Five Facets of Healthy Community Life

Jim Leffel

1 Corinthians 16:1-14

Paul concludes his first letter to the Corinthians with five exhortations toward a vibrant, God-glorifying community. The Christian church should be committed to generosity, expectant for God's action, grounded in their faith, collectively strong in sacrifice and, most of all, committed to self-sacrificial love.

The Prophetic Word

Jim Leffel

1 Corinthians 14:1-33

The interconnected community of Christian believers glorifies God the most when it's led by the Holy Spirit. Paul instructs the Corinthians on how they can build one another up through Spirit-led prophecy. When you commit to participating in this way, it combats pride and individualism, which are damaging to the interdependent Christian church.

Through A Mirror Dimly

Jim Leffel

1 Corinthians 13:8-13

Paul concludes his famous passage on love by unpacking the triumph and centrality of love in the Christian life. He details three dimensions of biblical spirituality: faith, hope and love (which he calls the greatest of the three). This is because now we see as "through a mirror dimly", knowing truth but not in its entirety; but one day we will be face to face with God. On that day, faith and hope will no longer be necessary. But love will endure forever, so we should pursue deepening love relationships that will last for eternity.

The Best Way Ever

Jim Leffel

1 Corinthians 13:1-8

This famous passage on love unpacks "the most excellent way", detailing what love looks like in our relationship with God and others in Christian community. Love is at the core of true spirituality and is a tell-tale indicator of spiritual health. God's love has been uniquely demonstrated through Jesus Christ and we demonstrate God's love as we believe His Word, have confident hope in His promises, and endure all things.

Things Old and New

Dennis McCallum

Matthew 13:24-50

Jesus reveals new information based on the fact that the Messiah would come twice. There are seven parables, each of which show an aspect of the kingdom, with some aspects being expected and some being different. Through the parables, we see that this kingdom age will partially fulfill Old Testament promises, infiltrate the current world system, and that God was willing to give His son up so that people could experience this new age before Jesus comes back to reign as King Messiah.

The Parable of the Dragnet

Gary DeLashmutt

Matthew 13:47-52

Jesus discusses the parable of the dragnet with his disciples, which communicates that at the return of the King Messiah, he will establish God's dominion world-wide and separate the "righteous" and the "wicked". The only difference between the "righteous" and the "wicked" in God's eyes is that the righteous have asked for Jesus' forgiveness and not relied on their own righteousness to get in right standing with God. In addition, this parable teaches that some who consider themselves "Christians" will be revealed at the end of the age to not have actually put their faith in Jesus Christ.

The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast

Gary DeLashmutt

Colossians 1:5-6

Jesus tells a parable of a mustard seed and the yeast. The parable describes a small growth that eventually becomes large and widespread, something that fits in with the small, yet widespread growth in Christianity over the years. Today, Christians have the immense privilege in participating in God's work that is spreading throughout the world as we: pray for the nations to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, give our financial resources to God's work, and even go ourselves to spread the message of the gospel. As Christians comprehend the love of Jesus, we can become more and more motivated to love those who do not know Jesus and to get engaged with God's global plan.

The Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds

Gary DeLashmutt

Matthew 13:24-30

Jesus discusses parables concerning the kingdom of God and gives revelation previously not seen in the Old Testament. Through these parables, God's purposes for His church, His followers, and what His priorities are can be clearly understood. This parable describes the separation between Christians and non-Christians when Jesus returns to establish dominion and also teaches that in the meantime, Christians, or "the wheat" are called to live alongside non-Christians in attempts to have them also come to know Jesus. Moving towards those who do not know Jesus provides Christians with real purpose and joy as they await the return of Jesus.

Ministry of the Word

Dennis McCallum

Hebrews 4:12

The central priority of the local church should be the ministry of the Word. All members must be taught about the importance of knowing and understanding God's Word. Churches that move away from prioritizing God's Word struggle to accomplish God's purposes. Throughout scripture, we see God prioritizing this principle.