How He Works
Sometimes God works in mysterious ways and sometimes he works through just a few simple words. God weaves together so many things that on most days we might not see or recognize his handiwork. In all the things, in big and small ways we see God demonstrate his power, confession might be his most powerful to me. The way the Spirit works in our hearts to allow us to say what we did wrong, and how he works in other people to forgive, is truly amazing!
There is a memory that is seared into my heart. I think back to that moment, with tears in my eyes, telling Mark Richardson and Francie Overstreet how I snuck out of Sunday School. This was the first and only time! When Mark caught me by the maintenance area there was fear in my heart and I wanted to just run away, but the Spirit was there with me to guide me to do what was right. That was a powerful moment in the midst of my mistake, the Spirit’s power allowed me to stop and submit. The gracious response from two caring leaders was just as powerful. When we see simple power it changes us from fear to freedom, from anger to love, and from darkness to light. It is when we bring sin and mistakes to the light that we see the power of the cross and the power of the Spirit (1 John 1:7). It is through these simple acts of confession and forgiveness that God’s power is magnified and we get to witness this all the time!
The beauty of the Gospel; is a simple demonstration of God’s power. Fancy words and bold stories are great (I really enjoy them), but when we see the Spirit work through others, when we see him weave lives and stories together, when we see him bring healing to the broken, God’s power is revealed. Power like that gives hope for today and it gives us a glimpse of how God cares for his people. What it boils down to, is while I want the parting of the Red Sea moments, I will take the simple displays of power through normal means every chance I get. If you need a little hope or encouragement, to see God’s power let us know. We are here to help.
Would you like to share a short story of God's spirit working in your life? Click here for the form and instructions.
Pastor Jeremy Johnson
Family Pastor
God’s Power on Display
I can remember the very place I was sitting when it happened. I was on a rock in the San Juan Wilderness region of the Colorado mountains. I was 18 years old and had been invited by a friend to go on a backpacking trip with Young Life. I went because I loved the mountains and wanted an adventure, not because I was interested in Jesus or his church. I’d grown up around the church and while I believed in Jesus, I had no intention of becoming a disciple. I was far more interested in girls and baseball than I was in Jesus.
However, that all changed on that summer day. Sitting on those rocks, I opened my Bible to Matthew 5 and started reading. The guide had given us some very elementary questions to think through, but it was essentially just me and my Bible… or so I thought. I quickly came to realize that Jesus was there with me. I started reading and it seemed as if the words of the Scriptures leapt off the page and lodged into my heart like tent stakes being pounded into the hard ground. The story that I’d heard for almost my entire life became real to me; two-dimensional ideas became a three-dimensional reality, wooden principles became living power.
To say it as simply as I can, I was changed. Right there sitting on that rock, with no one else around, I became a disciple. I fell in love with Jesus. In John 6:63 Jesus claimed, "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life." His words awakened me to new life and I experienced firsthand what Jesus proclaimed.
The Spirit’s power and the power of the gospel were displayed in my life. It wasn’t anything anyone said, it was just Scripture, Jesus, and his Spirit at work. I’m guessing the pristine mountains didn’t hurt either. I’ve thought back on that day many times over the past 22 years. I’ve got to be honest, I spend a lot of time thinking about how to present the message of the gospel. I spend hours every week preparing to preach the Scriptures. That’s a fine and good thing and it’s what I’m called to do; however, I’m reminded that the power lies in God’s Spirit, not my words. That’s when his power impacted me. I trust that he uses my preparation and study, but if his Spirit doesn't move, no lasting change or transformation is possible.
That paradigm isn’t true because I’m a preacher, it’s true because I’m a child of God. He is at work in and through you too. As you go about your day, pray for opportunities to share Jesus. And when he brings those opportunities, because he will, know that as you share, Jesus is at work. It’s his spirit that changed your life, and it's his Spirit that will change other lives, you simply get to be his mouthpiece.
Throughout this week we are trying to capture stories of the way God has "demonstrated his power" (1 Corinthians 2:5) in your life. Would you be willing to share your story? If so, follow this link and fill out the form. We'll select one of the stories to share as our Friday devotional.
Pastor Ryan Paulson
Lead Pastor
Prideless Boasting
One of my proudest moments as a parent was watching my sophomore twin boys together accomplish an 80-yard pass completion. It was epic! And while the rest of our family made statements about “our” team, the reality is that we had absolutely nothing to do with the fabulous play.
This upcoming weekend many will be claiming victory for “their” team; be it Rams or Bengals. Yet again, sitting in a living room watching the game on a large screen TV in no way makes one responsible for a win, and thus able to claim the victory. While there is nothing wrong with cheering on a team, is it worth considering who we are really crediting for the triumph?
Eugene Peterson, the author of The Message Bible, has a way of expressing Scripture in a relevant, witty and profound way that names the absurdities of our culture today, all the while pronouncing its timeless truth. His translation of 1 Corinthians 1:27-31 does not disappoint, “Isn’t it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses, chose these “nobodies” to expose the hollow pretensions of the “somebodies”? That makes it quite clear that none of you can get by with blowing your own horn before God. Everything that we have—right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start—comes from God by way of Jesus Christ. That’s why we have the saying, “If you’re going to blow a horn, blow a trumpet for God.”
In this statement, Paul is calling the church to boast about something in which they had no part. If we claim victory for ourselves, we miss out on the joy and utter elation of boasting for the Lord, the only one who has ever conquered death! It is Christ who is our righteousness. It is Christ who is our sanctification. It is Christ who is our redemption.
Next time you want to boast, first consider what and whom you are boasting about. As Romans 11:36 so eloquently states, “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.”
So next time you blow a horn, blow a trumpet for God!
Lynette Fuson
Director of Care & Counseling
Wisdom of the Sun
“Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God” - 1 Corinthians 1:30
As Paul writes this to his friends in Corinth, I wonder who the “us” in that sentence applies to? Clearly, Christ Jesus had become Paul’s wisdom from God, but I wonder if those reading this letter for the first time would agree? Was Jesus’ way of humility and even humiliation on the cross considered to be wise to them yet?
The truth is that this is not the most evident truth to recognize by the empirical evidence alone. In other words, it makes sense that people might think it strange that the way to life is through death, or that the way to hope is through humiliation. That might be considered strange because that is, well, strange! Dying to ourselves and choosing the path of humility goes against every natural instinct that we were born with. How does this unnatural path become wisdom? How does someone go from seeing the cross as foolishness to seeing it as the most beautiful, loving event in the history of the world?
By experiencing it.
The wisdom of the cross is one of those things that is really hard to see until you do, and then once you’ve seen it, you can’t unsee it and it even starts to affect the way you see everything else.
But the truth is that the validity of the wisdom of Jesus is best seen in retrospect, that is, after experiencing it. C.S. Lewis made this point in an essay entitled “Is Theology Poetry?” (which let me just say, YES!! That title is such a great question), as he writes: “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the Sun has risen, not only because I see it but because by it, I see everything else.” This is so good! The truth is that we never actually look at the sun (at least not directly), but have you ever questioned whether the sun exists? Of course not. But not because you look up at it every day, but because it is the way you see the world. This is what the wisdom of Jesus can do for you… it can change the way you see the world. And once you see it, you can’t unsee it. You will notice the truth of Jesus’ way, and it will eventually become like second nature. Eventually you will say, of course, I believe in Jesus, because the world wouldn’t make sense without him.
So, let me ask you today . . . is the way of Jesus, the way of the cross, the way of humility and even humiliation, the way of wisdom for you? If not, maybe it is time to try it out. Maybe it is time to choose Jesus’ way. Many of us have believed things about Jesus, but maybe it is time to actually change the way we live because of it. That is what wisdom is, it is living in accordance with reality. So, are you a part of that “us?" Has Christ Jesus become the wisdom from God for you? I hope he does today.
Josh Rose
Teaching Pastor
Binary Body
This selection takes the everyday assumptions about the good, the bad, and the ugly things in the world and flips it upside down. God cast out the natural hierarchy among people. Furthermore, the things of greatest value are now given to us by Christ in that he has actually become our righteousness, holiness, and redemption. In a way there now exists two classes, the collective us, and him. Binary.
A binary system can only exist in one of two states, on or off, One or Zero, in this case, perfect or imperfect. This kind of exclusivity makes some people very uncomfortable. We tend to relate better to a base 10 system, where we can be better than some and different from others.
When we strive for perfection in everything we do, we are still never any closer to perfect. We still need both mercy and grace simply because we are not perfect. When I spend time and effort to look nice, I’m always a little disappointed because I’m still disabled.
The One, the perfect Jesus Christ, has bridged the binary system and allowed us lowly zeros to be "ones through him
All of a sudden our shortcomings become representations of God’s grace, putting his loving kindness on display.
Jonathan Duncan
A Special Calling
“…God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing the things that are.” 1 Corinthians 1:28
During the summer of 2014, I joined a team sent by EFCC to partner with a Christian school in India that serves the lowest of the caste system, the Dalits. While there, we spent several days helping to build a large playground structure for the children. Those two weeks changed the way I understood the inside-out, upside-down nature of the Kingdom of God. Joining us in building the play structure was a small group of Dalit men and women. Though we could not communicate with words, we smiled to show our gratitude for their partnership in the project.
Once the structure was complete, we gestured that we’d like to take a picture with them to celebrate the completion of such a meaningful project. The translators helped us communicate our desire to include them, but they were baffled. Though we eventually got them to join in the picture, these beautiful Dalit people had been taught that their lives were unworthy of notice by the entire world around them. They were poor, uneducated, and treated as less than human. This moment was a perfect reminder that as Christians, though we might not all suffer as the Dalits and other oppressed peoples do, the hope of the gospel, our greatest treasure, is seen as nothing— worth nothing. It is of no value to those infatuated with the wisdom, strength, and power of this world.
A simple photo reminded me that Paul’s words still ring true for Christ-followers in the world today. More and more often, the message of the cross is mocked and devalued. Our culture seems to shut us down, telling us that what we have to offer is foolishness. It is a weakness. It is powerless. Just as in Corinth, the world still elevates status, wealth, and power. But for those whose lives have been transformed by the radical love of our infinite God, we know that he accomplishes his most extraordinary kingdom work through our simple, ordinary lives laid down for him. God’s plan has not changed since Paul wrote his letter to the church in Corinth.
Thankfully, we are not called to greatness but to faithfulness.
May we be a church that “owns” this reality rather than fight against it. May we embrace our calling, confidently offering our lives to be used by God for the sake of others. May we walk in the ways of Jesus, with the heart of Jesus, inviting others to find their place in God’s family picture.
Nicole Jiles
Director of Children’s Ministry
Getting a Call
Growing up, we always answered the phone. When it rang someone got up, walked to the kitchen, and lifted the receiver off the wall. Today, not so much. We still have a home phone number, but we haven’t answered it or checked the messages on the machine since last summer. We just don’t care and don’t believe there is anything there worth responding to. If I want to hear from someone, I give them my cell number. Honestly, I don’t always pick up the calls to my cell if I don’t recognize the number calling. This practice has become common in this culture, even among older, caring, respectful adults.
Getting a call today doesn’t mean what it used to.
The Apostle Paul refers to getting a call a lot at the beginning of his first letter to the Corinthians, a call that should not be ignored. He writes “call” or “called”six times in chapter one. Five of the six refer to God’s call to his people. They are: called to be an apostle vs 1, called to be holy people vs 2, called you into fellowship with his Son vs 9, to those whom God has called vs 24, and the final in verse 26, see it with the verses through 31 below:
Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness, and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”
The calling Paul reveals in these verses is more than just a message forwarded or left on a machine. The calling is an invitation and the invitation is an elevation. God calls us (reaches out) and invites us (ongoing relationship and connection) and elevates us (places us on – or imputes upon us – Jesus level and righteousness). What a call that is! It would be a shame to miss or ignore it.
Pastor John Riley
Jr. High Pastor
Don’t Compete with the Cross
If you remember back to last week, Paul states that he preaches the gospel without eloquence or wisdom so as not to detract from the power of the cross. This week he expounds on the difference between worldly wisdom and the wisdom of the cross. Point blank, the wisdom of the world is impotent foolishness next to the power of the cross. Worldly thinking focuses on creative ways we can help ourselves out, how we can solve problems, how we can fix ourselves.
As a teenager, I had officially had it with the whole walking with a walker bit. So I decided I’d simply go to a field in some park and teach myself to walk… the hard way. I would stand in the center of the field and dramatically toss my walker away try to balance without it and even take a few steps. I fell hundreds of times, literally! I did this twice a week for months using any progress I made to fuel my iron determination to see this through. My knees, however, did not share my determination. It became painful to stand even with my walker and I realized all my effort had actually made my situation worse.
I think it’s safe to say that it was just plain foolishness on my part, but,
I was seeking betterment in my own power.
Isn’t that at the core of the world’s wisdom? And that is the very thing epically defeated by the awesome power of the Cross. We are made perfect, not just better, by the blood of God’s own son, having nothing to do with our own power so no one can boast.
Jonathan Duncan
We know God Best Through the Message of the Cross
Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐν τῇ σοφίᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ, οὐκ ἔγνω ὁ κόσμος διὰ τῆς σοφίας τὸν Θεόν, εὐδόκησεν ὁ Θεὸς, διὰ τῆς μωρίας τοῦ κηρύγματος, σῶσαι τοὺς πιστεύοντας.
Those are the words Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:21. A word-for-word translation of the above, from the original Greek to English, reads kinda funny, see that next (and interested individuals can see the word-for-word breakdown on Biblehub.com’s Interlinear site here).
Since for in the wisdom of God, not knowing the world through the wisdom of God, was pleased that God, through the foolishness of the proclamation to save those believing.
Even regular translations are a little hard to wrap one’s mind around. Here is the verse from the NASB.
For since in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
This is a verse that needs context to really grasp the meaning. The context establishes Paul’s distinction in this verse as he contrasts how the world perceives the cross of Christ and how believers see it. I love how Eugene Peterson translated the section. Read verses 18-21 with verse 21 underlined below.
The Message that points to Christ on the Cross seems like sheer silliness to those hellbent on destruction, but for those on the way of salvation, it makes perfect sense. This is the way God works, and most powerfully as it turns out. It’s written, I’ll turn conventional wisdom on its head, I’ll expose so-called experts as shams. So where can you find someone truly wise, truly educated, truly intelligent in this day and age? Hasn’t God exposed it all as pretentious nonsense? Since the world in all its fancy wisdom never had a clue when it came to knowing God, God in his wisdom took delight in using what the world considered stupid—preaching, of all things!—to bring those who trust him into the way of salvation.
There are a lot of ways that we get to know God better, but the best way, considered foolish by the world, is the message, meaning, and proclamation of Jesus’ death for us on the cross.
Pastor John Riley
Jr. High Pastor
The Wisdom of the Cross
Let’s do a thought experiment. Imagine that God comes to you and tells you that he is willing to give you anything you want. Sort of like the Genie that came to Aladdin – cue the humming of “Friend Like Me.” What would you ask for? There is a story in the Scriptures that follows this same narrative. God came to King Solomon and offered to give him anything he asked for. Do you know what he requested? Wisdom! Wisdom is the ability to live in alignment with reality. It is knowing the right thing to do in each situation. God was so pleased with that request that he told him that in addition to giving him great wisdom, he would also extend Solomon’s days and make him great (1 Kings 3:1-15).
Wisdom is highly valued in the Scriptures. Which makes Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 1:20-21 a bit puzzling for some. He wrote, “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.” Some have accused Paul of being against wisdom; anti-intellectual or overly simplistic. Is that what’s going on? I would suggest that it is not.
Paul is simply stating that no human wisdom would ever produce the plan of the cross. No one has come to the logical conclusion that the Creator of all the cosmos should suffer and die for his creation. That defies human ingenuity. The wisdom of the world is not neutral toward this affirmation, it goes so far as to reject the idea that God would give himself in love, and yet this is the very plan that God devised to save his world. That is what C.S. Lewis meant when he said, “Reality is something you could not have guessed. That is one of the reasons I believe Christianity.” You could never have guessed the cross and you cannot arrive at understanding the cross through human logic.
Through the course of the passage, Paul pressed even further than this by stating, “The cross is the wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:24).
The cross not only defies the world’s wisdom but also demonstrates God's wisdom.
Think about that for a moment. Living in the way of the cross helps us align with the way God created the world to function. When we take up our cross, we really do find the life God designed us to live. (Mark 8:34-35)
I don’t know about you, but I’m challenged with that truth. Sometimes it doesn’t feel like taking up my cross is the wise thing to do, it feels like taking up arms is the wise thing. Sometimes it doesn’t feel like dying to self is the wise thing, it feels like defending myself is the wise thing. Take time today and prayerfully consider the magnitude of what Paul is saying – living in the way of the cross is wise – and then pray for God to empower you to step into that way with his heart.
Pastor Ryan Paulson
Lead Pastor