In the process of determining what I would be sharing for tomorrow, November 14, it looks like I forgot to post what I had here.. for last Sunday, November 7.
This is going to help in more ways than one – First for recall and for a proper stance coming into tomorrow, and second, to get me to three hundred and sixty five thousand words posted before the end of the year.
Note to myself – A good chunk of the words I posted were copied and pasted from Scripture primarily, so I’m going to have to push myself to post a surplus beyond the equivalent of a thousand words a day for the entire year. It never fails – I find myself in a slump, but fortunately this time I’m still ahead of where I should be… but not by much. As of today, I’m only ahead by a laughable 2 days.
So here goes.
In our remembrance of Christ’s body and blood, we not only observe Holy Communion, but it could not be helped that, as the one who exhorted shared, we would naturally be thankful for Holy Communion.
It was also shared by the young lady who exhorted for Offering, that, as Scripture says it, it is more blessed to give than to receive.
I thought, we may want to also think of cutting that just a tad short and say, it is more blessed to give. Period. Look forward to giving, and be thankful when you receive. We are more blessed to give.
Recap for the entire October, through November so far:
Colossians 2:6-7 – We have been saved by Jesus Christ, so we walk in Him, rooted and established in the faith.
Being rooted means being rooted together.
It means standing together.
It means being sustained together.
It means being powerful together.
It means being fruitful together.
Last Sunday we took a little detour, and talked in length regarding 1 Corinthians. We learned we – yes, ‘we’ as in all of us, not just the Pastors – have the Word and the Holy Spirit to respond to everything that is happening.
Paul addressed division by reminding the Corinthians that it’s God who gives the growth, and therefore gets all the credit.
Paul addressed immorality by reminding the Corinthians that we are members of the bodies of Christ, and that we are temples of the Holy Spirit.
Paul addressed idolatry and disorder by reminding the Corinthians that because we are temples of the Holy Spirit, we therefore do everything, not for our attention, not for our popularity, but all for the glory of God, who is not the author of confusion, but the Author of peace.
(Indeed, the Author and Finisher of our faith is also the Prince of Peace, and is therefore the Prince of Peace)
We also remember at this time, that Christ Himself responded to the devil’s temptations, always starting, if not framing His entire response with ‘It is written‘.
Eventually we settled on 1 Corinthians 15, and we spoke on something that Paul considered to be of utmost importance to respond to – That is, that people were going around and telling the congregations and fellowships that there is no such thing as the resurrection of the dead.
It was revealed that back in that day, the prevalent mindsets or schools of thoughts leaned heavily on logic, and we would be brought to consider that these majorities of the day led to folks not only questioning but flat out denying resurrection, and, consequently, the death and resurrection of Christ.
As we go even deeper in getting rooted, or getting even more rooted in being rooted if that makes any sense, we find ourselves emphasizing, just as Paul emphasized:
We have been saved by Jesus Christ, we walk in Him, we are rooted and we are established in the faith… all because Christ rose from the dead.
if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.
1 Corinthians 15:14
Christ rose from the dead, therefore we have a faith that is full, meaningful and fruitful.
Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise.
1 Corinthians 15:15
Christ rose from the dead, therefore we are not liars, but we speak the Truth.
And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!
1 Corinthians 15:17
Christ rose from the dead, therefore we are dead to our sins, and we are alive in full righteousness and with right standing with God.
If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:19, 57
“For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
Romans 8:36-37
We may be persecuted. We WILL be persecuted. But give thanks!
We may lose the battle, but Christ has won the war!
Christ said even if we die, we shall live.
I believe He also meant that even when we are defeated, we still win… Because Christ has won the victory!
…in all these things – trouble, fear, anxiety, terror, persecution – we are more than conquerors through Christ who loved us, Christ who rose from the dead!
As Paul wrapped up his eloquent response, he encourages the Corinthians, and he encourages us:
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.1 Corinthians 15:58
My approach last Sunday, my entire point was that we find sure footing and a firm foundation, a strong backing for all that we believe and all we testify of, upon Christ and His finished work…
But now that I think of it, every other religion and belief system has its own central personality, and their own exploits – their own ‘finished works’, if you will…
But only Christ rose from the dead.
And because Christ rose from the dead, we are sure that we are saved;
That is, Christ rose from the dead, so we are dead to sin, alive in Christ.
Christ rose from the dead, and this forms the basis for our believing and celebrating how death no longer has its sting, sin no longer has dominion over us, and we are no longer slaves to the flesh.
Christ rose from the dead, and therefore we are now live real life in the Spirit, by the Spirit, and with the Spirit.
Christ rose from the dead, and therefore we are no longer under the Law, but under grace.
Christ rose from the dead, and therefore, though we die, we live forever.
I decided to expand on this even further, drawing from a set of Scriptures our dear Dr. Charles Stanley shared on a YouTube video entitled, ‘A Comforting Message in Fearful Times‘
Philippians 4:6-7
Because Christ rose from the dead, we are anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, we let our requests be made known to God.
Because we pray, the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Psalms 16:7-8
Because Christ rose from the dead, we have cause to will bless the LORD, because He has gives us counsel; We bless the LORD, for our hearts also instruct us in the night seasons.
We set the LORD always before us; Because He is at our right hand, we shall not be moved.
Psalms 4:8
Because Christ rose from the dead, we will both lie down in peace, and sleep;
For our LORD alone makes us dwell in safety.
Psalms 27:1
Because Christ rose from the dead, we have cause to sing as the Psalmist sang:
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the strength of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalms 139:23-24
Because Christ rose from the dead, we can call of God to search us, and to know our hearts; to try us, and to know our anxieties;
We call on God to see if there is any wicked way in us, and to lead us in the way everlasting.
Psalms 138:7-8, Philippians 1:6
Because Christ rose from the dead, we are at peace, for though we walk in the midst of trouble, He will revive us; He will stretch out His hand against the wrath of our enemies, and His right hand will save us.
We are assured that the LORD will perfect that which concerns us;
Our LORD’s mercy endures forever; He does not forsake the works of His hands – He is faithful to finish the work He began in us.
Philippians 4:19
Because Christ rose from the dead, our God shall supply all our needs according to His riches in glory, by Christ Jesus.
There was more, but I ended with Isaiah 41:10:
Christ rose from the dead, so we shall not fear, for the LORD is with us;
We shall not dismayed, for the LORD is our God.
He will strengthen us, yes, He will help us,
He will uphold us with His righteous right hand.
Thank You, Lord, for the reading of Your Word! Amen.
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