A church divided
Day 580, Saturday, Mar. 14
1 Corinthians 1:1-17
The opening of Paul’s letter to the church at Corinth is typical of his letters: he identifies himself, often sends greetings from others, and has an opening salutation. Here it is “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” He then has a passage of thanksgiving.
After that opening, Paul quickly gets to the main issue: division in the Corinthian church.
The first division he addresses is the disagreement between different groups in the church based on which leader they most identify with. “What I mean is this: One of you says, ‘I follow Paul’; another, ‘I follow Apollos’; another, ‘I follow Cephas’; still another, ‘I follow Christ.”
It is Christ who was crucified for all; he is not divided.
Paul is well known to the church at Corinth—he founded it, so it is likely that the “Paul party” is strong. People in the church have learned from other Christian teachers, too, and some of the church members consider them to be above Paul—and there is division between the groups. Others claim their allegiance is only to Christ, but they too seem to be divisive.
This illustrates how Paul stays in touch with the churches he started, sometimes by letter but often by contact with believers as they travel and cross paths with Paul.
In this case the information came to Paul from members of “Chloe’s household.” Clearly Chloe is someone known to both Paul and the Corinthian church. The members of her household might be close relatives, slaves or employees.

-Rev. Mark Fleming

Saturday meditation

Psalms 94:12-23
Blessed is the one you discipline, Lord, the one you teach from your law; you grant them relief from days of trouble, till a pit is dug for the wicked. For the Lord will not reject his people; he will never forsake his inheritance. Judgment will again be founded on righteousness, and all the upright in heart will follow it.
Who will rise up for me against the wicked? Who will take a stand for me against evildoers? Unless the Lord had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death. When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your unfailing love, Lord, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.
Can a corrupt throne be allied with you—a throne that brings on misery by its decrees? The wicked band together against the righteous and condemn the innocent to death. But the Lord has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge. He will repay them for their sins and destroy them for their wickedness; the Lord our God will destroy them.

Prayer focus
Thank you for the great leaders of the faith. Remind us they are teachers to learn from, not gods to be worshiped.