November 3, 2021 — 1 Corinthians 1:26 – 2:16

“Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, in order that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:26-31

Paul says to the Corinthians, “Consider your own call, brothers and sisters…” Why would Paul say this to the church in Corinth? It appears because of the issue between the wealthier and poorer members of the church. Apparently, status was an issue that had infiltrated the church. The wealthier members could be considered wiser — because of their wealth — but this did not represent the majority of the members. Most were poor. Just before these verses, Paul was making the case against wisdom as being the only defining essence of true knowledge.

“For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.” (Verses 21-25)

No matter if you are wealthy or poor, have you considered your calling – your calling in your faith life and your calling in the life of the church? Has it changed? Are you following where G-d is calling? Paul says that G-d does not only call the wise, or the noble or the powerful to action – but also calls those who are just regular people. Of course, in the eyes of G-d we are all precious, and valuable. We often think that G-d only calls those who have special talents, unique gifts, or unusual offerings. I am living proof that is not always the case.

Let Us Pray,

Lord Christ, G-d chose what is low, what is weak, what is foolish by human standards to show G-d’s power – which is the righteousness found in Jesus Christ. Help me to consider my call. Where, G-d are you calling me today? Amen.

Pastor Dave

November 2, 2021 – All Soul’s Day

All Souls’ Day is also known as All Souls, the Holy Souls, or the day of the Faithful Departed – it is celebrated on November 2 in Western Christianity; that means it remembers the souls of Christians who have died. Those who celebrate All Soul’s Day typically remember deceased relatives on the day. The Catholic Church teaches that the fate of those in purgatory can be affected by the actions of the faithful on earth. Its teaching is based also on the practice of prayer for the dead mentioned as far back as 2 Maccabees 12:42–46. In the West there is ample evidence of the custom of praying for the dead in the inscriptions of the catacombs, with their constant prayers for the peace of the souls of the departed and in the early liturgies, which commonly contain commemorations of the dead. 

“There are three reasons for Jesus [being a puzzle]. The first reason for our being puzzled is that, for most of us, Jesus’ world is a strange, foreign country. I don’t just mean the Middle East, a major international trouble spot then as now. I mean that people in his day and in his country thought differently. They looked at the world differently. They told different stories. The second is that Jesus’ God is strange to us. That idea may itself seem odd. Isn’t God simply God? We need to try to catch a glimpse of what Jesus meant when he spoke of God. The third, hidden puzzle: throughout his short public career Jesus spoke and acted as if he was in charge. Jesus did things people didn’t think you were allowed to do, and he explained them by saying he had the right to do them. He behaved as if he had the right, and even the duty, to take over, to sort things out, to make his country and perhaps even the wider world a different place.” (“The Three Puzzles”, Simply Jesus,  N. T. Wright, p. 9-11)

What people need today is a Lord and Savior who speaks, acts and teaches like he is in charge. And we have just a Lord and Savior in Jesus. But, we have too many people today who just do not recognize the need for a Lord and Savior in their lives. And yet, we see, day after day, that our society and world are going to Hell in a hand-basket. Now, that is just my own opinion, and you may have another opinion about how modern and progressive our world and society are. And yet, people are dying of malnutrition and starvation, people are being marginalized and oppressed, people are being denied basic, human rights, and those on the top are living on the backs, shoulders and wills of those on the bottom. And, so many Americans think the world looks upon us with envy. I think many throughout the world look upon us with pity – because we have lost the ability to care – to care for one another, and to care for our spiritual wellness. If you are looking for something to pray for, I would suggest you pray for America’s spiritual well-being. I would suggest you pray for more Americans to look to G-d for a relationship through Jesus Christ to help us all help one another.

Pastor Dave