April 8 Devotional

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. – 1 Corinthians 15:1-2 (ESV)

As you read through 1 Corinthians 15 today please do not miss the fact that Paul is reminding believers of the Gospel.  Why do I point that out?  Because, the Gospel is of critical importance for all, for those who have believed as well as those that have not.  It is NOT merely a building block from which we progress.  It is the hope in which we stand.  It is the power by which we grow.  Thus, the Gospel is something that we should continue to remind ourselves of every day of our lives.  So as you embark on this new week I encourage you to find ways to remind yourself of the Gospel.  Find ways to dwell on the Gospel, for as Paul has already told the Corinthians while “the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing… to us who are being saved it is the power of God”  (1 Corinthians 1:18 ESV)  In closing I leave you with one additional thought to dwell on this week.  It’s a quote by C.J. Mahaney and is easily one of my favorite quotes ever.

“Never be content with your current grasp of the gospel.  The gospel is life- permeating world-altering, universe-changing truth.  It has more facets than a diamond.  It’s depths man will never exhaust.” – C.J. Mahaney (The Cross Centered Life)

March 23 Devotional

How gracious of God to lead us to begin reading in 1 Corinthians the very day before we will begin considering it as a congregation on Sunday mornings. For the next 8 weeks, Lord willing, we will be instructed, encouraged, and rebuked by this strong letter to a struggling church.

In the opening section today we read of both the status and pressing issue of the church. The status of the church was sanctified, righteous in God’s sight by trust in the Lord Jesus. The pressing issue of the church was division. Groups within the church were dividing into camps based on their preferred leader and preacher. Some followed, Paul, others Apollos, and still others preferred Cephas. This is just the leading issue among many to follow, but Paul’s treatment of their ailments is steady throughout. “Look to your status in Christ,” he encourages them, “because in Christ you are secured by God and united as brothers and sisters under one head, the Lord Jesus.”

Throughout this long letter Paul reminds this struggling church over and again to turn away from sin, laziness, and selfish desires and turn to Christ, the head of the church. Our hope is that over the next 8 weeks God will use his word to grow our church and draw us into health and vibrancy as we lift up the name and good news of Jesus.

Will you devote a few moments now, and again as you drive to church tomorrow morning, to ask God to send his word out with power in our midst. That he might transform, encourage, and build us up in the grace of our Lord Jesus as one body.