Daily Devotions: February 16, 2017

Daily Devotions: February 16, 2017

1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-17

“For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ.” vs. 11

As the early followers of Jesus continued to reflect on the gospel of grace, they realized that there would have to be some sort of organizing principle for the house churches that had popped up in all the major cities. They would need to figure out worship schedules, leadership issues, membership requirements…all those things that human communities need to function smoothly. What would work best, a top down structure with some respected leader running things, or would more of an egalitarian system work better? How could they set things up to continue a strong outreach program and also provide for the poor among them? Would there ever be a time when there would have to be building committees and stewardship drives? None of those things were in place…and it’s doubtful that anyone envisioned what the church would ultimately become…and Jesus hadn’t left them a template for a  churchwide structure! As they began to think about such things there were regular controversies and lots of divergent thinking. Paul began to worry about unity, whether Jesus’ one commandment could be a reality in the midst of such diversity.

He does have one conviction though, and he expresses it forcefully: whatever structure emerged there could never be any foundation other than the one already laid, Jesus Christ. His words ring true for us twenty centuries later. “The church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord!

Thought for the Day: What happens when our foundation is not Jesus Christ?

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