Today we read 1 Corinthians 12. Paul seeks to settle and unite the Corinthian congregation by emphasizing the order God established in creation and the priority of the Gospel. The sin of arrogance plaguing the Corinthians still disrupts congregations today when roles of service are not clearly defined or valued. Yet also today, Christ unites us in Baptism and makes us His very Body. Though wounded and afflicted, His Body can never be destroyed but carries out God’s loving purposes. • Grant me refuge, dear Jesus, in Your holy wounds, from which You poured life and blessing for me and for all. Because You value all Your people, teach me to love and serve them humbly according to my calling. Amen.

Various Authors. The Lutheran Study Bible (p. 9953). (Function). Kindle Edition.

Today we read 1 Corinthians 11. The Corinthians have turned the Sacrament (= the Lord’s Supper) into a supper of their own making. As a result, the community of believers formed by the Gospel and the Sacrament is being harmed and individuals are falling under God’s judgment. Recalling Christ’s own institution of the Supper, Paul reminds the Corinthians to recognize what God has offered in the Sacrament: the body and blood of Christ, the forgiveness of sins, and through it the union of the Body of Christ, the Church, gathered around the altar. The Lord’s Supper is never just a private matter, something only between God and oneself, but it is a celebration of the whole Body of Christ. • Forgive, O Lord, the dullness that too frequently overcomes us as You draw us to Your Table. Remind us of the blessings of forgiveness and salvation You provide for us there. Send faithful pastors who will admonish our wrongs, remind us of Your love in Christ, and encourage us to receive the forgiveness brought to us in Your Sacrament. Unite us in love and fellowship with those whom You have redeemed who join us at Your Table. Amen.

Various Authors. The Lutheran Study Bible (p. 9948). (Function). Kindle Edition.

Today we read 1 Corinthians 10. Martin Luther writes: “A god means that from which we are to expect all good and in which we are to take refuge in all distress.” Our society has many such gods, be they wealth, status, reputation, even family. But the one true God does not tolerate shared allegiance. If we participated in the worship of false gods or in churches that do not faithfully confess the Gospel in all its purity, this would indicate that we assent to what that worshiping community believes. For this reason, we avoid such false worship. At the Lord’s Table, He offers His body and blood for the forgiveness of sins and through them creates a faithful community, one committed to Him and to one another. He comes to His people in His Word and in the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, which forgives sins and creates a Church faithful to Him. We pray that, also in Muslim lands, the Lord would allow His followers to one day soon be baptized and receive His true body and blood in the Lord’s Supper. Amen.

Various Authors. The Lutheran Study Bible (p. 9936). (Function). Kindle Edition.

Today we read 1 Corinthians 9. As founder of the Corinthian Church, and as an apostle, Paul is perceived to have more “rights” than anyone else. Yet he consistently sets an example for the Corinthians, encouraging them to put off their own rights in order to serve one another. This is taught and modeled by Jesus Himself (Mark 10:45). His death and resurrection transform our lives so that we do not seek our own good but the good of others. • Praise God, who Himself became human like us in order to save us! Strengthen us, O Lord, to serve others in all things, so that all people might come to know the power of Your death and resurrection. Amen.

Various Authors. The Lutheran Study Bible (p. 9931). (Function). Kindle Edition.