First Importance!

We’re going to look at the chapter of I Corinthians 15 over the next several days.

What is it that we’re supposed to believe, as Christians?  We’re told in the beginning of the chapter.

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance^[: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

There was a time in my life when everything, every theology, every foundation on which I stood, crumbled.  And I found myself wondering what I really believed and what was really important.  In fact, I remember Jesus asking me if he was enough.

It is basic truth that we as Christians must receive and believe that Christ died for our sins (that means admitting we are sinners and in need of a savior), that he was buried (accepting the great sacrifice he made to cleanse us from all sin), and that he was raised (believing in the hope of life eternal with him.)

It is that basic truth that will sustain us through all of life’s ups and downs. 

When we fail miserably, when our own efforts are not enough, we remember that Christ took all of our shame and washed it away with his blood.

When we feel hopeless, without purpose, and alone, we can take refuge in the truth that the King of Kings died for us so that we might live with him, never alone, and always with a good purpose for a good life.

When we grow weary in this world and all that living here entails, we can rest in the fact that this world will pass away, but we will live and reign forever with him in eternal security, peace, joy and love.

Think on this passage today and the “first importance” of believing all that Christ did and gave for us.

But You...

Jude says this, These people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.

Jude then says this, But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

Here we find a contrast.

There are those who grumble, find fault, have evil desires, boast about themselves, and flatter others – all to their own advantage.

We are told to be found among those who build ourselves in faith, pray in the Spirit, keep ourselves in God’s love, and wait for his mercy.

It’s an easy downhill slide to a slimy pit if we start grumbling and giving in to our own desires for gain.

It takes exercise and making good choices in order to “build ourselves” – in other words bulk up – in our faith.  And it takes being among others who do the same, and encourage us in God’s love.

It’s important what company we keep, and who we follow, and where we walk.

I hope to be found in God’s love, wallowing in it, sharing it, and rejoicing in it.

Arrogant Schemes

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

I love that the Bible isn’t just a list of “do not…” but when we are told to not do something, we are given something much better to do!  Children want to do things, so telling them “don’t” is so much more effective if we give them something to “do.”

This passage warns against boasting about our plans for the future to “carry on” and “make money.” Boasting about this sort of thing implies that we’ve got it all figured out, we want others to see our success, and we quite delight in watching others envy us.  We not to boast in our own “arrogant schemes,” especially if those schemes involve wrongdoing in order to achieve our goals.

But we “ought to say” something else.

We ought to say that our future belongs to the Lord, his will, his purposes, and our humble heart that submits to this will.

Planning for our future isn’t evil.  But planning a future that excludes the Lord is.  In fact, it’s sin.

Go ahead and plan, but submit your plans to the master architect and make adjustments, listen to his directives, and build accordingly. 

Empty Words

II Peter says,  For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error.  They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.”

These past few days of devos have included very serious, stern words against boasting in our own selves, our own accomplishments, and our own plans.

In this passage, the boasting talked about is empty, appealing to lustful desires, and enticing.  In fact, the boasting here lures other unsuspecting individuals in, because of false promises.

I suppose many will think of politicians here, because it sounds like the way many are described.  But not only politicians use empty words.

Look at the last part of the passage, where we read that we are slaves to whatever masters us. 

If greed and lust of money and things masters our thoughts and actions, greed will rule us, and we will attract others who are looking for a handout.

If power and fame masters our outlook and job choices and decisions in the workplace (or even at church), that ill-gotten power will rule over us and be the sure death of us.

It’s important that what we boast about directs others to His love, not our ways and directives.  It’s one thing for our boasting to hurt ourselves, but it’s quite another if it lures others into the same pit into which we fall.

Remember to boast in the Lord  and his goodness, faithfulness, and righteousness. 

Who is Wise?

James 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.  But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.

I want to be wise.  Do you?  I admire the humble.  Do you? 

We want to be around wise people, because they make excellent decisions based on faith, not on whims.  Humble people are attractive because they draw no attention to themselves or what they do, because they don’t boast aloud to others about how much they give or how hard they work.

But read further. 

This verse says if we have bitter envy and selfish ambition, this too should NOT be boasted about.  In fact, that sort of boasting is “demonic.”

These last few verses on boasting are quite sobering.

Pay attention to the word “harbor.”

There are going to be times when we are not wise and we find ourselves boasting in things that are not good.  But we can quickly turn from that and redirect our boasting to God, if we are careful not to “harbor” (give a place of shelter to) or nurse those unwise feelings and thoughts.

Whatever we nurse, attend to, and give shelter to in our hearts and minds is that which will rise to be our demise…or our success.

Let’s make sure we harbor humility and leave all boasting that we do, to be boasting and exalting in Him.

A Small Part

James 3 says, Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.  The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

I’ve heard this verse quoted many times, but it seems the focus on the tongue wagging was that of gossiping.  But this verse says the tongue makes “great boasts.”  And what follows that boasting is catastrophic – a great forest is set on fire!

In fact, the tongue is a fire, a “word of evil” among the parts of our body because an entire body can be destroyed by it, if let loose to boast incorrectly.

I’ve seen this happen in churches, where leaders start boasting in numbers, travels, programs and people, and pretty soon the church goes under much like a house in flames, and many are hurt in the process.

This happens in families or among friends when one person achieves success and begins to boast in their own abilities, their own smarts, and their own achievements, so much to where they belittle and shun those “beneath” them.

I’ve realized through these past several days of devotions how serious a matter it is, if we boast in anything other than God and the love of others shown to us.

It’s downright dangerous and destructive.

There’s no room for self-exaltation in the kingdom of God.  Just look at Jesus.  He was exalted…but it was by his Father…after he submitted himself to his Father’s will.

Terrible

II Timothy 3 warns us, There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy…

Here’s a list again, but this time it’s bad, very bad.  And it’s real, very real – today.

Look what precipitates wrongful boasting:

Loving ourselves and loving money.  When we seek to satisfy every desire we have by making more money, we will become boastful in our own worth and accomplishments.

Look was follows wrongful boasting:

Pride, abuse, disobedience, ungratefulness and unholiness – and more.

Boasting in ourselves is not only unwise, it’s downright unhealthy and leads to death of relationships.

In a marriage, or in a family, when one person becomes proud and arrogant in their own eyes and in their own accomplishments without acknowledging others, the rest of the family isn’t too keen on being around this person.  And it’s not long before this person looks with disdain upon all of the people “under” him, because he boasts by looking inward and becomes blinded by his own self-worth.

Make no mistake, boasting wrongfully leads to nothing good.

Boasting in the Lord leads to all things great.

Like Stars

Philippians 2 says, Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.

Check out this passage.  After this writer has preached the gospel of Jesus to those who believe, he compares them to shining stars in the sky.  Stars that shine and flicker in the darkness forever.

That’s our goal in life – to shine for Jesus – and to live a life of love so that others want to shine for him as well. 

Once we’ve believed, and when we see others believe and come to Christ, to join that starry host of flickering lights in the sky,

Then…

We can boast that the life we lived was not in vain.

There is really no greater joy than bringing someone to the knowledge that Christ loves them, died for them, and lives for them – and to see that person receive that truth and be transformed by the love of Christ.

That’s something we can boast about! Not that we did anything, but that HE did everything. Not that we told them about Christ, but that Christ so loved them that he called them to himself.  Not that we changed them, but that the love of Jesus enveloped them and washed away all of their guilt and shame and clothed them with righteousness and hope.

Boast in Jesus, give honor to his name, and life up praise when one who was lost in the darkness now illuminates the sky.

Except This

Galatians 6:14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Here’s why we are to boast in the cross of Jesus.  Here’s the reason we are to lift high and proclaim the cross of Jesus. 

Because of the cross, where  Jesus died in our place, removed our sins forever, and gave us eternal life which starts right here on earth – where we can live free of guilt and shame – we no longer are slaves to the world.  We are not bound up by fear and weighed down with the cares of this life.  That kind of life died with Jesus’ death on the cross.

Boast in this!

The world and all of its glitter, fame, and stuff is no longer what defines us or makes us feel worthy.  The fact that Jesus, the King of Kings, loved us so much that he willingly died for you and me, tells us that he wants us, he loves us, and he desires relationship with us, so that he can share his power, glory, and kingdom with us.

Boast in this!

We are dead to the world, and the world is dead to us.  We are alive in Christ, and Christ is alive in us.

Boast in this!

Yes, Boast!

April 21

I Corinthians 15 says, I face death every day—yes, just as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord

Finally, we have something we can boast about!  Yay!

We can boast about our friends who love the Lord, those who pray for us, those who worship beside us, those who love us and show us that love.

How long has it been since you boasted and bragged on a friend for her growth in her walk with the Lord?

When’s the last time you acknowledged and gave thanks for a friend who prayed for you during a difficult time?

Have you ever boasted and admired and commended a friend in worship beside you, just because you observed their passion and were moved to worship, as well?

We need to boast about others in the Lord.  It does our heart good, and it blesses them, and our Lord.

Love Does Not

I Corinthians 13 cont’d: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

I find it interesting and sobering that not boasting is in the so-popular verses describing true love.  These verses are used in weddings and songs, and have been for years, so they are extremely well known and recited.

Think about our relationships with those we love.  We know we are supposed to be patient, loving and kind…not dishonoring or self-seeking or easily angered, etc.  But sandwiched in the middle is “it does not boast, it is not proud.”

I’m wondering if not boasting in how well we love is one of the facets of loving well.  In other words, letting our spouse know how much we’ve done for him in order to manipulate him to give us what we want is not wise.  Boasting about how much we show our love to others through our giving and our serving is not love at all, it’s just exalting ourselves and what we’ve accomplished.

If love is not self-seeking, then love is others-seeking, which is what Christ did for us.  He made himself a man so that he could dwell among us, not as a King on a throne, and he died a sinner’s death, although he was pure and spotless.

That’s the kind of action that is not boasting..

That is love.

Nothing Gained

I Corinthians 13:3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

There are lots of good deeds we can do, including giving to the poor, suffering for good, and these things are wonderful.  However, if our motive in doing such things is to cause others to look at us, admire us, boast about how awesome we are, or so that we can fill some sort of void in our own lives, this verse says it’s all for nothing.

We must have love, or we gain nothing by our giving.

I’ve given before with a wrong attitude, out of guilt, and it was a very unpleasant experience.  I’ve also given before, as a sacrifice, when I didn’t really have much to give, but also out of guilt, because I knew  it was the “right” thing to do.

But the times when I’ve given without realizing my motive, without thinking, but just out of “I’m going to burst if I don’t give,” I’ve felt relieved, happy that for once my thoughts didn’t govern my actions, and as if I’d finally done something worthwhile.

It’s hard to not overthink our giving and sacrifice with our minds.  But we can pray and ask God to fill us with his love for others so that our doing, our giving, is a natural product of his love, his mercy…toward others.

Because of Him

I Corinthians 1: God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.

God’s choices are not anything like the choices our world makes.  He doesn’t choose people based on fame, looks, money or power.  He chooses those he loves - and that is those in the world – from the most unrecognized person to the most recognized person – simply because he loves them.  In fact, he loves those whom the world despises.

It’s only because of Jesus that we are anything at all.  Any accolades we receive, any awards bestowed upon us, and any recognition given us are all only because of his great mercy and grace.  All boasting belongs to Him.

It says here he became for us “wisdom from God” and that wisdom is our righteousness, holiness and redemption.

Feeling lowly today?  Feeling despised?  Feeling like no one sees you?

He does!  And He grants you everything he has from his father – he calls you his own – he redeems you from yourself and from the world.

Boast in Him.  And he will release you from self-pity into self-worth because of the relationship you have with Him.

We Boast in This!

Romans 5 says For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Now here’s something to boast about!

We were enemies of God.

He sent his son so that we too could be called sons and daughters

We are now called friends and stand complete in Him

We are saved from sin and death

We have a relationship with the God of the universe

It’s through Jesus Christ that we have received this relationship

We are reconciled, made right, forgiven and blessed.

Boast in this!