Author: Dave Dishman (Page 325 of 459)

So goes an old joke shared by preening Bible students when young and looking for attention, hit on after reading Paul’s description of the Corinthian church as God’s temple. Too bad those same bodies now sag and ache and grow hair from awful places.

Being a product of our Western, highly individualistic mindset, I tend to read this passage as referring specifically to me, a single person, the one and only. Paul, however, has more in mind as he writes to this local church. The believers represent God on earth, the Holy Spirit dwells among them, and together they make up the temple.

This reminds me of the importance of my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. The life of a Jesus follower involves more than me. I only grow and develop and serve alongside others. While we all need times of solitude and silence, true religion occurs in community.

And woe to the one who destroys such a community. God’s retribution awaits. Pastors and teachers carry a heavy burden in caring for the church, God’s temple amongst us. You and I must remember to pray for those leading our local congregations.

So let’s pray for the Holy Spirit to move, to keep the church vibrant and healthy, and unlike our bodies—fresh for a new generation.

1 Corinthians 3:16,17 in week thirty five of reading the Bible cover to cover

Ruins of the Temple of Athena in Athens, Greece

Do you slink behind the curtains when asked to say a few words in front of a crowd? Many people identify public speaking at their #1 fear in life. Not so much during these days of covid and limited gatherings, but when the virus fades (someday), we’ll return to our familiar fear of saying something stupid in front of a room full of people.

Hints in scripture suggest that the Apostle Paul spoke poorly. He wrote in his first letter to the Corinthians: When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God (I Corinthians 2:1), this being his second reference in his opening remarks to lacking eloquence.

Paul’s critics piled on as well, complaining: His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing (2 Corinthians 10:10). Ouch—one star review.

Apparently Paul was a lousy speaker. Hard to believe, since his speeches fill our Bibles and his writings influence the Christian faith like no others. Paul also struggled with a thorn in the flesh, possibly poor or declining eyesight.

So, the guy can barely see, and stutters and squeaks when he talks, but changed the world—what was his secret?

Not hiding anything, Paul wrote: Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24), and what we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God (1 Corinthians 2:12).

The Lord doesn’t need a person of good looks or silver tongue—often these prove to be impediments. The Lord uses anyone open to Him. I find that immensely encouraging. My talents matter little without the Spirit working through me. Less of me, more of Him.

Finally, in perhaps a shot at his critics, Paul reminded the church: the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk, but of power (1 Corinthians 4:20).

Good for me to remember in my world of words and persuasion, of social media posts and twitter feeds, to search for the power of God in the haystack of talk.

1 Corinthians 1&2 in week thirty-four of reading the Bible cover to cover

Photo by Kane Reinholdtsen

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

The world portrays those who follow the ways of Jesus as uneducated, or unscientific, or behind the times, or simplistic—foolish. Who in the world believes in a story about a cross and eternal destiny?

Who is their right mind changes their life in order to live by the teachings this man on the cross promoted? Such a foolish idea.

Who instructs their children to follow in the same ways? Who invests a chunk of every weekend attending services with other similarly deluded people? What a foolish waste of time.

Why give money to prop up this dead man’s ideas? Foolish.

Who’s so foolish? I am. Most of you reading the blog are as well, along with billions throughout history.

Christ crucified remains foolishness to the world, a stumbling block to many.

But to the rest of us, it is the power of God.

1 Corinthians 1 in week thirty-four of reading the Bible cover to cover

Photo by Aaron Burden

After months of organizing, traveling on planes for what felt like days, dealing with jet lag, and riding a bus into the countryside, I stood at the site of ancient Corinth. I was excited to visit the city where Paul lived and worked, the city of the New Testament. The town now consists of ruins—well preserved and walkable.

I strolled through the foundations, and contemplated the bema seat of judgement. I savored the moment as I imagined what life must have been like for Paul and Priscilla and Aquila and Sosthenes and other members of the growing faith community. Where did they make their tents?

Then the busses arrived. At first I was annoyed, which really wasn’t fair, since our group arrived on a bus as well. But I liked having the place to myself. As dozens of noisy South Korean tourists descended in two enormous groups, chattering the whole time, I grew super annoyed. Can’t they quiet down?

I turned back to my spiritual experience, ignoring them as best I could—until I heard soft singing from the other side of the ruined city. Not in English, but in Korean, the words amazing grace, how sweet the sound…infused the area.

A hundred or more tourists surrounded the tree you see pictured above. They sang Amazing Grace with reverence, along with several other hymns. I teared up, as I do now writing this. The Holy Spirit jabbed my heart, and I stood rooted, joining my fellow followers of Jesus—from the other side of the world—worshipping on holy ground.

Convicted? Of course, how stupid of me. I constantly find myself annoyed by people—not the best attitude in a missionary.

I spent lots of time and energy and money to get to Corinth, to experience a place where the Christian faith took root, to contemplate the legacy of Paul.

Then, the Lord graciously displayed that legacy with busloads of beautiful, musical Koreans.

Praise God.

I Corinthians 1 in week thirty-four of reading the Bible cover to cover