Missions Paul

“All I have left is my eternity. The enemy cannot take my eternity.”

The lady had been raped continuously by several men for over half an hour. Before and after the dark event her life was as opposite as you could get.
What a precious privilege for me to sit with this lady and to hear that though her enemy had taken everything that was sacred from her life, all that she was, all that she could give and had severed the relationship with her husband, there was one thing the enemy could not take.
That one thing the lady hung on to like a treasured possession.
I had what she had, but I learnt that day to hold my eternity with such gratefulness and joy as this lady, for one day I may also only have that one thing left.

1 Corinthians 15
Let us preach that Christ was raised, v4.

Our preaching is not in vain and we are not liars, Christ was raised, v14-15.

Because Christ was raised we too will be raised in eternity, v16.

Christ is raised and our faith is true and we are free, v17.

The last enemy of our life is death, it has been defeated, v26.

Eternity makes suffering worthwhile, v32.

This body with its pain and disease will waste away but our eternal bodies are powerful, v43.

When everything is stripped away all one has is their eternity.

Do you disagree?
v18 of 1 Corinthians 14
If it brings forward mysteries.
If it builds us up individually.
If it means our spirit is praying.
Then why do we not use it more often?

I have been impressed by those who can preach with charisma.
I have been awed by those who speak through a filter of heaven itself.
I have been excited by those who speak for God.
For those with wisdom and knowledge, those with huge faith levels I have given the deepest of respect to.
But what always stirs my heart are the givers, of what they have and of themselves, laying everything down before God and man.
1 Corinthians 13
These are the people we usually admire and aspire to become. Oh how we rave about these gifted, skilled and sacrificial people!

But do they love people?
Is love for others the motivation behind their gifting, their action?
Loving really matters.
How you treat people counts!
Without love all you have is nothing.

I am disturbed
1 Corinthians 12

Last week I was privileged to be in the DRC. It has had I believe one of the most profound effects upon me than anywhere in the world to present. Moving as near as was safe to do to the rebel areas we were taken to very brave communities. So why the profound effect?
Was it the fact that they were living underneath an active volcano which clearly had erupted not so long ago? Was it the fact that last year the rebels came and looted, destroyed the farming, raped the women, killed and maimed the men? Was it the fact that these people despite their trauma were so thrilled to be worshipping God with passion, their faith still strong in God?
Maybe. But I actually believe I have been so effected because I connected to these people with the recognition these were my faith family. They are part of the body of Christ of which I am also.

Last night a Pastor from Pakistan posted a video on facebook of Christians being brutally massacred. I was speechless. I was numbed. I was deeply moved. It stayed with me overnight. Was it because of the act upon them? Was it because of disgust that a crowd gathered to watch? Maybe. But I believe it was because of the connection that I have with these people. They are my brothers and sisters in Christ. They are part of the body of Christ of which I am also.

They are the body of Christ that I am part of. There are many parts but one body, v20.
I cannot say because they are a people so different to me, have a different language to me, live culturally so very different, in a different part of the world that I have no responsibility to them. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it, v26.
I belong to them and they to me. I cannot forget them nor should I, v27.

This is why I do what I do. Please join me.

Will the meetings today do more harm than good?
1 Corinthians 11:17
When they met men and women were competing to be the prominent person and those within marriages were the worst!
Within their community they couldn’t cope with the differences between each other and so they just argued.
When they took communion, it was more like a bring your own buffet and there was plenty of alcohol available, it was more like a party than a remembrance of a sacrificial death and a selfish party at that.
The problems were within their worship.
So will the meetings today do more harm than good?
I guess that will depend on whether we have finished duelling with the opposite sex appearing to be more spiritual than the other. Let the women look up in wonder of God and the men bow their head in submission to God.
It will depend on whether our differences are so important that we stay together in division or separate and go to the other church round the corner.
It will depend not on the style of communion we take but whether being in communion we honour the body of Christ.
I guess for some the meetings will do more good and sadly some will do more harm.

If only …
1 Corinthians 10
If only people could finish as well as start, v1-5
Maybe today the crowds prefer the starting line and what will happen and what will be experienced rather than the finishing line and what did happen and was experienced.
The starting line isn’t exhausting.
Many start few finish.

If only people could live in light of Christ’s death, v14-22
Some either over emphasise the Lord’s Supper, communion or mass turning it into something supernatural and others under emphasise it turning it into something unrecognisable to what Jesus had in mind.
Why don’t people having partaken in Christ learn to die like him? Some are doing this right now but others are concentrating too much on living.

If only people could be free without hurting others, v22-33
But they use their freedom to please themselves.
Often pleasing yourself will hurt someone else.
There needs to be a new understanding of freedom.

If only.

I’ve got some questions:
1 Corinthians 9
Do you know your authority to speak? v1
Do you actually have an experience of the Lord? v1
Do you know your task? v2
Do you have evidence of good works? v2
Do you feel settled in your lifestyle? v3-7
Do you see yourself in the Bible? v9-10
Do you surrender your own selfish gain? v15-18
Do you know freedom from people’s expectations? v19-23
Do you serve God with passion? v26-27
Do you discipline yourself in order to win? v26-27

Do you say YES?

I can do what I like
1 Corinthians 8
No you can’t.

The time is short
1 Corinthians 7
Married? Then realise you’re not in it for yourself but the other person.
Single? Remain as you are.
The time is short.
Separating or divorcing? Don’t bother.
Married to the unbeliever? Remain as you are.
The time is short.
Desertion? Let it be.
Pleasing man (becoming circumcised) is pointless.
The time is short.
Held back by man? Don’t let that become your identity.
Complicated lives? Simplify them.
The time is short.
Engaged? Then marry.
Widow? You are now free so act like it.
The time is short.
When the time is short then that becomes the main focus and helps with the decisions.
Is the time short for you?

Are your sins in the list?
1 Corinthians 6
Some Christians get so angry with the sins of other Christians.
We don’t like seeing ourselves on the sin list.

Allegedly, Charles Spurgeon invited D.L. Moody to speak at an event he hosted.

Moody accepted and preached the entire time about the evils of tobacco, and why the Lord doesn’t want Christians to smoke.

Spurgeon, a cigar smoker, was surprised at what seemed to be a cheap shot levelled by Moody, using the pulpit to condemn a fellow minister.

When Moody finished preaching, Spurgeon walked up to the podium and said, “Mr. Moody, I’ll put down my cigars when you put down your fork.”

Moody was overweight.

We are all on someone’s sin list.
But not God’s.
Because we were washed, sanctified and justified!
It’s those 3 declarations which mean we are in the kingdom of God, within the rule of Christ.
Thank God for Jesus!