Getting Ready For The Lord’s Return

There is one wrong attitude we must take care to avoid. We must not sit back and say, “Let’s just wait and see what happens.” We dare not think like this. We dare not live like this. We must get ready for the Lord’s Return. At the heart of 1 Corinthians 15, there is a …

When we think about our salvation

When we think about our salvation, we must not think about it as our own achievement. We must, always, remember to come to God, with humility. We must, always, remember to give all the glory to God. Before God's Word speaks to us about our faith, it speaks to us about God's grace: "By grace, …

Preaching God’s Word: 1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 15:1-11 There is hope. This is a message which is very relevant in today's world. We hear of death and destruction. We ask the question, "Is there hope?" This question impresses itself upon us as we take seriously the events of our day. "Is there hope?" As we consider this question, we may …

Real Peace – And No Peace

The proclamation of peace with God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1) must be carefully dissociated from a proclamation which says, "'Peace, peace', when there is no peace" (Jeremiah 6:14; Jeremiah 8:11).

Learning from the Apostle Paul

Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 2:2; 1 Corinthians 6:19–20; Galatians 6:14 Paul was no silent disciple, no half-hearted follower of Jesus. He was not ashamed of his Lord. He was glad to say, "I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to every one who has faith" (Romans …

May we never become so taken up with ourselves that we forget Jesus Christ and all that He has done for us (Journey though the New Testament: 1 Corinthians).

1 Corinthians 1- 6 Paul preached ‘Christ crucified’ with a determination ‘to know nothing except Jesus Christ crucified’(1:23; 2:2). This is the message of our salvation. All the glory belongs to God: ‘Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord’ (1:31). We come to know God when ‘the Spirit’ leads us to ‘Jesus Christ’ (2:10-13; …

Faith, hope, love… and Jesus

"And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:13). We give thanks to God for faith, hope and love - but, more than anything else, we give thanks for Jesus. He shows to us real love, true love, the best love, the greatest love, his love. We put …

In the Spirit and in the Truth

"God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth” (John 4:24, New International Version). What is Jesus saying to us here? When we read, in the King James Version, the words, "worship in spirit and in truth", we may feel that he's speaking about the attitude in which we are to …

What’s this all about?

"Now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face" (1 Corinthians 13:12). While we are here on earth, our understanding is very incomplete - but that's not the whole story of our life! God is calling us on to greater things. He's calling us on to the glory of his eternal presence. …

When we preach Christ crucified, let us, also, preach that he is the risen Lord.

"We preach Christ crucified" (1 Corinthians 1:23). In his preaching. Paul "reasoned with people from the Scriptures" (Acts 17:2), but he did not say, "We preach Isaiah", "We preach Jeremiah" or "We preach... ." He said, "We preach Christ crucified." When Paul spoke about the death of Christ, he spoke about the love of God: …

Christ died for us. Let us live for Him.

Thursday in Holy Week: Exodus 12:1-14; Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; John 13:1-17 Christ died for us. Let us live for Him. Here, we focus attention on two verses which emphasize the importance of being saved by the Lord and going on to live for Him: ‘when I see the blood, I will pass …

The Death of Christ

"This is My blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins" (Matthew 26:28). Early on in my Christian life, I read James Denney's book, The Death of Christ.  Reading this book gave me a real sense of the importance of the death of Christ. This has stayed with me over the …

Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Chronicles 21:4-23:21; 1 Corinthians 15:50-16:4; Proverbs 20:25-21:4 The conflict between good and evil, godliness and ungodliness, may be seen throughout the Scriptures. This is particularly true in the history of the Old Testament kings. God is doing a work. Satan is doing all that he can to destroy it. We must make “a covenant ... …

The Attitude of Gratitude

At the heart of our life, there is to be thanksgiving - “Thanks be to God” (2 Corinthians 9:15; 1 Corinthians 15:57). We thank God for all all his good gifts. We give thanks to him for his greatest gift: the gift of his Son - our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Our limited understanding and God’s revelation

"God has set eternity in the human heart, yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end" (Ecclesiastes 3:11).  God has given us some understanding of himself, but we do not understand everything all that he is doing in our lives and in our world. There are two thoughts here, and …

Holiness and love

Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany – Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18; Psalm 119:33-40; 1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23; Matthew 5:38-48 Holiness and love Holiness and love - the two belong together (Leviticus 19:1, 18, 34). God calls us to live a life of holiness, a life of love. Through His Spirit - the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of …

All that we do – for the glory of God

2 Chronicles 5:2-7:10; 1 Corinthians 10:14-11:1; Proverbs 20:5-14 “The glory of the Lord filled the Temple of God” (2 Chronicles 5:14). There is glory among God’s people when He answers their prayers (2 Chronicles 6:40-42 and 2 Chronicles 7:1-3). All that we do is to be done “for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). This includes our …

What Will We Pass On To The Next Generation?

"What You have done will be praised from one generation to the next" (Psalm 145:4). These words, from Psalm 145, are calling on us to give an answer to a most important question: What will we pass on to the next generation? Will we pass on something of permanent value? Will we pass on something that stands …

Very important people – but the Word of the Lord didn’t come to any of them!

"In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene— 2 during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness" (Luke 3:1-2). Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate ... They …

‘My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.’

Psalm 42:1-11 As we read God's Word day-by-day, we are to pray for an increase of our desire for God: 'My soul thirsts for God, for the living God' (Psalm 42:2). This is the spiritual experience, referred to in Psalm 42:7 - 'Deep calls to deep'. This is what Paul speaks of in 1 Corinthians …

1 Corinthians 15-16

In chapter 15, Paul speaks to us about Christ's resurrection and our resurrection. He has been raised from the dead, and we will be raised with Him to eternal life. Hallelujah! Christ is "the second man... from heaven, the man who has undone the harm brought upon humanity by "the first man", Adam. In Christ, …

1 Corinthians 12-14

Here, Paul speaks about spiritual gifts, He emphasizes that everything should be done to be done "to benefit the commuunity" (chapter 14). Everything should be done in the spirit of "love" (chapter 13). When our lives are being shaped by the love of Christ, we will live, less as a motley crew of isolated individuals, …

1 Corinthians 10-11

In chapters 10 and 11, Paul speaks of the Lord's Supper: "The blessing-cup that we bless is a communion with tyhe body of Christ" (chapter 10), As we read his words, in chapter 11, regarding the Lord's Supper, may we never forget that Christ is the substance of the meal. He is the Rock, our …

1 Corinthians 5-9

Here, Pauil speaks about some practical issues whuch had become problems for the Corinthian Christians. As we read these chapters, it is very important that we grasp this important ptrinciple: the Christian life is to be lived. It is more than a theology to be embraced and a message to be preached. It's a life …

May we never become so taken up with ourselves that we forget Jesus Christ and all that He has done for us.

1 Corinthians 5:1-6:11 -  ‘Your boasting is not good’ – May we never become so taken up with ourselves that we forget Jesus Christ and all that He has done for us: ‘Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us’, ‘you were washed… sanctified… justified in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ and in …

1 Corinthians 1-4

In these chapters, there is a recurrent emphasis on giving glory to God alone. We have no right to steal away any of the glory from God. The way of worldly wisdom is denouncerd as a direct contradiction of the way of God, grace and glory.

Prayer, prophecy and praise

2 Chronicles 13:1-15:19; 1 Corinthians 14:1-40; Psalm 101:1-18 Prayer, prophecy and praise - these are three essential ingredients of worship. Prayer - “They sought God eagerly and He was found by them” (2 Chronicles 15:15). Prophecy - “Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy” (1 Corinthians 14:39). Praise - “To You, O Lord, I will …

A remnant: The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

"For out of Jerusalem shall go a remnant, and those who escape from Mount Zion. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this" (Isaiah 37:32). A remnant - When Isaiah was called by God to the prophetic  ministry, he was given a warning. He was told that only a small minority of his hearers would respond …

How long will we be in this wilderness?

Sometimes, we feel like we're in a wilderness - and we can't get out of it! The first half of the book of Exodus tells of the deliverance of the people of Israel from their time of bondage in the land of Egypt. Things were looking up! Surely, there were better days ahead for them. …

We will be changed.

"We will be changed" (1 Corinthians 15:51-52).We look forward to the great change - when death will be no more. We look forward to eternal life. Paul describes this great change as "a mystery" (1 Corinthians 15:51). Can we say more than this? We must emphasize the continuity between the change that begins here on …

The battle is not yours, but God’s.

2 Chronicles 18:28-21:3; 1 Corinthians 15:35-49; Psalm 102:12-17 Those who were armed for battle received this message from the Lord: “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s” (2 Chronicles 21:15). Now, we fight many battles. There will come a Day when these battles …

God’s Temple

"Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple" (1 Corinthians 3:16-17). God has given us a great privilege - "you yourselves are God's temple... God's …

Raised with Jesus

"On the third day he will raise us up, that we may live in his presence" (Hosea 6:2). As  we read Hosea's words, we think of Jesus - "he was raised on the third day" (1 Corinthians 15:4). Jesus' resurrection points forward to our resurrection in him - "we know that the one who raised the …

The real work is done by the Lord.

1 Chronicles 24:1-26:19; 1 Corinthians 3:1-23; Psalm 92:1-15 Every believer has a part in the work of God. This comes through in the lists of names in 1 Chronicles 24-26. This is also taught in 1 Corinthians 3:6 which goes on to emphasize that the real work is not done by men but by the …

Praise, Preaching and Prayer

1 Chronicles 22:2-23:32; 1 Corinthians 2:6-16; Psalm 91:9-16 The Temple was to be “built for the Name of the Lord”, “to praise the Lord” (1 Chronicles 22:19; 23:5). In the context of such worship - “thanking and praising the Lord” (1 Chronicles 23:30), the Word of God would be spoken “not in words taught by …

Jesus – what a great Saviour he is!

"But I have been the Lord your God ever since you came out of Egypt. You shall acknowledge no God but me, no Saviour except me" (Hosea 13:4). Here, God is saying to the people, "Here's something you must never forget. I brought you out of Egypt the land of bondage." He's saying to them, "Never forget how much …

Jesus is the way of salvation, joy and victory.

John 16:33, Acts 4:10–12, 1 Cor 15:57 Jesus is the way of salvation - Concerning "the Name of Jesus Christ", Peter tells us that "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:10, 12). Jesus is the way …

Knowing Jesus and preaching him: it’s all about loving him.

"I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified" (1 Corinthians 2:2). "We preach Christ crucified" (1 Corinthians 1:23). Here, Paul speaks to us about knowing Christ crucified and preaching Christ crucified, Before we can preach him, we must know him. God speaks to us before we speak for him. What …

Repentance – faith: where do we begin? What about beginning with “Christ crucified” – with Jesus, the Saviour of sinners?

"I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus" (Acts 20:21). What are we to say about "repentance" and "faith"? Where are we to begin? Are we to begin with repentance? or Are we to begin with faith? Let's begin with …

The deep things of God – and the deep love of Christ

"'What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived' — the things God has prepared for those who love him — 10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God" (1 Corinthians 2:9-10).  "I pray …

Not by works… for good works

"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). We look back - and we remember. What do we remember about Jesus? We …

Now I belong to Jesus – not for the years of time alone, but for eternity.

"You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand" (Psalm 16:11). This verse means a lot to me. It was given to me at the time when I set out on a life of ministry. It tells us that …

I told you so.

I told you so ... Often, these words are spoken with the kind of pride that takes pleasure in putting other people down. How different are the words of Paul, "Pride puffs up. Love builds up" (1 Corinthians 8:1)! Where did Paul learn to love like this? He learned it from the Lord. Jesus loves …

The Kingdom Of God: 1 and 2 Corinthians

The kingdom of God is a power. Paul tells us, "The kingdom of God is not in word, but in power" (1 Corinthians 4:20). It is the power of God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit, breaking into our lives and transforming them. "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God …

Let us not lose sight of what God is doing in our day.

"A wide door for effective work has opened for us. There are many adversaries" (1 Corinthians 16:9). Let us not lose sight of what God is doing in our day. It is much greater than we realize. He is building his Kingdom. Let's look beyond the problems and difficulties we encounter in the work of …

To God be the glory!

"He who glories, let him glory in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 1:31). Salvation is never something that we earn. It's always God's gift. When He saves us, He doesn't reward us for our good works. He saves us - despite our persistent failure to live the kind of life that pleases Him. He saves us …

Appreciating what Christ has done for us through his death on the cross

The gospel of free grace says, "You were bought with a price" (1 Corinthians 6:20). It tells us, "You were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ" (1 Peter 1:18-19). Christ has paid the price of our redemption by taking upon himself the penalty for our sin. We are invited to receive all the blessings …

No boasting in ourselves – only boasting in the Lord!

1 Chronicles 28:1-29:30; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13; Psalm 93:1-5 Our “boasting is not good” (1 Corinthians 5:6). It is better for us to boast in the Lord - “Praise be to You, O Lord .... Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power ... Now, our God, we give You thanks, and praise Your glorious …

Seeking and finding

"In him we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28) - This is what Paul says to us about ourselves and the Lord. There is, here, an echo of the words of Ecclesiastes 3:11 - "God has planted eternity in the human heart." God is speaking to our hearts. He's calling out to …

Knowing the Lord – and giving all the glory to him

"All that I know now is partial and incomplete ... " (1 Corinthians 13:12). We have come to know the Lord. This is the work of his grace. We must never forget this. Without his grace, we are nothing. All the glory belongs to him. When we give our testimony - telling the story of …

Because Christ has been raised from the dead

"So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and steady, always enthusiastic about the Lord's work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless" (1 Corinthians 15:58). Paul's confidence in the Lord comes from Jesus' resurrection: "Christ has been raised from the dead. He has become the first of a …

God is preparing a glorious future for us.

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). How does the Lord keep us walking in His way? – He keeps on bringing to our attention the glorious future which He is preparing for us. …

Our Love For The Lord Must Be Stronger Than Any Other Love.

1 Corinthians 6:12-7:24 The Lord has placed the highest value on us: ‘you were bought with a price’ (6:20; 7:23). Our love for Him must be stronger than any other love. Some are under pressure, at home, from an unbelieving husband or wife. You wonder whether your Christian witness is doing any good (7:16). You …

The Lord’s way is better than the world’s way.

Ecclesiastes 4:1-6:12; 1 Corinthians 7:17-35; Proverbs 19:23-20:4 “Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income” (Ecclesiastes 5:10).This is the world’s way. The Lord’s way is a better way. We are to “use the things of the world” without being “engrossed in them” (1 Corinthians 7:31). What we must …

Revised Common Lectionary – Year B: First Sunday of Advent – Isaiah 64:1-9; Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19; 1 Corinthians 1:3-9; Mark 13:24-37

Revised Common Lectionary Year B - First Sunday of Advent: Isaiah 64:1-9; Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19; 1 Corinthians 1:3-9; Mark 13:24-37 Jesus Christ is God’s Answer to our prayer. We confess our sins to God - ‘We sinned... All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy …

Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord… your labour in the Lord is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Jeremiah 48:1-49:6; 2 Timothy 1:1-18; Psalm 119:81-88 “A curse on him who is lax in doing the Lord’s work!” (Jeremiah 48:10). We should not be lax in doing the Lord’s work, “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a Spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7). Through …

Celebrating The Lord’s Supper In Joyful Obedience

1 Corinthians 11:1-34 -  We celebrate the Lord’s Supper (23-26). We even take note of what Paul says about the way we are to come to the Lord’s Table (27-29). What’s this all about? Is it about the whole thing looking good – impressive? Paul gives us something to think about in verse 22 – …

The Word and the words (13): God’s salvation covers our past, our present and our future.

"I am the good shepherd" (John 10:11). "The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing" (Psalm 23:1). I lack nothing - God has given us a full salvation. It's a salvation that covers our past, our present and our future. -- We begin by emphasizing that God's salvation covers our past. "He makes me lie …

Thank You, Lord … for victory over death … beginning here-and-now.

"Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:57). Towards the end of the great resurrection chapter, this verse proclaims Christ's victory over death - "Death is swallowed up in victory" (verse 54). We are to serve the Lord wholeheartedly, We are to serve Him with the firm conviction that "our …

When our love for the Lord gets very weak

"Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians" (Exodus 14:30). What a mighty deliverance! They had come out of Egypt. Now, they were crossing the Red Sea. We think of what God did for his people, Israel - and we give thanks to him. We think of what he has done for …