1Corinthians 2:1-5
And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
(NKJV – copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.)
Paul wrote his first letter to the church at Corinth somewhere around AD 55. Satan had brought division into the church through pride. Once the fellowship of believers was divided, sin and immorality began to creep in. Rivalries, revelries, and reputations had begun to destroy the ministry of the young church.
Paul writes this letter as a simple and straightforward answer to these problems. As the letter develops, we are shown some in the congregation began placing themselves above others. Pride was the issue here. Some would make it a point to distinguish themselves by pointing out their "Christian credentials". In that day, these credentials revolved around a believer's "religious" background and which teacher they followed. Not much has changed. This division which began in the heart, soon made it to the pew rows, pulpit, and the public. Word of it reached Paul who was pasturing a church hundreds of miles away in Ephesus. This silly division led to weakness. This weakness led to sin setting up shop in the church.
The problem at Corinth began with prideful people. I urge you as followers of Christ not to fall into this trap. Paul reminds the church that he did not come to them with pride. There was no great speech or production which convicted them. They were witnessed to by the Power of God working in Paul's life thru the Holy Spirit. Our churches are to heed this advice. People are not intruduced to Christ by "great" preachers, elaborate productions, or music programs. People are led to Christ when they see the Holy Spirit full of power and working in the life of a believer.
As Paul instructs on how to remove this cancer from the Corinthian church he reminds them of the nature of the gospel. You see, the gospel is not found in prestigious preaching or pious people, but in the Power of God.
2008-12-23
2008-12-16
Christian Pastor Admits to Lies, Theft, Adultery, and Murder
God has commanded me to live a life that He calls righteous. He also knows that I will fall short sometimes. Today is one of those “sometimes”. Before 10:00am I had already spent most of my morning acting in ways that I know are not pleasing to God. This is not a real big surprise to me. I mess up several timse a day. You and I can call these "mess ups" sin. We could also call them by their proper names, Lies, Theft, Adultery, and Murder, just to name a few.
Several years ago I decided to stop doing these things and dedicate my life to doing whatever God wants me to do. The problem is, sometimes I still do the things that I know I shouldn’t. Then, I start to get discouraged. I am supposed to be better than this, right?
What do I do after I mess up? Well, the first thing I do is believe in Christ. When I call myself “a believer” I am saying that I believe Jesus died to take away my sins. Sometimes I focus too much on God’s call for me to live a holy life and forget God’s call for me to accept His grace. This isn’t an excuse to do whatever I want. Because He has forgiven me and become a part of my life I want to do what He has instructed me to do. It is however reassurance that God loves me even though I’m not perfect.
Let me share a passage of scripture with you.
“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.”
- From Paul’s letter to the church in Rome chapter 7 verse 15 (NIV, Copyright 1984; International Bible Society)
I find a great deal of comfort in this passage because it lets me know that Paul had a hard time being the man that God wanted him to be. Paul is a man who God loved dearly. And, God used Paul to spread the gospel to the non-Jewish world. That means that God loves and uses the work of men and women who aren’t perfect.
When Paul wrote these words in his letter to the Christians living in Rome he was instructing them concerning grace. I’m not talking about the kind of grace that means elegance and beauty. No, I will never have that. And, I don’t have much use for it to be honest. I mean mercy that I didn’t earn. That is the grace that I need. I need it every day. And thankfully, God gives it.
“Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.”
- From Paul’s second letter to the church in Thessalonica, chapter 2 verses 16 and 17. (NKJV, “Copyright 1982; Thomas Nelson Inc.)
Several years ago I decided to stop doing these things and dedicate my life to doing whatever God wants me to do. The problem is, sometimes I still do the things that I know I shouldn’t. Then, I start to get discouraged. I am supposed to be better than this, right?
What do I do after I mess up? Well, the first thing I do is believe in Christ. When I call myself “a believer” I am saying that I believe Jesus died to take away my sins. Sometimes I focus too much on God’s call for me to live a holy life and forget God’s call for me to accept His grace. This isn’t an excuse to do whatever I want. Because He has forgiven me and become a part of my life I want to do what He has instructed me to do. It is however reassurance that God loves me even though I’m not perfect.
Let me share a passage of scripture with you.
“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.”
- From Paul’s letter to the church in Rome chapter 7 verse 15 (NIV, Copyright 1984; International Bible Society)
I find a great deal of comfort in this passage because it lets me know that Paul had a hard time being the man that God wanted him to be. Paul is a man who God loved dearly. And, God used Paul to spread the gospel to the non-Jewish world. That means that God loves and uses the work of men and women who aren’t perfect.
When Paul wrote these words in his letter to the Christians living in Rome he was instructing them concerning grace. I’m not talking about the kind of grace that means elegance and beauty. No, I will never have that. And, I don’t have much use for it to be honest. I mean mercy that I didn’t earn. That is the grace that I need. I need it every day. And thankfully, God gives it.
“Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.”
- From Paul’s second letter to the church in Thessalonica, chapter 2 verses 16 and 17. (NKJV, “Copyright 1982; Thomas Nelson Inc.)
2008-12-02
The Most Basic Order
"Follow Me!"
These are the words echoed across a place in southern Georgia known as "Sand Hill". They are the motto of the infantry. Young recruits who will someday be called soldiers are taught that this is the spirit they must adopt in order to become one who will someday stand on the forefront of our nations struggles. They are to stand before all others, lock their eyes upon the objective ahead and obey the command, "Follow me!" while issuing the same to those who will come after them.
"Follow Christ," is the simple message that has become so cluttered it is nearly lost to an entire generation. Pastors, parents, popes, politicians, and peers have all contributed to the ever increasing confusion. Many people sit in churches today that will gladly teach concerning prophesy, financial prosperity, marital compromise, or dogmatic legalism. Many of these would gladly comment on political concerns or social degradation. However, these same churches are content to allow individuals to exit through the double doors without ever being told they have a responsibility to follow Christ in body, mind, and spirit.
I have been in many environments where it would be easy to find someone willing to converse with me about how conservative fundamentalists who were chasing the unsaved away from churches. Likewise, I have stepped in churches where it would be all too easy to find someone willing to denounce liberal compromisers over their choice of music, clothes, or bible translation. In all these cases I would have been hard pressed to find someone willing to show and individual how to follow Christ on a daily basis.
In any place of worship today, one is more likely to hear, "By the way, have you seen our new family life center?" than, "You are required to forsake all and spread the gospel of Christ."
The gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John record almost twenty times when Jesus would make this simple, effective, inclusive, undefeatable, and utterly most important statement. Christians in America should learn a valuable lesson from the Infantry Soldier fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. We are called to disregard the noise and confusion of the battlefield. We should lock our eyes on the One Who Leads Us; and move with courage and boldness when He commands, "Follow Me!"
These are the words echoed across a place in southern Georgia known as "Sand Hill". They are the motto of the infantry. Young recruits who will someday be called soldiers are taught that this is the spirit they must adopt in order to become one who will someday stand on the forefront of our nations struggles. They are to stand before all others, lock their eyes upon the objective ahead and obey the command, "Follow me!" while issuing the same to those who will come after them.
"Follow Christ," is the simple message that has become so cluttered it is nearly lost to an entire generation. Pastors, parents, popes, politicians, and peers have all contributed to the ever increasing confusion. Many people sit in churches today that will gladly teach concerning prophesy, financial prosperity, marital compromise, or dogmatic legalism. Many of these would gladly comment on political concerns or social degradation. However, these same churches are content to allow individuals to exit through the double doors without ever being told they have a responsibility to follow Christ in body, mind, and spirit.
I have been in many environments where it would be easy to find someone willing to converse with me about how conservative fundamentalists who were chasing the unsaved away from churches. Likewise, I have stepped in churches where it would be all too easy to find someone willing to denounce liberal compromisers over their choice of music, clothes, or bible translation. In all these cases I would have been hard pressed to find someone willing to show and individual how to follow Christ on a daily basis.
In any place of worship today, one is more likely to hear, "By the way, have you seen our new family life center?" than, "You are required to forsake all and spread the gospel of Christ."
The gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John record almost twenty times when Jesus would make this simple, effective, inclusive, undefeatable, and utterly most important statement. Christians in America should learn a valuable lesson from the Infantry Soldier fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. We are called to disregard the noise and confusion of the battlefield. We should lock our eyes on the One Who Leads Us; and move with courage and boldness when He commands, "Follow Me!"
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