Tag: church body

A Different Approach to Judging

1 Corinthians 5-8

Hello friends! 

What a year we have had… and that’s about all I am going to say on that 😊

Diving into the chapters for today I am reminded how many good bits Paul has in these letters!  Sometimes I envision Paul as a public speaker just because his words can pack such an impactful punch that makes me stop and go, “Woah.”

In all the great one-liners throughout these chapters I was made aware of one theme that Paul was trying to get the church in Corinth to understand.  Ultimately, Paul was trying to get the church to look at themselves introspectively and fix their body of believers.  1 Corinthians 5:12 sums his idea up nicely as he writes “For what business is it of mine to judge outsiders?  Don’t you judge those who are inside?” 

Here Paul is basically calling this church out for being self-righteous.  He explains to them the difference in expectations for those who are called believers and those who are not (1 Corinthians 5:11; 7:15).  Paul is not saying anything in these few chapters about how the church should be bringing outsiders to truth or spreading the Gospel (but don’t worry, that Good News message is coming later) because he knows that they will be ineffective in that area until they can rebuild and refocus their own body of believers. 

When I look at our global Church today, I think we need to take this same introspective approach before we can be as effective in spreading the Word.  While every individual church looks different, globally the Church has been struggling to balance the extremes of our world.  Some churches are hateful and judgmental to those unlike them, while others celebrate and condone individual choices that directly go against what the Bible says is righteous.  Both kinds of churches are ignoring the message from this particular passage; Show respect and love to all while keeping believers on the path of righteousness.  It is as simple, and as complex, as that. 

When you look at your own church, or even your own family, where do you see room for improvement within this message?  Our world is hurting right now, and clearly in need of grace, hope, and redemption that Jesus offers.  Are you in a position to show this same grace, hope, and message of redemption to outsiders?  If you are, are you acting on that?  And if not, what needs to happen for you to get to this place? I encourage you to take time today to consider where you stand on this area and ask God to show you where He wants you to be instead.  I know for myself I always have room to grow.

I look forward to journeying through these letters with you over this next week!  I am always struck by how much God can speak through these devotions, and I hope you are too.

-Sarah (Blanchard) Johnson

Today’s Bible reading passage can be read or listened to at BibleGateway here – 1 Corinthians 5-8.

Tomorrow we continue with chapters 9-11.

2020 Chronological Bible Reading PlanDownload

Live Together in Unity

Psalm 133

Psalm 133 1 NIV

Live together in unity.  It’s sweet.

I don’t know exactly how it is that we have such a short Bible reading today – but how timely.  It won’t take you long to read the 3 verses.  And I won’t take too much of your time telling you how important it is or how to do it or how not to do it.  Instead, I challenge you – take the time today to DO it!  Live together in unity with God’s people.

So many of our homes are finding they are doing a lot more “living together” than normal with the consequences of Covid-19 policies.  Remember those in your home are God’s people and we are called to live together in unity.  How will you strive today to do your living together in unity?    Seek God together.  Compliment.  Communicate.  Celebrate together.  Listen.  Apologize.  Work together.  Ask good questions.  Extend grace.  Exercise together.  Accept differences.  Share burdens.  Laugh.  Sing together.  Plan together.  Serve together.  Create together.  Pray together.  Love.

Make sure you do much more than watch the screen together.  Or complain together.  Or criticize together.

You are not STUCK at home!  You have this beautiful opportunity to work more and more at living together in unity with the people of God you get to call family.

Also, remember the rest of God’s people that we can’t physically be with at this time.  How will we live together in unity with our brothers and sisters in Christ when we can’t be together?  Check in with your church family.  Find creative ways to worship and fellowship and serve together from a distance or virtually.

How will you show the world the beauty of the unity of God’s people? Pray to see the needs and act together in God’s love for the lonely, the stressed, the over-worked, the unemployed, the nursing homes, the children, the starving, the lost.

Live together in unity with God’s people.  No one said it would be easy.   It takes desire, time, commitment, patience and sacrifice to overcome the many challenges to unity.  But keep at it, remembering, the rewards are great.  “For there the Lord rewards his blessing, even life forevermore.”  (Psalm 133:3)

Marcia Railton

Today’s short Bible reading can be read or listened to at https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+133&version=NIV

Tomorrow’s reading will be Psalm 106-107 as we continue on the 2020 Chronological Bible Reading Plan

Serving – and Delegating

Acts 6

Acts 6 3 4

At first glance it appears that some of the old behaviors of the disciples are creeping back in. It almost sounds like they are saying “we are too good to serve tables.” But we see that is far from the truth. They are actually so busy serving that they are not keeping up with all of their other duties and people are going hungry!

They were actually listening when Jesus said things about the greatest being servants – maybe it kicked in the night before Jesus was sent to the cross, when Jesus got down and washed their feet. Either way, they finally understand the importance of service.

So in light of being overwhelmed with too much to do they take a page out of Jethro’s playbook. (Exodus 18) They realize more work could get done if they find qualified leaders to take over some of their duties. They find 7 people who can take care of serving the tables, which will allow the disciples to focus on their other responsibilities. Specifically, they could focus on their calling – “prayer and ministry of the word.”

While it frees up the disciples it also allows others in the church to be involved. It is important to get involved in your church – to share the load so it is not just a few people overburdened. We each have and bring different talents that make up the body.  The church is most effective when all of the body is working together.

Is your church missing it’s hands, feet, ears…etc. because you are not involved? Or is it possible you are too busy doing good things that you are missing out on what God has really called you to?

I challenge you to find your place in service.

 

-John Wincapaw

 

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