Honour and Righteousness

Posted on by korgrocker

“What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honour the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help. We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.”
2 Corinthians 8:19-21 NIVUK

Chapter 8 of 2 Corinthians starts with an account of the generosity of the Macedonian churches (Philippi, Thessalonica and Berea) in raising funds to help the poor in Judea, who were still suffering from the effects of a famine. Paul wrote, “And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. …” (2 Corinthians 8:1-3). Paul continued with an appeal for the Corinthians to add their offering to that already collected, and to help with this, Titus was sent with some other brothers to act as a public statement of trust so that the money would arrive at its destination untouched. Paul reminded the Corinthians that the offering was administered “in order to honour the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help”. 

Honour, trust and righteousness are key words in our verses today, and they should feature in all dealings in churches where money is involved. We should also add the word “integrity” because that reflects the character of the people involved in its administration. Sadly, today, an occasional news story emerges that exposes a misdemeanour. There was an occasion some years ago in a UK church, when the church secretary, who occasionally dipped into the offering placed in a safe overnight, was confronted by one of the leaders who had suspicions about what was going on. The money wasn’t usually counted before it was placed in the safe, but one day the leaders did count it and discovered that some of it had gone missing the next day, after the secretary had arrived at work. Thankfully, the leadership handled the situation very sensitively, the money was repaid, and the situation was resolved in a Godly way with restoration for the person concerned. But back with the Corinthians, Paul wanted to avoid any criticism of how the gift was administered, so he put in place men of honour and righteousness to do the necessary.

There is a connection between righteousness and honour, as we read in Proverbs 21:21, “Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honour”. But underpinning all Scriptures about integrity is the principle of stewardship, and this applies to everything that God has given us, our time, our talents or our treasure. Always under constant review are the ways we apply the whole of ourselves, in whatever we are doing, such that in it we honour God. Jesus taught a parable that we can read in Matthew 25. It starts, “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone” (Matthew 25:14).  His three servants had differing abilities, so he gave five bags of silver to one, two bags to another and one bag to the last. We note that this parable was about the Kingdom of Heaven, God’s Kingdom, and in some translations, the reference is to talents, which expands on the meaning of the resource being allocated. But in the parable, we read on and find that the first two servants put the money to work and doubled its value through wise and sound investments. Sadly, the last servant just hid his bag of silver, and, although it was intact, it achieved nothing for the benefit of his master. The first two servants heard that wonderful accolade from their master, we read, “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together! ’” (Matthew 25:21). But the last servant wasted his opportunity and ultimately ended up in “ … outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth”. 

We pilgrims need to be careful to use what God has given us in a way that honours Him, regardless of the resource. It could be the way we use our time: perhaps we should ask ourselves, “Is what we are devoting our time to producing a return for God?” Similarly, with our talents, the ability gifts God has given us. We may have the gift of encouragement: Romans 12:8a, “If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. …”. There are many more gifts God has provided but we don’t ever want to be accused of not using them. And of course, there is our money. Some people have a philanthropic ministry funded by their wealth, but at the other end of the spectrum, we read about the Temple offering from a poor woman. “Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins. “I tell you the truth,” Jesus said, “this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has”” (Luke 21:2-4). But we must take note that we each have a “bag of silver” to invest in God’s Kingdom. 

Honouring God and living in righteousness are fundamental characteristics of all pilgrims living in God’s Kingdom.

Dear Heavenly Father. Difficult words and thoughts today, but we pray for Your help because we get so easily sidetracked. Please forgive us for the ways we have failed You in the use of our gifts, and we pray for opportunities to use them as You intended. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

The Importance of Integrity in Christian Service

Posted on by korgrocker

“But thank God! He has given Titus the same enthusiasm for you that I have. Titus welcomed our request that he visit you again. In fact, he himself was very eager to go and see you. We are also sending another brother with Titus. All the churches praise him as a preacher of the Good News. He was appointed by the churches to accompany us as we take the offering to Jerusalem—a service that glorifies the Lord and shows our eagerness to help.”
2 Corinthians 8:16-19 NLT

Paul was a man of integrity, regardless of what others said about him. On occasion, he was forced to say something in his defence, as we read in 2 Corinthians 1:17, “You may be asking why I changed my plan. Do you think I make my plans carelessly? Do you think I am like people of the world who say “Yes” when they really mean “No”? The attacks on Paul largely came from opponents in Corinth, Jewish leaders who disagreed with his teachings on the law and about Jesus. But integrity would have been integral to Paul’s character, and he surrounded himself with other men of integrity, such as Titus. Paul wrote with gratitude about Titus, whose heart, we are told, was stirred not by obligation, but by genuine care. Alongside him was another believer, also entrusted with handling the offering being collected for God’s people. This wasn’t just administration; it was a ministry built on integrity, accountability, and shared purpose. It was essential to make the point that in a world where corruption was common, here were men of integrity who could be trusted to take the whole offering to Jerusalem without dipping into it on the way, or even doing a runner somewhere with the whole amount in their pockets. It’s easy to think of integrity as a “practical” issue rather than a spiritual one—but Paul sees no separation. Anything to do with handling money, working with others, and being accountable is not just an organisational concern—they are acts of worship. These men knew that when they served God, how they did it reflected the God they represented.

In a world today, where trust is a fragile characteristic, there are some messages to believers everywhere from our verses today. Take Titus, for example. He wasn’t pressured to go to Corinth. He was eager, we read, and he had the same enthusiasm as Paul did. All believers are in some form of service in their fellowships and churches, and in the church I attend, there are opportunities for service all the time, not just on a Sunday. Do we do these acts of service willingly with integrity and caring? These characteristics are the bedrock of any fellowship and fulfil our Christian obligations to one another. The men travelling with Paul had reputations for doing what was right. Trust is built over time through a consistent character. Today, this means being honest with finances, following through on commitments, and, in all of it, acting with transparency. We must realise that our everyday choices are shaping our witness. As a friend of mine once said, our attitude determines our altitude.

Another message from this passage today involves how we deal with resources, either our own, our church’s, our employer’s, or even our family’s. From our verses today, we read that the brothers’ actions were “a service that glorifies the Lord”. That is the ultimate motivation. Whether we’re serving in church, volunteering in our communities, or working in our jobs, or whatever we are doing, we are representing Jesus, doing all to His glory.

One characteristic that shines in all that Paul said was faithfulness. This, we know, is a fruit of the Spirit, and is something that Jesus encourages in all of us. Solomon wrote about it, “Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them round your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart” (Proverbs 3:3). 

God’s work is not only advanced by great preaching or bold vision, but by ordinary believers who can be trusted with responsibility. Think about faithfulness in the small things, integrity in the unseen moments and willingness to do the everyday tasks. These are the building blocks of a life that honours God.

Dear Heavenly Father. We understand the importance of personal integrity, because it honours You. Let us never forget that. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Discerning Christ

Posted on by korgrocker

“So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. That is why many among you are weak and ill, and a number of you have fallen asleep.”
1 Corinthians 11:27-30 NIVUK

We continue this morning to consider what the Communion service, the Lord’s Supper, really means. We know that a few moments are allowed before we take the emblems, and in these times of reflection, we confess our sins and do what we can to get right with God, even making promises to ourselves to go and put things right after the service. But what does it mean to discern the Body of Christ? Paul wrote, “So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord”. We cannot ever make the mistake of being “unworthy” at a time like this, because of the solemnity of what it means. I’m sure, however, that we pilgrims would never want to be guilty of this, but we know our feeble capabilities. The pressures of life, and perhaps what we saw on television the night before, will crowd into our thought processes, causing us much distress. Paul eloquently described the problem in Romans 7:21, “So I find this law at work: although I want to do good, evil is right there with me”. Above all, we would never want to dishonour Jesus, who went through hell so that we wouldn’t have to. 

With the emblems before us, we should perhaps pause for a moment to consider that the bread on the plate isn’t the product of a baker at all, but the body of Jesus. In this respect, perhaps the Anglicans have got it right by never leaving even a crumb behind after the service. In the same way, the communion “wine”, whatever it is, must be totally consumed, and even the goblet used must be rinsed out and wiped clean. Anglicans do this in reverence to Christ because, through the solemnity of sharing the bread and wine, the emblems are made sacred. Sadly, so many churches will throw the unused elements away, disposing of them in the trash can or by pouring them down the sink. But how many congregants really make the connection between the elements and the body and blood of Jesus? God has blessed us pilgrims with an imagination, something that has become anointed by the Holy Spirit and is being sanctified by His presence. We must remember that although the body and blood, in the form of bread and wine, might be partaken of during a meal, they are entirely separate from it. 

In 1 Corinthians 11:26, we read, “For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes”. In the process of sharing in the Communion, we are “proclaiming” the Lord’s death. In other words, through sharing in this ceremonial meal, we are acknowledging that Jesus gave His body and shed His blood for our benefit, for the salvation of all who believe in Him. And we will keep on proclaiming this momentous event until one of two things happens – either we die or Jesus returns, ushering in His new Kingdom. Jesus said, “I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom” (Matthew 26:29). Then there will be that marvellous occasion we refer to as the marriage feast of the Lamb (Revelation 19). 

But there is something else about “proclaiming” the Lord’s death. What else should we be proclaiming? We can’t just be obedient in this one thing without being obedient to many others as well. Are we loving our spouses? Are we sharing the Gospel? There is a long list of “Are we’s”, providing a sobering reality to what it means to be a Christian. Thankfully, God is patient and kind, and doesn’t expect an instant transition from an unbeliever to a fully fledged believer overnight. We enter into a process called sanctification, as we are being made holy to be more like Jesus.

Another reason for the Communion service is to declare the unity among believers. 1 Corinthians 10:16-17, “Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf”. In other words, we must see Christ in our fellow Christians and treat them as we would treat Jesus when we come together.

If we bring God’s spotlight into our souls, looking at who we are through His eyes, what will we see? This is an easy question to answer, because through Jesus, we will see a righteous and holy child of God. Through our repentance, the blackness of sin has been left at the Cross. But we must never become complacent, and we must value the Communion service to provide an opportunity to touch base with Jesus once again. We feel His love and forgiveness once again flood over us, refreshing and restoring our souls.

Dear Lord Jesus. Once again, we kneel before You, confessing our sins, and thanking You for all You have done for us. We worship You today. Amen.