Month: August 2016

Re:Verse reading–1 Corinthians 15 (day seven) 

“the gospel. . .by which you are saved, if you hold fast. . .unless you believed in vain.”–v 1-2.

Paul is concerned.  The Corinthian church is a mess.  Early on, they made a great start in faith, but stumbled badly soon after.  He is concerned that they “believed in vain.”

The word means empty.  Empty of power.  Of value.  It describes the dangerous possibility of a person “believing” the gospel, but at such a superficial level that it does not save or rescue or transform.

What are the danger signals?  Denial of doctrine (see this whole discussion in chapter 15).  Unrepentant immoral behavior (see chapter 6)  Strife, lack of love (see chapter 11 and 13).

Notice how Paul returns to this subject in v 58?  “Your toil is NOT in VAIN”.  The proof of true faith is perseverance.  Steady.  Immovable.  Abounding in the work of the Lord.  Paul wanted this for the people of Corinth.  The Lord wants it for us.

 

Re:Verse reading–1 Corinthians 15 (day five) 

Have you ever left something at church? Keys? Phone? Purse? Pen? Bible? Actually, we have a large collection of Bibles in our “Lost and Found Closet”. Matt Chandler often “razzes” his congregation, “If you don’t have a Bible… I always want to encourage you to go to the lost and found and get yourself a nice leather one.”

Paul is teaches that the grace of God is NOT one of those things that can be lost or left at church. Why? 1 Corinthians 15:10- “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.” (emphasis mine)

God’s grace goes with us because Christ goes with us by His Spirit. Moment by moment, circumstance by circumstance, God’s Grace is at work and is present. What a comfort! What a promise! What hope! What strength!

 

Re:Verse reading–1 Corinthians 15:50-58  (day four)

The ultimate fear is the fear of death.  It can cripple our lives…it can impact our decisions…it can paralyze us for action.  This fear is used all over the world to persecute the Church.  When believers have no fear of death, the persecutors are without influence or power over their lives.

Verse 57 says, “but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  We have victory over death and it holds no power of fear in our lives.  What a freeing promise!  The world cannot understand it.  ‘Would be’ martyrs have walked away free because their captors could not process their lack of fear.  Those who have died, without fear, have offered a most powerful witness of grace.  Richard Wurmbrand, a Romanian pastor during communist rule, could not be silenced.  He was arrested, and threatened, and tortured, but with no success.  The communists could not understand.  He had no fear of death…death was a victory for him.  Finally, Richard was released from prison because he was winning too many prisoners to the Lord.  Truly, our lives are in God’s hand.

Re:Verse reading–1 Corinthians 15:50-58  (day three)

“Your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

This is the meaning of resurrection for all who count on Christ. Death does not destroy you, nor the things you set your hand to do.  Do you take that view of your work?  There are activities, of course, that you can do which result in nothing that will last.  What a waste of your God-given power to do work of eternal value.  Now that you need not fear that death will bring an end to you or to your work, what projects will you begin?

Re:Verse reading–1 Corinthians 15:50-58  (day two)

“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” vs. 57-58

Death-sin, mortal-immortal, perishable-imperishable…RESURRECTION-VICTORY

Paul, in this power-packed chapter of his first letter to the church in Corinth, has given us the bottom line for our faith’s defense: The power of the resurrection. Where there was death, now there is life. What was corruptible, is now incorruptible. There is no other power or person in heaven or earth that can grant this kind of victory.

Therefore we can be IMMOVABLE in our conviction. Steadfast beyond the world’s understanding. Jesus is the only reason for such complete redemption, and only through the power of his resurrection. Those found in him, can claim the victory too.

Re:Verse reading–1 Corinthians 15 (day one)

“For I delivered to you as of FIRST IMPORTANCE what I also received, that Christ died for our sins. . .and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.“–v 3-4

What are things are FIRST in your life?  In both order and importance?  The Bible says for Jesus the FIRST thing was prayer.  (Mark 1:35)  Early believers worshiped on the FIRST day of the week and gave the FIRST part of their earnings as an offering to God. (1 Corinthians 16:2)

Paul says that there are FIRST things in theology too.  “All truths are equal, but some are more equal than others”, he says in 2000-year anticipation of  George Orwell.  He calls these FIRST truths the gospel. 1) Christ died for our sins.  2) Christ was raised.  3) Both according to the promise of Scripture.

When we preach.  When we speak to others.  When we pray or vote, these truths, and only these, must be FIRST.

Re: Verse reading–Luke 22:31-34, 54-62 (day seven)

It is a strange statement.  Jesus offers no explanation.  I wonder what Peter thought when he heard it.  “Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat.”–v 31.  Permission was requested (and granted by God) for the enemy to shake up his life, to put him under intense stress, to knock off the dead parts and determine what was valuable (i.e. sifting)

It reminds me of the book of Job.  A conversation in Heaven dramatically impacts Job’s life.  The catch is that Job is completely unaware. Invisible forces at work.

All of us are part of a MUCH LARGER drama that we know.  Sometimes life turns down a difficult road for reasons that only God understands.  When this happens, what we need is faith, not information.

“God is too wise to be mistaken. God is too good to be unkind.  So when you don’t understand, when you don’t see His plan, when you can’t trace His hand, trust His heart!”–Babbie Mason.

 

 

Re: Verse reading–Luke 22:31-34, 54-62 (day five) 

³¹“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; ³² but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”

Do you think Peter was even aware of the invisible battle for the souls and faith of men?   Jesus certainly was. Paul writes to the believers in Ephesus concerning the same truth, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood”.

How about us? Are we aware? Prepared? Willing to resist, flee?

Look at Peter’s perspective years later… 1 Peter 5:8-10  Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.