Fortunatus and his friends

I was glad when Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus arrived because they supplied what was lacking from you. For they refreshed my spirit and yours also. Such men deserve recognition.
1 Corinthians 16:17-18 (NIV)

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I am so glad that Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus have come here. They have been making up for the help you weren't here to give me. They have been a wonderful encouragement to me, as they have been to you, too. You must give proper honor to all those who serve so well. 1 Corinthians 16:17-18 (NLT)



Paul writes these words to the Christians in Corinth. He was in Ephesus, and the three men, Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus, brought him a message from the struggling Corinthian church.


Paul mentions a written letter from the church at Corinth in 1 Corinthians 7:1. Probably this is the message they brought with them, and they could further explain and give detail through their verbal comments when seeing Paul face-to-face.

It was not a simple "Hello, how are you? We are praying for you" message. It was apparently long and detailed about the problems and ungodliness that had infected the church at Corinth.

We can tell from 1 Corinthians some of the problems they reported. The three men must have been greatly burdened to travel all the way to Ephesus to counsel with Paul.

We know very little about these men. In verse 15 (chapter 16) Paul writes, "You know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achai, and they devoted themselves to the service of the saints."

So we know Stephanas and his family (Achai is in southern Greece - its major cities are Athens and Corinth) were the first gospel followers in the area and they were diligent leaders of the small congregation.

We know from 1 Corinthians 1:16 that Paul himself baptized the Stephanas household.

But even if we don't know much, we know that Paul applauds them: such men deserve recognition. They are to be honored for their dedication and faithfulness. They are serving well.

They were Christians who stepped up and filled in the gap - who filled an empty place for ministry - they deserve honor. They would minister to Paul as representatives of the entire body of believers in Corinth. What the whole congregation could not do, because of distance, they could do.

And because of their faithfulness and love for Paul, we have today
in our New Testament the book of 1 Corinthians, the letter from Paul they delivered back to their church in Corinth.

I want to be like those early Christians -- refreshing those around us who are ministering -- encouraging them -- holding up their arms as Aaron and Hur held Moses' -- and as we do that we are serving well.....

My Heart - Christ's Home - C S Lewis

Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised.

But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make sense. What on earth is He up to?

The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of--throwing out a new wing here, putting in an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were going to made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.

         From Mere Christianity, by C. S. Lewis

For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.  Ephesians 3:14-16

....that Christ would settle down and be at home in your hearts...(Weymouth)

Does the punishment fit the crime?

Sometimes the passages we read in the Bible, Old and New Testaments, record harsh penalties for sin.

At least, it seems that way sometimes.

Lot's wife, disobediently looking back, annihilated....
a priest killed for a wrong offering, etc.

An entire population (less Noah's family) killed in a horrific flood....

Is God too harsh when He hands out punishment?
After all, we are only human.

On the other hand, we see many times over more
evidences of His grace and mercy.

For every act of judgment recorded we see dozens more examples of His long-suffering patience.

Maybe the penalty of sin is not measured by our opinion of it. Maybe the seriousness of sin has to do with whom the sin is against.

If a prison employee strikes a prisoner, is he in trouble?

Maybe.

If that employee strikes the sheriff, is he is trouble?
Without a doubt.

What if he attacks the President of the United States?

For sure. A felony with heavy imprisonment.

The penalty of sin is determined by the magnitude of the one sinned against.

If we sin against another human being, we are guilty.

If we sin against the infinitely holy and eternal God, we are infinitely guilty and worthy of eternal punishment.

When it comes to all our misconduct, toward other human beings and toward God Himself, it indicates that we are always breaking God's Law, that "Royal Law" of loving God with all our heart, soul and mind,
and our neighbors as ourselves.

So all our sin is against God.

David the Psalmist and King wrote:

     For I know my transgression, and my sin is ever

     before me.

     Against You, You only, have I sinned and done

     what is evil in Your sight, so that You are proved

     right when You speak and justified when You

     judge.

    (Psalm 51)

What about Bathsheba? What about Uriah? What about David's army and his countrymen?

Hadn't David sinned against them, too? After all, he had Uriah killed in the attempt to cover up his adultery? What about the baby?

So many victims in the story. But the laws telling us how to treat each other are God's Laws. And He calls us to obedience to them

So David was really sinning against God, in rebellion against Him, in these selfish actions. 

So what did he do?

Just what we are to do.

Throw ourselves on the mercy of God and seek His forgiveness.


     Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your
     unfailing love; according to Your great
     compassion blot out my transgressions.

     Wash away my iniquity and cleanse me from
     sin...

     Create in me a new heart, O God, and renew
     a steadfast spirit within me....

     Restore to me the joy of Your salvation....

               -- Psalm 51


There was no provision for sacrifices David could offer to cover his guilt for these sins. Offering 10,000 lambs and 20,000 goats - still wouldn't do it.

Throwing himself on the mercy and grace of God was David's only option.


And ours....

    

Is Forgetfulness a Sin?

 "The men of Ephraim, though armed with bows, turned back on the day of battle. They did not keep God's covenant and refused to live by His law. They forgot what He had done, the wonders He had shown them" (Psalm 78:9-11).

The men of Ephraim (the northern tribes) adopted idolatry and rejected their true God. They were conquered by the Assyrians, deported, and sent into exile and servitude. Their problem? Spiritual forgetfulness!

We Christians can also suffer the consequences of forgetting God's faithfulness. Peter warns us about this...'Forgetting that we have been cleansed from our past sins' (2 Peter 1:9).

How could we forget? The massive sin problem that Christ took care of on the cross? 

But God can no more forget us than a nursing mother could forget her baby, Isaiah tells us. And even if she did, He never will! (Isaiah 49:15).

Remembering who He is and what He has done is the key to trusting God!

Lord,

I worry because I forget Your wisdom.

I resent because I forget Your mercy.

I envy because I forget Your beauty.

I sin because I forget Your holiness.

I fear because I forget Your sovereignty.

You always remember me. Help me to always remember You.

Amen

And There Was Light!

                                      

                                                            And There was Light!

Psalm 97:11-12 -- "Light shines on the righteous and joy on the upright in  heart. Rejoice in the LORD, you who are righteous, and praise His holy name."

Some of the older Hebrew texts say light is "sown" in us. It is planted to grow and produce more light. A beautiful thought.

Light refers to truth and clarity as well as to the holiness and beauty it brings.

C S Lewis said once that he believed in Christianity 'as certainly as I believe in the sunrise. Not just because I can see the sun, but also by it I can see everything else.'

That's what God's light does!  It brings everything else into perfect focus and clarity.

It brings perfect knowledge and displays GOd's infinite truth and glory.

God "sows" His light  in us and like a seed that grows it spreads its wisdom and beauty throughout our lives.

Christians find that what they see in the world and in their hearts just makes more sense!

And people around them see them  turning into something like God - loving and beautiful.

The brighter the light the better we can see all the truth and beauty around  us.

Father, fill me with Your Light!