Thursday
Read: 1 Corinthians 1
The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. (vs 18)
Well, how exciting for us… we are starting a new book of the bible… Actually it is a letter written by the Apostle Paul to the good people of Corinth, whom Paul had come to know during his time when he stayed there in the house of Aquila and Priscilla.
Paul wrote this letter while staying in Ephesus (1 Cor 16:8) and he is writing in response to some problems that were brought to his attention. (Knowledge of these problems came to him by “some members from Chloe’s household” (vs 11) He also is writing to tell of his plans to visit them.
Corinth was a place that had a “do you own thing” culture, where individualism was admired and conformity was looked down upon. (Sounds kind of familiar doesn’t it?)
What happened was that they started following one leader over another and causing divisions in the church.
When the church starts dividing against itself… well, all sorts of problems begin to surface. “A kingdom divided by civil war will collapse. Similarly, a family splintered by feuding will fall apart.” Mark 3:25-26. What happens is that people start to undermine what someone else is doing and it slowly chips away any of the good work that is being done. Look at our country, for example, we are so divided in government that nothing good ever gets accomplished. One side thinks they are right and their way is the only way. What follows is civil war. What Paul is telling them, that they need to focus on only one person, and that person is Jesus Christ. Don’t let petty quarrels and minor issues divide you. Don’t say you follow one pastor and put all your faith in that person. And pastors, don’t encourage people to follow you… be sure to put the focus back on God. Work together for the good of those around you. Remember a strand of three is not easily broken. (Eccl 4:12) Look for the things you can agree on and build one another up, don’t tear each other down.
Paul calls them (and us) to look only to the message of the cross, for it is very powerful. Those who get it, get it… those who don’t, think it’s foolish. But you see, without the Holy Spirit in your life, the scriptures don’t make much sense, it is only after you give yourself over to His power and the more you study and learn and read and pray… the more it all makes sense.
Paul compares the wisdom of the world with the wisdom of God. The world would boast about their knowledge, but God’s wisdom is spoken in plain, down-to-earth language. The world’s wisdom is spoke by philosophers, and scholars, where God’s wisdom is held by low-born, uneducated people. The world seeks to understand things logically; God’s people just believe. The world’s logic will always miss the truth, where God’s wisdom is complete truth. The world’s logic will end with no point, useless; but God’s wisdom will end in the transformation of life by the saving power of God’s grace.
I’ve heard different atheist try to find discrepancies in the Bible, simple because they just don’t get it. And why don’t they “get it”? Because they refuse to allow the Holy Spirit into their lives. God’s wisdom is perfect – there are no discrepancies in the way God works. On the other hand, mankind continues to act foolishly. Why when God offers such a great gift to us, eternal life… He did all the work and paid the price for us and offers this gift to us. All we need to do is accept it. That’s it. And when you do, there is such an overwhelming sense of peace that accompanies it. There will be struggles, but knowing that the Lord has your best interest and that this life is only temporary what really matters is the eternal.
Grace and Peace
Pastor Kathy