The More Excellent Way

By Jeff Curtis

After pointing to a “more excellent way” in 1Corinthians 12:31, the Apostle Paul began one of the most elegant and profound sections in the Bible. He had been discussing the different types of miraculous gifts. Worldly-minded competition for the more visible gifts had caused a disruption in the church, and Paul was emphasizing the contribution that spiritual gifts ought to make to the unity of the body. For the moment, he laid aside the spectacular gifts known to the Corinthians and spoke about love, a trait that required no supernatural endowment from the Holy Spirit. The love that he wrote about is not just a warm feeling that comes and goes in a moment. It’s a settled disposition that begins with decisions and ends with actions.

This greatest statement the Bible has to offer about the supremacy of love in the Christian life is no digression from Paul’s discussion of unity and diversity in the body. People think they are being profound to claim that, when peace and love rule in a church, the sum is greater than the parts. It is more accurate to say that the gifts of each are enhanced when individual Christians love and support one another. Individuals have more to contribute to the whole when they give and receive support from fellow believers, but the whole can never be greater than the sum of its parts.

The testimony of Paul to the supremacy of love finds plenty of support throughout the Scriptures. When asked to identify the greatest of the commands in the law of Moses, Jesus gave an immediate response. While the Jewish ancient Jewish scholars have identified a total of 613 commands in the Law, Jesus summarized them in two:

He said, ““The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. ³⁰ And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. ³¹ And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Love is the constraining force that motivates Christians to tell others about God’s grace and the salvation from sin that is available to all because it was purchased by the blood of the Lamb. “For the love of Christ urges us on,” Paul wrote in his later letter to the Corinthians, “because we are convinced that one has died for all, therefore all have died” (2Corinthians 5:14; NRSV).

Words like “love,” “faith,” “grace” identify bedrock principles for those who confess Jesus as Christ. In political realms, key words might be “patriotism,” “freedom,” and “family.” The problem with such words is that they become so flexible that they have no concrete meaning. When a word encompasses too much, it begins to mean nothing at all.

In its long history, Christ’s church has been absorbed with defining such ideals as love, faith and grace. To define a word is to limit it and assert that not everything qualifies to be known by that term. No one can be guided by principles without a level if understanding about those principles. The author of Hebrews used examples to put “faith” into words (Hebrews 11:1). Christians can be grateful to Paul for moving “love” from the level of the abstract to the concrete realm of behavior in 1Corinthians 13.

A note to our members:

Some have stated they are still not receiving the “One Call” message when something is sent out from the church’s website. If you are not receiving any messages, check your recent incoming calls and make sure that you have included into your contact list the number, 931-227-4546. If you will add this number to your contact list, you should begin to receive these calls.

Why Are You Here?

by Kyle Campbell

    Why are you here? Have you ever really stopped to think about it? You decided to get up on a Sunday morning, change into your nicer clothes, and sit from one to two hours in a different looking building among people you only see a couple of times a week. All of this and it’s your day off as well (for most anyway). Why are you here? The answer to this question is so important that it may very well indicate where you will spend eternity after this life is over. Could there be any more important question? Consider four possible answers:

    “My wife or husband will be upset if I don’t come.” If that’s your answer we’re glad that you’re here but it says a lot. Does this mean that you feel you don’t need to be here (other than for your spouse)? Or do you feel the Lord isn’t concerned one way or the other? Perhaps you’re not concerned how the Lord feels, one way or the other. Is this what the Lord wants from those who worship Him? Just a warm body filling up a space on the pew? Jesus said, “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24). Just being here doesn’t “count” if you refuse to worship God in spirit.

    “My parents make me come.” Many stop attending as soon as they have the choice. Young people, there are many things your parents make you do. Such things as going to school, doing your homework, practicing cleanliness, and brushing your teeth. Which of these will you stop doing once you have the choice? Do you really think you’ll regret having a good education? How much more important are the spiritual values your parents are trying to instill in you? The Lord uses young hands and feet in His service as well as older hands and feet. Paul told Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:12, “Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.” The wisest man in the world said that we should “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, ‘I have no delight in them’” (Eccl. 12:1). Be busy in the Lord’s work. You can make a difference.

    “I’m here because God said I have to come.” In many respects this isn’t a bad reason at all. We often do things just because God said so, even when we don’t understand why. But what often accompanies this kind of reasoning is an attitude of doing only what I have to do. In other words, it isn’t, “God, how much can I do?” It’s, “God, how little can I do and still get by?” Many seem to think that as long as they partake of the Lord’s Supper, they’ve met their “minimum weekly requirements” and are free to go wherever they please the rest of the week. Typically, these members never teach a class, visit the sick, talk to their neighbors about the Lord, or offer much encouragement in the work of the church. Why? They aren’t here! God requires worship for a reason. He said through the apostle Paul, “And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near” (Heb. 10:24-25). Do you think God wants those who only go through a ritual of service to Him? Does God want children whose main claim to being His child is that they’re there for the Lord’s Supper? Here’s what God said to the children of Israel when they only “went through the motions” of worship to Him thinking that was all He wanted: “I hate, I reject your festivals, nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them; And I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fatlings. Take away from Me the noise of your songs; I will not even listen to the sound of your harps” (Amos 5:21-23). Serve God out of love from a pure heart.

    “I’m here because I love the Lord.” I’m here because I’m a sinner and need a Savior. I’m here because of all the Lord has done for me. I’m here because I love my brethren and enjoy being together. I’m here because I like to worship God. I’m here because I need to be here! I need my brethren praying with me and for me. It lifts me up to sing praises to God. The Lord’s Supper is so much more than juice and bread. It’s a communion together of the body and blood of our Lord and Savior. God’s Word should be sweeter than honey to us. Therefore, we enjoy studying from God’s Book. And our Lord has blessed us in so many physical ways. Isn’t it a blessing to be able to give back to Him? Then when it’s time to leave, don’t you feel better prepared to face the world? Perhaps our worship together helps to “disarm” Satan somewhat as we go about the rest of our week.

    Be glad for the privilege of worship. Come because you love the Lord. Truly our God is the Most High, deserving all honor, glory. and worship. “I will call on the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so, shall I be saved from mine enemies” (2 Sam. 22:4).

Now, why are you here?