Today’s reading is Jude 1-25; I Corinthians 1:1-31.

“For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast int he presence of God” (I Corinthians 1:26-29).

I’m so glad to read this today. I don’t have to be wise, powerful or of noble birth to glorify God. I don’t have to be strong or high and mighty. Even though I am weak, lowly, even foolish, God can use me in His service. Oh, that doesn’t mean the worldly will recognize my worth and value. They will probably just focus on how foolish, powerless, lowly, and weak I am. They will probably try to demonstrate how strong, wise, intelligent, noble, and powerful they are. But that’s okay. My life is not in their hand anyway.

Today, I will boast in God because He is using me despite who I am. He is making me what He wants me to be. Through that, those who refuse to glorify Him will be put to shame.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is 1 Corinthians 10:1-11:34.

What a great lesson at the end of today’s reading.

Discipline is tough to endure. I never quite believed my dad when he said, “Son, this hurts me worse than it does you.” I’ve been on the other side of that discipline now and I still don’t believe him. However, I understand that the purpose behind my parent’s discipline was not simply to hurt me. It wasn’t just to inflict some kind of pain or inconvenience. They intended it to be for my good. They were striving to teach me so I could grow up and be a productive part of society and God’s kingdom.

1 Corinthians 11:32 demonstrates that very same point about God and His discipline. “But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.” A great judgment is coming. In the end, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. Those who have surrendered their lives to Him will enter into His eternal glory. Those who haven’t will enter eternal destruction. Between now and then, God is striving to prepare us for eternal life. That means He is going to discipline us. He is going to offer temporal judgments (for lack of a better term). What happens in our life is for our long term good. No matter what is going on, whether good or bad from our perspective, we need to look for God’s discipline within it. What can we learn from what we are facing in order to submit to God more fully.

Even the hard things, the bad things, the tough things are for our good, if we’ll let them be. God will use all of these to conform us to the image of His Son (cf. Romans 8:28). But we must see the purpose behind God’s discipline. God doesn’t discipline because He enjoys inflicting hardship or pain. God disciplines because He wants us to grow and learn and not endure the same final judgment as those in the world. That means when difficult, hard things happen, especially as a consequence of my own wrong doing, I need to thank God for the opportunity to grow and avoid the final judgment by His grace.

Thank you, God, for Your continuing discipline.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is 1 Corinthians 8:1-9:27.

I was trucking right along through today’s reading. It was one of those days where I was in a “yeah, I’ve read that before” kind of mood (not a good Bible reading mood to be in). But the very last verse smacked me down.

“But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.”

In the past, my big preaching problem has been thinking about how everything applies to my audience. I would seek out what their problems were and swoop in like a spiritual super hero trying to fix everyone else. How easy it is to preach and teach in the second person: you need to do this, you must stop that, you need to change. How easy it is to spend all my time trying to fix others. How easy it is to spend all my time trying to lead others.

There are two problems with that.

1.I can’t give what I don’t have.

This probably hit me because of the Bible class lesson I taught yesterday from Max Dawson’s excellent class book on Kingdom Leaders. We studied the life of Josiah who became king at 8, sought the Lord at 16, but didn’t start impacting change in Judah until 20. The whole point behind the lesson was before we can be an influence for good in anyone else’s life, we must first work on ourselves. We might think, “What was wrong with Josiah? Why didn’t he jump on it and get busy right away? Why wait four years?” Those four years were probably the most important part of Josiah’s life. If he hadn’t spent those four years seeking the Lord, he probably would not have been able to impact the change in Judah, squashing idolatry and renewing their covenant with God.

I can give what I don’t have. If I don’t work on me, then my second person teaching will be empty, hollow, impotent. I need to work on me first.

2. If I’m not maintaining me, I’ll be disqualified.

How easy it is to reach a certain level and think, “Alright, I’ve done my four years of seeking the Lord, I’ve got me under control. Now its time to start helping others.” This is a noble motivation and desire, but if I quit working on me, then I’ll end up disqualified. When I start thinking that I’m standing, that is when I’ll fall. If I don’t sharpen the spiritual saw each day, I’ll become dull and ineffective. It is so easy to think we’ve finally arrived and then quit really working on ourselves.

I’ve been told and I believe that we are like trees. If we quit growing, that means we’re dead. We may still be walking around. I may still be teaching in second person, but I’m not accomplishing anything and I’m rotting from the inside out. All it will take is one big, deadly gust of wind and storm to knock me over for all to see the rot.

I’m thankful for today’s reminder. I need to spend today working on me. If I do, God may use me to help someone else, but at the very least, He’ll be strengthening me to glorify Him and surrender to His Son. That’s what I want. I want to run the race. I want to win the prize. That means I have to start with me.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is 1 Corinthians 4:1-5:13.

Continuing the theme started yesterday on preachers, I’m struck again by what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 4:1-2. “This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy.”

I know Paul is telling the Corinthians how they should view preachers. I can’t help but realize this is how we ought to view ourselves (especially those who are preachers). We are not to view ourselves as great orators. We are not to view ourselves as stellar performers. We are not to view ourselves as the great leaders of men. We are not to view ourselves as the indispensable cogs of the wheel. Rather, there are two keys.

1. Servant of Christ.

Certainly, we are servants of the congregation. Surely, we are under the oversight of our shepherds. No doubt, we serve our brethren. But first and foremost, we answer to Jesus Christ. He is our Lord and Master. He determines what we speak. We must always remember that.

2. Steward of God’s mysteries.

“Chicken Soup for the Soul” is nice. I love to read self-help books. Maxwell, Blanchard, and Covey can easily become my trinity. There are numerous good things we can pass on from many sources. However, the one true source for us is God’s word. Others may give us perspective and teach us something about God’s word, but if we are passing on warmed-over, and sanctified pop culture instead of God’s word, if we are simply proof-texting to teach our favorite business manual, we had better step back and regroup. We are stewards of God’s mysteries, not popular management styles. As stewards, we must show ourselves trustworthy.

So then, the question for me today is what can I do to serve Christ as I work with this local congregation and what would a faithful steward do with God’s mysteries today? I need to go work on those things.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is 1 Corinthians 2:1-3:23.

“I am of Paul,” some said. “I am of Apollos,” said others. Even others said, “I am of Cephas.” They all had their favorite preacher. This is not surprising. The common custom of the day in the secular world was to get behind one philosopher or another and compete against each other. “My teacher is better than your teacher.” The Corinthians were simply bringing their secular baggage into their spiritual community.

The problem is that is not the way it works in Jesus. Christ is in all, above all, and through all. That is who we are about, not one of his particular messengers. I guess because of our upcoming move, I’m hearing about more churches looking for preachers and more preachers looking for areas to work. I certainly recognize that a church can pick out a particular person because his gifts and abilities may fit well with the church’s goals and needs. Isn’t that what Barnabas did when he went to get Saul from Tarsus (Acts 11:25)?

The problem is we as Christians can get caught up in preacher competitions. “I like this guy.” “I like that guy.” “Not me, I like this other fellow.” Then we start fussing with each other about who we should really listen to. Instead of coming together in unity around God’s message, we are fighting over God’s messengers.

But what about those of us who preach? I notice that Paul did not get upset that someone liked Apollos more than him. He didn’t get upset that someone liked Peter more than him. He didn’t get excited because some folks liked him more than the others. He was upset because folks were not focusing on Jesus. Each of these men were simply servants of Jesus. We preachers must make sure we don’t give folks cause to fixate on us. Certainly, we must do the best we can and work as hard as we can because Jesus deserves our best. But we must not strive to be better than others or gain a following. There is no room for competition among us. We are all on the same team, striving for the same goal. Let us support one another and simply do the best work we can wherever God is giving us opportunity.

I’m very thankful that most of the preachers I know are striving to do exactly that. I guess I’m noticing this today because of my present circumstance and knowing how easy it is to get proud when people like you or devastated when they say they don’t. This is not about being liked, it is about glorifying God with the opportunities He provides.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is 1 Corinthians 16:1-24; 2 Corinthians 1:1-24.

In today’s reading we find one of the references to the famous “holy kiss” (1 Corinthians 16:20). It is a favorite passage of those who like to argue over the need for biblical authorization. They believe they can claim folks who believe in the need for authority don’t practice it because the holy kiss is not practiced today. My response to that is simply, I believe the holy kiss authorized. I believe this passage authorizes it. I simply don’t believe this passage binds it as the only form of greeting, especially since this letter itself contains a greeting that is not a holy kiss (see 1 Corinthians 16:19-21).

However, with the events of the past couple of weeks, this passage and the other references (Romans 16:16; 2 Corinthians 13:12; I Thessalonians 5:26) have been weighing heavily on my mind. I think these references are apropos for consideration when we think about sexual boundaries in our relationships with others, especially with our brothers and sisters.

I know there is disagreement about what this “holy kiss” is. One of my friends believes we can’t practice it because we don’t know what it is. That is, in his mind the holy kiss was a special form of a kiss, a kind-of secret handshake if you will, among Christians that hasn’t been passed on to us. I guess that could be right. But I think the point is actually more mundane and yet more profound than that.

A kiss was a common form of greeting in that culture, just as it is in some cultures even today. Note what Spiros Zodhiates says about “worship” and how it impacts our understanding of this kiss: “The ancient oriental (especially Persian) mode of salutation between persons of equal rank was to kiss each other on the lips; when the difference of rank was slight, they kissed each other on the cheek; when one was much inferior, he fell upon his knees and touched his forehead to the ground or prostrated himself, throwing kisses at the same time toward the superior” (The Complete Word Study Dictionary, Spiro Zodhiates, AMG Publishers, Chattanooga, TN, 1993, p 1233-34; Strong’s Number 4352). The “kiss” of worship was to be offered only to God. However, there was a kiss offered to each other. It was that kiss of common greeting, perhaps on each cheek, perhaps full on the mouth. 

Why does Paul make reference to a “holy” kiss? I believe it is because this greeting can very easily become unholy. Can’t you image the number of men who might get just a bit too much pleasure out of kissing some of the women? I think that would have been the case in Bible times as it is today. A kiss was a common form of greeting. I have not doubt that men in the world with eyes full of adultery looked for opportunities to embrace and kiss the objects of their lust. However, in the church, while this greeting was practiced, it was not to be about lust. It was to be about respect and holiness. 

Let’s fast forward to American culture. We rarely kiss in greeting, though I have known some who do. However, we often hug. I remember once after a very pretty mid-20s sister responded to the invitation with confession to the congregation and wishing to be restored to fellowship. One of the brothers said to me later, “I sure hope I didn’t enjoy that hug too much.” That is a problem. 

We need to greet one another with a holy hug. We need to greet one another with a holy handshake. Yes, even that can be taken in the wrong direction when those who wish to take from others make the handshake an opportunity to caress the person’s hand or even rub their back. Those actions are not in themselves wrong, but can be opportunities for improper thoughts and lust.

Here is the point. Paul established a boundary. Greet with a kiss, but keep it holy. We need to do the same. All of our contact with others needs to be governed by this desire for holiness and uprightness. Do not use any of our interactions as an opportunity to lust. Keep it holy.

***Question: How do you keep your relationships with others holy?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

Today’s reading is 1 Corinthians 12:1-13:13.

The reading ends with, “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” These encompass the greatest attributes by which we need to live.

We walk by faith and not by sight. Of course, this does not mean as atheists and agnostics would have us believe, that we walk contrary to reason and evidence. It simply means that we accept things based on evidence even when we haven’t seen them ourselves. When we walk by faith, we walk with our hand in God’s knowing that He will care for us.

We endure by hope. By our faith, we have earnest expectation of God’s enduring care for us. We are convicted that He will cause everything to work out for our good in the ultimate end. We understand that Jesus died to remove our sins and bring us to the resurrection in the end. We know that no matter what happens to us while we are on this earth, groaning for our adoption as sons, that God will bring us home.

We overcome by love. Because we love God we surrender to Him. Without love all our greatest works are really nothing. Of course, without love, we will rarely continue in God’s good works. Out of love we submit not because we want something in return but because God has already loved us. If we do all things great and small out of love for God, we will be drawn into His presence and protected by His peace that passes understanding.

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

***Question: How do you increase your faith, hope, and love?

Keep the faith, hope, and love; and keep reading.

ELC

Today’s reading is 1 Corinthians 10:1-11:34.

1 Corinthians 10:31 gave me something to think about today, as usual. “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Once again I’m reminded what my motivation is to be. My motivation is not do all so I can be rewarded. My motivation is not to be do all so I can look good. My motivation is not to be do all so others will think I’m awesome. My motivation is not to be do all so I can scrape by. My motivation is not to be do all that I want. My motivation is not to be do all that I can prove is lawful. 

My motivation is to be do all to the glory of God. Even some things that are lawful may not glorify God in some circumstances. That is the whole point of this chapter. It was lawful to eat those meats offered to idols because since the false gods were false, someone waving his hands over it and saying it was dedicated to Zeus didn’t matter. Nothing about the meat was changed. However, if someone was expressing how grand it was that it was meat offered to Zeus and giving it to me, then I need to refuse so that the person won’t think I honor Zeus. I especially need to take care around weaker Christians who don’t yet grasp how the nonexistence of Zeus makes the religious ritual of no effect. 

Everything I do must be for God’s glory. That will impact how I talk to my wife. Does it glorify God for me to be disrespectful, selfish, arrogant, and prideful in my attitude toward her? Does it glorify God if I respond with angry outbursts and malice? Of course not. That will impact how I raise my children. Does it glorify God for me to berate, belittle, and neglect my children? Of course not. That will impact how I drive. Does it glorify God for me to flout the laws of the land, respond with road rage at others mistakes, drive carelessly as if I own the road? Of course not. That will impact how I eat. Does it glorify God for me to be a glutton, using food as an escape from my feelings or from reality, eating myself into an early grave? Of course not.

Do you get the picture? I need to ask before every action, “Does this glorify God? ” If I can’t give an enthusiastic, “Yes,” then I need to back off. I don’t need to turn my choices into laws for everyone else. I simply need to make sure that I am fully convinced I’m glorifying God in everything I do, all day long. He deserves it.

***Question: How do you glorify God all day long?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

Today’s reading is 1 Corinthians 2:1-3:23.

I hear a lot of people make a huge deal out of 1 Corinthians 2:2. “For I decided to know nothing among you except jesus Christ and him crucified.” They then go on to rebuke preachers for talking about all kinds of topics other than just the crucifixion of Jesus as if the only thing a real preacher who proclaims the gospel will talk about is Jesus’ crucifixion.

Here is my question. Do we think Paul changed his mind by the time he wrote his letter to them? While he was present did He decide to only know “Jesus Christ and him crucified” but in his letter decide to know a bunch of other stuff?

Let’s consider some of the topics Paul taught the Corinthians about while he decided to know only “Jesus Christ and him crucified.” He rebuked them for their division. He talked to them about evangelism. He commented on immorality and church discipline. He taught about brothers going to law. He discussed marriage and divorce. He talked about eating food offered to idols. He spoke against idolatry. He taught about head coverings. He corrected them regarding the Lord’s Supper. He governed the use of miraculous spiritual gifts. Then he even talked about Jesus Christ and him resurrected. Finally, he added some information about the church taking up a collection.

Please, don’t take 1 Corinthians 2:2 out of its context and use it to bludgeon preachers who haven’t preached specifically about the crucifixion in a few weeks. When Paul knew only Jesus Christ and him crucified, it led him to teach on any number of topics. If we are going to teach like he did, we’ll do the same thing.

***Question: What topics do you think need to be preached about more?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

Today’s reading is Jude 1:1-25; I Corinthians 1:1-30.

Paul demonstrates one of the greatest lessons about interpersonal relationships in the beginning of his letter to the Corinthians. I need to learn this lesson. I have a tendency to look on the negative side and be cynical. Paul shows a different approach.

Just think about what you know regarding the Corinthians for a moment. They were in huge turmoil. They were messing up the Lord’s Supper. They were in fellowship with one who sinned so bad even the Gentiles wanted nothing to do with him. They were fleshly minded and stuck in immaturity. Yet, read I Corinthians 1:4.

“I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus.”

WOW!

Despite all the terrible, awful, very bad things going on in Corinth, Paul still thanked God for that church. Maybe if we could learn this lesson, we could get along with our congregation better. Maybe if we could learn this lesson, we could get along with each other better. Maybe if we could learn this lesson, we could lose some of our own arrogance. Before we bring railing judgment against others, lets first stop and figure out what thanks we can give God for others.

We should follow this principle in every relationship, from relationships with our brethren to our relationship with our spouse. If we can learn this, we won’t solve all the world’s problems, but we may overcome a few of our own.

***Question: How do you focus on thanksgiving even when it doesn’t seem there is much to be thankful for?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. I wish I had noticed this verse and its implications all on my own. But I have to give a nod to Gary Thomas and his great book Sacred Marriage (beware the associate link or rather, just click on it).