DAY 68: Sin is Monstrous

Read: I Corinthians 5:1-13

Think: There is no “let up” with Paul in this letter. He is going after the sin in the church of Corinth with the strongest words he can use to get their attention. One translation of I Corinthians 5:1 reads, “It is actually reported among you, an unchastity so monstrous that it does not even exist among heathen…” Besides being shocked that one of their members is involved in sexual sin, he also reminds them, “Don’t you realize that this sin is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough?. . . When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin. But I wasn’t talking about unbelievers. . . I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claimed to be a believer, yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people.” How much (or little) has the churched changed in 2000 years? Not too much. Paul says very clearly and very boldly what the church needed then—and now—to hear. One version says, “Do you not know that a little evil influence can corrupt a whole society?”

Act:  As someone who speaks to students and adults in the church about sex, culture, and its influence on our students, I know how difficult it is to speak frankly and honestly about these “hot” topics. But like Paul, because I am an ambassador of the Lord Jesus Christ, I can’t be silent. And though I’ve certainly worked hard to find constructive ways to communicate biblical principles, I’ve never shied away from warning students of the consequences of sexual sin. In today’s culture, you can’t minimize the voice you have as Christian adult, parent, or community leader to positively influence this young generation. And because social media and every facet of the entertainment industry gives them a completely different message than what the Bible gives, you are on the front lines to preach, teach and speak the truth in love. Don’t be shy. You don’t have to say “sexual sin is monstrous,” but if you know a believer who is trapped in sexual sin, please help them confess it, experience forgiveness and healing, and get the necessary long-term help to break free from it.

Pray: Dear Jesus, help me to be an advocate for this young generation. Give me a deeper passion to change the culture for them, to support them in their struggles, pray for their safety, and become a spiritual parent to those in my church who need someone to keep them accountable. I love You, Lord. Amen.

Be full of faith today!

DAY 67: Treated like garbage!

Read: I Corinthians 4:1-21

Think: In today’s reading, Paul’s words to the church in Corinth are incredibly blunt! First, he states that he doesn’t care how others evaluate him because the Lord will be the one to examine him! Then he warns them against judging others because the Lord will eventually bring our private motives and darkest secrets into the light. Next he reminds them not to be proud of one leader at the expense of another. Finally, he defends the role of an apostle saying, “…Our dedication to Christ makes us look like fools, but you claim to be so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are so powerful! You are honored, but we are ridiculed.” As if that wasn’t enough, he blurts out how he feels the apostles have been cursed and even abused, concluding, “Yet we are treated like the world’s garbage, like everybody’s trash—right up to the present moment.” Can you even imagine one of the greatest evangelists of the early church feeling as if he was treated like garbage!? Wow!

Act:  The first four chapters of I Corinthians have quite a different tone than Acts and Romans. We went from the Holy Spirit in Action to the Gospel in Action with the expectation that these two great “agents” of God would send the Church into Action with  a great send-off! Not so much, huh? In the beginning of this letter, Paul not only deals with specific and troubling issues within the church, but he is honest about how he feels like a weary, under-appreciated father. The best thing we can do at this juncture in our reading is to empathize with Paul! When is a time that you felt under-appreciated, weary, or foolish for helping another? Now imagine that feeling occurring within a church—a place that is intended to be the safest place on earth! A famous pastor recently said, “I quit every Monday because I feel so bad after preaching on Sunday!” Working in a church is not (and has never been) easy! Today, identify and encourage one church staff person or volunteer who has sacrificially given his or her time to you or your family by mentoring, praying, teaching, listening, setting up or tearing down. (I can assure you that you can never give enough encouragement to a church worker!)

Pray: Jesus, thank you for the teachers, leaders, pray-ers, facilitators, volunteers, and listeners at my church. Show me specific ways in which I can be a grateful, thankful, and an appreciative member of my church. I love You, Lord. Amen.

Be full of faith today!

DAY 66: Laying a Foundation

Read: I Corinthians 3:5-23

Think: In I Corinthians 3, Paul shares that whenever he takes the Gospel message to a region, he lays a foundation—which is Jesus Christ—and then others build upon it. As so often is the case, Paul’s next comments include warnings to the readers: (1) Make sure you build upon the foundation with valuable materials (gold, silver, etc.) so that your work will last, (2) Don’t use worldly wisdom to build your church, and (3) Holiness must be your standard. William Barclay’s commentary on the Corinthian letters suggests, “As soon as bitterness enters a church, love goes from it. The truth can neither be spoken or heard rightly in that atmosphere. The very badge of the Church is love for the community. Anyone who destroys that love destroys the Church and therefore destroys the Temple of God.” 

Act:  For any church, Paul’s letter to the Corinthians serves both as an instruction booklet and a warning letter! His advice, over the centuries, remains relevant because it keeps the “main thing” the main thing! What is the foundation of the church? Jesus. How is the church to act toward others? Love. How are the church members to live among the world? Holy. Today, ask yourself how you are building on the foundation of Jesus Christ in your life, home, church, and community? Do you lift the name of Jesus higher than any other name? Do you love sacrificially? Do you live a holy (set apart to God) life when no one is looking? Today, (1) take some time to thank Jesus for all He means to you, (2) show love to someone who may think differently than you, and (3) ask the Lord to show you any area of your life that He would like to correct. 

Pray: Jesus, I love You! I want to be a part of building a strong church in my community. I want to love others to You. I want others to see You in me! Show me how I can serve You right where I live and work. Use me, Lord. Amen.

Be full of faith today!

DAY 65: Are you Spiritually Mature?

Read: I Corinthians 2:6-3:4

Think: Paul is speaking to a church that is struggling with spiritual maturity. In I Corinthians 3:1-3 Paul challenges the spiritually immature saying, “I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in the Christian life. I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren't ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready, for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world?” The church was already beginning to divide over whom they would follow; they were boasting that some leaders were more spiritual than others. Paul addresses this as immaturity. Then, with a simple definition, he defines the spiritually mature as those who “have the mind of Christ.”

Act:  As you read these verses, how do you evaluate yourself? Would you consider yourself spiritually mature or immature? Are you tempted to take your eyes off of Christ and put them onto people? Does a spirit of pride tempt you to think you have a “corner” on spirituality? Do you have the mind of Christ when it comes to these matters? Would others observe you as humble, not choosing sides or being divisive?  Today, ask God to reveal any area of your life that is spiritually immature, lazy, or worldly. Agree with Him. Then discuss a plan with Him in which you will actively pursue spiritual maturity (ex: building up one another, speaking positively about the church-at-large, remaining humble, serving others out of love). 

Pray: Lord, I want to grow in spiritual maturity. I want to be a humble person, not a negative or prideful Christian. I want to see the best in all leaders, never dividing the body of Christ. Help me be a servant to those around me, finding my place in the community and the church. Help me to humbly be Christ’s hands and feet, meeting practical needs, keeping Jesus—not man—as my focus, keeping love as my goal! I love You, Lord! Amen.

Be full of faith today!

DAY 64: Forget everything except…

Read: I Corinthians 1:18-2:5

Think: In I Corinthians 2:2 Paul says, “For I decided that while I was with you, I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified.”  Paul’s message to the Corinthians—before he addresses their spiritual immaturity—is to remind them that the main message of Christianity is Jesus Christ and Him crucified (even though he admits that the cross is both foolish and offensive to Jews and the Greeks alike)! There is so much theology packed into these verses, yet Paul is not attempting to persuade people because of his “lofty words and impressive wisdom.” Instead, he suggests that “if you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.”

Act:  Many people are afraid to share their faith, often because they don’t have all the answers. In the first two chapters of I Corinthians, Paul suggests that wisdom, intelligence and knowledge can actually get in the way of faith! He—the great evangelist and orator—preferred to use plain words, rather than clever and persuasive speeches, relying on the Holy Spirit’s power and God’s wisdom! How comforting! I recall speaking at a juvenile detention center and thinking, “How am I ever going to reach these kids—I don’t have their background, I’ve never been to jail, and I am so much older?” I trembled and prayed a simple prayer and asked God to speak through me—and He did! He gave me my opening lines: “You may have gone to bed last night blaming God for your problems. But God is not your problem. He is your answer.” It was that simple. More importantly, it was all they needed to hear. Today, determine to share the name, person and power of Jesus Christ—and Him crucified—with someone who is looking for a solution to their problems. 

Pray: Jesus, help me to remember that talking about my faith is simply telling others what You did when You died on the cross: You forgave my sins—past, present, and future. You gave me the power of Your Holy Spirit to live an abundant life on earth. And You gave me the free, undeserved gift of eternal life. Thank You, Jesus. I love You! Amen.

Be full of faith today!

DAY 63: The Church in Action

Read: I Corinthians 1:1-17

Think: Paul opens his first letter to the Corinthian church with a very clear statement: “…to you who have been called by God to be His own holy people. He made you holy by means of Christ Jesus…” After that short greeting, Paul wastes no time and quickly makes an appeal to the church: “…live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.” Doing and being “the church” has (apparently) always been difficult. Different personalities, different spiritual gifts, and different backgrounds exist within every church, therefore Paul’s appeal to the brothers and sisters in Corinth continues to speak to every church in every century! To be an effective “agent of change” within a community, church members must be united in following Christ (not people or factions).

Act: As we will discover over the next six weeks, the Corinthian church is a typical church! Therefore, Paul is laying a foundation for the church (past and present), reminding us all that we are not our own! Instead, the church is Christ’s body on earth called to (1) live in unity and harmony, (2) tell His story, and (3) bring Him glory. Take an inventory of your church-going experience. Perhaps you have encountered something similar to the Corinthian church? Today, allow Paul’s words to give you a renewed and biblical perspective on how the church, at its best, is to act! 

Pray: Dear Lord, I see how important both unity and harmony are to the success of our church. Show me if there is any divisiveness in me. Remind me daily to surrender my life, my desires, and my will to You.  Bless our church, Lord. Help us to be united in thought and purpose. I love You, Jesus. Amen.

Be full of faith today!

DAY 62: The Gospel in Action

Read: Romans 16:10-27

Think: As the book of Romans comes to a close, Paul closes with a doxology. Romans 16: 25-27, “Now all glory to God, who is able to make you strong, just as my Good News says. This message about Jesus Christ has revealed his plan for you Gentiles, a plan kept secret from the beginning of time. But now as the prophets foretold and as the eternal God has commanded, this message is made known to all Gentiles everywhere, so that they too might believe and obey him. All glory to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, forever. Amen.”

The Gospel has been set in motion to change the world! William Barclay, theologian, comments that Paul’s last words in Romans serve as a “summary of the Gospel that Paul preached and loved.” He suggests that the Gospel (1) makes men and women able to stand firm because it is the power to save, (2) is uniquely transmitted by people who themselves have been captured by the love of Jesus Christ, (3) is the fulfillment of history in which “eternity invaded time,” (4) is for all people—Jews, Gentiles, men and women, slave and free, and (5) ultimately requires the willingly surrender of ones life in obedience to the God who is the Lord and King of the world.

Act:  For the past three weeks, we have immersed ourselves in the book of Romans. Each of us have had the opportunity to hear Paul preach to us about the essence of faith, the shared experience of our faith, and the effort that faith in Jesus Christ requires. Paul has been persuasive to his Roman readers and to readers for centuries to come. He begs us to be “all in,” to live “sold out” lives, to reach the masses with the Good News, and to live holy lives. Today, write a closing doxology of your own (on a separate piece of paper or in your journal). Record it in ink and save it. Set a “ringer” to read it in a month or a year from now.

Pray: Dear Lord Jesus. I am forever grateful for the sacrifice You made for me—your life! I am determined to live for You, share You with those who need You, and to honor and serve You all the days of my life. I love you, Lord.  Amen.

Be full of faith today!