Micah #9: The Lord's Requirement (Micah 6:1-16)

“What does God want and how does he want us to live?” That’s a pretty common question posed in the theater of most religions, and our study of Micah brings us to God’s answer to that question with stark clarity. And, spoiler, it isn’t outward religious behavior.

We’ll be reading Micah chapter 6 this Sunday. The scene begins like a cosmic courtroom where God presents his case against his people, reminding them of how often he had been faithful to them. Remembering the blessings we’ve received from God seems to be an important way in which we remain close to God’s purposes. How easy is it for you to forget the ways in which God has been faithful to you? How might we better keep those blessings in view during the trying times of life?

The response from God’s people to his charges is basically to ask “Fine, what do you want from us anyway?”, followed by a list of various religious practices and sacrifices they could attend to.

God’s answer is straightforward. As you read his answer, how do you interpret “do what’s right”? The word that’s used carries a strong social aspect – doing what’s right by others. What are some obstacles we face in doing what’s right by others. The second part of God’s expectations is to love mercy – which means an unqualified kindness shown to our fellow person. How do these two, doing what’s right and kindness, go together? It’s been said that injustice and inequality grow where kindness shrivels. What are some practical ways in which we can start intentionally practicing these two qualities of doing right and being kind?

It’s also very important to recognize that religious performance was summarily brushed aside by God. When it comes to the values we pursue in life, does it seem like God looks at our religion or how we treat others to evaluate our faith?

This study may make us somewhat uncomfortable as the Scriptures probe our deeper motives; however, I promise it will resolve with great hope! I’m looking forward to digging into this together!

Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.

Micah #8: The Weakness of Self-Sufficiency (Micah 5: 5b-15)

We all have areas of our lives where we feel pretty secure in our own abilities – places where we feel self-sufficient. There’s certainly nothing wrong with being able to care for ourselves and bear some of our own burdens, in fact, it’s a sign of maturity. That said, the Biblical narrative seems to warn us against assuming we are self-sufficient with the entirety of our lives; especially when it touches the vast areas of life we just can’t control.

That’s an issue the prophet Micah addresses in the text we’ll be reading this Sunday as part of our ongoing study in that book. We’ll be reading Micah 5:5b-15.

God’s people of Israel and Judah had started feeling quite self-assured in the troubling circumstances that were brewing around them. Through political coalitions, military buildup and attempts at predicting the future, Israel and Judah felt they could handle the growing threat from Assyria.

God begs to differ.

In the remainder of chapter 5 God highlights just where and from whom real deliverance comes from. We’ll dig into that on Sunday.

Where do you feel most self-sufficient in your life? Are there areas where you feel like prayer would only be a last resort if your own efforts didn’t succeed? How can we practice being more God-dependent and lest self-reliant when it comes to our overall approach to life?

I hope you can join us this Sunday as we dig into the words of the prophet!

Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.

Micah #7: The Future King (From 2,000 Years Ago) Micah 5:1-5a

This Sunday we’ll be continuing our study in Micah and we will be reading chapter 5:1-5a.

The prophecy in these verses points directly to Jesus and his birth in Bethlehem and paints a beautiful picture of hope and peace. Up to this point, many words have been given by God in desperation and frustration regarding how the Israelites had been ignoring God. The people, the kings, the rich, and even the religious leaders were determined to go their own way and they were cruel in how they treated the poor, widows, and immigrants.

Verse 1 shows us what hardships are coming their way when God’s protection is removed. They are like people in a submarine desperate to open the door underwater and God is no longer stopping them from doing so. The consequences of their actions will be catastrophic.

However, God in his goodness refuses to let that be the end of the story for the Israelites. God in his goodness refuses to give up on us, even when we try to give up on Him. The prophecy we will read on Sunday points to something greater and something stronger. The prophecy points to a future king who is 2,000 years in our past. It points to a king who arrives in a small insignificant town like Bethlehem to rescue his broken people and set things right. 

We invite you to join us this Sunday at 10:00 AM as we study these verses together.

Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.

Micah #6: Restoration And Our Present Pain (Micah 4:6-13)

This Sunday we’ll be continuing our study in Micah – reading ch 4:6-13.

Micah has had some really tough words for God’s people in ancient Israel – but chapter 4 gives respite from that with forecasts of God’s great plan of restoration.

In this passage, we’ll read the promise of the end of suffering and pain – a restoration from pain. We’ll also consider God’s restorative work that happens in the midst of our pain – where we find restoration through suffering. We’ll also consider what God can accomplish in our lives in those times when we face difficulty and pain.

None of it will provide quick or easy answers, but all of it is intended to give us a perspective of hope, which can be one of the most valuable gifts we recieve.

I hope you can join us this Sunday as we dig into Micah’s words and consider how God meets us in our present struggles.

Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.

Micah #5: The Promise of Restoration (Micah 4:1-6)

This Sunday we’ll be reading Micah 4:1-5 during our Bible study. Micah has been a fairly gloomy book, with a lot of forecasting judgement on God’s unfaithful people – but the first part of chapter 4 presents a sharp and short pivot. Suddenly, the oracle looks to a future where God will set all things right again.

As the prophecy begins, the language is reminiscent of what the writer in Hebrews 12 said – indicating that the early Christians saw that Jesus was the fulfillment of this hoped for restoration.

As I read this section, I see “now” and “still to come” aspects of what is forecast. In what ways might we imagine that Jesus has already begun fulfilling the restoration aspect of this promise? How have you seen God’s restorative purposes being revealed in your own life? What are some aspects of this prophecy that seem to be something for a future time? Knowing what God’s intent is for our lives and this world, how can we intentionally partner with God’s work here and now?

This will be a deeply encouraging study to dig into together – I hope you can join us this Sunday. We’ll also be hearing a Missions Update from Suzy Zechman about the ongoing work of In Deed and Truth ministries in South Sudan!

Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.

Micah #4: Power Reimagined (Micah 3)

In the 21st Century the analysis of power dynamics became more intentional and far more scrutinized. That scrutiny often revealed that there are both overt and covert forms of power that affect our daily lives, which just underlines the importance of critical thinking and awareness of how power is being used if we want to promote an environment where all lives can flourish. The clinical definition of the power we’re talking about here is the ability to influence or direct the actions of others, usually to achieve some goal. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that, in fact, it is usually quite necessary. But, like with many things, it is only a neutral concept until it comes to its application and use.

Power and authority are subjects that come up a LOT in the Biblical narrative – usually spoken of negatively and correctively because we fallen humans are, typically, not good stewards of power.

This Sunday we’ll be reading Micah chapter 3, and God has a lot to say to those who were holding power in Israel and Judah at that time. I’ll warn you, the language is pretty graphically violent. Not gratuitously, but in order to make a point, which we’ll dig into on Sunday.

As you read it, how does God characterize the misuse of power and authority? Whose side does God seem to take, those who hold the power or those affected by its use? How does God say he will respond to the spiritual leaders who are misusing their power? Do you catch any irony in His forecast, and if so, what is it? If you get a chance, read Isaiah 42:1-4 – it gives a beautiful description of how Messiah will use power – and I believe – a template for Messiah’s followers to use in our use of whatever power we may be afforded in life.

This will be a challenging study – I hope you can join us this Sunday!

Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.

Micah #3: The Cost Of Oppression (Micah 2)

The Bible has a unique feature that sets it apart from its contemporaries in ancient literature, in that it tells most of its narrative from the vantage point of poor and oppressed people. That really sets the Bible apart from other ancient documents which largely represent the views and history of the ruling elite.

In our study this Sunday we’ll be continuing through Micah, reading Micah chapter 2.

The first 10 verses of this chapter outline the sins of God’s people, specifically the ruling class who were oppressing common folk by seizing their property. We’ll look at what was happening this Sunday, but suffice it to say, it violated both the 10th commandment as well as other commands from the Torah.

As you read this chapter, how do you imagine God’s attitude toward those who do these things simply because they have the “power to do so”(v7)? Is God in solidarity with the oppressed or the oppressor? We have to realize that oppression still goes on in our world. We sanitize it as best we can, and certainly do our best not to ever talk about it or readily acknowledge the reality of it – but oppression remains a reality in our modern world.

What are our own views on those who are poor or in a weakened position in society? Do we instinctively blame poverty on the individual, or the system, or a little for both? In what ways are those attitudes helpful, and in what ways might they be unfair?

How would you reword v 7 and 11 to represent a challenge to our modern world?

The final verses ring with a hope for the future – a Shepherd who will come and lead us out of exile into a new relationship with God. Who might that Shepherd be, and how can we represent his care in our world today?

This will, again, be a challenging study, but one I believe is well worth it. Hope you can join us this Sunday at 10 AM!

Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.

Micah #2: The Cost of Idolatry (Micah 1:1-16)

This Sunday we’ll be digging into the first chapter of Micah, the Minor Prophet. We’ve stated before that this book, like all the works of the Old Testament Prophets, contains some difficult and harsh words. I will again be reminding us that we must read any of these prophecies through the lens of the revelation of who God is in Jesus. We’ll talk some about how we go about applying these Scriptures as well.

As you read through this opening chapter, you’ll notice that great, cosmic imagery is employed to reinforce just how serious the situation is. Imagine the opening like a trial, where God calls witnesses to hear his complaint about how his covenant people have been using the freedom they had.

The list of complaints will be extensive as the book goes on – but in the opening salvo, we have a description of high places in Jerusalem. That is our clue that identifies idolatry as the first issue God brings into focus. We’ll talk about idolatry on Sunday – what it means and how it can affect us, even in a modern age where it’s unlikely anyone is bowing down to a carved statue somewhere.

Idolatry is a big issue in the Scriptures – a main source of trouble all through the history of God’s people. If you’ve ever been near a church, you’ve likely heard sermons on this problem before. What’s your natural reaction to hearing that we may have idols still lurking in our lives? If you are warned to get rid of an idol, no matter what form it may take, do you feel encouraged, condemned or something in between?

What if the cure for idolatry wasn’t about getting our act together or trying to be a better Christian? What if it were something deeper, something we need to realize about our identity? I’m persuaded that the first chapter of Micah gives us a clue as to how God can cure “the incurable plague” that has often hounded his beloved people. I hope you can join us as we consider this on Sunday – I think it will be a great encouragement to us all!

Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.

Micah #1: Introduction: The Compassion of Justice

This Sunday we’ll begin a new book series, doing an examination of the Minor Prophet, Micah. I recognize that some may start to squirm in their seats at the thought of reading through the thundering pronouncements of an Old Testament prophet on a Sunday morning – but I can assure you we will not be leveraging these writings to try and scare anyone about God. As a matter of fact, I tend to agree with N.T. Wright who asserts that the promotion of a wrathful, vengeful God is a somewhat pagan initiative, and not representative of the Biblical narrative.

That’s not to say that Micah will be an easy read. Far from it. We will encounter a lot of talk about judgement described on a cosmic scale – but this Sunday we’re going to take a moment to consider what God’s corrective judgement might be telling us about God’s nature. When we think of God’s judgement, what normally comes to mind? What images do we conjure up? It’s fairly important to grapple with our own picture of God and His character as we unfold the words of Micah, because often the things that trouble us are merely the preloaded assumptions which we map onto the text.

If you’re up to it, you may want to read the book of Micah (it won’t take long) before we start in on it in the next few weeks. Let your mind conjure up images of what it described and take some time to jot down who God is confronting and why. We have a modern tendency to personalize sin without taking into account how much attention God pays to how we interact with our fellow human being.

If you can’t manage to read the book, maybe take a look at The Bible Project’s summary of the book – it’s very informative and will point you in the direction we’ll be taking in this study (you can view it at the bottom of this page). I hope you can join us for this study – it will be a wonderful lead up to where we go next!

Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.

1 Corinthians #26: Final Instructions and Parting Words (1 Corinthians 16)

This Sunday we’ll be wrapping up our study through the book of 1 Corinthians – we’ll be reading all of chapter 16, where Paul closes his letter.

We’ll be focusing on his final instructions in v1-4, where he talks to the Corinthians about gathering funds to support the believers in Jerusalem. Part of Paul’s missionary journey through Asia Minor was meant to raise funds for the poor in Jerusalem. We aren’t totally sure why, but it’s likely that the famine mentioned in Acts 11 played a role in that need.

In the process of giving his instructions, Paul actually provides some important principles for us, as modern readers, when it comes to how we approach financial gifts within the church community. What stands out, if anything, about Paul’s instructions? Does Paul want money to be raised while he’s with them? Why do you think he gives this instruction? How might we learn about generosity from this section?

The rest of the chapter will be dealing with specific greetings and Paul’s closing remarks, which we’ll look at on Sunday.

If you stuck with us through this study, I hope you got something out of it; I know I did. Did anything come to light for you during our reading of this letter? What parts did you find most challenging, and which parts gave you comfort? I’d be interested in knowing, if you have time to put it in the comments.

Hope you can join us this Sunday as we conclude our look at the Hot Mess Church of Corinth!

Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.

1 Corinthians #25: Resurrection: The Substance of Salvation (1 Corinthians 15:35-58)

We’ll be returning to our study of 1 Corinthians after taking two weeks away from it for the holidays. We’ll be reading 1 Cor 15:35-58 – Paul’s concluding thoughts concerning the doctrine of the resurrection.

In the first part of chapter 15, Paul was corrective in his discussion about the resurrection – pointing out how intimately Jesus’ resurrection was tied to our own stories. In Paul’s thinking, Jesus’ experience was a model for what God intended to do for all of his people, hence, the general resurrection was a mandatory belief.

I do find it fascinating how very little time or thought our modern, Western church gives to this idea. N.T. Wright wrote a very insightful book on this topic, called “Surprised by Hope”, which I highly recommend reading.

For the last half of the chapter, Paul points both to nature and the Biblical narrative to make his case for the holistic nature of the resurrection. I really like his argument as it touches nature. What are we witnessing every spring as winter recedes? If God is the author of reality as we perceive it, what might he be trying to tell us in this cycle of seasons?

Going to the biblical narrative, Paul asserts a new Adamic role for Jesus. His logic seems to be, if we all face the certainty of death through Adam’s sin, doesn’t it stand to reason that we all get in on Christ’s resurrection life through Him?

As Paul has elaborated on this subject, has it influenced how you perceive an afterlife with God? Paul finishes on a high note, in v55 he rewords a prophetic poem from Hosea 13, flipping the meaning of that oracle into a forecast of triumph for God’s people. How can we start incorporating a more robust hope for resurrection into our faith worldview?

I’m really stoked about getting into this section of 1 Corinthians – I hope you’re able to join us this Sunday at 10 AM!

Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.

1 Corinthians #24: Resurrection: The Sum Of All Hope (1 Corinthians 15:1-34)

I know, I know….you’re thinking: “Rob! It’s almost Christmas, not Easter!” I realize that. But I would also argue that the themes of Easter should be something that resonates with followers of Jesus no matter what time of year it is. As we’re going to be reading in our text this Sunday, the resurrection of Jesus is the very heart of our faith and hope. We’ll be continuing our study in 1 Corinthians this Sunday, reading chapter 15, verses 1-34.

I’ll warn you right off, this is a fairly complex and dense bit of theology that Paul delves into as he comes to the close of his letter. It might behoove you to read the passage in a few different translations – but especially take a look at Eugene Peterson’s “The Message” version – because while it may overly simplify some of the concepts Paul is advocating, it most certainly provides a readable overview of this thoughts.

As you read it over, how important does the resurrection of God’s people seem to be for Paul? Does it match your own passion for that subject? If not, why might that be? How much space does the resurrection of the saints take up in your spiritual worldview? Clearly, for Paul, everything hinged on that idea.

Paul indelibly tethers Christ’s experiences to the future plans for His followers. In Paul’s thinking, our beliefs about what happened in the past have a profound effect on our present and our future when it comes to the resurrection. I’ll be honest, the string of Paul’s logic feels so foreign to me as someone who has grown up in the Evangelical church. Our matrix has always been: “Believe on Jesus and you will go to heaven when you die and avoid eternal punishment in hell.” It just feels like that reasoning couldn’t be further from Paul’s thinking about mortality and eschatology. In fact, how many times does Paul reference “going to heaven or hell” in his presentation of the central core of the Gospel?

That’s really something to ponder for a bit. The more I ponder it, the more I start to ask, “What have we been thinking?”

If you’re really interesting in tackling a big topic, I hope you’ll join us this Sunday at 10 am as we dig deeply into Scripture.

Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.

1 Corinthians #23: Order From Disorder (1 Corinthians 14:26-40)

What should we do when we encounter scripture that makes us uncomfortable? Sometimes I’ve read scripture that leaves me squirming in my seat and unsure if I should continue reading or close the book for good. Maybe it’s when God sends a flood to destroy all of humanity except for one family, maybe it’s the violence we are confronted with in the Old Testament, or maybe it’s the verses that Paul writes about slavery and women. 

When this uncomfortable confrontation happens, and I believe it will happen for anyone who reads scripture, we are faced with a choice. Do we close the book for good? Do we pretend we didn’t read that part or pretend those verses are not in the Bible?

We can choose to walk towards God or away from God in our confusion. It seems that walking away would be an easier route. It certainly takes less work and it requires less trust.

Or, do we take the road less traveled? Do we choose to move towards God, even in our confusion? 

Personally, I have found God and scripture to be more than capable and strong enough to withstand my questions, doubts, and feelings of confusion. I have also found that when we begin to understand that God is big enough for our questions, something else begins to happen. The uncomfortable scriptures morph from a haunting of unknowns to a mysterious adventure waiting to unfold with God at our side. 

This week we will be reading 1 Corinthians 14:26-40, which are famous verses for this exact reason. Read them and you’ll know why immediately. We invite you to step towards the uncomfortable scriptures and join us this Sunday at 10:00AM as we study God’s word together.

Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.

1 Corinthians #22: The Harmony of God (1 Corinthians 14:1-25)

Join us this week as we continue our study in the book of 1 Corinthians.

Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.

1 Corinthians #21: The Best Life of All (1 Corinthians 13)

According to an article on Insounder.org, love is the all-time most common theme of song lyrics, followed by life and death. Love is such an elusive concept for so many people, which is probably why it dominates our thoughts.

Of all the people in the world, I would think that followers of Jesus would have some pretty important insights into the nature and meaning of love. The Bible talks about love around 750 times, depending on the translation, about 300 of those mentions appear in the New Testament. That’s what I would consider to be an emphasis.

Strangely, that emphasis doesn’t seem to carry over into how the church has represented itself throughout history, and especially in our contemporary American culture. I often wonder about that. Why is it such a struggle to keep our eye on this massive target the Scriptures present?

This Sunday we will be reading one of Scriptures most famous, and certainly most beautiful poem about love. We’ll be reading 1 Cor 13, the famous love chapter.

This passage usually finds its way into wedding ceremonies, which is great…but not that’s really the context or point the author was trying to make. The context is one that spills over from ch11-12, how we attend to our services and abilities as the church. As you read v1-3, how much importance does Paul place on having love as a motive for what we do in service to Christ? Do you think Paul would agree that “the end justifies the means”?

V 4-7 Paul describes what love looks like in action. Where do feelings fit in with his descriptions? What sort of lesson can we take away from his picture of love?

Here’s something: we’ve said before that if we want to know what God is like, we look at Jesus. Try substituting the name Jesus for the word “love” in v4-7. Does it seem to fit? If so, what do we learn about God’s nature from this?

In v8-13 Paul points out the eternal nature of love. In the NLT v113  says that “three things will last forever” – I don’t think that’s a great translation. Most other translations word it: “three things abide” or “remain” – basically it means stay and wait with us. Faith, hope and love, but the greatest is love. When might faith or hope be completed? What would bring love to its conclusion? Does that give any insight as to why Paul said love is the greatest?

Of all the teachings in this series, I just think this one is the most vital for our day and age. I really hope you can join us this Sunday as we dig into Scripture together.

Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.

1 Corinthians #20: The Gifts of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12)

When I was in high school my teacher brought in a local professional to motivate our class. The professional shared about working hard, going to college and building his own business. He encouraged us by saying that we could have the same future if we worked hard and stayed focused. Then, he finished his motivational speech in a way that I’ll never forget. He ended it by saying, “I know I said a lot, but you know we still need plumbers so everyone shouldn’t do what I did.”

I remember laughing when he said it and then realized he wasn’t joking. Was he worried that his pep talk was too good? Was he worried the entire class was going to graduate college and run successful businesses and then we would end up in a world without plumbers? I can’t say for sure what motivated him to haphazardly tell us that not everyone should follow his example, but I can say that as I’ve gotten older I realized that he’s not wrong.

There is no doubt that our society would fall apart if everyone had the same job, and that is one of the points that Paul will be making in 1 Corinthians 12 this Sunday. The same concept applies to our jobs and giftings within Christianity and the importance of embracing our diversity in such things.

As we review the gifts of the Holy Spirit this Sunday it’s important to consider the different experiences each of us have had in the past that we bring to church with us. I want to encourage everyone who is able, to set aside preconceived ideas or biases regarding the gifts of the spirit and start with a clean slate in studying the verses this week. We will be reading the whole chapter which is a lot of scripture, but it flows together nicely and will hopefully give us some insight as to how we live our lives.

We invite you to join us this Sunday at 10:00AM. Hope to see you there!

Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.

1 Corinthians #19: The Lord's Supper (1 Corinthians 11:17-34)

I heard a well-worn story of a little girl who didn’t want to go to kid’s church, but wanted to join her parents for the main service. It happened to be a Communion Sunday, and when they passed the tray of cracker bits and small cup of juice, her mother noticed she was visibly disappointed. When the service was over her mother asked her how she liked the main service, and the little girl said: “I’m going to go back to kid’s church next week. The snacks are better and you get way more juice!”

She’s not wrong, a nibble and a sip wouldn’t cut it…if snack time was what this ritual was all about. But, for those of us who’ve encountered the One who is behind this ritual, we know it’s far more than just a snack-break in church.

This Sunday we’ll be observing Communion (we put it off from last week because the text was more appropriate for it this week). We’ll be reading 1 Cor 11:17-34 in our study of Paul’s letter.

As you read Paul’s critique, you’ll notice he states his harshest criticisms over this matter. What stands out to you as Paul’s main complaint (you’ll find it spelled out in v22)? Do you notice that the practice Paul describes doesn’t really seem to match up with how we attend to this ceremony today? We’ll look into that a bit on Sunday.

When Paul says to examine ourselves before taking the bread and cup, what do you think he’s wanting us to determine? What do you think eating and drinking “unworthily” might be? If you’re not sure, v33-34 explain it pretty clearly. How might we be able to put Paul’s instructions into place in our own practice of observing the Lord’s Supper?

I hope you can join us this Sunday as we examine this passage together, and join each other at the Lord’s Table.

Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.

1 Corinthians #18: Veiled Customs (1 Corinthians 11:2-16)

This Sunday we are going to be doing a deep dive into what is arguably the most puzzling sections of Scripture we find in the New Testament. We’ll be reading 1 Cor 11:2-16 in our continuing study of that book.

It’s Paul’s instructions for the Corinthians on how they are practicing their public worship service – but I’m telling you, it sounds really weird to us as 21st Century American Christians. I honestly don’t even know what to write here to lead you through the passage – but please do read it. As you read it, take note of how it makes you feel, if it makes you feel anything but confused.

If you’re interested in digging into the cultural history of the people Paul was writing to, you might consider Googling “Clothing in Ancient Rome” – and pay close attention to what you discover about what “citizens” and upper class people wear – because class distinction was an important part of the Roman societal makeup. Considering what upper class and married women citizens wore – think about what Paul is writing and ponder whether Paul was commanding a certain apparel or giving permission for it. Read it both ways in the text – as a command or as a permission, and consider how each reading affects Paul’s words.

As I said – this is a strange and complex bit of Scripture, and we’ll do our best to piece together history and culture to discover what Paul may have intended to communicate, and how we would apply it in our world today.

Hope you can join us Sunday at 10!

Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.

1 Corinthians #17: Freedom That Honors God (1 Cor 10:23-11:1)

This Sunday we’ll be finishing up chapter 10 in our study of 1 Corinthians, reading ch 10:23-11:1.

Much of what Paul will be doing in this passage is a recap of what he’s been encouraging since chapter 8. It all centers around our freedom in Christ and how we manage that in the best way possible. Verse 24 provides the overall ethic that creates guardrails for our freedom. How might an intentional interest in serving others provide parameters for our Christian liberty?

Once again, Paul addresses food that might have been used in a pagan ritual, urging us to not ask questions about the origins of the hamburger we’re munching. I find that very freeing, don’t you? I’m someone who thinks that same principle can be applied to a lot of different elements of life – if we receive whatever it is from God (this, obviously, means things that are not in conflict with his character), we can forgo worrying about where it came from. In fact, v 31 sums that all up pretty nicely – do whatever we do for the glory of God. What does it mean to you to do something for the glory of God? Does that mean make it religious, or something else?

Paul also included a qualifier that I’m very stoked he included in v29 and 30. You should read it in the Message version – I love it! It just reminds us that caring for our fellow believer doesn’t mean we have to submit ourselves to every person’s intolerance. How do you understand the difference between being careful for someone’s conscience and resisting legalistic expectations? How can we better walk that balance beam?

I’m really looking forward to digging into this on Sunday – I hope you can join us!

Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.

1 Corinthians #16: Freedom In Relationship (1 Corinthians 10:1-22)

I know we’re all waiting for this hurricane season to conclude…but God alone controls these things, so we’ll put it in His hands. In the meantime, we will be praying for those who suffered loss in the last hurricane, and let’s stay alert as to how we can assist.

This Sunday we’ll be continuing on in our study of 1 Corinthians, reading ch 10:1-22.

The overall theme of the last several chapters has been our freedom in Christ and what we do with it. We’ve been encouraged to see to it that our Christian liberties aren’t used in ways that harm each other, and now Paul draws the circle tighter, reminding us that we want to exercise our freedoms in ways that are safe for ourselves as well.

In the passage, Paul points to Israel’s history to make his point. When they were led into freedom by Moses, they didn’t manage that freedom well. It’s reminiscent of his warning back in chapter 6: “I’m allowed to do anything…but not everything is ________.” Israel fell into idolatry, sexual immorality and complaining – similar things that Paul warned the Corinthians that they were dangerously flirting with. In what ways can we be careful with our Christian freedom so as not to harm ourselves?

There’s a pretty famous passage in our text this week, where Paul says “He will not allow the temptation [we face] to be more than [we] can stand.” – which is often transliterated as “God won’t give you more than you can handle”…which is exactly not what Paul is saying. We’ll unpack that and try to gain a bit more clarity by untangling that verse on Sunday.

Paul finishes the section by contrasting the Lord’s Table (what we refer to as the Communion Ceremony) with the table of demons. He’s talking about a partnering fellowship – reminding us that we can’t go two different directions at the same time. In our time and culture, we aren’t usually tempted to go participate in pagan sacrifices – but what are some ways in which we could find ourselves invested and partnering with forces that are at odds with God’s intent for life in this world? That will be some challenging stuff to ponder.

Hope you can join us this Sunday as we dig into God’s word together!

Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.