Sunday, February 26, 2006
February 27th 1 Corinthians 15
Go ahead and look first at 1 Corinthians 15 . See how God speaks to you individually. Then come back, if you wish, and see what God has put in my mind/heart.
Key Verse(s): 1 Corinthians 15:10
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
Title: The Response to God’s Love
Observation: We have this incredible gift when we begin to follow Jesus. As Paul carefully lays out in this chapter, we have the promise of eternity, the hope of heaven. We have a savior who came to mediate between God and people. We need to carefully hold on to this doctrine.
But just as closely we need to see that Jesus didn’t die on the cross so that we could settle into the warm bathwater of complacency. We are, in the words of one theologian, “to join the dance.” Jesus died for our sin and invited us to find a new life. And that is a new life is a life of service. We will be rewarded by God for being faithful if we do. But ultimately our lives of service are because of who we now are in Jesus Christ. Jimmy Carter said it this way:
“ I have one life and one chance to make it count for something… I’m free to choose what that something is, and the something I’ve chosen is my faith. Now my faith goes beyond theology and religion and requires considerable work and effort. My faith demands--this is not an option—my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have to try to make a difference.”
Whatever his political failures, President Carter understands what it means to be a follower of Christ.
Application: My faith must be a verb. IT must not be a Topic it must be an action. I must put into motion my service in order to be authentic in my appeal for Christ.
Prayer: Lord, help me to serve, even in areas where it will never be seen. Help me to give up my predilection for selfishness and be willing to be used by you. Change my heart, sensitize it to the needs of others, and use me this week in some way I am not expecting.
In Jesus Name,
Amen.
Key Verse(s): 1 Corinthians 15:10
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
Title: The Response to God’s Love
Observation: We have this incredible gift when we begin to follow Jesus. As Paul carefully lays out in this chapter, we have the promise of eternity, the hope of heaven. We have a savior who came to mediate between God and people. We need to carefully hold on to this doctrine.
But just as closely we need to see that Jesus didn’t die on the cross so that we could settle into the warm bathwater of complacency. We are, in the words of one theologian, “to join the dance.” Jesus died for our sin and invited us to find a new life. And that is a new life is a life of service. We will be rewarded by God for being faithful if we do. But ultimately our lives of service are because of who we now are in Jesus Christ. Jimmy Carter said it this way:
“ I have one life and one chance to make it count for something… I’m free to choose what that something is, and the something I’ve chosen is my faith. Now my faith goes beyond theology and religion and requires considerable work and effort. My faith demands--this is not an option—my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have to try to make a difference.”
Whatever his political failures, President Carter understands what it means to be a follower of Christ.
Application: My faith must be a verb. IT must not be a Topic it must be an action. I must put into motion my service in order to be authentic in my appeal for Christ.
Prayer: Lord, help me to serve, even in areas where it will never be seen. Help me to give up my predilection for selfishness and be willing to be used by you. Change my heart, sensitize it to the needs of others, and use me this week in some way I am not expecting.
In Jesus Name,
Amen.
