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  1 Corinthians 6:1-8 We like to win. because winning feels good. Apparently, the Christians in Corinth thought so too. In 1 Corinthians 6, Paul addresses church members taking one another to court. In the Roman world, lawsuits could involve more than settling a disagreement. Courts operated within a culture shaped by wealth, social status, and honor. The goal wasn't necessarily to find out who was right or wrong. Taking someone to court could be another way to show who had power and who didn’t. Scholars note that many of the conflicts in 1 Corinthians revolve around these kinds of divisions and expectations of social privilege. And Paul tells the Corinthian Christians to stop. But then he says something even more uncomfortable: “Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded?” Now, I don't think Paul is suggesting that injustice is okay. He's asking whether getting what we think we're owed has become more important than becoming like Jesus. How does that questi...

  Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9 Listen to today’s devotional There is loneliness that comes from being alone. Many of us know what that feels like. But there's also a loneliness that comes from being unknown. This is when you carry burdens or pressures no one else can feel. You don't have words or a voice for your prayers. There’s an ache of carrying something no one else can understand. The prayers that don’t make it past your lips. The weight of your suffering has no language to communicate and seems foreign to others. Thankfully, Hebrews tells us something almost too good to be true. That we are not unknown. We do not have a high priest who is distant or detached from pain. We have One who has  felt  it. And not just theoretically or symbolically. Jesus knows bodily, tearful pain that has to shout. Jesus has cried out. Hebrews says he offered “loud cries and tears.” That means there were moments when even the Son of God groaned his prayers. And here’s the tension we often neg...

  John 19:5-16 Listen to today's devotional Every year, we notice the shift in the crowd's tone between Palm Sunday and Good Friday. One moment, they're shouting "Hosanna!" That's a word of praise and of seeking protection. In a matter of days, the crowds shout, "Crucify him!" The people dropped their palm branches only to raise their fists in condemnation. I assume not everyone in the Good Friday crowd was there on Sunday. Not everyone knew who Jesus really was. They hadn't heard him preach peace. They never saw him feed hungry people or ever witnesses him heal the sick. What they saw was what the government and religious leaders wanted them to see. A bloodied man, labeled a criminal and a problem needing to be addressed. When Pilate stood and said to the crowd, "Behold the man!" they saw someone caught in the machinery of conspiracy and injustice. This man was beaten by a system built on violence, dominance and terror. And what societ...

  1 Corinthians 11:23-26 Listen to today's devotional It was my job to plan worship for a community outreach project. The weather looked like we would be able to be outside for this special gathering. Only, there weren't many large gathering spaces to choose from. So, had things worked out, we would have set up on the community basketball court. Before the weather changed our plans, I had envisioned our communion setup. Our table would be a graffiti-covered concrete bench. Personally, it would be a symbol of God's willingness to meet us on our terms. Christ became flesh to dwell among us, after all. As Jesus traveled, he didn't only meet in synagogues and in the temple. He met with sinners at their tables and their spaces. The kingdom of God has come and it may surprise us where it's willing to be. We ended up meeting inside. So, no concrete stained-glass altar. Even though it would have been a powerful visual, our communion was just as meaningful inside as it would...

  1 Corinthians 1:22-31 Listen to today's devotional If we're honest, a lot of us probably wouldn't pick ourselves. We know too well who we really are. What's been done to us. What we've done to others. We carry scars, secrets and shame that often weigh on our sense of worth. Now, we dress ourselves up for everyone to see. There's a mask for pain and a smile to hide our insecurities. But we're still left with a full measure of self doubt. That said, I hope this is an encouragement for you: Have you ever noticed the Bible doesn't always look to clean up its heroes? In the Bible, time and time again, God is willing to look past who we really are. Moses was a murderer with a temper. Gideon was so afraid he had to see a sign from God--twice. King David played the harp, but he also played with people's lives. And Peter was pretty good at putting his foot in his mouth, if he wasn't denying he even knew Jesus. And yet, God used them. Not after they got ...

  Luke 13:22-31 I reflect often on a drawing called  The Narrow Way . It's of a person maneuvering herself from a cross-shaped pit. As you view the picture, you can tell this is no easy task. The soul's will must contort the body to escape the angles of the cross. I haven't seen the picture in quite a while, but it's as vivid in my mind as it was the first time I saw it. It's a reminder to me of the challenge to walk faithfully a cruciform life. In Luke's gospel, the narrow way is a door. Responding to the question "Lord, will only a few be saved," Jesus instructs those listening to strive for this door. Many commentators note that to strive can have a sense of sport to it. That is, the word used means to "enter a contest" or even contend or fight an adversary. But it also points to a contention with danger or difficulty. That helps me understand Jesus more. At this point, religious leaders are ready to be done with Jesus. Herod wants him dea...

  1 Corinthians 2:1-10 Apparently, you could've discounted Paul's presentation. But you couldn't deny the power he preached. By his own admission, the apostle didn't go to Corinth to  wow  anyone with his words. He didn't prop himself up as the prominent teacher and Christian so many of us regard him as. Instead, he kept making tents, and relied on the "demonstration of the Spirit and of power" God gave him. And what was the result? There's no denying that a church grew. Yes, that church would grow to have issues. Big ones, too. After all, it wasn't a perfect church like yours. But the church was growing. The church would keep growing if it kept its focus--or refocused--on the proclamation Paul gave them: Jesus Christ and him crucified. Now that's a presentation. No matter what the world thinks of Jesus, the world thinks of Jesus when they see a cross. That's God's wisdom on display. Yes, Jesus came to teach us the marks of God's ki...

"Who do you say that I am?" - Jesus  Jesus didn't need marble temples or grand shrines. He had the cross. The cross didn't deny his power. It demonstrated it.  Understanding the cross is key to understanding God's language of grace. It's not about living your "best life" - it's about following Jesus, even when the path leads through suffering. Remember: God's grace means you're never too far gone to follow Jesus. Today is always a new day with God.