Pure Praise

Psalm 104:1  Bless the Lord, O my soul!
    O Lord my God, you are very great!
You are clothed with splendor and majesty,
2     covering yourself with light as with a garment,
    stretching out the heavens like a tent.
3 He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters;
he makes the clouds his chariot;
    he rides on the wings of the wind;
4 he makes his messengers winds,
    his ministers a flaming fire.

One of the most significant things to notice in this psalm is how the Psalmist moves back and forth from talking to the Lord to talking about Him.  His God is Very Great, and he tells him so.  He begins by talking about His great power in creation, forming the foundations, building mountains, filling it with waterways, and then bring forth plant life to support man and beast. He then moves on to how God in His creation has provided food, shelter, and a time for rest. Finally, God holds the very breath of life in His hands.  All these things are cause for praise to the One who made it all, sustains it all, and gave it all for us to share. May we offer Him the praise of which He is worthy. 

Sincerity of Faith

II Corinthians 8:8 I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. 10 And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. 11 So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. 

As Paul wrote this second letter to the Corinthians, one of the things on his mind was the collection that was being made to help the mother church in Jerusalem and Judea.  Most of the Gentile churches were joining in joyfully to help with this, and this church had indicated their intention to do so.  Would they follow through.  Once again, Paul was being gentle with this congregation yet challenging them to go through with their commitment.  What was the big deal? First, it was for their good as well as that of the Judean church. But even more importantly, generosity is a sign of the sincerity of our faith: to both obey the Spirit of God, and to trust God to supply our needs when we give sacrificially.  Their completing the promise they had made would help prove to him that indeed they were repentant, and God was at work in their hearts.  This was both a reminder and a test of the sincerity of their faith. 

Mutual Comfort

 II Corinthians 7:10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. 11 For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter. 12 So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the one who did the wrong, nor for the sake of the one who suffered the wrong, but in order that your earnestness for us might be revealed to you in the sight of God. 13 Therefore we are comforted.

Paul began this letter by appealing to the God of all Comfort.  He then proceeded to tread softly in dealing with some of the ongoing sin among the Corinthians.  This sin affected not only them, but Paul and all the other leaders concerned for this Church.  Paul was relieved to hear that godly grief had penetrated their hearts, and repentance had taken place.  That is what he and the others had hoped for: no regrets - on his part or theirs.  Have we allowed godly grief to work in our hearts over our sin? Are we concerned not to see sinner suffer for what they have done - to others or ourselves - or that they be comforted by coming to a peaceful repentance?

A Living Temple

II Corinthians 6:11 We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide open. 12

You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. 13 In return (I speak as to children) widen your hearts also. 14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; 

As we have seen, Paul is taking a more gentle approach in this letter to address the problems at Corinth. He opens this chapter pleading them to consider their response to the grace of God.  He himself had been willing to go through many trials to convey it to them. It is at that point that he says the above: Paul's heart has been wide open to them; they had been resistent.  He pleads with them to consider their lifestyle: it is more in line with their old, pagan religion than it is with the Grace of God in Christ. Again he brings up the imagery of God's people as the temple, the holy dwelling place of God. Idols are not welcome there. Do we have any idols we try to bring in?

We Know, so...

 II Corinthians 5:For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. 4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

As Paul continues to focus on the positive, the things we know because of the Gospel, that moves us forward to change how we think and live.  We are not bound by the struggles of this life. Paul goes on to say that we are "of good courage", having a positive attitude toward life, and that we live life as those who will give an account before God.  He then focuses in the last half of the chapter reminding us that since we have been reconciled to God through Christ, that we will serve as "ministers of reconcilation" to draw others to Him.  As we know, so may we live. 

Don't Lose Heart

 

II Corinthians 4:16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

As Paul continues to deal gently with this resistant and rebellious church, he begins by sharing his response to such resistance: he fails to lose heart, grow faint, and give up.  There is no twisting of God's Word; the Devil is doing that as he fights back against the Gospel.  Paul continues after these verses with vivid imagery of who we are as God's servants: the light in the darkness, fragile clay pots which have inside of us the greatest treasure, vessels of grace and faith allowing Christ to work within.  The verses above conclude the chapter with a call that I have made my own.  Maybe they will ring true with you.

Bless the Lord!

 

Psalm 103: 1 Bless the Lord, O my soul,

    and all that is within me,
    bless his holy name!
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
    and forget not all his benefits,
3 who forgives all your iniquity,
    who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit,
    who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good
    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

Psalm 103 is one of the best-known psalms, used often in calls to worship and at funerals, and for good reason.  It expresses the satisfaction of soul that can only be found when God's forgiveness has been received.  The key is found in the next phrase: the Lord works righteousness.  He has done all the work. He looked down on us in our spiritual weakness, knowing that we are not all powerful like He is, and reached out to offer us forgiveness.  As a result, the psalmist has a sense of being right with God, loved by Him, and satisfied with the relationship he has with Him.  He ends by calling all others to Bless the Lord with Him.  May we bless the Lord together today. 

You Are the Same

Psalm 102:25 Of old you laid the foundation of the earth,
    and the heavens are the work of your hands.
26 They will perish, but you will remain;
    they will all wear out like a garment.
You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away,
27     but you are the same, and your years have no end.
28 The children of your servants shall dwell secure;
    their offspring shall be established before you.

This psalm begins like so many, with a cry to God for help in the midst of suffering.  The psalmist finds himeself in mid-life, when he should be strong, successful, and at the peak of his life, having lost all his drive, hope, and fulfillment in life.  He is very aware of his own humanity, the shortness of life, and the feeling that the wicked around him are unjustly doing better than he.  How does he deal with all this? By looking to the Eternal God, the One Who holds it all together, Who is watching over all that He has made, especially His people.  By looking to Him, His character, and His faithfulness, the psalmist knows that all will be well as He hopes and trusts in God.  The same is still true for us today. 

Transformed!

 I Corinthians 3:1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you? 2 You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all. 3 And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

As we saw yesterday, Paul did not want this letter to be like his previous one to the Corinthian church: pointing out all the problems in the church. He also was not coming to them with a high and heavy hand, making them feel inferior. He wanted to celebrate with them all the goodness of the Gospel. So, rather than come in and flaunt his credentials, he pointed out what really mattered: the souls of people. Paul wanted to focus on how God can and does change people through the Gospel, just like He had them. Paul goes on to focus on the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives, doing what the Law of Moses could never do: free them (and us) from our sin and transform us into the people He intends us to be.  When we focus on this we will never feel like we are being bullied into doing something.  

What a Parade!

II Corinthians 2:14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, 16 to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.

Paul began this chapter refering back to his previous letter to them, with all the admonitions he needed to give them over their division, immorality, and idolatry.  He did not want to have to focus on those things so much in this letter but preferred to focus on the deeper truths of the Gospel.  Paul wanted them to understand what his role as an apostle really was, using here a picture familiar to those in the Roman Empire: the processional of a victorious king. Here, of course, Christ is the King, and as He cannot greet each individual personally and hand out the plunder of victory, He has entrusted that to His servants. The parade would include flowers and fragrances that would leave a refreshing trail.  As a servant, Paul was not just a hired circus hand; he was a commissioned officer in the army of God who would not betray Him. May we join in serving Him the same way.

Not Suffering Alone

 II Corinthians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. 6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. 7 Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.

Paul indeed suffered much for Christ.  He did not shy away from saying so, nor did he pretend that his readers would not suffer.  It is part of following Christ.  But Paul also never whined and complained about his suffering, nor would he let his readers (and therefore us) do so either.  Rather, he points us to the very character of God, the God of comfort.  He is always there for us, just as He was His Son.  After Christ's wilderness fasting and temptation, God sent His angels to comfort Him.  Even on the cross, He did not leave Him alone.  The same is true for us: the God of Comfort will always be there for us: through His Spirit, His angels, and His people. 

Not All Bad

I  Corinthians 16:13 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done in love. 15 Now I urge you, brothers—you know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints— 16 be subject to such as these, and to every fellow worker and laborer.

We have seen in this letter that the church at Corinth had several serious spiritual issues that needed to be addressed. But that does not mean everything was bad there.  Paul saw hope. The chapter begins with him trusting in their participation in the offering going to help fellow believers in Jerusalem. He still longed to come and be with them.  He believed that they could and would stand up and do the right thing.  There were also some faithful saints and servants at the church who were a positive influence. At this point, all was not lost. If they would focus on the good and set aside the bad, things would go well with them. The same is true of churches today.

It's gonna be different...

 I Corinthians 15:51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 “O death, where is your victory?
    O death, where is your sting?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Life after death.  Resurrection.  A new body.  It is all difficult to wrap our heads around, but then Paul says "It should be."  We have no idea or memory of life before sin and death.  When we put our trust in Christ and begin our walk into eternal life we do begin to get a glimpse, but it is something we cannot fully comprehend.  It is something to be thankful for, to anticipate, and to prepare for the best we can. As Paul goes on to say: 58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

When We Walk Away from Worship...

Psalm 99:5 Exalt the Lord our God;
    worship at his footstool!  Holy is he!

Psalm 100:Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
2     Serve the Lord with gladness!
    Come into his presence with singing!
3 Know that the Lord, he is God!
    It is he who made us, and we are his;
    we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Psalm 101:I will sing of steadfast love and justice;
    to you, O Lord, I will make music.
2 I will ponder the way that is blameless.
    Oh when will you come to me?
I will walk with integrity of heart
    within my house;
3 I will not set before my eyes
    anything that is worthless.

This series of three worship psalms begins with a call to consider the Holiness of the God we serve and worship. He rules and reigns from heaven with awesome power and faithfulness; we should be overwhelmed by Him. As a result, we then should all come before Him with great celebration and praise. Psalm 100 is often used as a corporate call to worship. The final psalm here is then a song of response: How should I then live after being in the presence of Holy God?  We should then seek to live a life of Holiness.  Come to worship the Lord today and plan on going away changed. 

Zooming In and Out

 Psalm 97:1 The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice;
    let the many coastlands be glad!
2 Clouds and thick darkness are all around him;
    righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
3 Fire goes before him
    and burns up his adversaries all around.
4 His lightnings light up the world;
    the earth sees and trembles.
5 The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,
    before the Lord of all the earth.

98:7 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;

    the world and those who dwell in it!

8 Let the rivers clap their hands;

    let the hills sing for joy together

9 before the Lord, for he comes

    to judge the earth.

He will judge the world with righteousness,

    and the peoples with equity.

The Psalmist calls on the whole world to give God the worship He deserves. In the first psalm above he gives the panoramic picture of all creation humbly in awe of His power. That psalm goes one to call all people, and then specifically His people, to rejoice and give Him thanks. The second psalm begins with a call for His people to remember and rejoice in His faithfulness and steadfast love, followed by a call for all peoples to come and worship Him. The psalmist then concludes by zooming out again to call on the whole of creation to join in the worship of the One Who is Creator and Judge.  

Out of Our Minds?

I Corinthians 14:20 Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature. 21 In the Law it is written, “By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.” 22 Thus tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign not for unbelievers but for believers. 23 If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds? 

Paul was addressing several issues in the Corinthian church which were distracting them from the task for which Christ had called them.  They were so busy arguing with one another they had no time for apologetics with unbelievers. They were being so selfish about worship that they were not building each other up.  Often we say that we "don't care what other people think," and often that can be a good thing. But when we are respresenting Christ to a watching world, in some ways it does matter. There is a sense in which the Gospel is foolishness.  But there are many ways we should care what people think, so they will at least stop and take time to listen to what we are saying.  They should not think we are "out of our minds." 

Let's Not Think Wedding... (Thursday)

 I

Corinthians 13:4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never ends. 

Though this passage is often read at weddings, and has definite applications for it, the original context, as we have seen, is relationships within the Body of Christ, the Church.  Dealing with the big issue: division, Paul has painted this picture of the church as a living human body, where every part not only needs to do its part but also look out for the other parts of the Body.  This will affect how we view, speak to, and treat one another. We will not expect overnight perfection; we will not act as if we are more important than each other; we will put up with a lot and never give up on each other.  Does this describe how you deal with fellow believers?

A Whole New Idea

I Corinthians 12:14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

As we saw early in this letter, one of the biggest challenges Paul faced with them was their divisions - everyone wanted to be in the right group.  This made sense as in that culture guilds were very much a part of daily life; it was also aggravated by the previous division of Jew versus Gentile. But now things were different. Paul's picture of the body is a great way to understand relationships in the church. There is a unity that cannot be pictured so completely anywhere else, where there is One Head, Jesus Christ, who must rule and reign over the whole body working together, each one doing their part.  Are we? 

Commendation or Condemnation?

 I Corinthians 11:17 But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. 18 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, 19 for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. 20 When you come together, it is not the Lord's supper that you eat. 21 For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not.

The words that follow the above are some of the most repeated words in scripture: every time a group of believers celebrate communion.  But the reason they are stated here is corrective.  Like many of the other ills of this selfish church, what they did in worship and celebration was the exact opposite of what Christ intended for His followers.  Communion is sharing, not dividing; it is solemn and contemplative, not jesting and outdoing one another.  So when we read these words of instruction, keep in mind that they are more than that: they are convicting and call for self-examination. 

Free From Idolatry

 I Corinthians 10:11 Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. 12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

As Paul dealt with the many issues that this church had, another key enemy was idolatry. It was common to both Jew and Gentile alike. Everywhere you looked in Corinth there were temples to pagan gods, and the Jews themselves had nothing to brag abaout: they had the golden calf and all the idols they fell for in the land of Canaan.  Paul had already mentioned that idols really are not "gods"; they are powerless, but for the influence we give them in our lives and relationships.  Therefore, they must have no place in our daily routine, and especially no part in the celebration of God's people.  Just like the Jews, followers of Christ must never think they are above falling into or back into some sort if idolatry; we need Christ's strength to keep us safe. 

Come... and Worship

These two psalm are a corporate call to worship.  This call is based upon God's place as Creator, Lord, and faithful keeper of His Covenant. The first one contains the call to worship I used the first Sunday I preached at Calvary over 38 years ago.  Notice the calls to action in these two psalms: 

Psalm 95: 1 Oh come, let us sing to the Lord;
    let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
    let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
3 For the Lord is a great God,
    and a great King above all gods.

6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down;

    let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!

7 For he is our God,

    and we are the people of his pasture,

    and the sheep of his hand.

Psalm 96:1 Oh sing to the Lord a new song;
    sing to the Lord, all the earth!
2 Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
    tell of his salvation from day to day.
3 Declare his glory among the nations,
    his marvelous works among all the peoples!

7 Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,

    ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!

8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;

    bring an offering, and come into his courts!

If the Lord Had Not...

Psalm 94: Who rises up for me against the wicked?
    Who stands up for me against evildoers?
17 If the Lord had not been my help,
    my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence.
18 When I thought, “My foot slips,”
    your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up.
19 When the cares of my heart are many,
    your consolations cheer my soul.

Like many of the psalms we have seen, the psalmist begins with a cry for justice.  He and his people are being afflicted by wick peoples around them, apparently with no mercy.  But it is not long until the psalmist remember Whom he is dealing with: the One Who made the eye and ear both sees and hears; the One Who made the soul knows the thoughts and intentions of man; He will act.  The psalmist speaks from history: the Lord had been there for him in the past, keeping him in safety and comforting His heart. He surely will be there again this time, and the next, and the next... Timing is everything.

Relinquishing Rights...

I Corinthians 9:19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. 21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.

In this chapter Paul makes one of his rare defenses of his position as an Apostle. Though he was entitled to financial support as a servant of the Lord, he often refused it and worked to support himself.  Though he was entrusted with great authority and God's representative, he preferred to use pleading and encouragement to call people to change.  In short, above, Paul was often willing to relinquish what many would rightly say were his "rights" in order to make people more willing to listen and respond to the Gospel. Paul would never compromise the truth of the Gospel in order to gain a following, but he would put himself second to see others saved. Will we?

Mystery Meat

I Corinthians 8:4 Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.” 5 For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. 7 However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.

The whole issue of meat sacrificed to idols was a big deal for the early church.  Many had been involved in "worship" services for idols which involved the dedication of these sacrifices to that false god. On the one hand, since the idol was not really "god," it was in vain; and idol made by man cannot respond. But in another sense, this issue was important, as the one who had participated in such practice viewed the god, and thereby the sacrifice, as real.  To force such food upon that person would violate their conscience. So there are two principles involved: 1) Care about what is going on in your fellow believer's heart and mind; 2) Make sure that there is no way in which we are syncretizing our worship of God with that of false gods.

Marriage...

I Corinthians 7:29 This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, 30 and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, 31 and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.

In this chapter Paul says so many things about marriage that it seems so complicated that one is ready to walk away and avoid the issue.  He says it is good to marry, but better not to; marriage is a burden, but it is a blessing too. On he goes back and forth.  Occasionally he comes up for air and notes: "what I am trying to say is this..."  At creation, God's intention and plan for man was very clear: marriage is wonderful. Then the Fall happened.  In came The Blame Game, suspicion, unfaithfulness, intermarriage with God's enemies, and on the list goes.  Marriage pure and undefiled is hard to find.  It is also part of this world, whereas in the world to come there is no marrying.  How do we live in both worlds at present? Marriage is not, and should not be, viewed as a burden, but it can be when we are living for ourselves. The solution is not to get rid of marriage, but stop living for ourselves. 

Willful Ignorance?

 I Corinthians 6:9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.... 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

In this chapter Paul deals with two major issues: how we handle our business and how we handle our bodies.  In both cases, this congregation was acting no differently than the pagan culture around them.  They were not acting like those who had been redeemed, bought back from sin, cleansed, and filled with the Holy Spirit. Were they willfully ignorant of that? (Do you not know?) Or had they truly been redeemed? How we live reflects the sincerity of our faith. 

Still Trying to Get It Right...

11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? 13 God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”

We have already seen Paul's rebuke of this church for their arrogance. One demonstration of that was in the area of "tolerance."  They boasted because they treated the blatant immorality of a professing member as "acceptable."  Meanwhile, they kept up their appearance as a church by pointing out immorality of differing sorts outside the church.  They had it backwards.   Paul then used the illustration of leaven - that once introduced into the loaf it spreads throughout.  Accepting any immorality, greed, dishonesty, or other besetting sin will "set up" a scenario where anyone will feel permitted to do any of the above and demand to be deemed acceptable.  We need to do our job and allow God to do His: God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”

Preparing for Worship

 

Psalm 92:1 It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
    to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
2 to declare your steadfast love in the morning,
    and your faithfulness by night,
3 to the music of the lute and the harp,
    to the melody of the lyre.
4 For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work;
    at the works of your hands I sing for joy.

Psalm 93:5 Your decrees are very trustworthy;

    holiness befits your house,

    O Lord, forevermore.

What do  you choose to think about when you get ready to go to worship?  The writer here focuses on being thankful, reflecting on God's love and faithfulness.  He refects on everything God has given Him. As he continues on in Psalm 92, he looks back on God's protection during the hard times and refreshing after them, giving him renewed vitality.  Psalm 93 then opens with the psalmist coming to the temple, the throne of God.  There God sits, worthy of the praise that surrounds him, from the cherubim and the people gathered for worship there.  As our last verse says, the conclusion is that God is trustworthy and worthy of our praise and thanks.  May we come and leave worship the same way today. 

Protected

Psalm 91:14 “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
    I will protect him, because he knows my name.
15 When he calls to me, I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble;
    I will rescue him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
    and show him my salvation.”

The above is the concluding paragraph of the psalm of praise to God for His everlasting protection. Notice the  psalmist is imagining what God is saying as he looks down upon him.  In the preceding paragraphs, the psalmist pictures himself as being under God's protective wings, in the safety of a fortress, shielded from all the arrows coming from an enemy.  Included are a few verses you will recognize, including some twisted by Satan in his tempting of Jesus.  The whole Psalm is worth your read today, recognizing how much God does every day to keep you safe.  Do we pause recognize that?

Proper Commendation

I Corinthians 4: This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. 3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. 4 For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. 5 Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.

Even today, when we look to the apostles in the early church, we cannot help but say "Wow! What faith! What Power!" But that is now what Paul wanted the people to do.  The Apostles wanted people to look at them and see Jesus, and themselves as merely servants.  Paul goes on to say that was his personal practice. What in fact was happening is that people, by comparing the Apostles to one another, focused on the negative in each one. So rather than thinking too highly of them, they viewed the Apostles too lowly and thought they had progressed beyond them in their faith and learning.  Such comparison led to criticism and disunity.  

Mere Men

 I Corinthians 3:1 But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, 3 for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? 4 For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human?

There is one sense in which we all are "mere men," in relationship to God.  He is totally holy, altogether different, and any and all men(and women) pale in comparison.  But when Paul uses the name here, he is using it in context of not being spiritual, but remaining carnal, fleshly, thinking only in human terms. In this chapter Paul once again picks up his main theme of their disunity and he points out what we saw yesterday: the arrogance of man to think that he can understand the truth without the Holy Spirit of God. Paul knew that He, and every other preacher/teacher, was fully dependent upon the grace of God to find, receive, and pass on truth.  He reminds the Corinthians, and us, that God is building a temple of His people, and that alone we are mere building blocks. We need one another. Even Paul and Apollos were dependent upon other believers to work with them, encourage them, and build one another up. Without the Holy Spirit and one another, we are mere men.