The God Shot With Tara-Leigh Cobble

The God Shot: 2 Corinthians 5:10

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad." (2 Corinthians 5:10)In this letter to the church at Corinth, the Apostle Paul has been telling them to remember what matters eternally despite their current afflictions, but he doesn't point them toward a day of conquering their enemies on Earth. Interestingly, he points them toward death and judgment. Why would Paul do this? Why would he go dark like this at a time when these people need encouragement? First of all, remembering that our days are numbered has a way of helping us prioritize the eternal things and demonstrate our faith. But even more important than that, when we stand before the judgment seat of Christ to be judged by what we've done, this is where Christ's righteousness is attributed to us. A few verses later, Paul says this outright, we have become the righteousness of God. Not our works, but His praise. He's where the joy is!

The God Shot: 2 Corinthians 5:8-9

"We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it." (2 Corinthians 5:8-9)We are of good courage! Are you of good courage today? Do you find it easy to remember where your hope lies or does the world speak louder than the gospel? When Paul wrote these words to the church at Corinth, he had just gone through a lot of trials. In fact, earlier in this letter, he told them he had despaired of life itself, thinking he had been given a death sentence. But here he reminds them that even when we do face death, we're entering into something far better. But until that day comes, Paul focuses on pleasing the Lord. How do we please the Lord? How does someone you love please you? Isn't it by delighting in you, honoring you, or enjoying you? By the work of His Spirit, God shapes our hearts to desire and please Him to remind us of the truth of His goodness. So be of courage today! He's where the joy is!

The God Shot: 2 Corinthians 5:7

"For we live by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7)This is such an encouraging truth. The Apostle Paul wrote these words to the people in the church in Corinth. He wrote this letter after the last passage we covered from his famous love chapter from First Corinthians. In this section, Paul gives a nod to the great amount of suffering and confusion the church is going through. Not only are they struggling, but they don't know who to trust to lead them through it. Maybe you can relate. Paul himself was nearly killed just before he wrote this letter so he gets it. He speaks these words of truth to the church that still encourage us today. He reminds us that our hope doesn't lie in our current circumstances. It doesn't rest on the trustworthiness of our leaders, and it will outlive all our suffering because our hope rests now and forever on the resurrected Christ and His coming return. He's where the joy is!

The God Shot: 1 Corinthians 13:13

"And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:13)This verse about love is part of Paul's letter to a bunch of young Christians with an immature faith. They didn't understand the heart of the faith yet. They wanted to do powerful things like they saw the Apostles doing like miracles, prophesying, and teaching. However, miracles and healings are temporary. You and I are often like the Corinthians. Most of the things we long for will come to an end. Your dream home will be rubble someday and your dream car will end up in a junkyard. But what's surprising about this passage is that Paul says the exact same thing about Faith and Hope. Love is the only one of those three that will remain forever. That's because Faith will cease to exist when the object of our faith King Jesus has been made fully manifest at His second coming and who needs hope when our hopes have been fulfilled in His presence. Faith and Hope are anticipatory. They'll go away someday. We won't need them. But love will remain. It will abide forever as we abide in Him. He's where the joy is!

The God Shot: 1 Corinthians 13:12

"For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." (1 Corinthians 13:12)This verse is part of Paul's letter to a bunch of young Christians who had an immature faith. In addition to their rampant sin patterns, they also wanted to do the same powerful things they saw the Apostles doing, like prophesizing and teaching. They wanted to show off all the knowledge they thought they had, but didn't. But even Paul himself, who wrote two-thirds of the New Testament admitted that he didn't know everything. He said he only had partial knowledge of the fullness of the truth that will eventually be revealed when Jesus returns. To act like we know the future and all the details of what's to come is arrogant. We don't need to know the details of the future because we know the God who built the future. Someday, we will see Him face to face. The God who fully knows us and loves us still. He's where the joy is!

The God Shot: 1 Corinthians 13:9-11

"For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me." (1 Corinthians 13:9-11)These verses are part of Paul's letter to a bunch of young Christians who had an immature faith. They were acting like kids in addition to their rampant sin patterns. They also wanted to be leaders in the community and do the same miraculous powerful things they saw the Apostles doing. They wanted to prophesy, speak in other languages, and show off all the knowledge they thought they had, but didn't. Paul doesn't say it's impossible, it just reminds them that it's temporary. Those things are good, but they won't last. For instance, if they had the power to heal someone, that person would still die someday. Miracles are a sign they aren't meant to last. Paul wants them to mature in their faith and to see what those signs and miracles point to God's great love. God's great love manifests in the person of love, His Son Jesus because He's where the joy is!

The God Shot: 1 Corinthians 13:8

"Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away." (1 Corinthians 13:8)This verse about love is part of Paul's letter to a bunch of new Christians who were off the rails when it came to sin and rebellion. At the same time, they also wanted to do some miraculous powerful things they saw the Apostles doing. They wanted to prophesy and speak in other languages and show up with all the knowledge they thought they had, but didn't. So Paul writes the letter not only to correct and instruct them, but to remind them that God's love for them is greater than anything they do or don't do. Any sins they commit or miracles they perform, God's love will outlast at all. If you feel like a failure today, if you're always reaching for that perfect future version of yourself so you can feel accepted by God, I want you to know that God meets you in your imperfection. He's not going anywhere! He's with you forever! That's great news for you because the joy isn't in becoming a better version of yourself, it's in Him. He's where the joy is!

The God Shot: 1 Corinthians 13:7

"It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." (1 Corinthians 13:7)You've probably heard this verse read at weddings, but as much as it may inform and encourage the bride and the groom, this verse is primarily about God. This is who He is. God's love patiently bears with us in all our failings. God's love endures despite all our sin and rebellion because Christ has already paid for it. And here's something noteworthy, this verse about love is part of a letter the Apostle Paul wrote to a rebellious young church in Corinth. They were off the rails in so many ways. Paul said their sexual sins were even worse than the pagans. They were arrogant and power-hungry. They didn't know God's word, yet Paul spends a good portion of his letters to them reminding them of his own love for them and to God's love for them. If you feel like your life is off the rails, God has not turned his back on you. He's here reminding you that His love for you endures all things. Turn back to him. He's where the joy is!

The God Shot: 1 Corinthians 13:6

"Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth." - 1 Corinthians 13:6This famous passage about love is part of Paul's letter to a young church at Corinth. These new Christians were steeped in sin and idolatry, and they were apparently even bragging about their sin within the church. Paul spends a good bit of time warning them about their actions and he drives the point home here by letting them know that love doesn't rejoice at wrongdoing on top of their sin patterns. The members of the church also wanted to perform miracles and know everything they were zealous, but without a deep knowledge of God. So Paul pointed them toward the truth instead. The ultimate truth Paul drives home is that Jesus who is God in the flesh is love in the flesh. Jesus doesn't rejoice at wrongdoing, Jesus rejoices with the truth. He's not only love, but He's the truth too. He's also the way, the life, and He's where the joy is!

The God Shot: 1 Corinthians 13:4-5

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs." (1 Corinthians 13:4-5)This famous passage about love is part of Paul's letter to a young church at Corinth. These Christians are wrongly focused on the more showy aspects of their faith. They want to perform miracles and know everything. They're zealous, but they're a little bit off the rails. So Paul spends a lot of time correcting them in his letters. He says it doesn't matter how powerful or how sacrificial they are if their actions are self-motivated. Love must be at the heart of their actions and here, Paul shows us what love looks like in very practical ways. specifically, ways that point us back to Jesus, the only one who perfectly demonstrated perfect love. Jesus is patient and kind. He doesn't envy or boast, he isn't arrogant or rude, and He even submitted to the Father's will joyfully. Jesus demonstrated God's great heart in transforming love for His enemies: you and me. And because of His great love, we know and we see that He is where the joy is.!