Buffalo City Church

Caleb Drahosh \\ Being leads to doing; who we are in Christ leads us to live God-honoring, Christ-exalting lives on mission. God chooses to make use of us as the means to bear witness about Jesus so that the world might believe. We are a distinct people, set apart for to glorify God through making disciples by proclaiming the Word.

Caleb Drahosh \\ We are often inclined to seek earthly things, but Paul reminds the church in Colossae that their identity, as those who have been raised with Christ, grants them the ability to seek things that are above. As the local church, we must seek Christ letting His peace rule in our hearts, letting his word dwell in us richly, and doing everything in the His name.

Caleb Drahosh \\ As a church, how will we view ourselves and one another? In John 17, Jesus prays specifically for His followers, that they would have unity and that unity would flow from the understanding of the oneness of God. Will we view one another as those who have been purchased by the blood of Jesus and set apart to glorify God? Or something else?

Caleb Drahosh \\ We all make a lot of assumptions in our daily life, assumptions that are not always motivated by love. Paul wants the Corinthians to notice that they are called to build one another up in love and not to be puffed up with knowledge. Being right with the information makes little difference if our hearts are wrongly motivated.

Caleb Drahosh \\ Have you ever felt as though your social status prevents you from being effective in making disciples? Paul tells the Corinthians that they can bring God glory wherever they find themselves in life. Marital status, employment status, etc.: find contentment there. Seek faithfulness and contentment no matter your place in society.

Caleb Drahosh \\ We are inclined to demand our rights, but–as those who are in Christ–we should quickly and freely give them up. Paul tells the Corinthians how they should respond to being wronged or defrauded: to love one another. This is how Jesus tells us the world will know us–if we have love for one another. Jesus humbled Himself beyond anything we can imagine for the sake of His bride, the c...

Caleb Drahosh \\ Unrepentant sin dramatically affects the health of a church. Paul received a report that unchecked, unrepentant sin was present in the life of the Corinthian church and so he prescribes disciplinary action to preserve the body. In the local church, sin must be dealt with properly and not allowed to linger in order that the church may continue in faithful pursuit of the mission.

Blaze Culliton \\ In our flesh and a worldly perspective, we are drawn to what the world sees as power (intellect, wealth, respect from others and comfort). Paul implores the Corinthians to be unified in the power of Christ and therefore, to identify with Christ in humility. As a primary disciple maker for the Corinthians, he asks them to follow him as he follows Jesus.

Caleb Drahosh \\ What do we think of when we think about stewardship? In 1 Corinthians, Paul indicates that he and Apollos (and others) were stewards of the Gospel. What is the primary measurement of success for a steward? Faithfulness. We are called to faithful stewardship of the Gospel: the message of God's free gift of salvation is given to all who are in Christ to wield in the disciple-making...

Caleb Drahosh \\ The Gospel is foundational for all who are in Christ. Paul laid a foundation of Jesus Christ for the Corinthians; it couldn't be undone. But the materials that are used to build upon that foundation have varying degrees of longevity which will ultimately be tested by fire. The teaching that happens in the local church will be tested by fire–that which is according to Scripture wil...

Caleb Drahosh \\ The world regularly appeals to our flesh to elevate people above their God-given role and often can lead to jealousy and strife. But Paul reminds the Corinthians that they are to view the men who carried the Gospel to them as God's servants–or vessels–and not those with whom they should identify. Immaturity lazily follows the vessel. But one of the marks of Christian maturity is m...

Cody Weckerly \\ God proves his wisdom and power in the gospel in two ways so that every person would boast only in his wisdom and power, instead of in people. God proves his wisdom and power in his concealing the gospel and in his revealing the gospel.

Caleb Drahosh \\ Christmas is a proclamation of good news; it's announces that God is mighty to save. And we, as God's people, have been given the immense privilege of pointing all people to our God.

Caleb Drahosh \\ We are often tempted to think that it's our positive qualities that caused God to redeem us. Paul says to the Corinthians that this is not the case; God was not strong-armed into sending His Son to die because of our wisdom, or power, or birth status. It was exclusively because of the great love with which He loved us; not earned, but freely given.

Caleb Drahosh \\ Sometimes we desire a sanitized or more culturally acceptable version of the Gospel. The Gospel unites–yes–but it also appears like foolishness to some and operates as a stumbling block to others. Paul reminds the Corinthians that–prior to the work of the Spirit that joined them to Christ–they also regarded the Gospel as foolishness. Therefore, all glory is due to God and human bo...

Caleb Drahosh \\ The process that we go though to be made holy (sanctification) is slow. When Paul writes to the Corinthian believers, he does so with full knowledge of the glut of problems–both in idea and practice–that the church was experiencing. But Paul knew who God had made them and was making them in Christ Jesus. The power of the Gospel is a slow, overwhelming power. When it appears that e...

Caleb Drahosh \\ When we think about being rich, we usually think about it in a financial sense. But Paul tells Timothy it is more important to be rich in good works and in generosity. Use of finances in the way God intended has eternal impact; the way money has importance beyond this present age is through a biblically informed use of it.

Caleb Drahosh \\ We are often drawn to money as a source of security; and when we hope in money we find ourselves on unstable ground. Paul tells Timothy to charge believers to identify their tendency to set their hopes on riches and to fight that tendency. The enjoyment of the gifts that God provides in this life can come only when our hearts are aware that they cannot completely satisfy our deepe...

Caleb Drahosh \\ When corporate worship ends and our week begins, the order and orientation of our life often shifts away from God and onto other things. Psalm 134–the concluding Psalm of Ascent–invites us to stay vigilant and remember that we are called to bless the Lord: "think well of [the Lord], and speak well of Him. Adore Him with reverence, draw near to Him with love, delight in Him with ex...

Caleb Drahosh \\ In our heavily individualistic society, common direction is often an anomaly. But David calls God's people to share in and be directed by that which they are called––to love the Lord their God through the demonstration of love for neighbor. When love is displayed through genuine care and concern amongst God's people, the Gospel is proclaimed. Unity amongst brothers rejects societa...

Caleb Drahosh \\ As followers of Jesus, we have godly desires (e.g. the salvation of a family member or the spiritual development of a friend). But sometimes those desires, although godly desires, don't happen in the timing or the way we expect. David desired to secure a place for God to dwell among His people in the temple. He did not see the temple built in His lifetime, but the temple was not G...

Caleb Drahosh \\ Our world feels increasingly complex to the point it can be debilitating. In Psalm 131 King David expresses a desire to humbly and simply know his God. We often tend toward overcomplicating our relationship with God, but for the one who is in Christ, relationship with God should be regarded with great humility by acknowledging its simplicity–as a child's relates to his or her moth...

Caleb Drahosh \\ Forgiveness is one of the most difficult things in the Christian life. We often give in to ongoing bitterness or resentment when another wrongs us. But Psalm 130 makes it clear that God is a forgiving God; therefore, we are to faithfully forgive others. God's forgiveness for us is clearly seen in the Gospel; our sins are forgiven because of the sacrifice of the spotless lamb, Jesu...

Mark Reeves \\ Last week in Psalm 128 we were reminded: “Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways.” But it is impossible to understand - much less walk in - the ways of the Lord until we have some degree of understanding of our sin, and the cost of our redemption. Psalm 129 can be viewed in two ways: first, as a lament during adversity and oppression from the ungodly; second,...

Blaze Culliton \\ We often find ourselves striving to control our lives, keeping up our positive outward appearance. However, Solomon reminds us that the Lord is in control, commanding complete sovereignty over our circumstances and lives. He truly provides peace and rest, and without him our striving is in vain. Instead of anxiously striving for ourselves, we must rest in the person and work of J...