the scum of the world

Posted on March 27, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

SDC12453 1 Corinthians 4.  The ESV study Bible, commenting on verse 3, says “Some of the Corinthians, perhaps followers of Apollos or Cephas, probably spoke disparagingly of Paul, especially of his speaking ability (1:17; 2:3–4; 4:18–21; 2 Cor. 10:9), thinking they were able to judge his spiritual effectiveness.”  Paul reveals this as the root of their divisions. They were making value judgments about those who ministered to them.  This was wrong because God will judge his servants, not the fellow servants (5).  They were treating Paul and the other missionaries who had worked among them as the scum of the world (13).  To show such disrespect to God’s servants is to dishonor him.

LORD, we appreciate all of those you have graciously given to work as your servants among us. Keep us from making value judgments about their spiritual effectiveness.

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these are your gods

Posted on March 27, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

32-goldencalf Exodus 32.  It is hard to resist the temptation to make something happen when God wants you to wait.  Israel had already agreed to keep the covenant, but grew impatient when Moses stayed atop Mt. Sinai. Their solution: worship God on their terms. They told Aaron to make gods who will go before them.  Aaron took some of their gold jewelry and fashioned a golden calf. He told them “these are your gods” (4).  The idea was that the LORD rode upon the calf from Egypt. To worship the calf  (viewed as a minor god) was to worship the LORD (viewed as the major God). Suddenly Israel had two gods. It was a lie that would allow the people to get going, and avoid this annoying delay. It backfired. By starting the celebration early, and under false pretenses, the Israelites brought death to thousands that day, and from the plague afterwards.

LORD, give us the wisdom to wait for your timing when your will is clear. May we not fall for convenient lies that allow us to do what we want.

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fireproof buildings

Posted on March 26, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

SDC12503 1 Corinthians 3.  Paul describes the Christian life as both God’s field and God’s building.  As a field, the life is planted in us by God through one worker, and watered through another, but but workers answer to God — the owner of the field.  As a building, the life is planted by one worker (a master-builder), and built upon by others. Judgment Day will disclose the quality of each worker’s efforts.  The building is God’s temple, and it is the bodies/souls of believers. We are responsible to build upon those temples ourselves, and to ensure that they are fireproof. Because, on the Judgment Day, anything built upon us and by us that is not fit for God’s eternal dwelling will be destroyed. For that reason, we need to be careful about building our lives on human traditions — even traditions that are attributed to Paul and Apollos. Only God’s work and God’s truth will last.

LORD, make our lives your fruitful fields, your fireproof buildings.

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a wisdom ahead of its time

Posted on March 25, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

SDC12502 1 Corinthians 2.  When Paul first shared the gospel with the Corinthians, he avoided demonstrating his considerable skill in Greek rhetoric, and he also avoided showing off his profound wisdom. He kept his message simple, and trusting God to make his truth known through the Holy Spirit’s power.  Now he offers a secret wisdom for those mature enough to handle it.  It is a wisdom ahead of its time.  It is not the wisdom of this age, but of the age to come.  It’s words are taught by the Holy Spirit.  It enables God’s people to understand his thoughts and ways. The Same Holy Spirit who gave us the Bible also helps believers understand it. He imparts the mind of Christ.

LORD, we surrender to your Holy Spirit, and ask you to teach us your thoughts and ways. We value that wisdom above all other kinds.

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the foolishness of God

Posted on March 24, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

SDC12499 1 Corinthians 1:18-31.  The human mind is capable of astonishing leaps of insight, connecting the dots of thought and idea in a way that makes sense of an altogether complex world.  But the unaided human mind stops and opens its mouth at the the gospel.  Both Jew and Greek stop and say, “No, that can’t be it.”  No one was looking for God to manifest himself in that way. The Jews were looking for a sign of delivering power — like the plagues of Egypt. The Corinthian Greeks were looking for logic and wisdom to overcome ignorance. Everyone was looking for God but nobody was looking on a hill called Calvary.  There God did a little bit of foolishness to save the planet.

LORD, we praise you for your foolish act of weakness that we know demonstrated your power and wisdom.

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evangelical unity

Posted on March 23, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

SDC12500 1 Corinthians 1:1-17.  The Church at Rome had some divisions (e.g. the weak and the strong) but in Corinth they were mastering the art of division.  Paul appealed to the Corinthians that they make efforts to manifest their unity, not their differences. All of us who are part of an evangelical movement should take this appeal to heart. We have one calling to be saints of the one true God. We have one Lord Jesus Christ who has set us apart and will sustain us for one destiny: a guiltless eternity.  Christ is not divided.  His church should walk and talk as one.

LORD, thank you for our unity in Christ. May our attachment to people and ideas never obscure that unity.

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the gods dying like men

Posted on March 23, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

SDC12498 Psalm 82.  Most commentators are quick to put quotation marks around the word gods in this psalm.  They take this as a prophecy against unjust human rulers.  They claim that Jesus implied this in John 10:34-35. But Jesus only claimed that the subjects of this psalm heard the words of God, not that they were human.  This psalm is a lament, pleading for God to judge the earth (8), and rescue it from the gods who are destroying it by ruling it selfishly. These gods are angelic beings who are abusing their power by showing partiality to the wicked, not giving justice to the weak and fatherless, and not rescuing the weak and needy (3-4).  These sons of the Most High had been appointed as gods among men, but the LORD is going to remove them from their thrones, and destroy them.  Like men, they will die, and fall like any prince (7).  They are not immortal like God is. Only God is immortal.

LORD, we trust in you to destroy all your enemies, and to bring justice to the earth.

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friends that help, friends that hinder

Posted on March 22, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

SDC12494 Romans 16.  In this final chapter of Romans, Paul puts flesh on the practical principles that he had been teaching in the letter. He does this by greeting and showing appreciation to his friends and fellow Christian workers who are known to the Romans (1-16,21-23). The length of the list shows that Paul was not a “lone ranger” in his promotion of the gospel message.  Even in his pioneer work, Paul had opportunity to make many friends who lived out the gospel they were ready to die for.  The flip-side of the story is that Paul had also encountered many who caused divisions and created obstacles contrary to the gospel of salvation by grace. He encourages the Romans to watch out for such people, and to deliberately avoid them and their influence (17-18).

LORD, may we appreciate and cultivate many friendships that help us to share your gospel and give glory to your name. May we learn to stay away from friends that would sidetrack our commitment to you, and hinder the spread of your word.

Posted in church, commitment, enemies, friends, gospel, grace, ministry, witness | Tagged | 1 Comment

prayer and God’s plan

Posted on March 21, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

SDC12492 Romans 15:14-33.  Paul asked the Roman Christians to pray for him. He knew what God wanted – that his ministry might be completed.  What he didn’t know was whether or not he would be delivered from the Jews who were trying to kill him, or whether his mission in Jerusalem would be successful.  He asked the Roman Christians to strive together with him in prayer for these matters. As it turned out, Paul’s mission to deliver the offering was successful, but he was arrested in Judea. God’s plan was to bring him to Rome in chains.  We do not know all the details of God’s plan, so sometimes our prayers are going to be answered in ways we will not expect. Trusting God means letting him be God.

LORD, when we have prayed fervently, help us to surrender to your sovereignty.

Posted in commitment, faith, prayer, submission, truth | Tagged | 1 Comment

drawing people to God

Posted on March 20, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

SDC12491 Romans 15:1-13.  Christ is our example as we seek to preserve the faith of those who differ from us theologically.  He welcomed the Gentiles and gave them the same hope that the Israelites had, as the scriptures attest. “The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope” (12). Like our savior, who came to draw both Jew and Gentile to himself, we also are to draw each other to God, by the power of the Holy Spirit among us.

LORD, may we follow the example of our savior, who sought to draw people to himself instead of dividing them from each other.

Posted in church, ethnic Israel, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, plan of God, witness | Tagged | 1 Comment