The Church Is Bigger Than Your Bubble | 1 Corinthians 16:19-20

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Our shout-out today goes to David Blount IV from Cary, NC. Thanks for your partnership in Project23.

Our text today is 1 Corinthians 16:19-20.

The churches of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, send you hearty greetings in the Lord. All the brothers send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss. — 1 Corinthians 16:19-20

Paul closes with what appear to be simple greetings. But this is not filler. There is some correction in here.

Corinth had become spiritually myopic. They centered their religious experience around personalities. They divided the local church into factions. They treated their gathering like the epicenter of all Christianity.

So Paul widens the lens by addressing some people. All the churches in Asia that know about the Corinthian church also pray for and support them. Then Aquila and Prisca (a.k.a. Priscilla)—who had been in Corinth before Paul arrived, worked alongside him in tentmaking, and grew so close that when he left for Syria, they traveled with him. And even brothers beyond your city.

The point is: you are not the center. You are part of something far bigger. Modern Christians tend to shrink the church to a brand, a building, a livestream, a preferred preaching style. We talk about my church as if Christ belongs to us. But the church is not your bubble. It is Christ’s body. Spanning nations. Crossing languages. Outlasting trends.

The gospel does not create isolated spiritual consumers. It creates a global, visible people under one Lord. If your vision of the church fits neatly inside your comfort zone, it is too small.

The risen Christ is gathering a people far beyond your preferences and far beyond your city. The resurrection is going to be different from what you think.

DO THIS:

Pray this week for two churches: one very different from yours, and one in another nation. Ask God to strengthen them and purify your love for his whole body.

ASK THIS:

1. Has my view of the church become narrow and tribal?
2. Do I value Christ’s global body—or just my local expression of it?
3. Am I cultivating affection for believers outside my circle?

PRAY THIS:

Lord, forgive me for shrinking your church to my preferences. Enlarge my heart for your global body. Teach me to love what you are building across cities and nations. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

“The Church’s One Foundation"