Devotions

concealed wisdom

Posted on February 29, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

THIS GENERATION NEEDS THE GOSPEL

1 Corinthians 2:6-9

⁶ Yet we are speaking wisdom among the mature ones; but a wisdom which is not of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are being brought to nothing; ⁷ but we are speaking God’s wisdom in a mystery, the concealed wisdom, which God predetermined before the ages to our glory; ⁸ the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has come to know; because if they had come to know it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; ⁹ but it is just like what is written, “Those things which an eye has not seen and an ear has not heard, and have not been conceived by the human heart, God has prepared them for those who love Him.”

concealed wisdom

Paul reminds the Corinthians that when he first preached the gospel to them, he intentionally avoided the kind of polished rhetoric and philosophical sophistication that would have impressed a Greek audience. He did not want anyone to mistake eloquence for spiritual power or to imagine that their faith rested on his brilliance. His goal was not to gather admirers but to proclaim Christ. So he set aside every tool that might draw attention to himself and relied instead on the simple, unadorned message of the cross and the power of God working through it.

But now Paul adds a surprising layer to that earlier claim. The gospel he preached—so plain, so unimpressive by worldly standards—is in fact a message of profound wisdom. It is not the kind of wisdom the rulers of this age recognize or value. It is not the wisdom of philosophers, political leaders, or cultural influencers. It is a hidden wisdom, embedded in the Scriptures, prepared by God before the ages, and now revealed to those who believe. What appears foolish on the surface is, in reality, the deepest truth the world has ever known.

This wisdom remains concealed from those who rely on human insight alone. The rulers of this age did not understand it; if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. The cross looked like defeat to them, but it was the very means by which God accomplished salvation. Only those who dare to trust the message—those who receive it with humility rather than skepticism—begin to see its brilliance. Faith opens the eyes. The Spirit illuminates the mind. What once seemed absurd becomes the revelation of God’s eternal plan.

Paul’s point is clear: the gospel does not need human enhancement. It carries within itself a divine wisdom that the world cannot grasp on its own. The Corinthians were tempted to chase after impressive leaders and sophisticated teaching, but Paul calls them back to the message that first saved them. The cross may look foolish, but it is the wisdom of God. It may appear weak, but it is the power of God. And it is given not to the proud, but to those who believe.

LORD, give us the wisdom to reveal your special gospel message to this dying generation.

Posted in evangelism, gospel, insight, knowledge, Uncategorized, witness | Tagged 1 Corinthians 2 | Leave a comment

reverse strategy

Posted on February 28, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

PROCLAIM, LET GOD PERSUADE

1 Corinthians 2:1-5

¹ Remember when I first came to you, brothers? I did not come with a lofty word or wisdom, as I proclaimed to you the testimony of God. ² Because I had decided to know nothing while among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. ³ And I approached with you weak and afraid and with a lot of shaking. ⁴ And my word and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, ⁵ so that your faith would not rest on human wisdom, but on the power of God.

reverse strategy

Paul understood the cultural instincts of the Corinthians. They were Greeks, shaped by a long tradition of philosophy, rhetoric, and intellectual competition. A gifted thinker could easily gather a following in a city like Corinth simply by dazzling the crowds with clever arguments and polished speech. Paul certainly possessed the intellect to do that. If he had wanted personal influence, he could have entered Corinth as a master philosopher and quickly secured a loyal band of admirers. But that would have produced disciples of Paul, not disciples of Christ.

So he deliberately chose the opposite approach. He refused to build his ministry on intellectual brilliance or rhetorical power. He resolved to know nothing among them except Jesus Christ and him crucified. This was not a denial of his intelligence but a conscious decision to let the gospel—not his abilities—carry the weight of persuasion. He preached the essential elements of the message of grace: the crucifixion, the resurrection, and the offer of salvation through Christ alone. Nothing else was allowed to compete for attention.

This reverse strategy worked because the power behind the gospel does not come from the messenger. It comes from the Spirit of God. The Spirit takes the message of the cross—so unimpressive by worldly standards—and uses it to awaken faith, convict hearts, and draw people into new life. The birth of the Corinthian church was not the result of Paul’s skill but of God’s intervention. The Spirit honored the simplicity of the message and the humility of the messenger.

Paul’s experience reveals a pattern that still holds true. God is not looking for impressive performers or spiritual celebrities. He is looking for servants willing to embrace weakness so that his strength can be displayed. When the messenger steps back, the message steps forward. When human pride is set aside, divine power becomes visible.

The Corinthians needed to remember this, because their fascination with gifted leaders had led them into division. Paul’s example pointed them back to the heart of the gospel: Christ crucified, proclaimed in dependence on the Spirit, received by faith, and demonstrated in transformed lives.

LORD, use us to declare your gospel.

Posted in dependence upon God, evangelism, gospel, grace, Paul, Uncategorized, wisdom | Tagged 1 Corinthians 1 | Leave a comment

replacing rock stars

Posted on February 27, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

WHAT DOES LIGHT DO TO DARKNESS?

1 Corinthians 1:26-31

²⁶ You want evidence? Think about when you were called, brothers. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many powerful, not many noble; ²⁷ but God has chosen the stupid things of the world to embarrass the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to embarrass the things which are strong, ²⁸ and the insignificant things of the world and the ignored, God has chosen, the things that are not, that He might replace the things that are, ²⁹ so that every human being would never be able to brag before God. ³⁰ But by His doing you Corinthians are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, ³¹ to fulfill scripture when it says, “Let him who brags, brag about the Lord.”

replacing rock stars

The Corinthian believers had slipped into a pattern that still tempts churches today: elevating certain leaders into spiritual celebrities. These “rock stars” became the rallying points for competing groups, each claiming superiority based on the teacher they admired. Paul confronts this directly. The Corinthians had misunderstood the very nature of the Christian faith. The gospel does not create celebrities; it removes them. It does not magnify human greatness; it exposes human weakness and exalts the saving work of Christ alone.

Paul insists that Christianity is not built on the brilliance, charisma, or accomplishments of its leaders. It is built on the cross. Salvation is not the result of persuasive personalities or impressive ministries. It is God’s doing—God’s initiative, God’s grace, God’s power. Human leaders may plant and water, but only God gives the growth. For that reason, if believers boast, their boasting must be directed toward the Lord, not toward the individuals who serve him.

Paul uses the imagery of light and darkness to describe what is at stake. The gospel is God’s light breaking into the world’s darkness, revealing truth, exposing sin, and offering life. When believers begin idolizing human leaders, they step back toward the shadows. They exchange the brilliance of Christ for the dim glow of human achievement. This is not a harmless mistake. It is a serious spiritual misstep that distorts the gospel and fractures the unity of the church.

The Corinthians needed to be reminded that Christ is not divided. His body cannot be carved into pieces and distributed among competing personalities. The unity of the church flows from the unity of Christ himself. When believers fix their eyes on him, the light remains clear. When they shift their attention to human figures, the darkness begins to creep back in.

Paul’s words call every generation of believers to resist the temptation to elevate leaders beyond their proper place. Faithful leadership is a gift, but it is never the center. The cross stands at the center. The Savior, not the servant, deserves the spotlight.

LORD, may we never brag about anyone but you, and what you have done for us.

Posted in dependence upon God, discernment, divisions, grace, leadership, the flesh, Uncategorized | Tagged 1 Corinthians 1 | Leave a comment

preaching Christ crucified

Posted on February 26, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL

1 Corinthians 1:22-25

22 Also because Jews keep asking for supernatural signs, and Greeks keep searching for wisdom; 23 but we keep preaching Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews, and stupidity to Gentiles, 24 but to those called ones, both Jews and Greeks, we preach Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because that stupidity of God is wiser than human wisdom, and that weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

preaching Christ crucified

The message of the cross has never aligned neatly with the desires, expectations, or tastes of the world. From the beginning, it has appeared unimpressive, even offensive. Some hear it and assume it is a cruel joke—too bloody, too primitive, too bound to suffering. Others dismiss it as dull and uninspiring, lacking the excitement or novelty they crave. The gospel does not flatter human wisdom or appeal to human pride. It confronts both. It declares that salvation comes not through achievement, enlightenment, or moral superiority, but through the shame and weakness of a crucified Messiah.

Yet this is precisely why the gospel carries divine power. God has chosen what the world calls foolish to reveal his wisdom. God has chosen what the world calls weak to display his strength. The cross stands as the great reversal of human expectations. It unmasks the emptiness of self‑reliance and exposes the limits of human wisdom. It announces that life comes through death, victory through sacrifice, and hope through the blood of Christ.

This is why the message must continue to be preached. It is the means by which God draws people to himself. When a person hears the gospel, turns from sin, and entrusts himself to Christ, the Holy Spirit begins a work of renewal that transforms the mind and reshapes the heart. What once seemed foolish becomes beautiful. What once seemed weak becomes powerful. The cross, once an offense, becomes the very center of wisdom and life.

There is no need for a new gospel, no need to reinvent the message to make it more appealing or more acceptable. The gospel that saved the Corinthians is the gospel that still saves. The same crucified and risen Christ continues to rescue, restore, and renew. The world may call it foolish, but God has chosen this very message as the instrument of salvation.

The church’s task is not to improve the gospel but to proclaim it faithfully. Its power does not depend on cultural relevance or rhetorical polish. Its effectiveness does not rise or fall with human approval. The gospel works because God works through it. And for that reason, it remains enough—more than enough—for every generation.

LORD, we are not ashamed of the gospel, because it is your power to deliver everyone who believes.

Posted in evangelism, gospel, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ | Tagged 1 Corinthians 1 | Leave a comment

saved by stupidity

Posted on February 25, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

THE GOSPEL WORKS — EVEN IF IT SOUNDS STUPID

1 Corinthians 1:18-21

¹⁸Because the word of the cross to those who are perishing is stupidity, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ¹⁹ Since it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.” ²⁰ Where is a wise person? Where is a scribe? Where is a debater of this age? Has not God made stupid the wisdom of the world? ²¹ Because since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not acknowledge God, God decided, through the stupidity of the proclamation to save the believers.

saved by stupidity

Paul’s concern in this passage grows out of the painful realization that the Corinthian believers had begun dividing themselves into competing camps. Reports had reached him that some were claiming to belong to Apollos, others to Cephas, others to Christ, and—most troubling to him—some were claiming to be “of Paul.” Far from flattering him, this distressed him deeply. It implied that his ministry had somehow encouraged personal loyalty rather than devotion to Christ. It suggested that people believed he had persuaded them through rhetorical skill or philosophical brilliance. Paul rejects that idea outright.

He reminds the Corinthians of how he first came to them. He had not arrived with polished arguments or impressive oratory. He had not attempted to win them with intellectual sophistication. Instead, he had proclaimed a message that the world regarded as foolishness: a crucified Messiah. Everything about that message seemed absurd to the surrounding culture. Salvation through a dying Savior made no sense to the philosophers of Corinth. Yet that very message—so unimpressive by worldly standards—had brought life to those who believed. Its power did not rest in Paul’s delivery but in God’s action.

By pointing this out, Paul exposes the emptiness of the rivalries forming in the church. If the gospel came through a message the world calls foolish, then no human messenger deserves credit. No preacher, teacher, or leader can claim to be the foundation of anyone’s faith. The cross eliminates boasting. It strips away the illusion that spiritual life comes through human brilliance. The Corinthians were dividing themselves over personalities when the only name that mattered was the name of the One who died for them.

Paul’s argument presses toward a single conclusion: the gospel is not about human leaders but about Christ crucified and risen. His death breaks the power of sin. His resurrection declares that death no longer has the final word. Through his blood, forgiveness and new life are offered freely. This is the message that saved the Corinthians, and it is the message that continues to save.

The invitation remains the same: believe this word that seems foolish to the world, and discover in it the wisdom and power of God.

LORD, draw people to yourself through the proclamation of this gospel.

Posted in divisions, evangelism, gospel, Uncategorized, wisdom | Tagged 1 Corinthians 1 | Leave a comment

getting out of the way

Posted on February 24, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

IT’S ABOUT THE ROCK, NOT THE ROCK STAR

1 Corinthians 1:14-17

¹⁴ I am thankful to God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, ¹⁵so that no one might brag about having been baptized in my name. ¹⁶(Oh yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas, but I don’t remember baptizing anyone else.) ¹⁷ Because Christ did not send me to baptize, but to evangelize, not with a skillfully prepared message, so that the cross of Christ should not be emptied of its significance.

getting out of the way

Paul’s reflections on the rivalries in Corinth reveal a deep pastoral wisdom shaped by humility. As he considers the factions that had formed—each group claiming loyalty to a different leader—he recognizes how easily Christian ministry can become entangled with ego. Yet he is grateful that, during his time in Corinth, God had given him the restraint not to place himself at the center of everything. He had not tried to be indispensable. He had not insisted on performing every baptism or presiding over every significant moment. He had allowed others to lead, to serve, and to share in the work of the gospel.

This stands in stark contrast to what developed after his departure. New leaders emerged who seemed to crave prominence. They became the “rock stars” of the Corinthian congregations—figures whose personalities overshadowed the message they proclaimed. As these leaders drew attention to themselves, believers began to define their faith by the teacher they admired rather than by the Savior who had redeemed them. The church fractured into camps, each convinced that its preferred leader represented the truest expression of Christianity.

Paul exposes the danger of this mentality. Rock star Christianity shifts the focus from Christ to human personalities. It turns the gospel into a platform for self‑promotion rather than a proclamation of God’s saving work. When leaders seek applause, the cross becomes obscured. When believers rally around human figures, the unity of the church dissolves into competition.

Paul’s gratitude, therefore, is not self‑congratulatory. It is an acknowledgment that God had protected him from the temptation to build a personal empire. He had been freed to preach Christ without needing to secure his own reputation. His ministry in Corinth had been shaped by the conviction that the gospel is not about the messenger but about the crucified Messiah.

This remains a needed reminder for every generation of church leaders. The calling is not to become the center of attention but to step aside so that Christ may be seen clearly. The message of the cross carries its own power. It does not need to be decorated by human charisma or overshadowed by human ambition. The church flourishes when its leaders point beyond themselves, allowing the glory of Christ to stand unobstructed.

LORD, show us how to share you without pushing ourselves to the forefront.

Posted in church, divisions, gospel, leadership, ministry, Paul | Tagged 1 Corinthians 1 | Leave a comment

church without competition

Posted on February 23, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

RESIST RIVALRIES

1 Corinthians 1:10-13

¹⁰ But I am also appealing to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same way, and there be no schisms among you, but that you be mended into the same mind and with the same purpose. ¹¹ Because I have been informed concerning you, my bothers, by Chloe’s group, that there are rivalries among you. ¹² But I am asking this, since each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” or “I of Apollos,” or “I of Cephas,” or “I of Christ.” ¹³ Has Christ been distributed into separate units? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

church without competition

Corinth’s size and complexity shaped the life of its early Christian communities. No single household could contain all the believers, so the church naturally gathered in multiple locations throughout the city. Each group had its own leaders, hosts, and rhythms of fellowship. Among these leaders was a woman named Chloe, whose household seems to have played a significant role in the life of the Corinthian believers. Members of her circle sent word to Paul about the growing tensions within the various congregations. Their report revealed that rivalries and factional loyalties were spreading like an infection through the body of Christ in Corinth.

Paul understood immediately that this was not a minor interpersonal issue. The unity of the church is inseparable from the integrity of the gospel. When believers divide into camps—claiming allegiance to Paul, Apollos, Cephas, or any other figure—the message of Christ is distorted. The church becomes a battleground for personalities rather than a community centered on the crucified and risen Lord. Paul’s insistence that Christ has not been divided is more than a rhetorical question. It is a theological anchor. Christ is one, and his people must reflect that oneness.

God had already done his part to equip the Corinthian believers for unity. He had distributed charismatic gifts throughout the congregations—gifts of speech, knowledge, discernment, and service. These gifts were meant to build up the body, not tear it apart. But gifts alone cannot guarantee harmony. Without self‑control, humility, and love, even the most powerful spiritual gifts become tools of competition. The Corinthians were allowing their gifts to become markers of status, fueling the very rivalries that Chloe’s household reported.

Paul’s response calls the church back to the heart of Christian community. Unity is not achieved by suppressing diversity or eliminating differences. It is achieved when believers exercise their gifts under the lordship of Christ, with the restraint and mutual regard that the Spirit produces. The problem in Corinth was not the presence of gifts but the absence of disciplined love.

The lesson remains clear: God continues to supply gifts, opportunities, and spiritual resources to every congregation. What is required from believers is the spiritual maturity to use those gifts in ways that strengthen rather than fracture the body of Christ.

LORD, may the fruit of the Spirit – self-control – keep us from using the gifts of the Spirit against each other.

Posted in church, consideration of others, cooperation, divisions, self-control, unity | Tagged 1 Corinthians 1 | Leave a comment

God working at church

Posted on February 22, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

HOW TO START PRAYING FOR YOUR CHURCH

1 Corinthians 1:4-9

⁴ I am always thanking my God about you, because of the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, ⁵ because of all the ways you were enriched in Him, with all kinds of words and all kinds of knowledge, ⁶ just as what people testify about Christ was confirmed by you, ⁷ resulting in the fact that you are not lacking in any gift, while you eagerly await the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, ⁸ who will also confirm you to the end, standing unaccused on the day our Lord Jesus Christ returns. ⁹ God, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord — is faithful to do this.

God working at church

Paul’s decision to open his letter with thanksgiving is striking, especially when considering what follows. He is about to confront a congregation riddled with division, pride, immorality, doctrinal confusion, and spiritual immaturity. The Corinthian church was not merely imperfect; it was deeply dysfunctional. Yet Paul begins not with frustration, disappointment, or rebuke, but with gratitude. This is not a rhetorical strategy meant to soften the blow. It is a theological conviction. Paul is able to thank God for this troubled church because his gratitude is anchored not in their performance but in God’s activity among them.

Paul identifies specific evidences of divine grace at work. First, God had enriched the Corinthians with spiritual gifts—supernatural speech, knowledge, and insight. These gifts were often misused, yet their very presence testified that God had not abandoned this community. The gifts revealed that God was still speaking, still empowering, still present.

Second, God was using the Corinthians to confirm the truth of the gospel. Their very existence as a redeemed community validated the message Paul had preached. Despite their flaws, they were living proof that the gospel had taken root in Corinth. Their faith, however inconsistent, was real enough to demonstrate that Christ had indeed been proclaimed among them with power.

Third, God had stirred in them a longing for Christ’s return. This eager expectation showed that their hearts, however distracted, were still oriented toward the hope of the kingdom. Their desire for the appearing of Jesus was itself a work of grace, a sign that God had awakened in them a forward‑looking faith.

Fourth, God had promised to sanctify them completely. Paul’s confidence did not rest in their ability to fix themselves but in God’s faithfulness to finish what he had begun. The assurance that they would one day stand blameless before Christ was grounded in God’s commitment, not their consistency.

Finally, God had called them into fellowship with his Son. This partnership with Christ was the defining reality of their identity. God’s faithfulness to his own Son guaranteed his faithfulness to those united with him. Their calling was secure because Christ himself was secure.

Paul’s gratitude, then, flowed from seeing God’s hand at work even in a messy church. The prayer that follows naturally arises from this perspective: a plea for eyes to recognize God’s ongoing work in every congregation and hearts to respond with genuine thanksgiving.

LORD, show us what you are doing at our churches, and how to show our gratitude for it.

Posted in church, confidence, dependence upon God, Paul, prayer, second coming | Tagged 1 Corinthians 1 | Leave a comment

we still need grace

Posted on February 21, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

CALLED FROM BROKENNESS TO HOLINESS

1 Corinthians 1:1-3

¹ Paul, a called missionary of Jesus Christ by God’s choice, and Sosthenes the brother, ² to the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, holy ones by calling, with all who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, theirs and ours: ³ May grace be given to you and peace from God our Father and from Lord Jesus Christ.

we still need grace

Paul’s salutation as he begins his letter to the Corinthian believers is more than just a formality. As we read this letter, we will be more and more convinced that the church fellowships in Corinth are a confused a broken group. There was a lot of dysfunction there. Yet, Paul called them all “holy ones by calling” and said that they all had been “sanctified in Christ Jesus.” He was speaking of their positional sanctification by virtue of their being in Christ, and their calling to live up to that positional sanctification by manifesting holy lives – “holy ones by calling.”

The Corinthian Christians were having trouble living up to their call to holiness, and so do we. Paul’s prayer for grace to them was no mere formality. It was a fervent plea for the God who saved them by his grace to sanctify them by that same grace. We still need grace too.

LORD, finish the work you began on the cross. Change us into the people who reflect your holiness, because that is what you called us to be.

{For more on the subject of sanctification, see my book, An Advent Christian Systematic Theology, chapters 42 and 52.}

Posted in change, dependence upon God, grace, holiness, Paul, sanctification | Tagged 1 Corinthians 1 | Leave a comment

the last word

Posted on February 20, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

DON’T LOSE PERSPECTIVE

Ecclesiastes 12:9-14

⁹ Since he had the advantage of being a wise man, the collector also taught the people knowledge; and he compared, searched out and arranged many proverbs. ¹⁰ The collector sought to find appropriate words to write: words of truth with integrity. ¹¹ The words of wise men are like cattle prods, and these masterful collections are like well-driven nails; they are given by one Shepherd. ¹² But if you want to go beyond this, my son, I warn you: the writing of many books never ends, and excessive devotion to books wears out the body. ¹³ The last word, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this word is for everyone. ¹⁴ Because God will hold us accountable for everything we do, everything which is hidden, if it is good or if it is evil.

the last word

Solomon knew that since he had accomplished a great deal as a scholar and writer, there would be those who would want to imitate him. But he also knew the price that he had paid by his excessive devotion to the written word. So, he warns his sons (and anyone else who might read these words – including us) not to get so obsessed with learning and writing. In the end, only one message is for everyone: fear God and keep his commandments. Our failure or success in life does not depend on how much we accomplish. It depends on his judgment.

LORD, we surrender our ambitions to you. Teach us how to do our life’s work without losing perspective.

Posted in ambition, balance, commitment, judgment, self-control, Solomon, wisdom | Tagged Ecclesiastes 12 | Leave a comment