Category: 1 Corinthians

Take a moment to read 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 before reading the devotional below.

Invite your friends to join us as we start a new series on 1 Corinthians! In this book, the apostle Paul is writing to the church in Corinth about how to live the Christian life together. As we read this series, ask yourself, “How can I live in relationships differently?” Also take this moment to connect with a local church if you have not been spending regular time with other followers of Jesus.

In these first verses, Paul offers a greeting to the believers. Since he is writing to people who live in a city in Greece, he is not writing to God’s chosen people, the Jews. Yet Paul tells them that they are God’s holy people. How is that possible? Jesus came to earth to invite them to his table. These believers received the gift of the Holy Spirit just the same as the Jewish believers.

Here’s your freedom for today: Jesus has invited you in.

Anyone is free to come to his house, regardless of cultural background or social standing. You are chosen. You are welcome. No one has ever had to earn a seat at that table. We often make Christianity about rules, but it’s about a person. It’s about Jesus. He has sent the invitation — how will you respond?

Take a moment to read 1 Corinthians 1:10-17 before reading the devotional below.

One of the biggest challenges within the American church is the lack of unity. We have an array of denominations and sections — Baptist, Assemblies of God, Lutheran, Episcopalian, Catholic — just to name a few. Ever since the Protestant Reformation, there have been divides in the church. Yet as we read today’s passage, we see that division in the church was around long before Martin Luther hung his 95 Theses. This is not an American problem or a Protestant problem or a Catholic problem, this is a human problem.

Before Jesus came to earth, God’s people (the Jewish nation of Israel) was divided. It had been divided into twelve tribes, and later into two nations. Much of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East today traces all the way back even farther to Abraham’s family (Isaac versus Ishmael, Sarah versus Hagar). In this letter, Paul challenges the church to be clear on who they are following: Jesus. One focus of our salvation. The embodiment of the one true God. If you are a Christian, you follow Jesus and you watch out for divisions past that.

Here’s your freedom for today:

you don’t have to focus on anyone but Jesus.

If you feel pulled in a lot of directions, you’re not alone. We see advertisements every day telling us not just to buy an item, but to identify with a brand. The church often feels the same way — where we go or who we listen to becomes the thing we preach. We spend so much time trying to argue about who’s “right” that we end up all wrong. Jesus. Period. End of story. If we are following him, then we are brothers and sisters. We might pray differently and worship differently and baptize differently and take communion differently, but we follow Jesus. What is one way you could become more single minded and let go of divisions or arguments?

Take a moment to read 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 before reading the devotional below.

The Gospel only makes sense if you are looking for hope. In today’s passage, Paul describes the no-mans’-land where Jesus lives — right between Greek philosophy and Jewish obsession with supernatural proof. If you’re trying to figure it out, you’re doing it wrong. Jesus only makes sense to people who aren’t trying to make everything make sense.

If you are wise, wealthy, or powerful in human terms, you may be wondering why you even need Jesus at all. You can pretty much do life on your own. Much of America is in that place today. We have everything we need and we don’t see why we should give anything up to follow some guy from thousands of years ago. Didn’t he die, anyway? Where’s the proof that he wasn’t just some nice teacher who got a few people fired up? Why are we even still talking about him?

Here’s your freedom for today:

Jesus gives you everything the world can’t.

If you aren’t that important in your job, or no one would think of you as particularly smart, or if you are just looking for some kind of hope to get out of a life you don’t want to live, I’ve got the guy just for you. It’s going to sound ridiculous, but that’s exactly by God’s design. God doesn’t cater to humans or bow to those who think they are great and powerful. Just like the Wizard of Oz, all that is just smoke and mirrors anyway. God wants people who have nothing to brag about but him. “Look what Jesus did for me!” I know a lot of people like that, because I live in a place with a bad reputation. I came here on purpose so that maybe, just maybe, my smarty-pants, self-reliant self wouldn’t miss Jesus when he came by. I cling to the foolishness of Jesus on the cross and a belief that he came back to life and is working in my life today. I hang onto the ridiculousness of the Holy Spirit, who makes me do silly things like cry in weird moments and pray in a language I don’t even understand. All of that makes perfect sense to all those I know who didn’t die from addiction and came to know Jesus. Those who had nothing to lose don’t blink an eye. What about you? Where do you land on defining “wise” and “foolish”? Stop by Lynn, Massachusetts sometime… I’ve got some people I’d love for you to meet.

Take a moment to read 1 Corinthians 2:1-8 before reading the devotional below.

It’s not much of a marketing strategy, but Paul’s big teaching plan was two-fold: boring or supernaturally deep. It is fascinating that Paul does not want the believers to listen to him because he can make a convincing argument. He doesn’t want the mature believers to be impressed because he makes a ton of sense. God can stand on his own, and you either want Jesus or you don’t.

Paul says something interesting in today’s passage. He says that he came to the Corinthians in weakness, simply asking the Holy Spirit to work. When he was finished preaching, he wanted the church to say, “Well, that guy’s not much, but Jesus… Wow!!” The Gospel doesn’t need fancy bells and whistles. How different from so many of our church strategies today.

Here’s your freedom for today:

You don’t have to try so hard.

Whether you are a preacher trying to get the message of the Gospel across, or you are just trying to live a Christian life in the best way you know how, supernatural power is the only thing that will get supernatural results. Sure, lots of people will fawn over an impressive argument or a trendy leader. But is that really eternal attention? Or does it fade when the next new thing comes along? Superficial is the best we can do in our strength; supernatural is only possible with the Holy Spirit. Where do you need supernatural power today? What can you do to choose weakness so that the Holy Spirit can accomplish the work?

Take a moment to read 1 Corinthians 2:9-16 before reading the devotional below.

Today’s passage is one of my favorites. There is so much power in the connection between the Old Testament and the good news of Jesus. Paul quotes Isaiah 64:4, pointing out the awesome and incomprehensible nature of God. We can’t imagine his plans or understand all that he is doing for us. And yet…

When Jesus returned to heaven from earth, he promised to send his Holy Spirit. This Spirit of God is the deepest inner workings of God’s mind and heart — he knows all the secrets. If you are starting to think all that sounds a little weird, good! Paul’s not trying to make a logical or scientific argument here. He’s trying to explore a supernatural mystery. He quotes Isaiah again, this time chapter 40, verse 13. He’s asking, “Who could possibly understand God’s thoughts?”

Here’s your freedom for today:

You have the mind of Jesus.

Paul connects the Holy Spirit, given to us by Jesus to help us and to guarantee our salvation, to the deepest intricacies of God’s mind. Our minds are too small and finite to grasp God’s thoughts. It’s impossible for us to do in our own understanding. The statement, “We have the mind of Christ,” is such a powerful one. Supernaturally the Holy Spirit will show us what God is thinking. He gives us knowledge we have no way of getting any other way. It’s why Jesus could take a bunch of low-life fishermen and other undesirables and turn them into powerful preachers and church leaders. Your earthly mind does not determine how God can use you or what he can show you. Seek truth, read his word, and he will show you a great many mysteries.