Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose. For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters.”
NL Daily Devotion for Sunday, April 28, 2024
by Madison Johnston, Clergy Stuff
Main Idea: Jesus doesn’t need you to get faith right. Jesus needs you to get faith going.
It seems in this text like what the Corinthians are hung up on—what is causing divisions and fights among them—is dogmatics. Logistics. Teeny tiny details woven into their lives of faith that might seem important in the moment, but that don’t actually bear any weight on the faith at all.
Paul is calling the Corinthians to reset. To refocus. To remember that what they need to be worrying about is Jesus, and what they need to be emulating is his humility. And this is because knowing Jesus doesn’t entail understanding Jesus. Knowing Jesus doesn’t entail any kind of exclusivity or superiority. No—knowing Jesus is about experiencing Jesus. Knowing Jesus is about sharing in love and joy and good news. Paul explicitly says that proclaiming the gospel is not about presentation. He states that an inelegant, ineloquent witness is perfect, because it’s gritty and real and just as counterintuitive as Jesus, himself.
The Corinthians seem set on establishing and communicating legitimacy in their faith, but Paul is telling them that they already have all the legitimacy they need: Christ. Instead of arguing, he wants them to align. Instead of turning inward, he wants them to go into the world and to share what they’ve experienced in Jesus (and what Jesus has done for them). Where are the places in your life where you could try this focus change this week?
