I Corinthians 10:1-11:1

Dear RTB’ers,

Today, distracted again with the results from yesterday’s election – the Presidency, the Senate, the House – and my own students’ results from their exam yesterday. Distracted.

One item pops out for me in today’ readings – imitation. Paul summarizes it in today’s last verse, Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. (11:1) As with Paul, we are to be the people who should be imitated. We need to set the example, be the guide for those around us. We learn from others: Now these things took place as examples for us … Now these things happened to them as an example… (vv. 10:6a, 11) Others learn from us: All things are lawful, but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. (vv. 10:23b-24) Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God … (v. 10:32) Be the example, be the guide. A final summary verse, So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (v. 10:31)

Blessings!

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See also: December 5 (2023) / I Corinthians 9-11

I Corinthians 8-9

Dear RTB’ers,

During my years as Treasurer at St. Andrew’s I was able to see first-hand where our parishioners’ contributions went. And a very large chunk of our parish income went as Paul directed: In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel. (v. 9:14) None of our staff members were getting wealthy from the salaries that we were paying, but in fact they were getting their living from their work in our church spreading the gospel. It’s always good for me to see Scripture being displayed in the world around me.

It’s election day in the USA (and then the aftermath!), plus my students have an exam today here in SK. I’m distracted! Please pray for our country, no matter who wins today!!

Blessings!

I Corinthians 7

Dear RTB’ers,

Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. (v. 17) Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. (v. 20) So brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God. (v. 24) I think that Paul here is speaking of contentment, but I don’t think that he is ruling out promotion or advancement. Being part of the world, most of us married, with jobs or retired, naturally we have (or have had) to provide for ourselves and our families. So “getting ahead” is good, but that should not be our driving force. Unfortunately, however, doing only the absolute minimum is also not good. Paul offers the best advice regarding work in a later epistle: Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. (Colossians 3:23-24) Contentment. It’s a good thing!

Blessings!

I Corinthians 5-6

Dear RTB’ers,

Two thoughts today. First, one from my Catholic childhood, a sentence offering advice on moral behavior, containing a few phrases and ending with “and to avoid the near occasions of sin”. Yeah, the “near occasions of sin”. I think Paul is talking about those “near occasions of sin” in both chapters today.

And a second thought… A few years back, together with an accountability group I sought to lose some weight. I was successful, losing some thirty pounds that I had been carrying for far too many years! Paul’s ending sentences in today’s reading were helpful: Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. (6:19-20) I had printed those sentences and hung them above my desk where I could see them every day. You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. Powerful!!

Blessings!

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See also: December 4 (2023) / I Corinthians 5-8

I Corinthians 3-4

Dear RTB’ers,

Forty verses is a lot of material when we are reading Paul’s epistles! What to cover, what’s important? Mostly, as John has done with Proverbs and with the entire Bible last year, we tend to post on whatever hits us. But that leaves a lot of good material behind.

Today…, divisions within the church. We’ve certainly seen that at St. Andrew’s. Carol and I have also seen that in the CZ church in Olomouc, where Mark Bruner spent many years ministering and where we are today. And it’s been in our “home” church in Nitra, SK just in the recent past and they’re still recovering. Yes, divisions. I truly hope and pray that we do not have divisions within our RTB group over what we are doing. John and Carol and I step out in Holy Spirit faith every year when we begin RTB anew, seeking the Lord each day before we post. Thankfully we have Paul’s encouragement and guidance: For we (John, Carol, and I) are God’s fellow workers; you (RTB’ers) are God’s field, God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given to me (us), like a wise master builder I (we) laid a foundation, and another (you RTB folks!) is (are) building on it. But each person must be careful how he builds on it. For no one can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (3:9-11, edited with parenthetical additions) So let’s be careful, each and every one of us, as to how we build.

Blessings!

I Corinthians 1:18-2:16

Dear RTB’ers,

Yesterday I commented that Paul had spent a year and a half in Corinth (plus a second trip some years later), so he knew the Corinthian people to whom he was writing. And to these people he wrote that not many of them were wise or strong or of noble birth (v. 1:26). Suppose we reverse his “not many”; then it follows that Paul knew that some of these people were wise, some were strong, and some were of noble birth. Imagine Paul speaking to us today, knowing all of us, and knowing that some are wise, some are strong, and some are of “noble” birth. What would he say to us? The same thing he said to the Corinthians: 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, … so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. (1:27-29) Paul is taking our pride out of the picture. Our pride is our foolishness, is our weakness, is low and despicable before God. Instead He offers us His Spirit: Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. (v. 2:12) And with that Spirit,

“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him” —

these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. (v. 2:9-10) Setting aside our (my!) pride allows us to see God’s creation, including ourselves and all those around us in a wholly different light. Later we will learn that “the greatest of these is love” (I Cor. 13:13). I daresay that the lowest of these is pride. Your thoughts?

Blessings!

I Corinthians 1:1-17

Dear RTB’ers,

Today we jump back to the Epistles, to Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. We’ll spend about two weeks in I Corinthians, then take a two-week break with the Psalms, then spend another two weeks in II Corinthians. So we’ll have four weeks of the next six in Corinth, with all their gifts and problems.

You probably recall that Paul had spent 18 months in Corinth during his second missionary journey (Acts 18), working as a tentmaker alongside Aquila and Priscilla, in addition to regular preaching in the synagogues. So he knew Corinth well when he wrote these letters. That makes it more personal to me, as is the case with me when I read his letter to the Philippians, knowing that Paul and Silas had been beaten and imprisoned in Philippi. When he names names, we know that he knows these people personally.

So, today, one item stayed with me: I give thanks to my God always for you … as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. (vv. 4, 7b-8) “Guiltless!” How can that be? I know myself; I’m not guiltless! That’s a fact, in this life. But at the day of our Lord Jesus Christ I will be guiltless! All my sins, all our sins, all everyone’s sins for all time, for all those who confess Jesus and receive His forgiveness, we will be GUILTLESS on that Day! Forgiven. Free. Clothed in glorious splendor. Whole. New. GLORY!! Not a bad beginning to I Corinthians!!

Blessings!

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See also: December 3 (2023) / I Corinthians 1-4

Exodus 39-40

Dear RTB’ers,

Today we end Exodus. What do you remember from Exodus? The Israelites’ suffering at the hand of Pharaoh? Moses’ birth and being raised in Pharaoh’s house? Moses’ fleeing Egypt and being called by God to return? Moses and Aaron and the plagues? The final plague, the blood on the doors, the Passover, the Israelites fleeing after plundering the Egyptians? The crossing of the Red Sea and Pharaoh’s army drowning? The cloud by day and the fire by night? The manna in the Wilderness and water from the rock? The Ten Commandments and many other laws at Mt. Sinai? God’s instructions for the Tabernacle and all its contents and the priestly robes? The Golden Calf? Moses’ leadership and intersession for the people? New tablets? Sabbath regulations? The building of the Tabernacle and all its contents and the priestly robes? Finally, the Glory of the Lord filling the Tabernacle and the tent of meeting?

Quite a book, eh?

Blessings!

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See also: January 29 (2023) / Exodus 38-40

Exodus 37:10-38:31

Dear RTB’ers,

Many chapters and many months ago in our earlier Exodus reading we probably did not really realize what we were reading: The people of Israel had … asked the Egyptians for silver and gold jewelry and for clothing. And the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. Thus they plundered the Egyptians. (Exodus 12:35-36) Yes, plunder! Today we see how that plunder was used. My computer Bible notes have a talent as 75 pounds. So 29+ talents of gold comes to nearly 2200 pounds of gold, just over a ton! The hundred+ talents of silver comes to 7500+ pounds, just under four tons, and seventy+ talents of bronze comes to 5250+ pounds, slightly more than 2-1/2 tons! That’s a lot of plunder!

Blessings!