Begin with two minutes of stillness and silence before God.
Do any of you remember when you were a kid and you were left home alone with some chores to do? It usually was not a lot, but still meant you had to get up from the spot on the couch watching TV to take out the trash, clean your room, or wash some dishes. You were probably told that morning, and then again before they left to go do errands around town. But I specifically remember this quote from my mom, “I’ve already told you a few times today, but if you don’t take out the trash before I get back, you are gonna be in big trouble!”
Well, in all my wisdom as a teenager (I had a lot back then), I decided to put it off until later because I was watching Sportscenter and couldn’t bear to miss the Top 10 plays of the week. Well, sure enough, later that afternoon, my mom pulls into the garage, and I panic because I did not do what I was supposed to do. It was too late at this point, but my mom walked in before I could even get to the kitchen trash can. As you can guess, I was given a nice long "sermon” and a punishment of no TV for the rest of the day.
Now, I tell you this story because in today’s reading, this is exactly what Paul is doing to the church in Corinth. Paul had already addressed the problems of the church in the first letter (1 Corinthians) and in the letter we just read (2 Corinthians). Paul was not getting onto them because he wanted to assert power over them, but he did it out of love. He wants to see this church grow in their faith, but also grow the faith to the city of Corinth.
Paul planted the church in Corinth and, like a good parent, wanted them to grow and make good decisions. But it can be so easy to read these letters Paul writes and be like, “Dang, that church really needs to get it together.” The truth is that the Bible is a living, breathing book that can be applied to our lives today as well. We only have so long on this earth before we pass away into eternity. It can be very easy to take a back seat and get lazy in our faith. Maybe not being on top of spiritual disciplines, or letting old habits slip back in.
We as Christians must always be on guard and ready for God to use us. We must always be sharpening our faith so that we can give an account for our faith (1 Peter 3:15). We need Pauls in our lives who are not afraid to call us out and tell us that we are slipping up in an area with laziness or allowance. Find someone of the same gender with whom you can be open and honest with your struggles. Someone who can encourage you to seek Christ more and more so that at the end of your life you can say, “I lived my life the best possible way I could to Glorify God in all I did, thought, and said.”
Think of spiritual disciplines (prayer, meditation, studying God’s word, fasting, giving, evangelizing, confession, corporate worship) in your life that you have gotten lazy in, and areas where you have allowed sin or old habits to take root. Pray that God sharpens you to live a life more focused on Him.
If you want a more in-depth look at spiritual disciplines, check out Celebration of Disciplines by Richard Foster (available on Amazon or for purchase at most Venture Church coffee bars).
Next Steps
Find someone this week that you can grab a meal with or coffee with (even for 15 minutes) where you can ask each other these 3 questions:
- How have I fed my soul this week? This is anything from praying, reading, podcasts, books, to Sunday worship.
- How have I fed others this week? This is how you have discipled others: evangelizing, praying with someone, inviting someone to church, or even bringing a meal to them.
- How have I fed my flesh this week? This is the opportunity to confess sin that you have committed: pride, lust, greed, entitlement, anger, gossip. The key here is being specific with your sin.
Take two minutes to reflect in silence.
Reflection:
Use the S.O.A.P. Method to study God’s Word.
- SCRIPTURE: What stands out to you in today’s passage?
- OBSERVATION: What is this text saying? What is the context? How does it fit with the verses before and after it? Are there any commands, instructions, or promises?
- APPLICATION: How can you apply this verse to your life? What does this mean today? What is God saying to you?
- PRAYER: Respond to the passage in prayer. Ask God to help you apply this truth to your life and spend some time listening to what He may be telling you.
FALL AT VENTURE
KXP, MVMNT, The Gathering, House Church, and Care Groups are all starting back this fall! You can check the Fall at Venture webpage for launch dates and events happening this fall at Venture.