I would never teach or touch this beautiful chapter in 1 Corinthians….The written word in this chapter 13 is every living thing on this planet.
As my Bible Handbook states….”It is one of the best loved chapters in all the Bible, an undying expression of Jesus’ doctrine of heavenly love. More potent for the building of the Church than any, or all, of the miraculous manifestations of God’s power. The Church’s most effective weapon. Irresistible, Undying, Eternal.
Take time and, if possible, begin to make this chapter, yours.
Chapter 12 is an enlightning chapter….one all of us must read, and, in doing so, realize just how much we can do for God and one another. We are one…..a body with different parts that do different things. We need all our parts to work for us and others. God’s gifts are handed out to all. Use what He gives us. It helps us to be better and encourages others to be Christian.
Now the interesting part is that sometimes takes awhile, years even, to realize we have this wonderful gift. We hear of others doing special things to help people, i.e. laying of hands, and we think, “I can’t do that”…….never thinking of the things we can do, have done, and are able to do……
Some do what we still call miracles…..even in 2013. But most of us are given gifts we don’t give a second thought to……we are good listeners……we give good advice…..we are soft in our mannerisms,
we are patient….we have time to give….we are healthy and able to help those who are not, etc. The reason I use etc, is because the list is endless….Your gifts from God are so special. Look for them in your own life…and use them well.
You are Christ’s body….it says in the Message. You must never forget this…what a wonderful gift, use it……
WOW! Paul continues with his writings….and in Chapter 11, he discusses equality of men and women in God’s eyes…..and then communion.
According to my Bible Handbook, it was customary for women to cover their heads in public….except for temple prostitutes. One can imagine what happened when Christian women, who had the opportunity to not cover their heads in church….didn’t! Paul reminds us that men and women are equal in God’s sight…..however, they were told to be careful in certain ares of the cities. It is lovely how Paul shows the differences of men and women….He says that neither man nor woman can go it alone. He says man was created first by God and it was beauty. Then he goes on to say the ‘angelic’ hair of a woman is far more beautiful. And then….he reminds us that every man comes from a woman and everything comes from God….so we should quit discussing who is first, last, or better….
Chapter 11 goes on to teach us about communion. It is a wonderful explanation and in many churches, some of its words are used each time communion is celebrated.
“This is my body, broken for you. Do this to remember me”……these words begin a ceremony of remembrance, and renewing. It is to remind us of the death of Christ, His promise to us, and our devotion to Him. A party it is not! And that was another embarrassing point Paul had to make to his new Christians.
“After supper, he did the same thing with the cup. This cup is my blood, my new covenant with you. Each time you drink this cup, remember me”……As the Message Bible states….Anyone who eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Master irreverently is like part of the crowd that jeered and spit on him at his death. Is that the kind of ‘remembrance’ you want to be a part of? Examine your motives, test your heart, come to this meal in holy awe. (These words and actions are so true…whether your church celebrates communion once a day, or once a month)
Each time I read more of this letter, I see the writer, sometimes, just beside himself…..Exasperated, even exhausted! One can see him pacing in the after glow of the sunset, knowing he would have to continue on thru the night.
He further reminds his newbies, he is not asking for the moon. He doesn’t need a big paycheck, not a palace for the duration of the stay, and certainly not taking from those who are disadvantaged, to pay the bill.
The key word here in these pages is ‘compelled’. He is compelled to speak of Christianity. He can’t leave the subject alone. He needs to shout about his Christ, and your Christ. How exciting is that! How many times have you been COMPELLED in your Christian belief? I know I should be more like Paul, so motivated, even at times obsessive in my description of what is Christ all about, and what he means in my life, but I’m chicken. I am not an outgoing ‘evangelizer’, sounding off on busy corners or handling out pamphlets door to door……SOMETIMES I WISH I COULD BE!! I’ve come to understand there are lots of ways to teach and learn about Christ, just like there are lots of ways of healing. Some are loud and even shocking in certain circles, and some are as quiet and calming as the dove cooing before a rain. I understand now we all have healing qualities within….we just have to figure out what they are…ahh, to be compelled in the name of Jesus!!
Chapter 10 looks further into learning and teaching…I like the way Paul talks of drinking of the cup of blessing and having a portion of the loaf of bread….In doing this we take in the very life of Christ and become united. Introducing his thoughts, his teachings, and his promise of eternal life, leaves us enriched.
Paul says there are all kinds of food..real and religious. Be choosy….. eat and share the best from your table and from the table of others. There are many ‘foods’ that should not be eaten, as they have been contaminated by bad teaching. Choose only the best for your body, your life, and your continued service in Christ’s name. Be compelled!!
I know, it’s been awhile…..but I’ve had company for the past two weeks…and time was spent being a tourist. But on to Corinth.
Chapter 7 gets in to the discussion of marriage…I could go on and use my own words, however, I have a Bible Handbook from the 50’s that belonged to my parents….Think I’ll quote their remarks as it is much better than mine.
” Evidently they had written asking if it is legitimate for Christians to marry. Strange, they were puffed up over the case of incest, 5:2, and yet had scruples about lawful marriage. Paul advises marriage, except for those who have the ‘gift’ of sexual control. Paul himself was not married,8. Some think that he may have been a widower and lost is wife while yet young: for two reasons: one, he was a member of the Sanhedrin, Acts 26:10, ‘vote’, for which it is said marriage was a necessary prerequisite; the other, this chapter seems to have been written by one who knew something of the intimacies of married life.”
I think the chapter discusses morals and ethics….during this period in Corinth. I also am smart enough to know there have been modifications thru the years concerning marriage, divorce, and everything in between. Having been divorced once myself, it was not the easiest thing for me to do almost 40 years ago…it was the hardest thing for me to do. I wish I could agree with marriages being made in heaven, but I think marriages are made by people.
That’s another discussion for another day.
Paul said to be smart enough to stay married if you were, and stay single if you want to be single……and it’s okay of you change your mind about being single.
I love the discussion of consuming the meat offered up to idols….Paul says we all have eaten ‘idol meat’ at sometimes in our lives and it wasn’t the meat that made us bad. Move on in your beliefs and realize it is not the meat at all, for everything is provided by God. Be knowledgable in helping people thru the walk of realizing Christianity. Help the new believer…..
Chapter 9 talks a little about pay…..as in who does, who doesn’t, when, and why. I know this is a wide area that can be discussed forever, but my feelings are Paul says he took on the charge from Christ because he wanted to, knowing that it would not be a paying experience, and that he probably wouldn’t get rich monetarily off it. And for him, just like similar groups today, it is perfectly fine. By the same token he goes on to say he expects help…as in a place to stay, to sleep, to be safe, to eat, and to preach.
What is his point….help him out, help out the leaders of the new church, but don’t deprive your new followers to fill your pocket.
Just keep your eyes on what is right, why you have become a servant of Christ, and how you must respond to non-religious and religious in a like manner.
thanks for reading and thinking…..always ready for a response.
Uh Oh! Just when we thought the last paragraph was being written, Paul hits us with Chapter 5 and 6. He is not happy….Looks like the word of the day is ‘scandal’.
He is raising the tone of his voice to remind the newest parishioners of how they are acting, violating laws, and worst of all, not even caring. He demands to know why no one is handling the disgraceful goings-on within his church. It’s an ‘out of sight, out of mind’ position the church leaders seem to be taking and Paul says no way….deal with it.
Let’s set aside 57AD and look at the situation today….Suppose you know a trusted family member, friend, or fellow parishioner is ‘walking on the wild side’ a little too much. Mmmmmmmm, you don’t want this to continue, you know they have more brains than they seem to show, and yet, what do you say? Remember how we talked about the scary side of addressing problems as serious as this? Well, imagine it is your board member, your associate pastor, your treasurer, or your best friend you sit by each service. Oh my….addressing these kinds of problems can be a life changing action for all involved. Still, it’s got to be done.
Mmmmmm again, guess being a follower of Christ isn’t really a piece of cake after all, is it? One cannot negotiate their way out of messing up. By the same token, one doesn’t need to be banished because they did mess up. It has to be somewhere in between. My opinion is that sometimes a ‘time out’ is in order, for all those involved. It’s kind of like counting to 10, only longer.
Taking the proper approach can be a bit touchy….that’s why I, personally, have to go for the time out, if I’m to be the ‘parent’. Maybe there are others who feel the same way about the ongoing problems, so discussing in a group….(the proper way) can be good. Remember, if you/your church have let this go on for a while, you should probably feel a little guilt yourself!
So Paul goes on to remind us that he is with those who have to begin the ‘redo’. God should be right in there, in the middle of the discussions, helping both sides to understand the necessity of acceptable behavior.
Please note: I’m sure this doesn’t apply to many, but maybe, just maybe, a few of us have been on the wrong side of this conversation certain times in our lives….just say’in…
In Chapter 6, Paul reminds us that while we might have to be a judge, we will also be judged, and it is good to be talked to by those who seek the Christian framework in their lives.
So we’ll leave this story for today with the following thoughts….we are all human…we have that wonderful spark of God within, we become more educated with more study, but we are still human….and for that reason, we will always, I said, always enjoy human things. That’s how we are designed… Our ‘free will’ is part of the package, however Christ’s teachings are the pre-arranged part of the same package, if we would only open our hearts and eyes. God owns all of you..and you..and you…and you. What a deal!
As you remember, Paul is trying to get the attention of the newest members of the church in Corinth….He’s reminded them that God’s word is not the new trend on the block, but an old message that arrived long before the parishioners were on the scene. Even today, we hear newcomers preach as though they new the final hour….they didn’t in 57 AD and they don’t now. Paul goes on to say only God knows what is ahead, what the big plans are….He does say that God has offered us salvation and true happiness here thru his son, Jesus.
And then…..he reiterates…..that they are new to Christianity and in truth, infants when it comes to this spirit. The temptation to become absorbed in one’s self caused problems then, as it does now…Guess ‘holier than thou’ has been around for a long time, hasn’t it…..
The Corinth congregations needed to review their relationships with one another, and to agree to work and live in peace and harmony. Accomplishments needed to become a united effort in the new churches, instead of working against each other…and Paul was trying to get that point across. There is always that time of reckoning, Paul said, and the people needed remember God has already given them and us everything we needed, as a gift.
Chapter 4 doesn’t let up….He sure didn’t like the attitude of some of his own converts…and said some were self-important, haughty, and even boastful. He told them that self-restraint was something they should consider….and that it was, for sure, destined to be God’s way, and not theirs.
Being a Christin in those days was not a win-win situation. There were plenty of other beliefs that people liked better, and Paul and his buddies were definitely ‘thrown under the bus’ on a number of occasions. They didn’t let that stop them tho…they kept up the pace and always seemed to have room for blessing those who had just berated them.
Then….Paul must have sit back a little, re-read what he just penned and said the following….I’m writing to you as a father..I really care about you. I know there is a line of people ready to tell you what you’ve done wrong every day, but I don’t want to be a father who just scolds. I want to help you understand, to explain once again what is expected, so you can get those ducks in a row. Jesus helped me, and now I’m helping you. Get off the soap box, re-unite your church, think of those less fortunate,and guide those in your parish who are not following our teachings. If they are engaging in unacceptable ways, be God’s guide, his representative, and a father to those who,deep down inside, yearn to confess and go forward.
Yesterday we (I mean I) discussed the downturn in the new church in Corinth…One can just visualize Paul, realizing the seriousness of the situation, sitting down to write a response few pastors would want to write.
These problems were not new in the daily life of Corinthians, however, in the Christian church, just a babe, it was just awful. Even today, as we look at some of our own local churches/parishes. we find the same problems. It isn’t out-and-out fighting, it is done in a quieter form……that being ‘sitting in judgement’ fighting.
So Paul begins…..’You are all picking sides’, he writes….all jockeying for a position that really doesn’t exist. Splitting into factions doesn’t help anyone, in 57AD or now….It is not for us to judge and philosophy…..Jesus wasn’t a ‘show off’.
In the Message Bible….I love what it says….”Isn’t it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women(my goodness “women”) that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses, chose these “nobodies” to expose the hollow pretensions of the “some bodies”? That makes it quite clear that none of you can get by with blowing your own horn before God. everything that we have—right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start—comes from God by way of Jesus Christ. That’s why we have a saying, “If you’re going to blow a horn, blow a trumpet for God.” (very cool)
Boy, oh boy, Paul is making it clear…..he was right then and he is right today….Do you see similar signs in your church? Do you see and hear those who tout a philosophy that always seems to make the other guy/congregation look inferior? Sorry to say I do…
The problem we all have in facing this tension in the church, is that we don’t want to come off as one of those ‘know-it-alls’ Paul mentions. We are not the judge and jury…..we leave that to God, however, there are ‘living laws’ that we must learn to abide by if we are to continue the Christian path.
Maybe as we continue to read this wonderful example of daily life in the early church, we can also contemplate how we solve the same kind of problems now occurring in some of our congregations today.
Do we go to the pastor, do we plead in front of the church board, do we have a pastor/parish committee, do we come together in Christian discussions, hoping not to hurt, but to help? Do we stay…..or do we go? It’s tough….very tough…If it wasn’t, congregations would be addressing and solving, instead of moving on, in hopes of finding a quiet, stable, loving atmosphere, at a new address down the street.
Paul is doing pretty well so far….actually his letters proved to be real winners…..cause we are still here, this evening, discussing the early church.
Well…..in case you’ve jumped ahead and actually turned to lst Corinthians, (even if you have’nt) there is a lot go’in on. Yesterday we got a taste of what Corinth was like…..in 57 AD.Today it matches any large city, almost anywhere in the world. Truth be known, many small towns have come to share the same kind of reputation, as Corinth,too. This is stated to kind of set everyone straight, in case they thought their burg was the perfect.
But, I digress…..
One would like to think that as soon as they were “Christianized”, all was well, that they become impeccable human beings. I wish…we wish, but it just ain’t so……
Now here is Paul, miles away, getting Fedex deliveries everyday from his church friends, giving him the worst news possible. His flock, his group, his parishioners, had truly begun to ‘backslide’ my friends, ‘backslide’, and what do you think Paul was thinking? To say the least, he was not a happy pastor.
So begins the saga of 1st Corinthians…..and those brothers and sisters in 57AD… are just like you and I….They were brought together to learn about God, to accept Christ, and not only be schooled in Christianity, but to ‘live’ in Christianity.
Seemed like everything was going well when he moved on….this new church seemed to be stable, attendees seemed well versed, and even better, they were committed. There was, however, a crack in the armor. Budgets were off, pledges were not coming in, and there was talk of going back to some idol worship.
The ‘in-fighting’ was an embarrassment…There were lots of new churches and instead of continuing to work together, they started being a little on the selfish side…..Salvation and holiness moved to go on the backburner, as the illuminating speeches of Paul, heard just months ago, languished in file drawers of church offices all over town.
What will Paul do….how will he bring his new followrs back into the fold…what methods will he use….will he be critical, indignant,or keep his cool and be a gentleman…..or all of the above?
We’re beginning a study of 1st Corinthians and my, my. Corinth, population 400,000, was situated on the isthmus of Greece. It was on the principal trade route of the Empire, and thru its harbors flowed the commerce of the world…and that’s a quote!
But here’s more……another quote…..”A renowned and voluptuous city, where the vices of the East and West met”.
My, my, boys and girls…..what is goin’ on?
Paul sure had his hands full, and probably had a stack of paper, to write about the solutions for this party town….in 57 AD
seriouslyscorpio 