Holding Accountable

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 5:9-13

"I wrote you in my earlier letter that you shouldn't make yourselves at home among the sexually promiscuous. I didn't mean that you should have nothing at all to do with outsiders of that sort. Or with crooks, whether blue or white-collar. Or with spiritual phonies, for that matter. You'd have to leave the world entirely to do that! But I am saying that you shouldn't act as if everything is just fine when a friend who claims to be a Christian is promiscuous or crooked, is flip with God or rude to friends, gets drunk or becomes greedy and predatory. You can't just go along with this, treating it as acceptable behavior. I'm not responsible for what the outsiders do, but don't we have some responsibility for those within our community of believers? God decides on the outsiders, but we need to decide when our brothers and sisters are out of line and, if necessary, clean house."

Observation:

In this scripture, the reader can tell that there are things going on in the church of Corinth that Paul feels the need to address. Earlier in this chapter, he writes, "I also received a report of scandalous sex within your church family, a kind that wouldn't be tolerated even outside the church: One of your men is sleeping with his stepmother. And you're so above it all that it doesn't even faze you! Shouldn't this break your hearts? Shouldn't it bring you to your knees in tears? Shouldn't this person and his conduct be confronted and dealt with?" Paul is calling for the church to hold this person accountable for his actions. He is telling the church not to go along with the wrong behavior of others nor to look the other way. We have some responsibility for those inside our community of believers.

Application:

Last night at our small group, we got into a great discussion about holding and being held accountable. As Christians we need each other and Christianity is not made to do alone. Part of the caring and loving one another is holding each other accountable for Christian living, our spiritual growth, our personal lives and how we treat one another. I believe it is vital that we do that. Even within our District, our Superintendent has required his pastors to be in accountability covenant groups. Groups where you can share, care, and walk through life with one another. Life is tough and full of temptations and stumbling blocks. It gets even harder when tried to accomplish alone. Everyone needs someone or a group of people who love them and care for them enough to "call them on the carpet."

Prayer:

Dear Lord, we all need to be held accountable for our actions, our growth, the way we treat others including our families, friends, and all our brothers and sisters. And yet while this accountability is so important in our growth, it is often the most neglected part of our lives. There is a part of us that doesn't want to be held accountable. After all, who else knows the situation better than me? However, that is where we can get into so much trouble so quickly. Lord, help to lower the walls of pride around our life so that we may invite the loving guidance from our Christian brothers and sisters. Amen

There are NO If's Among Believers

Scripture:

Mark 9: 16-27 "Ever since he was a little boy. Many times it pitches him into fire or the river to do away with him. If you can do anything, do it. Have a heart and help us!" 23 Jesus said, "If? There are no 'ifs' among believers. Anything can happen." 24No sooner were the words out of his mouth than the father cried, "Then I believe. Help me with my doubts!"

Observation:

Jesus has come across the father of a boy who is possessed by an evil spirit. A distraught father who is willing to try anything because this demon is trying to kill his son. The love of a father is very evident in this Scripture and yet he is helpless. He has obviously been done some alternative paths which have not worked and one can only imagine how hopeless he must be getting. The he runs across Jesus and he ask, "If you can do anything, do it." Then Christ answered, "There are no ifs among believers. Anything can happen." "Then I believe, Help me with my doubts!"

Application:

We serve a most awesome God. One who created everything, who has proved His greatness time and time again to humanity. There is nothing that our God cannot accomplish and yet we still need help with our doubts. We walk around asking "If our Lord can do anything." and that is not the question. Of course our God can do something...All things are possible through Christ. As believers, we should have a confidence in the abilities of God and a confidence in his power.

Prayer:

Almighty God, when things are going bad, we tend to look to ourselves. Sometimes they work out and often times they don't. We want to put our trust in ourselves and not in you. Lord, You are the one with the answers, with the hope, with our future. Help us to always remember with the confidence as children of the most high God that there is nothing that you can't handle. We will give you the glory, honor and praise. Amen.

"Do you still not get it?"

Scripture: Mark 8:16-21

Meanwhile, the disciples were finding fault with each other because they had forgotten to bring bread. Jesus overheard and said, "Why are you fussing because you forgot bread? Don't you see the point of all this? Don't you get it at all? Remember the five loaves I broke for the five thousand? How many baskets of leftovers did you pick up?" They said, "Twelve." "And the seven loaves for the four thousand—how many bags full of leftovers did you get?" "Seven."He said, "Do you still not get it?"

Observation:

The disciples had by this time seen some incredible stuff as the traveled with, ate with, and ministered with Jesus. They had not only seen him feed 4000 people with just seven loaves of bread, they had also seen him feed 5000 with just a couple fish and some bread and have abundently more than they started with left over. Yet, here when they realize someone forgot to pack the bread, they were quick to lay the blame and and worry about where their next meal was coming from. How quickly they forgot who they were traveling with. Jesus Christ himself. They had no reason to worry nor to bicker and yet this is what we see happening.

Application:

How often does this happen in our own lives? How many miracles have we seen with our own eyes and yet we forget or get distracted by the things of this world and lose sight of who we serve? Way too many. So, how am I going to apply this scripture to my life? I'm going to make a concerted effort to not stress over the little things in life. Those times when someone forgets to bring the bread and remembering that the Lord I serve is the great provider.

Prayer:

Almightly God, you have done so much for me and I continue to see your blessings and miracles everywhere I look. Yet, I so often lose focus and in those times of need, confusion, and despair I forget how great You really are. I become self dependent and crowd you out of the picture when I should be opening my lens and taking you in. Lord help me to do just that. I love you lord. I Christ, Amen.

The Greatest is Love

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13: 3-7
Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head,
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.

Observation: The selflessness of love is very evident in this passage. We find here a truly selfless illustration in which the emphasis is taken off of me and placed elsewhere. Can we love the way that scripture leads without putting self aside. No.

Application: Putting others first, ahead of oneself is extremely difficult. It is probably the hardest thing to do because we are such "me first" people. It takes a concisience effort to put aside oneself. It is not natural and so we must make a decision to do just that. How am I going to apply this scripture to my life? By making choices which demonstrate love, by putting others first.

Prayer: Almighty God, you have called us to love in the way that you have demonstrated for us through your Son. Yet, we as humans have such a hard and difficult time doing that. I ask for your strength to love in ways that make no sense according to worldly standards but bring you honor and glory. Amen

Paul Gets Fed Up

Scripture: Acts 18: 5-6When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was able to give all his time to preaching and teaching, doing everything he could to persuade the Jews that Jesus was in fact God's Messiah. But no such luck. All they did was argue contentiously and contradict him at every turn. Totally exasperated, Paul had finally had it with them and gave it up as a bad job. "Have it your way, then," he said. "You've made your bed; now lie in it. From now on I'm spending my time with the other nations.

One night the Master spoke to Paul in a dream: "Keep it up, and don't let anyone intimidate or silence you. No matter what happens, I'm with you and no one is going to be able to hurt you. You have no idea how many people I have on my side in this city." That was all he needed to stick it out. He stayed another year and a half, faithfully teaching the Word of God to the Corinthians.

Observation: Even Paul gets a little fed up. It seems that he is doing all he can to spread the Gospel and it's not working out for him too well. It get's to the point where scripture say that Paul is totally exasperated. Oh, how many times as a preacher do I get like this. It seems that nothing is going the way that I think it should. I think Paul had reached this point and then God appeared to him in a dream and gave him a little pep talk. What do we learn from God's pep talk... several things. 1. Paul was being intimidated and attempts were made to silence him. This is not comfortable living. 2. God has Pauls back. "I'm with you" are the greatest words that God ever tells his people. 3. We don't know all the work that God is doing. All we see is what is in front of our face and not in the hearts of all the people that God is working with.

Application: There are times when I believe that I am the only one out there spreading the Gospel. Sounds stupid and conceted, I know. I try and do it all myself and not allow God to work. When all I see is what I have done..I get "totally exasperated." I forget that it's not me in charge. I'm just a servant and the greatest work is being done by the Master. Work that I don't see, realize nor get credit for. As I try to apply this scripture, I am going to focus on what God is doing and not as much on what I am doing.

Prayer: Dear God, I thank you and praise you for the work that you have called me to. You have chosen me to be among those who have gone before in the spreading of your Gospel. I thank you for this honor and ask that you continually use me in mighty ways. Ways that are beyond my imagination. Thanks Amen.