Read 1 Corinthians 1:18-25

Summary

1 Corinthians is about healing division. Paul is observing the
Corinthian church returning to ludicrous religious debates and creating
division across lines that, thanks be to Christ, need not be there any
longer. Paul wastes no time in outlining and disassembling these issues
with the ultimate tool of divisiveness: the cross of Jesus.

Wrestling with the Text

Let’s begin with a focus on 1:22-23.
Here we’re seeing Paul illustrate two camps. What are the Jews
seeking?

The Greeks?

What, instead, is being preached?

Have you ever found yourself wanting God to "make sense" or to
"be tangible" for you in some way? If so, Paul has some
good news for you: God is very often about a “third way” or a “better
option.” Simply, Christ crucified is a response, a rebuke, and
a better option to Jewish and Greek desires all rolled into one. At their
core, what are the Jewish and Greek issues here?

Faithlessness and Pride, right? Think about that for a little bit.
Pray about the sacrifice of Jesus and how it applies to these two desires.
It seems to me like all of our issues arise from one central question with a
few applications: Can I rely on Jesus? Is his death and resurrection
believable to me? Is that enough for me?

In 1:18 Paul says
"...the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing,
but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." So...is the
message of the cross foolishness for you? Congratulations, you've just
entered into what theologians call the "kerygmatic paradox."
Basically, you're saved because you understand the wisdom and power of
the cross, and you'll understand the wisdom and power of the cross because
you're saved. Ponder the cross today and what it means for your life and
do your best to memorize 1:18.
It'll do you good. God loves that you faithfully consider what He
did for you.

Read 1 Corinthians 1:26
- 2:5

Summary

The Corinthian church wasn't what we'd call a privileged bunch. That's
a good thing. Remember when Jesus came, quoted Isaiah and started a riot
by bringing good news for the poor in Luke 4:14-30? How about the
Beatitudes in Matthew 5:1-12? Christ's Kingdom doesn't look super
"top-down," does it? Good, because the Corinthian church is NOT
the top, as Paul is quick to remind them in today's section of scripture.
In so doing he'll prove his point about the power of the cross that he
made yesterday.

Wrestling with the Text

Paul is making two points to respond to the two issues he raised yesterday.
First in 1:26-31 he's pointing to how unprivileged the Corinthian church
is. God met them in their imperfection and gave them his Spirit.
This is a VERY good thing. By looking at the issues that Paul is
addressing, you can see what the Corinthian church is dealing with. With
what are they trying to justify themselves?

With what have you tried to justify yourself before
God? Works? Faith? Status? Service? ? Church attendance? Your sexuality? Religious rites?
What is it that we can lay at the feet of our Father to gain his
approval?

Those things you worked for in that passage above--they're great things.
God cares about them with a passion that we can't fully understand.
But unless they're a response to meeting the Father at his throne (it's
made of wood, shaped like a lower-case t), they're nothing. Paul is
reminding the Corinthians (and us!) that they ( /we!) brought nothing to the
table when they ( /we!) were entreated by God, so why are they ( /we!) trying
to use those things to justify them( /our!)selves now? It's a good
question. Worthy of our consideration before moving on. Pray about
that. Are you using something to justify yourself rather than meeting God
at the cross and walking away healed?

Read 1 Corinthians 2:6-10a

Summary

Day three screams one word to me: Gnosticism. Gnosticism was a
pervasive religious idea of the day that believed that secret wisdom is
available to only the ‘right’ kind of people...but oh no, not everyone!
Good God, no! It smacks of elitism, separation and a sing-song voice that
arrogantly cries “I-know-something-you-don't-know!”

Wrestling with the Text

The Corinthian "elite" (we all really know
how elite they are, thanks to yesterday's study) were bragging that they had
some secret wisdom that made them better (division alert! Also, make a
special note to whom the message of wisdom is being preached: "among the
mature." We'll get back to that one on Friday). Paul refers to
the wisdom of the "rulers of this age." When you see those
words used in other letters and books in the New Testament (Romans 8.38,
Ephesians 1.21,Colossians 2:10/15, 1
Peter 3.22.), to what is that phrase referring?

Harper Collins Study Bible refers to those rulers as "all powers
opposing God, both cosmic and mundane." Do you know what that means?
It involves demonic powers as well. The "wisdom" of this
age is demonic; opposed to God. What does that say about Gnostics?
About the Corinthian elite? About us?

Paul talks about "God's secret wisdom" and the Corinthian
"elite" start getting a little bit more comfortable. Then
he quotes his favorite scroll Isaiah and they think they're off the hook,
only to then have Paul throw out a whomper: "But God has revealed it
to us by his Spirit." Yesterday we learned that the congregation took
place in a demonstration of the Spirit's power. That means that ALL of them have God's secret wisdom. Not
just "the elite." ALL
of them. All of us.

God's secret wisdom" is not to be contained or bridled or hidden
or--God-forbid--used to one-up each other. That little voice that taunts
you and tells you that you don't know something you should...is lying!...and it
always has been! It's the most sinister lie that you've ever heard,
because it is completely opposite the truth! We have hope. We have
value. We have the Spirit of God living in us.

Reflect that God has revealed himself to you. You're worthy.
You're beautiful. You're loved. You're whole. You're
blessed. You're safe. You're taken care of. You're in-dwelt
with the Spirit of the Lord. Have you really allowed this truth to wash over
your life?

Read 1 Corinthians 2:10b-16.

Wrestling with the Text

Have you ever tried to tell someone about the scariest
dream you've ever had. You explain how terrifying it was that you were
driving a car which then turned into a dog that you held by it's tail to steer.

Have you ever tried to tell someone about the most amazing experience you
had with the Lord. It doesn't always come out right, does it? Look
at Luke when he tried to explain it in Acts 2:3: They saw what seemed
to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.
What is that supposed to mean? I can picture Luke excitedly
repeating this to his friends, or even if he was dictating this he's excited
and talking "it was like...i don't know...it was crazy...TONGUES OF FIRE!!!"

One of my favorite quotes is from Peter Maurin, it says: "If I am
crazy, it's because I refuse to be crazy in the same way that the world has
gone crazy." Sometimes we sound like we're absolutely insane. That's
fine. Matter of fact, it seems to be that that's the way it should be.
This world IS crazy. The "rulers" and "powers"
we discussed yesterday, ARE crazy,
and they're making the world go crazy. But we have the mind of Christ. That
kind of crazy is going to completely change this world. Have you ever been
viewed as crazy because of your devotion to Christ? Are you willing to be? What
areas of your life are you holding back from Christ because your afraid to look
crazy for him?

Memorize verse 16. It's only one verse, you can definitely do it. Then
pray to completely lose your mind. Kill your pride and laugh. Think
about the ridiculous things and situations that loving Jesus and having the
mind of Christ has put you in or the ridiculous situations and things you want
to do to love Jesus. Laugh about them. Laugh about them because
those situations are going to shake the gates of Hell and scream, "Let us
in!"

Read 1 Corinthians 3:1-5

Wrestling with the Text.

Check out from last week Chapter 1, Verse 2. "To the church of God
in Corinth.
To those sanctified in Christ Jesus..." The "church of God." These people.
These lovely people. Stuck in their self-inflicted bondage of
division and separation, not fully enjoying the blessing of community and
corporate love and emulation of Christ are STILL the church of God.
Still sanctified. What does this say about our salvation and the nature
of God’s grace?

God hasn't given up on them. God hasnt given up on us. God
won't. We fight and we bicker and we segregate and we return to the same
old tired, defeated, lame systems that we've been in since day one. We
try to find our identity in Paul or in Apollos or in our D groups or in our
girlfriends and boyfriends, in our service, in our holiness. God meant
for all of this to end with Christ. It hasn't. But He isn't done
with us yet.

God has made a way. He sent Jesus for us. He gave us his Spirit.
He's given us grace. We still screw up, but we're still the Body.
We're still sanctified. We're still His Bride. We won't stop
being that. We couldn't earn our way in and we can't ‘mess up’ our way
out. If the Corinthians couldn't then neither can we.

What have you screwed up?

What have you screwed up this week?

Does it reflect on your immaturity as a believer, or on the
status of your salvation? What’s the difference?

Keep in mind Day Three. You're safe. You're "in a
very good sheep pen." Together with our Corinthian brothers and
sisters...we are immature...but we also have the Spirit of God, minds of
Christ. His perfection is available to us. I hope you had a good
week.