When the skin upstaged the wine

...each one of you says,
I follow Paul, or
I follow Apollos, or
I follow Cephas, or
I follow Christ.
Is Christ divided?
Was Paul crucified for you?
Or, were you baptized in the name of Paul?

For Christ did not send me to baptize but to
preach the gospel.


Consider your calling, brothers:
not many of you were wise according to worldly standards,
not many were powerful,
not many were of noble birth.
But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise;
God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;
God chose what is low and despised in the world,
even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are

so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.
So because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,
so that, as it is written, 'Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord'.

...I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
          [1 Corinthians 1, 2:2]


The sum total of Paul's kind rebuke is to say;
"so that no human being might boast in the presence of God."
If this be true then why is there such boasting in the way of adherence to the methods of men, who according to Paul's description are, "foolish, weak, low + despised"?  This is Paul's way of realigning men and their methods in the proper "Gospel-centerd" order of things.

When one understands that the men/women (and their prospective movements) which delivered Christ to their generation are nothing more than a blip on the screen of 'God's eternal story', only then can boasting be appropriately placed in the Lord, and proper thanksgiving be made for these faithful servants.  When this is not viewed, then great energy is exerted to preserve methods, as a means of honoring the servant, though, as in a twist of unfunny irony, whose lives were intended to honor, not themselves...but Christ.

The moral of the story is,
The more like Christ you become,
the more you'll care about the "fine vintage of the Gospel of Christ", and less about the leather skin which carried the choice Wine.  Even if it's a name brand skin, designed by: Apollos, Cephas, Paul, Piper or Smith.

Revelation: Jesus' Words to the Church of Smyrna:: Rev. 2:8-11

Revelation: Jesus' Words to the Church of Smyrna:: Rev. 2:8-11 from Calvary SLO Church on Vimeo.

+INTRODUCTION
Even though the city of Smyrna was smaller than it’s neighbor, Ephesus to the south it nonetheless rivaled it, in it’s prosperity, due to it’s mass trade, resulting from it’s natural seaport and it’s high standing with the Emperor of Rome.

Smyrna derives it’s name from a valuable resin called, myrrh, which was very popular in the ancient world, believed to have healing abilities due of its strong antiseptic and anti- inflammatory properties. It was also used as an embalming agent. This dark-brown resinous sap would normally be hardened on the outside and soft on the inside. When the substance was crushed or compressed it would often give off a fragrant aroma. The word, ‘myrrh’ in the Hebrew is similar to the word ‘marah’ (bitter).

The name Smyrna and what it represents is an appropriate term, as it relates to the Church which resided there. As the Church in that city began to grow and have an impact, so did the hostility of the cities’ inhabitants. Jesus wrote, “I know your tribulation”. Sadly, this church very early on began to suffer, and yet Jesus clearly states that he’s aware of it, and lovingly identifies himself as One who suffers alongside them by saying, “I, died and came to life”. We are promised in the bible that, those who live Godly will suffer persecution or opposition [2 Tim. 3:12].
In the case of this church in Smyrna they suffered in at least three ways: +physically (tribulation), +financially (poverty) and +emotionally (slandered) [Rev. 2:9] yet, they were admonished to be faithful, even unto death, for they would receive from Jesus great honor, as depicted by being offered the crown of life.

Following the pattern set by Jesus, and echoing the very name of their city, the most fragrant aroma ascended from their lives through this painful process of crushing. It was in their time of trial that they shined brightest. In less than 70 years after this letter was sent, one of the apostle John’s own friends Polycarp, (a local pastor) would have been bound to a stake in the center of town and burned to death. His martyrdom would emanate a wave of encouragement to fearful saints to be bold, and to stand strong in the face of trials.

You Will Suffer - John Piper

When Death is Killed by Life

I wrote an email to someone going through a tough time due to death in their family.  While writing, I was reminded of the great hope Jesus offers, over what appears to be an unconquerable enemy with an insatiable appetite...death!  But, as is often the golden theme in the bible, things are NOT always as they appear.  This is the letter I wrote:



Hi _____,
I'm sorry to hear about the difficulty your family is facing through this season. Death, always seems to rob life + it's joys prematurely. Death is not natural (no matter how people attempt to excuse it away)...it is the result of sin's ominous presence in this world and a continuous reminder that 'things as they are', are not right.

One of my favorite passages on the painful effects of death and Jesus' sovereign authority + power over this titanic enemy, is John 11. Lazarus, who was one of Jesus' best friends, died. All who were present for this sad occasion were full of mourning + drained of tears....Yet:

...Jesus felt their pain + cried with them [John 11.33,35]
...Jesus spoke to their sorrow + offered hope [John 11.25]
...Jesus acted, reversing death + gave Lazarus life [John 11.42-44]

The aim of the events in this scene were to serve as a sign, pointing to Jesus, who came to invert the power of death (appearing as the final mocker) by actually using death, as the instrument to bring life itself. Jesus points to his own death/resurrection by stating, 'I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.' (John 11:25-26). Ironically, on the cross, Jesus, overcame death, by killing it's root, 'sin'. It's in Jesus, this hope, beyond the grave, is realized!

1 Cor. 15:54,55 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?

Point them to Jesus!
Share with your family, the life Jesus has given you.
Remember, you were once dead in your sins [Eph. 2:1), yet Jesus brought you to life.

I'll pray for you that God would give you boldness like never before to shine bright...even while standing under the mocking shadow of our defeated enemy, 'death'.

peace, bryan

The unveiling of Jesus' words to the church in Ephesus [Rev.2:1-7]

We've received some video equipment, and are excited about putting it to good use for God's kindgom.

Here's some of the first fruits.

from Calvary SLO Church on Vimeo.