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2 Corinthians 11:23-30
Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?
If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.
New International Version (NIV)
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My young friend Clara has helped us all through the “shelter at home” with her Facebook jokes of the day. She is so funny! And we need to laugh. I researched humor about bragging today: “ My friend was bragging that his new 3D printer can print a gun, but I’m not impressed. I’ve had a Canon printer for years.” Another person bragged, “I just completed a fourteen day diet. In three hours and thirty eight minutes.” Clara surely has better jokes than these.
What is most likely to make you brag? The Apostle Paul boasted in his own sufferings. Following Christ was not an easy journey for Paul. Think of the beatings he endured, the shipwrecks he survived and the challenges he faced from others. As Paul built to a crescendo in describing his struggles, he came to this, “Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.” Paul seems to say, “I have survived all of this, but the greatest concern on my heart is the welfare of the churches I have planted and encouraged.”
As a Pastor, I resonate with Paul. Going back to the late 1990’s at Tallowood, I think about Tropical Storm Allison, 9/11, Hurricane Rita, Hurricane Ike, the Tax Day flood, the Memorial Day flood, Hurricane Harvey and now the Coronavirus. “Through it all... we’ve learned to trust in Jesus...” Meeting with other pastors yesterday by Zoom, we thought together about the right time to try to reopen our corporate worship services. I distinguish this from reopening the economy. Businesses must reopen and put people back to work for obvious reasons. Churches, however, are not just businesses. We are guided by Jesus’ words, “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” Out of an abundance of compassion for our neighbors, we voluntarily took our services online. We did this knowing that in a number of instances, churches have been the source of outbreaks in other cities around our country and world.
Like Paul, I realize that we are all in this together. Your thoughts as members of the church matter to your ministers and especially to me. In these days, though, I feel the weight not only of how it affects me, but how it affects thousands of us. Some have simpler solutions than I see at this point. I find in our church a range of opinions, from “we never should have stopped public worship” to “don’t come back too soon, maybe not until the end of summer.” The good news is our corporate worship continues to be a blessing. Far from putting ministry on hold, we have found God opening new venues of ministry that we had not imagined. My study to preach has never been richer or more meaningful to me. I sense the power and pleasure of God as I preach. Often as we sing in the worship center while you sing in your homes, I am overcome with tears, longing for our return.
As we continue to pray for our government leaders with gratitude, we hope for a sustained decline in new Covid cases over a fourteen day period in our city and state. Remember, the White House suggested this as the guideline for moving to Phase 1 of reopening. Would you pray with me for this to happen? As I write today, I read that we have one consecutive day of decline in Houston. Texas broke a three day decline with an upsurge in cases yesterday. Christian leaders in our own Texas medical center have asked churches to wait until June to reopen. They base this on scientific data and the current cases in our city and state. Their reasoning seems sound to me. So we will pray and plan and prepare to reopen and trust that God will lead us. The consequences of this decision, like others we have made in this season weigh heavily on me . . . “I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches . . .” especially Tallowood, for each and for all of our members and those who are joining us in these days.
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Pray with me:
Father, if we boast at all, let it not be in our own victories but in Christ’s victory over sin and death. With Paul we say, “God forbid that we should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ . . .” Father as much as we love our church, we know that our combined love could never exceed your love for your people. Bless our sister churches in the city as they also wrestle with this decision. May our agonizing in prayer not be in vain, we ask as we trust you to guide us step by step, as you always have. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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Join us in memorizing the Word. Scripture for this week:
Matthew 5:36-37
And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
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| Our 2020 Every Day with Jesus readings will follow the Foundations New Testament reading plan. Copies of the reading plan are available at Tallowood Baptist Church, or download your copy at REPLICATE.ORG
We would love for you to join us as we read the New Testament through this year, five chapters a week. In addition I will continue my long-standing practice of reading one Psalm a day through the year. Use Robby Gallaty’s H. E. A. R. plan to study each chapter (also found at REPLICATE.ORG). Highlight verses which speak to you, explain what they mean in your own words in a journal, apply them to your own life, then respond by doing what God tells you to do.
Joyfully,
Duane
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