Week 21

 eMonday, May 19

1 Corinthians 15:1-28

         

Commentary

In our reading today, Paul gives an important reminder of the gospel itself as he begins to wrap up the letter. As Patrick Schreiner explained, “Paul’s final topic concerns the resurrection of the dead. Some questioned, under the influence of Greek culture, their own resurrection. How can an earthly body that is perishable be raised?”^[1] The apostle argues that the Resurrection is the crux of the gospel itself – if Jesus did not rise from the dead, it would mean sin and Satan defeated Jesus and we would be left with no Savior or hope. We would be following a dead, failed “Savior” to the grave and Hell. The gospel is about a suffering and dying Savior for sure, but also about the victorious Resurrection of that same Savior. Paul heard and was converted by this gospel and he passed on that same message. He notes that there were hundreds of witnesses to the risen Christ and that many of them are still alive (around 30 years after Jesus died) and can be asked. One of the remarkable details about the Resurrection is that we have no record of any of these eyewitnesses recanting and saying the Resurrection was a lie. They were all certain Jesus rose from the dead, and they both lived and died for that truth. Through Christ, they did not die in vain – a glorious resurrection awaits all of us who are in Christ. The empty tomb proves it – God raised Jesus, and if we know Jesus as Savior, God will raise us too. Hallelujah!

 

Going Deeper

If you would like to learn more about the biblical and extrabiblical evidence of Jesus’ Resurrection, see this article on the Family Bible Reading blog:

·      https://familybiblereading.blogspot.com/2025/05/can-we-trust-bibles-claims-about-jesus.html

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Application/Discussion

1. Have you heard people say that the early church made up the claim that Jesus rose from the dead? Do you think people like Paul and Peter, who faced severe scorn, persecution, and eventually death, would have benefited from the gospel claim if it had been false all along?

2. Remember that the gospel is not about Jesus dying and staying dead, it is about Jesus dying in our place, defeating sin and death, and guaranteeing our glorious resurrection into new, heavenly bodies without the stain of sin and living with God forever in the new heavens and new earth.

 

Points of Prayer

1. Thank God for the Resurrection of Jesus and the certainty of the Resurrection of all his people.

2. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s help in boldly living out and proclaiming the gospel message.

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

Tuesday, May 20

1 Corinthians 15:29-58

 

Commentary

          This passage is difficult to understand, but Andrew Lastname helpfully breaks it down for us: “(1) If God does not raise the dead, then it is absurd for people to be baptized on behalf of the dead (v. 29). (2) If God does not raise the dead, then it is absurd for Paul and his cowork ers to be constantly in danger (vv. 30–32). (3) But, since God does raise the dead, it is absurd for the Corinthians to say otherwise (vv. 33–34). So Paul exhorts them with three commands: do not be deceived; wake up; stop sinning.... Paul explains that God will give resurrected believers better bodies. God does not simply resurrect corpses with the result that there is complete continuity between one’s earthly body and one’s heavenly body. God resurrects and transforms corpses with the result that there will be both continuity and discontinuity between one’s earthly body and heavenly body… because we know that we will receive heavenly bodies in the future, we should be and behave like Jesus now while we are in our earthly bodies.”[2] Further, as Adam was our head and representative in the garden, now Christ is the head and representative of all the faithful. Through Jesus, sin and death are truly as good as defeated – their end will come soon; in the meantime, we are to faithfully persevere. [3]

Going Deeper

Paul’s mention of baptizing the dead is puzzling to laymen and Bible scholars alike. With confusing phrases or verses like this, remember to read the whole passage, keep the truths of the rest of the Bible in mind, and consult helpful study notes. Paul may have simply asked about the baptism of the dead rhetorically, in which case the Corinthians would have well known that the dead are not baptized because they are already in heaven or hell. Paul also could have been referring to being baptized on behalf of recently deceased relatives who were converted on their death beds. If they were not able to publicly proclaim their salvation in baptism, someone else may have for them. Whatever the case, we know from the rest of the Bible that their eternal destiny can only be changed by a personal response in this life.

 

Application/Discussion

1. How should knowing that believers will receive glorious, perfected bodies impact our day-to-day life?

2. Compare and contrast Adam and Jesus.

 

Points of Prayer

1. Thank God for the sinless life, atoning death, and victorious Resurrection of Christ.

2. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s help in remembering God’s promises, resisting the pull of false teaching, and pursuing fruitfulness.

3. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s help in growing your church spiritually and numerically.

 

Wednesday, May 21

1 Corinthians 16

 

Commentary

In this closing chapter, Paul discusses the community and fellowship of the church. Paul urges the Corinthians to collect funds to help the believers in Jerusalem. (During this time, there was a famine in Jerusalem.) Interestingly, Paul directs them to collect money on the first day of the week. That day would have been Sunday, when they met to worship, and Paul gives us a biblical example of collecting money for the church and its mission on Sunday, the Lord’s Day. Also note that Paul wanted to be wise and careful with the money, sending it with a messenger to Jerusalem and offering to escort that person if asked.

Paul then mentions his intention to visit the Corinthians and to hopefully stay with them for quite a while. Paul balances his desire to spend time with the believers in Corinth with the gospel opportunities God has given him in the moment. Paul, even when choosing between two godly activities (evangelism  and fellowship), desired to do what God wanted him to do, not what he preferred most in the moment. Paul also told the Corinthians to welcome Timothy when he came, to expect Apollos to visit, and be subject to faithful men like these two and Stephanas. Paul had no problem sharing the spotlight with other brothers or in encouraging believers to honor and welcome them. He was not concerned about his own agenda or popularity; he simply wanted to please God out love for him. The apostle gives a final greeting and encouragement, including churches and friends in the greetings. Paul really cared about people, especially the people making up the churches he served. People matter to God; they should matter to us – each person, regardless of background or spiritual maturity or personality or anything else. We can rejoice that we mattered enough to God for him to send Jesus to be our Savior.

 

Application/Discussion

1. Who are some people you appreciate in your church? What do you appreciate about them, and how can you emulate their faithfulness?

2. Who in our church might you be ignoring or overlooking? How can you take steps to make that person feel welcomed and loved in the next week?

 

Points of Prayer

1. Thank God for the gift of community and family in the church.

2. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s help for you and your church to love and treasure each, make outsiders feel welcome, and reach your community with the gospel.

3. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s encouragement for someone in your church who seems lonely or ignored.

 

 

 

Thursday, May 22

2 Corinthians 1

 

Important Words and Themes

          Look for comfort, reconciliation, suffering, weakness, strength, life, death, and boasting as you read this letter.

 

Commentary

We begin our journey in 2 Corinthians today, which is perhaps Paul’s most personal letter. He writes to the same church, although some correspondence and visiting have taken place since the first letter was sent.  As we will see, he writes to defend his ministry from detractors and urge the church to be financially generous to the believers in Macedonia. Paul argues his ministry has been moral and faithful. His ministry involved much suffering, but through that suffering, God comforted Paul and equipped Paul to comfort others. This world is broken and sin-stained to the deepest level, but God uses even the evils and hardships we face to strengthen and grow us. Paul points out this greater purpose behind his personal suffering because, as David Garland explained, “Paul has been exposed to so much suffering that he looks like death. Some Corinthians doubted that the reign of Christ could ever triumph through such a weak and perishable apostle whose life always seemed to be at risk.”[4] Our weakness, as Paul famously says in 12:9, is where God’s strength shines the best. Paul understood that every part of his life should be used in service to God and that God would walk with him and equip him for this service. We should adopt this same approach to our lives, all for the glory of God.

 

Application/Discussion

1. When we suffer, we can be assured that God is with us and will, somehow, bring us safely to the other side. How does Paul’s suffering help us see this truth?

2. What kind of suffering have you gone through? How can you use that experience to encourage and comfort others?

 

Points of Prayer

1. Thank God for comforting us in our afflictions and giving us the ability to comfort others.

2. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s help in persevering in and learning from your sufferings and to encourage others in their own sufferings.

3. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s help for your church members to care about and comfort the lost in their families and your community.

Friday, May 23

2 Corinthians 2

 

Commentary

In this chapter, Paul tells the Corinthians he had written his most recent letter to them (sometime after 1 Corinthians) so that he could avoid a “painful visit.” Whatever the painful situation was, it involved an unnamed person whom Paul says the church should now forgive and welcome back. Most likely, this person had been subjected to church discipline because of some great sin and Paul now feels there has been enough time and repentance to admit him into the full life of the church. Paul says that he will forgive those the church forgives, so he and the church could avoid temptations to grudges and bitterness. Forgiveness is a major theme in this letter and the Bible as a whole. If we have experienced God’s forgiveness, we should be quick to extend forgiveness to others. Our enemy would rather see us fall into bitterness or moral lawlessness in our relationships, but our God wants us to forgive others as he forgave us. As David Garland wisely wrote, “Satan is the enemy of peace. He is defeated by reconciliation. Christian love and charity neutralize all of Satan’s powers over us and serves as an invisible, protective shield.”^[5]

Christians are called both to take sin seriously and take forgiveness seriously. Paul wrote the church about this matter initially so the church would have the opportunity to deal with the situation on their own, and in this present letter, he is ensuring the matter is wrapped up appropriately. He mentions his failed attempt to visit Titus on his latest missionary trip but rather than complain, Paul instead moves to thank God for his sovereign leading. However our paths lead us, if we faithful to God, we will be fragrant with the smell of the gospel for God’s chosen people. God will use us, just as he used Paul and the apostles. What an honor, and what a responsibility!

 

Application/Discussion

1. Are you more inclined to brush the sin of others under the rug, or to harshly condemn and withhold forgiveness? How does regularly reading the Bible help us strike the right balance between these two extremes?

2. The gospel will not be attractive to everyone, some people simply will not understand or receive it. Why is it important for us to share the gospel if our message will so regularly be rejected?

 

Points of Prayer

1. Thank God for his great love and forgiveness, especially because of how unworthy we are.

2. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s help in loving God and others, helping others avoid sin, and forgiving generously.

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 24

2 Corinthians 3

 

Commentary

To combat the criticism of his ministry, Paul notes that the Corinthian church itself is a testimony to his faithfulness. This is all a work of God, for nobody is sufficient to be a servant of the Lord on his or her own. For those of us in Christ, God loves us so much that not only does he demand our worship and service, he calls us out of our sin and darkness so that we can worship and he equips us to serve him. The letter of the law and the ministry of death/condemnation refer to the law and the Old Covenant. Without the fulfillment of the law and promises in Christ, the law leaves us hopeless, knowing our sin but having no Savior. Through Christ, however, we are given new life and freedom as we are forgiven of our sins and indwelt by the Holy Spirit. The new covenant has no end, this life and freedom is ours forever if we turn to Christ.

Paul uses the story of Moses covering his face with a veil when he came down from talking with God on Mt. Sinai because the people could not bear to see even a faint reflection of God’s glory. Now, rather than shrinking back from God in majestic holiness, we behold him confidently because Christ has made the way for us to come to God.

 

Application/Discussion                                                                                                

1. We become what we behold (or, we are what we eat). If we want to be more like God, we should spend more time with him and less time with everything else. What does your use of time look like, and in what ways are you being pushed to conform or adapt to what others around you are doing?

2. How does Paul’s mention of Moses teach that the new covenant is better and more glorious than the old covenant?

 

Points of Prayer

1. Thank God for sending Jesus to be our sacrifice and righteousness and for making and keeping the law and prophecies.

2. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s help to greatly desire the salvation of the souls of those around you.

3. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s help for you and your church members to become more and more like Christ and to desire church and spiritual disciplines.

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday, May 25

2 Corinthians 4

 

Commentary

In our reading today, Paul speaks of the apostolic ministry as a ministry of reconciliation, of helping bring sinful people to the sinless God. Paul and the other apostles did not hyperbolize or dress up the gospel; they presented the true gospel in reliance on God and trusted God to make the fruit grow. Some people will continual in their veiled, spiritually blind state, but some will respond to the gospel eventually. The apostle then describes believers as vessels (think clay pots, etc) that are continually disturbed yet are never destroyed. No matter what happens – betrayal, loss, sickness, depression, or anything else – if we know Christ, we are safe in his hands!

Then, as Andrew David Naeselli summarized, “Paul encourages his readers by teaching them of just what their union with Christ means: they experience both the death and the resurrection life of the crucified and risen Christ, compelling them outward in open speech toward other people and drawing their minds forward in clear hope toward the future that awaits them.”[6] The day of the Lord, when Jesus will come back, is approaching ever closer and closer. We need to be ready for our eternity and in the meantime, bring as many people with us as we can.

 

 

 

Application/Discussion

1. Who are some friends, neighbors, and extended family you can pray for and invite to church? If you are having trouble with this, talk to your pastors.

2. Why is eternity/heaven such a prominent part of Paul’s discussion of suffering?

 

Points of Prayer

1. Thank God for the salvation, sanctification, and strength he gives us.

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 perseverance and witness, regardless of what challenges or impediments you may face.

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^[1] Patrick Schreiner, The Visual Word: Illustrated Outlines of the New Testament Books, ed. Connor Sterchi (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2021), 65.

[2] Andrew David Naselli, “1 Corinthians,” in ESV Expository Commentary, Vol. X: Romans–Galatians (Wheaton, IL: 2020), 378-84.

[4] David E. Garland, 2 Corinthians, The New American Commentary vol. 29 (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999), 57.

^[5] David E. Garland, 2 Corinthians, The New American Commentary vol.29 (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999), 132.

[6] Andrew David Naselli, “1 Corinthians,” in ESV Expository Commentary, Vol. X: Romans–Galatians (Wheaton, IL: 2020), 456.