Our groaning bodies

2 Corinthians 5

We long for something more. I believe all of us — maybe particularly all of us believers — long for something more out of life. Not that we don’t love our families or our jobs, but at times there seems to be something missing. Often we try to fill it with other things and other people. But it just dulls the pain. 2 Corinthians 5 tells us why. We long to be in God’s presence. That’s what we were made for. We long to be home — fully home with our Heavenly Father. I guess as I read this today, it just reminded not to get too comfortable. It made me ask myself, “Am I settling into this world too much or am I truly living of eternity?”

Honestly, I’m not sure I like the answer.

Across social barriers

1 Corinthians 16

In the beginning of this chapter, Paul urges his readers to participate in a special offering for the church of Jerusalem. One of the reasons Paul was so insistent about this offering was that it was seen as a bridge between the Gentile and Jewish streams of first century Christianity. We need bridges in the Church of our own day. We need bridges between denominations. We need bridges between conservative and liberal churches. More than a billion people claim to follow Christ across the globe. What could happen if we were really all united — not in a false ecumenicism but in true unity of the Holy Spirit?

The importance of the resurrection

1 Corinthians 15

I’m not exactly sure why, but this has always been one of my favorite passages of Scripture. I guess it’s because I think it’s often overlooked in our churches. Every Easter we talk a lot about the death of Jesus. We hear his teachings in Sunday School. But how often do we really talk about the resurrection? Yet Paul makes it clear in this chapter that the resurrection is essential to the gospel. It may be the most important discussion we have in our church each week. It’s also one of the most easily passed over truths in today’s world. Of all the things we teach as Christians, the resurrection is one of the things that absolutely cannot be true if we don’t have a worldview that accepts the miraculous. Our scientific minds of today don’t like it at all.

But I hope we never forget that the resurrection is the core of our faith — it’s the reason for Easter. May we proclaim that until we die.

Order in the worship service

1 Corinthians 14

I don’t have a lot of experience or devotional thoughts on speaking in tongues, which is the main focus of the passage today. But I do have some thoughts on order in the worship service. Paul uses order as the main reason that we should be careful about speaking in tongues in the worship service. Why? We serve a God of order, and the worship service should reflect that order. When someone experiences our worship services, they need to glimpse that truth about God. It also makes sense that you’d want to treat unbelievers like guests during the service. That means we explain what is happening in the service. We should all take a look at our worship services and ask ourselves how nonbelievers would see it. This isn’t watering down anything. It’s just being polite! You can say the same absolute truth; you can share the same Scriptures. Just consider who you’re speaking to in the process and do everything you can to be a good host.

Until He comes…

1 Corinthians 11

I was in seminary when I first really heard verse 26 of this chapter. I know I had heard and read the verse before — probably every time I had ever taken the Lord’s Supper. But I never really understood that the Lord’s Supper points forward. We often think of it as a backward-looking event, pointing our eyes toward the crucifixion. And certainly it is that. But it’s also a reminder. We take the Lord’s Supper “until He comes.” It should be a regular reminder that the Christ who gave up his blood and body for us will return to take us home with Him. This isn’t some quaint belief of the early church. It’s one of the most important truths of the Word of God. One day we will not have to endure life in a fallen world. One day this fallen world — and everything in it — will be fully redeemed. That’s something to look forward to. And I think of it every time I take the Lord’s Supper.

Eat what is in front of you

1 Corinthians 10

I grew up, was trained in ministry, and have served in a denomination that tends to frown on alcohol intake. I’ve only had four sips of alcohol in my life. All of them were just that — sips. Three of those four instances were in cases where I felt like my witness was at stake. This passage makes me think about that. As Paul talks about food, he seems to say we should eat whatever unbelievers put in front of us — not letting conscience get in our way. I wonder if we can apply this to alcohol use. If an unbeliever puts a glass of alcohol in front of us, are we obligated by the Gospel to try it instead of using our beliefs as an excuse? I don’t know. I’m just thinking.

Making concessions for others

1 Corinthians 8

I don’t know if I just need to work on this area, so I see everything through its prism or what. But what struck me again today was how much God wants us to put others before ourselves. Notice the direction Paul takes this passage. He’s talking about eating foot sacrificed to idols. I don’t think he has a problem with eating such food, but he encouraged believers to withhold from doing so if it could drag someone else down. Basically, it’s the same thing Jesus says in the Great Commandment — love others as you love yourself. In fact Paul may be taking it a step further than that — love others more than yourself.

I know I need to look at my life and my actions and ask myself everyday if I am putting others before myself.  We have every temptation not to do this though. Our very human nature works against us. But there is no doubt that God called us to do so.

Choosing contentment

I Corinthians 7

There are quite a few items in this chapter that are hotly debated — the purpose of marriage, Paul seemingly saying that he goes in and out of inspiration, the value of singleness. But none of those things stuck out to me today. it was verse 17 that hit me today.  Each of us should be content in our own situation. I guess why that stuck out to me today is because I struggle with contentment a lot. If I’m not careful, I can find myself chasing after elusive goals. Or often I want what comes tomorrow. When I was in high school, I wanted to be in college. When I was in college, I wanted to be in the workforce. When I was single, I wanted to be married. When I was newly married, I couldn’t wait for kids. Now that I have a son I long for more time to spend with him and my wife. Contentment often alludes me.

In fact in the short time I served as a pastor, I preached on the subject several times. Maybe I did so because I needed the sermons. But God has challenged me to learn to be content in Him — to look around and smell the roses. I’ve noticed that contentment is a choice. You either reach for it or you don’t. But you never ever get it if you don’t choose it.

Today I choose contentment — no matter what.

Redemptive discipline

1 Corinthians 5

“Turn that one over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the Day of the Lord.” (v. 5)

This passage ranks as one of the most difficult in the Bible for me to practice. It’s hard for me to imagine that there are Christians brothers that need to be kicked out of the church — for their own good! But I believe it’s true. Church discipline was never meant to be punitive but always redemptive. God wants to see wayward children reconnected with Him and His church. Often that can only really happen when distinct breaks are made. Otherwise, it’s easy to just coast. God never wants us to just coast– particularly when we’re coasting in sin. He’s got higher hopes for us.

But Paul is clear what our motive is when we do this. It must be redemptive. We must want the best for the individual in sin — not just ourselves or our church. Is there discipline that needs to happen in your church so that a person’s ”spirit may be saved in the Day of the Lord”?

Gospel steward

I Corinthians 4

I’ve heard a lot of stewardship messages over the years. Most of those messages focused on money. Some focused a little broader — time, talent, and treasure. But I haven’t often heard messages on 1 Corinthians 4 and Paul’s teaching that we are “managers of God’s mysteries.” (v. 1) That verse is a startling reminder that God has put people in my path who need to know the God of the universe. I have to be a good manager of all God has given me — including an understanding of His truth. Being a good manager means passing that truth on. It means looking at those I influence and asking myself how I can use that influence to introduce others to the Good News. It’s an important reminder for me. I need to take a better look at those I influence and I need to be actively using my influence to tell people about Jesus.