On Prophecy

Meditations in First Corinthians

June 20, 2022

On Prophecy 

As they listen, their secret thoughts will be exposed, and they will fall to their knees and worship God, declaring, “God is truly here among you.”

1 Corinthians 14:25

Read: 1 Corinthians 14:20-25

I noted last Monday that we, the followers of Jesus, are living by the values of the Kingdom of God. We are the children of God; therefore, we set our hearts and minds on learning to live as the Beloved of God. Paul is pointing to this truth in today’s passage when he wrote, “Prophecy, however, is for the benefit of believers. . .” (v.22b) Paul goes on to say that if unbelievers come into a worship service, they may not fully understand the preaching, but they may well hear enough of the Gospel to repent of their sins.

I am seeing this truth work out in our church. I am writing this the day after Trinity Sunday when our pastor preached a deep theological sermon about the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Later in his teaching session between services, he concluded a months-long series on the Nicene Creed with a discussion of our resurrection and life in the World to come. Clearly all this was over the head of an unbeliever. Yet, the pastor is also teaching confirmation classes for youth and adults who, having been nudged by God’s prevenient grace, are seeking to go deeper in the faith. I see Paul’s vision for the church being fulfilled.

My Takeaway: On Wednesday of last week, our theme focused on our highest goal: “Let love be your highest goal!” (1 Corinthians 14:1a) If we will keep this as our focus, we will be implementing Paul’s instructions in our daily lives.

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2022 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

But It Won’t Strengthen the People Who Hear You

Meditations in First Corinthians

June 17, 2022

But It Won’t Strengthen the People Who Hear You

But in a church meeting I would rather speak five understandable words to help others than ten thousand words in an unknown language.

1 Corinthians 14:19

Read: 1 Corinthians 14:13-19

Two things caught my attention in today’s passage.

First, Paul taught in his letter to the Galatians, “Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow.” (Galatians 6:7 NRSV) The church in Corinth had sought to accommodate their church gatherings to the mores and norms of the secular culture. In so doing, their church was being torn apart; they were reaping what they had sown. Jesus has proclaimed that he will remove his anointing from a church that stops loving and obeying God by seeking to go along to get along with the world’s culture. Paul spent a great portion of this letter drawing the church back to God.

Secondly, as we have already seen repeatedly in this chapter, Paul is calling us to let love be our highest goal as we seek to strengthen the whole church. Whenever I read these words of Paul, I am reminded of his teaching in Philippians 2:4 (NRSV),

Let each of you look not to your own interests

but to the interests of others.

When love is my highest ambition, when seeking to strengthen the whole church is my mission, I will look not to my own interests, but to the interest of others.

My Takeaway: We are not left to our strength to accomplish this mission. As we seek to “Let (our) bearings towards one another arise out of (our) life in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5, NEB 1961), we are being empowered by God to seek the life in Christ as our way of life.

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2022 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Strengthen The Whole Church

Meditations in First Corinthians

June 16, 2022

Strengthen The Whole Church

Since you are so eager to have the special abilities the Spirit gives, seek those that will strengthen the whole church.   

1 Corinthians 14:12b

Read: 1 Corinthians 14:6-12

I remember visiting a church many years ago that had a rather unusual form of church prayer. When it came time for prayer, all the congregation stood and began praying, out loud. All over the sanctuary people were standing with their arms raise intently praying. Because everyone was speaking at the same time it was impossible to distinguish what was being prayed. It was a very disconcerting experience for me.

I suspect the situation in Corinth was even more disconcerting. As we saw yesterday, Paul identifies the main goal of corporate worship, which is to offer a form of worship that is open and inviting to everyone in the congregation. Under the best of circumstances that is a hard assignment. In Corinth, it was made even more difficult because some of the people were exhibiting their own sense of spirituality, and thus directing the attention of the congregation to them rather than to God.

My Takeaway: The verse quoted above caught my attention today. I have served within the Christian church for forty-five years, and I am hard pressed to recall encountering many people who were as Paul described, “so eager to have the special abilities the Spirit gives.” Paul’s word to me, and to you, is to each and every day ask ourselves what we are doing to strengthen the whole church.

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2022 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Let love be your highest goal!

Meditations in First Corinthians

June 15, 2022

Your Highest Goal 

Let love be your highest goal!

1 Corinthians 14:1a

Read: 1 Corinthians 14:1-5

Paul continues to deal with cultural mores and norms being carried over into the church in Corinth. I suspect most of us have not experienced such contentiousness in our churches, especially in striving over spiritual gifts, but there are important lessons for us in today’s passage.

Paul distinguishes between the speaking in tongues on the day of Pentecost and what the church in Corinth was experiencing. On Pentecost, God suspended the confusion of languages from Babel (see Genesis 11), and everyone could understand the proclamation of the Gospel. Apparently, some in Corinth, including Paul, spoke in something like a private language of love as they got caught up in their praise and adoration of God. Paul didn’t diminish this experience, rather he cautioned that only what strengthens others, encourages them, and comforts them should be included in public worship.

My Takeaway: Paul’s teaching reveals the importance he puts on private worship. We are called to worship God with the Body of Christ, the church. We are also called to practice our own personal times of worship. It has been my experience that the more time I spend in personal praise and worship, the more my public worship expresses reverence and awe for God.

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2022 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Known by God

Meditations in First Corinthians

June 14, 2022

Known by God 

All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.

1 Corinthians 13:12b

Read: 1 Corinthians 13:8-13

Jane and Maura, from the TV show Rizzoli & Isles, are talking. Maura is trying, in a very convoluted way, to express her feelings about something. Jane responds, “It must be very difficult to be you.” Maura replies, “You have no idea!” I can so identify with Maura’s comment. I know I am a child of God, and that Christ is in me, and I am in him. I also realize that I am the totality of all that has been my life for seventy-five years. Much of that life has been so very good. Significant portions have been so very bad. Daily I get to choose to live my life out of my core identity that I know is a beloved child of God. Often there are competing voices vying for attention, and sometimes they win out.

Which is all to say, some of the sweetest words to me in the Bible are in verse 12: “Just as God now knows me completely.” There are many days when the attributes we looked at yesterday in verses 4-7 hardly seem present in my life, and I am most acutely aware of how much more in me needs to be transformed to become like Christ. Even so, my Heavenly Father wraps His arms around me and says, “Dear one, you are mine and I love you.” My Heavenly Father knows and loves me. He made me. He knows what it is like for me to be me. I rest in the sweet affection of His smile toward me.

By the way, if we are inclined to have some deep and meaningful private devotional time, like our own personal daily retreat, we would do well to spend a week with chapter 13. We can meditate on just two verses each day. We can read, mediate, and reflect on those two verses three times each day: morning, noon, and evening. We would do well.

My Takeaway: Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. (v. 13) I want the entire focus of my life to be on that which is eternal; faith, hope and love.

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2022 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Living As the Beloved Of God

Meditations in First Corinthians

June 13, 2022

Living As the Beloved Of God 

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud.

1 Corinthians 13:4

Read: 1 Corinthians 12:31b-13:7

A few things to keep in mind as you read chapter 13, the Love Chapter. First, to the great shame of the church, this chapter has been relegated to weddings and poems. This chapter is the very essence of everything the Apostle Paul believed.

To continue with the metaphor of the symphony I used last Tuesday (June 7), do not think of chapter 13 as a ‘stand-alone’ chapter. It is the central part of a great symphony that is chapters 12, 13, and 14. They all go together.

Within this divine music of the Kingdom, you can see the core of Paul’s theology. We, the followers of Jesus, are living today by the values of the Kingdom of God. Today, we are the children of God; therefore, we set our hearts and minds on learning to live as the Beloved of God. As you read verses 4-7, think of how you see these qualities, attributes, and characteristics in the life of Jesus.

Remember Paul’s words in Philippians 2:5

“Have this mind in you that was also in Christ Jesus.”

How do we see the attributes of Jesus in verses 4-7, being revealed in our life? You may want to do this exercise in two parts. Paul lists both attributes that love is, and those which love is not. First, focus on love is patient, kind, rejoices whenever the truth wins out, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Love never gives up, never loses faith. How do we see these attributes in our daily lives?

Next, Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice. Again, how do we see these attributes in our daily lives?

My Takeaway: Becoming like Jesus, is our destiny, loving like Jesus is our destiny.

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2022 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

One Body with Many Parts

Meditations in First Corinthians

June 10, 2022

One Body with Many Parts 

All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.

1 Corinthians 12:27

Read: 1 Corinthians 12:27-31a

Sometimes, today’s closing passage in chapter 12 is taken literally. Paul provides a list of spiritual gifts. The first three are numbered, and then he added five more. Some churches interpret this as a ranking order so that the first three are the most important, and then there are the others. When you read the entire chapter 12, I believe you must reject that interpretation as Paul went to great lengths to show that all spiritual gifts are essential to the success of the church’s mission. The ranking order interpretation is seemingly supported by verse 31a, “So you should earnestly desire the most helpful gifts.” If some gifts are most helpful, then are some other gifts less helpful? No, not if you read the entire chapter.

Paul begins this passage by noting the list is some of the gifts of the Spirit God has provided for the church. The list is far from exhaustive, but there is enough listed to give the church a sense of how we can all work together to fulfill the mission of the church.

My Takeaway: The critical success factor is the passage is verse 31b: “But now let me show you a way of life that is best of all.” It wasn’t included in today’s reading because it properly introduces the Love Chapter which we will turn to on Monday. When we ponder verse 31b, and then turn to Chapter 13, I believe we will see Paul’s heart for the operation of spiritual gifts in the Body of Christ.

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2022 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.