The gospel

Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. – 1 Corinthians 15.1-8

Paul was driven by the gospel. It was his charge and his commission that he carried out with the same fire and intensity that he formerly carried out his charge to wipe out The Way. It was his motivation. It is what he lived for. He had received it from Christ and now he was passing on to those around him. Without the gospel any faith that people have is vain faith.

So what is that gospel?

Jesus died for our sins according to the scripture
He was buried
He rose the third day according to the scriptures
He was seen by hundreds of witnesses

That is the crux of the gospel that we need to share. Jesus was crucified. He had to die because of our sin. He was laid in the grave for three days. He conquered death and proved it by appearing to hundreds of people so there could be no doubts.

Notice that part of the gospel in our sin. Its an issue we must deal with. Everyone ha sinned, done wrong, and no single person could ever claim that they are perfect. This is pure a simply a fact that we must face. The penalty for sin is death, but Jesus paid that price, conquered death through the resurrection. Because of that we need not fear death or eternity.

The gospel changes everything. It is there for everyone. It is our job to share it.

The greatest of these is love

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. – 1 Corinthians 13.13

Now faith and hope and charity still abide. What marvelous gifts God gives us. He provides the faith for us exercise and accept His free gift of salvation. He gives hope that does not fail, now or for eternity, and He provides love.

And the greatest to these three is love.

To my eyes, looking through a glass darkly I don’t see how you can list one of those as being the greatest.

There it is though – God says the greatest of these is love.

It makes sense though, at least a little bit, when we read how Jesus summarised the whole Law – simply put we keep the law when we love God and love us. We can only love because God first loved us. It was God’s love that led Him to send His son to put our faith in and to give us eternal life. In love He predestined those who put their faith in Him to be conformed to the image of His son. It is Christ’s love that compels and motivate and drives us to share the message of faith and hope to others. We have faith in those we love so we trust them and that is what gives us hope no matter what the circumstances that we face or how uncertain tomorrow might be.

So yeah, maybe ‘the greatest of these is love’ does make a bit of sense.

Here is love, vast as the ocean
Loving kindness as the flood
When the Prince of Life, our Ransom
Shed for us His precious blood.

Who His love will not remember?
Who can cease to sing His praise?
He can never be forgotten
Througout Heaven’s eternal days.

Through a glass darkly

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. – 1 Corinthians 13.11-12


I will be the first one to admit that there is a lot God and His word and His works that I don’t get. I don’t see how God is working. I don’t see why things happen. I don’t understand the things I face in my own life. I don’t understand theology or the future or even salvation. I have a glimpse, but it is like I am trying to look and a dirty mirror.

We can’t see it all here. We are not God. God’s ways and His thoughts are far above us. We don’t know and we can’t grasp all that God is doing. We are limited by time and space and God is not abound by either. Just like our grandchildren today can’t understand why their parents and why we do or don’t do certain things. They don’t know what we know.

One day though it will all make sense. The day will come when it all makes sense and our of our doubts and fears and anxiety today will seem silly to us. When we see it all from eternity’s perspective everything that is murky today will become clear.

Love never fails

Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. – 1 Corinthians 13.8-10

 One day prophecying will cease. One day toungues will end. One day special knowledge will vanish away.

I’m not here to settle the whens and whys and hows and wheretofors of this verse. I’ll leave that to the theologians and true Bible scholars.

The point that I want to address is the principle that love never fails. There is never a wrong time or wrong place or a wrong situation for a true application of God’s love. This selfless, humble, long lasting, hopeful, ever enduring love never fails.

It may not always ‘work’ in the way we think it might but it never fails because no matter what else happens or how people respond people will know that they have been loved. The application of love in every situation will impact us, it will impact others, and and it will impact the world around us. Nothing can destroy true love. It is the one thing that will not fail

Love endures

Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. – 1 Corinthians 13.7

I don’t normally like to put down all the lyrics of a song, but in this case the song pretty much summarises the phrase ‘love endures all things.’ The song is ‘After the Last Tear Falls’ by Andrew Peterson and Andrew David Osenga.

There really is nothing I can add so enjoy and YouTube the song if you’d like to hear it.

After the last tear falls, after the last secret's told
After the last bullet tears through flesh and bone
After the last child starves and the last girl walks the boulevard
After the last year that's just too hard

There is love
Love, love, love
There is love
Love, love, love
There is love

After the last disgrace, after the last lie to save some face
After the last brutal jab from a poison tongue
After the last dirty politician, after the last meal down at the mission
After the last lonely night in prison

There is love
Love, love, love
There is love
Love, love, love
There is love

And in the end, the end is oceans and oceans of love and love again
We'll see how the tears that have fallen
Were caught in the palms of the Giver of love and the Lover of all
And we'll look back on these tears as old tales

'Cause after the last plan fails, after the last siren wails
After the last young husband sails off to join the war
After the last, this marriage is over
After the last young girl's innocence is stolen
After the last years of silence that won't let a heart open

There is love
Love, love, love
There is love

And in the end, the end is oceans and oceans of love and love again
We'll see how the tears that have fallen
Were caught in the palms of the Giver of love and the Lover of all
And we'll look back on these tears as old tales
'Cause after the last tear falls there is love

Source: Lyricfind
Songwriters: Andrew Peterson / Andrew David Osenga
After The Last Tear Falls lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Capitol Christian Music Group

Love gives hope

Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. – 1 Corinthians 13.7

Love gives hope. Isn’t that a wonderful thought? We need to check out our love for others and see if our love for them gives them hope in their lives. Love doesn’t discourage or let down or disappoint. Love doesn’t rain on other people’s parades.

Instead love lifts us and encourages. It provides for hope for the future. When we feel alone and we feel like there is no hope love gives hope.

That’s how God’s love is for the world. In a world of hopelessness and bad news and doom and gloom God provides hope. To a whole that is lost in darkness and sin God’s love provides hope for today, hope for the future, and hope for all eternity.

No matter what trials we face, no matter how great the unknown is, no matter how impossible our situation seems love brings hope. No matter how bad it seems, at least we know we are loved, and there is no greater hope than that.

Love believes

Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. – 1 Corinthians 13.7

This is one of those saying from scripture that can seem hard to grasp. ‘Love believes all things?’

That surely doesn’t mean that believes everything we hear from those we love? Surely it is not just blind acceptance without looking at all the facts and evidence.

Of course not, because love also rejoices in the truth.

But I do think it means that love is willing to take a chance. Love is willing to believe the good about someone we love and does is not willing to believe otherwise without evidence.

I love this idea. When we love someone and we hear something bad about that our first response ought to be to doubt the veracity of what we hear – not doubt the person. Too often we are quick to hear the ‘gossip’ and not even check it out. Our response in that case should be something like ‘that doesn’t sound like them, let’s ring them and ask about right now, shall we?’

Can you imagine how quickly lies would die if we did that? Can you imagine how many fights and divisions would be avoided? Can you imagine the relationships that would be saved?

Love sticks with our friends even at the risk of being wrong or looking foolish. We may be proven wrong. The bad we hear might be proven true. But our love ought to believe until proven wrong.

Love bears all things

Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. – 1 Corinthians 13.7

Loves bears all things. Love just keeps putting up with stuff. Love isn’t short tempered.

This is one of those keys to making a marriage work. Loves puts up with those little things that could otherwise be annoyances. Love does not overlook sin, that wouldn’t be love at all. Love does however overlook all those little things and minor offences ond slips of the tongue. Love even learns to bear with those little mean words and thoughtless actions. If love can’t overlook those things it responds in a loving way to sort the situation out.

Love never responds in anger or retaliation. Love is able to ‘take it.’ Love does not ignore problems and let them build up till they cause a problem. It knows how to deal with challenges properly, to lay them aside, and to move on.

Love rejoices in truth

Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; - 1 Corinthians 13.6

Love rejoices in all that is true – it never rejoices in injustice.

That’s a pretty heavy statement.

Our pride can be a vicious thing. It can really skew our thinking and reactions. We tend to like it when an ‘enemy’ is evil spoken of even if it is not true.

This is a special and obvious danger on social media where it happens all the time. Truth and justice mean nothing if our cause is helped and the other guy is hurt. In reality though true love, God’s love, the love we are supposed to show our enemies, never rejoices in injustice for anyone. We rejoice in truth even when we don’t get our way.

Truth seems to have become a throwaway in our social media world. Truth doesn’t really matter if a lie or misdirection or a deception serves our cause or supports our point of view.

That is not God’s way. That’s why truth is so important. That’s we we need to be careful about posting or retweeting or sharing things that are not true. So many of them are posted to get a laugh or mock or put down our ‘enemies’ or to score cheap points in a political debate.

Love never takes joy or uses injustice. Love always wants the truth.

Love does not think evil

Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; - 1 Corinthians 13.5

I like the phrase ‘thinks no evil. That says enough by itself, but it also has the notion of ‘not keeping a record.’ This really sort of goes with the previous phrase because if I am easily provoked it is probably because I am thinking evil.

You know how it goes. You are chatting away and someone says something negative about a mutual acquaintance in a passing comment. It might even be a friend or family member. We all love a little bit of gossip, so our ears pick up. As we think about it we don’t know quite what to do. It we are not careful our first response is just to accept it as true and join in the conversation.

But wait a minute. If we love someone what should our first response be when that happens? It seems like our first response should be something like ‘that doesn’t sound like so and so. I’ve never known them to act that way. I think we ought to ring them and get their side of the story.’

Can you imagine what that would do to most gossip. What if we chose not to think evil, no matter what, and instead chose to lovingly work through those situations?

Love doesn’t allow evil to enter the situation – ever.

Love is not easily provoked

Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; - 1 Corinthians 13.5

Love is not easily provoked, or prodded, or stirred up, or incited.

I think we get the picture here. Love is not so sensitive to criticism that it seeks to be offended.

Hmm, I wonder if we could say that ‘love has thick skin’ as a way to parrowphrase it?

I had to deal with this recently in my own life. A friend said something I took as unkind and offensive because he did not know all the facts and because he spoke on an assumption.

Do you think I did the mature, loving, and Biblical thing by having a quiet and calm conversation to sort things out? Sorry, but not this time, or so many others were the truth to be known.

No, instead I phoned and try to sort him out by pointing out his offence, all because I was too easily provoked. Later in the week I had to phone him and apologise and he lovingly and graciously accepted my apology.

What he had said was wrong, but that gave me no reason to be offended before trying to sort it out.

It is easy for us to almost look for offense in someone’s words just so we can jump to defend ourselves. We are so thin skinned that any provocation will set us off. As James wrote ‘my brethren, these things ought not so to be!’ My love should be bigger than that.

Jesus’ love certainly is.

Visit to a church service

And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together. And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead. And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him. – Acts 20.7-10

I know we are in the book of 1 Corinthians, but I came across a passage preaching a couple of weeks ago that really challanged my heart. Paul was on his last mission trip when he and the team stopped to fellowship with the beleivers in Troas.

This really blessed my heart. I love history and love visualising history. As I read this I could almost imagine this wonderful picture of an early church service.

A few things stick out. First we notice where the Christians were on the first day of the week. On Sunday they gathered together. There is at least on other time when we read of Sunday worship for the believers. So we at least have precedent for our practice.

Then we see that the Christians gathered together. God’s people since the earliest days have had the practice of gathering together, apparently on the first day of the week. The writer of the book of Hebrews reminded the church of how important that was when he said ‘do not forsake the assembling of yourselves together as the manner of some is.’ God’s plan is for God’s people to meet in fellowship.

They met to break bread together at the Lord’s Table to remember His gift on the cross. They met to hear God’s word preached as Paul did till midnight.

The great blessing to me is that if we had a time machine and went to that service we would feel very much at home.

I wonder how those folks would feel if they visited our church?

Love does not seek its own good

Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; - 1 Corinthians 13.5

Love does not seek its own. I think we could easily say that with the words ‘love is not selfish because it thinks of others first.’ True love seeks their good instead of our own.

That kind of flies in the face of modern society. Today’s world says that we ought to take care of number one and always come out on top. But that’s just human nature.

Jesus is the extreme example of love. His love for us certainly did not ‘seek His own.’ In fact He did not think that His divine place in heaven was something that He had to hold on to. Instead, He thought about us and our need and veiled His deity to become a servant in the form of a man.

I don’t always like to be moved out of my comfortable easy chair to hop up and go help someone by making an airport run ot giving someone a lift or running and errand or whatever. I am not really bothered by doing it, but sometimes I just don’t like being disturbed.

But then I think about Jesus. He was in the perfection and splendour of Heaven with His Heavenly Father and the angels. No death, no sin, no sorrow, no tears. He left all of that for the filth and squalor of an animals food trough and the evil of His sin cursed creation. He knew that at the end of His mission He would suffer at the ends of man and face a brutal death.

Why would be do that? Because love does not seek its own. Love seeks others.

If Jesus could do that, surely I can climb out of my recliner to go to help another. That is love.

Love behaves itself

Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; - 1 Corinthians 13.5

Loves does not behave itself unseemly. It doesn’t act improperly or inappropriately.

This phrase intrigues me. What does it mean that love never behaves improperly?

I think the idea here is that love is only done for love’s sake. Love is never done in order to get. If we love hoping for something in return it is not really love is it? It is actually payment.

Perhaps another way to put this is that love is not manipulative. I think we all know what that means. If we act in a seemingly loving way, but our actual goal is self benefit we make a big mistake. Love should never be pragmatic in our homes or anywhere else. True love has the right motivation and is only done because we love the other person.

Sure, we can act in ways that seem loving, but if it not with the right heart can we call it proper love?

Love is not proud

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, - 1 Corinthains 13.4

Love doesn’t brag because love is not proud. I like the older English words here – it dies not vaunt itself up, it is not puffed up.

I just like the word vaunt better than boast, but I really like the picture of ‘puffed up.’
My first thought here is, of course, the saying ‘proud as a peacock.’ I picture a peacock ot a rooster strutting through the yard with its chest puffed out looking like he is God’s gift to the yard.

Pride manifests itself it us the same way. Pride makes us think more highly of ourselves that we ought to think. Bragging and pride lead us to a lifestyle that doesn’t have much time for anyone else.

Sadly there is no room for love in a heart that is full of pride. That kind of pride demands attention rather than giving attention. Pride is a matter of self-focus. Pride has no room to love others – because it loves self too much.

Love does not envy

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, - 1 Corinthains 13.4

‘Green eyed envy’ is a saying we all know. Envying others is so easy. People get attention that we want. They get things that we don’t get. They get the promotion or the guy or the girl or the recognition that we think we deserve.  The get the bigger piece of pie. Nobody ever notices me. They get credit for what I did. Its just not fair.

But how can we feel that way if we truly love the other person. If we love them shoudn’t we really want what is best for them? Shouldn’t we be happy when a person we love gets the promotion or the recognition or the success? If we love we what what is best for the other person. The only problem comes when we love ourself more than we love them.

That’s kind of at the root of all of this, isn’t it? All of the failure to love others comes because we love us best. True love comes from Biblical sense of contentment. We are happy with what gives us so we don’t envy what He gives others. We accpet the role that God has for us and don’t try to compare ourselves with others.

Love doesn’t envy because love is content.

Love is kind

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, - 1 Corinthains 13.4

Kindness is such a nice word. It is a simple word. It’s a word that hardly seems to match up with a lot of other Bible traits. Its just ‘kindness’ after all. How does that compare to righteous and holy and just and all those things?

But kindness is probably one of the best ways to show that love is real. Kindness is the kind of thing that other people see. Sometimes it is those little acts of kindness that are the best way to show love. Be the one to say ‘anybody want a cuppa?’ Hold the door for someone. Help somebody struggling with a pram or package. Assist that older person trying to get on the bus. Unload the dishwasher. Speak a kind word. Smile and say good morning on your walk. Pay an honest compliment. Let somebody else have that parking spot – and the list goes on and on.

Kindness may be the easiest way to show love. It may also be the most effective. It is the kind of thing people notice. There is no excuse for God’s people not to be kind people.

Love suffers long

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, - 1 Corinthains 13.4

‘Love suffers long.’ Because of the older meaning of that word some might sadly think something like ‘boy it sure does suffer.’ Joking here, of course, but I still like that old word ‘suffer.’

The word means to allow and put up with and permit to happen. God’s love, the kind of true loave we are talking about here is a ‘putupable’ kind of love.

When we love we learn to overlook flaws and quirks and making mistakes. It puts up with setbacks and temperment and personality differences. Love tolerates differences of opinion and unintended offences and forgiven offences. It puts up with different political views and ideas. It puts up with cultural differences and international diversity.

What that means is that we stop insisting on our way. We don’t expect everyone to fall in love with our ideas or opinions.

In our homes love suffers toilet roll being on the wrong way. It suffers our spouses little irritating traits. It tolerates all the stuff that too often develops inot fights and division. It tolerates the silly squabbles that can wreck a marriage.

Do I love people enough to put up with things that I may not like or prefer or desire.

Without love

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. – 1 Corinthians 13.1-3

This chapter is a go to chapter for so many things in the Bible. Love is at the core from beginning to end. Love is the summary of all the Law – love God and love others. The love of Christ is to be our compelling force in life.

It makes sense then that Paul would say ‘I can speak with the force of men ans angels. I can be the best preacher in the world. I can understand everything. I ca have all knowledge and all faith and I can give all my money to feed to poor and my body to be burned.

But if I don’t have love…

I had love the word the KJV translators used here. They used charity because charity in its real sense is what true love is all about. This love is a love that gives.

Okay, back to the point. If I did all of the things above and more if I didn’t have love it would all be nothing. If I am motivated by ‘success’ or fame or fortune or making me look good or even by pressure or conformity or anything else I am spinning my wheels.

If I don’t love then I am only bells and whistles, nothing more.

You are the body

Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. – 1 Corinthians 12.27

We continue on with this picture of the body. ‘You are the body of Christ’ Paul writes. Jesus has gone back to heaven to prepare a place. He has left the Holy Spirit here with us, but we, the church, are His body placed here to be His hands and feet and His eyes and ears and legs and heart.

If indeed that is the case we may ask oursleves some questions from a popular Christian song on the same theme.

If we are the body why aren’t His arms reaching?
Why aren’t His hands healing?
Why aren’t his words teaching?
Why aren’t his feet going?
Why is His love not showing them there is a way?

How are you and I performing as the body of Christ interacting with the world around us. Are we functioning as His body? He chose us to do His work and share His word with the world.

What am I doing today as part of His body?

Of eyes and ears and hands and feet

But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. – 1 Corinthians 12.20-26

I always enjoy preaching this passage. The way my mind works I get such vivid imagery that Paul uses as he pictures the members of the Body of Christ with members of our physical bodies.

If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?

The foot can’t be jealous of the hand. The ear cannot be jealous of the eye. The eye cannot be jealous of the ear. What good would it be if all the body were a hand or any eye or an ear? The body would be pretty useless. In fact, Paul write that is sometimes the least regarded parts of our body that are most important.

Therefore there is no room for schism or division in the body of Christ than there is in our own body. It is like cutting off a hand or a foot or plucking out an eye because another part of the body is envious of it. If one part of our body suffers the whole body suffers. My feet and a knee are giving me a little trouble right now and my whole body knows it and suffers as a result. As things are slowly improving my whole body is rejoicing.

Every part of the body is vital. Every job must be done if we are going to move forward in a God honouring way.

We are one – let’s act like it.

As the body is one

For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. – 1 Corinthians 12.12-14

There is a lot about unity here following on from the Table. We see, if you will, a blessed trinity of unity. We see that we are one body with One God and One Spirit. We also share in one baptism.

Because we are one the old barriers are broken down. Paul says that Jews and Greeks are now one. He says that bond and free are one. This truth is clear. Black and white are one. Irish, English, French, Amerian, Saudi, Iraqi, Russian, or what ever – in Christ we are all one. All of us who are saved are individuals who are all parts of the one body.

It saddens me to see the church dividing over all kinds of issues. It breaks my heart to see Christians divided over skin colour or nationality or social status. It especially break my heart to watch the church dividing over politics. How can God be honoured by that kind of action?

First and foremost in our lives ought to be our heavenly citizenship, our oneness with Father and Son, our common indweeling Spririt, and our functioning as one united body.

Different abilites but one God

Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. – 1 Corinthians 12.4-6

I am really glad that God did not make us all the same. I am glad that He gave us all different skills and gifts and abilities. We are indeed one is so many ways, but here we see that there is also diversity in that unity. A little later on Paul gives us a wonderfully, thought provoking, and almost humorous picture of diversity, but for now it is enough to know that we have a great diversity of gifts and operations.

In a local church, even in a small church, the needs to be a diversity of folks to see all the different aspects of work done. While we all, especially in a small church, all need to be ready to do anything, we still have our strength and weaknesses. And that is a good thing. It would be a terrible thing if we were all exaclty alike wouldn’t it? We couldn’t all the the pastor, or the musicians, ot those who are gifted with hospitality skills or are really good at sensing and helping out with needs. We are not all going to those who are gitfted at encouragement. Not everyone could keep track of the  church finances. Not all of us are good with children or babies in the creche.

God enables all of us differently and we ought to rejoice in that fact. It is the same God who works in us all to get everything done. Thank God that we all have opportunties to serve Him in our own ways.

Self examination

Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. – 1 Corinthians 11.27-32

The Table Service is a not a place to be taken lightly. It is serious stuff. A lot of our churches have relegated the Table to a rarely observed tack-on to the main service. People who attend the Table often just do it just because it is part of what we do.

Paul stresses the seriousness of the Table by talking about taking the Table in an unworthy matter. He says that those who take the Table need to careful not to do what he calls in an ‘unworthy manner.’ He says those who take the Table lightly are not considering the sacrifice that Jesus made. He says that those who do so are asking for asking for God’s chastening. Some have become sick for doing so and some have even died.

So the solution is given – let every man examine himself. Its not the time to worry about anyone else. We must take the time to examine our lives and see if there is broken fellowship or sin that we have not dealt with and seek forgiveness. I think the best way to do that is to pray like David did when he prayed ‘search me of God and know my heart, see if there is any evil way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.’

Our church observes the Table every Sunday morning before the main service. It is our chance, before our mutual worship, to make sure that things are right with God and each other. The gives great freedom as we seek in the servive to glorify God and edify each other.

I am truly grateful that Jesus gave us the Table service as the perfect way to keep our lives right with Him and right with each other.

In remembrance

For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. – 1 Corinthians 11.23-26

The Table is about a lot of things. We have already seen that it is about unity. It is about unity. It is about equality. We will see later that it is about searching and repentance. Here though Jesus tells us what is probably the key – He says ‘as often as you do this do it in remembrance of Me.’

When we come to the Table we are to see more than just bit a bread and a cup of juice.  Those normal, everyday substances are there to remind us of Jesus’ sacrifice. They should drive us to remember Him and His love for us. It is the ultimate memorial meal.

As we remember Him it should take our focus off of ourselves and off of the world and consider what He has done. He gave Him body to be broken. He gave His blood to be shed. He gave Himself.

As we remember Him we also our to to remember what we are doing in response. Do I show the world that I remember Him not just at the Table, but in my day to day life?

Table problems

Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse. For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it. For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you. When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper. For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not. – 1 Corinthians 11.17-22

The church at Corinth had really mucked things up regarding the Lord’s Table. They had taken a simple meal of remembrance and turned it into a great Agape Feast to celebrate what Jesus had done and to celebrate love.

I am sure the motive was right. This is to be all about unity so lets celebrate the love of Christ for us and our love for each other by having a big feast! That doesn’t sound bad, does it?

The problem is that it didn’t stay that simple. The flesh took over and it became more about the party than the purpose. Drunkenness and gluttony crept in. Instead of sharing food at the Agape Feast the rich brought their best and ate it themselves. The poor brought their meagre fare, if they had it, and often went hungry. They had missed the point. Paul said, kindly I think, ‘I praise you not.’

There were divisions. There were heresies. There was drunkenness and gluttony.

They had got it terribly wrong.

I hope none of us would be guilty of what the Corinthians did. We do need to be careful though that we don’t take things that start with a good and decent purpose and let them be corrupted though our desires and fleshiness. Let’s be sure that the purpose of what we do is always to glorify God and edify and care for each other.

Follow me

Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. – 1 Corinthians 11.1

When you first read this it can sound just the slightest bit proud. How can anyone really say to other Christians ‘follow me?’

Actually all that it takes to ‘get it’ is to read the rest of the verse. Paul says follow me…as I follow Christ.

There are a couple of principles here. I think the first is for those of us who have been saved a while and have a bit a maturity. One of our goals should be to follow Christ to the extent that we could say to someone else ‘follow me as I follow Christ.’

That alone is worth stopping and looking at. It kind of catches me off guard and slaps in in that face. If I ask myself if I live the kind of life that would allow me to say ‘follow me as I follow Christ’ it really gives me cause to stop and reflect. Can I say, honestly, not with pride or arrogance or superiority, if you want to see an example you can watch me as I follow Christ? Does my life reflect Christ in such a way that others could benefit and grow in Christ?

What a goal that would be. If I made decisions and asked myself ‘what if a young Christian, or a non-Christian who knows my testimony were to see me do this? What impact would it have on my testimony? How will this decision reflect Chrost to those around me.

We all ought to be able to say ‘follow me as I follow Christ.’ The only question is if we can honestly say that.

Do all to the glory of God

Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved. – 1 Corinthians 10.31-33


Here is a tie in and a completer of the thought about our liberty and Christ and doing what is helpful. On one hand we ought to be sure that we always think of others when we make decisions for ourselves. That’s important, but it’s not the most important. If we get the second part right caring for others will fall into place.

Whatever you do, eating drinking, or whatever, do all to the glory of God.

I wonder how many of us could claim that we do that, or even strive to do it? When I make a long term decision, or a short term decision, or even a spontaneous decision what is my first concern? Can you or I honestly say that my first concern is whether or not my decision will be done to glorify God.

In my own life I know that I can often think first of me and how my decision is going to affect me. If I were truly doing what Paul says here my first question would whether or not I could bring glory to God through this action.

Just a few questions to consider:

Do I do my job in a way that glorifies God?
Do I drive my car in a way that glorifies God?
Do I talk to others in a way that glorifies God?
Do I treat those I disagree with in a way that glorifies God?
Do I treat my spouse in a way that glorifies God?
Do I handle bad news in a way that glorifies God?

Of course we could go on and on and on.

If we eat or drink or WHATEVER we do – do we do it to glorify God?

The earth is the Lord's

Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake: For the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof. – 1 Corinthians 10.25-26

As Paul speak of the Table is takes a couple of rabbit trails. Here he goes back to buying meat in the market stalls. There was a lot of petty fighting over using meat that had been sacrificed to idols. Paul said you don’t need to ask if the meat you are buying is sacrificed or not. The earth is God’s and its fullness and they can’t ruin good meat just by sacrificing it.

The earth is the Lord’s in all its fullness. That concept is worth stopping and talking about.

There is a lot of talk going on about the environment. In the European elections last week, and in many local elections, The Green Party made huge gains. People are concerned about the future of the earth. There is an awful lot of hype, and nobody knows for sure how much danger the world is in.

I am not hear to debate that. It does seem that a lot of God’s people overreact to the ‘greeness’ by becoming anti-green in response. There are folks who say that we can do whatever we want to the world because all we have to do is to honour Christ. There are indeed folks who worship creation more than the Creator – but that doesn’t mean that we don’t care.

The earth is the Lord in all of its fulness. He gave us the responsibility to care for the earth; to tend it and care for it. God declares Himself through creation – oughtn’t we to care for it so that the world can see the fulness of God’s creation. Do polluted air and plastic choked seas reflect God’s glory?

If the earth is the Lord’s shouldn’t we be the one to be good stewards of it?

Others

All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth. – 1 Corinthians 10.23-24

This concept of thinking of others must be a major thing for us to grasp. Paul goes make again to remind us that that we have great liberty with Christ. He also repeats that that just because we can do it doesn’t mean we have to do. Not everything we might choose to do is right to do. Not everything is helpful.

Paul makes a very clear application. He puts it simply in case we have missed it up to this point. ‘Let no man seek his own.’

We do a get job at seeking what is best for us. It was what we as the human race have done since Adam and Eve. ‘Seeking one’s own’ is the cause of most crimes and warfare. Man always wants what suits himself best and others don’t really matter.

It really is not about us – its all about others. That’s the pattern that Jesus sets after all. He only thought about us. He didn’t consider the fact that he could have just stayed in heaven, but He thought about us and left heaven in order to die – for us.

What am I willing to do for others today? It doesn’t have to be anything spectacular. Most of thinking about others is the the every day mundane things. We take time to give them a hand. We think about others when we make decisions about oursleves. We know that what we do ought to glorify God, but we also need to consider how our actions are going to affect others.

Others Lord, yes others. Let me to live to others, that I might live like Thee.