March 11th, Wednesday, Romans 16 & 1 Corinthians 1

Rom 16
We're prone to honour Paul and forget the many ordinary people who helped make his ministry possible.
Paul was the human author to the epistle of the Romans, but Tercius wrote it down.
Gaius gave Paul a place to live and work.
And Phoebe carried the completed letters to Rome.
Nobody in God's family is unimportant to Him.
And no ministry is insignificant.
Find the work He wants you to do and then faithfully do it.
There is a hidden romance of history that's not recorded in the Bible.
When and how did Priscilla and Aquila risked their lives to save Paul?
When were Adronicus and Junea imprisoned with Paul?
How was Rufus' mother, a mother to Paul?
Who were the troublemakers about to whom Paul warned the Roman believers?
Well perhaps one day in heaven, we will given the answers, but for now the Scripture just hints at some of these people and their involvement in Paul's live.
Meanwhile the important thing is that we are obedient to the Lord and lead others in obedience to the faith.
The God of patience and comfort, the God of hope, and the God of peace will establish you and enable you.

1 Cor 1
Background.
Corinth – the capital of Achaia was perhaps the richest and most important city in Greece.
It was also the most corrupt.
A center for trade, Corinth was invaded by all kinds of religions and philosophies.
The apostle Paul founded the Corinthian church during his second missionary journey, and ministered there a year and a half.
After he left, serious problems developed in the church.
Paul wrote the members a stern letter that was not successful.
He heard that the church was divided.
And then a delegation from the church arrived in Ephesus with a letter asking Paul's help regarding specific questions.
1 Corinthians – this book in the Bible was his response.
Paul dealt with sin in the church.
And then he answered the questions they asked.
He discussed marriage, idolatry, public worship, spiritual gifts, the resurrection and the special offering that he was taking for the Jews.

And here in the very first chapter, we'll see that even though all believers are one in Christ, the local church often suffers from division.
Why?
For one thing, we forget the calling we have in Christ.
It is only by God's grace that we have been called.
And this fact should humble us and encourage us to love one another.
Another factor is our tendency to follow human leaders and develop a kind of a fan club mentality.
Christ died for us and lives to bless us.
And He must have the preeminence.
A third factor is a dependence on human wisdom and philosophies – of which there were many in Corinth, and so is it today.
The world's wisdom had crept into the church and it did not mix with the wisdom of God.
Various theologies are the attempts of scholars to interpret the Word of God, but they are not the Word.
Never allow them to be a cause of division.