Scripture Reading: Acts 18:1-28, Matthew 10:26-31, 1 Corinthians 1:1-9
Three years ago, my husband and I witnessed a miracle. We watched as God planted a church before our eyes. By His kindness, we were part of it. At first, the odds seemed stacked against us. We were small, with few resources. Some carried wounds from hard seasons; others faced major life changes. Yet prayerfully, we stepped out in faith. Over time, God added to our number, provided for us, and strengthened us in Christ. He let us plant the very church we needed.
Church planting is both joyful and difficult. It pushes us outside of our comfort zone, stretches our patience, and builds perseverance. Many hesitate to join such work. Yet Acts 18 shows us that someone had to plant the first churches.
I’ve come to realize that if I love my Savior, I must also love what He loves. Jesus loves the Church. The Church is His body and His bride—the blood-bought people of God from every tribe, tongue, and nation who repent and believe. Jesus laid down His life to make His church holy, righteous, and pure before Him.
Paul, Priscilla, Aquila, Titius Justus, Crispus, Silas, Timothy, and so many others deeply understood this. They didn’t establish the Corinthian church for what the church could offer them but because of their great love for Jesus. You see, God’s saints share the gospel and make disciples wherever they go because they cherish what Christ has done for them, and they take His commands to heart.
It was God’s plan for His people to be involved in the expansion of His kingdom. And Jesus wanted His disciples to know that loving Him means loving those He loves. And boy does Jesus love His people.
In our passage today, God instructed Paul not to keep silent in the face of opposition. At the end of the day, it’s freeing to know that we can simply be faithful with His message and entrust the results to Him. The Corinthian church would go on to face divisions and strife, but God did not abandon them. He preserved them, disciplined them, and used them mightily to build His kingdom.
Thank God for those who planted the churches we are a part of today. Not all of us are called to plant a church like our Corinthian brothers and sisters did, but all of us have been called by God to love and build up His bride. Do you love the people of God because Christ loves them? Do you tend to think about the church for what it offers you, or do you think of the church as family members to love? What is the church’s place in your life? Our Savior adores His bride. If we love Him, He can help us love her too.
Written by Beverly Berrus
