Today’s reading is II Corinthians 10:1-11:33.

In II Corinthians 10:8, Paul said, “For even if I boast a little too much of our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be ashamed.”

I haven’t been given much authority. However, I need to remember that whatever authority God has given me is to be used to build others up, not dominate and destroy them. I have been given authority in my home. When I preach, there is a certain authority I have. When I write, there is a certain amount of authority. (Don’t misunderstand, I’m not suggesting I have some kind of intrinsic authority or that the preacher is the role of authority in the congregation, just that anyone who takes a mantle of teaching has a certain amount of authority through that process.) 

I must not use any amount of authority granted me in order to put others in their place, lift myself above others, or in any other way dominate and tear down others. If God has granted me some authority, I should use that in service, not selfishness. He hasn’t granted anyone authority in order to set them over others as more important. He has granted authority to serve others. Whatever blessing God has given us should be used this way.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What did you get out of today’s reading?

Today’s reading is from Acts 5:1-6:15.

Acts 6 provides a great deal of insight regarding how a congregation should work as it grows. But the one point that really hit me as helpful today was from Acts 6:2-4. 

The apostles didn’t want to give up working at prayer and the ministry of the word to wait tables. So, they advised the congregation to select seven men to do that task. There is a back side of this point, however. If the apostles would have to give up time in prayer and ministering the word to wait tables, that means those who waited tables wouldn’t be doing as much praying and ministering of the word. 

Now, don’t get me wrong. Everyone is to pray (I Thessalonians 5:17). We are all to minister the word. We even see Stephen doing so in the next chapter. The difference is the apostles’ lives were devoted to that work. the seven deacons not as much. 

What I get is very simple. Not everyone has to be a preacher to serve the Lord faithfully. Further, the preachers aren’t serving the Lord more faithfully, just because they preach. 

We all have our gifts. We all have our abilities. We all have our passions. We need to use them in serving the Lord. If that means preaching a sermon, teaching a Bible class, having a home study, that is great. If that means serving a widow, babysitting for a young couple, helping out a teenager, that is also great.

What you provide is great. Just make sure you use it in serving the Lord, whether that leads you to preach or not.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What did you get out of today’s reading?

In Acts 7-8, Stephen, a deacon (I believe) and evangelist, was stoned. The disciples mourned and buried him. In Acts 12, James, a leader among the apostles, was executed by Herod. The disciples mourned and buried him. However, in Acts 9:36-43, Tabitha (Dorcas), simply a sister in Christ, died and the disciples called Peter in and said, “You have to do something about this.” She held no office. She doesn’t appear to have been a leader. Evangelists, Deacons, Apostles died and they just got put in the ground. But when Tabitha died they had Peter bring her back.

Granted, I don’t really want to be brought back from the dead once I have stepped into paradise and the comfort of Abraham’s bosom. But I do want people to at least wish I was back. So, I learn a great deal from Tabitha about how I want to live to deepen my relationships with others and how to deepen my relationship with God.

1. Tabitha was full of good works and charity: She didn’t perform the occasional good work. She was full of them. One translation says she abounded in them. It was her way of life. We need to make good works and acts of charity, especially among our brethren, a way of life.
2. Tabitha sacrificed for others: Who do you think paid for the materials in those garments she made? Whose time do you think she took to make those garments? We need to remember two things. First, she was probably a lot poorer than most of us, but she still sacrificed her goods for others. Second, she had the same 24 hours in every day that we do. She used some of her 24 hours to serve. Do we?
3. Tabitha didn’t do everything, but she did what she could: There is no indication that Tabitha taught a ladies’ Bible class. There is no indication that she held any Bible studies. In fact, the only indication is that she made garments for people and did other works of charity. She didn’t do everything, but she did what she could. We don’t have to be paralyzed thinking we must do some little bit of everything. Rather, let’s just figure out what we can do well and do it to serve others.
4. Tabitha didn’t serve everyone, but she served who she could: Tabitha apparently worked for the widows. It doesn’t say any teenagers were in the room. It doesn’t say the preacher was in the room. It doesn’t say the young marrieds were in the room. The widows were there to show Peter all the good works she had performed for them. Too often we get the deer in the headlights look wondering how we will be able to do something for everyone. We need to stop that. At that point, we usually don’t do anything for anyone. We don’t have to serve everyone. We just need to serve someone. Serve the people you can today.
5. Tabitha didn’t wait for a church program, she just served: Back in Acts 6, the Jerusalem church established a congregational plan to help the widows. There is no indication that Tabitha was merely following some congregationally given assignment to help the widows. She just helped them. We must quit looking around and bad mouthing our leaders because our congregation isn’t doing something for someone. We just need to start serving.

Tabitha served who she could, when she could, doing what she could without being told. If we want to serve God. We need to do the same.

Keep the faith and keep reading

ELC