1 Corinthians

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“So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless” (1 Corinthians 15:58 NLT).

August 24, 2019

NEVER DIG UP IN DOUBT WHAT YOU PLANTED BY FAITH Be strong, immovable, always work with enthusiasm for the Lord. Why? Because of the resurrection and because whatever you plant in faith will grow and produce a harvest. The promise of eternal life should make us fearless in our focus. It should make us immovable

“That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup.” (1 Corinthians 11:28 NLT).

August 18, 2019

SELF-EXAMINATION AND THE LORD’S SUPPER Paul rebuked the Corinthians for coming to the Lord’s table without treating one another as members of the Lord’s body. Their disunity and selfish behavior flew in the face of the sacrifice of Christ which the Lord’s Supper represents. He challenged them to first “examine” themselves before taking communion. Self

“Be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble” (1 Corinthians 8:9 NLT).

August 13, 2019

OUR FREEDOM TO LIVE IS LIMITED BY OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO LOVE Our freedom in Christ does not relieve us of our responsibility to consider others, especially new believers. In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he was concerned about those who felt free to eat meat offered to idols without consideration of those who would be

“So don’t boast about following a particular human leader. For everything belongs to you” (1 Corinthians 3:21 NLT).

August 7, 2019

STOP BOASTING ABOUT YOUR CHURCH AND START BOASTING ABOUT CHRIST Have you been boasting about your pastor or church to someone? Is it a member of another local church? Stop. If both are gospel preaching, gospel believing churches, then both already belong to you. For both belong to Christ. Everything already belongs to you because

“And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us” (1 Corinthians 2:12 NLT).

August 6, 2019

WHAT WE CAN KNOW Have you ever been asked how you can know that God has saved you? The question may come from someone who lacks assurance of salvation themselves, so they want to understand from where you get your confidence. Or the question may come from an agnostic who wishes to challenge the basis

“For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:2 NLT).

August 5, 2019

TALKING TO OTHERS ABOUT JESUS Why is it easier to invite someone to church than it is to invite them to follow Jesus? Talking about church is not the most comfortable thing in our modern culture. It signals a shift in our everyday generic conversation with neighbors and coworkers, for it moves from that which

“Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:7 NLT).

August 4, 2019

DOES EVERY CHURCH HAVE EVERY SPIRITUAL GIFT IT NEEDS? Paul told the Corinthian church that it already had every spiritual gift that it needed. Is this true for every church? Does God give every local body of believers every spiritual gift that they need to stand faithful until Christ’s return? Perhaps it is an overstatement

“On the first day of each week, you should each put aside a portion of the money you have earned.” (1 Corinthians 16:2 NLT).

August 25, 2018

THE GRACE OF GIVING
Ironically, the church in Corinth, one of the most wealthy among the 1st Century churches, was the one that Paul had to do the most teaching on generosity. In the poorer churches, like the churches in Macedonia, it seemed giving came easily. They gave with such generosity that Paul was astounded, because they gave “beyond their ability” (2 Cor. 8:3) and this, with great joy and willingness. Yet, even in Paul’s second letter to the well-to-do believers in Corinth, it is obvious that they still weren’t living with generosity.

Notice Paul’s helpful instruction, he taught them…
1) When to give: every Sunday “first day”
2) Who should give: every member “you should each”
3) How much to give: a portion based on your earnings

Corinth was wealthy in every way except in generosity. They abounded in “everything–– in faith, in speech, in knowledge” (2 Cor. 8:7), yet Paul would have them abound in the grace of giving.

“Just as we are now like the earthly man, we will someday be like the heavenly man.” (1 Corinthians 15:49 NLT).

August 24, 2018

WHAT WILL OUR FUTURE BODY BE LIKE?
People today spend a great deal of money and effort on extending the youthful appearance of their bodies. Yet inevitably, our earthly bodies will age and die. This is the inheritance that we received from our father, Adam, the “earthly man.” However, those who have been born again in Christ have received a new inheritance. They have been given the Holy Spirit as a “guarantee” (Eph. 1:14) that they will also receive a new body when the dead in Christ rise at His return. This new body will be like the one that belongs to the “heavenly man,” who is Christ Jesus. He is the “firstborn from among the dead” (Col. 1:18), the prototype of our future resurrection body.

What will our future body be like? It will be like the resurrection body of Jesus. As the apostle John wrote, “Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is” (1 John 3:2).

“Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” (1 Corinthians 13:7 NLT).

August 20, 2018

LOVE NEVER GIVES UP
Paul’s love chapter (1 Cor. 13) is one of the most wonderful descriptions of “agape” love found in any literature in human history. Yet, its lofty attributes are beyond mortal humanity absent the Spirit which inspired Paul’s writing. For “agape” love is God’s kind of love. It is unconditional, enduring and sacrificial. It is most fully demonstrated in that “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).

God has not given up on us because agape love never gives up. “For God is love” (1 John 4:8).

Who do you know that needs God’s kind of love, the kind of love that never gives up?