1 Corinthians 15 by Pastor David Groendyk There is one last major issue for the church in Corinth which Paul addresses. It seems some in the church were teaching that there is no such thing as the resurrection of the dead (v. 12). Perhaps this was because they couldn’t understand what it would look like for someone to be raised (v. 35), or it could’ve been some other reason. Regardless, Paul is emphasizing the truth…

I Corinthians 14 Devotional by Mark R. Hudson Paul just completed one of the most sublime essays on love in chapter 13. This is directed to people in the church not to the marriage relationship. Love always takes priority in the teaching of Biblical authors. Paul offered a practical as well as theological approach to love. Love is a verb for Paul, but love originates with God and is expressed to God’s people. Ministry reflects…

1 Corinthians 13 by Pastor Lawrence Bowlin In a fallen world, we are often disappointed. Even the Church at times disappoints us when we see evidence of pride, selfishness and immaturity amongst its members. There were many examples of immaturity in the Church at Corinth, with some members using their spiritual gifts to magnify themselves rather than building others up in love. And thus, in the midst of his lengthy discussion on spiritual gifts beginning…

1 Corinthians 11 by Pastor Mark R. Hudson Paul is responding to various questions the Corinthian church had about a variety of issues. Public worship was an issue that prompted various concerns and questions. This chapter deals with authority and the Lord’s Supper. You don’t need me to tell how much controversy over the centuries these topics have prompted. We will only have space for the first topic. Regarding vs. 2-16, this must be one…

1 Corinthians 12 by Pastor David Groendyk This chapter is part of a larger section regarding the corporate worship practices of the church in Corinth. On either side of chapter 12, we see Paul discussing whether or not it is appropriate for a woman to pray or prophesy with her head uncovered in worship (chapter 11) and the role of prophecy and speaking in tongues in worship (chapter 14). All of this prompts a broader…

1 Corinthians 9 by Pastor David Groendyk Paul asks a lot of rhetorical questions in this chapter. His main point through it all is this: he is happy to give up any of his rights for the sake of bringing people to faith in the gospel, and every believer should have the same mindset. What exactly are Paul’s rights that he’s talking about? What is he free to do? The major one is that he…

I Corinthians 8 Devotional by Pastor Mark Hudson We can  see once again that Paul is responding to a communique from the church to Paul.  He refers to this missive in 7:1, “Now concerning the matters about which you wrote. . . .” and in 8:1, “Now concerning food offered to idols. . . .”  As we mentioned in the comments on chapter 5, Paul can be flexible when the situation calls for taking circumstances…

1 Corinthians 6 by Pastor David Groendyk The problems keep piling up for the Corinthian church. The three we see in this chapter are defrauding fellow believers (v. 8), frivolously suing one another (v. 1), and engaging in prostitution (v. 15). If there is one verse or phrase that can be used to summarize Paul’s teaching in this chapter, it’s verse 12a: “‘All things are lawful for me,’ but not all things are helpful.” Let’s…

I Corinthians 5 Devotional by Pastor Mark Hudson In Anthony Thiselton’s massive commentary on I Corinthians, Thiselton makes an interesting observation about these first few chapters of I Corinthians that ought to make us stop and think.  He observes that Paul tolerates a mixed theological church more easily than a church that allows “persistent immorality of a notorious kind to compromise the corporate identity of the community” ( p. 381).  Additionally, these are “moral issues…

1 Corinthians 3 by Pastor David Groendyk   Paul comes back to the topic that he left off from in 1:10–17, the divisions that are wreaking havoc in the church. He’s going to explain now what godly wisdom looks like applied to this situation. The Corinthian church surely has many, many problems in it. They’re famous for it. But only one of their problems causes Paul to call them “infants in Christ,” “merely human,” and…

I Corinthians 2 Devotional by Pastor Mark Hudson             There is a way to share the gospel in a way that robs the gospel of its power.  We can publicly speak in a way that draws attention to ourselves and therefore away from Christ.  We cannot make Christ mighty to save and ourselves wise and important at the same time.  This chapter cautions all who speak for God to speak in a spiritually manner and…

 1 Corinthians 1 Devotional by Pastor Lawrence The apostle Paul first visited the City of Corinth on his Second Missionary journey.  After he was persecuted in Macedonia and discounted in the city of Athens, he was well received by the Corinthians and spent about eighteen months with the believers there in the year 50-51 AD because many Jews and Gentiles had come to faith in Christ.  He later would return again to the city briefly…

1 Samuel 31 by Pastor David Groendyk The build-up for this Philistine war has gone on for three chapters, and now the action finally swings back to Saul to tell us what happens. All this talk of war, and the whole thing is over in verse 1: “The men of Israel fled before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa.” This chapter is less about the war itself and more about what happens to…

I Samuel 30 Devotional by Pastor Mark Hudson                        David and his men return to find their “hometown” burned and everyone gone.  Everyone gone.  We are told they killed no one in v. 2 but David’s men don’t know that yet.  Can you imagine the scene: confusion, anger, feelings of revenge, utter disappointment, and tragic loss?  Will they ever recover or is this the end?  While the men blame David, David knows he must get…

1 Samuel 29 Devotional by Pastor Lawrence            To escape the wrath of King Saul, David had left the land of Israel and settled among the Philistines for over a year in the city of Ziklag, which was given to him by king Achish, one of the five lords of the Philistines.  David had won the favor of Achish by raiding surrounding villages and giving the spoil to the king.  However, he told the king…

1 Samuel 28 by Pastor David Groendyk If there’s one word to summarize this chapter it’s ‘dilemma’. David, through all of his deceptive maneuvering, has put himself in good graces with the Philistine king, and now he’s expected to go to war against Israel fighting side-by-side with the Philistines (vv. 1–2). Surely that’s not the position David wants to be in. Maybe David shouldn’t have been so quick to compromise his loyalty. How’s he going…

1 Samuel 26 Devotional by Pastor Lawrence             This is now the second time that the Ziphites have given away David’s location to King Saul, but after this information is given, they are never heard from again in Scripture.  And, once again, King Saul gathers three thousand of his chosen men to try to capture and kill David.  For some reason, Saul is still trusting in numbers rather than in the name of the Lord,…

1 Samuel 25 by Pastor David Groendyk This chapter seems like it might be a bizarre interlude between episodes of David running away from Saul, but it actually teaches us something very important about David. Apparently, the future king has a good history with this man Nabal (or at least his employees), and now he’s looking for a little bit of relief for him and his men. But just the man’s name should be evidence…

I Samuel 24 Devotional by Pastor Mark Hudson                        If a person was chasing you, trying to kill you, and attempted to kill you previously, and then you had a chance to kill that person to save your life, wouldn’t you?  I think most people would.  However, I Samuel 24 is not that simple.  David had just escaped a near miss in 23:16ff.  What pressure that must have put on David.  He knew some people…

1 Samuel 23 Devotional by Pastor Lawrence            There is no superscript given for Psalm 124 to show the backstory for the song, but it could easily have been written at the conclusion of the events transpiring in the twenty-third chapter of 1st Samuel.  In the psalm David says, “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side…when people rose up against us, then they would have swallowed us up alive, when…

1 Samuel 22 by Pastor David Groendyk Certainly it’s been easy to see how Saul and David are two very different men in this book, and their differences are on display again in this chapter. Remember, David is still on the run from Saul and had made a pass through Nob on his way to Philistia, and now he makes stops in Adullam, Moab, and Hereth. Saul keeps chasing but still can’t catch him. After…