Author: Jim Cantelon

Key Verse: 2 Corinthians 1:21, 22 “Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” (NIV)

I think a lot of us suffer from “performance anxiety” when it comes to Christian faith. It is especially acute just after hearing a Sunday morning sermon. After listening to the typical sermon with its “should”, “moulds”, and implied “what’s-the-matter-with-you’s”, there is little wonder you have “roast preacher” for Sunday lunch. It’s a matter of self-defence!

But generally speaking, most of us tend, Sunday sermons or no, to be pretty self-critical. Remembrance of the sin of the past week (or months, or years) just won’t go away. Or we feel the guilt of our uninvolvement in witnessing, Bible reading, or church attendance. And we’re a sitting duck for the pointed finger. It’s not easy being a good Christian: it’s hard work!

Thank God for today’s key verse! Here we see our faith as the result of God’s initiative. Notice the strong verbs: He makes us stand firm. He anoints us. He sets His seal of ownership on us. He puts His Spirit in our hearts. He guarantees the future. We are the product of His sovereign grace.

So God takes the initiative. What, then, is our responsibility? Simply to respond. As He gives us a firm stance, we choose to build our lives on the Rock. As He anoints us with His Spirit, we choose to please rather than grieve His indwelling presence. As He declares us His own, we choose to be obedient to His will and loyal to His Son. As He guarantees the future, we enter the future with our eyes set on Him. In other words, we respond with love. In God’s mind, this makes His initiative eternally worthwhile.

Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 16:18 “For they refreshed my spirit and yours; therefore acknowledge such men.”

There is a difference between being driven and being committed. Commitment springs from conviction, whereas “drivenness” is the product of some sort of neurotic compulsion. One can never be driven and sleep well at night — because drivenness betrays an inner discontent. Commitment, on the other hand, can be fully embraced even while “peace that passes understand” floods the soul — your work is the outflowing of a deep well within.

But even the content person gets tired once in a while. It could simply be volume of work, distractions of some sort or occasional over-extension. Whatever the reason, sometimes we need to be refreshed.

That’s why I like what Paul says about Stephanus, Fortnunatus, and Achaicus — they “refreshed my spirit”. What they did, Paul doesn’t say. Maybe they just sat around and talk with him, not about doctrine, but about smaller things. Maybe they had a great sense of humour and made Paul laugh. Maybe they prayed with him or put on a hearty barbecue and encouraged Paul to eat his fill. Who knows? The point is, they came like a fresh breeze into Paul’s life. They took some of the burden from his shoulders and gave him the opportunity to relax, to “let his hair down”.

“Such men deserve recognition”, declares Paul — and rightly so. Too often in the Lord’s work we make much of spiritual leaders and, in so doing, lay a heavy burden on their shoulders. They’re only human, too, and feel almost obliged to fulfil our expectation of them. They need a few people friends — with whom they can just be who they are, without any ministry agenda. Let’s applaud friends like these! They have a key role in the health of the church. They’re content and refreshing.

Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 15:17 “And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!

What does your faith stand on? Personal experience? Anything else? The Gospel? What is the Gospel? For those of us who need a refresher course, let’s analyze the basic ingredients of the “Good News”.

By the way, if you need a refresher, you’re not alone. The Corinthians church needed one, too. “Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you received and on which you have taken your stand” (v.1).

Here’s the analysis; (1) “Christ died for our sins…” (2) “He was buried” (3) “He was raised” (4) He appeared” (5) He ascended (6) He’s returning (7) You can know Him. The first four are from verses 3 to 5. The last three are from the Gospels. It’s a basic seven point analysis. It’s the bedrock own which your faith can stand.

Often we emphasize point seven the most, and why not? It’s the one we relate to best, because it’s in the area of present day experience. As the old gospel song says, “You ask me how I know He lives, He lives within my heart.”

But we must never forget that Christian faith is rooted, not in the mystery of subjective faith, but in history. Whether we accept Christ as our Lord and Saviour or not, He still died in our history. He was buried in a real grave and left it, three days later, in our history. He was seen by hundreds of eyewitnesses and ascended in our history. We know He lives, because history tells us so.

The greatest moment in man’s history was not the landing of American astronauts on the moon (as President Nixon put it), but the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. It was, and is, the pivotal moment of all time. Without it, our faith falls; with it, our faith stands.

Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 14:33 “For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.”

Fruitfulness, however, is not an end in itself. There’s a greater end in view: God’s glory. Even the “common good” is subject to this greater end. The ultimate goal of spiritual giftedness and fruitfulness is to point men and women to God. Paul puts it this way: when a person, still in his sins, comes into contact with a vibrant, functioning church, “he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, ‘God is really among you!'” (v.25b). It’s not charisma that impresses the sinner, it’s the presence of God.

Maybe we church-goers need to get a fresh view of what constitutes spiritual ministry. Let’s get one thing straight: activity does not necessarily equate with ministry. we do so much, so very much, “in the name of God”. Unfortunately, much of our activity, if we’re honest with ourselves, is nothing other than what anyone who is a member of any other kind of social organization does. Committees, planning meetings, retreats, gatherings, special emphasis days, holiday celebrations — all are done in the name of God.

And we always give that expected prayer at the beginning, like “grace” before a meal; as if God is obliged to bless when we ask Him; as if a prayer magically transforms human heat into heavenly light.

And to be frank, so much of our “spiritual” activity mostly tires us out. We become stressed and driven, and as we interact with other stressed and driven brothers, there is inevitable conflict and confusion.

Paul says the end result of making God glorious in our church ministry is not confusion, but peace. Maybe that’s how to determine whether or not you are truly ministering or are you driven? Or are you at peace?

Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 13:13 “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

Fruitfulness, as distinct from giftedness, is what this chapter is about. Generally, we tend to take the “love chapter” out of context. It is important in Bible interpretation to remember context — and in this case, chapter 13 comes right in the middle of Paul’s attempt to dispel ignorance about the “gifts of the Spirit”. Here he is bluntly declaring the ineffectual nature of giftedness when it is independent of fruitfulness.

Imagine having the supernatural ability to speak, not only every human language but the language of angels as well! Or being able lot prophecy and interpret life’s mysteries. How about the kind of fait where you were able to physically move mountains? Not impressive enough? Then try giving everything you have to the poor, ore even giving your life for some great cause. If there’s anything impressive in human experience, it’s martyrdom! The Nobel prize is in the bag! We’re impressed. And we assume God is too.

No! There’s only one thing that impresses God — Love: Love for Him, love for neighbour, love for self. Jesus said it (Mk.12:29-31), and it’s the ultimate condition of Christian service.

It’s not what appears to be, it’s what actually is. You can fool others even yourself, but you can’t fool God. He looks on the heart; He knows why you’re ministering. He knows if your motive is guild, ego, or money. He knows if your motives are mixed. He knows everything.

God is love, John tells us. The whole motive of His creating the world and us was love. Love is the oil which lubricates the universe. If we don’t love, we become a wrench in the gears — we become at cross-purpose with our Creator. Let’s examine our motives and repent. Let’s turn in love’s direction. Let’s bear fruit.

Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 12:7 “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” (NIV)

Unity in diversity: that’s the story on the body of Christ. We’re all different, and we’re all one — or, at least, we’re supposed to be.

Paul begins a three-chapter dissertation designed to dispel “ignorance” about spiritual gifts. They Corinthian church didn’t need to be motivated in this area — they were the most “charismatic” of all his congregations. But they were so keen on their individual gifting that they were forgetting the primary function of spiritual gifts: to meet the needs of a coordinated body. Instead there was confusion, wrangling, and division. Paul sets out to put spiritual gifts into perspective.

He establishes three underlying principles for any discussion or understanding of spiritual gifts:
1. Not all gifts are the same,
2. God is the same,  and
3. The gifts are given by God for the common good (vss. 4-7).

One person is an “eye”; another is a “foot”. One is visible; another is behind the scenes. And even though one member may be more visible, and thereby given greater deference (the hand, for example), the unseen member may be more vital (the liver, for example). God, however, is the “same” — He coordinates all these differing members. And the manifestation of the gifts has meaning only if their motive is “the common good”.

Spiritual giant hood doesn’t apply here. We don’t seek gifts for gifts’ sake. Nor do we seek the “honour” a gift may bring; we seek to serve our brother. Service, not achievement, is the underlying motivation for exercising one’s gift.

If we don’t stir up our gift for God and Christian brothers, then we’re wasting our time, regardless of how impressive our gift may be. The bottom line in this discussion is not giftedness at all; the litmus test is fruitfulness.

Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 11:29 “For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.”

The early Church used to meet for regular pot-luck dinners. They were called “agape” meals — “love-feasts”. Ideally they were supposed to include everyone and highlight no distinction between the well-to-do and the poorer believers. But here is what was happening:

The upper-income believers were getting to the dinners before the lower-income workers. Rather than wait for their poorer brethren, these early arrivers were going ahead with the food and drink — not only getting  the best on the “menu”, but depleting the supply for the latecomers. Some were drinking too much and becoming drunk. (v.21).

The effect, of course, was the humiliation of the poorer believers (v.22), causing socioeconomic division — discrimination of the basest kind. And, all this was happening in the name of a “love-feast”, meant to glorify and remember Jesus! Paul was angry, and rightly so.

As Paul was about to teach (chapters 12, 13, 14), the “body of Christ” was made up of many members, all with differing, yet complimentary gifts. There was to be interdependence in the body — just as the hand and the eye need each other, so, too, the various members of Christ’s body need each other.

When one member refuses to acknowledge another, he is cutting himself off from that person’s gift. And suppose that, upper-income member needs healing and the one possessing the gift of healing is a lower-income member? What happens? The rich member gets sicker and dies because he refused to “discern” or “recognize” the gift Christ had given for his healing — “For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep” (v. 30). The “Lord’s Supper” is a time to recognize our interdependence. You nee my gift and I need yours.

Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

Why do you suppose Paul warns us about imminent failure just when we think we’ve got temptation beat? “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” he says. Would he prefer that we be insecure, lacking confidence and uncertain in our convictions? No. What he’s warning us agains is lack of caution — knowing oneself and one’s weakness, yet guilty of wrong thinking and being caught with our guard down. Just because we “think” we’re standing firm doesn’t necessarily mean we’re thinking correctly. It is better to be cautious — especially when everything looks good.

And when the temptation comes, we’d do well to remember that it isn’t custom-designed just for us. “Designer temptations” don’t exist. You’ve got a sexual temptation? A money temptation? A power temptation? Join the club — there are thousands facing the same thing right now.

The thing to remember  is that “God is faithful”. That is, he always responds to those who cry out to Him in the face of temptation. He never fails.

And, if you’re truly serious in your call for help, it will come. God will provide an escape route. Nine times out of ten, the escape plan will be dependent upon a choice of yours. You’ll have to grit your teeth, turn away from the potential pleasure, and step into the unfamiliar territory of self-denial. Otherwise the game of “sin, confess, sin” just goes on. And on.

Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 9:22 “… I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.”

In so many ways the apostle Paul was way ahead of his time. You might even call him a “renaissance man”. He was remarkably free, and admirably mature. And he had absolutely no trace of superstition in his makeup.

For instance, he had no problem eating food that had been offered to idols. Food was food and had no intrinsic moral value (8:8). But, if he was at table with former idolaters to whom meat offered to idols brought memories of pagan ritual, he was careful not to touch it. Not for the sake of his conscience, but for theirs (8:10,11).

Then there was his view of apostles’ rights. As he saw it, an apostle had a right to have a wife (and take her with him on his travels — 9:5), to have food and drink, and to be supported financially by those to whom he ministered (9:11). “But I have not used any of these rights,” Pauls says. Why? So that “in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make use of my rights in preaching it” (9:18). Paul preaches a free gospel; free of charge and free of financial obligation. That sounds definitely “renaissance”!

Essentially, Paul was committed to what we today call “cross-cultural ministry”. He recognized that there was cultural baggage in every sub-cultural group to whom he ministered. Ex-idolaters had it. Ex-emperor- worshippers had it. Gentiles, Jews, and heathens all had it. Fighting it or disdaining it would be counter-productive. So instead he was sensitive to it, and even adopted some of it from time to time if it was “helpful” (6:12)

He had one goal — to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ as free from hindrance as possible. To do this he was prepared to be a Gentile to Gentiles and a Jew to Jews. He was free to be — and free to preach a free Gospel.

Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 7:29a, 31b “…the time is short…the form of this world is passing away.”

I’d like to caution you before reacting to Paul’s apparently low view of marriage in this chapter. First of all, read 9:5, “Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas (Peter)?” Apparently, as he delineated the rights of apostles, Paul felt the need to defend his and the others’ right to take a wife along on missionary travels. Whether or not Paul actually did so remains unestablished. But there is, at least, room to believe that he was married.

Secondly, look at those key verses (29 & 31). Paul had a very-real expectation that the end was near. Jesus was coming back soon, and life for the believer should be as uncomplicated as possible — “I would like you to be free from concern”, he says. Marriage brought concern about this world’s affairs, whereas singleness brought the potential for single-mindedness in the “Lord’s affairs”. (vv.32, 34). He wanted as many believers as possible to “live in a right way in the undivided devotion to the Lord” (v.35). So it wasn’t so much a low view of marriage that fuelled Paul’s words in chapter 7, but an urgent view of the shortage of time before the Lord’s return.

Theologians call the hope of the soon return for Christ the doctrine of “imminence” — meaning that the Lord’s return could be today, so be ready. Anticipate the Day of the Lord; live in the light of it and look forward to it. Do this, and your values will be altered. Your eyes will rise from the immediate concerns to the far horizon, where the dawn of the kingdom of Heaven is about to break.