A Time to Speak and a Time to be Silent

A time to speak and a time to be silent (1 Corinthians 14:26-40)

There are some passages of Scripture on which I have much to say.  This is not one of them.  I’d prefer not to be the one writing this week’s email reflection.  But I was assigned this week and trust that it was by God’s providence. 

Paul’s words to the 1st century church in Corinth had to be hard for them to hear.  Paul instructs both men and women to be silent at times in order to honor God and demonstrate unified submission in their corporate worship gatherings.  This is still a difficult instruction to hear and apply to ourselves today.

But the same Spirit gives His word to all Christians.  Sometimes we are called to step out of the way and be silent to allow for someone else to share the Word of God.  At other times, someone else is called to step out of the way and be silent in order for us to share the Word of God. 

Jesus is the same, yesterday and today and forever!  As the Head of the body, Jesus personified sacrificial LOVE and prayed that His church would be one as He and the Father are one.  As Christians, we must find our way in Him and for His glory!  So I will speak His word at times when I don’t prefer to and I will be silent at other times when I prefer to speak.  Either action should be done in reverence and worship to Christ Jesus. 

Church – please pray for me in this and I will continue to pray for you in the same way.  May the world know that we are God’s children by the LOVE we have for one another and for our world!  And may we all bring glory to God as we offer ourselves as loving sacrifices for our Rescuer and King Jesus!

Grateful and hopeful in Christ,

Jon

Difficultly Simple

“Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.  For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit.  On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their up-building and encouragement and consolation”

  1 Corinthians 14:1-3 (ESV)

For me this week’s passage is both difficult and simple.  Some Christians (called continuationists) believe that the spiritual gifts of tongues and prophecy continue to this day.  Others (called cessationists) believe that gift of tongues and prophecy have ceased and were only poured out on select individuals for the purpose of authenticating that God was doing something new. 

Some believe that prophecy is the authoritative infallible message of God spoken only by select individuals.  Others believe prophecy also includes fallible non-authoritative messages from God spoken by many.  Both views believe that the Bible is complete and the Spirit of God is no longer inspiring people to write Scripture.

Some believe tongues to be limited to speaking in a human foreign language that is not known by the speaker.  Others believe that tongues include ecstatic words and private prayer languages only understood by the Holy Spirit.

The simple part we can all agree on is that we are to pursue love and earnestly desire spiritual gifts.  Using both our hearts and minds we are to love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts.  Spiritual gifts are not given for ourselves, but to build up others. 

Glorify Jesus.  Take time to eagerly desire the spiritual gifts and love others this week.

Todd

The Way of Love

We are bankrupt without love. It doesn’t matter what we say or do, accomplish or succeed at, without love, it’s all pointless. Even giving up our lives is without purpose unless it involves love. This is worth dwelling on...how much of our lives are we going through the motions and doing things that appear sacrificial and loving but are actually just a job or duty and done out of wrong motivations?

1 Cor. 13 is a remarkable chapter, one of the most recognizable portions of scripture that even people who are not in church would have heard of. 

I think in the past, I’ve seen it as sort of a ‘to do list’, a ‘standard of excellence’ that I clearly don’t measure up to. I guess that would be one interpretation of it, but it’s not a helpful one for me. I think most of us already know we don’t measure up. We tend to already be harder on ourselves than God is. When I’m still and quiet and really listen, most of the time, I hear God reminding me of His love for me, His delight in me. 

I’ve heard people say to substitute your name in for the word ‘love’ in this chapter. 

Ruth never gives up.

Ruth cares more for others than for self.

Ruth doesn’t want what I don’t have.

And so on.

It’s definitely a way to show my inadequacy, but I’m already pretty aware of my failings. Jesus is the only one who loves in the way this chapter talks about. He is the Complete One. We are incomplete. When The Complete arrives...then and only then will we be complete too.

If instead I read the chapter with the word Jesus inserted for love and I actually live in the light of His great love for me, then and only then can I actually trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly and love extravagantly in my very real world today. (Faith, Hope and Love)

Jesus never gives up.

Jesus cares more for others than for self.

Jesus doesn’t want what he doesn’t have.

Jesus doesn’t strut.

Jesus doesn’t have a swelled head.

Jesus doesn’t force himself on others.

Jesus isn’t always ‘me first’.

Jesus doesn’t fly off the handle.

Jesus doesn’t keep score of the sins of others.

Jesus doesn’t revel when others grovel.

Jesus takes pleasure in the flowering of truth.

Jesus puts up with anything.

Jesus trusts God always.

Jesus always looks for the best.

Jesus never looks back but keeps going to the end.

Jesus never dies.

How does His great love change everything for you? How does His great love change our home life, our neighborhood, our church, our town, our nation, our world? It’s there...we’ve just got to grow in our awareness of it and really believe it.

-Ruth Spencer

More Than a Bucket of Parts

Remember Mr. Potato Head and his bucket of parts? You could create a seemingly normal spud, or you could mix up his parts and give him six ears and four feet (along with a mustache, of course). You could give the potato the correct body parts but put them all in the wrong places. He could glide along on his eyeballs and talk out of the top of his head, if you chose. The child had free reign over his design.

I’ve been guilty of wanting to do the same with the church. I’ve been passionate about adoption or missions, women’s ministry, or any number of good things, and felt the church might be better if everyone in the church was as zealous for those things as I was. I’ve served with the gifts God gave me while frustrated that not everyone was as organized as I was. I have been hurt when others didn’t come alongside of me when I led in ministry. There have even been times where I have damaged relationships because of my pride related to these things. Lord, forgive me! Church, forgive me!

“But God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as He wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.” 

1 Corinthians 12:18-20

The body of Christ is no potato head. The design of the body is not ours to choose. The function of each part has already been chosen, each one of us fashioned by God Himself for the good works He has planned for each of us individually, and for the Body corporately.

“But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.”

1 Corinthians 12:24b-26

Sometimes division in the body manifests itself blatantly and leads to broken fellowship within the church body. Other times, division is more subtle and happens in my own body as my heart is hardened and I won’t rejoice with another, nor will I be grieved by their suffering. When the Spirit shows me my sin, the proper response is always repentance and if possible, reconciliation.

“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”

1 Corinthians 12:27

Is Christ your Savior? If so, you are a part of the body of Christ. Your gifts are needed, and the place God has ordained for your gifts to be used is in and through the context of a local church. Just as God designed the body and all its parts to function together, He has also gifted each of His children to fill a certain role in His own body, working together in unity, for His glory and renown. May it be so at The Bridge. 

Gifts from God

When we celebrate our birthdays, most of us expect to receive gifts from the people near and dear to us.  It’s a common way for them to show their love to us.  As Christians, we are spiritually reborn into the Spirit of God.  We are given a new identity in Jesus and we are bonded to Him as spiritual family.  Because He loves us, God gives us spiritual gifts that signify we are his and empower us to live for His glory.   While gifts at a birthday celebration may be optional, spiritual gifts are vital tools for living as followers of Christ.  God is faithful to be present and provide what we need to make it in our lives as His church. 

So how familiar are you with your own spiritual gifts?  How well do you know the gifts of the church family around you?  Paul writes the words of chapter 12 so that the Christians then and now would not be uninformed. 

A few details to note about spiritual gifts…

-They come from God alone.

-They come in a variety.

-They are for serving the common good.

-They are given in portions.

-They are empowered by God’s Spirit.

-They are given as God wills.

While we have these gifts to serve others and advance God’s Kingdom, they also reveal God’s intimate love for each of us as His children.  Ultimately, the spiritual gifts in our lives remind us to trust in Christ and live together for His glory.

As a Christian, I am reminded all the time that I was not called to live for Jesus on my own and all alone.  Instead I am called to depend on Jesus for His leading and empowerment.  Likewise, I am also called to mutual dependence on His church as my spiritual family.  We are still given spiritual gifts today as marks of the power and presence of Christ Jesus with us.  And we also have spiritual gifts as a means for ministering the good news about Him.  When we think of spiritual gifts, may we see them as demonstrations of God’s grace among us and may we rejoice in our relationship together with Him.

Take a moment right now and reflect on how God has used spiritual gifts to bless you.  Ask God how you might use the gifts you’ve been given to bless others.  And let us rejoice in the Giver as we live out our spiritual gifts together for the glory of King Jesus!

Grateful and hopeful in Christ,

Jon

Come to the Table

“So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together.”

1 Corinthians 11:33 (NIV)

I’ll have to admit sharing a table at a restaurant with total strangers is not something I usually relish.  But sometimes it turns out to be a delightful experience.  I can remember one time we shared a table with a woman that started her career as a teacher in a one room schoolhouse and had taught for fifty years.  I can remember telling my wife who, at the time had been teaching for twenty-three years, “Just think Honey, in another twenty-seven years you can retire.”

When we’re sharing a table we often seek those with whom we are most comfortable, typically our family and friends.  We are most comfortable with those who think like us, and act like us, and look like us.  But our desire for comfort can cause division.

“So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat,”

1 Corinthians 11:20 (NIV)

The Lord’s Supper is intended to be a visible display of the unity of the church.  In Corinthian society, the host of a meal typically sat people according to their social status.  The more favored guests—those of the highest social standing—received the most prominent seats and the best food and drink.   Paul teaches us that the church body and the Lord’s Supper must be held to a higher standard. 

When we diminish or exclude other believers from the table we sin against Christ by not proclaiming His death. 

Jesus gave his life for all people.  Come to the table.

Todd

If you need a haircut...

I admit there are certain passages of scripture that seem really puzzling to me. Maybe it’s just a difference in culture and history. 1 Corinthians 11 is one of those. The verses spend what feels like an inordinate amount of time on hair and head coverings. This is the kind of thing that leads to all kinds of weird human behaviors and rules. When my mom was a college student...she literally felt compelled to get permission from her pastor to get a haircut! Wow...just wow!

This is also the kind of passage that can lead women and men to challenge each other about who is in charge and who has the right to lead and who is expected to submit. Another lovely subject area in present day terms...not.

I strongly doubt that the pastor is going to talk this week about the length of your hair or whether you wear a head covering or not. If you need a haircut...go get one! I think the point is far more about respecting authority and honoring God.

What does that look like in 2019? That’s what we need to ponder. 

Submission is not a word that any of us probably feel wonderful about. But the reality is...sometimes we lead and sometimes we submit, and we need to understand and accept the reality of how that process works.

Growing up in the church...I’m sure I developed a bit of a negative response to this whole thing because of the man-made rules that were made to keep certain people in their place. We have to be able to recognize what matters to God and what doesn’t. From everything I read and have experienced in my own life I know the heart issue of surrendering to Jesus and making Him the Lord of my life is what matters. 

Get that right and everything else will fall into place just fine.

-Ruth Spencer

I googled it.

“How do Americans make decisions”?

“Americans are not making decisions by consulting clergy”, I am informed by the first site.  Not even those who attend church weekly, and not even when making major life decisions, do Americans consult their Pastors.  Who do we go to? Where are we finding the information we need to make potentially life-altering decisions?

Google.

The first century Christians in Corinth obviously did not have Google, so when faced with the decision of whether or not to eat meat that had previously been sacrificed to idols while dining in the home of an unbeliever, how did they make a choice? This is a very specific scenario, one that the average American will likely never find him or herself in, but with Paul’s directive to the church at Corinth, the church of God in all places and times may find a better filter for decision making than Google or the mores of the surrounding culture.

“Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God”.           

  (1 Corinthians 10:31)

-Does this action I am about to take bring God glory? This question presupposes that I am well enough acquainted with the Lord as He has revealed Himself in the Bible to know whether an action will glorify Him or not. Am I? (Note: don’t Google “how to bring God glory”, it’s not that helpful. I checked.)

“Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God—even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.” (1 Corinthians 10: 32-33)

-Am I making a decision that is in my own best interest or the best interest of others? This standard sounds decidedly un-American. I’m an American. I am not certain I know how to make a decision that is not in my best interest. Lord, teach me how to think about the interests of others over myself, and give me a heart that desires to seek the good of others so that they may know You, even when it costs me greatly!

“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1)

-Is the choice I am about to make in accord with Scripture? Do I know what Scripture says on this matter? Am I committed to following the example of Christ even if it is at odds with what my heart wants?  Am I willing to allow the Word of God to shape my mind and influence my choices? Lord, give me a hunger for Your Word and a passion for Your glory!

Church, Google has its place, but only Jesus has the words of eternal life. May we increasingly look to Him for all of life’s answers, as the Spirit of God conforms us to the image of the risen Christ.

-Natalie Runyon

The Way of Escape

The Way of Escape (1 Corinthians 10:1-22)

After speaking extensively about the pitfalls of idolatry, the Apostle Paul states, “Therefore, let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.”  Paul has just referenced the Old Testament Israelites that were laid waste in the wilderness for sinful practices related to their idol making hearts.  And the scariest thing about it is that all of this idolatry was done in the direct face of God’s glorious presence and provision among those dear people.  Paul is warning his “beloved” in Corinth to take that Old Testament example very seriously and flee from their own 1st century idolatry.  They had heard the message of the gospel and believed, but continued to wrestle with following Jesus or their own selfish ambitions.

Does any of this feel familiar? How serious do you take your sin?  How serious do you take Christ Jesus as your rescue and source of life? Sin is the most dangerous thing in the world because it convinces us that we don’t need God.  And choosing sin has destructive consequences.  Jesus wants to save us from our sin and daily free us to live in His will.

As a kid, I used to try walking the length of the swimming pool from one end to the other starting in the shallow end.  Everything went smoothly until I started to slope into the deep end of the pool.  At that point, I would begin floating up and flailing about trying to stay grounded on the bottom of the pool.  I’ve tried the same thing at the beach and it was impossible for me because I was no match for the force of the water and waves.  Sin is a force that we cannot overcome on our own power. Sin deceives us to think we have everything under our control when it’s more like trying to do that pool trick in the deepest and most violent part of the ocean in the midst of a storm while being completely unaware of the danger surrounding us.  Sin will leave us flailing about out of control in a destructive mode that we can’t even see for ourselves.

The hope that Paul offers to the Christians in Corinth is still for us today as he reminds in verse 13 that “God is faithful”.  And that while temptation is common to every human being, God “will provide the way of escape, that you would be able to endure it”  without falling into sin.  Jesus tells us in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.  I came that they may have life and have it more abundantly.” And in John 14:6, He says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the father except through me.”  As Christians, Jesus is not only our Savior but also our Standing before God.  To think any other way is to believe that we stand on our own and that is the start of making idols of ourselves.

How seriously you take your sin will likely determine how seriously you consider your need for a Savior.  In Christ, as our Rock, we have the way of escape and a secure foundation.

May we fix our eyes on Jesus today and trust Him for everything because He is the rock of our salvation and source for living.  May we find our way in Him alone.  Let us pray for one another to find our ultimate security in Jesus as THE Rock & Rescue.

Grateful and hopeful in Christ,

Jon

Run to Win

Read this slowly:

19-23 Even though I am free of the demands and expectations of everyone, I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide range of people: religious, nonreligious, meticulous moralists, loose-living immoralists, the defeated, the demoralized—whoever. I didn’t take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ—but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view. I’ve become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life. I did all this because of the Message. I didn’t just want to talk about it; I wanted to be in on it!

24-25 You’ve all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You’re after one that’s gold eternally.

26-27 I don’t know about you, but I’m running hard for the finish line. I’m giving it everything I’ve got. No sloppy living for me! I’m staying alert and in top condition. I’m not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself.

1 Corinthians 9:19-27 (The Message)

These four things stood out to me:

1. I kept my bearings in Christ - but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view.

Jesus did this.  He kept His bearings in His Heavenly Father, but He became both God and Man so that He would experience things from our point of view.  Who is it that you think you can't understand?  Have you imagined what it would be like to walk a day in their shoes?  Are you willing to walk a day in their shoes?  

2.  I didn't just want to talk about it; I wanted to be in on it.

Are you experiencing the Good News you share with others?  Have you decided to "taste and see that the Lord is good"? (Psalm 34:8).  Our faith is not just intellectual.  It is meant to be experiential.  Peace that passes all understanding (Phil. 4:7).  A joy unspeakable and full of glory (1 Peter).  A living hope (1 Peter 1:3).  A love that will not let me go.  We are invited to know these things in our mind, but also experience them in our lives.  So...how do we experience this?

3. Everyone runs; one wins.  Run to win.

There is a big difference between being a spectator and a participant.  And there is a big difference between going for a leisurely jog and running with the aim to win.  Athletes who run to win train.  They are careful about what they eat and drink, how much sleep they get, how often they train.  They mentally prepare.  And as Christians we are called to do the same.  We have a call to "train" - to pray, to worship, to read the Word, to fellowship with others, to share our faith in word and deed.  Peace and joy and hope and love are gifts from our Heavenly Father, but we experience them more fully when we are training to run to win.  And it is a lot easier to train with a team than by yourself.

4. I’m not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself.

Missing out myself...makes me wonder what I have missed that God has handed to me because I am not training to run to win.  But every day His mercies are new, and He reminds me even when I fail and miss out that there is One who came, and He ran to win. (Hebrews 12:1-3)

May we be those who know in our head and experience in our lives the Gospel.

May we be those who love people enough to see things from their point of view.

May we train in a way that causes us to run to win.

May we look to the One who already won guaranteeing our victory!

See you Sunday,

Steven

Paul's Call

I recognize Paul’s tone of voice in chapter 9 of 1 Corinthians. It reads like a parent talking to his children trying to explain to them the principle of the matter. He tries to clarify that he’s not irritated with them, but you can’t help but pick up on the reality that as a human he is irritated. Kind of like those moments when someone says they’re fine and you pretty much know they’re not fine.

The principle of the matter is “those who spread the Message will be supported by those who believe the Message.” This probably translates differently at different times in history and in different cultures.

Clearly, Paul is feeling a lack of support. He goes on to explain that he is compelled to share the Message regardless of how he is treated and is not expecting to get something out of it for himself, but you can’t help but pick up on the fact that there is some hurt and frustration expressed.

Who is it today that spreads the Message? Is that just a call to support pastors and missionaries? I think at one time I would’ve thought so, but at this point...I think it should be/needs to be all of us who believe. At one time this was solely placed on the Levites' shoulders...but it’s not just the pastor’s job in present day. It’s all of us.

So, this section of scripture to me seems to be saying...all of us who believe, need to spread the Message and we need to support one another in doing so...generously. Period.

Do you believe the Message? Are you spreading the Message? Do you feel supported by others who believe the Message? Do you have hurts that need to be brought to the light and healed by the Message?

If you’ve been around church life for any length of time you know these are valid questions and issues that need to be reflected on and dealt with.

Ruth Spencer

Knowledge Surpassed

“Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know.  But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.” 1 Corinthians 8:1-3 (ESV)

I love learning.  I love researching, seeking knowledge, and problem solving.  Sometimes while I work out at the gym, I’ll listen to a sermon or podcast seeking knowledge and better understanding.  One recent morning I was on an elliptical exercise machine listening to a sermon on 1 Corinthians 8.  Sometime later a person comes in and starts exercising on a machine two machines away.  Above the sermon coming through earbuds I suddenly hear loud exuberant laughter.  I look over and see it’s the person two machines down staring intently at the television on their exercise machine.  A short time later I hear, “Run run…Ohhh!” 

In my mind my first thoughts (thoughts of which I’m not proud) are, “That person is interrupting my ability to understand this passage.  Don’t they know that I have to facilitate a Bible study and reflect on this passage in an email for an entire church?  They’re probably just watching a trashy sitcom.”  I realize the Lord has taught me more in an instant than I likely would have gathered from an hour long sermon.  Talk about knowledge puffing up, imagining that I know something, and not knowing as I should.

How do I love my brothers and sisters and what should this love look like?  It’s not about me willing myself and resolving to love others more.  In fact it’s not about me at all; it’s about loving God first and foremost. 

“I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit—  that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.  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.” Romans 9:1-3 (ESV)

These incredible words were also written by Paul and I’m absolutely stunned each time I read them.  Surely Paul must be exaggerating, but verse one clearly tells us he is not.  The whole thing is unexplainable apart from Christ.  How does Paul go from persecuting Christians to a place where he’s willing to be cut off from Christ for the sake of his lost brothers?  Have I ever loved like this?

Father God fill us with a love of Christ that surpasses knowledge.

Todd

Ode to the Simple Life

“There is no time to waste, so don’t complicate your lives unnecessarily. Keep it simple in marriage, grief, joy, whatever. Even in ordinary things-your daily routines of shopping, and so on. Deal as sparingly as possible with the things the world thrusts on you. This world as you see it is on its way out. I want you to live as free of complications as possible.” (The Message translation, 1 Corinthians 7)

Paul spends a lot of time in this passage trying to stress a simple way of living and in his mind that means singleness vs. marriage. I can’t help but wonder what would be written about living a simple life today!

I’ve lived long enough now to have some hindsight and realize that there have been times when I’ve over complicated my life, whether that’s in my scheduling of activities, spending, relationships, accumulation of stuff, or however else I’ve been able to finagle complicating things. It’s an easy thing to do as a young adult and a young parent. We are prone to seeing what others are doing and feeling the pressure and desire to want to fit in and do the same.

Over time...I’ve realized the simple life is where it’s at. I’ve also realized the simple life doesn’t just happen, it’s a very deliberate choice daily, it’s learning to slow down, be silent and stop the activity and hum of stress and business that seems to so easily become our daily soundtrack.

I think the simple life will look a little different for each person. And that’s part of the beauty of it too. Imagine that Jesus would want us to live in a way that is tailor made for our personality and soul. Why would we choose anything less? But, we do it all the time when we aren’t in touch with our deepest desires.

We will be prone to satisfy for lesser things every time without the help of Jesus.

Every time we sing the words “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love.” I am struck by the reality of that pull in me even though I love God.

Friends...as much as you can, step into self-reflection and actually listen to your heart and soul, listen to the voice of Jesus within you. Take the time to be so in touch with Him that He will be the One you rely on to guide you in all the decisions of your life. I think you will naturally find yourself craving simplicity.

For me...going for a walk...enjoying a cup of coffee...eating a home cooked meal with my family...getting rid of stuff I don’t use or enjoy...helping others...reading a good book...noticing nature...feeling the breeze, warmth of the sun or even the rain on my skin...homemade gifts and just realizing over all that less is always more, making do with what I have, and I could go on and on. These are all ways that I find simplicity, and this is just the beginning. Simplicity will affect your calendar and your checkbook right away. It’s the ability to say yes to the things that are best instead of just saying yes to anything and everything.

Leave room for Jesus. Simplicity allows you to do just that.

Ruth Spencer

Lighting the Way

In my line of work, a strong flashlight is a handy tool to have available to light up a scene.  Nowadays, most of us use our phones when we’re in a pinch for some extra light but it’s just not quite the same as a faithful sturdy flashlight.  Think about all the times you’ve wished you had a strong flashlight at your disposal.  And where would you most likely use such a thing? 

Do you really think it would be of much use in a clearly lit place?

In the passage we are studying as a church this week, Paul is charging the Christians at Corinth to be faithful in their call to Christ.  Like many today, some at Corinth were misinterpreting their call as something other than the life they were already a part of.  Paul is reminding them to be faithful to Christ in their current relationships and livelihoods.  While they have been called out of walking in darkness, they are not called out of the dark places - because they will be the light of Christ among the people and places where they’ve been planted by God. 

There is still a misconception for some in the church today that when they experience saving faith in Christ Jesus they will leave their former lives for shinier opportunities and shinier relationships.  And while it is certainly true that followers of Christ will experience greater things as we walk with Jesus by His Word and Spirit, this does not usually mean that we are called to leave our current roles and relationships that God has placed us in.  As Christians, we are called out of walking in darkness in the futility of selfish thinking and acting out on sinful impulses.  Simultaneously, we are called to be led by Jesus into His marvelous light that guides us in all truth and the grace to transform our desire to be for His desires. 

In a very real sense, the church is to be like a faithful sturdy flashlight at the ready to a world in spiritual darkness.  We do this by knowing Jesus and making Him known in the places we’ve been planted. And we do this by remembering that God promises to be with us in it all.

While we are called to gather and encourage each other in the faith, we are just as much called to dispatch into the world for God’s good purposes to be served outside the church.  Think about it, would you likely need to use a flashlight in a clearly lit room?  So how do you think God might want to place His people in the world?  His plan is for His people to be light in the dark places. 

May we walk in the light as He is in the light.  May we so let our lights shine before others that they would come to know the light of Christ for themselves.  May we corporately encourage each other in our personal callings for the glory of God and His Kingdom through Jesus!

Grateful and hopeful in Christ,

Jon

Check Mate

“Marriage is a decision to serve the other, whether in bed or out.” (From 1 Corinthians 7 The Message translation)

My husband loves the game of chess. He plays with people from all over the world daily on an app on his phone. I’ve tried to play with him here at home, but I just can’t quite get the hang of it. The crucial thing is being able to see the board and strategize in such a way that you’ve anticipated 3 or more steps in the future for both you and your opponent. You’re hoping they’ll fall into a trap you set and that you’ll avoid the traps they set. You exchange pieces back and forth and play until one person can play no longer and must accept defeat. There is a clear winner and loser. In a game of chess - this is good and actually a great way to intellectually stimulate the brain. But in life, especially in marriage, it’s not the way we should be living.

Marriage is not about strategizing what your next move will be or thinking ahead 3-5 moves to figure out how to get your partner to fall into a trap. It’s not about I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine. It’s not about competition. It’s not about winning and losing. Marriage is not about you on one side of the table and me on the other plotting a win.

It’s easy to see this is true, but how often is that the way people live out their marriage relationship? Marriage is a place where we choose to serve one another...in fact delight in it. We don’t keep score. In fact, we realize we are on the same team with the same goals and vision. Instead of competition, it’s about cooperation.

Not everyone is going to get married and Paul addresses this in this chapter, too. From his perspective it’s easier to be single, which shows me his humanness. We tend to view the world through our own set of circumstances. Either way...whether you’re single or married...it’s pure gift.

Delight in serving one another. Discover new ways to show your love to one another. Never lose the spark. Marriage is not a chess game - it’s a double’s tennis match or a canoe trip, it requires us working together, helping one another, encouraging each other on. Marriage requires us to recognize that we win together and we lose together, and as long as we’re together...it will be alright.

Ruth Spencer

HIS

A pigtailed girl, barely six years old, sits in a hard-backed pew with avocado green seats. Her feet don’t quite reach the floor, and she doodles on the offering envelope while the preacher talks long. 

Then Jesus knocks on the door of her heart. 

When she hears His voice, she says “come in”, but doesn’t yet know He won’t be content to dwell in the little compartment of her heart she has reserved for Him, but instead wants all of her. “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you?” (1 Corinthians 6:19)

Through the years, whether explicitly taught or tacitly implied, the lesson caught is that she must work hard to be pure and holy, a place worthy for the Spirit of God to dwell. Yet, the siren song of sin beckons, and holiness seems an unattainable goal. It’s hard to live as a princess, when a pauper is all you have been. 

The striving and the trying were only a dead end. She could never work hard enough to create a temple worthy of Him. Defeated and dejected, she surrendered to her sin.

But Jesus is the lover who won’t let go. His kindness leads to repentance. And so, it was, the pigtailed girl grew up, and came back to the One who had set His love upon her before the beginning of time. 

Washed in His Word, the Spirit showed her what was true all along. She was not an object of (His) wrath, but a vessel intended for righteousness. She was not dressed in pauper’s rags, begging and stealing for clothes to make her worthy of the King. Yes, the Prince had found her destitute, but it was He who had clothed her shame. He brought her to His table and gave her a new name. When the Father looked at her, He did not see who she had been. He did not demand for her to try harder to be worthy of the Son. He only saw the beauty granted through her union with Him. 

Beloved believers in Christ, our bodies are not meant for sexual immorality. All of our heart, every bit of strength, and each thought of our mind is intended for His glory. Our bodies, they belong to Him. We are HIS body. Would the bride of a Prince disgrace Him by using her body for prostitution, defiling both herself and Him? Never! And why? Because she knows whose she is.

Believer, you were bought with a price, that precious blood of Christ. As He breathed His last breath, the temple curtain was rent in two from top to bottom. No longer would the presence of God dwell in anything built by human hands, but His Holy Spirit now lives in His ransomed children. Beloved, you are not your own. You are His. You were made for Him, so now glorify God in your body.

Natalie Runyon

What Do I Believe?

 “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” 

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (ESV)

What do I believe? 

Do I believe each of these is a sin?  Do I believe Paul made a mistake?  Do I believe I must not understand properly?  Do I believe this doesn’t apply to me today?   Do I believe this is just the way I am?  Do I believe I’m better than them?  Do I believe there is no hope?  Do I believe my sin is not sin?  Do I believe I cannot change? 

Do I believe I’m a hopeless sinner?  Do I believe in a loving creator?  Do I believe the bible is the inerrant word of God?  Do I believe the Son of God died for my sin?  Do I believe in the resurrection power of Jesus?  Do I believe there is hope?  Do I believe I can be changed?  Do I believe I should change?

What do I believe? 

Todd

Grace is Power, Not Just Pardon

“You are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord."

1 Corinthians 5:5 (ESV)

Do what now?  The church is supposed to deliver someone to Satan?  How is this loving one another? 

The instruction to deliver someone to Satan means to expel that person from the church body.  This sounds like the Pharisees; aren’t we supposed to welcome sinners into the church?  Absolutely, all are invited to come and meet the grace, love, and forgiveness of Jesus Christ.  This church discipline is not meant for all sinners, but for professing believers committing ongoing and unrepentant acts of immorality.  Church discipline is to be administered by church leaders by the authority and power of Jesus Christ and His word.  This discipline is to be a solemn and heartbroken response to the sinner’s broken relationships with God, self, others, and the rest of creation.  Putting the sinner out of the fellowship makes them more vulnerable and more likely to have to deal with their sinful nature, with the hope that they will repent and be restored.  Paul warns that unaddressed sin can permeate and destroy the church body like a small amount of yeast leavens a whole batch of dough.

“Judge not, that you be not judged.”  Matthew 7:1 (ESV)

Who are we to judge?  In chapter 4 Paul tells us he doesn’t judge himself and then in chapter 5 he writes, “I have already pronounced judgement on the one who did such a thing.”  The key to this seeming contradiction is competency.  There are some areas the church has no competency to judge.  The church has no right to judge a person’s motives or service (1 Corinthians 4), but the church is competent and has a responsibility to judge sin within the church body (1 Corinthians 5).

“But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. “

1 Corinthians 5:11 (ESV)

Don’t even eat with them?  This seems too harsh.  At Passover a lamb was sacrificed so others might live.  The relationship with the professing unrepentant believer is being sacrificed so that the church body might live.  This serves as a reminder that the Lamb of God has died in our place so that we might live a life of obedience and gratitude to Him.

“And you are proud!  Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of the fellowship the man who has been doing this?”                                

1 Corinthians 5:2 (NIV)

How can the Corinthian church possibly be proud?  They take pride in their ability to tolerate this man’s sin. They have an improper understanding of grace and unconditional love.   John Piper sums up a proper view of grace this way: “Grace is not simply leniency when we have sinned. Grace is the enabling gift and power of God not to sin. Grace is power, not just pardon.”  The Corinthians are solely focused on the pardon while ignoring the power of the cross.  In the safety of unconditional tolerance and love, this man will never feel his sin is wrong.

By the pardon of grace, I get to write this message. By the power of grace, I want to.

Todd

Motivated by Love

Motivated by Love (1 Corinthians 4:14-21)

Paul has some hard truths that he is preparing to convey to the church at Corinth.  In our text this week, he continues setting the tone for the 1st century audience to understand that his motives are guided by the love he has for them as a spiritual father.

I’ve been blessed with a daughter and son that I love dearly.  I’ve known them since their infancy and bonded closely with each of them.  Over the years, I’ve sought to train them up in the way that they should go.  That process required me to admonish them at times when it was not easy for me to do or for them to receive.  But my love for them required me to take action that would serve their growth.   Sometimes, the correction I offered was unwanted and seemingly redundant, yet I gave it with the big picture of God’s kingdom in mind. I’ve taken my role as their father seriously because their very lives depend on it.  By the grace of God, I’ve watched as they’ve matured into adulthood, and although I really doubt that my paternal instinct for them will ever subside, I am most comforted in knowing that their Heavenly Father is faithfully caring for their souls.

Paul loved the Christians at Corinth.  He’d taught them the mysteries of God through the Gospel of Christ and Him crucified.  Paul observed them when they responded as infants in their Christian faith.  He felt deeply committed to their spiritual growth as he’d been a part of their spiritual birth through the Gospel.   He writes this letter because he cares deeply about them as disciples of his Savior and Lord, Christ Jesus.  He addresses them as “beloved children”.  His tone is important to note because Paul is about to unleash a wide arch of correction on them.  He loved them too much to leave them alone in their sinful patterns, and so he sent Timothy to remind them of the way in Christ.  Paul often described Timothy as being like a dear son or child to him in the faith.  It was a gracious act for Paul to share Timothy with the Christians at Corinth, and to offer his admonishment in this letter.  He was acting on their behalf.

Today, we have a heavenly Father that loves us too much to leave us alone in our sin and so he graciously shared His dear Son, Jesus, with us to show us His way and will for our lives.  John 3:17-18 tells us “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”

The words of Paul’s letter and John’s Gospel are also for us today as a church family.  Like then, we still need to remember the heart of God behind His inspired Word—God loves you and me too deeply to let us wallow in our sin.  God’s love is not silent.  He still speaks to us through His Word and Spirit.   He has acted on our behalf through Jesus!  And this is the power of God - to transform our life and actions to serve His kingdom for His glory.  How will you receive His Word and correction in your life today?  God invites us to turn from our sin and trust in Jesus.  In Christ, there is no condemnation, but because of His love there will always be corrective admonishment.  This is a reminder of God’s steadfast love and care for the souls of His children.

May we be a people that revere our Heavenly Father and live for His kingdom and His glory!

May we be a people that speak the truth in love in our God given relationships!

May we remember that God loves us too much to leave us alone in our sin and has made a better way through the power of the Gospel of Jesus the Christ!

Grateful and hopeful in Christ,

Jon

Stewarding the Mysteries of God

“This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.” 1 Corinthians 4:1

How do you want people to regard you? Smart, athletic, pretty, wise, humble, rich, influential, powerful, kind?  

We spend a lot of time thinking about our image. Why do we do this? We are "created in the image of God" (Genesis 1:26) and we are "fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:14). But often we think being created in the image of God is not enough. Sometimes we want to be the Creator. Sometimes we want to be the Master and not the servant. Sometimes we want to be the owner and not the steward.

The Corinthians Paul addresses in this passage struggled with this also. They have self-appointed themselves into positions of leadership and influence, and the power has begun to go to their heads. Paul lovingly, and with a bit of sarcasm (ok, maybe a lot of sarcasm), asks them a rhetorical question, "What do you have that you did not receive?" (1 Corinthians 4:7).

What if every gift, every skill, every talent, every dollar, every breath we have is something we receive? It is not ours. We do not own it.

All we have, all we own, has been given to us by our Father in Heaven. He hands it to us, invites us, calls us, and commands us to serve Him by stewarding all He has given us for His Kingdom. 

May we be those who delight in being servants.  May we rejoice in stewarding the mysteries of God. 

See you Sunday,

Steven