Tag: bible

The Best Life of All

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According to an article on Insounder.org, love is the all-time most common theme of song lyrics, followed by life and death. Love is such an elusive concept for so many people, which is probably why it dominates our thoughts.

Of all the people in the world, I would think that followers of Jesus would have some pretty important insights into the nature and meaning of love. The Bible talks about love around 750 times, depending on the translation, about 300 of those mentions appear in the New Testament. That’s what I would consider to be an emphasis.

Strangely, that emphasis doesn’t seem to carry over into how the church has represented itself throughout history, and especially in our contemporary American culture. I often wonder about that. Why is it such a struggle to keep our eye on this massive target the Scriptures present?

This Sunday we will be reading one of Scriptures most famous, and certainly most beautiful poem about love. We’ll be reading 1 Cor 13, the famous love chapter.

This passage usually finds its way into wedding ceremonies, which is great…but not that’s really the context or point the author was trying to make. The context is one that spills over from ch11-12, how we attend to our services and abilities as the church. As you read v1-3, how much importance does Paul place on having love as a motive for what we do in service to Christ? Do you think Paul would agree that “the end justifies the means”?

V 4-7 Paul describes what love looks like in action. Where do feelings fit in with his descriptions? What sort of lesson can we take away from his picture of love?

Here’s something: we’ve said before that if we want to know what God is like, we look at Jesus. Try substituting the name Jesus for the word “love” in v4-7. Does it seem to fit? If so, what do we learn about God’s nature from this?

In v8-13 Paul points out the eternal nature of love. In the NLT v113  says that “three things will last forever” – I don’t think that’s a great translation. Most other translations word it: “three things abide” or “remain” – basically it means stay and wait with us. Faith, hope and love, but the greatest is love. When might faith or hope be completed? What would bring love to its conclusion? Does that give any insight as to why Paul said love is the greatest?

Of all the teachings in this series, I just think this one is the most vital for our day and age. I really hope you can join us this Sunday as we dig into Scripture together.

The Lord’s Supper

Rob Woodrum2 Comments

I heard a well-worn story of a little girl who didn’t want to go to kid’s church, but wanted to join her parents for the main service. It happened to be a Communion Sunday, and when they passed the tray of cracker bits and small cup of juice, her mother noticed she was visibly disappointed. When the service was over her mother asked her how she liked the main service, and the little girl said: “I’m going to go back to kid’s church next week. The snacks are better and you get way more juice!”

She’s not wrong, a nibble and a sip wouldn’t cut it…if snack time was what this ritual was all about. But, for those of us who’ve encountered the One who is behind this ritual, we know it’s far more than just a snack-break in church.

This Sunday we’ll be observing Communion (we put it off from last week because the text was more appropriate for it this week). We’ll be reading 1 Cor 11:17-34 in our study of Paul’s letter.

As you read Paul’s critique, you’ll notice he states his harshest criticisms over this matter. What stands out to you as Paul’s main complaint (you’ll find it spelled out in v22)? Do you notice that the practice Paul describes doesn’t really seem to match up with how we attend to this ceremony today? We’ll look into that a bit on Sunday.

When Paul says to examine ourselves before taking the bread and cup, what do you think he’s wanting us to determine? What do you think eating and drinking “unworthily” might be? If you’re not sure, v33-34 explain it pretty clearly. How might we be able to put Paul’s instructions into place in our own practice of observing the Lord’s Supper?

I hope you can join us this Sunday as we examine this passage together, and join each other at the Lord’s Table.

Uncompromising Compassion

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This Sunday we are going to continue our study in the book of 1 Corinthians (Chapter 9:19-27) and we will be reading some fairly famous verses that Paul wrote. The verses start with a statement from Paul where he juxtaposes his freedom, (“with no master”), and his slavery (“to all people”). Those are clearly opposite statements and it leaves us pondering how both can be true.

He goes on to say that when he was with the Jews, he lived like a Jewish person. When he was with the Gentiles, he lived like a gentile person. Some people could perceive this as Paul being fake or disingenuous, but the fact that he proudly shares his choices tells us that this was all for a purpose. Why doesn’t Paul walk into those spaces with the rights and freedoms he possesses to show people how Christianity should look? Isn’t he one of our prime examples of how to live Christianity out?

It’s important to remember that when Paul went to preach about Jesus at the synagogues he was not met with open arms. He knew the risk, he knew the challenges, he knew the outward changes he had to make to be heard, and he knew the feeling of being beaten and bruised by those he once called family. He knew all those things and not only did he continue to share, he looked at the people he was writing to and asked them to do the same.

So where does this leave us in the polarized world that we live in today? In what ways can we exercise our freedom by choosing to be a slave to the people around us? How does this work in our effort to maintain healthy boundaries and remain honest about who we are at our deepest levels?

There is a lot to ponder in these verses and we invite you to join us this Sunday at 10:00 AM as we study and break down these verses together.

Grow Up!

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“You’re acting like a baby!”

If someone were to direct that statement to us, we’d know that it’s not a compliment. I mean, most people like babies – they’re cute and sweet and vulnerable and we instinctively want to protect them. There is, however, a threshold where humans are expected to move beyond the helpless, selfish and demanding behavior of an infant. Humans without mental or physical obstacles are meant to mature.

That same expectation is present in our spiritual lives as well. In the passage we’ll be reading in our study of 1 Corinthians, we’ll examine the idea of spiritual maturity this Sunday. We’ll be reading 1 Cor chapter 3.

Paul returns to his original example of division in Corinth, highlighting the factions they have split into over different church leaders. Division is his chief identification of spiritual immaturity and worldliness. Do you find that interesting? When we consider what a worldly church, or a compromised church might have as characteristics, what things normally come to mind? Where does division fit in your thinking? Does this challenge you to reconsider the priority of unity in the church?

Paul stacks several metaphors together in order to explain his concern about unity in the church – a garden, a building and the temple. What does “garden” imagery bring to mind when it comes to the Bible? What is Paul’s point about those who tend the garden? How does the the modern American church fare when it comes to making celebrities out of church leaders? In what ways can we keep from falling into that pitfall, based on Paul’s words?

What is the foundation of the “church building” (metaphor, remember). How important is a foundation to any structure that is built? What does that tell us about where the focus of the church should be?

The temple imagery sort of wraps his thesis up. What was the temple a representation of in Israel (hint, we talked about it extensively in our teaching on Genesis)? How does it tie in with the “garden” imagery? It’s very important to remember that whenever Paul says “you” in this passage, we should be reading it as “ya’ll” – it’s corporate language; a group of people, not an individual. According to v17, why is it important to maintain the unified integrity of the “temple-church community”?

What do you suppose Paul is getting at when he says “everything belongs to you” in v22? Since the unity of the church is the theme, I tend to read it as a reminder that we don’t need to strive and fight our way to the top of any social structure….when we belong to the Church (at large), we’ve arrived at the best place we can be in God’s scheme of things. Does that mean the church is without problems? Not as long as WE’RE part of it – but it’s where God intends us to be in order to bring out what’s best in us. That alone provides us a life-long purpose and goal, both individually and corporately.

I think this will be an enlightening and still challenging study. Hope you can join us!

God’s Plan Revealed

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My grandson lost one of his water shoes at our house the other day. We looked everywhere for it – outside, inside, in drawers, under couches…no place left unturned. It appeared to have a yearning to be free because it never showed up. Until a few weeks later, when we weren’t looking for it, it was resting in plain view in our toy room. Had it been there all along? It seems impossible, and yet there it was on the floor for everyone to see. I’ve had numerous experiences like that in life, predominately with our refrigerator. I ask Robbie if we’re out of mustard, and she replies “No, it’s in the fridge”, to which I reply “I’m looking in the fridge and there isn’t any.”; which prompts her to join me at the door of the icebox where she magically reaches in and retrieves the mustard which was right in front of me. She’s a wizard.

Sometimes things are hidden to us even when they’re in plain view. In our study in 1 Corinthians this week, we’ll be considering how the Gospel, God’s great plan for humanity and this world, was something hidden in plain sight until it was revealed by Jesus. We’ll be reading 1 Cor 2:1-16.

Verse two of this chapter is one of my favorite verses. Think back on what we’ve learned about Roman culture, the honor / shame aspect of it. How might a crucified Messiah sound to people in that context? Paul doesn’t seem to mind how out of sync his message is to the prevailing cultural norms. Why do you think Jesus as the crucified One was an important message in Paul’s view? What message does Christ’s crucifixion give us about God’s intent for humanity (hint, look at John 3:16-17). How might Paul’s singular focus on the cross impact our message in the world we live in?

Paul goes on to describe the Gospel as a mystery – which in the Greek means something revealed that was formerly hidden. What aspects of the Gospel were likely surprising to those Paul is writing to? Paul references the “rulers of this world” being in the dark about God’s purposes. Why do you think Paul said that?

As you read his concluding thoughts on this subject (v10-16), how does it appear that the mystery of God’s plan gets revealed to human minds? It’s interesting how readily we will make assumptions about what’s going on in other people’s minds – and here Paul points out that we do that with God as well. However, we can know God’s mind because He has given us His Spirit, who reveals God’s intent to us. What do you think is the primary way in which the Holy Spirit has revealed the mind of God to us?

It’s a rather dense section of Scripture we’ll be tackling, but I know you’re up for it – and I hope you can join us this Sunday as we dig into God’s Word together!

The Wisdom Paradox

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“Wisdom shouts in the streets.

    She cries out in the public square.

She calls to the crowds along the main street,

    to those gathered in front of the city gate.” ~Proverbs 1:20-21

I don’t know about you, but when I think of wisdom, I don’t often imagine it calling out to us in the streets and the busy places we find ourselves. However, from the beginning, the Bible paints a consistent picture of wisdom that is in sharp contrast with the world around us. We see this thought continued in the New Testament with Paul who is writing the church in Corinth. We’ll be continuing our study in 1 Corinthians this Sunday, reading ch 1:18-31. Paul is desperate to remind the church that God’s wisdom should look different than the world’s wisdom. He also reminds them that what the world has to offer, especially in terms of wisdom, is actually quite foolish and insignificant compared to what God has to offer.

So, why is Paul telling the Corinthians about wisdom and reminding them about who is the “smartest of them all”? Well, since the book of Corinthians is a response and not the beginning of a conversation, we have to use context and our imagination to fill in the gaps. Last week’s verses emphasized the importance of unity and this week Paul is emphasizing God’s wisdom above our own. Could Paul be mentioning this because the Christians in Corinth are trying to change the gospel so that it looks and sounds less foolish to the world around them? Or maybe Paul is mentioning this because the Corinthians were using things like philosophy and scholarship to determine who had the highest standing among the Christians in that area? Whatever the reason, I think it’s safe to assume that a lack of humility and an abundance of pride is probably at the center of it all.

Even though it would be oh so easy to judge the “simple” Corinthians for falling into such follies, we want to remember how to hold the scripture that we read. We want to hold this living word up like a mirror to ourselves and see the places in our hearts that God wants to reach. I invite you to join us this Sunday at 10:00 AM as we consider the context and explore this scripture together.

The Weight of Unity

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Has anyone ever had a job that would require regular inspections from outside sources? When I (Janelle) worked in the children’s program at the navy base we were regularly inspected by government officials to make sure our practices complied with their standards.

Sometimes the inspections were planned and sometimes they were surprises. The planned inspections involved a great deal of preparation on our side. We would review the areas that would be inspected, we would re-train staff, and we would clean every last inch of a space that was constantly filled with over a hundred kids. Needless to say, it was a stressful time.

There was always a huge feeling of relief when the inspection was over and we could return to our normal ways of running the center. We could untuck our shirts and be a lot more relaxed about how we ran things.

While Paul was not an inspector for the church of Corinth, he was invested in how they lived out their Christian faith. Even though Paul spent a good deal of time with the church in Corinth and teaching them about Jesus, even from afar, Paul found that it was clear they got sloppy while he was away. We’ll be reading 1 Corinthians chapter 1:10-17, where we’re told that Chloe’s household noticed that they did more than untuck their shirts… they seemed to have forgotten the majority of the way they were taught to live.

From what we understand of the culture at that time, societal standings were built on an honor and shame code. It was like a never-ending game of chutes and ladders where people could move up or down depending on what leaders they followed and who they associated with. Even though they were instructed to flip the board game table like Jesus, they seemed to have fallen back into the same social traps by creating a Christian-themed version of the game.

Paul, knowing and loving this church well, had no patience for this type of behavior and was clear about where he wanted them to go from there. I find it fascinating and heartbreaking that a church’s problems from so long ago and so far away can still relate to us today.

This brings us to Sunday and the questions we must ask ourselves as we study the text. Is this a cycle we are doomed to repeat, like the one in Genesis, or are there different choices we can make? Is it possible that the actions of our small church could make a difference? Do you think the Corinthians heard Paul’s word and changed? Or do you suspect their divisions only got deeper as time passed? 

Since we don’t have the Corinthian response to Paul’s letter it means that we get the opportunity to live out the response for them. I invite you to join us this Sunday at 10:00 AM as we study 1 Corinthians 1:10-17 together and discover for ourselves the power of Paul’s pleas for unity.

The Two Roads

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There is no way around it, the Bible presents us with a dualistic worldview. We are continually presented with two paths, two choices, two loves.  Middle ground is hard to come by in Scripture. As the Didache says in it’s opening: “There are only two paths; one leads to life and the other to death and there is a world of difference between the two.” 

This Sunday we’ll be starting to wrap up our study in Genesis, reading the fallout from Cain’s murder of Abel and the consequences that befell him because of it. We’ll be reading chapter 4:17-26. As we’ve noted before, following Cain’s lineage is sort of like viewing the trajectory of the offspring of the snake.

Cain was banished to the wilderness with God’s provision of a sign which would protect him. As you read the passage, does Cain end up in the wilderness? What might be significant about him building a city?

As we follow his family line, we get to the 7th person from Adam – Lamech. What is first noted about Lamech in the text? How does his taking of two wives reflect on Gen 2:24? How would you describe what is happening in Cain’s family line?

Lamech writes the first song recorded in the Bible – a lovely little tune sung to his wives about retaliatory murder (what a romantic!). Lamech, the 7th human from Adam, sings a song about sevens. In Gen 4:15, God promised to protect Cain by giving a sign that warned of a 7-fold retribution for harming Cain. What does Lamech do with the words of that promise? How does it interact with Jesus’ words to Peter in Matt 18 about forgiveness?

Last week we read about the line of Seth, the son God provided to Eve after the loss of Able. We’ll revisit that again as we consider the other road, the offspring of the woman. How does v26 compare with the lineage of Cain and their actions and attitudes? Who would you rather be?

I’ve really been enjoying getting into Genesis – hope you can join us this Sunday as we examine the two roads for life.

Outside of Eden

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One of the intriguing puzzles of the Biblical narrative is the amount of detail that is afforded some elements of the story, and the shocking lack of detail given to others that feel like they deserve more. Part of that, I believe, is intentional. There is no better way to draw your readers in than to push their minds to fill in the gaps. Much like an impressionist painting, the story of the Bible has many moments that virtually demand our participation.

One such section is what we’ll be reading this Sunday as we continue our study of the first four chapters of Genesis. We’ll be reading ch 4:1-16, which describes the start of life outside of the Garden.

The structure of chapter 4 is pretty important. It fairly mirrors certain aspects of chapter 3. Re-read chapter 3 after reading chapter 4 – what similarities jump out at you? What does God ask the humans in ch 3, what does he ask Cain? How do the humans respond in ch 3 and how does Cain respond in ch 4? Are you picking up the similarities.

The consequence for Cain’s sin mirrors the consequence of his parents: exile. Something to ponder: the humans are already outside of the Garden, where do you think is Cain being exiled to? What might be the point of this consequence and what could it be describing about humans and their Creator?

Who do you think the “they” could be that Cain is afraid of? We aren’t told what the sign is (there’s that lack of detail) that God gives to Cain – but what is the purpose of it? What does this reveal about God’s character in the face of abject human failure?

I hope you can join us this Sunday as we continue examining at the roots of the Biblical narrative in Genesis.

God’s Response to Human Failure

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We’re coming to the most tragic part of the Biblical narrative this Sunday – we’ll be reading Genesis 3:8-24 in our continued study in that book. It’s a tragedy that sets up a pattern that gets set on repeat throughout the whole Hebrew Scriptures, leading right up to the Gospel.

As you read about God’s response to human failure, what are some of the images that your mind conjures up? Imagine (and it shouldn’t be too hard) that you’ve messed up royally – how do you imagine God responding to that sin? As you read about God’s appearance in Genesis 3, how would you describe His entrance?

God speaks 7 times and ands 3 questions. What does He ask? More importantly, if God is omniscient, why do you think He asks?

Do the humans come clean and confess what they did wrong right away, asking forgiveness? What do they do instead? Does this seem consistent with human nature as you know it? What message do you think this is trying to give us?

Read the section very carefully. Who or what is cursed by God? Who or what is not cursed? As you perceive it, does that mean anything, and what might it be?

God forecasts a war between the offspring of the snake and the offspring of the woman (we would assume she represents human existence). How do you think this plays out through the Bible and through history? We must carefully note that biology or lineage have nothing to do with who is who’s offspring – it is all in the context of choice – whose voice is listened to. Jesus called someone the offspring of a snake in Matt 12 – do a little digging to determine who he called snake-offspring, and why.

We’ll have a lot we’ll be covering in this teaching – it’s sobering but encouraging at the same time. I hope you can join us this Sunday!