Dear Student of the Word,
I am in Williamsburg, Virginia for a weekend of ministry with my friend, Father Michael Pacella and his wife Doreen. Father Michael is a study in purpose but that isn't the purpose for this post. This is for the weekly Bible study, so let's get that taken care of right away.
There are only two studies left in First Corinthians after this one. This week and next, we will examine Paul's famous chapter 15 that focuses on the resurrection. In this week's installment, I wrote:
v. 12 -- After an 11-verse introduction, Paul got to the crux of the matter: some Corinthians said that there was to be no resurrection from the dead. It seems that there was no end to the mis-steps of this church and its members, which causes me to reflect on Paul's strategy for church planting. Due to the urgency of what Paul was doing, he did not linger long in any one area or city. Even when he tried to stay, it seems that the Spirit moved him on. From my perspective, the new churches weren't ready for Paul's departure. The Spirit obviously felt otherwise.
Jesus knows how to build His Church. Too often, I have been afraid to let go of God's work because the work "needs me." Yet Paul moved on and corrected the problems that he knew would arise from another city where he was ministering. He wrote letters, sent emissaries and prayed a lot. The problems he faced were serious, but Paul trusted in the Spirit's role to build the Church and not in his own efforts. I think we can all learn something from this model--not to be perfectionists where Jesus' work is concerned but to trust Him as we carry out His purpose for our lives and His Church.
Remember that the Bible study archives of 13 other New Testament studies can be found on my website along with The Faith Files. You can unsubscribe by clicking on the link below (if you receive this through Feedblitz). You can give a gift subscription by going to the site where these studies are posted every week. And please feel free to post your own comments, insights, and questions at the same site (just click on the word at the "comments" at the bottom of this post).
Here is this week's study: Download 1_corinthians_study_13.doc
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