Devotionary

Latest Episodes:

Ep 282 – 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 Sep 28, 2017

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Warning! The following content is potentially controversial and most certainly, difficult to understand. But hopefully, with a little thought and an eye to the context surrounding the passage and the historical setting in which the Corinthian church existed, we can gain some insight into what Paul was dealing with and how it applies to us today. This episode deals with 1 Corinthians 11, verses 2-16; a much-debated passage that has left more than one theologian stumped and a lot of believers confused. But at the end of the day, I think Paul is addressing the problem of order in the church. That is a constant issue within the body of Christ, and has been for centuries. The cultural contexts change, but the need for order and decorum never do. In the attempt to be relevant, churches are always running the risk of making compromises and concessions that can end up weakening the gospel message. In an effort to take advantage of their newfound freedoms in Christ, many believers end up losing sight of the more critical mission of making the gospel and the community of Christ attractive and appealing to those who are lost. Demanding our rights or flaunting our freedoms may seem appealing, but they can end up being a real turn-off to those outside the church.

Ep 281 – 1 Corinthians 10:14-11:1 Sep 27, 2017

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I hate to tell you this, but it isn't all about you. But don't take my word for it. Listen to the apostle Paul. In today's episode, based on 1 Corinthians, chapter 10, verse 14, through chapter 11, verse 1, we are going to hear what Paul has to say about the matter. And he will not mince words or pull any punches. He's going to let the believers in Corinth have it with both barrels, admonishing them for their selfishness and self-centeredness. As members of the body of Christ, they had a responsibility to put the needs of others ahead of their own rights. Doing what is best for others takes precedence over what I may or may not think is best for me. And the model Paul provides is himself. He could boldly, but not braggingly, claim that he had been selfless in his service to the people in Corinth. He refused to accept any kind of financial help for the work he had done there, even though he had every right to it. He had ministered to them on his own dime, never asking for them to donate a single cent to his well-being. For Paul, the well-being of the body of Christ was of a far great priority than his own well-being or that of any other believer in Corinth.

Ep 280 – 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 Sep 26, 2017

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In today's episode, we will be looking at the first 13 verses of 1 Corinthians 10. I've titled it "No Place for Cockiness" because Paul is going to take head-on the problem of the Corinthians demanding their rights and the resulting evidence of pride in their lives. There were those in the church in Corinth who were demanding that they had certain rights and they were unwilling to give them up even though those rights were doing some serious spiritual damage to the less mature believers in the church. This unnecessary and ungodly division was not something Paul was willing to overlook. He was concerned that this cockiness on the part of the more mature believers in the church was actually a dangerous thing. They were becoming a bit too self-righteous and he knew that their over-confidence could easily lead to failure. Pride always goes before the fall. Which is why Paul warned them to be careful not to fall. Just when these people thought they were standing on firm ground, they would discover that their confidence was in self, not God. And for the believer, self-confidence is a dangerous companion on the walk of faith. Self-confidence will prove a lousy defense against temptation. It will get exposed as what it is: Unreliable and incapable of protecting us from the ways of this world and the attacks of the enemy.

Ep 279 – 1 Corinthians 9 Sep 25, 2017

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The Law of Christ. It almost sounds like a contradiction in terms, doesn't it? And yet, as we unpack 1 Corinthians chapter nine, we're going to find that the law of Christ is exactly what Paul presents as the solution to a problem facing the believers in Corinth. They were obsessed with their rights and privileges as followers of Christ. They were demanding their own ways and defending their rights to do as they pleased. But in doing so, they were abusing one another and failing to exhibit the kind of love that Jesus modeled and that the gospel demands. Rather than loving one another, they were defending their rights. And Paul would use himself as an example of one who had determined to give up his rights for the sake of the gospel. He wasn't going to let his freedoms in Christ shackle another believer with unnecessary guilt and shame. He wasn't going to demand his own way and run the risk of tempting a brother or sister in Christ to wander from the way of Christ. The law of Christ is that of love. It is obedience to the command that we love one another as we have been loved by God through Christ. It is a law of sacrifice and selflessness. It is a law of otherness rather than self-centeredness. And yet, the law of Christ is not legalistic. It is not about demanding behavior that earns God's favor. It is about living as Christ lived and loving as He loved. It is about the blessedness that comes with giving rather than receiving.

Ep 278 – 1 Corinthians 8 Sep 24, 2017

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Loving to know versus knowing to love. That's the title for today's episode on 1 Corinthians, chapter 8. In this chapter, Paul continues to answer some of the questions that had been sent to him by the Corinthians in a letter. In this case, he addresses the topic of knowledge. Not academic or head-knowledge, but an awareness of right and wrong that allows a believer to do certain things that others might think are prohibited. Part of what Paul is having to deal with is an abuse on the part of some within the church in Corinth who were overstating their newfound freedom in Christ. They were demanding their rights to eat certain foods and to engage in particular practices that others felt were off limits. These more mature believers felt like they were having their rights stifled by those who were less spiritual. These baby Christians, who had come out of pagan backgrounds, were struggling with issues like eating meat that had been sacrificed to false gods. They saw the more mature Christians doing so and felt like it was wrong. For them, it was as if those who ate that meat were worshiping the false gods. They were appalled. They couldn't understand why someone would do such a thing. And the more mature believers felt like they had every right to do what they were doing and not have to put up with undeserved judgment. But for Paul, it all went back to love. Knowing you're right means nothing if you don't know enough to love others.

Ep 277 – 1 Corinthians 7:25-40 Sep 23, 2017

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This episode is based on the second half of 1 Corinthians, chapter seven, and covers verses 25-40. I've entitled it, "A Matter of Priorities" because Paul is going to challenge the Corinthian believers that their focus on the things of this world was out of whack. They were so earthly minded that they were finding it difficult to be of much good to the kingdom and its cause. Keep in mind that they had written Paul a letter to which he was responding. And their letter was filled with questions regarding whether to get married or to say single. If married, should a couple give up their sexual relationship so they could concentrate of spiritual growth? Should single people stay single or pursue a marriage partner. For Paul, the issue was one of priorities. He wanted them to keep their focus on Christ and their energies dedicated to accomplishing God's kingdom purposes. The world in which they lived was temporary in nature. Those questions about marriage with which they were so consumed were off point. Jesus even said that at the resurrection of the dead, "they will neither marry nor be given in marriage" (Matthew 22:30 NLT). Marriage is an earthly institution that will have no reason for existence in heaven. And so many of the things about which we worry and fret in this life will mean nothing in the next. Rather than allow ourselves to become overly attached to this world, Paul would have us set our sights on the next.

Ep 276 – 1 Corinthians 7:1-24 Sep 22, 2017

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In this episode, we'll be in 1 Corinthians, chapter seven, verses 1-24. It's entitled, "Right Where God Wants You" and has to do with a believer accepting the circumstances of his life even as he embraces his new-found relationship with Jesus. Salvation is intended to change our hearts, not necessarily our circumstances or surroundings. Of course, if we are living an immoral lifestyle prior to coming to Christ, God would want us to not only repent of it but walk away from it. But Paul's emphasis in these verses has much more to do with the grey areas of life that accompany our salvation. If we're married when we come to faith, we should stay married, even if our spouse is still an unbeliever. If we were single when married, there is no reason we cannot stay single. If we were pursuing a certain career path when we came to know Christ, we should keep on keeping on. Salvation is intended to change our lives from the inside out. But we can sometimes lose focus and start worrying about making external changes. It is easy to think that, since God has provided us new life in Christ, we should pursue a NEW LIFE in Christ. But pursuing a career change, an alteration to our marital status, or a radical departure from our normal way of life is not what God is looking for. Sometimes the greatest lesson we can learn from our conversion is that of contentment.

Ep 275 – 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 Sep 21, 2017

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In today's episode, we're going to be digging into the second half of 1 Corinthians, chapter six, covering verses 12-20. I've entitled it, "A Change in Ownership" and it's going to deal with our freedom in Christ. One of the things Paul found himself dealing with was the Corinthians' tendency to abuse their newfound freedom in Christ. Sexual promiscuity was a huge problem in Corinth. Decadence and gluttony were also big problems. In fact, just about every one of the seven deadly sins was on the menu in Corinth, including pride, envy, gluttony, lust, anger, greed and sloth. And Paul was faced with the unenviable task of having to call the Corinthians to task on virtually every one of them. At the heart of each of these sins is the love of self. And the love of self was the antithesis of the love of Christ that all believers are to exhibit. Christ-like love is selfless and sacrificial. It is other-focused and self-denying. In fact, Jesus told His disciples, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me" (Matthew 16:24 NLT). And Paul makes it clear that, as believers, we no longer belong to ourselves. We have been bought out of sin and self-worship by God and the price He paid was the death of His own Son.

Ep 274 – 1 Corinthians 6:1-11 Sep 20, 2017

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In this episode, we'll be looking at the first eleven verses 1 Corinthians, chapter six. I've entitled it, "Where's the Proof?" and in it, we'll take a look at Paul's words concerning the life change that should have accompanied the salvation experience of the Corinthians. Rather than exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit, they were living like the rest of the world, having disputes and taking one another to court over them. There was no unity. There was no bond of love. And their actions gave evidence of worldliness rather than righteousness. Paul, as a minister of the gospel and a shepherd of the flock of God, was not willing to sit back and let the Corinthians destroy the reputation of Jesus Christ through their behavior. He was going to call them to accountability and remind them of their status as children of God. Because of their faith in Jesus Christ, their lives had been changed. They had been cleansed. They had been declared holy by God. They had been restored to a right relationship with God. So, why weren't they living like it? Why weren't their lives giving evidence of their new natures? True life change was not optional for Paul. It was a necessary and non-negotiable byproduct of salvation. And he would not be content until the believers in Corinth began to live as what they were: children of God.

Ep 273 – 1 Corinthians 5 Sep 19, 2017

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In chapter five of 1 Corinthians, Paul addresses an interesting topic: Excessive tolerance. It seems that there was a man in the church there who was guilty of having an affair. Not only that, it was with his stepmother. But Paul's real issue is not with the man or his adulterous affair, but with the over-accepting nature of the church's reaction to it all. Rather than be appalled at the man's sinful behavior, they were actually bragging about it. Instead of embarrassment, they were exhibiting a sense of approval. If you recall, in our very first episode, we talked about Paul's use of the plural pronoun "you." This letter was written to the body of Christ, not a single individual. And Paul addresses then corporate nature of this man's sin. Sure, it was he who had committed adultery. And it was his own stepmother who participated in this unacceptable behavior. But the church was also corporately culpable, because they had done nothing about it. In essence, their failure to speak up was as good as an endorsement of the couple's wicked behavior. And when sin goes unaddressed in the body of Christ, it spreads like a cancer. It infects and pollutes. It weakens the spiritual immune system of the church. And tolerance, while it may appear to be an act of love, is actually a form of hatred. By remaining silent and refusing to address the sin in our midst, we reveal a disregard for the well-being of the one whose sin we are overlooking and a deadly apathy to the health of the church.

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