1 Corinthians 15:32

If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”

From Background Notes [BN] for May 17th & 18th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

Their critics conclude: “Pleasure drives the victim into a sort of sty and pens him up; henceforth the victim goes on living as a pig or wolf.”

2 Corinthians 10:3

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.

From Background Notes [BN] for May 17th & 18th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

What we discover is that battle lines are drawn on two fronts, as is often the case in important wars. Rarely is there the luxury of simply choosing the geometry of the enemy who rallies its armies to have maximum defeating potential. In this case, the lines are on the battle within and in the battle without.

1 Timothy 1:15

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.

From Background Notes [BN] for May 10th & 11th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

But Paul sees the silver lining in his situation, for God reached down and showed Paul “mercy” (1:16) as a powerful example of His grace for the whole world. He writes, “… so that in me, the worst of sinners, Messiah Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.”

1 Timothy 1:13

Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.

From Background Notes [BN] for May 10th & 11th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

Or, better, he acknowledged that through Jesus the risen one, God had audited his books and decided that his spiritual finances were in pretty bad shape! The risen Jesus told Paul that there was a better way to manage the affairs of his life.

1 Timothy 1:12

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service.

From Background Notes [BN] for May 10th & 11th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

We cannot fairly generalize grace or place grace into a theological box. Grace is always “to me” or “to you.” Read in this way, grace is a powerful agent that makes possible the hard work of the Gospel.

Ephesians 2:8

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God

From Background Notes [BN] for May 10th & 11th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

Taken from a collection of his letters these comments from Abbé de Tourville, a 19th century spiritual director (1842-1903), challenge us as we think about grace in our study this week. Clearly, grace is not about “playing safe” or “straining our abilities” or pretending to be “more … than we really are.”

John 21:1a NRSV

Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias

From Background Notes [BN] for May 3rd & 4th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

Notice the specific reference to location (“by the Sea of Tiberias”)... with the result that his words and deeds were “convincing” to those who saw Jesus. Words like “afterward” and “after” reveal the connection within time through an understanding of sequence.