1 Corinthians – Chapter 1

For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles…1 Corinthians 1:22-23 – Corinth was a unique city for Paul to preach at. It was wealthy, learned, and highly sinful. In the city was both Jews and Greeks, and both were looking for something. The Jews wanted signs their Messiah was coming or had come, and if they didn’t get that, they weren’t believing. The Greeks wanted to understand everything through the lens of the world’s wisdom, and if it didn’t compute with the vast wisdom of this world, then they weren’t believing. And what was Paul message? Jesus Christ crucified. This wasn’t the sign the Jews were looking for in their Messiah and a Savior being humiliated on a cross didn’t match up to worldly wisdom. The message wasn’t what they wanted, but Paul kept preaching it anyways. Let’s take stock as well that the audience of the world likely won’t want to hear the message of the Gospel. It will challenge their way of life, it will contradict the wisdom of the world, and it cause them to reshape their views. A Savior coming to earth, dying for us, and rising again will sound foolish, pointless, and untrue to many we share with. Will we though still continue to share? My hope is that our answer is yes. For while the gospel is a foolish message to those who reject it, it’s the message that will save the life of those who embrace it. Let’s be so thankful those who shared the gospel with us didn’t stop because of the response of others who rejected it before us. Let’s not allow the ways some will respond to the Gospel determine if we’ll share the Gospel. It’s the message of life that saves, let’s be ones who preach boldly Christ crucified. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 3108

“To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours”… “Is Christ Divided?” (v.2&13a) As a pastor, a constant battle that is fought in my head is comparing the church I minister at to others. Worship styles, attendance, amount of conversions, church events; you name it and it probably falls into my line of thinking at least some point every ten minutes (kidding…sort of). But God has opened up to me such an amazing revelation the past few years as I have been able to grow into some deep friendships with other pastors. That these other churches and pastors are not my competitors, they’re my teammates. We are all, together (key word there), working to make Jesus known in the world around us. Why would there ever be a disconnect created between two people working for the same goal? Because while those other churches and pastors aren’t my enemy, we do have an enemy. We need to realize other churches, other pastors, other members of our own church who might not be in the same ministry area as us; they are not our enemies. Don’t waste your thoughts on how to one up them or avoid them, they are designed by God to help you! Pour that energy you’ve been giving to better that other person into creating a fellowship with them because that’s how we defeat the enemy in this area. When we refuse to be divided and disconnected from our fellow followers of Christ, we are an unstoppable force for God. We are designed to be dependent upon each other. Don’t let the worldly standards or attacks from the enemy break apart what God has put together. – Daily DEVO 3

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption…1 Corinthians 1:26-30 – While its a longer passage, one phrase sums it up. There in verse 30 it’s says, “And because of him you are in Christ Jesus.” We are with Jesus because of Jesus. Not by anything you’ve done or didn’t do nor by anything anyone else other than Jesus has done for you are you saved. Jesus brought you to Himself and chose you not because of your strength or standing, but because of His love for you. Let this lift you up today if your confidence in Christ is down or humble you today if your confidence has been in yourself too much. You’re with Jesus because of Jesus and you’ll stay with Jesus because of Jesus. It’s not about you, it’s all about Him. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 703

To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: 1 Corinthians 1:2 – “called to be saints together.” This phrase really stood out to me this morning as I read through this passage. First we are called to live as saints. We have been made holy through Jesus’ sacrifice, now it’s time to begin living holy. Then it goes even further and speaks of a key way we are to live holy. We are to do it together. As much as this message was needed for the Corinthian church, the Christian church of today needs it too. We are not called to live holy for God alone. Yes we can find quality time with God in our own personal quiet time, or a walk around the lake, or by watching church online from home. All are great to do, but if we refuse to gather with other saints somehow we are missing something huge to our faith life. We are not being encouraged/challenged by others. We as well aren’t encouraging/challenging others. I totally understand the world we currently live in does make it difficult to be together for some, but we all must be intentional about being invested in someone else’s life. How can you today come close to someone else’s faith life? I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1768