December 24 - 2 Timothy: The Prisoner Prepares His Son to Pass on the Message

Today’s Reading: 2 Timothy

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

This may have been Paul's last letter. He writes as a person who is resigned to his fate and making sure his work continues through his spiritual descendants.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Paul to Timothy, my son:
I miss you. God has worked in us through Jesus. This is the Message. Guard it well. Pass it to people who will pass it on. It always stays the same. Warn against nitpicking and promote walking the talk.
Run to maturity, patient with the immature.
Soon people will be outwardly religious but not set things right but they will not last long. Scripture is God-breathed and fully prepares us for God's Tasks.
Never give up teaching the Message.
I'm ready to die as an offering to God.
Come soon.
God's Grace be with you.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

The Message of Jesus is that He is working in us all the time.

God doesn't work only in people who are Christians. He works continuously in everyone in the world. He worked in Saul before he changed to become Paul, the Ambassador to the Gentiles. God worked in Timothy through his mother and grandmother. God wants to set all things right and is working now. Our job is to help people acknowledge God's Work in them and live accordingly.

Paul encouraged Timothy to pass on the Message to people willing and able to pass the Message on.

In church-planting movements the goal of a church planter is not to plant many churches. The goal of a church planter is to find people willing to pass on the Message and to teach them. They are the ones who plant churches. If they are unwilling to share the Message with others the church planter moves on to someone else. The reason is because people unwilling to pass on the Message will not keep God's Message alive. It dies with them. God's Message reproduces when people are willing to teach others willing to teach others.
One of the biggest issues churches have today is the fact that most members, though they think passing along the Message is important, keep the Word inside. This leads to a dilemma for preachers—do we continue teaching people who are sponges or do we leave them alone and find people willing to share? I would love churches to hold people accountable for passing on what they learn from the Bible. It is a great help for both the teacher and the learner.

God's Chosen People do not get caught up in worldly affairs or nitpick on doctrine.

We concentrate on setting things right for God the best we can. If we walk in that way, we will be truly religious.

Many people will never mature in God.

Paul's final warnings to Timothy are for him to watch out for people not content with the Message. It sounds too simple for many. They want a conspiracy, rules, a fun story, or an excuse to do whatever they want. Paul wants Timothy to watch out for these people and hold firm to the simple Message. He is to be mature, even when other people are not.

2 Timothy is a very humanizing book.

Earlier I wrote how these epistles are letters, not doctrinal statements. Nowhere in the New Testament is this truer than 2 Timothy. Paul is alone and knows his execution is coming. He wants to give Timothy one final encouragement before it comes. He doesn't know if they will ever see each other again. This is why he is steadfast about Timothy holding strong to the Message in the face of opposition. He knows that Timothy will soon be without his spiritual father. These words are meant to motivate Timothy to defend the Message for the rest of his life.

John Mark redeemed his work.

The first time we meet John Mark he was picked up by Paul and Barnabas but abandoned them on their first trip. Paul was so against working with him later that Barnabas and Paul split up on their next trip. Yet in Paul's last letter he tells Timothy to bring John Mark because he will become Paul's assistant. If this John Mark is the same as Mark found in 1 Peter, Peter considered him a son. He may have been the one to write the Gospel of Mark. When we trust God, God can mature us to great works even if we have a bad start. What a great redemption story!

How is God working through you?

December 19 - Titus: Paul Pushes Titus to Instruct in Life-Giving Practices

Today’s Reading: Titus

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Paul wants Titus to lead the congregation into a group that sets things right, not one that argues over religion.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Paul to Titus:
I point the way to God's Life.
Appoint worthy leaders in Crete, not rebellious people who add unnecessary rules but break God's Rules.
Show people a disciplined life—young and old, men and women—so enemies become friends.
Slaves, show God through your character.
God shows everyone how to live a godly life, getting us ready for Jesus' Return.
Be firm on directing everyone's thoughts to essential doctrines, not the fine print. Cut off dividers.
Help everyone learn to work well so they will have enough for themselves and the needy.
Greetings and grace to everyone there.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Titus, like Timothy, had to deal with people teaching religion instead of God's
Way.

Paul's insistence that he taught God's Life at the beginning of the letter is not by accident. He compares it to those who add rules upon rules, increasing sin. Paul wants Titus to model, teach, and force the churches in Crete to observe God's Life. He even wanted Titus to cut off people who would not stop nitpicking doctrine. He has very many things to call them and none of them are good. Stay away from people who want to argue over religion!

"Solid doctrine" is not about worshiping right.

All of the things listed are character traits, not actions. Sound doctrine is about lives that set things right, not doing the religion right.

Older women should mentor younger women to be good wives. Older men should mentor younger men to be better men.

Paul wanted the older women to mentor younger women in how to love their husbands and be good wives. Older men should help younger men develop discipline. We have often split ministries and classes into age groups. I believe that split—provided there is not a separate time dedicated for mentoring—hinders older and younger men from gaining an equal respect for each other and helping each other set things right. Although class time is not sufficient on its own to mentor, it does send a message that we should stay with only people our age who are going through similar issues. It also cuts off access for younger and older people to mingle and get to know each other more. Mentor younger people one-on-one to live godly lives. Many of our teenage dropout rates could improve if we simply took the time to give them sufficient time to develop godly practices. Paul mentions one extra side-effect—our enemies will get to know us and see we're not as bad as they thought.

God's "readiness to give and forgive" provides the foundation for our courage.

Who could argue with a god who loved His Creation so much that He would call us when we were unwanted and mentor us into living His Life so that we could easily transition into His Kingdom? This god sacrificed Himself to set our relationships right. That god gives us courage! That god provides us with enough assurance to withstand uncomfortable situations and help others set their relationships right.

What mentoring have you seen/experienced?

December 18 - 1 Timothy: Paul Warns Timothy of Troublesome Times

Today’s Reading: 1 Timothy

The Message

English Standard Version

We are down to two weeks! Only 14 days left before we finish reading the Bible in a year!

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Paul tells Timothy to prepare for a battle against people teaching religion instead of God setting all things right.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Paul to Timothy:
Defend against people who teach religiosity.
I want people to pray to God, not fight enemies; humble, not fashionable.
Men and women have different roles.
Leaders and servants must live holy lives to lead God's Household well.
Some will give up faith for rules.
You were given a ministry by your leaders. Mind your character and teaching and your maturity will shine.
Show respect. Take care of widows without family so they can pray.
Treat leaders well—monetarily and give them the benefit of the doubt.
Confront sin without favoritism. Appoint leaders slowly.
God's Grace keep you.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Timothy would soon be challenged with people preaching different gospels.

Timothy’s youth caused his confidence to wane. Paul wants to make sure he knows that his faith and trust in God are about to be tested. People will come with gospels of rules, “spiritual” tales, and caste systems. Some will come and prohibit eating certain foods and marriage. People who prohibit holy things are the problem. Timothy’s job is to defend the Message of Jesus’ Love.

Paul is an example of the Message of Jesus the Messiah.

Paul serves as an example of the Message of Jesus the Messiah because God’s Love and Jesus’ Grace called him to rekindle their relationship. They trusted him with the Message for the purpose of sharing it with the Gentiles. God did not ask him to teach the Law of Moses. God did not want him to replace the Law of Moses with another rule-based law. God wanted him to teach that He sets relationships right and we should respond by setting things right. Moral guidance is important but not in “thou shall” and “thou shall not” formats. They lead to more sin and more death. Paul had his relationship with God set right by love and grace, not law and ritual.

Men and women have different leadership roles.

Similar to the last two times we read Paul's thoughts on women and men, these words are quite controversial today. Like I wrote before, Paul does not mean women have no intelligence or voice. He means women should have a default state of submission. Men should not lord over women. Women should neither be forced into leadership roles (either by women or men) nor should they be silenced even when their gifts are to teach. Each congregation should look at their women and find the appropriate way to use their gifting.

Leaders and servants should be holy managers, not good managers.

Paul suggests that the leaders and servants of the congregation be wholly for God. They should be good managers, yes, but their most important traits are their character. A leader who is not holy is a ticking time bomb, waiting to blow up a congregation.

Maturity comes through making good choices over time.

Timothy's age prevents him from receiving full faith from the congregation. Paul wants him to know that although he should not let anyone bully him because of his youth, his maturity will shine if he continues growing in Jesus. When we grow in maturity, people will eventually see.

Widows without families of their own can dedicate themselves to prayer with the church's help.

In our constant need to debate the roles and qualifications of elders and deacons we completely neglect widows. There is only one congregation, the North Boulevard Church of Christ in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, that I know of that has any form of a widows ministry where they will support widows so they can dedicate themselves to prayer. This is a largely untapped resource for churches. Widows have the time and ability to pray. Churches should help widows without a family spend their time in prayer. How much better could our congregations be when the widows spend their time praying for each member of the group instead of reminiscing over the old times?

How has your maturity shown during the years?

December 17 - Philippians: The Prisoner Chooses Life to Focus on the Resurrection

Today’s Reading: Philippians

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Paul doesn't care why a person preaches Christ. All that matters is that they point to Christ. God will do the rest.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Paul and Timothy to Jesus-followers in Philippi:
I thank God because of your help. My imprisonment leads people to Jesus. Some preach for self-gain. So what? They preach Christ.
I desire a reunion with Christ but you need me more.
Just as Jesus became human for us, love each other sacrificially.
The usual: Believers live in God's Spirit. My religious credentials are rubbish. Focus on the Resurrection.
Euodia and Syntyche, get along. Syzygus, help them.
Celebrate God always! Fill your minds with good things.
I am always content. I have all I need—your help.
Receive and experience Jesus' Grace.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God used Paul's imprisonment to set relationships right.

In Daniel, God told Israel that they would be persecuted so the world would see an example of faithfulness. Paul is another fulfillment of that prophecy. His chains have not shaken his faith in Jesus as the Messiah ("Christ" is the Greek version of the Hebrew word "Messiah"). Because of Paul's faith, his guards know all about Jesus and Believers have had their faith assured. God uses persecution to show the world true faithfulness. If you feel persecuted and chained because of your faith, keep going. God may be showing the world how He works.

No one can preach Christ and point to themselves.

Paul's discussion of the people who preach for their own gain is interesting. He seems to think their motivations may be bad, but who cares! They preach Christ! God will have His Will done regardless of what they say. All they are doing is preventing their own reward, not the reward of people who are listening to them. No one can point to Christ and themselves at the same time. They either point to Christ and not themselves or to themselves and not Christ. Because of this Paul cheered them on. Better have more people know Jesus than bicker about someone's motivations.
Boy is this important for today! It almost seems the worst thing a preacher can be is popular and/or rich. Popular preachers get excoriated in every facet of their words, actions, lifestyles, incomes, and ministries. Rich theologians are considered an affront to the Gospel. We search for that one thing we disagree with and that blog post which becomes viral. We do such a great disservice to Christ when we discourage people from preaching the Gospel because they are afraid the platform will expose them to Christian snipers. Lighten up, people! Christ is being preached! I wonder what unchurched people think when they see Christians complain about preachers getting rich off of their teaching.
This brings me to the so-called "health and wealth gospel" I hear about. (Notice: Everything I write here will be ignorant and oversimplified. I have never sat down and listened to their programs for two reasons: 1. growing up I was indoctrinated that we do not watch other groups who teach the Bible in error—meaning anyone not "churches of Christ", and 2. I get bored easily watching sermons. Both of these are personal issues which limit my exposure to their teachings.) Unless they preach that their ministry/ministry head can save they point people to Christ. Do they have bad motives? Yes. Will they answer to God for those motives? Yes. But remember—we aren't their judge because we are not their master. Stop complaining about Christian preacher's motivations. They preach Christ!

In unity we defeat our real enemy—people who do not want to set things right.

The second reason Paul does not complain about the motivations of others is because we are to be united around Christ. We cannot defeat our enemy—this is war!—when we continue to wound each other. Paul uses Jesus as our example to emulate. He was God but died as a human to set our relationships right with God. By unifying the entire world behind His Sacrifice, He defeated our greatest enemy—death. When we are unified we can outlast our opposition. His humble obedience gave Him the Highest Seat where everyone in the world will one day bow before Him. One day, we can join Him if we humbly obey God.

Paul wants to be with Jesus but needs to stay with God's Chosen People instead.

Out of context, Paul's discussion of his want to die could sound like a person giving up. But instead it is a person who desperately wants to stay because he has more work to do. He exemplifies the Christian dilemma—living or dying are both great choices!

Real believers are those who live in God's Spirit.

Real believers are not the ones who worship God because they are God's Chosen People. Real believers are the ones who worship God because they see His Work in them and through them. It's not about baptism, church attendance, Bible memorization, or teaching ability. It's about living ability. Do you set things right? You are a real believer. Paul's religious upbringing and all he accomplished in the religious world he considered dog [censored]—the literal word used—because of Jesus. Don't hold on to the inferior brand of righteousness. Trust Christ, the embodiment of God's Righteousness!

We are citizens of Heaven waiting for God to take us home.

I love Pierre Teilhard de Chardin's famous quote, "We are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience" (The Phenomenon of Man, 1955). Our goal is not for people to have healthcare, good jobs, nice houses, a strong, healthy church, or the right beliefs on a myriad of subjects—although they are nice to have. Our goal is to help each other keep our eyes on the goal—a new body when Christ returns. We must be ready for that body when it comes.

Paul is content anywhere he is.

What gives Paul a sense of happiness is that God is still with him and that his work still gives glory to God. When we are working for God, no physical lack or physical blessing can phase our happiness.

What are your motivations for living a godly life?

December 16 - Ephesians: God's Adopted People Walking Down God's Way

Today’s Reading: Ephesians

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Jesus broke down the barrier between God and the Gentiles. The appropriate answer is walking in faith down God's Way.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Paul to the believers in Ephesus:
Long ago God decided to adopt us through Jesus. God embraced us when we wanted the world. Through Jesus' Sacrifice everyone has an equal claim on "Christian"—which angers some Jews. God can do anything!
Run God's Road as one. Live honest, temperate, and forgiving lives. Love like Jesus. Expose the darkness. Sing loudly because of the Spirit, not alcohol. Treat each other well, especially wives, husbands, children, parents, servants, and masters.
Be God-Strong in this life-and-death struggle over our souls. Use all of God's Equipment. Help each other.
Jesus' Grace be with everyone.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God's Plan to set all things right was set before Adam and Eve brought death into the world.

How awesome to serve a God who wanted to set things right even before they needed to be set right! God's Plan is awesome because God knew He would die because of our mistakes and yet created everything anyway.

The Church is Christ's Body on Earth.

Our purpose is to show Jesus to the world. We want to help them set their relationship right with God by being ambassadors of God.

God brought outsiders in—which angered His Chosen People.

Paul is in prison because the Jews were angry that he taught God's Message through Jesus to Gentiles. They wanted an exclusive claim on God and would not share. Yet Jesus treats everyone as equals. There is now one group.
We love splitting everyone into two groups—the church and the world. However, there is no difference between the two. The world can be part of the church. This is why Paul mentioned that the church is central to the world. There may be many who do not want anything to do with God but it is their decision, not God's.

The answer for being sought by God is to walk down His Road.

In chapter four Paul transitions from theoretical to practical. Since we are all included, we should be unified as we walk down God's Way—in the same direction, not looking and acting alike. We must mature or be left behind. This means we must get rid of the old life. The truth is, we already know what we need to do to set things right. We must choose to do it.

Wives must respect husbands like the church respects Jesus. Husbands must love wives as Jesus loves the church.

A few weeks ago we read how husbands have authority, not priority. Adam was created first but men now are born to women. We are interdependent. Today Paul uses the church's relationship with Jesus as a template for marriage. Jesus gave Himself for the church, His Body, to set its relationship with God right. The church, in return, respects and submits to Jesus. No husband should beat his wife because Jesus would not beat Himself. No woman should disrespect her husband because the church would not disrespect Jesus. We cannot argue against the first without also arguing against the second.

Children and parents have a responsibility to make sure children become mature Christians.

Paul does not put the onus on children or parents alone. They share responsibility. Children must honor their parents. Parents must guide their children with gentleness.

We are in a battle for our soul.

Paul uses warfare imagery at the end of the letter. He wants to make sure we understand that this is not a pleasant, intellectual discussion. This is war. We must be prepared with both defensive armor and offensive weapons. Both come from God.

Behold the awesome mystery of God!

December 15 - Colossians; Philemon: Religious Rules Distract from Oneness with God

Today’s Reading: Colossians; Philemon

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Paul warns the Colossian Christians not to be led by people who make things off-limits.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Colossians

Paul and Timothy to the Christians in Colosse:
We thank God for your steadfast faith. The Message never weakens or changes! We pray you won't, either.
We see in Jesus God setting everyone's relationship right. Be confident in Christ. Stay away from human traditions and spiritual superstitions. Baptism is ritual enough. If you are serious about Christ's Resurrected Life, live it! Focusing on labels misses Christ.
Set things right. Help each other live the Resurrected Life—wives, husbands, children, parents, servants, and masters alike.
Pray. Help outsiders set things right.
Many with me send greetings. Echo our greetings to Laodicea.

Philemon

Paul and Timothy to Philemon, Apphia, Archippus, and the church in your house:
I pray your faith continues.
I have a favor to ask. I realize I have God's Authority to command you to do it, but I prefer to ask. Onesimus is no longer the runaway slave you once had. I have sent him to you at a great pain to my work because it is right. Please accept him as our brother. I will pay for any damages he caused—but remember the debt you owe me!
I hope to see you again.
People with me greet you.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Our work is directly tied to God's Work.

In Colossians, Paul wants to make sure they realize that their focus should be on God's Work, not on religion. As they focus more and more on God's Work they will be closer and closer to God's Life. As they set things right as God sets things right they will be set free from darkness and death and live a rich life with God. Until we recognize and join God's Work, we will never have a truly righteous life. The great thing about God's Work is that the entire world fits His Way. We can understand the world by understanding God.

We preach Christ, not religion.

It is Jesus that set all things right through His Death. Humans are incapable of setting things right because we are easily distracted by physical things—either for selfish reasons or for "pious" reasons. We focus on doing or not doing things instead of God's Work. When we focus on what we should or should not do or touch or when we focus on spirits, angels, and horoscopes we add to the message we send. The Message is simple—all things are set right though Jesus!
Reading from The Message helped me realize that Paul is not mentioning some unnamed group of Gnostics who are troubling these Christians. He is talking about the Jews who are trying to get the Gentile Christians to go along with the Law of Moses. Growing up, I never put the two together. Now I realize the things I was taught were important—baptism, no musical instruments in worship, no alcohol, etc.—were simply distractions from the Message of Jesus. They are not helpful in growing intimacy with God and Christ. They are, as Paul put it, "pretentious and infantile religion" (2:20). They may sound impressive but in the end only make ourselves look important. Baptism is tolerated because it helps tie us to God. It is a ritual which is not magical, but is important because it gives us a physical tie to God—similar to circumcision for Jews.

Our old life is dead and our new Life focuses on setting things right.

As mentioned earlier, the freedom we receive in Christ is not meant to be a blank check to do whatever we wish. Paul wants God's Chosen People to remember that we have a new Life, one that does not sin. We have a life shaped by God, not by physical urges. Some may consider these comments distractions based on the previous point, but in reality our old life takes us away from God and our new Life brings us closer to Him. The exact way I pray/sing/take communion does not necessarily bring me closer or farther from God. If I lie to my brothers I am going away from God. That is why God wants to make sure we do not lie. We want God's Clothing. To do that we must take off our old, dirty clothes and put on His new, holy Clothes. We sing to help push each other to clothe ourselves in Christ.

The story of Onesimus is the story of his relationship with God being set right.

Onesimus ran away from Philemon, most likely with stolen money or property. Yet he has changed to the point that Paul does not want to send him back. Onesimus is too valuable to Paul to allow him to leave. But Paul must do what is right. What a grand transformation—from fugitive slave to essential worker for God. When God sets our relationship right, we can overcome any problem we had.

Paul tells Philemon to no longer see Onesimus as a physical being anymore but as a spiritual brother.

Paul's letter to Philemon is very interesting. In it he does not advocate for the abolition of slavery but instead Paul advocates for the abolition of seeing our brothers and sisters in Christ as physical beings. Paul reminds Philemon that he owes his spiritual life to Paul and should take that into consideration before punishing Onesimus. Onesimus deserves justice. He should receive mercy because everyone deserves justice but God gives us mercy.

Do you distract others by teaching them religion instead of how to set things right?

December 14 - Acts 27-28: Paul, Shipwrecked on the Way to Rome

December 14

Today’s Reading: Acts 27-28

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Paul's faith in God saves both him and everyone on the boat with him.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Paul, the other prisoners, and their guards set sail to Rome.
The captain ignored Paul's bad-weather warnings at Crete. Storms plagued them for a fortnight. Paul assured the crew they would live. They crashed the ship outside Malta and swam ashore.
In Malta, Paul was bitten by a snake and survived. He healed many people there.
After wintering in Malta, Paul and the rest made it to Rome. He spoke to Jewish leaders about Jesus. Some believed. Others argued. Paul reminded them of Isaiah's prophecy that they would listen but not hear God's Word. Paul would therefore teach the Gentiles.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Paul never lost faith through his hard times.

In the entire book of Acts, we read some of the things Paul went through, mentioned in 2 Corinthians. He was held captive even though he committed no crime, had to appeal to Caesar out of fear for his life, and became shipwrecked because the captain would not listen to his advice. Yet through all of it he held to his trust that God would set all of it right. May we all have faith like Paul!

What have you overcome with your faith intact?

December 13 - Acts 24-26: Paul, Prisoner because of the Resurrection

Today’s Reading: Acts 24-26

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Paul will not let himself be martyred by the Jews.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Tertullus, a Jewish lawyer, accused Paul of leading a seditious sect.
Paul defended himself since he was arrested while praying in the Temple.
Felix kept Paul under house arrest. After two years, Porcius Festus became governor.
Paul refused a Jerusalem trial and appealed to Caesar.
Festus asked the visiting King Agrippa to examine Paul and to find a charge against him that would stick.
Paul recounted his conversion story to Agrippa. He was a prisoner because he believed in the Resurrection and they did not like him teaching the Gentiles. He pushed Agrippa to consider becoming a Disciple of Jesus.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Paul would not let go of the Resurrection even though it kep him in prison.

Depending on the timing, Paul had already written how the Resurrection is the only doctrine worth dying over. Paul lives up to his words. He is willing to stay in prison for years because of his belief.

Jesus called Paul to be a lighthouse to the nations.

I’m sending you off to open the eyes of the outsiders so they can see the difference between dark and light, and choose light, see the difference between Satan and God, and choose God. I’m sending you off to present my offer of sins forgiven, and a place in the family, inviting them into the company of those who begin real living by believing in me. (26:17-18, The Message)

Would you be willing to stay in prison wrongly for over two years because you believed in the Resurrection?

December 12 - Acts 20:4-23:35 - Paul Braves Persecution to Set Things Right

Today’s Reading: Acts 20:4-23:35

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Paul wants to keep the peace between himself and the Jews, but they will not allow it.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Paul continued travelling. The Jews continued plotting against him.
Paul met Ephesian elders one last time and charged them to guard their flock. They prayed and cried together.
Agabus prophesied that Paul would be arrested in Jerusalem. Paul held his resolve.
In Jerusalem, Paul purified himself in order to quell dissention; however, he was arrested in the Temple. On trial, Paul told of his conversion and commission to teach the Gentiles. He stirred up controversy by mentioning the resurrection of the dead before the High Council.
Paul's nephew uncovered an assassination plot against Paul. Paul was sent to Felix.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Elders are appointed to both lead the flock and guard against bad influences.

Paul's teary-eyed meeting with the Ephesian elders gives us a moment to look into the purpose for elders. Paul wanted them to continue helping their flock set things right and also to prevent bad influences from creeping in and taking members away. Listen to your elders. Their job is to protect you from influencers that might lead you to (spiritual) death.

Paul's attitude portrayed a person dedicated to setting things right in God's Name.

Paul is being told by his friends and travel partners that if he went to Jerusalem he would be arrested—something that could lead to his death. Paul, though, will not listen to their warnings because to him, "The issue in Jerusalem is not what they do to me, whether arrest or murder, but what the Master Jesus does through my obedience" (21:13, The Message). We, like Paul, should be willing to go through trials and suffering because God might be able to work through us.

Paul wants to keep the peace between Jews and Christians but ultimately fails.

Many people may criticize Paul for attempting the Nazarite vow. They think he is caving in. However, I think Paul is living out his philosophy of being subject to the Law of Moses around Jews and not when around Gentiles in order to save both. The Jews think he is denigrating the Law of Moses, so Paul will show them he still respects the Law by going through with a vow. Unfortunately, the Jews do not allow that to happen and he is arrested anyway.

How can God work through you?

December 11 - Romans 14-16: Don't Judge Others Based on Your Beliefs

Today’s Reading: Romans 14-16

The Message

English Standard Version

Only three weeks to go! You've almost made it! Keep going!

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Paul wants to make sure the Roman Christians get along by not judging the other according to their own beliefs.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Tolerate and don't criticize Believers who think differently than you. Jesus is our Master. Whatever you do, do it for God not yourself. Share God's Life.
Help anyone you can. Then we will all sing with one voice—outsiders and insiders together!
Please do not think I am criticizing you. I'm proud of God's Work through me.
Pray my travel and work in Jerusalem goes well.
The churches of Christ greet everyone.
Watch for those who are too selfish to work with. Stay alert.
All praise to God who brings the truth to the world. Praise to Jesus!

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Disagreements about religion are okay.

What a liberating passage! We don't have to agree on everything! We don't really need to agree on much! What is important is that we do what we do because we believe it is right, not because someone else forces us to do it. It's not what we eat that God cares for. I would also suggest it's not how we sing or worship God that God cares for, either. God wants us to do things that set things right. We cannot set things right if we violate our conscience. So Paul's instructions were to do as we believe, "each person is free to follow the convictions of conscience" (14:5, The Message). We will be judged by God, not by each other.
I am very disappointed that I never learned this passage when growing up. The churches of Christ are known for doing just the opposite of this. We argue over so many small details about how to live a Christian life. Jesus died to "free us from the petty tyrannies of each other" (14:11). I needed to know that.

Everything is holy unless we treat or talk about it in an unholy way.

It is this part of Paul's argument which all churched and unchurched people need to remember. Churched people should realize we have more rules than we need but those rules are not superfluous. They help us. Unchurched people should realize these rules are not wrong but they are not required to follow them. Each can do as they want—as long as they are setting things right. We should treat each other with love, not judgment.

Fights do not stop us from being God's Chosen People.

After all Paul has against the Jews and Gentiles in Rome, he wants to make sure they do not take him the wrong way. He is proud of their faith because it reflects well on God and the work God does through Paul. We should also remember, even through our petty fights over religion and our judgments of each other, God continuously wants to work through us. We are always God's Chosen People.

Be wary of people who only use pieces of truth for their own gain.

Paul's warning was something I struggled with when contemplating this project. I did not want to force every passage into my narrow focus and become what he is warning against; however, I wanted to do this project because I knew this idea of God setting all things right went throughout the entire Bible. I do not think I have had to "force" passages into a narrow tunnel.
Not all people have that plan, though. They want to take a small detail and make it sound like the entire Message of God. The way to tell if a person is doing this is to read the entire Bible. They are mostly likely running away from some passage they don't want to study. Stay away from people like that!

Do you judge each other or help each other set things right?

December 10 - Romans 11-13: The Gentile and the Jew-Man Should be Friends

Today’s Reading: Romans 11-13

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God accepted the Gentiles in order to make the Jews jealous so they would be with Him, too.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Has God irrevocably rejected Israel? No. God will never irrevocably reject Israel. When they rejected God they opened the door for the Gentiles.
Gentiles, remember that God grafts in and cuts off. God added you, not the other way around. The Jews remain God's Oldest Friends. God wants a people who understand why they are with Him. How awesome is our God!
Be a living sacrifice for God, unified as a body. Set things right. Be an upstanding citizen because God gives the state power to punish. Love others as you love yourself.
Don't waste time, it's a precious resource.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God did not permanently remove the Jews from being His Chosen People.

This section of Scripture is one of the most complicated and misused concepts in the entire Bible. Paul is trying to help mediate a feud between the Jews and the Gentiles, caused when the Jews were kicked out of Rome but let back in later. In the previous reading Paul wrote how God wanted the Jews to obey Him but they would not. Therefore, He called the Gentiles to be His Chosen People. The reason is multifaceted, but the effect was that the Gentiles were added to God's Chosen People and Paul hoped Israel would become jealous and claim God as their god instead of their cultural symbol. God had not rejected Israel for good but to set things right. The Gentiles may have joined the Jews as God's Chosen People but they had to set things right to keep their place. God wants people who understand why they are His Chosen People to be His Chosen People.
In viewing the Jew/Gentile debate in Romans in the 21^st Century, I have put forward the idea that churched and unchurched people are the Jews and Gentiles from the first century. Many churches today are dying. We can trace their deaths to several things all stemming from one major issue—not realizing why God chose them in the first place. God wants us to be His Ambassadors to the world. Many Christians want to be the rulers of the world. So God now calls those who are outside the church to set things right. This is why many people see outsiders as better givers, better philanthropists, and better humanitarians than Christians. Christians must see that these things are happening not because God no longer wants us but because God wants to make us jealous so we will return to Him and set things right. What about unchurched people? They have their relationships set right with God. Everyone wins!

The Gentiles and the Jews should work together to set things right.

Before the Gentiles look with distain at these Jews who rejected God, Paul reminds them that God could just as easily remove them from the tree. The Gentiles had nothing to boast over because they were there because of God's Grace and Mercy, too.
This is Paul's message to unchurched people today. Don't hate the church. See it as the Gentiles saw the Jews—God's Old Friend. We can challenge each other to set things right (see chapter 12).

We have nothing to add to God's Righteousness.

The Jews thought they could figure this setting-all-things-right business out on their own. They no longer needed God to help. They were wrong. What they got instead was God's punishment, rejection for a time, and a loss of their exclusive status as God's Chosen People. Do not try to outdo God's Righteousness. There is no way we can be more righteous than God.

The government has a mandate to bring justice to the world.

When we discuss the government and what ways we should obey it, we must read Paul's instructions regarding the Roman Empire. Paul does not want the Christians to either live as hermits and rebel against Rome or go along and worship the emperor as a god. Paul reminds them that the government is only a terror to those who do wrong things, not those who set things right. Then he says something that sounds strange—God gives the government their authority. God gave Rome—a brutal dictatorship who had little to no knowledge of human rights—the right to bring justice to the world. The government has the sole authority to bring justice on criminals. The church should not focus on punishment but on setting things right.

The Gospel in a word is love.

Jesus said the two foundational commandments for the entire law were about love: love God and love your neighbor as yourself. Paul echoes that by stating the Message of Jesus can be summarized in one word: love.

What is your relationship with churched/unchurched people like?

December 9 - Romans 8-10: Nothing Separates God from People Dedicated to Setting Things Right

Today’s Reading: Romans 8-10

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God will have mercy on those He will have mercy on. Our job is to have faith that His Judgment is right.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

We now live in the Spirit of Christ who set things right once and for all. We have an intimate relationship with God as we wait for our Inheritance. Nothing can ever separate us!
Israel does everything backwards. God is the one setting all things right, not them. Those who trust God know the Word is within us already. Israel, on the other hand, has rejected the Word. God then called outsiders to make Israel jealous. The irony is that nobodies were chomping at the bit to obey Him while His Chosen People were too busy to acknowledge their god.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

We live under a law that frees us to live according to the Word written on our hearts.

In the previous chapter (as we divide it) Paul had a terrible problem—the Law of Moses, which God gave, made him sin more because it pointed out the boundary between good and evil. Eventually Paul could only do what he did not want to do. He ended by asking who would save him from that terrible life. The answer came—Jesus! So now we live under the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ. This law does not require us to answer technical, theological questions. This law tries to get us to live according to the Law written on our hearts. This law is also written on the hearts of the Gentiles. Our task is to help them acknowledge it instead of suppressing the truth.
When we focus on technical, theological questions—What is the exact moment we are saved? Who exactly is saved? What are we allowed to do in worship and what is forbidden?—we focus on ourselves. Within each of those questions is a selfish one—Am I saved? Who should I teach to be saved? Am I worshipping correctly? Instead, God wants us to focus on the Inheritance we will receive and become His Ambassadors to the world so they, too, can receive that Inheritance. The technical details are left for God to work out.

The earth will be set right, too.

When Adam sinned, the entire world was placed under a curse. Hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, etc. are all effects from that curse. Death, viruses, and sicknesses come because of the curse. The entire Earth groans as it waits for God to set it right. The Resurrection is not limited to humans. The entire world will be set right when Jesus returns.

The Spirit of God bridges the communication gap between us and God.

Jesus told the Apostles that the Spirit would lead them to understand all truth and give them the words to say when they were on trial. Paul tells the Roman Christians that the Spirit tells God the things which are too deep, too emotional for us to express. If you do not know what to pray because the words will not come, groan. God has provided a way to have our groans translated.

Because God is on our side, nothing can defeat us.

God has Ultimate Authority over the entire world. He has the ability to set everything right. He has set everything to work together to eventually set all things right. When we were unwilling to set things right He sent Jesus to be our Sacrifice so that we could join Him the moment we were willing. So Paul's questions are very important—who could possibly place a wedge between us and God? No one! Even when people try, God forgives us and Jesus sticks up for us. We can never unwillingly be separated from God!

God will never give up on the Israelites.

This is a theme which came up in the prophets. If God would not give up on the people who executed His Son, God will never give up on anyone now. What an awesome God!

People who did not seem interested in God embraced His Way. People who God called to be His Chosen People couldn't care less about His Way.

Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, knows first-hand how the Gentiles openly accepted God's Way through Jesus and the Jews rejected Jesus because the Gentiles accepted Him. Jesus pointed out the irony of Israel when the Roman Centurion confessed faith in Him when the Jews argued with Him on technical, theological questions. Israel thought they could set their relationship with God right by understanding every small detail God put in Scripture. Instead, they missed the point—Jesus! So Paul wants them to remember—God called the Gentiles because His Chosen People, Israel, were unwilling to obey Him.
If Israel's problems were generational, I think this section is applicable to us today. We see people we would never expect to care about God's Way—prisoners—accept God's Direction and set things right. Yet churches who have God's Scripture, a personal relationship with the Creator, and a theoretical community of people dedicated to setting things right for God cannot find people willing to set things right. I believe one of the most important issues churches must address are the people who want to be part of them but do not want to set things right. Eventually we will be exactly like Israel and have God complain:

Day after day after day,
    I beckoned [the church] with open arms,
And got nothing for my trouble
    but cold shoulders and icy stares. (10:21, The Message)

Tomorrow we will read more of why God accepted the Gentiles and what came out of it.

If I could be cursed in exchange for the souls in the church, I would.

You may wonder why, if I have so many critiques of the church—especially the churches of Christ—why am I still here? Why would I try so hard to challenge people who don't seem interested in God to quell their interest in religion? The answer is found within Paul's attitude: I want to stay because I love God's Church and want to see His Chosen People have their relationship set right when we return to being God's Lighthouses to the nations. I know we are the best way for God to set all things right on the earth. I also realize we are not the only way God sets things right on the earth.

Do you believe nothing can ever separate you from God's Love without your permission?

December 8 - Romans 4-7: Abraham's Righteousness and Our Freedom from Sin and the Law

Today’s Reading: Romans 4-7

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Laws increase sin—they don't change our mindset. Righteousness must be brought apart from a law.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Abraham was approved by God before he was circumcised because he trusted God. Anyone can be Abraham's descendants when they risk faith in God—with or without religion.
Adam brought sin and death to the entire world. Jesus took them away. Should we increase grace by sinning? No way! We are dead to sin and alive to God. Make Him your new Master.
The Law served a purpose but sin used it to enslave us more. This prison makes me do what I desperately do not want to do. Can no one save me? Jesus can—and does!

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Abraham was considered righteous before he was circumcised.

To further illustrate his previous assertion that those who set things right are acceptable to God regardless of their possession of the Law, Paul speaks of Abraham's circumcision. Prior to Abraham being circumcised, he was considered righteous. God's Grace covered him before he was circumcised.
Why is this important? For centuries people have claimed that baptism is a pseudo-magical act that forces God to take away our sins. There are also people who have claimed that saying a prayer has the magical ability to take away sins. The truth is that neither of these is true. Just as Abraham had his relationship set right with God before circumcision we, too, have our relationship set right when we trust in Him to set things right in our lives. There is no prayer or act that can replace that trust. Our problem is that we want to focus on the exact moment we are saved. Paul would suggest that is the wrong question. God's Grace covers us at an undisclosed time—and only He knows it. If a person is stressed over whether they are saved or not, baptism seals the relationship like a marriage ceremony. A bride and groom enter knowing they are already in a committed relationship—even if they have never met. They walk away unified in marriage but not really changed. No one enters a building single and unexpectedly winds up in a committed, married relationship. Marriages with short courtships (aside from arranged marriages) often do not work because they quickly went to the ceremony without going through the mindset shift. Unfortunately, many churches expect this to happen. We want people to walk into church with no faith in God do the magical act of baptism that saves them. Then we wonder why these people cannot last as God's Chosen People. The reason is simple—we stressed the ceremony without the prior mindset shift! Because God wants the relationship change instead of the religious act, anyone in the world can have that relationship with Him, even those outside His "religion". They, too, are spiritual descendents of Abraham.

Jesus' sacrifice gave us freedom from both sin and the Law of Moses.

Sin makes us slaves to it. Jesus came and set us free from sin. The Law makes us know the boundaries of right and wrong. The problem is that it centers our focus on the fence and we wonder what is beyond it until we jump over. That makes us feel worse since we feel awful for jumping the fence and can't figure out how to get back across. Jesus set us free from the Law's grip on our life, too. We now live in freedom! No boundaries to trip on. No fences to obsess over. Only a Light to guide our way.
Christians today have narrowed this freedom to the point we have rules stacked on top of rules (consider the many rules regarding the first day of the week). The rules, like the Law of Moses, are not evil in themselves, but they lead us to be enslaved to sin faster than if we did not have them. People in the world do not have those restrictions. We should not restrict them through our traditions in order for them to have freedom in Christ! Jesus set us free from the grip of our traditions, too!

Our freedom from sin and law does not make us sin more or live any ole way we want.

The obvious objection most Christians have to the two previous points above is that if you remove the law of traditions and focus on God's Grace then people will live any way they want and no one will set things right. The objection is valid and is as old as the church itself. Paul would suggest, to return to the marriage metaphor, that a couple lives a unified life not because they are forced to by law or by threat of the community. They live unified because life goes better when they live as one. Their relationship works better when they live as one. Their outside relationships work better when they live as one. When we live as one with God, life is better. It is this promise that makes people trust in God, not the threat of punishment.

Do you use your freedom to set things right?

December 7 - Acts 20:1-3; Romans 1-3: Jews and Gentiles Always Shared the Same Fate

Today’s Reading: Acts 20:1-3; Romans 1-3

The Message

English Standard Version

Today's reading includes three verses from Acts. I am going to skip them in the summary, since they only tell us that Paul continued travelling while his Jewish opposition followed him.

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Circumcision did not automatically make the Jews acceptable to God. They had to set things right to gain the benefits of being God's Chosen People. Non-circumcision did not automatically make the Gentiles unacceptable to God. They could set things right and be acceptable, too.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Paul to the believers in Rome:
The Prophets spoke of Jesus through whom we receive Life and attempt to spread it to others. Greetings! I want to preach the Message to you soon.
Everyone saw the Truth but chose to ignore it. God allowed them to spiral downward. Someday God's Judgment will come down on you, too, hypocrites!
God blesses and punishes based on actions, not mental understanding. Religion cannot save you; only a changed heart can. God entrusted His Scriptures to His Chosen People.
Only God, the god of everyone, through Jesus sets things right. Chosen People shouldn't boast.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Everyone knows God.

We do not need to tell the world that God exists. Everyone knows there was a Creator because the evidence is so plain. It was "woven into the very fabric of our creation" (2:15, The Message).

The problem is people do not acknowledge God as god.

If everyone knows God why is there such evil in the world? Because people suppress the Truth. When we cover up the Truth we eventually can't recognize it and fall for another truth. In this case it was worshiping the created instead of the creator. In addition, they allowed their willful ignorance of God to cloud their judgment to the point they became "inventors" of evil. God will allow the world to do evil because He will only be served voluntarily.

The Jews thought God was too nice to punish them.

Romans is written in a Gentile vs. Jew format at times. The first chapter (as we split it up) mentioned the Gentiles' wrongdoings. Then Paul rhetorically turns to the Jews and states (I paraphrase), "What are you looking at? You do the same thing. Do you think having a copy of the Torah in your synagogue will prevent God from punishing you? You're wrong—dead wrong." The Jews would not receive preferential treatment just because they were born the descendent of Abraham. God wanted them to set things right.
I find that the Jew-Gentile relationship is very similar to the churched-unchurched relationship today. Churches love to talk about how the culture is becoming more and more evil every year. They love talking about marriages that end in divorce, families that break up, and young people who do bad things. Yet what do we see in churches today? Marriages that end in divorce, families that break up, and young people doing bad things. If we want God to bless us, we must obey Him no matter if we are part of God's Chosen People or not.

God wants cut hearts, not cut foreskins.

Paul's discussion troubles many Christians. In fact, we are often so excited to get to chapter three (no one is righteous) that we gloss over Paul's explanation that those who set things right are acceptable to God, no matter if they have been physically circumcised or not. The cut foreskin was meant to help Abraham remember that God had a Promise with him. His descendants were circumcised to join in that Promise. There was nothing magical about circumcision that prevented God from seeing Abraham's or his descendants' sins. They did not get a pass while the Gentiles were punished for being born Gentile. Anyone who sinned would be punished—no matter if they were circumcised or not. Anyone who set things right would be accepted—no matter if they were circumcised or not.
Is it still true for today? Absolutely! Why do we expect God to now accept only those who are baptized? Remember, everyone still knows God and has no excuse for doing evil. It's still true—God accepts anyone who sets things right, no matter if they have been baptized or not! There is nothing magical about baptism that forces God to reject us before and accept us after.

God gave His Word to His Chosen People.

Then why would anyone want to become a Christian, you may ask. Why not just be a good person? The answer is simple,

So what difference does it make who’s a [Chosen Person] and who isn’t, who has been trained in God’s ways and who hasn’t? As it turns out, it makes a lot of difference—but not the difference so many have assumed.
First, there’s the matter of being put in charge of writing down and caring for God’s revelation, these Holy Scriptures. (3:1-2, The Message)

Christians are God's Ambassadors to the world. We have a personal relationship with the Creator. We know His Name. We are called to tear down barriers between God and the world. We have the assurance that God is with us always. Just like the Jews, we assume the benefits are salvation, community, and wonderful potlucks. We have assumed wrong. The benefits are far greater! Our task is not to sit back and complain about the world becoming more and more wicked or unequal. We are to actively break down the barriers between our neighbors and God by showing them God's Scripture—both in word and deed.

God used Israel's faithlessness to set things right.

This will come up in a couple of days, so I will tease it here and write more on it then.

Jesus died on the cross to set things right between Him and an entire world unwilling to set things right.

We love to take these verses and state that Paul means no one, absolutely no one, does what is right. If this is true, chapter two is wasted papyrus. Paul wants the Jews to realize they were no better than the Gentiles. God accepted them when they set things right, not just because they were His Chosen People. But in the end Paul reminds us that there is no group of people who set things right. Individuals? Maybe. Groups? No. The point is moot anyway because God set things right for the entire world. We can live with God, not because of our actions but because of God's. We don't boast because we are God's Chosen People. We boast because our god is God.

Do you think baptism is magical?

December 6 - 2 Corinthians 10-13: Paul Defends His Authority and Ministry

Today’s Reading: 2 Corinthians 10-13

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Paul boasts of his impressive résumé and calls it the ranting of a raving lunatic.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

We use God's Tools to tear down barriers and building new, healthy habits. I don't change. I am equally as harsh—as you will soon learn.
Let me present my credentials. I am both a sterling example of a Jew and a Christian with battle scars. I was even given a handicap to keep me humble.
Look at me blather on like an idiot!
I fear our frustrations will prevent us from working the next time I visit. Test yourself—make sure Christ is in you.
Continue setting things right. Everyone here greets you.
May Christ's Grace be with you.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Paul must defend his ministry.

Of all the books we have read so far, 2 Corinthians is by far the most personal. Today's reading has little to do with systematic theology—the process of organizing all religious truths—and more to do with Paul trying to mend his relationship with a congregation that is being torn apart by people denying his authority. It is very personal, emotional, and makes Paul look vulnerable. Scripture is not a disorganized jumble of propositional truths. These are letters from writers to people they love dearly. It is a shame that 2 Corinthians is ignored as much as it is.

God gives His Chosen People tools to tear down barriers between Him and everyone else.

God does not want us to become great marketers, convincing people to do things they do not want to do. God does not want us to manipulate others with promises of treats or threats of punishment. God wants us to shine His Light into the Darkness, tearing down walls and mirroring His Love to people blocked by sin. We help people build lives of integrity. We set things right. That is our goal.

Boasting of your background means nothing to people setting things right.

I love how Paul preemptively apologizes for sounding like a crazy person when he boasts about his impressive résumé. We will understand why including these self-deflating barbs was important to Paul as we read more of his letters. In reality, your background and certificates mean little to God. All God cares is if you love Him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and love your neighbor as yourself. Do not judge a teacher based on the person's curriculum vitae. Investigate their teachings.
For me, Paul reminds me of myself. Although my résumé is nowhere near as impressive as his, I am blessed more than many in this world. Yet when it comes to setting things right, I cannot allow my background to lull me into slumber. I must set things right to be acceptable to God.

We should be willing to have our congregations test to make sure we are still in Christ.

This is a theme Paul will continue in the books ahead. Christianity is not a personal religion only between you and God. We are to submit to each other—and one way to do that is by allowing our brothers and sisters to test to make sure we have tangible evidence that Jesus is in us. By testing each other we are able to keep each other from going off the deep end.

Do you use God's Tools to tear down barriers or make a more comfortable place for you to lounge around in?

December 5 - 2 Corinthians 5-9: Ambassadors for Christ Even in Times of Persecution

Today’s Reading: 2 Corinthians 5-9

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

We are Ambassadors for Christ helping prepare others for the Resurrection.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Someday we will have God-made bodies. We work to prepare people for that day.
One Man died to set everyone's relationships with God right. We represent Christ by calling people into a reconciled relationship.
People watch what we do in bad times. Don't partner with people who reject God. Be God's Temple—holy inside and out.
I am glad my letter helped with your purity. You impressed Titus.
The Macedonian Christians want to help poor Christians. We hope you will follow suit. Be ready with the contribution. Remember, blessings breed blessings. It helps physically and spiritually with gratitude all around.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

We are Ambassadors for Jesus—the one who set all of our relationships with God right.

God sent Jesus to be the sacrifice which would set all of our relationships right. As God's Chosen People, we are His ambassadors to the world, calling them to set their relationships with God right. Being God's Ambassadors is not a new job for God's Chosen People. God wanted Israel to be lighthouses to the nations from the time He called Abraham. The reason is simple—one day, everyone will face God and answer for their actions. We help prepare people for that day. If we want bodies that will never decay we must prepare to be with the one who makes them.

The way we reach our goal as God's Chosen People is to live holy lives even in bad times.

Paul wants the Christians in Corinth to realize people in the world look at God's Chosen People when bad things happen to them. To be honest, this is the time when they learn how we really act. Anyone can be for God when it's beneficial. Only true Disciples of Jesus stay with Him when times get rough. Holy living requires staying with God even when it doesn't pay.

Don't partner with people in the darkness—even when it may help prevent persecution.

It is interesting that this comes directly after Paul tells them that the world wants to see what God's Chosen People will do in times of persecution. It is very tempting to work out a deal for peace. Paul says we do not need a peace deal because God lives among us. Don't partner with people who are not committed to God setting all things right. They will corrupt you.

Paul's previous letter (assuming its 1 Corinthians) worked—the church changed.

The church in Corinth had a lot of problems. As I wrote earlier, they had more issues than Time magazine. It was very difficult reading through the book because I could see myself and the church—local and worldwide—within each of his critiques. Today's reading gives us wonderful news—the letter worked! The Corinthians took Paul's challenges and made changes to their lives. Change can happen if we trust God and His Chosen Messengers!

When God's Chosen People help poor Christians they help far more than physical issues.

It is today's reading which explains why I wished more people spoke of helping the poor individually instead of through donations to institutions or by taxes and government programs. When God's Chosen People give to others, they know God is their Provider and give thanks to Him. The person giving learns how to be God-like. Gratitude comes from both directions—the givers because God blessed them with enough to live and give and the receivers because God supplied what they needed. This is why Paul ends with extravagant praise: "No language can praise it enough!" (9:15, The Message).

Are you an Ambassador for Christ?

December 4 - 2 Corinthians 1-4: Choosing Between Suffering and Watering-Down the Message

Today’s Reading: 2 Corinthians 1-4

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

The worst thing your enemies can do to you is make you ready for the Resurrection.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Paul to the congregation in Corinth and Achaia.
Our suffering strengthens you which, in turn, strengthens us. Our darkest hour is God's shining moment.
It is better I stay away. Forgive the one who caused the pain. No more guilt.
We have a great responsibility but we preach the entire Message. Your existence validates our work.
The Jews couldn't see God's Light in the Law but Jesus removed the veil. Now we join His Light-Life.
Don't let hard times get you down. Their eyes are blind. We are persecuted but God is by our side. We'll never give up!

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God comforts His Chosen People as they suffer—sometimes by bringing people to suffer alongside.

God will never abandon you. You are never alone. Sometimes, though, it is better to have someone with you as you suffer through the worst. If we endure, God will bring all suffering to an end and you will rejoice with those who suffer with you.

Paul is rebuilding a strained relationship.

Yesterday, from the end of 1 Corinthians, I mentioned how these letters are not statements of doctrines but personal letters from one person to a group he deeply loves. Today's reading carries that mindset into the main body of the letter. Paul wants them to know he wanted to visit them but could not because of the awkward feelings it would bring up. He would rather have peace and write a letter than show up and cause problems. Then Paul asks for forgiveness for the one who caused him pain. I love the personal nature of these letters.

We cannot set things right by "pouring on the guilt" (2:7, The Message).

People will not set things right when they are threatened with guilt. Instead, we should pour on the love, helping them set things right. Remember, Jesus did not come into the world to condemn the world. He came to save us.

Paul cares for the health of the congregation not punishing sinners.

No one is certain if Paul is referencing the same person from the previous letter we read. If he is, then the method of removing him from his community worked. This removal was meant to help the man understand how he needed to change and to prevent him from influencing the congregation to do bad things. Removing fellowship is meant to help the person understand the gravity of their actions and the congregation not fall into the same temptations. It seems the Corinthian congregation forgot the second part and when he repented they did not want to let him back in.

Even through adversity, Paul would not take credit for his work.

The Jews were unwilling to listen about Jesus. They wanted to keep the Law of Moses as their ceremonial law, even if they did not want to follow it. Paul received a lot of persecution because of his teachings. Instead of shrinking away or taking the credit for the large numbers of converts, Paul stood firm and gave God the credit for all he did. God's Chosen People neither back down from His Message nor take credit for God setting all things right.

Do you water down the Message so more people will listen?

December 3 - 1 Corinthians 15-16: Resurrection is the Only Thing Worth Dying For

Today’s Reading: 1 Corinthians 15-16

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Paul is determined not to let God's Grace go to waste on him.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

The Message is that Jesus died and was raised from the dead. All my accomplishments are God working through me.
Why do you deny resurrection, negating everything we have taught? Jesus completed the circle—everyone dies because of Adam and lives because of Christ. This is why we continue working. Get this right!
The "blueprint" of resurrection is like seeds vs. plants. We'll be changed when Christ comes again. Sin, guilt, and death will be gone forever!
Have the contribution for Jerusalem ready when I arrive.
Let's have a long visit.
Take care of Timothy.
Apollos will come.
Keep strong!

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

The Resurrection is the only doctrine worth defending to the death.

Paul unwaveringly pushes this thought over and over. The reason is simple—the Resurrection is the only idea where its negation makes everything we do useless. If we die and never return then setting things right is pointless. There is no need to sacrifice. There is no need to love your neighbor as yourself. Unless we are brought back to life, Christianity means nothing.

Paul is determined to make the most of his second chance.

Passages like these exemplify why I love the Apostle Paul so much. He realized that he made horrible, terrible decisions but God called him anyway. Paul is determined not to let God's choice go to waste! Don't let God's Grace go to waste! Set things right!

There is no blueprint to what our bodies will look like when we are raised from the dead.

Just like a plant looks completely different than the seed our resurrected bodies will look completely different than our current ones. If you want to know what it will look like, tough. We'll never know until it happens.

Jesus breaks the life-death cycle.

Jesus lived and died. Then He lived again to never die. Everyone on earth will one day die, too. But we will all live again to never die. Adam caused everyone to die because of his sin; Jesus set things right by sacrificing Himself to take away the power of death. How awesome is our god!

These are letters, not doctrinal statements.

This is the first letter with a long section dealing with Paul and the church's individuals. The items included are interesting but not necessarily exciting for us (I like how he takes a swipe at Apollos by saying he's waiting for the "right time" and Paul is about to give him that right time—at least he is in my head) but they show how these are personal letters from one man to a group of people he loved dearly. God didn't use dry legal documents to help us understand His Message. He gave us letters from one person to another he loved dearly.
I remember going to Paul's Prison Epistles class (Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians) taught by Terry Edwards at Freed-Hardeman University. Growing up in Greece and Turkey as the child of a missionary family, he could lead tours through the Bible lands without help from guides. I remember him coming to class and stating, "(name of the city we were studying). Love to take you there, but we don't have the time." He would then expound on how each of the phrases Paul uses corresponded to something they either saw, experienced, or understood. He helped me see that these are not statements that we need to piece together to create one, whole systematic theology. These were letters from a man who started or grew these churches trying to help them continue growing in God's Truth. It is because of Dr. Edwards' teaching style that I am where I am today.

He is risen!

December 2 - 1 Corinthians 12-14: Sharing Gifts in Love and in Orderly Ways

Today’s Reading: 1 Corinthians 12-14

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Spiritual gifts mean nothing without love.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

How God works is often misunderstood. God wants us to use our intelligence and understanding. God gives different gifts from the same Spirit. Everyone plays different but important roles in setting all things right, like a body.
The best way is love. Love never dies. Spiritual gifts will end but love will never end. Love is the best.
Praise God in a language others understand. Pray in your own language when someone can interpret so everyone can join in. Better five words that everyone understands than 10,000 gibberish sounds. God doesn't sow confusion, He sows harmony. Be courteous and considerate.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God gives different gifts to different people.

God made each person unique. They have the opportunity to set things right in their unique way. We compliment each others' gifts which covers each weak part, if we are willing to be humble and work with them.

No gift is more important than another.

Paul wants to make sure they realize an apostle is no better than an encourager. A teacher is not better than someone who can interpret languages. The body imagery used helps us understand those who work behind the scenes are often more essential than ones everyone can see, just like the stomach is more essential than an arm. No one can tell another to submit to them because their gift is inferior.

Any gift without love is useless.

No matter what a person does in God's Name, no matter how amazing it may look, and no matter what great truths a person may show the world, it is naught if they do not have love. The description of love challenges us to make sure what we are doing for God has its full force.

The gift of languages is meant to help others understand the Message.

There is a lot of debate over what the gift of languages is. Some believe it is the ability to learn spoken languages quickly. Others think it is the ability to speak unintelligible tongues which only you and God understand. Either way, what is important is that God does not give gifts for sideshow entertainment. God wants the person who can speak a different language to stay off on the side until another can translate for them. The most important part of the gathering is strengthening each other. We cannot do that if we speak languages the people around us can't understand. Outsiders will get confused and think the group is strange. That is why Paul states that five words everyone understands are better than 10,000 that no one understands. The message is the goal, not the impressive language.

Corporate meetings should be in order—but everyone should participate.

One of the problems I believe we have is the professionalization of life to the point we pick and choose who should add to the group meeting based on training and position. The suggestion that everyone should join in runs a shudder up the spine of every worship leader. I think we struggle with this suggestion because we have become so used to large gatherings that if everyone added something we would never finish. It may be that our gatherings have become too large and polished that we cannot follow this. We may want to scale down and have more small groups where everyone participates than large gatherings where one person feeds an audience who has no skin in the game.

Faith, hope, and love sustain us toward God's Kingdom. The greatest is love.

December 1 - 1 Corinthians 9-11: Paul on Paying Workers, Holiness, Authority in Marriage, and the Lord's Supper

Today’s Reading: 1 Corinthians 9-11

The Message

English Standard Version

Congratulations! You have made it 11 months through the Bible in a year (or two months through the New Testament)! Only one month to go! You can do it!

Thought to Guide Your Reading

The Corinthian church had more issues than Time magazine.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

God's Workers should be supported. Barnabas and I gave up our rights but that does not mean others should, too.
I meet people in their lifestyles so I might help them set things right.
Run as to win the spiritual race. God will help through any temptation and does not put up with cheating partners, like our ancestors.
Don't let freedom lead you to lethargy. Do everything to God's Glory and be considerate.
In marriages, each must respect authority—both males and females came from each other.
The Lord's Supper is meant to unify. Wait for each other before eating.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

A person is worthy of support when they work for God.

Paul wants the Corinthians to realize that they have an obligation to help people dedicating their lives to setting things right in God's Name. God does not want slaves who never benefit from their work. To an extent, this is a major reason communism failed or is failing. Farmers will not stand to let their family starve while others benefit from their work. They either sell their produce on the black market or rebel. A person who does not financially benefit from teaching God's Message will not stand to have their family starve while others benefit from their work. They will either go to a different type of work or rebel. Pay those who dedicate their lives to setting things right in God's Name. Paul's reason for going on his own was to make sure they did not take possession of his message or use his authority to cause divisions. Not everyone needs to take that precaution.

God helps people through all temptations if we allow Him to help.

This verse is very difficult to swallow. In the midst of temptation it seems we have no other course than to sin. God wants us to remember that He provides an escape, though that escape may not be painless. God will not tolerate double-minded people—see the many examples during the time of the Israelites. We must rely on God to get us through temptations because He wants us to be wholly for Him. We are unified in Him and He is patiently waiting for us to live His Way.

Our freedom in Christ is not meant to make us lethargic to setting things right.

Paul doesn't want the Corinthians walking through life scared they are going to do something wrong or trying to find problems with everyone else's actions. As long as a person can't question your loyalty to God through your intentional actions, all things are permissible. Again, this is not about theoretical worship of idols, it's about known worship of idols. You might say that God is willing to meet us halfway—few things will break our relationship, but we must make sure we stay away from them.
Paul set aside his freedom to help Jews set their relationship with God right. He became subject to the Law of Moses so that they would not find fault with his teaching. It makes him a greater role model for us.

Husbands have authority, not priority.

Of all things Paul writes on, his discussion of women and men in marriage clashes with American culture the most. Americans want radical equality in everything. Although it may sound good, everyone knows there is no such thing as complete equality. Politicians have authority over citizens. Company presidents and boards of directors have authority over workers. Neither have complete power because citizens can vote politicians out (at least, in theory) and workers can go on strike and force changes. Homes and churches, therefore, are never a fully-flat authority setting. Paul will have more to say about this in future readings, but in this one he wants to make sure wives honor their husbands. Women should honor men because Eve was created from Adam. Men should not lord over women because women give birth to men. All of the bad examples of men lording over women in our past do not negate Paul's suggestions. In the end we all submit to God, yes, but women should still submit to men.
Does that mean women have no voice? I believe that is a misconception that both sides get wrong. To say men have authority does not negate a woman's voice. Women should have a voice—even in Corinth they were praying and prophesying in public—but that does not mean they should have equal authority to men. Politicians and company presidents can listen and let citizens and workers make decisions, but the decision comes through the leader. Men should—I would even say must—listen to women and allow them to have input on decisions. But if we would not want husbands to consider themselves equal to Jesus, wives should not consider themselves equal to their husbands.
What does that look like? I believe every community should make that decision. There is no hard-and-fast rule to go by. Even Paul's suggestion of head coverings was not meant to be a one-size-fits-all solution. If we remember the above discussion, all things are allowed but not everything is helpful.

The Lord's Supper is meant to unify the congregation to God and each other.

Paul has harsh things to say about their observance of the Lord's Supper. The problem is simple—they don't wait for each other. Some get there early, eat all the food, and leave nothing to share. That does not build the unity that God meant when He gave us the loaf. They need to wait until everyone is there because then they will be unified. Those who can't wait should go home, have a snack, and return. Don't eat God's Meal without everyone present because it is meant to unify us to God and each other.
How does this challenge us today? Use the Lord's Supper to unify the members of a congregation, not separate them. I am amazed at this passage being interpreted that we need to sit quietly by ourselves and think hard on our lives. How does that unify? Our quick, silent ceremony should be just the opposite—a long conversation over a meal where we examine ourselves through intimate discussion with a small group. Then it can call us to unify with God and those around us.

Are you ready to call me a heretic yet?