Two Brothers Building up the Body

  In the l ast post I discussed some of Paul’s initial ministry in Corinth as well as the worldliness that was rampant in the city. We were, however, able to see that Paul started with encouraging the believers, reminding them of their high position “sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling…” He also reminded them of their surety of salvation in “our Lord Jesus Christ,” and the “fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” We’ll be picking up the epistle in verse 10, where Paul begins his exhortation of the believers:  “Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people , that there are quarrels among you. Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, ‘I am of Paul,’ and ‘I of Apollos,’ and ‘I of Cephas,’ and ‘I of Christ.’ Has Christ been divide...

  From His Side, A Bride "And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him." (Genesis 2:18) Among all the magnificent creatures God brought before Adam—the soaring eagles, the mighty lions, the swift deer—something remarkable happened. Adam named them all, observing their purposes and partnerships, yet none could meet his deepest need. God saw what was missing: a companion, someone who could share intimate fellowship with Adam in a way no animal ever could. Adam needed more than the beauty of creation around him; he needed someone to walk beside him, to love him, and to receive his love in return. What follows is one of the most profound pictures in all of Scripture. God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, took from his very side, and fashioned a woman. Adam gave of himself so that Eve could be formed. When he awoke and saw her, his response was immediate and personal: "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh ...

    In my last blog post, I had written about the new year but now I'm planning on going back to a more expository format. I've started preaching through the book of 1 Corinthians at our local assembly and I hope that those talks can be an encouragement to our readers here. Before we actually get to our text this morning I wanted to give us some background on the city of Corinth itself. Corinth had been burned, including the large temple to Aphrodite, in 146 BC and its people sold into slavery. About one hundred years later Julius Caesar founded a colony there again and by 27 BC that city had grown and become the capital of the Roman province of Achaia. It was situated on the western side of a 4 mile wide isthmus between two gulfs and as such was an important trading point which caused the city to become quite wealthy as well. They were the host of the Isthmus Games which were similar to the Olympics, just not quite as large and occurring every two years. That will become impo...

  Higher Than the Stars, Lower Than the Grave "Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be." (Genesis 15:5) When God spoke these words to Abraham, He directed the patriarch's gaze upward to the countless stars scattered across the night sky. What objects could be farther from an aged, childless man than those distant lights? Abraham stood there in his weakness, his body as good as dead, unable to produce the promised heir. The stars seemed impossibly remote—yet they pointed to an even greater reality. Beyond those stars lies heaven itself, where God's throne is established, where Christ dwelt in glory before His incarnation. The One who spoke the stars into existence would one day leave that celestial home to enter our world. But He would not merely come to earth's surface—He would descend far lower than anyone could imagine. Consider the contrast: Is there anything more humble than Abr...

     Taylor and I have had this blog going for a little over six months now, and I truly hope it has been a source of encouragement to those who have read it. Over the Christmas and New Year’s season, Taylor let me know that his schedule would be especially full and asked if I could cover this week’s post. Earlier today I texted him and said I couldn’t think of anything to write. But having made the commitment, I kept praying, waiting, and turning things over in my mind. And as often happens, the Lord was faithful to bring something to my heart in His time, not mine.      The verse that settled there was 2 Timothy 1:12: “For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.” Paul does not deny suffering here. He acknowledges it plainly. But he also anchors himself in something deeper than circumstances. His confidence is not i...