book of Judges.  The closing verse of that book rings loudly in my ears.

Judges 21:25 (ESV)

25 In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

While I was putting this post together, I came across a post on Facebook. The post was a punch in the gut.  It illustrated how similar things are today when compared to Corinth.

“I’m not sure why you have such an exaggerated view of morality and religion in this country. I live in a very liberal city. I don’t see people “exalting” witch-craft or new age beliefs. Whatever that even means. But what IS being celebrated by young people is DIVERSITY. and FREEDOM for people to live in this country and hold WHATEVER belief they see fit. That’s what freedom is. That’s what free choice is. And I’m a “Christian” but I will always celebrate diversity and the freedom for people to be WHOEVER they want to as long as it’s not hurting anyone else. Immorality hasn’t risen. People have been sinners since day one. People have been killing each other and starting wars since the beginning of time.”

To me, this person reflects the kind of mindset that comes from relying on others to teach them rather than seek out God through prayerful study of His Word.  To me, that was part of what was happening in Corinth as well.  Factions had decided who they would follow based on the messenger rather than the message.

I have to admit that I was very much in the same boat until I was 52 years old when Jesus showed me the truth through a series of events over a weekend.  His message is so simple, but it is so powerful.  I like the way Mark describes the beginning of Jesus’ ministry.

Mark 1:14-15 (ESV)

14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the Gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

So simple but we are not alone in the task.  We plant the seeds but God does the saving.

Ephesians 2:8-10 (ESV)

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

 The Holy Spirit is with us as we take each step and helps us find the words.

One More Thing

We need to share this Gospel.  It is the most fantastic gift.  Not everyone will accept it, but that is not my goal.  My goal is to share the Gospel.

Even when Jesus sent out his twelve disciples to perform mighty deeds he warned them that they would not always be received.

Matthew 10:11-14 (ESV)

11 And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart. 12 As you enter the house, greet it. 13 And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town.

I am pretty sure I will not be spending the night with anyone or doing many of the other things that the Apostles were charged to do, but I will share the Gospel, and some will receive it, some may appear to, and some will not.  Like the apostles, I need to know when to move on.  I am to sow the seeds like the parable of the Sower in Matthew 13.  I cannot choose where the seed will fall or how it might take root.  I just must sow the seed and keep my focus on Jesus.

Prayer

Father, Please help me to be a person of focus, always keeping my eyes on the things above rather than the things below.  Fill my heart and mind with the confidence in your word to always share your Gospel and never shrink back.  Let me never forget the blessings and promises that you have given me through your blessed Son Jesus the Christ and in His name I pray, Amen.

 

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