I Corinthians 2:1-11
If your church was in need of a new pastor, what would they look for? Many years ago, the church I was attending was looking for a new pastor. Various candidates came, and in addition to meeting with the board of elders, they preached the sermon on Sunday morning. Many churches want their preacher to be very intellectual, one who can preach a sermon filled with so many theological terms and phrases. Frequently churches want a pastor that will preach messages that make them feel good about themselves, that will boost their ego and self-esteem. Or they are looking for a pastor that will keep them entertained, like a television talk show host, with music comparable to a rock concert. In today’s passage the Apostle Paul shares with the Corinthian Church what he was like when he first came, and the types of messages he gave. Let’s take a look at our Scriptures for today, and see if our church would be happy with Paul.
The Apostle Paul was an extremely intelligent and well-educated man. He had been taught by Gamaliel, who was one of the greatest teachers of that era. Yet as Paul stated in verse 2, he wasn’t going to preach grandiose and intellectual sermons and teachings. That would only glorify himself and puff himself up. Paul presented the Gospel of salvation in plain and simple terms for all to understand. His messages focused solely on God, not on his own intellect.
What was the simple message that Paul brought? It was of salvation through the death, the shed blood of Jesus. He didn’t preach messages that tickled people’s fancy, that fanned their egos. He preached the simple message of the Gospel, that men were sinners and needed to turn to the Lord Jesus for salvation. That’s a message that doesn’t always please people, and wouldn’t impress a number of churches today. It didn’t impress a lot of people then. They wanted fancy, worldly wisdom.
The world does not understand God’s wisdom, and that Jesus, God’s Son, had to die in order to redeem sinners. God reveals that mystery to us when the Holy Spirit opens our spiritual eyes to understand. The simplicity of the Gospel confounds man’s wisdom, which wants something more complex. Many believe that salvation should be through the good works and deeds, or religious rituals we perform, and today many believe that one doesn’t even need salvation, that God doesn’t judge us. They want messages of love and great sounding sermons.
The power of the Gospel doesn’t come in our fancy rhetoric, but in the resurrection of Jesus, and His power to draw men to Himself (John 6:44; John 12:32). Paul did not want people to be impressed with his ability, but rather with God’s power (vs. 4-5). The Gospel message is full of the power of God. We should not fall for image-conscious leaders who wish to exalt themselves. Those with a servant's heart will exalt the Lord.
Paul’s enemies spread the word around that he was a weak man, that he was not a strong preacher, nor with an impressive resume. When he first arrived in Corinth, Paul had recently been beaten and imprisoned in Philippi, run out of Thessalonica and Berea, and then scoffed at in Athens. That, in many people’s eyes, was not an impressive preacher. Many churches today would not select for their pastor someone with these as his credentials. They didn’t want someone with a questionable background and simple, fundamental preaching. Yet this is the wisdom of God in a mystery (vs. 7). The “mystery” here is not something puzzling. In Scripture it means a truth known to God before time, that He has kept secret until the appropriate time for Him to reveal it.
Paul preached with God’s power, not man’s, and wanted his churches to rely on God’s power, not man’s wisdom (vs. 5). God’s power is available to us over every attack of the devil. Jesus defeated Satan and death with His resurrection, and then sent His Holy Spirit to us. The power of the Holy Spirit overcomes the work of the enemy (I John 4:4). Through Jesus Christ we have the power to invoke His Name and overcome evil. What are we looking for in our churches and preachers, man’s wisdom or God’s power?
Psalm 27
Everyone has some things they are afraid of in life. There are the phobias that some people have, like fear of heights, of spiders, or of crowds. Then there are the fears that people have of things that might happen in their life, like an illness, an accident, or financial loss. Children often have a fear of the dark. When we get older we aren’t afraid of the monster under the bed or in the bedroom closet anymore, but our fears often bring a sense of darkness in one’s life. David had fears in his life, yet he knew where to turn with those fears, as we read in our Psalm for this week.
Darkness is one fear that often stays with us as we grow older, though for different reasons from when we were children. Darkness can hide dangers that we don’t see. We can trip over things that we don’t see in the dark, and hurt ourselves. Darkness can hide criminals. We are well-advised to be careful in the dark, and use light when we can. King David knew the dangers of darkness, and he also knew where to look for help. He knew his help came from the Lord God (vs. 1).
Throughout the Bible, God is often pictured and portrayed as light, and sin and evil portrayed as darkness. Jesus is the Light of the world as we read in the Gospel of John (John 8:12; John 12:46). The Apostle John tells us that God is light, and that there is no darkness in Him (I John 1:5). The prophet Isaiah also told us that God is light (Isaiah 60:1, 19-20). God will bring light into our life, and bring deliverance from sin and freedom from our fears.
Sometimes people’s fears become so overwhelming that they cannot even function well. For several years David had to flee for his life from King Saul, and as king he had many enemies. He had reason to have fear, but he wasn’t going to give in to that. Instead, he was going to trust God, and we should follow his example. God doesn’t want us to live in fear. We can live in safety. We can have security knowing that He loves us and is for us (Romans 8:31). We don’t need to be afraid. When we have the Lord as our Savior, we can know that He will protect us from any circumstances.
David continues his psalm of faith and trust in Yahweh, and he shares a deep wish he had. When one is king, and naturally quite wealthy, they can have just about anything they want. If money was no object, what would you desire? In our passage today, David revealed the one thing that he desired from the Lord, and that was that he could dwell in God’s house forever (vs. 4). When he could have anything he wished for, David wished to be with God all the time. He loved God that much, that was his greatest wish. David didn’t want just an occasional visit. He wanted to live with God, in His house forever. Seeking God’s face (vs. 8-9) is the same as desiring to be with Him. As believers, we should desire times of fellowship with Him. God wants that from us, as well. Jesus tells us that to be able to dwell with God forever we must love Him and obey His Word (John 14:23).
As David concludes his psalm, he shares some instructions that we should surely follow. Sometimes situations can get so bad that we feel like giving up (vs. 13). Yet God’s help and deliverance is always there for us. He will defend us if we follow Him in obedience. David did not give in to despair. David knew that if he waited, he would see God’s goodness. Often, God makes us wait for an answer to our prayers (vs. 14). God is never in a hurry, but He’s never late. He is always in complete control, and is always fair. God always comes through for those who wait. Abraham and Sarah waited for the birth of Isaac. David waited to be crowned king. The apostles waited for the Holy Spirit. We are waiting for Jesus to return. God is never late, and He never forgets His promises.
Jesus defeated our two greatest enemies and fears, Satan and death, at the Cross. He is always with us (Matthew 28:20), and nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8:38-39). Hold firmly to God’s hand, and we will have no reason to fear. Let the light of Jesus illuminate our path.
Habakkuk 3:2, 17-19
Just about everyone has gone through some difficult times in their lives. Some people’s problems are more serious than others, but very few people have completely smooth sailing throughout their lives. What about when the worst possible things happen, when the bottom suddenly drops out in our life? When we look about and there is nothing, nobody, no support system? It is easy to sing praise when the bank account is full, the harvest is plentiful, and we’re blossoming in health. What about when life is the opposite? Can we sing God’s praises then? This is what Habakkuk, our prophet from today’s Scripture passage, faced, along with his countrymen. Let’s look at his words as he faced hopelessness and despair.
Habakkuk was a contemporary of the more well-known prophet Jeremiah, and they both preached to the southern Kingdom of Judah during the mid-600’s BC. God had revealed to His prophet the coming severe judgement of the nation and people of Judah at the hands of the Babylonians. The nation would be destroyed, many people would die, many others would be deported to a foreign country. There would be destruction, famine, and drought. A complete economic collapse, with no resources or help to turn to. Habakkuk knew that this was God’s just judgment on His people who had consistently, for hundreds of years, turned from following His ways, going their own way and worshipping false gods.
God had shown Habakkuk what would happen. He had heard God’s Words, and he was afraid (vs. 2). Who wouldn’t be? However, did Habakkuk give up all hope, curl up in a ball and hide? No. He prayed for God to show mercy. He knew that in this case God was judging the people for their sins. He accepted God’s will, and asked for His help and mercy. Habakkuk knew that even when God has to act in judgment upon us, judging our sins, He still shows mercy.
As we continue in our passage we come to a hymn of praise to God. Praise in the midst of devastation, in the midst of starvation and death. Habakkuk was going to praise God no matter what happened. Verse 17 describes a time of complete economic collapse. Crops have failed, the countryside has been destroyed with the coming enemy armies, the flocks and cattle killed and taken by the enemy. Yet Habakkuk continued to trust God’s wisdom and faithfulness, no matter what happened.
How about us? How do we react when we lose our job, the bank account is empty, and we have a family to feed and support? Maybe a fire, flood, or tornado has destroyed your property, perhaps you or a loved one has a chronic or incurable illness. Or maybe you come from a part of the world where war, famine, or drought has devastated the country. What do we do then, when God doesn’t respond the way we think? Do we shake our fist in anger at heaven, or turn our backs on God? Do we have confidence in Jesus no matter what is happening in our life? Habakkuk trusted God, even when the Babylonians were going to destroy everything, and all he had was gone. He would still trust God and depend upon His Word. Habakkuk knew that God was in control of whatever happened, and He could be completely trusted, even in the times of no food, starvation, and loss.
When our situation seems hopeless, we need to look past what we see to view the situation as God sees it. We need to have faith in God, and glorify Him. God allows disappointments so that we can learn to rely on Him more fully, walking by faith, not by sight. We should not let circumstances control us, and instead let Jesus control our life, knowing that God holds our future in His hands.
Habakkuk knew that God is in control of this world, and all that happens. We don’t see everything, but God does, and He will do what is right. If we trust in Him, He will give us sure-footed confidence through our difficulties, just like the deer upon the high hills (vs. 19). Trust in God, and He will give you songs in the night (Job 35:10).
Matthew 5:1-12
Today’s Gospel passage from this past week’s Lectionary Scripture readings comes from Matthew’s Gospel, and contains some very familiar verses that have come to be known as the Beatitudes. The Beatitudes were the opening message from a series of teachings that Jesus gave in His Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). The word “beatitude” comes from the Latin, meaning “blessed”. Nine times in our passage, Jesus calls those who hold certain virtues and behaviors in their life as being blessed. To be blessed is more than just being happy. It is the state of those who belong to God’s Kingdom. The Beatitudes do not promise pleasure, laughter or prosperity. To be blessed is more than surface emotion. It is a divinely-bestowed well-being that only God’s faithful can have. Following Jesus will bring hope and joy, apart from our outward circumstances. Let’s take a quick look at these virtues that the Lord spoke of, which should be evident in His children.
The first one is to be “poor in spirit” (vs. 3). One who is poor in spirit shows deep humility. It is the opposite of self-sufficiency, and knowing that apart from God one is spiritually bankrupt. It doesn’t mean that we have low self-esteem. It means we understand we’re sinners, in need of God’s grace and mercy. People who are poor in spirit know that without God they are lost and hopeless.
The second beatitude Jesus speaks of is that those who mourn will be comforted (vs. 4). He is speaking specifically for those who mourn over sin, showing a godly sorrow which will lead to repentance and salvation (II Corinthians 7:10). Jesus says that those who mourn over the wrong in the world and their own sinfulness will be comforted. The comfort we receive is with forgiveness and salvation. Next is that of meekness. Meekness is not weakness, but supreme self-control empowered by the Holy Spirit (vs. 5). The Scriptures, particularly in the Book of Proverbs, warn us to watch out that we do not lose our tempers or our self-control.
In verse 6 we read about those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. This is to desire and yearn for God. Those who genuinely seek God, and not their own desires, will find Him. They are not promoting their own self-righteousness, which is what the Pharisees showed. Our own righteousness will get us nowhere, and certainly cannot bring us into God’s Kingdom. Taking the righteousness of Jesus upon us, we can receive a right relationship with God.
We next read that we are blessed if we are merciful, and shall also obtain mercy (vs. 7). When God shows us mercy, He withholds giving us the punishment that our sins deserve. When we have received God’s mercy, He wants us to extend mercy to others. Those who give mercy will receive mercy, He says. How much mercy do I need? I need all that I can get. If I want mercy for myself, I need to give mercy to others. The amount of mercy I need is the amount of mercy I should show others.
Jesus says those that are pure in heart will see God (vs. 8). The purer our heart becomes, the more of God we’ll see, and the more of God others will see in us. To be pure we must set ourselves apart from the world and it’s ways. Next are the peacemakers who work to settle quarrels, not start them (vs. 9). They find no pleasure in being negative. Peacemakers build people up, watch their tongue, and heal rather than hurt.
The final beatitude speaks of those who are persecuted for the Lord (vs. 10-12). How can we rejoice in persecution? Persecution takes our eyes off of earthly rewards and strengthens the faith of those going through it. It also weeds out superficial “believers”. Those who endure persecution are examples to those who follow. Persecution can bring endurance, strengthen our character, build hope, and deepen our faith. Christian joy comes with a deep sense of peace and comfort in the midst of persecutions and trials.
Living the way God says, is in direct odds with the way the world says. When we follow God’s way, we give when the world says take. We help when the world abuses. A follower of Jesus will give up their “rights” and serve others. The Beatitudes are the values of the Kingdom of God, in contrast to the values of the world. They are not multiple choice. We cannot pick what we like and leave the rest. When we live according to Jesus’ ways, we will have the blessings He promised.
I Corinthians 1:18-31
Have you ever talked to someone, trying to tell them something important, and they looked at you like you had lost your mind? They responded like you were crazy, and a raving lunatic. Perhaps they put you down, spouting off with their supposed intellectual superiority. This often happens when Christians discuss salvation and the Bible with the lost, particularly if the person is more “intellectually minded”. The responses we get might cause us to hesitate in sharing the Gospel, for fear of being labeled a fool. In our Scripture passage today Paul addresses the topic of those who are wise in the eyes of the world, and who call the Gospel of Jesus Christ foolish. Let’s look and see who God thinks is truly wise and truly foolish.
When the intellectuals and worldly-wise hear the message of the Gospel, and that Jesus died upon the cross to save us, they scoff and reject that. They do not want a crucified Savior. If they want to believe in a God in this day and age, they want something that is inoffensive. One who shed His Blood to save man from their sins, doesn’t fit their ideas. The worldly-wise don’t like to hear about sin, and the need of a sacrifice for those sins. They feel that so much of the Bible is myth and fairy tales, and Christians who believe the Bible are weak-minded in their opinion. It is dangerous to trust in human intellect rather than trusting in God. Since we are not all-knowing or all-powerful, placing our confidence in man can lead to trouble. The message of the Cross is foolishness to the unsaved (vs. 18). It makes no sense to them because Satan has blinded their eyes to the truth.
Contrary to the words of intellectuals of this world, we have to come to God through only one way, and that is through the Cross of Jesus. All other ways lead to eternal destruction (Proverbs 16:25). We can spend our whole life gaining human wisdom and not accept Jesus as Savior. What good was all that knowledge? It did not gain us eternal life.
The Jewish people thought the Cross of Jesus was a stumbling block (vs. 22-24). They wanted a conquering Messiah/King, who would destroy their enemies and let them rule, not someone who would save them from their sins. The Greeks thought that a God who would die upon a cross for sins a foolish deity, not like their pantheon of mighty gods and goddesses.
Salvation through the Blood of Jesus shed on the Cross seems foolish to most people. Society worships power, fame, and wealth. Jesus came as a humble and poor man, who served others. He welcomes to His kingdom those who have faith in Him, not the powerful, wealthy, or beautiful. That seems foolish to the world, but we come to God through His Son, not our own means.
Ever since the days of the early church the world has wanted to eliminate the Cross of Jesus Christ. The world doesn’t want anyone to hear about the Cross. They don’t want the Gospel message of the sacrifice of Jesus’ Blood upon the Cross shared with others. They want us to take down the Cross. In response to this, we must never make the Gospel message “seeker friendly”, watering down the message. We must not soften our message, taking out the Cross, and that Jesus died for our sins, trying to make it seem more inviting.
Accepting Jesus might sound too simple and easy for many. They want to do something. “Foolish” people who accept Jesus are actually the wisest, because they are the ones who gain eternal life. No amount of human knowledge can bypass the Cross of Christ. If it could, only intellectuals could gain heaven, not ordinary people or children. Salvation is so simple, anyone can understand it. Just admit that you are a sinner who deserves God’s punishment, and that God paid that punishment upon Himself when Jesus died upon the Cross. Acknowledge that Jesus did that for you, and ask Him into your heart as your Savior. That is the message of the Cross for all.
Psalm 37:1-8
It’s just a small little word, but when we’re dealing with it, it can be such a big problem. What word is that? Envy. Very simply put, envy is when you want what someone else has. It is having extreme displeasure when someone else gets something good, something that you don’t have, but want. Envy can destroy friendships, and it will ruin our Christian witness. Envy will hold back God’s blessings upon us. Paul, when writing to the Galatian church, listed it as one of the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21).
Our psalm for today, Psalm 37, is one of my favorites. It is a fairly long psalm, so we’ll only look at the first 8 verses today. In these opening verses, David touches on this sin that so many of us deal with. Right away, he jumps right in by describing a scenario that so many of us are familiar with. We look at other people, see what they have, what we don’t have, and become envious of them. We become particularly upset if they are ungodly people, envious that they are prosperous, while we have needs that go unfulfilled. What does David say? He tells us to not get caught up with watching the successes of unrighteous people (vs. 1-2). We shouldn’t envy the riches that the wealthy have. If they are evil, if they do not know the Lord or follow Him, everything they have will one day be gone. They do not lay up treasures in heaven, as we should be doing (Matthew 6:19-20). Treasures in heaven will not fade away. They will last forever.
How should we handle envy when it strikes us? Envy hits us when we take our eyes off of God, and instead are focusing on someone or something else. We are looking at others and wishing we had what they have. When we look at what they have, we need to remember that it is God who chose to bless the other person. That is His right. When we are envious, we feel that we deserve that blessing, and not the other person. Instead, we need to praise God for what He has done in both that person’s life, and for what He does in our own life. That will put ourselves in a position to receive blessings from God because we show that we are trusting Him and His judgment.
When the sin of envy strikes, it often causes anger and hatred to get stirred up in our hearts. A believer in Jesus should instead learn to rejoice in another's good fortune. In addition, we should focus our eyes on what God has done in our own life, and the promises we have in God’s Word. When He is our delight, we will have the desires of our heart (vs. 4).
“Delight” is experiencing great joy and pleasure in the presence of another. To have delight we need to know that other one well. To delight in God we need to know Him better. We need to spend time with Him, learning what pleases Him, praying for discernment to make wise decisions. When we make the Lord our number one delight and joy, and following Him our primary goal, our desires, wishes and wants will be in line with God’s wishes for us. The Holy Spirit will align our hearts’ desires with Scripture, and we will set ourselves up for a blessing. Our hearts will not desire something contrary to His wishes. God’s desires for us will bring us peace and happiness. Things that would be contrary to His will only bring misery and sorrow.
Psalm 37 is a psalm of a divine promise with human obligations, not just a blanket promise to get good things. Self-indulgent prayers overlook that God says we must delight in Him. We are naturally selfish, and if God isn’t our top priority, we will pursue our own pleasures. To “commit” to God (vs. 5) we must entrust everything in our life to His control. Trust God, believing that He can care for us better than we can.
“Fretting” is another word for worrying (vs. 1, 7-8). Envy and worry show a lack of faith in God. When we focus our steps on God’s path, we will be heading in the right direction. God doesn’t bless sinful ways. Focus on God, not on our problems or what we do or do not have. That alone will bring us peace.
Micah 6:1-8
Most of us are familiar with courtroom dramas, whether on TV such as Perry Mason or Boston Legal, or what we might see in the pages of some mystery novels. Perhaps you might watch the live Court TV with real courtroom coverage. One exciting moment in some court cases, whether real or in a drama, is when one side will call in an unexpected witness to testify on their behalf. When they call the surprise witness, and the doors in the back of the courtroom open, everyone turns around in their seats to who it is. Sometimes a gasp rises in the courtroom when they see who it is.
Our Scripture passage today comes from the prophet Micah, and has a courtroom appearance. The Lord has summoned the people of Israel to court as they have failed Him as His children, breaking His Laws, and turning to the false gods of other nations in worship. Now, as our passage opens, the Lord calls a witness that must have been a surprise, even a shock, to the people. As we read in verses 1 and 2, the Lord calls upon the mountains as His witness against the people. The mountains, and truly all of nature, have been present since creation. They have seen all that the Lord has done for His people, not only for Israel, but also for Christians today. They will now stand as God’s witnesses in this courtroom that the Lord has called, as He brings charges against His people, and the mountains witness and testify on His behalf.
As the Lord opens the court, He brings charges against Israel, questioning them, asking them to tell Him (as He’s also the Judge), what He has done against them. What reasons did they have for turning against the Lord, and for turning to false gods? (vs. 3-5). He brought the people of Israel out from bondage in Egypt, lovingly caring for them, and bringing them to the Promised Land, which He gave to them as a heritage. God has faithfully kept every promise He has ever made.
How about us? Could the Lord summon me or you into His courtroom with charges of faithlessness to Him? All of creation can stand as His witness for Him today, just as certainly as they did in the days of Micah. We might respond by saying that we go to church regularly, that we give our tithes and offerings faithfully, that we serve in this or that church position, play an instrument or sing in church, etc. The Jewish people in the Old Testament responded the same way, saying they offered the required sacrifices (vs. 6-7). However, God sees right through all of that. He knows what is in our hearts, whether these are just outward actions while our hearts and other behavior is far from Him. In light of all of God’s faithfulness, why are we hypocritical, by being outwardly religious but inwardly sinful?
We are so quick to forget all the good things that have happened to us. Not only did the Jewish people quickly forget all that God did for them, believers today lose sight of all of God’s blessings. We tend to have a short memory when it comes to remembering God’s blessings. We become forgetful, fail to give Him thanks, take His blessings for granted, and even become ungrateful and self-centered.
As our passage ends, God tells His people what He wants from them (vs. 8). God wants a spiritual commitment from the heart, from which right behavior will follow. God wants us to be just, to be merciful, and to be humble before Him. Are we fair in our dealings with others? Do we show mercy? Do we practice humility? This is the pattern of life that Jesus showed us as He lived on earth. Allow Jesus to live His life in and through us, and we will become the type of believers that God wishes.
