What Happened to 1 Corinthians?

I've had a few folks ask about the theme of today's sermon and why I didn't continue on with 1 Cor 12 and "The Gifts of the Spirit" and whether or not we will ever go back to the rest of 1 Corinthians.

Yes, we will.

Toady's' sermon (and next week's as well) came as a result of a very strong leading to preach on the Law and God's grace. We'll get to that part next week but today's material is vitally important on setting up the tension and harmony between the Law and grace.

Let me share with you how this came to be.

LAst week, I found my self being awakened, almost every night with new elements of this two week long sermon. My first inclination was to bring it after I was done with chapter 12 of 1 Corinthians but as the week drew on, that strong leading became a compulsion. As I prayed about all this, it became clear to me that the teaching was for this week and then, as I assembled the materials, next week as well.

I'm not sure why this is happening now but I am sure that God works in mysterious ways. Ways that I don't always understand but ways that are His nonetheless.

My heart's desire is to submit everything I have to Him and I strive to do that in my daily life. I strive even harder to surrender to His will and leading in how I approach the pulpit. I take the responsibility of the pulpit very seriously and my fondest desire is for Him to pour through me when I speak, drawing all of us, as a body, towards Him in the process. My prayer each Sunday is that I would get out of the way and allow God to minister to us in any way He chooses.

So, in many ways, we're all along for the same ride. I plan the speaking schedule very carefully but, in all ways, I want to yield to God when He makes it obvious that His plan is different than mine. Proverbs 16:9 says, "The mind of man plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.". In the context of the pulpit, I take this to mean that we should be ready and prepared to preach and teach but should also be ready to alter our plan when God moves in an apparently spontaneous fashion.

To sum it up; I plan to finish this current teaching next Sunday. Then Kelly and I are taking a weekend away together ( we haven't had one since our vacation last July). John Boswell is scheduled to speak on the 20th. Scott Ferrell will occupy the pulpit, for the first time, on the 27th and Ken Daugherty (from CERT) will be speaking the first Sunday in February, when we will roll out our Summer Missions Trips. Lord willing, I will return to 1 Cor 12 the week after that.

Meanwhile, let's join in prayer that each of us hears what God has to say to us, not just this coming Sunday, but for all the Sundays before us.