Truth Encounter: 1 Corinthians

When the weather turns cold and snowy in March, do you ever dream of the day when you can retire and buy a condo in Florida? The next few minutes could keep you from making the tragic mistake of living your life with totally wrong dreams!

Suppose one hundred years from now one of your great, great grandchildren is rummaging around in the attic and found a box of letters that you had written. As they read these letters what would they conclude about what was important in your life? We have been studying a personal letter written by the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians and are coming to the conclusion of the book. You can almost hear the Apostle Paul scribbling quickly to get some last minute details to the Corinthians…

We all know that death and taxes are inevitable, and when it comes to paying taxes out of a dry bank account, it sometimes feels like death. Unlike many countries in Europe, the USA has no state church and giving to the church is your choice. What does God’s word actually teach us about the way the Lord wants us to give to support His work?

Our American culture places tremendous stress upon appearance, but all the Maybelline, Clinic, and weight machines can’t overcome the invasion of time against our vitality. This is not a call to throw away cosmetics or the exercise routines but it is time to face the fact that we need a hope in the future that our life existence will not end in the skeletal dust of the grave.

Description:“If this life is all there is, then why do it?” I’ve got some great news. Life is not meaningless. Your work can add up to something, but it is all contingent on getting a perspective that moves beyond trying to get everything to add up from just the ten, forty, or eighty years we spend here on earth.

One fact of human existence that we all try and ignore is that none of us can drink from the Fountain of Youth. Phil Simms and Troy Aikman might comment on the Super Bowl, but they do not play in it. This kind of talk can get real depressing except for one fact. I know someone who has beaten and can help us to outdistance time.

The waters of Lake Michigan were frigid and the cold sucked the swimmer's strength. As they began their frantic CPR it seemed futile. Then the miracle. The swimmer coughed and opened his eyes. As we talk about the miracle of Easter morning, are we talking about the resuscitation of a Savior, or did something infinitely more miraculous take place in that Palestinian tomb?

Mormons have built an entire baptismal rite on the passage. Many orthodox believers have hardly even heard of the phrase from First Corinthians 15, but as we turn to verse twenty nine we read these strange words “if the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them?” What is this talk about “baptism for the dead?”

Whenever we approach a religious holiday, the major magazines offer cover stories highlighting some of the latest controversies or discoveries in the land of the Bible. Suppose you logged into your news access and it had this headline, ”The Skeleton of Jesus Found.” What effect would a discovery like this have on your faith?

Imagine someone who was told that they had AIDS, only to discover when further tests were done that the virus had disappeared. Or imagine a convicted felon in a capital murder case on their way to the chamber where they will receive a lethal injection having their final walk interrupted with a pardon from the governor. Excited isn’t a strong enough word for this kind of joy and this joy should be yours.