Day 317 - (Today’s Bible readings: 1 Chronicles 19:1-9; Psalm 119:57-64; 1 Corinthians 2)
Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual... The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2:12-14 ESV)
Paul is encouraging believers to remain faithful in the face of hyper critical opposition to the teachings of Jesus. He does so by explaining that the worlds difficulty with Jesus is based on human wisdom. The things of God can only be understood with the prodding and guidance of the Holy Spirit. We admit that there is much that we cannot understand about God. We haven’t even seen Him, AND YET WE BELIEVE! And for this, Jesus gives us a blessing: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29b)
In the previous chapter in his letter to the church in Corinth, Paul stresses the crucial importance of possessing this uncommon knowledge:
For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God... Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. (1 Corinthians 1:18-21 ESV)
The message of Jesus and His cross may be foolishness to those who are ignoring Him, but to us who, by the Holy Spirit’s enlightening presence, believe, this uncommon knowledge is EVERYTHING!
Our prayer is that the Spirit would lead many others to this uncommon knowledge as they join us confessing the Christ of Calvary as our Lord and Savior!
Come to Calvary’s holy mountain,
Sinners, ruined by the Fall;
Here a pure and healing fountain
Flows to you, to me, to all,
In a full, perpetual tide,
Opened when our Savior died.
Come in poverty and meanness (shabbiness),
Come defiled, without, within;
From infection and uncleanness,
From the leprosy of sin,
Wash your robes and make them white;
Ye shall walk with God in light.
Come in sorrow and contrition,
Wounded, impotent, and blind;
Here the guilty free remission,
Here the troubled peace, may find.
Health this fountain will restore;
He that drinks shall thirst no more.
He that drinks shall live forever;
’Tis a soul renewing flood.
God is faithful; God will never
Break His covenant of blood,
Signed when our Redeemer died,
Sealed when He was glorified.
(“Come to Calvary’s Holy Mountain,” Lutheran Service Book 435)
Heavenly Father, thank You for imparting such uncommon knowledge to me and all believers in Christ. May the Holy Spirit use me to share this soul-saving knowledge with the doubters and deniers I find all around me. In Jesus’ saving name. Amen.
Pastor David Paape
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105 ), is the theme for this three-year journey through the entire Old Testament once (the Psalms - twice yearly), and the New Testament twice. There will be daily readings from the O.T., Psalms and the N.T. Special days on the church calendar will be highlighted with appropriate readings. This calendar has been compiled by representatives of the Lutheran Church of Canada, the North American Lutheran Church and the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. Please click this link for the daily reading calendar:
https://blogs.lcms.org/2017/lcms-lcc-and-nalc-compile-three-year-schedule-of-daily-bible-readings
Then scroll down to 2019 Bible Reading Calendar and download it if you so wish. The “assigned” daily readings will appear on a daily basis in this blog. May the Lord bless your meditation upon His precious life-giving Word!
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