Reflections with Andy - 1 Corinthians 1: 1-9 – God is Faithful
We begin our time in 1 Corinthians today by learning about the town and Paul’s story there. But we are reminded of this truth. God is faithful, always.
In this episode, Andy begins a new journey through 1 Corinthians, introducing Paul’s deeply personal letter to one of the most diverse—and divided—churches in the New Testament. After exploring the background of Corinth and why this letter remains so relevant today, Andy reflects on Paul’s opening words of grace, gratitude, and encouragement. Before addressing conflict, Paul reminds the church of who they are: people being transformed by God’s grace. The central message is one we all need to hear—God is faithful. No matter what this week brings, God is still at work in our lives, strengthening us, calling us, and inviting us to live each day with purpose and hope.
Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he’ll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God’s Word.
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WWell, good morning! Happy Monday to you! I hope you are doing well, had a great weekend, enjoyed a wonderful Fourth of July, and are ready to start this week off strong. I think it’s going to be a great week.
It’s good to be settling in. I’ve now had my first full week here in the office at Starkville First United Methodist Church, and things are starting to fall into a rhythm. Hopefully, routines will begin to develop, and we’ll keep living into this new season together. It’s going to be good.
Speaking of routines, we’re going to get back to what we normally do with Rooted, and that’s study a book of the Bible together.
I had several people text me suggestions over the past week, and I think I’ve settled on our next couple of studies. You know I like to alternate between the Old Testament and the New Testament, so after finishing Ecclesiastes I wanted to spend some time in the New Testament.
So our next study will be 1 Corinthians. It’s a longer book, so it’ll keep us busy for a while. Then, after we finish 1 Corinthians, we’ll head back to the Old Testament and study Daniel together. Several of you requested Daniel, and I think that’ll be a lot of fun.
So today let’s introduce 1 Corinthians before we dive into the letter itself.
Paul actually wrote more than two letters to the church at Corinth. We only have two preserved in Scripture, but from what Paul says in these letters, we know there were others.
One of the things I love about Paul’s letters is how personal they are. Almost every letter Paul wrote was written either to a church he helped plant or to people he knew personally. The one exception is Romans. Paul hadn’t yet visited Rome, so Romans serves almost like an introduction—a theological roadmap for the believers there before he arrived. It’s one of the reasons Romans is so rich theologically. Paul is writing to the capital of the empire, introducing both himself and the gospel he preaches.
Corinth, though, is different.
Corinth is deeply personal.
We first meet the Corinthian church in Acts 18. Paul arrives there after leaving Athens, and it’s in Corinth that he meets Priscilla and Aquila. As was his custom, he begins by preaching in the synagogue, sharing the gospel with both Jews and Greeks. Eventually a church is established, but not without plenty of opposition.
Corinth itself was a fascinating city. The comparison I’ve heard over the years is that Corinth was something like New Orleans in the ancient world. It was a major port city and a center of commerce. People from all over the Roman Empire came through Corinth, bringing with them different cultures, religions, philosophies, and ways of life.
That diversity made Corinth exciting.
It also made church life...complicated.
One of the things you’ll notice as we work through this letter is that nearly every chapter addresses some sort of conflict. They’re arguing about leaders. They’re arguing about worship. They’re arguing about spiritual gifts. They’re arguing about morality. If there was something to fuss about, the Corinthians found a way to fuss about it.
That’s what makes this letter so relevant. Churches haven’t changed all that much over two thousand years.
So today let’s begin with verses 1 through 9.
Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God... Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ... I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus... God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Notice how Paul begins.
Before he addresses a single problem, he reminds them who they are.
He calls them sanctified in Christ Jesus. They’re people whom God is still shaping, still growing, still transforming. That’s important because, by the time we get deeper into this letter, we’ll see that even the spiritual gifts God has given them have become a source of division rather than unity.
But before Paul deals with the problems, he reminds them of God’s grace.
He also reminds them of his own calling.
Paul begins by saying he is “called to be an apostle.” That’s significant because Paul wasn’t one of the original Twelve. His apostleship comes through his encounter with the risen Christ on the road to Damascus in Acts 9. Jesus called him specifically to take the gospel to the Gentiles, and Paul never forgot that calling.
Then he ends this opening section with a simple but powerful reminder:
God is faithful.
That’s where I want us to land today.
God was faithful to Paul.
God was faithful to the church at Corinth.
And God is faithful to us.
People may disappoint us. Friends may fail us. We may have seasons where we feel isolated, discouraged, or alone. We may wonder if anybody notices or cares.
But God is faithful.
God has not abandoned you.
God is still at work in your life.
Paul says He will strengthen you to the end. As long as you’re breathing God’s air, He isn’t finished with you yet.
One of my favorite sayings is this: If you’re looking down at the flowers instead of up at them, it’s a good day.
As long as we’re here, God still has a purpose for us.
So don’t wake up this Monday thinking, “It’s just another Monday.”
Instead, remember that God has something for you today. Someone to encourage. Someone to love. Something to learn. Somewhere to serve.
God is faithful.
That was Paul’s message to the Corinthians.
It’s still God’s message to us.
Thanks for being with me today. Tomorrow we’ll pick up in verse 10, and that’s where the conflict begins. Today we’ve seen God’s faithfulness. Tomorrow we’ll see all the fussing!
Have a great Monday, and I’ll see you in the morning.