Join us as we focus each day for nine weeks on a different part of 1 Corinthians 13.
Monday: Love is patient, love is kind.
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? 1 Corinthians 3:3
Read: 1 Corinthians 3:1-22
Listen: 1 Corinthians 3
TODAY’S MESSAGE
The Corinthians had no knowledge of Christ when Paul arrived. He spends 18 months in this bustling city teaching the Jesus-message, then receives word after leaving Corinth that the church fractured. Rivalries, division and arguments wrack their community. Believers took sides and judged each other based on if they followed Paul, Apollos (an eloquent church leader mentioned in Acts 18:24-27) or the Apostle Peter. Paul issues a stern warning that they’re behaving like children of the world, not Spirit-led Jesus followers.
In Corinthian culture, it was common to attach your name to a popular philosopher or eloquent orator. Culture dictated you pick a group and judge others as less-than. Paul reminds believers that now, their name was attached to Jesus. They were unified through Christ’s life, death on the cross and resurrection.
We can fall into the same trap as the Corinthians. We draw lines in the sand over who we vote for, our denomination backgrounds, Christian authors we like/dislike, styles of worship music or what church we attend. Yet, unity within a body of Jesus-followers is crucial. Christ is what unifies us to live in humility through the power of his Spirit.
IN YOUR CHAIR TIME TODAY
Christ’s love is the foundation of our unity. Unity will deepen as we grow in our Habits of Love. Use your Habits of Love Challenge bookmark and card this week to ask God to show you where a lack of love has caused divisions and arguments in your life. Confess your need for his Spirit to help you grow in love and unity.
Click on the photo below to “save image as” to set for the lock screen or home screen on your mobile device to cycle back to each phrase twice daily to remember to live a life motivated by love.
Download a printable PDF of the BTW week here.
