1 Corinthians 2 -- WOW! God's Multi-Dimensional Thinking Revealed!

My commentary says, "What had happened at Corinth is happening in churches today:  men are mixing philosophy (man's wisdom) with God's revealed message, and this is causing confusion and division."

These verses show that Paul knew the fundamentals of the gospel message and wanted us to know:

1)  It centers on the death of Christ

2)  It's part of the Father's eternal plan

3)  It's revealed by the Spirit through the Word

There were several nuggets of spiritual truths that caught my attention.

Human wisdom seeks for an explanation of the gospel, but through the Word of God, we put our faith in a demonstration -- God at work in our own lives.

Satan and his demonic forces "did not understand God's great eternal plan!  They could understand ... that the Son of God would be born and die, but they could not grasp the full significance of the cross because these truths were hidden by God ... Satan thought that Calvary was God's great defeat; but it turned out to be God's greatest victory and Satan's defeat.  From the time of our Lord's birth into this world, Satan had tried to kill Him, because Satan did not fully understand the vast results of Christ's death and resurrection.  Had the demonic rulers known, they would not have engineered the death of Christ.  Of course, all of this was part of God's eternal plan.  It was God who was in control, not Satan."

Finally, I like how my commentary explained the various outside-of-time events in my salvation and everyone's salvation:

"As far as the Father is concerned, I was saved when He chose me in Christ before the foundation of the world ... As far as God the Son is concerned, I was saved when He died for me on the cross.  He died for the sins of the whole world yet the whole world is not saved.  This is where the Spirit comes in:  as far as the Spirit is concerned, I was saved" when I heard the gospel message and it touched my heart.  "It was then that the Holy Spirit applied the Word to my heart.  I believed and God saved me."

Father I can't think multi-dimensionally like You, but I'm thrilled that You worked all this together for my good!

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

1 Corinthians 1 -- The Church Was Having Issues

Oftentimes, new believers especially will be thrilled with their decision to follow Christ, but won't delve deeply to discover their calling.  My commentary said that the church at Corinth, made up primarily of new believers, became a defiled church, a divided church, and a disgraced church.  "Instead of glorifying God, it was hindering the progress of the gospel."

Paul spoke to them and to us about our calling as Christians.  First, he said we were called to be holy -- set apart by God, enriched by His grace, expecting Jesus' return, and depending on God's faithfulness.  Yet the believers in Corinth were getting involved in the sins of the world and the flesh.

He said we are called to fellowship, not division.  We aren't supposed to be following human leaders, but Christ.  Also, they were looking at the gospel from a philosophical point of view, seeking earthly wisdom.  The point was that no one but Christ was crucified for us.

We are also called to glorify God, not ourselves, which is the sin of pride.  Paul reminded them of what they were before being saved, of why God called them, and of all they had in Jesus Christ.  "Since every believer is in Christ, and he has all that h needs, why compete with each other or compare ourselves with each other?"  Paul will have more to tell them.

Father, help the believers in our church to be one in Christ, looking only to Him, and remind us of whose we are.

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

John 21 -- John Has Three More Things To Say

"John did not want to end his gospel without telling his readers that Peter was restored to his apostleship," my commentary began.  "Apart from the information in this chapter, we would wonder why Peter was so prominent in the first twelve chapters of the book of Acts."

It also mentioned another purpose:  "He wanted to teach us how to relate to the risen Christ."  The disciples never knew when He would appear, so they had to stay alert!"

My commentary also said there are three pictures of the believer and a responsibility attached to each ... Jesus had told His disciples to meet Him in Galilee, and it's here in this chapter that they've been waiting and fishing and are told to cast their nets on the other side of the boat and they are given a marvelous catch!  Jesus turned Peter's failure into success," it said.  "We are never far from success when we permit Jesus to give the orders, and we are usually closer to success than we realize."

Jesus then fed them breakfast on the beach, reminding us that we are shepherds, too.  And we are to love Jesus and all those He draws to Himself.  "Caring for the physical can prepare the way for spiritual ministry.  Our Lord does not so emphasize the soul that He neglects the body."

Jesus also mentioned Peter's death someday, but it would not be a tragedy -- it would glorify God.  When Jesus then publicly said, "Keep on following Me," Peter was publicly restored after he'd denied knowing Jesus three times.  Jesus doesn't hold our past sins that we've confessed against us, but instead forgives and puts us to work.  "We can succeed only as we permit Him to transform us."

Father, thank You for forgiving and transforming me.  Thank You for giving me hope and leading me to my two sons.  I pray that they, too, will discover the treasure of Your forgiveness and allow themselves to be used by You in a huge way.

 

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

John 20:19-31 Thomas' Doubts

We can certainly wonder about Thomas.  When Jesus first appeared to His disciples in the Upper Room after His resurrection, Thomas wasn't there.  The Bible doesn't elaborate, so there's no reason for us to speculate.  He seemed to have a pessimistic outlook, according to my commentary.  He's often called "Doubting Thomas", but Jesus did not rebuke him for his doubts.  He rebuked him for unbelief.  "Be not faithless, but believing."  Doubt is often an intellectual problem:  we want to believe, but the faith is overwhelmed by problems and questions.  Unbelief is a moral problem; we simply will not believe.  What was it that Thomas would not believe?  The reports of the other Christians that Jesus Christ was alive!

"Thomas's words help us to understand the difference between doubt and unbelief.  Doubt says, 'I cannot believe!  There are too many problems!'  Unbelief says, 'I will not believe unless you give me the evidence I ask for!'  How gracious our Lord is to stoop to our level of experience in order to lift us where we ought to be ... Our Lord's words translate literally, 'Stop becoming faithless, but become a believer.'  Jesus saw a dangerous process at work in Thomas' heart, and He wanted to put a stop to it ... Unbelief robs us of blessings and opportunities... It may sound sophisticated and intellectual to question what Jesus did, but such questions are usually evidence of hard hearts, not of searching minds."

Father, thank You for also seeing a dangerous process at work in my own heart after I finished college, and for putting a stop to it.  I don't want to imagine where I'd be if I hadn't listened.  I love You!

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

John 20: 1-18 He Called My Name!

As the women walked to Jesus' tomb to properly anoint His body, Mary somehow reached it first.  She noticed that the large stone had been rolled away.  Her first thought was that the body had been stolen, so she ran to find Peter and John.  Returning, Peter and John entered the tomb and saw the grave-clothes, still interlaced with burial spices, lying like a collapsed cocoon.  

They saw and believed, "but they did not yet understand that Jesus must rise from the dead."  Peter and John left but Mary stayed behind.  She then saw two angels inside the tomb.  Turning around, she came face to face with Jesus!  He called her name!  Then He told her not to hold on to Him, but to go tell the disciples what she'd seen.  That changed everything for her! 

Jesus, I thank You for showing Yourself to me as well, in spirit.  Thank You for making it abundantly clear that You are definitely in charge of my life.  Help me to show others!

 

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

John 19:31-42 The New Creation Is Done

The Jews just couldn't have the nastiness of three dead bodies outside their capital city during the major religious holy day of the year, so they went back to Pilate and asked that their deaths be hastened by breaking the legs of those being crucified.  Pilate agreed and the Roman soldiers followed their orders on the other two men, then noticed that Jesus had already died.  He had dismissed His Spirit, because the bones of the Passover Lamb were not to be broken.

"The Roman soldiers did not do what they were commanded to do -- break the victim's legs -- but they did do what they were not supposed to do -- pierce the Savior's side!  In both matters, they fulfilled the very Word of God! ... Our Lord's bones were protected by the Lord.  His side was to be pierced ..."

Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea got permission to care for Jesus' body.  They also had somehow gathered 75 pounds of spices to be used when the body was wrapped in linen cloth.  A newly-hewn tomb had also been secured.  These two men had been secret disciples, yet they now stepped up and did what others may have been too afraid to do, with no fear of their fellow Jewish authorities.

"The Sabbath was about to dawn.  Jesus had finished the work of the "new creation", and now He would rest," my commentary said.

Father, I can't imagine the bleakest day in human history!  Thank You for going through it all for us!  Such love!

 

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

John 19: 17-31 His Crucifixion and Death

My commentary made note of some important facts surrounding Jesus' crucifixion and death.  "The bearing of the cross was a mark of guilt, and Jesus was not guilty ... Pilate wrote:  'This is Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews.'  The chief priests protested the title, but Pilate refused to change it.  It was his final thrust against the Jewish religious establishment.  He knew that the priests and elders envied Jesus and wanted to destroy Him.  A shrewd politician like Pilate well understood the workings of the Jewish religious establishment.  He knew that his placard would insult and embarrass them, and that is exactly what he wanted."

"Mary was experiencing the sword that had been predicted years before (Luke 2:35)" as she watched her son die on the cross.  "Her silence is significant, for if anyone could have rescued Jesus, it was His mother.  All she had to do was announce that His claims were false -- but she said nothing!  What a testimony to the deity of Christ!"

"Jesus' death was not an accident; it was a divine appointment.  He was not murdered in the strictest sense:  He willingly gave His life for us.  His death was an atonement, not just an example.  He actually accomplished the work of redemption on the cross."

Father, despite everything these people did to trip up Your Son, You were totally in control.  I cherish Your sovereignty and power and I am so glad You are in control of my life.

 

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford