Category: Devotions

So we turn the page from 1 Corinthians to the second letter so easily and we can miss the gap and the context which are so important. We will get to those as we continue to read over the weeks to come. The Holy Spirit will speak through the verses we read.

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God in Corinth, together with all his holy people throughout Achaia: ² Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 1 v 1-2)

From 1 Cor 5:9 the first letter was lost. Paul had written to the Church not to associate with those who claim to be Christian. The Holy Spirit did not preserve that letter which had been misunderstood. Paul had to write again (1 Corinthians) which was re-addressing what he had meant.

We will read later how he decided to make a visit to the Church in Corinth which didn’t go down too well and so he writes a third time and this was a severe letter (again we will get to that). Now this letter seemed to do the trick because there was improvement in the Church (again we will get to that) and so he begins to write his fourth letter (2 Corinthians).

Paul realises every word is scrutinised and so every verse is important for us. In fact in the opening 2 verses we have 5 important truths for us to know. Whether a new or seasoned Christian these are so important for us all.

• Know your personal divine calling and commission. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God – our identity isn’t found anywhere else but in the fact that we have a purpose, a calling and that it comes from God alone. Never let anyone diminish that in your life. Never be robbed of this. Even if circumstances change and though you may go through many challenges never give up on this truth, He called you and commissioned you.
• Know you’re not alone. and Timothy our brother. Your life is meant to be lived collaboratively. It doesn’t mean you have to travel with people with the same callings, Timothy wasn’t an apostle, but do make sure you have people who also know God’s calling and commission. Surround yourself with people who believe in you and your purpose. Find that friend and they become far more, they become your brother/sister.
• Know the Church belongs to God. To the church of God in Corinth. We think we know it but right now especially in the Western Church this appears not to be so. Knowing the Church belongs to God means we will never abuse it. It doesn’t mean leaders are not strong, in fact Paul did send a severe letter, but they don’t crush, they don’t mistreat or belittle. At the same time we as believers must know we belong to God. We are not our own. So we live for Him. We don’t self-abuse.
• Know that we belong to a larger Church. together with all his holy people throughout Achaia. This was the Roman province which included all of Greece, a large area. If all you know is your own culture then you will not know much of God. We are so blessed in the Western Church that the nations of the world have come to us and they give us a global view of who God is and what He does.
• Know the power of blessing. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Be blessed and be a blessing is the key. We live in a world of anger and condemnation. It is so important that we know a) the unmerited favour of God as the foundation of our life (grace) and b) the reconciled relationship with God (peace).

The behaviour of some Church people today is questionable just as it was in the days of Paul. The Corinthian church was fractured by divisions, the toleration of serious moral failures and struggling with theological confusion.

“If anyone does not love the Lord, let that person be cursed! Come, Lord! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen.” (1 Corinthians 16 v 22-24)

Yes a stern word. If you really loved Jesus you wouldn’t be like this, is the meaning behind it. The stark contrast of anathema (cursed) meaning separated from God and Maranatha (Come Lord) stands poles apart. Paul knows that genuine love for Jesus is seen in obedience. Yet this urgent plea for the return of Christ was in the minds of all the believers as they longed for Christ to come and make everything right again.

More grace is needed says Paul and he ends with his love for them all.

What he leaves us with after what has been a strong but loving letter is the fact that an unwavering conviction, boundless grace, firm correction and genuine love is to be found in the Christian community who love Jesus. If you really loved Jesus. We do. Held in that complexity is the threat of being separated from God’s presence, the longing for the return of Christ, unmerited favour and above all, agape love.

We are nearly at the end of this letter to the Church in Corinth. Paul co-wrote it with a man known by everyone, Sosthenes, or perhaps he transcribed as Paul dictated his letter (1:1). Here we see something interesting:

^“ I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand.” (1 Corinthians 16 v 21)

Paul makes a deliberate choice to put his name on the letter by personally signing it.

In doing so he brings authentication, personal connection and also emphasising his own personal desire and investment into their lives.

It encourages us in our walk of faith:-

• Just as God became flesh in Christ and Paul embodied himself into the truth of this letter by signing it, the gospel isn’t only something we believe but we carry in our hearts, we speak with our mouths and we carry out actions with our own hands. We put our name to the gospel.
• By signing his name Paul stands by everything he has had written and even the rebukes he has given. He wasn’t hiding behind Sosthenes and we don’t hide either. We don’t hide behind what the Church believes or because we were brought up this way. No we have put our name to the gospel.
• Paul bridges the gap by signing this letter. They are distant geographically but he wants to draw near. We know small gestures do carry weight. The most meaningful acts of kindness are usually the smaller ones even those that mean you put your name on the letter.

The Bible isn’t a book of doctrines it is a divine inspiration fueled through living communications.

“Greet one another with a holy kiss.” (1 Corinthians 16 v 20)

So wherever you are reading this from in the world you might have a different way to greet one another.

A Tibetan? You might be sticking your tongue out!

An Indian? You might be kneeling and touching the feet of the other.

From South East Asia? You could be touching noses.

A European? Depending on the country you will be doing some air-kisses from one, two or even three times!

The Apostle has a European flavour but it has to be a holy one!

Why?

It seems Paul is wanting them to physically connect. To know the power of touch.

He wanted them to have something tangible happen in their greeting.

“Give each other a big hug” or if you’re a more conservative Christian, “Give each other a hearty hand-shake”.

A cursory look online at the traumatic sad stories of feral children raised with little or zero human contact and you realise the power of touch.

Greet one another not only with words but make sure you all know the feeling of being loved, appreciated and wanted. The power of touch heals, restores and connects us into a wholesomeness of our well-being. Perhaps Paul was on to something which we now know is vital for our lives. So go hug someone today or pucker up so long as it’s holy. If you’re nervous, sanitise your hands for a really good handshake.

They didn’t just become a church leader. Your leader has a story. Ask them.

“The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Priscillagreet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house. ²⁰ All the brothers and sisters here send you greetings.” (1 Corinthians 16 v 19-20)

Can you imagine these churches that met in the homes of believers? What did they do? They probably shared meals together, worshipped together and supported one another through the challenges of life. It was probably far more than a 90 minute service on a Sunday. But these church leaders had a story. It was one of determination and passion to serve Jesus despite their circumstances. I wonder if they shared their stories with their church? I am sure they did.

Paul names the couple. Do you remember this verse? “Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus. They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. Greet also the church that meets at their house.” (Romans 16 v 3-5)

Aquila originated from the south shore of the Black Sea and had settled in Italy with his wife Priscilla until the Emperor expelled all the Jews from Rome in AD 49. So they arrived into Corinth as refugees where they met Paul who stayed with them and then later they travelled together to Ephesus. They became so close Paul calls them co-workers. (Acts 18:2 “There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome.”) This couple became church leaders and were influential with Paul in the planting of churches in Corinth and Ephesus.

The Emperors were often involved in such ethnic cleansing. Claudius was no exception, he was a racist and he increasingly became intolerant of the Jews.

Aquila and Priscilla had suffered, they went through this evil purging feeling like dirt in such wicked circumstances. No doubt they experienced every fear and doubt. But through it all unbeknown to them God was working it all out. Their message was surely that and I like to think they taught from their experiences, that your greatest catastrophe can be your greatest opportunity. What wonderful church leaders they must have been who had survived such horrendous times.

In AD 54 Claudius died and presumably it was then that the couple returned to Rome along with other Jewish/Christian refugees. Again they had their own church in Italy, presumably planted by them. But one thing they had come to know is the stability of God. No matter what turbulence we go through God is always there holding us in that storm. Paul sends their greetings back to Corinth.

We can so easily overlook some verses in the Bible and this is one of those.

And we can also overlook that our Church leader has a testimony of God’s grace which we can learn so much from. Ask them.

So very often I come across families who have given their whole lives to the Lord and His Church. It isn’t just one generation but throughout the generations. I was privileged to lead the funeral service for a retired minister’s wife this week. Frances Dyson was married to Colin who Pastored the Church that his daughter now Pastors and whose 3 sons are also committed into serving different churches as well as the same one as their grandparents. Wholehearted commitment from one family to the Kingdom of God.

It would be easy to overlook these final verses of the letter to the Corinthians Church. If we do, we miss some important truths.

 ^“You know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the Lord’s people. I urge you, brothers and sisters, ¹⁶ to submit to such people and to everyone who joins in the work and labours at it. ¹⁷ I was glad when Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus arrived, because they have supplied what was lacking from you. ¹⁸ For they refreshed my spirit and yours also. Such men deserve recognition.” (1 Corinthians 16 v 15-18)

This family were the first converts in that Greek region. They were ‘devoted’. It is the sense that this is more than just volunteering to help the Church but that they were wholeheartedly committed to it. But who were they? Did they have a title? It didn’t seem to matter. They didn’t need one they just met the needs of the people.

It is remarkable that Paul tasks the Church to submit to such people. He is not saying submit to the apostles and the prophets etc. But he is saying those who serve with wholehearted commitment need submitting to. This isn’t based on title or social status or a formal appointment. It is based on the fact that devoted people look like Jesus. Christian Leadership emerges from service not the other way round.

These verses show us that wholehearted commitment in serving others is the hallmark for what calling truly is. It is for every believer and it needs to be acknowledged. When it is in place then it is the spiritual refreshing that many need, even Paul. It is a deep restoration and comfort by simply being present.

If your Church has these people then acknowledge them and thank God for them. If you are one of them, well done, keep going, we need you!

Out of nowhere, except perhaps that he is now drawing to a close this letter to a divided Church, come 5 big commands of Paul that is needed in our lives today.

“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. ¹⁴ Do everything in love.” (1 Corinthians 16 v 13-14)

• Be spiritually vigilant. Is anything potentially damaging your spiritual well-being? Be on your guard. Be discerning. Be self-aware, people-aware and influence-aware. Don’t let your faith be damaged.
• Hold on to the core Christian beliefs. Be anchored to what you believe. Stand firm in the faith.
• Have the inner fortitude when going through the challenging season you are in. Have the moral courage to resist the cultural viewpoints that are anti-Christian. Be generous where others are more focused on gain. Be truthful when it is easier to be quiet. Be strong and be courageous are twinned together to call fort a resolve even when it is difficult, unpopular or costly.
• And do all of the above without letting go of love. Without love all the above traits have a dark side to them.

These 5 things form a framework for good Christian living. All of them are needed especially love!

What can we learn from the fact that Apollos said he wasn’t going to go back to visit the Corinthians Church?

“Now about our brother Apollos: I strongly urged him to go to you with the brothers. He was quite unwilling to go now, but he will go when he has the opportunity.” (1 Corinthians 16 v 12)

We don’t know why Apollos was ‘unwilling’ to go to Corinth even though Paul had asked him to and we can assume from ‘now about our brother ‘ that the Church had asked for him to visit. But we can hardly blame him for we know from the beginning of this letter that his name was being used within the whole divisiveness of the Church.

1. Paul’s leadership was not that of a dictator where everyone had to do what he said. Apollos said No.
2. You can urge but you cannot force.
3. If you want to say No then that’s your prerogative.
4. There are some moments when to walk back into a divisive place is not the right thing for you.
5. The right time for you to do something is not necessarily when your diary or others say so but when you feel you are ready.

Maybe today you just have to say NO to someone or something that others may see as important but for you it has to wait because you are simply not ready. It is not the right time for you.

And that’s okay, says Apollos.

Leaders also need protecting.

“When Timothy comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is carrying on the work of the Lord, just as I am. No one, then, should treat him with contempt. Send him on his way in peace so that he may return to me. I am expecting him along with the brothers.” (1 Corinthians‬ ‭16‬:‭10‬-‭11‬ )

At a time when to chase after celebrity Pastors and leaders seems a favourite pastime for some, Paul wants to protect Timothy. Why?

1. There were things on his cv which some may want to disqualify him for. “Don’t let him be looked down upon’ was either because he was young or inexperienced or both.
2. He was doing the work of God regardless what people thought and Paul said he was actually a colleague. We should judge less on personality or status and rather evaluate their commitment to the work.
3. Being a Church leader can be an intimidating experience. Paul doesn’t want Timothy to fear.
4. Paul wants Timothy to continue, he wants him back! How many fall by the wayside because they never experienced peace?! Paul desires continuity.
5. Paul knows that every leader needs a spiritual parent to watch for them. 

Ephesus was a major commercial and religious centre. It was a major crossroads to that region of the world. If Ephesus was won then many could find Christ.

I wonder if someone reading this today is about to move into or is already in the centre of a major influential place, workplace or neighbourhood. The invitation from the Spirit is maybe to remain and invest your life into that place because God wants to us you beyond your understanding.

The Apostle Paul had such a place.

“But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.” (1 Corinthians‬ ‭16‬:‭8‬-‭9‬)

This last week I was listening to one of my Pastors talking of how their children’s work had grown to over 100 and yet there was also a price to pay as they faced some opposition. Other Pastors were listening and then they began to share of the successes and favour from God that they were seeing but also the cost that they were having to pay. This combination of effectiveness and opposition seems to have always been with us. 

Paul says he has more than a door of opportunity for the gospel but that it was a great door! The opportunity is what is keeping him there. The opposition is not driving him away. 

Significant opportunities often come with significant opposition and it doesn’t mean you are in the wrong place it often means you are exactly where God wants you.