In the opening of his letter to the Corinthians, Paul emphasizes the idea of “calling”: he identifies himself as “called by the will of God” (vs. 1) and refers to his readers as those who are “called to be saints together” (vs. 2). This reminder of our identity in Christ, a powerful appeal for Christians to “remember who they are,” can be found throughout this morning’s service as well. All Hail The Power Of Jesus’ Name refers to us as the “chosen seed of Israel’s race,” while All Nations Clap Your Hands—Psalm 47 declares that He has “chosen our heritage” for us. We will hear from Psalm 65 that the Lord has chosen us to be near to Him and dwell in His courts (Psalm 65:4), followed by similar language in Frederick Faber’s There’s A Wideness In God’s Mercy—Christ is the “Savior who would have us come and gather at His feet.” The Assurance of Pardon from Isaiah 65 points out that the Lord “called us by His name” even though we did not seek Him out. As we spend the next few months digging deeply into this epistle to the Corinthians, let’s not forget the truth which opens it. As John Newton puts it in his hymn Glorious Things Of Thee Are Spoken: we are formed for His own abode. We are, through grace, members of His city. We are called to be Zion’s children. With this foundation, nothing should shake our sure repose. —Henry C. Haffner
Key Words: Called, Grace, Peace, Enriched, Confirmed, Sustain, Faithful
Keystone Verse: God is faithful, by Whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:9)
1 Corinthians 1:1-9
Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes, 2 To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in every way you were enriched in Him in all speech and all knowledge— 6 even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— 7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.