Starting Over

So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. -1 Corinthians 10:31

This is a short one, but it has huge implications for our lives. Isn’t Gods creation amazing? Of course I am talking about the plants, animals, mountain ranges and such, but I am also captivated about how God made culture, art, sex, food, music, science. How awesome is it that a God of infinite proportions would chose to make us and give us such an abundance of beauty at our fingertips. Why do you think it is that this is so? It’s all about bringing glory to God. When we loose sight of creation, of the bible, of our lives, and begin to believe that it’s all about ourselves, everything falls apart. It’s all about Jesus. It’s all about God’s glory. The problem is that is not our default heart mode. God made us to worship him but we so often turn to idols, things in culture, things in creation, instead of using these things to worship our Creator. Give me a heart to see you worshiped in my life above anything else. Good and righteous God, give me a righteous heart before your throne. Help me to live in light of your glory and unceasingly bow before You.

If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much that we reap material things from you? If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the alter share in the sacrificial offerings? In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.

But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than to have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting. For if I preach the gospel, that give me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel. For if I do this on my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship. What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel. -1 Corinthians 9:11-18

I was laying awake in my bed last night thinking about this passage. In seven verses Paul mentions the gospel six times, the good news of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection and his defeat of sin and death that we could be pardoned and enter a relationship with our Creator. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the biggest best thing that has ever happened to us and even while Paul has physical needs, he insists that his needs not interfere with spreading the message. My question to you and myself is are we willing to “endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ”? Sometimes I’m not sure if it sinks in. How can you give a sermon with out proclaiming the good news? How can you find a spouse that doesn’t share the same deep passion to serve Jesus? How can you love a friend without telling them about Jesus? How can we be friends with someone who we never share Jesus with? How can we one minute be on mission and the next minute be so caught up in the details of life that we forget? Christ is risen. Wake up church, wake up friends. Proclaim the good news. Proclaim Jesus Christ. Without the gospel we are nothing. Jesus, change my heart to desire You. Give me a passionate response to Your passionate love. Make the gospel a part of who I am and everything I do so that you would be worshiped and glorified.

For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idols temple, will he not be encourages, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when its weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble. -1 Corinthians 8:10-13

I’ve had some very interesting experiences and discussions relating to this passage. How do we handle alcohol, language, modesty, and even finances in the church. There are people with different convictions, different opinions, and different viewpoints on all these things. As I have talked and prayed about this passage and what it means to Christian communities I believe Paul is demonstrating a selfless, loving attitude to those around him. Even if he knows what he is doing is not a sin, he shows a loves a respect for his brothers in Christ that reflects that of Jesus. Let me give you an example. My grandma is absolutely convinced drums in church are evil. There is no question in her mind, no reasoning it out with her. I think that most of us would agree that we can worship God in any musical style or instrumentation, He doesn’t limit us. Now, I often lead worship with a band that includes drums. As someone who loves and cares for my grandma, has had discussions with her on the topic to know that this is not an area she is going to budge, would it be loving for me to invite her to come to a service when I am leading worship? Paul is challenging us to give up our selfishness, and look to the best interest of others before ourselves. As long as that is the driving force behind how we interact with others we are bringing glory to our Creator. Make me selfless. Help be to honor the convictions and places that others are in with their journey after You. May I not be the one who causes a brother to stumble and if a brother does stumble allow me to pick him up in love and walk with him as You walk with me.

For he who was called in the Lord as a slave is a freedman go the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a slave of Christ. You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, let him remain with God. -1 Corinthians 7:22-24

We are reminded in scripture that we are both slaves to Christ and freed by His death and resurrection. In Jesus’ death, our ill deserving nature we wiped clean. We gained value, but only the value that God gave us. When we enter into a relationship with God we loose our slavery to our own performance, ego, and works, but we are adopted by a perfect father and our response should be an outpouring of worship. Lord, give me excitement in my freedom and joy in my service.

Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you haste from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. -1 Corinthians 6:18-20

Flee. What if this was our response to sin. What if instead of continuing our path toward it, we ran the other way. I can’t even tell you how many times I have dropped the ball because I allowed myself to be put in a situation of temptation. Instead of fleeing, I approached cautiously and was ensnared by the beast. Sexual immorality is rampant in the church, with all the scandal it’s easy to see that Satan uses this specific sin to tear down leaders, ruin families, and break apart communities. When we allow ourselves to be put in a situation were sexual immorality becomes a temptation we are already in defiance of Christ, and when we actually participate in the act we are hurting ourselves and the designed union that God has created us to have with our  spouse and Himself. We were designed to be in relationship with God and one with our spouse, God pursues us and loves us, we respond to His love in repentance and service. God adopts us as His own and we screw it up, we defy the relationship God has made us for. There is nothing more fulfilling or worthy than our relationship with our Creator but we believe the lies that sex is ok, sex is fulfillment, sex is a god. This is not true, God is God. He is the only one we need turn to. Are we fulfilled by God or are we looking to something or someone else? Flee sin, turn to God. Abba, you are more than enough, but I go looking for fulfillment in other places. I want to serve you with all that I am. Give me the strength to fight for your kingdom and church on this earth. Use me to glorify your name and not defile your church. To You be the glory.