Paul’s Prayer for the Corinthians

Did you like school? Were you a kid that kind of hated it? I detested it. When my mom would pick me up from kindergarten I would immediately begin to ramble out a string of complaints about the day. Shortly into the school year my mom set down a rule. Each day when I was picked up from school I had to name three things in that school day that I was thankful for. As the story goes from my mom, the complaining tapered off considerably quick once I started telling her a few things I was thankful for.

Isn’t that human nature? We easily and naturally gravitate toward complaining. To make a regular habit of expressing gratitude takes effort and thought.

How does this principle look for you and your church? By comparison do you spend more time focused on the unhealthy aspects of your home church, by complaining or gossiping about brethren of whom you are not particularly fond of or praying for them?

We are going to learn from Paul. We have seen how he himself interceded for churches in prayer. Paul’s example shows us how we ought to pray for the weaknesses of our church instead of gossiping about them…you know those good ole “prayer requests” that we talk about for 15 minutes and spend a few minutes actually praying for.

Now we are going to turn our attention to a particular form of Paul’s prayers: thanksgiving.

Paul’s Thanks to God for the Corinthians

I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Corinthians 1:4-9

First, we thank God for the salvation of the brethren. This is most compatible to interceding for the lost. we ought to give thanks for new and seasoned converts… and so honor the Savior. I am ashamed to admit it but most of the prayers I have made that have resulted in Salvation I did not give back a fraction of thanksgiving.

We are to thank God for the salvation of our brethren so that by it we are giving praise and credit to the LORD for his mercy. If we plead with God and intercede for our neighbor’s salvation, then it is most fitting to thank the LORD for his mighty grace to save. We give thanks for both new and seasoned converts, for ones we have natural happiness from, and those who test our patience. Such thanks honors the Savior.

Second, we thank God for his” rich” (gracious) gifts so as to not leave the brethren lacking. For all contribute. We ought to thank God for how he has gifted the brethren. Our thanks to God can be manifold because his riches of gracious gifts are many. We give thanks that God has so blessed. He equips his children with the needed spiritual giftings. The quality and quantity are both alike, rich with grace.

Would you take a moment and think of 3, 4, or 5 believers from your home church. Consider how God has gifted them, how do they serve the church, how is God using them, what potential do you see, from where has God brought them compared to where they are now??? Thank God for his grace in their life, so making them a blessing to others and a blessing to the Savior. Take a moment now and consider the members of your church and thank God with specific examples in mind for that 3 or 5 people.

Third, we thank God that in his perfect supply to the brethren there is no lack. Never will there be a member of the body who has the wrong gift or not enough of the right one. We see the goodness and generosity of God in his ample provision to his church through the grace given to individuals. His grace is an ocean and by it our cup overflows (Psa. 23). God certainly equips his people yet let us not miss the blessing of observing his abundance. Grace upon grace is poured out (Jhn. 1:16). He is not stingy but instead lavishes us with every grace needed and 1,000 more. That is reason for thanks. your church is in wonderful hands, for these hands wonderfully provide each member with the needed gifting to benefit that church.

Finally, we also thank God that by his gracious gifts he equips us for all of the tomorrows which lay between now and his revelation. Our Father’s gracious gifts are to each of his children, without measure, and without expiration. Until our Savior return the Father, by his Spirit will continue in his gracious work. He will make his church effective for his glory and their benefit until the end.

Two Applications:

First, of those three-to-five people you thought of earlier write a letter of encouragement to one of them. Let them know how you see God’s grace at work in them. Express your thankfulness to God for how your faith community has been blessed by their service (whatever that service may be: teaching, janitor, lawn care, visiting shut ins…you name it…no act of service is small).

Second, as it is Pastor Appreciation Month, write your pastor a thank you. Don’t be vague. Name two specific ways he has blessed you (maybe a phrase from a sermon or an act of kindness). Let him know that you thank God for his service to your local church.