Daily Bread Pastor Mike Anderson

Click Here to Read 2 Corinthians 2 1 So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you. 2 For if I grieve you, who is left to make me glad but you whom I have grieved? 3 I wrote as I did, so that when I came I would not be distressed by those who should have made me rejoice. I had confidence in all of you, that you would all share my joy. 4 For I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you In Paul's letter he had to address some of the conflicts happening in the church at Corinth. There was some sexual immorality, arguing over leaders, and some were saying Paul was not a "real apostle". In his visit, which is not recorded in the bible, he had to do some confronting. He was a sensitive to making them upset, and he did not like coming under these pretenses just as much as they didn't. But in the end he was confronting them out of love for them and love

Click Here to Listen to Or Read 2 Corinthians 1 Background on Paul's second letter to the Corinthians (Adapted from Insight for Living) Paul wrote this letter at a vulnerable time in his life, when he was facing persecution and also personal struggles. He calls this personal struggle the "thorn in his flesh".  Though this is his second letter we have recorded in the bible, apparently Paul wrote another to express his sorrow. See 2 Corinthians 2:1-11.  Paul wrote this letter around 56 A.D., only about 30 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus, which makes it a very early letter. The closer the book of the bible is to the events in history, the more reliable they are. This fact always reminds us of the authenticity of the bible, especially as comparted to other religions' sacred texts. Paul wrote this letter most likely from Philippi, where he was collecting money for the sake of the overall church.   Themes: 1. Divisions and quarrels at Corinth. 2. Defense of

Click Here to Read or Listen to 1 Corinthians 16   The Collection for the Lord’s People 16 Now about the collection for the Lord’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. 2 On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. 3 Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem. 4 If it seems advisable for me to go also, they will accompany me. Paul gave instructions on giving. Note this wasn't necessarily just for their own congregation but a " collection for the Lord's people ". We know Paul collected offerings for the church in Jerusalem, which had a worse financial condition than the churches in Galatian, Corinth, Ephesus, and Philippi. Because of their location on major trade routes on the Mediterranean Sea, these churches were wealthier.  Paul gives specif

Click Here to Read or Listen to 1 Corinthians 15 The Resurrection of Christ 15 Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. Paul moves from the discussion on spiritual gifts, and specifically the gifts of tongues and prophecy, to the doctrine of the resurrection. He is addressing an early heresy that Jesus didn't really rise from the dead. Paul sees the resurrection as the linchpin of the gospel we preach. If we take out the literal, bodily resurrection of Jesus, we have nothing left.  Paul says, " It is by this gospel you are saved ." But since this was under attack they needed to stand firm. We need to stand firm on it just as much today. The gospel is under attack because the truth is under attack. We live in a world where absolute truth is seen as "pas

Click Here to Read or Listen to 1 Corinthians 14   Intelligibility in Worship 14 Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. 2 For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit. 3 But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort. 4 Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church. 5 I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified. Paul distinguishes between two of the extraordinary gifts, speaking in tongues and prophesy. Out of the two, Paul exhorts them to eagerly desire the gift of prophesy. Why? Because prophecy builds up everybody who listens, whereas speaking in tongues only builds up the person

Click Here to Read or Listen to 1 Corinthians 13 13 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. This is the famous "love" chapter that is read at almost wedding you go to. Since this chapter comes in the middle of two chapters on spiritual gifts, we know that his chapter is related to how we use spiritual gifts. The issue in the Corinthian church was that they were valuing supernatural gifts like speaking in tongues above the other more practical gifts. Paul reminds them that without love the gifts have no value to build up the body of Christ. They can create division and dissension  in the church, which happened in

Click Here to Read or Listen to 1 Corinthians 12 Concerning Spiritual Gifts 12 Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3 Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. In chapters 12-14, Paul gives a very comprehensive look at the topic of spiritual gifts. A spiritual gift is a divine enablement God has given us for ministry in the church. Every Christian is given at least one gift when we accepted Christ and were filled with the Holy Spirit.  Paul starts by saying, " I do not want you to be uniformed ." One of my goals since I became a pastor is that the churches I serve would not be uninformed about the Holy Spirit. If every member of every church has been given a spiritual gift, then the church will

Click Here to Read or Listen to 1 Corinthians 11 11 1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. Is this simple verse Paul says so much. It is pretty brave to ask someone to follow you. Some might even think it is prideful. But importantly Paul says "FOLLOW ME, AS I FOLLOW CHRIST!" Paul realizes that he falls far short of living up to Jesus' example, but yet that is his goal in life. The fact that he is doing his all to follow Christ is why he can make this statement.   Could you say this to someone?  On Covering the Head in Worship 2 I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the traditions just as I passed them on to you. 3 But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. 4 Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. 5 But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having he

Click Here to Read or Listen to 1 Corinthians 10 Warnings From Israel’s History 10 For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. 2 They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3 They all ate the same spiritual food 4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Paul recounts the Israelites in the wilderness when they were delivered through the Red Sea and ate manna. The Lord directed them by the clouds by day and a pillar of fire by night. When Moses struck the rock water came out of it. This was all a foreshadowing of Jesus. Jesus is the rock of our salvation. He is the light of the world. He is the living water! Despite God's miraculous provisions for them, they made idols a