First Baptist Church, Mount Pleasant, Michigan

Devotional: 1 Corinthians 14:1-25

Today’s passage: 1 Corinthians 14:1-25

Helpful thoughts:

  • Gifts are good…love is first and best.  Desire the gifts that will help you to love other people the most.  Show your thankfulness by exercising your gifting (Whatever it may be) in love.
  • The gift of prophecy is referred to as the “forth-telling” of God’s Word.  When a Christian communicates God’s Word to people so they can understand what it means and how it matters to them, they are exercising this gift.
    • This can happen from the pulpit in preaching, in the Sunday School classroom, and it can happen one-on-one over a cup of coffee.
    • We are not being encouraged by this passage to hope for a new special word/revelation direct from God to share with others.  With the completed Scriptures, we have everything we need (2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:3).
  • In the New Testament, there was a right way to speak in tongues (Acts 2:1-8) and a wrong way (Akin to pagan practices).
    • When tongues were spoken by the will of God in the early church, there was no stopping it,  and it was beneficial to all those who saw and heard.
    • The kinds of “tongues” which were being “spoken” by the church at Corinth (And the “tongues” that are being “spoken” by those in the Charismatic Movement today), if they actually followed the ground rules laid down by the Apostle Paul in this chapter, would cease altogether.

Questions to consider:

  1. Some in the Charismatic Movement have taught that a person can not know they are saved unless they first “speak in tongues.”  How could you utilize this passage to prove that is false doctrine?  How does this kind of false teaching encourage you to keep reading the Bible for yourself?
  2. What can verses 24-25 reminds us of concerning our church services?  We are certainly to pray, sing and preach the Word for the discipleship of the body, the church.  But, when visitors/unbelievers come, should we be put off and exclusive or should we be excited and welcoming?  To whom does “our” building, “our” seats, “our” service belong?  How wonderful is a Sunday morning when the body is nourished by the Word AND souls are saved?
  3. How does all this thinking show signs of maturity in the believer (Verse 20)?  How does a mature Christian view the gifts?  How does a mature Christian view people and visitors?  How does a mature Christian value their role and service in the church?

Devotional: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Today’s passage: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Helpful thoughts:

  • The “Love chapter” of 1 Corinthians 13 is written for the context of a church which was envying spiritual gifts for their own selfish pleasure.
    • It didn’t matter how amazing the gifting was (No matter how “cool” or “spiritual” we might look), if we don’t utilize what the Lord has gifted us to do with love, it’s pointless.
    • Our gifts are given to us for the benefit of others.
  • To get the full effect of what verses 4-7 are teaching, insert the opposite terms and consider how the church (And other relationships) would change for the better or worse with love and with selfishness.
    • e.g. Selfishness is hasty and rude; selfishness envies and boasts, etc.
  • Spiritual gifts are needed for a time (And some of them only lasted for a short time), but all of them are only exercised rightly when they are motivated by what will outlast them all, love.

Questions to consider:

  1. How did God commend (Or show) His love toward us (Romans 5:8, John 15:13)?  How do we find the example and the motivation to give of ourselves sacrificially to others (1 John 4:19)?
  2. What are some specific benefits of a church that loves one another?  How have you loved others?  How have others loved you?  Why can we thank the Lord for the church?
  3. What point do you think Paul was making with the illustration of thinking like a child, then becoming a man and giving up childish ways?  What has that progressive sanctification looked like in your life?  What spiritual maturity (In fullness) are you looking forward to when you see Jesus face to face?

Devotional: 1 Corinthians 12:12-31

Today’s passage: 1 Corinthians 12:12-31

Helpful thoughts:

  • Bodies have members and members make up the body.  Every member is needed.
  • When a member of the body is hurting or not functioning, the rest of the body is impacted in appropriate ways.  When a member of the body is fit and active, the rest of the body is impacted in appropriate ways.
  • Members of the church at Corinth wanted the same gifts (Or the same gift) because of what they thought it would do for them personally.
    • When enough individuals want everything to work for their own benefit, it ends up killing the body…and eventually there will be nothing left to benefit the individual.
    • Every member of the body needs to do their part, then everyone benefits.

Questions to consider:

  1. What was the “benefit” those in the Corinthian church were looking for?  How would a healthy serving Christian redefine what the “benefits” of church membership and service are?
  2. How have you been blessed by the ministry of others in various aspects in the church?  How have you been a blessing to others?  What does this passage look like (How is it exemplified) in our church?
  3. There are passages like this in scripture which speak to service in the church, and others that appear to speak about ways we can be salt and light by serving in the community.  How do you balance serving in the church (Serving fellow church members) and living out your faith in the community AS the church?

Devotional: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Today’s passage: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Helpful thoughts:

  • The Holy Spirit doesn’t lead people to blaspheme God.  He leads people to worship and follow Jesus.
    • This statement should sound obvious to us. But from the perspective of these former pagans, the idea of being controlled by the Spirit made them think of some strange things.  Those strange experiences resulted in misunderstandings concerning gifting from the Spirit for Christian service.
  • Spiritual gifts are not given to us for our own enjoyment or to promote ourselves.  They are gifts given for “the common good” (Verse 7).  We get them to give them for the benefit of others to the glory of God.
  • The gifts listed in this passage are not an exhaustive list.  There really isn’t an exhaustive list anywhere in the Bible.
    • The point of spiritual gifts is not to discover what special tool we have been given and then declare it publicly or pigeon hole ourselves in a way that restricts or limits our service to just one area of ministry.
    • The point of the gifting of the Holy Spirit is that when Christians serve Jesus and one another, the Spirit works through us in special ways.  From what I can tell, there may not always be a special name listed in Scripture for the myriad of ways Christians love and serve others.
  • As is still often the case today, many in the Corinthian church preferred gifts that were flashier than others so as to have the “superior” gifts to flaunt.  Their consumeristic mindset also tainted their view of spiritual gifts.
    • Many gifts were exercised during the early years of the church (Sometimes called the Apostolic age, the Apostolic gifts) for the purpose of validating the word being proclaimed.  Once the churches were established and the Gospel had spread, those gifts ceased to be seen or reported.  They did not “appear” to be in use again until the charismatic movement began in the early 20th century.

Questions to consider:

  1. What appears to be the purpose of the Spirit’s gifting of believers?  Who are they for?
  2. In what ways have you been especially blessed by the Christians around you?  In what ways have you seen the Lord blessing your service of others?  Thank God for it!
  3. If you are wondering what ways you might be gifted, how would serving and talking with other Christians about it help you?  Where are you serving?  What things motivate you to serve and to serve well?

An Evil Proposal

It is not our church’s practice to endorse political campaigns.  We have not invited or welcomed candidates into our services.  We do not tell our people who to vote for or even pass out voter guides.  Because all this is true, it might seem strange to see an article or to hear an announcement about an issue on this year’s ballot from our church.  Though it might seem odd, our other church leadership and I believe it is the right thing to do on this occasion.  This is because the issue we desire to bring to your attention is not about a political candidate, but a state constitutional amendment.  It’s not very often we get to participate in deciding (In a purely democratic way) what our state’s law will be.  However this year, on November 8th, we will.

The issue I am sharing with you is Proposal 3.  It is referred to as the “Right to Reproductive Freedom Initiative.”  The advertised goal of this proposal is to reinstate Roe v. Wade, ensuring it will remain legal to perform abortions.  Since the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973, over 63 million human beings have been aborted in the United States.  Over 30,000 children were aborted in the state of Michigan last year alone.  That’s approximately 9,000 more than the population of Mt. Pleasant.  This is a terrible evil.

Psalm 139:13-16 – “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.  My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.  Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.”

If the right to have an abortion were the only component of Proposal 3, that would be reason enough to vote, “No”.  Sadly, there’s more.  It looks as though this constitutional amendment would also:

  • Allow minors to get abortions without parental consent or knowledge
  • Allow minors (Male or female) to pursue different forms of sterilization without parental consent or knowledge
  • Protect abortion clinics or other health care facilities in cases of malpractice when giving “reproductive care”
  • Attempt to force health care practitioners and facilities to provide abortions and other procedures against their beliefs
  • Allow abortions at any point in the pregnancy for various reasons including gender, race, disability, and what might be considered mental health concerns for the mother, like anxiety or depression

The list above is not exhaustive.  For a more comprehensive treatment and to see the actual language of the proposal you can read this issue brief entitled, “The Perils of Proposal 3” written by the legal team at the Great Lakes Justice Center.

This constitutional amendment proposal is reprehensible.  Please carefully steward the influence you have been given by God and vote “No” on Proposal 3.

 

Here are a couple helpful videos with further information:

 

Devotional: 1 Corinthians 11:17-34

Today’s passage: 1 Corinthians 11:17-34

Helpful thoughts:

  • Paul rebukes the church for misusing the Lord’s Supper as a self-centered feast instead of observing the body of Christ, the church.
  • The selfishness in the Corinthian church in their misuse of the Lord’s Supper was so severe the Lord chose to discipline people in the church for it (Hebrews 12:5-11).
  • It isn’t wise to avoid conflicts at all costs.  “There must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized.” (Verse 19)
    • Those who are not genuine in their faith are able to stay under the radar when a church is not willing to have weighty conversations.
  • Two instructions are given for the heart of every believer who participates in the Lord’s Supper:
    • Examine yourself (Verse 28) – Am I right with God? Is there sin to confess?
    • Discern the body (Verse 29) – Are we right with one another?  Is there unity?
      • In both instances, a “no” answer ought to spring us to action, to repentance and reconciliation.

Questions to consider:

  1. In what way was the Corinthian church’s practice of the Lord’s Supper just a symptom of a greater heart issue in the church?  Who has this church appeared to be all about?  What does “doing church” just to please ourselves ultimately result in (Verses 32 & 34)?
  2. For whom do we conduct our services and the ordinances?  Who are we to aim to please?
  3. If we design our services around the pleasures of the flesh, we will always want more.  What we have will never be enough or satisfy.  If we truly desire the greatest joy and satisfaction in this life, whose desires should we care about most?

What Is Our Role in Politics?

As we approach another election day, it’s a good time to consider God’s Word and think through what the Christian’s role is in politics.

In Jeremiah 29:7, God told the exiled Jews, “seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.”  The Jews were being sent to a land that was not their home.  But God still instructed them to do what they could to be a blessing to the people there.  Christians need to remember that this world is not our home, but whatever country we might live in, we have been placed as preserving salt and illuminating light.  The Church is a city set on a hill (Matthew 5:13-16) and God can use the way we interact with our communities and nation to be a blessing both now in temporal things and for eternity.

With all this in mind, here are some good things for Christians to do:

It is good for Christians to participate and vote.

In 1 Peter 2:13-17, Christians are told to be subject to governing authorities.  We are commanded to, “Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.”  Amazingly, this command was given first to the church when they were under the Roman Empire and in times of persecution.  Even today in other countries of the world, we have brothers and sisters in Christ who are suffering and even being martyred for believing the same things we believe.  This is wickedness and open rebellion against God.  Governments should not punish people for doing good or believing in the truth.  And in verse 14 of 1 Peter 2 we are taught that government leaders are “sent by Him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.”  What a privilege we have in this country to participate in the election of leaders!  We get to evaluate campaign platforms through the grid of God’s Word and see whether candidates would pursue good or evil and (With God’s help and biblical discernment) cast our vote accordingly.

God expressed His displeasure toward the northern kingdom of Israel for their choices of leadership in Hosea 8:4, where He says, “They made kings, but not through me.  They set up princes, but I knew it not.  With their silver and gold they made idols for their own destruction.”  And in Proverbs 28:12, we are reminded, “When the righteous triumph, there is great joy.  When the wicked rise, people hide themselves.”  Let’s do our part and exercise the freedom we have to elect leaders and approve proposals that promote righteousness for the good of our local communities, states, and nation.

It is good for Christians to pray.

In 1 Timothy 2:1-4 the Apostle Paul writes this, “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.  This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

It is right and good for us to pray for the President, Vice President, Supreme Court Justices, members of congress, our governor, and any other local leader (Whether we voted for them or not).  Pray for their salvation!  Pray for discernment.  Pray for those who give them counsel.  Pray for all of these things and more for their good and so that we might remain free to live a godly and dignified Christian life in peace.  Then remember, if we have been gifted with a peaceful land in which we can freely worship Jesus, we MUST take advantage of that freedom and proclaim the gospel to everyone we can, that they might “come to the knowledge of the truth.”

It is good for Christians to rest in God’s providence.

No matter who is in charge of our country, our state, or our town, God is in charge!  Here is some scriptural evidence:

Proverbs 19:21 – Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.

Proverbs 21:1 – The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.

Psalm 33:11 – The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations.

In Isaiah 44:28, God speaks of the unbelieving king of Persia, King Cyrus, and this is what He says, “He is My shepherd, and he shall fulfill all My purpose.”  The most powerful government leader in the world at that time, even though he did not know God or believe in Him, belonged to the Lord and was used for the Lord’s purposes.  If that was true of Cyrus, it’s also true of the President of the United States of America and any other political leader.  God’s purposes will stand.  His will shall be accomplished.  Even if the person you voted for doesn’t win, or even if an unrighteous proposal passes, God is not surprised or taken off course.  We can rest in His sovereign control.

It is good for Christians to seek God’s kingdom first.

Our God is sovereign.  Jesus is our King.  All authority on earth and in heaven has been given to Him (Matthew 28:18).  And here is our King’s command from Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

It’s a good thing to be informed about what’s going on in the world around us.   But if we’re not careful, with the constant stream of information being presented to us for our consumption, instead of us consuming the news, the news will consume us.  Every couple of years we hear the same admonition from the media, “This is the most important election of our lifetime!”  While that may be true, even the most important election of our lifetime is not more important than the kingdom of God.  Christians, consume the Word of God.  Let the Spirit illumine your mind and comfort your heart with the truth of the inspired Word.  Then go and do what it says!  Go and make disciples.

There are two amazing things that can result from prioritizing our lives in this way that I would like to point out to you.  First, this command from Jesus to seek His kingdom first in Matthew 6 is given in the context of how to fight against anxiety.  How many Christians struggle with anxiety when we get overwhelmed with the non-stop news cycles of our day?  There is a way to be free from that anxiety!  Seek His kingdom first!  Second, guess what would happen should the Lord bless our efforts to seek His kingdom first and make disciples of all nations (Including the one we live in): The answer is in Proverbs 14:34, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.”  You will live with less anxiety and do more for this country by turning off the television and ministering to people.  That’s a win-win.  Seek the kingdom.

It is good for Christians to put our hope in Christ.

When the Apostle Paul was stuck in prison chains, he had to remember that no amount of money, Caesar, nor any other political leader was going to be his savior.  Philippians 4:11-13, “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.  I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.  I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”  No matter who wins the next election (And the one after that…and the one after that…), we can be content.  We can have everything we need.  Our hope can remain utterly secure if it rests in the only One who can save us, Jesus Christ.  He is the one who gives us strength.  He is the one who rescues us when we are in the valleys of life.  He is the one who rescues us from our own proclivity to pride while on the mountaintops.  There is no politician on the face of this earth who can compare to our eternal Savior and King.  “God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11).

So Christians, let’s engage the culture.  It’s good for us to participate in our government and vote.  And as we do, let’s be praying, resting in God’s providence, seeking His kingdom first, and putting all our hope in the Lord, our only Savior, and King, Jesus Christ!

Devotional: 1 Corinthians 11:2-16

Today’s passage: 1 Corinthians 11:2-16

Helpful thoughts:

  • Today’s passage deals with roles in the relationship between men and women (Specifically husbands and their wives).
    • The specific objects Paul references were particular to the culture at the time.  If this passage were written today, there would be other objects mentioned.
      • The biblical principles still apply…to require the specific objects would become legalistic.
  • Christ is fully God.  He is not less God than the Father.  Yet, there is an order within the Godhead.
    • Woman is fully human.  She is not less human than her husband.  Yet, there is an order within marriage.
      • Biblical leadership and submission is not a form of oppression.  God designed it and called it good.
      • Not everyone who tries to give leadership is doing it biblically.  Not everyone who tries to submit is doing it biblically.  Poor examples of leadership and submission out in the world (Or even in the church) only give evidence that people exercise it wrongly…not that the command is wrong.
  • When men abdicate their role of loving leadership, they are not doing what is best for women.
    • When women seek to eliminate gender distinction, they are not increasing their glory.  Instead they are robbing glory from themselves, then from their husbands, and then from God.
  • Men who dress up like (Or try to be) women are robbing the glory that belongs to women (Verses 14-15).  It is a disgrace and rebellion against God.
    • Women who dress up like (Or try to be) men are robbing themselves of their own glory and vacating the role which would give them their greatest joy and fulfillment.
  • Head coverings for women in Corinth communicated they were married.  Women in the church who wanted to remove their head covering were communicating that they were not under the leadership of their husband.  It ended up communicating they were “available,” which is why Paul likened it to shaving off their hair (Which was the practice of prostitutes and feminists in that culture).

Questions to consider:

  1. Would people keeping up to speed with the cultural trends in our day have any trouble with the content of this passage?  What does the fact that Paul had to write this out for the church almost 2,000 years ago tell us about human nature after the fall?  Is there anything truly new under the sun?
  2. Why do people struggle with gender specific roles and characteristics?  How has sin made leadership and submission hard and distasteful?  In what way(s) is your view of gender really a result of who or what you worship?
  3. How is Christ equal with the Father?  How did Christ submit to the Father?  How did Christ’s willing submission result in our salvation and in his glorification?

Devotional: 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1

Today’s passage: 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1

Helpful thoughts:

  • We live in community.  Everything we do has an impact on others.  Everything we do is seen by God and is to be done for His glory.
  • Other people’s consciences do not redefine law (What is right or wrong).  But in love, we are willing to sacrifice temporal pleasures (Like eating a specific kind of food) in the presence of another who has a weak or misinformed conscience.
    • The fear of man causes us to refrain so that we won’t be judged by people.  Paul does not commend this!
    • The fear of God and love of neighbor compels us to sacrifice for the sake of one another.
  • When we think of the well-being of others over our own temporal pleasures, we are imitating Christ!

Questions to consider:

  1. How can your eating and drinking be to the glory of God?  How might looking at everything you do in a day change your perspective and motives?
  2. In what way is this passage simply an application of the greatest commandments (Mark 12:28-31)?  How can these commandments be applied to some of the hot-button issues of our day and culture?
  3. How did Jesus Christ put our well-being over his own temporary desires?  What did He pray in the garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:39)?  How then does the gospel inform our love of others?