For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. (1 Corinthians 15:3-5) What if Jesus didn’t live, die, and come back to life? What if this whole Jesus thing ... [Continue Reading]
We Need Each Other (1 Corinthians 12-14)
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. (1 Corinthians 12:27) It's amazing what the power of "we" is. We can stay warmer together than I can alone. We have a better return on our labor. We can help each other. We need each other - particularly in the church. There is no useless person in the church just as there is no useless part of ... [Continue Reading]
A Chameleon for Christ (1 Corinthians 9-11)
I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings (1 Corinthians 9:22b-23) Chameleons are remarkable creatures. Their unique genetic makeup gives them the ability to blend in in various situations and to camouflage themselves from potential predators. They ... [Continue Reading]
The Right Time to Judge (1 Corinthians 5-8)
What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.” (1 Corinthians 5:12-13) One of the reasons why those outside of the church dislike those inside of the church is because of judgmental attitudes from one towards the other. When a person outside of the ... [Continue Reading]
Becoming Foolish (1 Corinthians 1-4)
Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. (1 Corinthians 3:18-19a) There is a foolishness that isn’t foolishness at all. In fact, it comes as a result of recognizing one’s place in the whole scheme of ... [Continue Reading]
The Trinkets of Christianity (Acts 18:19-19:41)
A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there. He called them together, along with the workers in related trades, and said: “You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business. And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in ... [Continue Reading]
Pray for Me, and I’ll Pray For You (2 Thessalonians)
As for other matters, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. (2 Thessalonians 3:1) When is the last time you prayed for a fellow Christian that the message of the Lord would spread rapidly and be honored? Personally, I'm convicted by that question. It's easy to lose sight of our ... [Continue Reading]
Those Powerful Desires (1 Thessalonians 3-5)
It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: ...that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable... (1 Thessalonians 4:3a, 4) Desires aren't wrong in and of themselves. In fact, I would argue that desires are God-given. The desires to eat and sleep are absolutely essential to life. Other desires aren't essential, but they're ... [Continue Reading]
The Wedding Dance (1 Thessalonians 1-2)
We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. (1 Thessalonians 2:4b) The other day I was at my cousin's wedding with my little girl, and she was have a grand time dancing. I'm not going to lie: it was incredibly hilarious and hideous at the same time. As a 17-month-old, I'm not sure she'd win any dancing competitions, but she gave it her all. The ... [Continue Reading]
Building Bridges (Acts 17-18:18)
Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god.” (Acts 17:22-23a) How far would you go to help a person understand issues of faith? I've heard it said by ... [Continue Reading]
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