Tag Archives: church

Day 252: The Love Chapter

Isaiah 59-61; 1 Corinthians 13

Today we get to the famous “Love Chapter.” 1 Corinthians 13 has to be one of the best-known passages from all of Scripture, but it’s important to remember its context…

Paul has been addressing specific issues within the Corinthian church. There have been cases of division, taking fellow Christians to court, incest, sexual immorality, divorce, idolatry and other temptations.

As he addresses these various issues, Paul repeats a well-known saying from the city of Corinth, “All things are lawful.” But Paul adds the phrase, “but not all things are helpful.” Throughout his letter, Paul has pointed back to Christ’s sacrificial example and has exhorted the church to consider three things in every action and decision:

  1. First, consider others before yourself,
  2. Secondly, do nothing that will taint the message of the gospel,
  3. And finally, do everything to the glory of God.

I believe all of the issues within this church were rooted in pride and self-centeredness. Sure, they could prophesy and have amazing faith – but if their actions weren’t done in love, it was like a clanging cymbal…

It is within this context that Paul delivers his famous treatise on love.

  • Love is patient (so don’t take your brother to court, 1 Cor. 6)
  • Love is kind (so consider those who are weaker in faith, 1 Cor. 8)
  • Love does not envy or boast (so quit fighting amongst yourselves, 1 Cor. 3)
  • It is not arrogant or rude (so show respect to your spouse, 1 Cor. 11)
  • It is not irritable or resentful (so consider everyone as a vital member of Christ’s body, 1 Cor. 12)
  • It does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth (so don’t turn the Lord’s supper into a drunken, gluttonous feast, 1 Cor. 11)

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Paul is calling believers to interact with one another in a way that mirrors Christ’s love toward us!!

Hear the words of Isaiah describing the deep, all-consuming love of our Messiah toward us…

The Spirit of God, the Master, is on me
because God anointed me.
He sent me to preach good news to the poor,
heal the heartbroken,
Announce freedom to all captives,
pardon all prisoners.
God sent me to announce the year of his grace—
a celebration of God’s destruction of our enemies—
and to comfort all who mourn,
To care for the needs of all who mourn in Zion,
give them bouquets of roses instead of ashes,
Messages of joy instead of news of doom,
a praising heart instead of a languid spirit.
Rename them “Oaks of Righteousness”
planted by God to display his glory (Isaiah 61:1-7, The Message).

May his perfect love take hold and send roots deep into our hearts so that we might reflect His love to our neighbors, our church and to our world!

Day 251: A vital part

Isaiah 56-58; 1 Corinthians 12

Isaiah 56 opens the third and final section of Isaiah which is a guide for all of God’s people in all ages. In other words, these chapters of Isaiah are meant for us.

Isaiah begins by widening the definition of God’s people to include anyone from any nation that binds himself to God’s covenant (56:1-8). Then he describes the type of people who have no place in God’s Kingdom… the idolaters, complacent leaders, deserters and mockers (56:9-57:13). But God provides a way for even these types of people to enter His Kingdom… through repentance.

And it shall be said,
“Build up, build up, prepare the way,
remove every obstruction from my people’s way.”
For thus says the One who is high and lifted up,
who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:
“I dwell in the high and holy place,
and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit,
to revive the spirit of the lowly,
and to revive the heart of the contrite (Isaiah 57:14-15).

This is the way of the Kingdom…through humility and a contrite spirit. And we see this demonstrated beautifully in 1 Corinthians 12 as Paul constructs the metaphor of the church being the “body of Christ.” Each member of the church has an individual and vital role in the church’s purpose and work in the world.

If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing?
The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable.
If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. (1 Corinthians 12:17, 21-22, 26)

This concept of “church” is based on laying aside our individualism and working collectively for the glory of God. This requires sacrifice. This requires a humble and contrite spirit!

Isaiah 58 is a glorious example of how the church should operate in the world – working together to seek justice for the oppressed, not justifying itself with empty rituals and puffed up religious duty.

Do you consider yourself a vital part of your church body? Have you ever considered the hole that would be created if you failed to serve or left the church altogether? Even though our culture screams “Individualism” to us constantly, the Bible teaches otherwise. We are members of His body. Our greatest impact in this world is done in the context of being a vital part  – not the whole, and not alone – but a part of the church. What part are you?

Day 250: Words of life

Isaiah 54-55; 1 Corinthians 11

The first half of 1 Corinthians 11 seems dated and irrelevant. What’s all this talk about women covering their heads? What in the world does this mean, and is it really important?

Once again, Paul is addressing a specific issue in the Corinthian church and we must look through the details to find the applicable principle.

In Paul’s day, it was only a married woman who wore head coverings. So this passage is specifically referencing the relationship between husbands and wives – not between men and women in general. If a married woman worshiped with her head uncovered, this would bring great shame to her husband – as if to say she were “sexually available” or not married at all.

Evidently, this was an issue in the Corinthian church, so Paul exhorts the congregation to act in a way that would bring glory to God. In other words, do not let external acts of disrespect distract others from the gospel.

Similarly, Paul instructs the church in the proper way to celebrate The Lord’s Supper (11:20-34). It wasn’t to be a glutenous feast with people gorging themselves with food and wine. No! It was an act of worship – a time where the congregation was supposed to lay aside their own desires for the sake of others and for Christ.

Their corporate worship was a witness to the world! What did their community communicate about Jesus when they came together to worship? Did they send a message of disrespect and lust for selfish desires – or did they consider the needs of others before themselves?

The Corinthian Church struggled with the same temptations we face… selfishness, individualism, rebellious attitudes, conformity to the culture, lust, greed, should I go on?? ;)

When my sin threatens to overwhelm me, I look to the grace and kindness of my God.

Today’s reading from Isaiah is spilling over with God’s goodness and grace! Savor the words from Isaiah 54-55. Let them sink deep into your soul and breathe life into your dry bones. These are the words of your Lord. These are the words of life!

Seek God while he’s here to be found,
pray to him while he’s close at hand.
Let the wicked abandon their way of life
and the evil their way of thinking.
Let them come back to God, who is merciful,
come back to our God, who is lavish with forgiveness. (Isaiah 55:6-7, The Message).

Day 241: Our Helper

Isaiah 30-32; 1 Corinthians 5

Today, Paul addresses a specific sin in the Corinthian church… incest. Lovely.

The problem was… this person’s sin was damaging the church’s witness in Corinth, so for the sake of the gospel, Paul directed the church to “remove him from among you” (vs. 2). But this instruction was not given solely for the good of the church, but also for the good of the sinner. For it was Paul’s hope that the severe discipline would result in a change of heart. So the church was not to excommunicate the member in harsh judgment – but rather in mercy… “so his spirit could be saved in the day of the Lord” (vs. 5).

Many times, I have misunderstood God’s judgment for being unloving. God’s character is unchangeable. He is not only loving – He is love. It is impossible for him to act in a way that is unloving.

Consider today’s reading from Isaiah. These chapters were written less than a year before Sennacherib’s invasion of Judah. Isaiah 30 denounces Israel for looking to Egypt to save them from the mighty Assyrian army. Ironically, Israel made this same mistake years earlier… They looked to Assyria to defend them from other foreign invaders – and now they are being threatened by the same country they trusted in for help years earlier.

At the heart of Judah’s sin was unbelief. Their unbelief in the God of Israel led to impatience. They could not wait on the Lord’s salvation…

For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel,
“In returning and rest you shall be saved;
in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.”
But you were unwilling… (Isaiah 30:15-16)

Isaiah reveals Israel’s true “Helper” in 31:4-5. With the fierceness of a lion and the gentleness of a bird hovering over its nest, He will guard his people.

…the Lord of hosts
will protect Jerusalem;
he will protect and deliver it;
he will spare and rescue it (Isaiah 31:5).

Despite their unbelief, God showed grace to Jerusalem.

And then Isaiah looks farther in history – to the Messiah – where in the beginning of Chapter 32, he describes life under the Messiah’s rule. It will be like “a shelter from the storm” and like “streams of water in a dry place.”

This is the love of the Lord…offering mercy to the sinner, extending grace to an unbelieving people, not only to the people in Isaiah’s day but ultimately to all nations through the life and death of Jesus, the Messiah and Son of God! He is our Help – Let us wait, trust and rest in His salvation!

Day 201: The Lord is Here

Ezekiel 47-48; Acts 18

Today, we come to the end of Ezekiel’s vision of a rebuilt and restored temple – and also to the end of the book!

We read of waters that trickle from the inner sanctuary and flow out of the temple forming a river with extraordinary life-giving properties. The vision continues with an idealized allotting of land to the 12 tribes – including land for the Prince, Levites and common ground for food to be harvested for the workers of the city.

The vision ends with the gates of the city described… One gate for each son of Jacob. It points forward to the imagery used to describe the new Jerusalem in Revelation 21:12-14.

In a most striking ending, Ezekiel reveals the name of this city – located just south of the rebuilt temple… Its name is “The Lord is There.” This name summarizes the entire emphasis of Ezekiel… The first half of the book described Judah’s gross sin which led to God leaving the temple and his people. The second half is filled with promises of restoration culminating in this final temple vision describing how God’s glory will return to the rebuilt temple.

This is all wonderful, but it hasn’t happened yet! We know and trust that God will dwell with His people forever in the new Jerusalem. But what about now? Where is God now?

Well… we see evidence of His sovereignty and Presence in today’s reading from Acts…

From leading Paul to stay in Corinth – to multiplying Paul’s ministry into Priscilla and Aquila – who then teach and train the effective minister, Apollos… God’s Spirit is at work. God is at work leading and building, equipping and empowering. The Corinthian and Ephesian churches experienced the power of His presence. His Spirit lived in them, and His Spirit lives in us.

Where is He now? The Lord is here!

Day 199: God’s glory descends

Ezekiel 43-44; Acts 17:1-15

Ezekiel’s first temple vision – before Solomon’s temple was destroyed – ended with God’s glory leaving the temple through the East gate (Ezekiel 11:22-23). In Ezekiel’s second temple vision, we read of God’s glory returning to a rebuilt temple through the East gate (Ezekiel 43:1-5).

No matter to what interpretation you ascribe, whether you believe this future temple will be re-built physically or whether this temple is symbolic of God’s relationship with His people in some future age… The return of God’s glory to dwell among His people is the most important aspect of Ezekiel’s vision!!

Yes, Ezekiel goes into great detail to describe the sacrifices and duties of the priests. It all harkens back to the giving of the Mosaic law in Exodus and Leviticus. These are all important reminders of God’s holiness and our need for a sacrificial Savior… But the returning of the Glory of God is the climax!

In the Old Testament, the temple was the dwelling place of God’s glory. We see this in Exodus as God’s glory descended upon the tabernacle (Ex 40:34-35) – and in 1 Kings as God’s glory descended upon Solomon’s temple (1 Kings 8:10-11). But in the New Testament, God’s presence dwells among his people in the context of the church.

As Paul and his companions were traveling through Macedonia, they weren’t just creating individuals who believed in Jesus… No, they were creating communities, congregations… they were planting churches. In Acts 17, Paul visited Thessalonica and Berea, but when he left those places, he left behind groups of people who would meet together to worship Jesus as God. He left behind churches.

Paul makes it clear that because of Jesus’s final sacrifice, the temple has been replaced by the church as the worship center for the believer.

Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple (1 Corinthians 3:16-17).

The “you” in these verses is plural. Paul is talking to a collective “you.” He is talking to the church. 

In the past, God’s glory descended upon the Holy of Holies in the innermost chamber of his temple. In the future new Jerusalem, there will be no need for a temple, “for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb” (Revelation 21:22). But right now, in this present age… the temple is us, the church. And God’s glory has descended, and God’s glory dwells among us! That, friends, is something to celebrate!

Day 195: A steady gospel

Ezekiel 36:16-37:28; Acts 15:1-21

How fitting that these two passages should be read together.

God promises to give his people a new heart and a new spirit in Ezekiel 36:26-27. And then God explains how he will do this through one of the more well-known visions of Ezekiel…He will breathe new life into their dry bones. He does this both emotionally and spiritually – he gives them hope and he gives them life.

Ezekiel 37:14 makes it clear that the source of this new life is from the Spirit – which is exactly what Peter tells the elders in Jerusalem concerning the inclusion of uncircumcised Gentiles into the church (Acts 15:8)! And then Peter hands out the Truth with laser-like precision…

Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the [Gentile] disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will (Acts 15:10).

Peter understood that anyone who is saved – is saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus. No one in the Old Testament was saved through observing the Mosaic law. They were saved by grace through their faith in God. Ezekiel teaches this same truth in today’s reading…

But I will save them from all the backslidings in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God (Ezekiel 37:23).

Who does the cleansing? Can we cleanse ourselves? Can circumcision, rituals, or good works cleanse our wretched hearts? Of course not! God is the only one powerful enough to do this. And he does it because of his grace.

Isn’t it amazing to see the same gospel revealed through both Ezekiel and Peter?! Hundreds of years separated the two men – yet they were united by one message and one God!

Day 194: The new outweighs the old

Ezekiel 35:1 – 36:15; Acts 14

The mountains and land of Israel were judged back in Ezekiel 6 & 7. The people’s great sins brought judgment even on the precious promised land of God. In today’s reading, we find the restoration of the mountains and land of Israel in Ezekiel 36.

Ezekiel uses the technique of contrast to highlight the messages of restoration and hope. First, there is the obvious contrast between the judgment of the land in Chapters 6 & 7 with this message of restoration in Chapter 36. But Ezekiel also contrasts the mountains of Israel with Mount Seir in Edom. He introduces his message of restoration with a harsh judgment oracle found in Chapter 35.

The effect is striking. God will restore the mountains and the land in such a way that they will be better than their old counterparts. The new outweighs the old. This is the way of God!

This judgment of the land is not only symbolic. It emphasizes the importance of the land as one of the past blessings promised to Abraham and points forward to the total restoration of the land in the new earth. We will be blessed greatly by this restoration. This is something to look forward to!

In Acts 14, we read of the final travels of Paul’s first missionary journey. There are so many details in this chapter… Healings, stonings, sermons to Gentiles and sermons to Jews. But most importantly, we are reading of the beginnings of the church!

Because we live in the church age – the age between the two comings of Christ, we have experienced a foretaste of the restoration promised in these later chapters of Ezekiel. Jesus’ death and resurrection enable the restoration to begin… in the context of the church – as we experience God’s presence and grace in community with other believers. But we look forward to the day – when all things will be made new

And we can be sure that the new will outweigh the old. For this is the way of God!

Day 185: To the ends of the earth!

Ezekiel 12-14; Acts 8

Today we see the immediate results of the stoning of Stephen. Persecution increased against the new Christians, and they “scattered.”

How wonderful!! What was intended to hurt the church, God used to grow it! We read as Philip brings the gospel to Samaria. The coming of the Spirit by Peter and John’s command served to legitimize the new believers in Samaria. Even non-Jews could receive the Holy Spirit!

And then we see Philip, by the power of the Spirit, sharing the gospel with an Ethiopian! Can’t you see what’s happening!!?? The gospel is spreading to the far corners of the world! Why? Because persecution caused the church to scatter. I love it when God outsmarts the enemy!

It’s hard to transition from the exciting beginnings of the church to Ezekiel’s judgment oracles over apostate Israel…. So, we’ll discuss Ezekiel more thoroughly tomorrow :)

Day 183: Death turned upside-down

Ezekiel 6-7; Acts 7:44-60

I am attending a funeral today. It’s my second one in a month. Death. I really hate death.

We were created to never have to endure death. We were supposed to live in the Garden, in perfect communion with God and each other. Death was unthought of back then, but sin changed all that.

Today we read of the church’s first martyr. Stephen died with the vision of Jesus standing at the right hand of God. It’s the only place in the New Testament where Jesus is described as “standing” instead of sitting at God’s right hand.

Death is a strange thing. On one hand, it is odious – something that was never supposed to be. But on the other hand, God turns it upside down and somehow uses it for good. Stephen’s death was a catalyst for church growth. Death impassions people. God has consistently used persecution and death as a means to grow his church.

Recently, I was reading a Romanian pastor’s doctoral thesis on suffering, martyrdom and the rewards of heaven… He argues that suffering on earth advances the Kingdom of Heaven – the prime example being Jesus, Himself. If we are called to suffer and/or die for the Kingdom, it is a great Eternal victory!

And I think there lies the key. Eternal. An Eternal perspective changes everything.

Sometimes when I read passages of judgment like the ones we find in today’s reading from Ezekiel, I become indignant. “Why did the children have to suffer and die right along with their apostate parents?” And then I might go even further and question God’s goodness that He might bring about suffering AT ALL!!

But when I entertain those types of thoughts, I know I’ve lost my eternal perspective.

Wouldn’t I choose to suffer for a little while on earth and gain eternal bliss – rather than have earthly bliss and suffer an eternity of torment???

For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 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 (2 Corinthians 4:17).

Our dot of an existence on this earth must be invested wisely for the sake of our eternities. If that means we must suffer to bring about repentance and a character that is more like Christ’s – well so be it! I don’t think Stephen, who is alive with Christ in heaven, regrets his choice to suffer for the sake of the Truth. Do you?