Have you moved to a new church and wished the people would view you as a valuable new addition? Have you taken a new job and wanted your new employer and fellow employees to take you seriously? I recall when Karen and Bill Shea started attending my Sabbath School class in Manassas, Virginia. Karen came first, and then her husband showed up a few weeks later. This elderly couple sat quietly in my class as I taught the book of Daniel. What I did not know was that William Shea was the leading scholar in our worldwide church on Daniel. He had not only written a book on Daniel that was still being published, but he took the leadership role in writing hundreds of pages for the church’s position paper on Daniel and Revelation. When I realized who Bill was, I told him the wrong guy was teaching the class! He graciously told me that I was doing a fine job and should continue. Bill’s approach is not the same as that of Paul when he writes to the Corinthians. Is there a reason? Let’s dive into our study of 1 Corinthians!...
On the surface, our study this week seems incredibly odd. Last week, we learned why Paul was entitled to call himself an “apostle.” Yet his background was nothing like that of Jesus’ twelve disciples. Paul had a premier theological education (Acts 22:3), was a Pharisee, and wrote more New Testament books than any other writer. In Acts 26:24, Porcius Festus, the Roman governor of Judea, referred to Paul’s “great learning.” Paul was a smart, highly educated man. Yet in this week’s study, Paul openly attacks worldly wisdom and education. He seems to favor those considered unwise, foolish, or weak. What is going on? Is the gospel intended for people of low intelligence? Is it for the uneducated? Let’s dive below the surface to understand what Paul is really teaching us!...
Have you seen a divided church? Have you ever entered a church where you could see the division simply by observing where people are sitting? I recall as a young man attending my grandmother’s church in Ironwood, Michigan. It appeared that all of the professionals sat on the left and those whose work did not require a degree sat on the right. While I was in law school, I noticed in the cafeteria that all the black students sat at one table. I thought that was unfortunate, so I sat at that table. Those at the table harassed me. I did not leave, but I never did that again! As a young lawyer, my wife and I attended a church where the black members tended to sit on one side and the white members sat on the other side. After I transferred to another church, I returned to that church and preached a sermon on racial reconciliation. After my sermon, some black friends said to me, “I hope they were listening,” and my white friends confided, “I hope they were listening.” Is there any solution to divisions in the church? Or is that just the natural order of things? Let’s jump into our study and read Paul’s advice on that subject!...
Just before writing this introduction, I had a wonderful discussion with my granddaughter. She is about to become a teenager, and we spoke about the importance of choosing her close friends carefully. Everyone who is reading this has been influenced by friends. Some, because of bad influences during their youth, have had their lives permanently changed. I recall a mother calling me about her son. He had been in a car when his friends decided to bully another young man. Things got out of hand and the victim died. In circumstances like this, friends can get you convicted of murder. Life-altering choices are often made when a person is young. The influence of our friends continues throughout life. Our study this week is about the influence that tolerated sin can exert within a church and about how Christians should resolve conflicts with one another. Let’s plunge into our study of the Bible and see what lessons we can learn for today!...
Have you been in a situation in which you were absolutely right, but you ended up losing? In American law this is not supposed to happen. You have the facts in hand, you argue the application of the correct law, and if you are competent and logical you win, right? In my experience, the answer is, “Not always.” Biblical arguments can be even more uncertain. First, not everyone agrees on what a Bible text says. If there is no agreement on the law, which is the standard for judgment, how can you have a reasonable debate? Second, being right about what the Bible says does not always lead you to the correct conclusion. How can that be? We need to ask Paul! Our study this week begins with being right on the Bible, but wrong on our conclusion. Let’s dive into this worrisome idea to better understand what Paul is teaching us!...
