"God-Colored Lenses"   2011

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

 

In  my youth,   our church youth group

        went on wonderful and inspiring weekend retreats.

We would experience God in Scripture lessons,

        out in nature, playing sports and games,

                and fellowship and discussion over our meals.

 

We could talk about things close to the heart,

    and return home to our families and the mundane of school life,

        with a new heart, new hope and new perspective…

… more able to see life through God-colored lenses,

     … more appreciative and aware of the abiding presence of God.   

 

The Apostle Paul

   viewed and interpreted all of life through God-colored lenses.

        Everything was related to God, and God's presence and grace;

                                    and trying to recognize God at work

                                        was his whole focus and life perspective.

 

Beginning right in the first verse,

        it's Paul, an apostle  by the will of God.

                        It's not something that Paul did,

                                not something he accomplished or decided …

        … but it was entirely

                an act of God, God's will and purpose, not Paul's.

 

Therefore,

        Paul preaches, teaches and practices – a theology of grace;

                in which everything is about God's gracious love,

                       and everything else  builds on that reality & truth.

 

Paul also preaches, teaches and practices – a theology of place;

        vs. 2                                                                                     

                        To the church of God that is in Corinth     

 

The 'church' isn't a building or institution,

        but in the Greek, literally,  ekklesia

                "the gathered people" of God, who are in Corinth…

 

        … and as we will see as we journey through 1^st Corinthians,

               by grace, God has specifically placed the people thereà

                        to accomplish some purpose of God in that place.

 

        They have been gathered there specifically by God

                to be an   oasis of Grace in that particular place –

 

                        as together, as a faith-community,

                                they await and work toward

                                        the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God

                                                in the return of Christ in the end.

 

Continuing with his focus on God and God's grace,

        Paul writes,  vs. 4-7

                I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind— just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you— so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ.  He will also strengthen you to the end.

 

All of Paul's attention is on what God is doing and accomplishing

        - they have been enriched,

                - they have been strengthened

                        - and they are not lacking anything à

                                        à all because of God's grace.

 

It's all about God; God plays the lead,       and our role is minor,

   it's to simply live out God's gracious will and divine purpose…

                … for which we need  to see through God-colored lenses.

 

And it's not that we are so wonderful and capable,

    but entirely that God is faithful, and God will make it so.

vs. 9

        God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

And by grace alone,

        God calls us and invites us to participate in His kingdom

                through fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

The Christians in Corinth had gotten off-track,

        so Paul wrote this letter back to them addressing

                their specific questions and circumstances…

        … by explaining, instructing and demonstrating to them

              the true implications of receiving God's grace ----

-- and how that gracious love guides our relationships,

        transforming the people of God into the Church,

                a caring community of compassion, unity and faith.

 

        Thanks be to God,

                for the truth and richness of God's saving grace.

 

And through our worship,

        in Scripture, prayer, study, fellowship and service

                we acquire God-colored lenses to see it, recognize it,

                     à the richness of God's presence and grace at work

                            in our lives, our relationships and in the world.

 

        Thanks be to God,

                for the truth and richness of God's saving grace.