READING FOR APRIL 4, 2025: 1 SAMUEL 26, 1 CORINTHIANS 1 PSALM 27:6-14 1 SAMUEL 26 Much of what happens here happened before. Sometimes in our Christian life, including service to the Lord, it seems as though we continually run up against the same prob- lems. It can be tempting just to throw in the towel. Let’s see how David handles this situation. As happened in chapter 23, it was the Ziphites who gave David’s location away to Saul. (Apolo- gies to any Ziphites reading this.) Once again Saul pursued David with 3,000 men. Due to good intelligence, David came upon Saul’s camp while everyone was asleep. Once again, believing this was a sign from God, David’s assistant urged the killing of Saul. Once again, David said only the Lord may kill His anointed servant. Once again, David trusted in the Lord even when being urged to do what others would find perfectly justified. Can we be as obedient to God and trusting in His providence in the midst of a culture that celebrates self-actualization and individual expression? Our situation might be even trickier than David’s, but God is able. God gave David a “foretaste” of His providential protection by putting Saul and His forces into a deep sleep. Does this bring to mind the words of the hymn “Blessed Assurance”? “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine. Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine.” Do we all have this assurance today? It comes through receiving the work of Jesus as expressed in the next two lines: “Heir of salvation, purchase of God. Born of his Spirit, washed in His blood.” Although no physical harm came to Saul, David picked up Saul’s water jug and spear for evidentiary purposes, which he used to embarrass Abner, Saul’s commander, for his lax security for Saul. Once more David declared he was innocent of plotting against Saul (vs. 18) and once more Saul admitted his error in seeking to kill David (vs. 21). Although such confessions of repent- ance are good and we should be quick to forgive those who make them, only subsequent deeds are sufficient to earn trust. David was wise not to return to Jerusalem with Saul (vs. 21), but to go his own way (vs. 25). May expressions of repentance we make to God be confirmed by a holy life obedient to God’s word: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). 1 CORINTHIANS 1 1 Corinthians. It was written by the Apostle Paul to the church in the Greek city of Corinth. The over-arching purpose of the letter was to address problems in the church with respect to Christian conduct. It proclaims a progressive sanctification and the continuing development of one’s holy character. The letter shows that Paul was concerned with the Corinthians’ problems, revealing a true pastor’s heart (NIV Study Bible). The city of Corinth was a thriving city at this time. Because of its location near the Corinthian isthmus, by the time of Paul’s writing the letter, Corinth had become the chief city in Greece both commercially and politically. The harbors were a key port along the shipping lanes between Asia and Europe. The Introduction (1:1-9) If you read most of Paul’s letters contained in the New Testament, you will find introductions are similar. In many ways, these introductions are the way that
READING FOR APRIL 5, 2024 CONTINUED:1 CORINTHIANS 1, PSALM 27:6-14
proper letters were addressed to people in the Greek and Roman world at the time of Paul. The uniqueness of Paul’s introduction is the address “those sanctified in Christ Jesus” (1 Cor. 1:2).
Division in the Church (1:10-17) This is one of the main reasons that Paul wrote this letter to the church in Corinth. There were beginning to be differing factions within the congregation. Well-meaning members were beginning to hold the teachings of one person as more import- ant than another. These differences were beginning to divide the church into different camps. Paul calls the Corinthians church to unity. We will delve into this more later in the chapter.
God’s Power and Wisdom (1:18-31) This section of the chapter can get a little confusing. It requires a brief discussion of Greek philosophy and Jewish wisdom. Paul makes the following statement: “Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles” (1 Cor. 1:22-23a). In the Jewish religion, adherents see the cross as a stumbling block. Their objection is rooted in their understanding of Deut. 21:22-23a:
‘If someone guilty of a capital offense is put to death and their body is exposed on a pole, you must not leave the body hanging on the pole overnight. Be sure to bury it that same day be- cause anyone who is hung on a pole is under God’s curse.’’ A person who had been crucified on a cross was cursed by God. When Christians say that the Messiah (Christ), Jesus, was cruci- fied, it’s hard for the typical Jewish person to comprehend. How could someone under God’s curse be the Messiah? How could one cursed by God have save them? It is a stumbling block.
In Greek philosophy, the goal of life was to pursue pleasure, wealth, and wisdom. In Greek religious life, the “gods” were the source of those things. The gospel that we preach is that God’s Son willingly came down from heaven, suffered, and died. For the Greek, this seems foolish. The One who should be the source of pleasure is the One who chose to suffer to save them. To these groups, the cross presents a problem. And yet, God’s act in Jesus Christ goes far beyond human wisdom. Paul says: “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1Cor. 1:18). For those of us who believe God’s Son, Jesus Christ, died on the cross for us, we find power. Through the cross, God did for us what we could not do for ourselves. Through Christ’s death, God set the stage for us to be reconciled to God. Through his crucifixion, Jesus paid the price for our sins. When we put our faith in Christ, our sins have been forgiven. The penalty for our sins has been paid.
PSALM 27:6-14 Verses 7-14 is a prayer for deliverance from our enemies. It was written by King David at a time when his enemies were using false charges to discredit the king. There are two things to remember in times of adversity. First, seek Gods face (verse 8). When times are tough, intentionally seek the presence of God. Second, allow God to teach you (verse 11). The best testimony to your innocence is to follow the path that God is calling you to follow.
