Week 20

 Monday, May 12

1 Corinthians 9:15-10:13

         

Commentary

Continuing from what we read yesterday, Paul discusses Christian liberty. He notes that while he is free to do many things, he chooses to preach the gospel. He does not preach only because he is obligated to – this would not be nearly as rewarding or commendable – or demand payment for his preaching – though he had every right to ask the church to compensate him – he preaches the gospel out of love and passion. Further, Paul sacrifices his autonomy in some matters so he could make the gospel the main point of his interaction with the lost rather than distracting or alienating them because he defied their customs. Paul becomes “all things to all people” so “that by all means” he could win some of them to Christ. Our personal freedom should not be used to serve ourselves or to “get away with” as much as we can without sinning, our personal freedom should be used to serve others in love and bring them to Christ.

Paul then explains the Christian life with athletic metaphors. As Leon Morris explained, “A foot race yielded but one winner. Therefore the runners must make every effort. Winning is more than simply starting in the race. The parallel with the Christian way is not complete, for many are saved, not just one winner. Paul’s point is that, like the runner, the Christian must give of his best… The athlete denies himself many lawful pleasures and the Christian must similarly avoid not only definite sin, but anything that hinders spiritual progress.”[1] Paul then uses the illustration of the persistent sin of the Israelites to show that if we do not live as God called us to live, we may find ourselves facing God’s discipline. In every temptation, God provides a way for us to lean on and honor him. Race the run with diligence and integrity; God is there to help you every step of the way.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Application/Discussion

1. How do you use your freedom to pursue equally morally good/neutral opportunities? Do you engage in behaviors that may lead you or others into sin? Do you make the gospel the focus of your life and freedom?

2. Do you see the Old Testament as an encouragement and example for Christians, or more as a burden or confusion for Christians? If you struggle with reading and understanding the Old Testament, talk with your pastors about how to read and appreciate it as a Christian.

 

Points of Prayer

1. Thank God for the freedom and purpose he offers us in Christ.

2. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s help in persevering in godliness and to have a growing passion for prayer, the Bible, the church, and evangelism.

3. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s help for your church members to diligently labor to reach the lost in your community.

Tuesday, May 13

1 Corinthians 10:14-33

 

Commentary

          In the rest of chapter 10, Paul urges the Corinthians to flee from idolatry, worshipping anything other than the one true God. As Thomas Schreiner explained, in the context of the Corinthian church, “The idolatry consists in eating food sacrificed to idols in the temples of idols, and it also exists when believers knowingly eat food offered to idols.”^[2] believers in Corinth would have faced great disdain and exclusion from their pagan peers if they refused to participate in idol worship, but God would provide for them regardless of the consequences of their counter-cultural living (see 10:13). Drawing on examples from both the sacrifices of Israel and the Lord’s Supper, Paul explains that partaking in the food offered to these false gods is wrong. Taking the Lord’s Supper is an act of worship and identification with Christ and eating part of the animal sacrifices was part of the priests’ provision in the Old Testament. Eating food involved in idol worship, then, should also be viewed as an act of identification with pagan rituals. Paul adds the caveat that if one does not know the food was offered to idols, it is not an issue. Although eating this food in the temple would be wrong, asking unbelieving friends where they bought dinner would be offensive and an impediment to a believer’s witness. Paul concludes that all food should be received with thankfulness and all things should be done for the glory of God. Can you truly eat food you know was used in false, demonic worship to the glory of God? Probably not. Can you eat dinner with a lost friend to the glory of God? Absolutely.

 

Application/Discussion

1. Why would it be wrong for Christians to partake in false worship in any way? What other temptations do we often face that would compromise our faith? What should Christians do when they are pressured to do such things?

2. Why should we put others before ourselves? Other than Paul, who are some biblical people who exemplify putting others first for God’s glory?

 

Points of Prayer

1. Thank God for the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus and the privilege of worshipping and knowing him.

2. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s help in putting others first and being a godly example and witness.

3. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s help for your church members to live out their faith, build relationships with unbelievers, and boldly witness for Christ in your community.

Wednesday, May 14

1 Corinthians 11

 

Commentary

In this chapter, Paul discusses two important topics for the life of the church: biblical gender roles and proper observation of the Lord’s Supper. First, Paul explains that men and women should express their gender in a distinctive way rather than completely blurring the lines between men and women. While much has been speculated (or claimed as fact) about the head coverings Paul discusses, we do not know much about the place of head coverings in ancient Corinth. Whatever the case of the specific instance of head coverings in the Corinthian context, this is the only passage that mentions head coverings and it gives sparse details as to what that practically looks like. This is not a passage to build a firm, dogmatic command for women to wear head scarves or masks or bonnets. Instead, we should see this as the general principle that men should present themselves as distinctly masculine and women as distinctly feminine. Paul appeals to “nature itself” in his argument; it is God’s general revelation in nature and more detailed revelation in his Word that tell us that men and women are both made in God’s image, yet also different from each other in a way that glorifies God. In whatever your specific cultural context, aspire to be an identifiable godly man or woman. If you are a husband, aspire to be a wise, loving, gracious leader of your family. If you are a wife, aspire to be a wise, loving, gracious support and helper of your husband.

In terms of the Lord’s Supper, we should remember it is a sacred observance. The Corinthians used it as an excuse to gorge themselves and even get drunk, and they excluded the poorer members from partaking. The Lord’s Supper is not a feast; it is a worshipful reminder of the gospel itself and Jesus’ certain return. The Corinthian believers were so irreverent in their practice of the Lord’s Supper, God struck some of them with sickness and death! The Lord’s Supper should be taken seriously and approached only after humble self-examination.

 

Application/Discussion

1. In what ways does nature show us that men and women are different from each other? In what ways does nature show us that men and women are similar? How does the Bible speak to these differences and similarities and reinforce both the distinctiveness and similarity of men and women?

2. Do you practice careful self-examination before the Lord’s Supper? Why is this important?

 

Points of Prayer

1. Thank God for creating us male and female with similarities and differences.

2. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s help for you and your church to express biblical masculinity and femininity to your community and point others to Christ.

3. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s work in the heart of a family member who lives contrary to biblical sexuality and for opportunities to witness to him or her.

 

 

 

Thursday, May 15

1 Corinthians 12

 

Commentary

In our passage today, Paul discusses the topic of spiritual gifts. Spiritual gifts are God’s gifts in areas of service that are meant to build up his church and glorify him. However God gifts us, our focus should be on using our unique strengths to glorify him and serve others, not brag on ourselves or put others down. Believers are all called and equipped by the same God and brought into the same body, the church, all by God’s sovereign will. Some gifts, such as healing, seem to have been primarily expressed in New Testament times while others, like faith and wisdom, seem to be part of churches everywhere. We should note that these gifts are given according to the discretion of the Holy Spirit – we should not claim particular gifts ourselves, but neither should we put insist that God must or must not give particular gifts to us or the church as a whole.

The church is like a body because each person in the church has his or her own unique role. Each part of the body is necessary, and every person in the church is necessary for God’s redemptive plans for the church. If you know Christ, God has uniquely called and equipped you to his service. Do not be jealous of others or try to be something you are not; be content with how God has gifted you and serve him well, in joyful cooperation with your fellow believers.

 

Going Deeper

In the list of spiritual gifts Paul gives, some have obvious meanings and some do not. A good Bible dictionary or systematic theology textbook is helpful here. To start with, I recommend The New Bible Dictionary, the Oxford Companion to the Bible, the Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, and Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology. A good study Bible is also helpful here – my favorites are the ESV Study Bible, NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible, and the CSB Study Bible or CSB Everyday Study Bible.

 

Application/Discussion

1. How has God gifted you? Have you been jealous of how he has gifted others before? If you are not sure how God has gifted you or you are struggling to embrace and use your unique skills for the Lord, ask your pastors for guidance and encouragement.

 

Points of Prayer

1. Thank God for calling and saving us into his family, if you know Christ, or ask God to help you receive the invitation to join his family.

2. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s help in using your unique gifting to serve others and glorify God.

3. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s help for your church members to embrace and use their gifts together to build each other up and reach the lost around you for Christ.

Friday, May 16

1 Corinthians 13

 

Commentary

This is, with good reason, one of the most famous chapters in the Bible. Love, as Paul explains in detail, is the greatest gift God can give us and the true measure of our spiritual maturity. John Calvin summarized that “The main truth in the passage is this—that as love is the only rule of our actions, and the only means of regulating the right use of the gifts of God; nothing, in the absence of it, is approved of by God, however magnificent it may be in the estimation of men.”^[3] However well we may teach or prophesy or have faith, without love, these efforts are useless. We should most of all want to truly love God and our fellow man. True love is active, vibrant, and focused on serving others.

We should all aspire to live out the truths of this chapter and love others well. However, we must also remember that we will inevitably fall short of this daunting task. Jesus is our ultimate example of love. He loved God, others, and himself perfectly, so perfectly that he could make the loving, humble sacrifice for our sins. Thomas Schreiner wisely noted, “Faith, hope and love will remain for ever, in contrast to the gifts, but love is the greatest of these since the purpose of both faith and hope is love.”^[4]

 

 

Going Deeper

To learn more about this chapter, see these edifying sermons:

·      https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/sermon/nothing-without-love/

·      https://gospelinlife.com/sermon/love-the-most-excellent-way/

·      https://www.truthforlife.org/resources/series/a-study-in-1-corinthians-volume-6/

 

Application/Discussion

1. Why is love so important when it comes to spiritual gifts?

2. This passage implies that we will not exercise spiritual gifts in eternity – why would this be the case?

 

Points of Prayer

1. Thank God for his great love for us to send Jesus and for Jesus’ perfect, obedient, humble love in his earthly life and death on the cross.

2. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s help in loving God and others as this chapter describes and his help in looking to Christ every time you fall short of this perfect love.

3. Pray for the salvation of two lost people you know well and for opportunities and boldness to share the gospel with them.

 

 

 

 

Saturday, May 17

1 Corinthians 14:1-19

 

Commentary

In this chapter, Paul talks about the gift of tongues. As he explains in the chapter, the gift of tongues is the God-given ability to speak other languages. The gift is useless, however, if the tongues cannot be understood. People often think of the gift of tongues as randomly, chaotically screaming, but our examples in the Bible, like Acts 2, shows that the gift involves real, human languages and is to help people understand who they might be talking to. Paul says even just a few words that can be understood is more helpful than thousands of words in unidentifiable tongues. The point of the gift of tongues, and all other gifts, is to serve others. He particularly highlights how this gift serves unbelievers, helping them hear the gospel in their own language. Paul says that prophesy is a more helpful gift to aspire to but we are again left without a helpful definition. In the New Testament, some people are directly called prophets or said to have the gift of prophesy. Scholars tend to either think that prophesy functioned similarly in the ancient church as it does in the Old Testament, or that prophesy is related to some kind of direct encouragement for the church or boldly calling out sin and so on. Leon Morris takes the second position, noting that prophesy “is something like our preaching, but it is not identical with it. It is not the delivery of a carefully prepared sermon, but the uttering of words directly inspired by God.”^[5] Either way, we are called to use our gifts to serve others for the glory of God. Our only grounds of boasting of God himself.

 

Going Deeper

If you would like to learn more about the gift of tongues, our friend Thomas Schreiner explains more in the video linked below:

·      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V--IHR6aGz4

 

Application/Discussion                                                                                                

1. Why would prophesy be more useful than tongues in the church?

2. Why should be somewhat mindful of how unbelievers might perceive our worship if our worship is to God and not men?

 

Points of Prayer

1. Thank God for calling and equipping his people to love and serve him.

2. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s help in listening and following godly wisdom and sound teaching.

3. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s help for your church members to build each other up and seek to rest the rest around you.

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday, May 18

1 Corinthians 14:20-40

 

Commentary

In the rest of this chapter, Paul explains the proper place of the gift of tongues. The gift is not primarily for the gathered worship of the church, but for evangelism – just see how Peter used the gift of tongues in Acts 2 for an example. Indeed, Paul comments that an unbeliever visiting a church would be quite puzzled and turned off if seeing someone randomly speaking another language during the time of worship. The church’s worship should have plain, understandable language so that everyone who is there can understand and be convicted by God’s Word. Further, everything in the gathered worship of the church should done in an understandable, orderly, respectful manner. When we worship God, we should worship with dignity and reverence and we should all be unified in that worship rather than divided by confusion.

In worship, we should also respect and express our gender differences. In the context of interpreting tongues, the women should not interrupt or try to teach themselves; they should let qualified men of the church lead and discuss more with their husbands at home. This is not a universal ban on women speaking in any context in the church, as Paul has already discussed that women can pray and prophesy if they do so in a way that is respectful to their husbands. In the gathered worship of the church, qualified and called men are to be the leaders and the teachers. In all these matters relating to worship, Paul reminds the Corinthians that they are not the first or only church. There is a biblical pattern that we are all called to follow. While not everyone will lead in the worship or preach a sermon, we are all called to worship, learn, and serve together for God’s glory.

 

Going Deeper

To learn more about biblical worship, you can see this sermon I preached, based in part on today’s passage:

·      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YjEAAAlY_A&t=1729s

 

Application/Discussion

1. Why would tongues be of less value in the church than outside of the church?

2. How can disorder and disjointedness in a worship service cause disunity and distraction?

 

Points of Prayer

1. Thank God for the salvation he provides in Jesus and the privilege of being in his family and worshipping him together.

2. Pray for the Holy Spirit to help you learn and grow through your church.

3. Pray for the Holy Spirit to unify your church in worship and strengthen those who lead your church’s worship and teaching.

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[1] Leon Morris, 1 Corinthians: An Introduction and Commentary, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries vol. 7 (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1985), 137–138.

^[2] Thomas R. Schreiner, 1 Corinthians: An Introduction and Commentary, ed. Eckhard J. Schnabel, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries vol 7. (London: Inter-Varsity Press, 2018), 209.

^[3] John Calvin and John Pringle, Commentaries on the Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, vol. 1 (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010), 421.

^[4] Thomas R. Schreiner, 1 Corinthians: An Introduction and Commentary, ed. Eckhard J. Schnabel, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries vol. 7 (London: Inter-Varsity Press, 2018), 272.

^[5] Leon Morris, 1 Corinthians: An Introduction and Commentary, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries vol.7 (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1985), 183.