Written by: Andy Hall – YWAM Scotland
1 Corinthians 15 v 50-53
I tell you this, brothers and sisters: Flesh and blood cannot have a part in
the kingdom of God. Something that will ruin cannot have a part in something
that never ruins. But look! I tell you this secret: We will not all sleep
in death, but we will all be changed. It will take only a second - as quickly
as an eye blinks - when the last trumpet sounds. The trumpet will sound,
and those who have died will be raised to live forever, and we will all be
changed. This body that can be destroyed must clothe itself with something
that can never be destroyed. And this body that dies must clothe itself with
something that can never die.
Notes
What we as Christians believe about the end of time and the return of Jesus
will always affect how and what we do in the here and now of this life. Jesus
is coming back but this requires us to change. Previously Paul had been saying
that the dead would come back to life. He now asks the question: what will
we as Christians, be like when the dead come back to life?
Our original flesh and blood bodies can’t function or survive in the
new age that God is going to start at the return of Jesus. Pure physical bodies
decay and break down, they will need to be changed. Suddenly, irreversibly,
in a millisecond, at the exact moment of the fanfare, that announces the return
of Jesus, we will be transformed. We will be changed from mortal to immortal,
from physical to spiritual. I will still be “me”, recognisable
with personality and character but in a body that is solid yet able to pass
through solidity just like Jesus’ resurrection body! I will live in a
body designed for eternity - a resurrection body.
• Do I live as if at any moment Jesus could return and I could be transformed?
• Is my daily focus just to look after and try and delay decay in my physical
body – do I need to do some spiritual exercise as well?
• Am I afraid of death? Is it a beginning or an end for me as a Christian?
Prayer
Oh Lord Jesus, please come to us and come soon. We long to see the transformation
of our physical bodies and the swallowing up of the mortal by that which
is immortal. Come soon and end the reign of death, pain and mourning. Swallow
it all up in the coming of your kingdom. Amen.
1 Corinthians 15 v 54-58
So this body that can be destroyed will clothe itself with that which can never
be destroyed, and this body that dies will clothe itself with that which
can never die. When this happens, this Scripture will be made true:
“Death is destroyed forever in victory.”
“Death, where is your victory?
Death, where is your pain?”
Death’s power to hurt is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But we
thank God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
So my dear brothers and sisters, stand strong. Do not let anything change you.
Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that
your work in the Lord is never wasted.
Notes
Death and what lies on the other side of it is one of the ultimate human questions.
For Christians, the death and resurrection of Jesus provides a road map of
the other side. Jesus has “been there and done that” and returned
to us to show us the way to connect with eternal life.
God has made all people with “eternity in their hearts”. Everyone
instinctively knows that death is not the end, but they wonder what lies beyond.
Everyone will be reconstructed and awoken from death; to face the examination
of a God who knows all! The power or bite, in the fear of death, is the fact
that we all know we’ve sinned and fallen short of God’s high standards
for entry into eternal life with him. Facing death and judgement is a high-risk
strategy except for solid believers. Christians know that the death of Jesus
has pulled the teeth out of the jaws of death and it can’t keep its grip
on us. If death can’t beat us, then we can do anything God could ask
of us in this life.
• Paul once wrote, “For me to live is Christ so to die is gain.” Is
death and dying a net gain or a net loss in your way of thinking about life?
• “What we do in life echoes in eternity.” Do you feel that
your impact and work for God is having eternal consequences?
• The law of God sets us up to fail but the cross of Christ wipes out the
law and sets us up to win. Spend some time thanking Jesus for crossing out your
record of failure and releasing you into eternal life!
Prayer
Thank you Lord Jesus that you are the Lord of life and you have swallowed up
all the powers of death. Help me to overcome any fear of death and live life
to the max. Amen
1 Corinthians 16 v 1-4
Now I will write about the collection of money for God’s people. Do
the same thing I told the Galatian churches to do: On the first day of every
week,
each one of you should put aside money as you have been blessed. Save it up
so you will not have to collect money after I come. When I arrive, I will send
whomever you approve to take your gift to Jerusalem. I will send them with
letters of introduction, and if it seems good for me to go also, they will
go along with me.
Notes
Paul spent a lot of time and energy, devising ways of getting the churches
he was involved with to support the original Christian congregation in Jerusalem.
These generous people had blown all their money supporting the 3,000 people
saved on the day of Pentecost (see Acts 2) and were now, years later, in
great need themselves. Paul saw giving to the poor as a primary duty for
believers. In the days before electronic transfer and American Express, giving
to people many miles away was a risky business and costly in time and effort
as well as money.
Paul sets out the responsibility for Jesus to be Lord of our wallets as well
as our souls. This was to be expressed in regular donations to the poor. Many
of the Corinthians were very poor themselves - indeed some were slaves - but
he did not allow this to be a reason not to give. When anyone gave, it was
to be in proportion to how the Lord had blessed them. The more they received,
the more they could give. Excess income was not automatically theirs to spend
on themselves!
• If Jesus is your Lord and died for you, how much of what you have
belongs to him and how much belongs to you?
• Do you regularly review how much you give to God? When you last received
a pay rise did the poor and needy see any of it?
• Do you feel poor? (Maybe you’re a student or unemployed at the
moment?) Is your perceived poverty a reason not to give something to God this
week?
Prayer
Lord, please help me to adopt your priorities in how I spend the money you’ve
given me. I pray that this week you would bring to my notice some financial
need in this world that I can contribute to. Amen
1 Corinthians 16 v 5-12
I plan to go through Macedonia, so I will come to you after I go through there.
Perhaps I will stay with you for a time or even all winter. Then you can
help me on my trip, wherever I go. I do not want to see you now just in passing.
I hope to stay a longer time with you if the Lord allows it. But I will stay
at Ephesus until Pentecost, because a good opportunity for a great and growing
work has been given to me now. And there are many people working against
me.
If Timothy comes to you, see to it that he has nothing to fear with you, because
he is working for the Lord just as I am. So none of you should treat Timothy
as unimportant, but help him on his trip in peace so that he can come back
to me. I am expecting him to come with the brothers.
Now about our brother Apollos: I strongly encouraged him to visit you with
the other brothers. He did not at all want to come now; he will come when he
has the opportunity.
Notes
The Corinthians were very important to Paul. He had some harsh things to say
to them earlier, but now he communicates his desire to see them. He does
not disapprove of them, he longs to see them. But this is not the age of
budget airlines or car hire, so he’s going to have to walk! So a visit
from Paul is not going to be a cheap thing but a costly experience.
All Christian activity and ministry is a partnership based on relationships not just task. Paul sees them as co-workers with him and as supporters and encouragers. Good relationships and clear communication are essential in the church.
Paul was also keen to promote the ministries of his young co-workers. He’s very keen to see Timothy receive support and encouragement from the Corinthians even though he is very young (possibly only 19 years old). Paul knew that it would be easy for them to look down on Timothy because of his youth, yet he was someone who’d stepped out and done the “stuff”. So he commends Timothy to them.
• How good are your relationships and communication with others in your
church or group? Do you communicate worth and value to people?
• As a younger believer, do you seek out and value relationship with older
Christians as mentors and coaches?
• Would you like to be commended like Timothy was by Paul? Are you getting
out of your comfort zones, seeking out-of-the-box opportunities to serve God
and do the “stuff”? The reason we remember Timothy was because he
was radical in his faith!
Prayer
Lord, help me to prioritise relationships and keep in touch with your people.
Lord, help me to be more radical in my expressions of my faith. Amen
1 Corinthians 16 v 13-24
Be alert. Continue strong in the faith. Have courage, and be strong. Do everything
in love.
You know that the family of Stephanas were the first believers in Southern
Greece and that they have given themselves to the service of God’s people.
I ask you, brothers and sisters, to follow the leading of people like these
and anyone else who works and serves with them.
I am happy that Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus have come. You are not
here, but they have filled your place. They have refreshed my spirit and yours.
You should recognise the value of people like these.
The churches in the country of Asia send greetings to you. Aquila and Priscilla
greet you in the Lord, as does the church that meets in their house. All the
brothers and sisters here send greetings. Give each other a holy kiss when
you meet.
I, Paul, am writing this greeting with my own hand.
If anyone does not love the Lord, let him be separated from God - lost forever!
Come, O Lord!
The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.
My love be with all of you in Christ Jesus.
Notes
Paul’s final words to the Corinthians are basically, “Be careful
out there; its dangerous - but go for it!” The late John Wimber used
to say, “Faith is spelt r.i.s.k.” Living for God in a hostile world
is a risky business. Paul then commends to them some great risk takers in the
persons of Stephanas and Fortunatus who had stepped out and done some risky
things to serve God’s people. Leadership for Paul was always about being
a servant and the power of example. For Paul, the Christian life was not “Do
as I say” but rather “Do as I do”. Stephanas was commended
because he saw his role as one of service not status, and saw that leadership
took him into the place of risk not safety.
We are all potential if not yet actual leaders in the body of Christ. We all influence others and set examples that others follow; in cell groups, youth fellowships or Christian Unions on our campus, we can set a tone – let’s set a tone of servanthood and risk taking faith.
• Am I taking risks for God, doing things where I am not certain of
a safe comfortable outcome?
• Are we actively seeking to serve the people of God or are we seeking
to be served? What have I done in the last month that’s cost me something
in order to strengthen someone else’s faith?
• Am I setting a good example to all believers? – would I want the
way I live to be written large or broadcast on a video wall?
Prayer
Help me Lord to be strong and alert, continuing in my faith in an active way.
Show me the way of the servant and the risk-taker for Jesus’ sake.
Amen
Psalm 53 v 1-3
Fools say to themselves,
“There is no God.”
Fools are evil and do terrible things; none of them does anything good.
God looked down from heaven on all people to see if anyone was wise, if anyone
was looking to God for help.
But all have turned away.
Together, everyone has become evil; none of them does anything good.
Not a single person.
Notes
It’s almost a definition of a “fool” that they are “motor
mouths” with opinions ten times bigger than their brains! Biblically,
the “fool” is a person who is morally deficient not intellectually
stupid. Biblically someone is a fool because they choose their own opinions
and values to be their guide to right and wrong and how things should be.
It’s easy for the fool (v1) to say “No God” - doing so removes all fear of having to give account for choices actions and subsequent results. The fool thinks they can do what they want, that no one cares or sees, and there’s going to be no comeback on them – but God cares and God sees! When we remove God from the moral centre, we end up doing “evil” and “terrible things” – it’s no big deal if there’s no big God!
God’s looking for the “wise” (v2); wise people know their limits and know they need outside help with boundary-setting. They know that unaided they can not produce goodness; they need divinely enforced logical loving limits on their freedoms. This gives them the capacity to go against the flow, to resist the negative moral peer pressure of the “all” (v3) who have turned away and ganged up “together” against God’s people. God looks for the wise but in many places does not find them.
• Will you commit to exploring the moral power of the “power of
One” – to be the one wise person in your work place, school or
campus?
• Wise people seek counsel and accountability – who will you seek
out to share your life with, so that someone knows all you are up to, the pressures
you are under? Someone who can stand with you in prayer and encouragement?
Prayer
God, my heart tells me to be “wise,” but my circumstances press
me to be a “fool”. Help me to resist the pressure and to reap the
rewards of wisdom. Amen
Psalm 53 v 4-6
Don’t the wicked understand?
They destroy my people as if they were eating bread.
They do not ask God for help.
The wicked are filled with terror where there had been nothing to fear.
God will scatter the bones of your enemies.
You will defeat them, because God has rejected them.
I pray that victory will come to Israel from Mount Zion!
May God bring them back.
Then the people of Jacob will rejoice, and the people of Israel will be glad.
Notes
A life lived without God has a moral vacuum at its centre (v4). It destroys
all around it as fuel to feed its fires of doubt. It seeks to suck life into
itself to fill its moral void and to validate its selfish stance on life.
Waves of fear are sweeping the earth today (v5). Chronic insecurity is the
common lot in life. Having let go of God, western culture has found nothing
else to hold on to and is being swept along on a tsunami of doubts, cynicism
and fears. Having embraced enmity with God as our norm, we are seeing the “bones” of
our culture scattered because there is nothing left to hold it together.
The people of God however sing a different song (v6) and can tell a different story. God is not scattering but bringing us back together. He’s putting a song in our hearts and gladness is our strong emotion!
• Are you embracing the fact that to be a Christian today is to be part
of a very radical counter culture, a subversive force working against the flow
of normal life? How could this be manifested in your daily life?
• The people of God “rejoice” and are “glad” -
despite all opposition our strong emotions are in the areas of gladness. Is this
true of you? If not what can you do to restore a God “gladness” in
your life?
Prayer
Lord, please be my emotional centre. Please help all my hope to be in you,
not in the things or people around me that can be so easily shaken and taken
away. Fill me with gladness as I focus on my God and help me to see you joining
together and rebuilding work in my life. Amen
The views expressed by the writers of our daily e-mails are not necessarily those of Church Army or word-on-the-web but of the individual writers.
word-on-the-web uses the Scripture text taken from the Youth Bible, New Century Version (Anglicised Edition) copyright 1993 by Word Publishing Milton Keynes