Jump Start # 3622

1 Corinthians 11:1 “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.”

Every July and August, for the past several years, our congregation runs a summer series on Wednesday evenings. We bring in preachers from all across the country to come and speak on a themed topic. We pick out a hymn and use the various lines within the hymn to be the topics preached on. Every Wednesday, we sing that hymn. By the end of the summer, that hymn has become special to us and more meaningful since we have worked through the sentences in it.

This year we’ve chosen “Exalted,” by Matt Basford. We are a third of the way into our series and it has been great. It is amazing to see how the different preachers approach their topics. They have brought great insight and depth to these series. Each year, many will say, “this has been the best yet.”

In one of our recent lessons, “Seen in future days,” Josh Welch took us through how we see Jesus now through faith and how we will see Him literally in Heaven. Powerful lesson. One of his thoughts really stuck with me. He said we see Jesus in the lives of His followers.

This is what our verse today is expressing. There were many, especially in the far reaches of that first century world, that never saw Jesus. I doubt many in Corinth, the city our verse is addressed to, ever saw Jesus. Paul did. The apostles did. And, as Paul walked those Roman streets in those Gentile cities, he was leaving footprints of Jesus.

In a very real sense, I have seen Jesus. I have seen Him in the kindness of His disciples. I have seen Jesus in the love others have shown. I have seen Jesus in the grace, forgiveness and second chances that others have been given. I have seen Jesus in the generosity of others.  I have seen Jesus in the way some have remained calm in heated discussions. I have seen Jesus in how some have responded to mean and hurtful things said about them. I have seen Jesus. And, you have, too. You’ve seen Jesus in a smile. You’ve seen Jesus in a heartfelt discussion. You have seen Jesus in the open doors some have offered you. You have seen Jesus by the way some have gone above and beyond the call of duty for you. You have seen Jesus in the way some have hugged you, with tears in their eyes, as you apologized for wrongs that you have done.

I watched a movie the other day called “The Jesus Revolution.” It’s a true story about a dying California church in the 1960s. The minister met a hippie and allowed him to come and worship. Before long, the place was packed with hippies. Some old timers couldn’t take it and left. Now, there are layers of theological, doctrinal, social and even psychological issues with what took place, but it illustrated how closed doors to people who were different were opened. It was something to think about.

I have seen Jesus…

First, people who see you make three judgments. Right or wrong, they do that. First, they make a judgment about your faith. Are you honest? Are you kind? Are you cruel? Are you selfish? By the way you conduct yourself, people make a determination. Second, because of you, they make a judgment about the congregation you are a part of. Again, right or wrong, people tend to lump everyone into the same basket and generalize. This is why hypocrites do more damage than they realize. Seeing you, people assume that everyone in the church is like you. That can be very positive or it can be extremely negative. How often have we heard, “I worked with a guy that went to your church…” And, what follows is some sad story about someone who was nothing like Jesus. Thirdly, through you, people will make a judgment about Jesus, the Bible and the whole system of Christianity. Where do people get the idea that “Christians are judgmental”? That comes from interaction with judgmental Christians.

Do people see Jesus because of you?

Second, although we will never be perfect, we can give a good impression of Jesus. People have seen hatred. They need to see forgiveness. They have seen abusive and dysfunctional marriages. They need to see marriages that thrive. They have seen successful people who were corrupt and dishonest. They need to see successful people who are generous, kind and honest. People know lying. They need to see people who have integrity and truthfulness at their core.

Getting the verses off the pages and into our lives is what we are supposed to do. People have seen churches that closed the door to prodigals and rolled their eyes at those who looked different. They need to see open doors that welcome all to worship God. Stop the thirty questions that makes someone uncomfortable, and begin inviting them out to lunch after services. And, by the way, since you invited, pay their bill. Put down the radar gun and put on a smile.

Third, once you have seen Jesus in the lives of others, it elevates you and inspires you to do better. Someone has shared with you, so you want to share with others. Someone has been generous with you so you want to be generous with others. Seeing Jesus, just makes us want to do better.

I have seen Jesus…have you?

Roger

Jump Start # 2341

1 Corinthians 1:11 “For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you.”

The congregation at Corinth gets a lot of bad press. We tend only to focus upon the problems, and they had a bunch. Nearly every chapter identifies something wrong. They are the textbook example of what not to do. If Corinth was a congregation near us, most of us would run screaming from that place. What a mess. It’s an elders nightmare. Most preachers would move away from such a dysfunctional group. Some would think of just closing the doors and starting over. Many would seriously consider starting another congregation on the other side of Corinth just to get away from some of these problems.

In all of this we must remind ourselves that all churches have problems. They have problems because churches are not buildings but people. And, we the people have problems. We come with a past. We carry baggage with us. We all have opinions. We have attitudes. And, we have differing levels of faith, commitment and Biblical knowledge. The best congregations among us have problems. The worst congregations among us have problems, maybe more problems than others. And, it is easy to only see the problems. We can do that with our homes. All we see are the things that need to be done. Friends come over and they admire the place, and we look around and see walls that need fresh paint, carpet that needs to be changed, landscaping that needs tending, and on and on and on.

Focusing on problems is necessary to change and improve things. But we can over do that to the extent that we see nothing but problems. That can discourage us, defeat us and deflate us. We can do that with our homes. We can do that with the church building. We can even do that with our marriages. All we see is what needs to be fixed. And that kind of thinking blinds us to the good things that we ought to be thankful for and be praising. There is that young man who was baptized. There is that new family that has been attending. There is that Bible class that was so well taught and so uplifting. There was that song service that filled our hearts. No, we don’t see those things. We see problems, problems, problems. This thinking can turn the sweetest among us sour. Sour elders. Sour preachers. Sour members.

But here at Corinth, there were some good things going on. Near the top of the list was courageous faith. It takes that kind of faith to serve the Lord. Cowards won’t make it. They’ll look for a safe place to hide. The courageous takes risks. The courageous sticks their necks out on the line.

Here’s what we find:

First, they had brave folks who were not satisfied, nor content with the problems among them. This is where our verse fits. Chloe’s people reached out to Paul. There were quarrels taking place. God’s people shouldn’t act that way. More than that, quarrels do not just go away. They must be solved.

Second, they sought apostolic answers. They didn’t gossip. They didn’t just let things ride. They went to the right source. They were humble enough to ask. They wanted things to get better.

Third, there was required some tough actions to make things better. In 1 Cor 5, concerning the immoral man who was living with his father’s wife, Paul said to “remove him from your midst.” Cut the cord. Withdraw fellowship. Don’t consider him faithful, because he is not. That wasn’t going to be easy, nor would that set well with some folks. Family too often sides with family and not with Christ. The blood of family can be thicker than the blood of Christ. So, in dealing with this immoral man, you now have a dog fight with the rest of his family. Don’t know if that happened in Corinth, but it sure happens in America. Instead of having to withdraw from one, the church ends up withdrawing from several who support the sinful man. Parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, they all come out of the woodwork to defend and support not the Scriptures but their blood kin. It takes courage to do what is right.

Fourth, it takes courage to remain together. The easy thing to do is to separate. It’s easy to find a few others who side with you and start another church. Running from problems and issues is always a lot easier than sticking together and working things out. We do not read of a split in this congregation. We do not find Paul having to write separate letters to separate congregations at Corinth. With all these problems, they seemed to stick together. That is amazing. So many of us could take some lessons here. We’d rather worship with eight people in a small, discouraging, going– nowhere congregation, than to suck up our pride, apologize, forgive and work together with others. For all the problems at Corinth, we do not see them walking away and starting another work.

Finally, we need to remind ourselves that everything we do affects us spiritually. What happens at home. What happens in our marriages. What happens at work. Also, every area of our lives are open to God. There’s not one aspect that is off limits to God. Private stuff. Personal stuff. Thoughts. Attitudes. What we think about others. What we whisper under our breath. Social life. Hobbies. It all belongs to God and is open to God. And, the Scriptures are always right and often I am not. The standard throughout Corinthians is the word of God. It wasn’t what the congregation thought, felt, wanted, or liked. God’s word is always on top. What I think may actually not be right. I assume. I hear things. I pick up things. I read somewhere. And all of that gets blended into my thinking and sprinkle a little pride in there and I am pretty sure that I am right. However, that is often not the case. What I thought was right, may not be. What I heard may not have been accurate. What I read may have been distorted to a certain slant. God’s word shines loudly and clearly through all of this.

Courageous Corinthians. Bold. Taking steps that were not easy. Following the Lord. Problems, yes they were there. But don’t miss the powerful example of courage, faith and trust in the Lord. It’s hard to imagine what we would have done had we been in Corinth. Would we have been with Cloe’s people, seeking Biblical answers to real problems or would we have just sat in silence, complaining to our family, and wishing for someone to do something. Then I must wonder about what I’m doing now. I’m not in Corinth. But, here I am and what am I doing to try to make things right, better and pleasing to the Lord in my part of the kingdom?

Somehow, the view of Corinth takes on a different look when I consider a few of these things.

Roger

Jump Start # 2015

1 Corinthians 1:11 “For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you.”

The Corinthian church was a mess. There are not many of us that would have liked this congregation. There was trouble on every page. Division. Immorality. Favoritism. Abuse of the Lord’s Supper. Suing one another. It was a nightmare. Most preachers would have run screaming from this place. It’s enough that most elders would have resigned and moved. What a mess. Where does one start? Is there any hope?

There are many lessons to be drawn as one takes a look at Corinth, especially from a distance. The lessons from Corinth are the very lessons that we need today.

First, because some were not living and behaving right, it did not mean the plan was wrong. It’s easy to throw the whole towel in on Christianity and believe that no one can do it. The world looks at how we treat each other as a measurement of the theory of Christianity. When they see us fighting, judging and condemning one another, they conclude that all of Christianity is broken and a failure. Such is not the case. The plan is perfect, even if we are not. We sometimes forget that others, especially in the family, see and hear what is going on.

Second, there are surface issues that are caused by deeper faith issues. Often, we see trouble on the surface and apply what we feel is the best answer, without addressing why did these things happen. It’s like putting a band-aide on cancer. The problem lies below the surface. Their divisive attitude and arrogance stem from a lack of a servant attitude and a lack of understanding Christ. Look to Jesus. Look to the Gospels. Look where Jesus was at. Look who Jesus helped. Build that compassion and that faith. This is what is missing. When people are divided, simply having a pot-luck isn’t going to solve the problem. Putting them in the same room won’t solve the problem. There are some core faith issues that must be dealt with.

Third, Paul never suggested ending the Corinthian church. He never encouraged some to start another congregation. The same could be said of Rome, where some were eating meats and others were not. How easily it would be to have the meat eaters church and a veggie church. Didn’t happen. Nor, at Sardis, where some were dead and a few were alive. The few didn’t leave the rest. That is our culture today. If I don’t like things at church, I will rally a few family and friends and convince them to start another church with me. Preachers do this. It’s time to leave, right or wrong. But instead of leaving, they start another church in the area and damage the work that already existed. There may be a time one has to leave because of doctrinal issues or else there is no hope of surviving spiritually in that atmosphere. But too often, it’s hurt feelings, it’s bruised egos, and it’s not getting your way that leads to splitting up a congregation. Much like a divorce in a family, church splits don’t go pretty. Fellowship and friendships are ruined. People who once worshipped, worked and hung out together, now no longer like each other.

Fourth, it’s easy to assume that the whole church was wrong. The problems stand out. The problems are what everyone sees. What we don’t see is the good that is still being done. What we don’t see is the love, devotion and dedication to the Lord that remains. Generalizations are often not the true picture. Women will say, “All men…” And men will say, “All women…” White people, black people, urban people, country people, young people, old people—it’s easy to bunch up these groups and assume everyone single person in that group is the same. Religiously, we say, “Liberals, they all…” Or, “Conservatives, they all believe…” Wrong. False. Not fair. It’s not true. When we are upset, especially with things down at the church house, we can feel like Elijah and declare that we are the only one that is doing right. Hiding in our cave, discouraged, disgusted and ready to quit, we grow tired of doing everything. We are always teaching. We are always cleaning the church building. We are the only ones. Elijah didn’t know about 7,000 others. That’s a bunch. We may forget about others who are praying and doing things that we don’t even know about.

Fifth, there lies a temptation when churches become like Corinth, to be angry. Angry sermons. Finger pointing. Angry emails. Angry one on one discussions. Bust the chops and break the knee caps, is how we can come across. You don’t get that from Paul. He was firm. He was direct. He was Biblical. But he was also, hopeful, pointing to Christ and helpful. Fix the problem and do not destroy the people. Stay true to the Biblical principles. Ranting doesn’t accomplish positive results.

Six, do what you can. Our verse reminds us that Chloe’s people sent word to Paul about the problems. Other letters came with questions that Paul would answer. These folks were not gossiping. They were seeking help. The N.T. was not formed yet. Today, the answers lie within our hands. Back then, they sought apostolic answers. They sought help from Paul. They cared. They wanted things to be better. They didn’t give up. Turning to the Scriptures is the answer. Having hearts that want to follow the Lord is the key. The big picture must be kept before us. Remembering Christ, the purpose, the goal, and our responsibilities is important. Like a marriage, it’s easy to want the other person to change. Holding up a mirror and looking at ourselves is the first step.

Messes are made and messes can be cleaned up. It’s hard work. It takes time and effort. But it can be done. Do we want to do that? Some are waiting for someone else to do the work for them. Some are content just to have things as they are. But there are others who understand and know how things can and ought to be. They will teach, influence, preach and show how we ought to walk with the Lord. It’s easy to make a mess. Any child can do that. Cleaning it up, now that takes some work!

Roger

Jump Start # 1839

1 Corinthians 11:1 “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.”

Our verse today is such a simple concept. Follow the leader. Follow the example. Paul expressed this many times. In 1 Cor 4:16, “I exhort you therefore, be imitators of me.” He told the Philippians, “The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things; and the God of peace will be with you.” The Hebrews were told, “Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the outcome of their way of life, imitate their faith” (13:7).

God is not interested in originality. Those who want to blaze their own trails much too often leave the Bible pattern to do that. That never impresses God. He wants us to follow Christ. He wants us to follow those who have followed Christ. And before us are all kind of footprints.

First, there are the divine footprints of the Lord. We see Jesus through the Gospels. We take note of how He conducted Himself. We see how He taught. We see His compassion. We learn. We change and become. We forgive as He has forgiven us. We reach out as He taught in lessons like the good Samaritan. The best example is always Jesus.

Second, there are footprints of the men and women we read about in the Bible. We see both good and foolish choices. These stories leave footprints that lead to God’s approval or God’s disappointment. The farmer who tore down his barns, is more than a story, it’s a series of footprints of a selfish man who died without God. Those same steps and those same attitudes bring the same disappointment today. We see the steps of a couple like Priscilla and Aquila who heard Apollos preach. Apollos wasn’t fully accurate with his message. He didn’t mention anything about baptism in Christ. Instead of walking away and telling others. Instead of threatening him, this couple took him aside and explained and taught Apollos. That took courage, hope and confidence. They have left footprints for us to follow as well. Taking cheap shots as one walks out the church door is not the footprints that they left. We can do better.

Third, there are footprints of Christians we have known. For many of us, our parents, grandparents have left us amazing footprints of dedication, commitment and faithfulness to the Lord. They walked with the Lord. They sacrificed. They hung in there in difficult times. They showed us how to do the same. It often wasn’t easy for them but they knew what was right and there was no turning them.

We have known others in our life who were amazingly great examples. Christians were worked hard. Christians who were patient with others. Those who taught and taught the word of God. Those who were the glue that held a congregation together. They opened up their homes for hospitality and singings. When we were just starting out in our journey, they encouraged us. They opened the door for many of us who are preaching today. Our first lessons. Our first classes. Our first bulletin articles. All these came about because of older Christians who believed in us and gave us a chance. They were the ones who patted us on our backs. They were the ones who praised us. They gave us books. They gave us their time. We are where we are today because of the many great Christians who helped us. Many of these folks have moved on to be with the Lord, but their memory and their faith is precious and dear to us today.

Fourth, we are leaving footprints ourselves. We may not realize this but we are. There are others, younger in the faith, who now see us. There are those in the world that we work with and live among that see us everyday. They see our attitudes. They see our choices. Without any words being spoken, they notice. They see. There are footprints that are either leading toward Christ or away from Him.

Peter mentions this in the role of marriage. The non Christian husband was convinced by the “behavior of their wives” (1 Pet 3:1). It doesn’t happen just in one day. But a steady, consistent pattern. Living the message at home as well as in worship. Not compromising. Not being ugly. However, being faithful first to the Lord. A life of forgiveness. A life of grace. A life of joy. A life that encourages. These choices are noticed and they effect others. They are footprints. They are remembered.

This is what often brings us to a funeral. It’s not what a person owned. It is who they were. We remember their kindness. We remember their helpfulness. We remember their faithfulness to the Lord. Those things caught our attention. They were noticed and they were remembered by us.

So in your home, this is the first place that evangelism takes place. Your children grow up seeing you, hearing you and watching you. Are you the same at home as in the public? Are you the same at home as you are on Sunday? Are your footprints clear and all going the same direction or does it seem like you are walking around in circles. Sometimes you are here and sometimes you are there. They will see that.

Your wrong and bad choices, leave footprints. These are hard to overcome. These may be remembered more than your good footprints. A moment when your mouth gets the best of you. A time when your lost your cool. A time when you did some wrong things. You went out drinking with friends. You allowed lust to conquer you and you committed fornication. Those footprints are there. Others may have seen them that you were not even aware of. The school authorities. The police. The medical staff at a hospital. They may have known that you were drunk or you had a baby and you were not married. They witnessed the consequences of your choices. Now, they too know. Footprints are left every day. They are nothing more than impressions people have of us.

All of this shoots down the idea of “it’s my life and I can do what I want.” First, this isn’t true as a Christian. It’s not your life. Not anymore. You gave it to Christ. You belong to the Lord. And, beyond that, you are leaving examples. Others notice. They see that you are two-faced or that you are true. You go to church, but outside you act no different than the world. You bend the rules to your favor. You live as if you are the king of the universe. People notice. And those that really know you, see confusing footprints. You do all these things, yet you go to church on Sunday. They see through that.

But on the other hand, when a person is living consistently for the Lord, that too is noticed. He is one that people turn to, because ‘he’ll tell the truth.’ He is known for being fair, right and walking with the Lord. You see one set of footprints, and they lead directly to Jesus. Folks may not agree with him, but they honor his dedication, and love for the Lord.

Footprints—everyday you leave some. Everywhere you leave some. Your words. Your actions. Your integrity. Your heart. These all shape the direction that your footprints point to. It’s easy to talk a good game, but to walk it, and to walk it every single day, that makes all the difference.

Growing up, one of my favorite hymns was “Footprints of Jesus.” I still like that simple song. I will follow the footprints of Jesus, wherever they go.

Following footprints and leaving our own footprints…

Roger

Jump Start # 796

1 Corinthians 1:11 “For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you.”

The state of the church is always an interesting topic. What is often perceived is often not the reality. The church at Laodicea, in Revelation 3, is an example of that. I think that is often true of marriage and relationships with grown children. We project the appearance that things are calm and they often look that way on the surface, but beneath, trouble lurks.

The Corinthian church had corresponded with Paul. They sent a letter asking him a series of questions. These questions tell us what they were thinking and what was important to them. The expression, “Now concerning…” seems to identify each question that Paul was answering. For instance:

• 7:1 now concerning the things about which you wrote
• 8:1 now concerning the things sacrificed to idols
• 12:1 now concerning spiritual gifts
• 16:1 now concerning the collection for the saints

Their letter to Paul didn’t ask about quarrels. Paul was “informed” about this from Chloe’s people. We wonder if they were behind the statement, “it is actually reported that there is immorality among you” (5:1). Chloe’s people telling Paul about the trouble at Corinth has always bothered me. It still does. It seems like they were “tattle-tales.” A first reaction seems to ask, ‘why didn’t they try to solve the quarrels themselves?’ Maybe they tried. Maybe they were ignored. Maybe the different sides would not listen to them.

I now see this differently. I see Chloe’s people as a group of people who loved the Lord and His people so much that they were seeking help. They wanted things to be right. They wanted to tell an apostle so he would know what was really going on. Answering their questions would not touch upon the greater issues at hand, one that would splinter and destroy the church if left undone.

Pride in many of us, keeps us from asking for help. We see this in many areas. A couple attends church all the time, right up to the moment that they let it be known that they are getting a divorce. Everyone is shocked. Why didn’t they ask for help? Why did they wait until they were at the edge of the waterfalls before they let things be known. The same is true of a family with a troubled child. No spiritual help is sought until it’s too late.

Chloe’s people wanted things to be better. They could be better. Asking for spiritual help is often the last thing we do. We tend to try to fix spiritual problems in non-spiritual ways. We tend to apply band-aids to deep spiritual problems. We are disappointed when these things do not work. Family problems, marriage problems, church problems need the help of Christ and the Bible. Counselors, therapy, pills have a place but they cannot fix spiritual problems. But too this we must understand, just giving someone a positive Bible verse, or saying a prayer won’t fix deep problems either. Many problems have sin as a deep cause. That sin needs to be dealt with in a Biblical fashion.

We get embarrassed about personal spiritual problems. We fear what people will think. We don’t want to look like failures. So we keep quite. The shame and the guilt adds to the problems that already exist. We keep a pretense that everything is good, when it is not. This lasts, until the lid blows off the pot and a real mess is on hand. So often our congregations lack reality. Everyone seems to be perfect and together, when that’s not the truth. We all struggle with different things. We all have good days and bad days. We all wish that we our problems would go away. We think that we are the only one with such issues. We are not.

Chloe’s people informed Paul about trouble at Corinth. Help was on the way. Paul would deal with the quarrels, attitudes and lack of unity that existed among them. The ship would turn and a new course would be charted, one that followed Christ.

It’s often hard asking for spiritual help. We fear that people will talk about us. We fear the looks, the whispers, the judgments, the rejections of others. Maybe past experiences have not gone well. Maybe a leadership that seems cruel and harsh keeps us from seeking help. Maybe we feel nothing will be done or worse, nothing can fix the problem. Chloe’s people did not feel that way.

The leadership of the church must be approachable, kind and gentle and helpful. They deal with delicate problems of a very personal and private nature. Loose lips do not belong among the leaders of God’s people. Help will only be sought if help is available.

God’s help is necessary. We need each other. The church is our support system. Become the type of person that people can trust. Be someone that points people to God’s word for answers. Be kind and gentle in spirit. Be understanding. We need people like that.

Roger