There was a young church experiencing a number of problems and difficulties getting a correct orientation in their lives.
Because they had a basic worldview that agreed with the Greek worldview, they highly valued a number of intellectual pursuits. And God had sent a number of messengers to them to deliver his good news. And they began to identify with different messengers according to a pursuit they valued. They even preferred to identify with a messenger over the one who sent them.
There is a problem when one gives preference to the one who carries the message over the one who gave the message.
There is also a problem with giving preference base on valuing an intellectual pursuit or talent. Some of the people valued Apollos because of his eloquent speech. Some of the people valued Paul because of his great learning.
Paul was very educated. He had multiple PhD’s. But he did not focus on is degrees. He focused on his conduct and lifestyle when he lived with this young church. There were a number of people who talked big in this church. Anyone can talk a good game. Not everyone can play a good game.
Paul said living as representatives of God’s Kingdom is not a matter of talk, but power. The word “power” is a Greek word “dunamis” which many Christians associate with the miracles of God. I am not going to argue that “dunamis” us bit associated with miracles. But maybe we hook it too tightly with miracles. Maybe we need to think of it as God’s power – God’s creative energy – being revealed through the lives of his children.
The young church was exerting lots of energy promoting it various “champions.” That means it was not united behind Jesus, his good news and living in ways that promoted God’s glory. This lack of unity, among other problems Paul wrote them about, shows that the creating, healing power of God was not being displayed in them. It takes God’s power for a group of selfish, self-centered, squabbling brats to live in unity, to love one another, to be patient, to bear each others' pain and to forgive.
Jesus said that love an unity will show the world the truth about his origins, his mission and his relationship with the Father. That is an extremely heavy weight for God’s children to carry. We need God’s power to lift it.
Because they had a basic worldview that agreed with the Greek worldview, they highly valued a number of intellectual pursuits. And God had sent a number of messengers to them to deliver his good news. And they began to identify with different messengers according to a pursuit they valued. They even preferred to identify with a messenger over the one who sent them.
There is a problem when one gives preference to the one who carries the message over the one who gave the message.
There is also a problem with giving preference base on valuing an intellectual pursuit or talent. Some of the people valued Apollos because of his eloquent speech. Some of the people valued Paul because of his great learning.
Paul was very educated. He had multiple PhD’s. But he did not focus on is degrees. He focused on his conduct and lifestyle when he lived with this young church. There were a number of people who talked big in this church. Anyone can talk a good game. Not everyone can play a good game.
Paul said living as representatives of God’s Kingdom is not a matter of talk, but power. The word “power” is a Greek word “dunamis” which many Christians associate with the miracles of God. I am not going to argue that “dunamis” us bit associated with miracles. But maybe we hook it too tightly with miracles. Maybe we need to think of it as God’s power – God’s creative energy – being revealed through the lives of his children.
The young church was exerting lots of energy promoting it various “champions.” That means it was not united behind Jesus, his good news and living in ways that promoted God’s glory. This lack of unity, among other problems Paul wrote them about, shows that the creating, healing power of God was not being displayed in them. It takes God’s power for a group of selfish, self-centered, squabbling brats to live in unity, to love one another, to be patient, to bear each others' pain and to forgive.
Jesus said that love an unity will show the world the truth about his origins, his mission and his relationship with the Father. That is an extremely heavy weight for God’s children to carry. We need God’s power to lift it.
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