Attitudes and personal attributes that builds the fellowship - 1 Corinthians 4

If the christian fellowship does not just happen (as we observed yesterday) but needs to be nurtured, developed and fed in other to grow, then members thereof must possess certain attitudes and personal attributes that will help develop it. Some of these are:

The ownership of the christian fellowship - 1 Corinthians 3

Paul uses three vivid illustrations to drive home the lessons on the foundation of the christian fellowship, the responsibilities of members within the context of the fellowship and the obstacles in the way of the fellowship attaining to the best that the owner intended it to be. These illustrations are:

1. The field(v1-9). That the christian fellowship made up of individual members thereof is God’s field. His intention is that using its members as fellow workers, the field is to be worked, watered, improved, planted and expected to be fruitful. However, the incontrovertible fact about God’s field is that there is no question about its title. It is His own, bought at a price as Paul noted elsewhere “you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body”(1 Cor.6v20). The immaturity of its members does not change the fact; the incomplete understanding of the members of the nature of ownership (by attributing ownership to the more matured fellow members who, at best, are caretakers) does not nullify the fact either. Individual members and the fellowship as a whole have responsibility for improving and adding value to the field just like the first century church did as “they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer”(Acts 2v42).
2. The building (v9-15). The one and only foundation of the fellowship that is and can ever be is Jesus Christ. Every member of the fellowship has the responsibility and indeed the privilege of building the superstructure with whatever material he or she chooses. Of course we would be faced with the consequences of that choice when the day of reckoning comes but the foundation stands firm. Our reward would be determined by the nature of the materials we have used in building that superstructure but our salvation through Jesus Christ (the foundation) stands. One clear thought that flows out of these is that the christian fellowship does not just happen and it is not an amalgamation of individuals. It must be built into a whole, bonded together by the power of the Holy Spirit and the commitments of its members to using quality materials for its development. It also follows that a fellowship does not happen overnight, It requires effort and patience to grow, to mature and to cure.
3. The temple (v16-17). The temple is God’s house, where the Spirit of God dwells. It bears the name of the owner and reflects His glory. It becomes any other building without the stamp of ownership and the presence of God. Like in the earlier two illustrations, it is bonded together by the Lord Jesus Christ as the chief cornerstone. Paul expatiate on this further: “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household,  built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.  In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”(Eph.2v19-22). My responsibility is to maintain the temple in a habitable condition so that it can appropriately reflect His glory and His honour and continue to be a place of worship. Ultimately, the Lord’s temple brings to the reach of every member all the resources of God - His people, His world, His time, His eternity and above all His presence. What a privilege to be part of a whole, an eternal whole!

It therefore follows that the Lord God is involved with the fellowship and by that fact the individual members thereof in at least three ways. He bought them at a price, He owns them as a building and owns and inhabits them as His temple.

Lord help me to be a faithful member of your fellowship effectively co-operating with you as you mould your church into the image of your Son my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen

Accessing the depth of God and His attributes - 1 Corinthians 2

The most comprehensible way I can describe the vastness and depth of God and the resources God has made available to His child and His church is to draw attention to the concept of the Internet, that maze of computers all over the world linked to one another, each one storing gigabits of information there to be accessed and tapped.

God’s attributes that powers the Christian fellowship - 1 Corinthians 1

The Christian fellowship is put together by God for Himself. Paul extensively discussed this point in his letter to the Colossian church (Col.1v15-20). Thus the fellowship is often referred to as the church of God, the church of Christ, the body of Christ etc. Like every thing created, it has a purpose and it functions at its best when operated according to the owner’s manual.

Reasons to boast in the lord - Romans 16

I must boast in the Lord for the gift of His church. People of diverse background and make, united only in their purpose to love and obey their Master as they serve one another and extend His kingdom here on earth.  What a diverse group!

These are men and women, all saints and apostles - not a nameless, faceless group but - individuals with identity and skills and identifiable roles.  No doubt all these qualify for the “Faith Hall of Fame” and I would boast in the Lord for the privilege to know such people and associate with them, serve with them and serve them and together be the type of body that the Lord God can be proud of.  How I long to be like one of the following:

• Apelles (v10) to be approved in Christ after been tested
  
• Prisca & Aquila (v3), a couple that minister together – Lord, thank you for giving me a home that makes a wining team with regards to serving your church and just being available, being there to lend a helping hand
• Gaius (v23) known throughout the church for his hospitality (his support ministry).  Even John wrote him a letter commending this service (John 3).  Yes I will boast in the Lord for the support of His church and His children like Gaius

The second reason for my boasting in the Lord is that my victory is guaranteed and near! (v20).  The Lord God will soon crush Satan under my feet by His grace which is continually with me.  Even in temptation, he provides a way of escape so that I can bear up under it (1Cor 10v13).  My God, my refuge, the shield of my salvation has procured me victory.  I believe it by faith and I know He is working things out.

Finally, my God is able to establish me and He will (v25).  Establish me in the faith, in my walk with Him and in service.  He has confirmed this by putting His Holy Spirit in me as a deposit guaranteeing what is to come (2 Cor. 1v21-22).  This is why I can boast in the Lord.

To Him, the only wise God be glory and Honour forever and ever through Jesus Christ the focus of the gospel (v27, 1Tim 1v17).  AMEN

The challenge of remaining focused - Romans 15v14-33

Nothing puts life in context as knowing and sticking to one’s purpose in life – the purpose for which I was Created and called and set apart. Nothing also motivates as pursuing a mission in life that is aligned to and defined within the context of that purpose.

While the purpose in life is defined by the creator, my mission in life is defines by and propelled by me! When such definition is within the context of the set purpose, one’s life is in balance and when it is set outside that purpose the life is out of orbit and drifts through life.

Paul seized every opportunity to communicate to his readers, his understanding of his purpose in life, his mandate as communicated to him when he entered into this life long relationship with Christ – to glorify God and to be the minister of the Gospel of Christ to the gentiles. He measured his life’s success against this. Even when he engaged in other form of Christian service, he never lost sight of the purpose for which he was called – to preach the gospel to the gentiles. He preached and ministered to the Jews, longed for their salvation, mobilised material support for fellow leaders of the church but no one doubted and he left no one in doubt that he knew his purpose in life - to preach the Gospel of Christ to the gentiles!

Within the context of this purpose, Paul defined his mission and ambition in life – to preach Christ to those who had never heard – to expand the frontiers of the gospel. This strategy kept him focused as he pushed toward the goal. This helped him to order his priorities such that his personal preferences and ambitions did not get in the way of achieving or attaining to the purpose for which he was called. Thus Paul ‘was kept’ away from rushing off to Rome for fellowship and mutual encouragement while there were some unexplored frontiers.

How tragic for those who go through life without any idea of their purpose  talk less of their mission in life! Such a one just drifts through life without leaving any footprints!

Lord, I pray that you will keep me focused and strained on my mandate and mission in life to the glory of God through the power of the Holy Spirit. This I pray through my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen

Aiming for the ultimate in inter-personal relationship - Romans 15v1-13

Any inter-personal relationship that has self as its centre or focus tend to be most primitive, crude and extremely undeveloped. Hardly any lasting joy and peace can come out of such relationship. On the other hand, the ultimate of focused relationship tend to have the following characteristics:

Further thoughts on managing differences of opinion amongst brothers - Romans 14:13-23

If one is only restrained from judging his brother solely because of reasons earlier discussed – namely:

(i)    the fact that we are different
(ii)    the fact of divine ownership and
(iii)    our ultimate responsibility to God
then one’s attitude to that brother would be one of the following:

Managing differences of opinion amongst brothers - Romans 14v1-12

As in the physical human family, there are bound to be differences of opinion on matters that are not issues of life and death.  In the church the differences cover every facet of the Christian faith from the form of worship to the role of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, even to what we eat and how we dress!   More often than not, these differences of opinion do more to damage the church than build it.  Paul’s advice on how to manage these issues include:

Radiating the likeness of Jesus daily - Romans 13v8-14

The need for the Christian to radiate Jesus Christ daily is of so much importance that Paul continues his discuss on it proffering reasons and pointing us to the source of power that would enable the Christian to stay focussed.