Our Resurrection Connection (Final Message)

I remember one time when my family was getting ready to go into town. Right before we backed the car out of the garage, a couple of wasps dropped down on my wife and stung her. Her arm became red and swollen. It could have been any of us, but my wife was their target. It alerted the rest of us to get out of the way. This incident made me think about what Jesus did for us, concerning our future. The spiritual message for us is, that Jesus took the sting of death for us, and brought to us (through His resurrection) a hope that is steadfast and sure. One day we will rise like Jesus, and enjoy our eternal person, place, and peace.
In the last section of 1 Corinthians 15:50-58 the Apostle Paul shares four descriptions of our Resurrection, that we need to connect to:
1. THE RESURRECTION NECESSITY (V.50)
2. THE RESURRECTION MYSTERY (VV.51-53)
3. THE RESURRECTION VICTORY (VV.54-57)
4. THE RESURRECTION ABILITY (V.58)
The Resurrection has the power to sustain our hope all the way to our eternal home. We need to be like an appliance and "Plug Into The Power" and walk confidently through every storm, knowing that as the songs says: "Because He Lives, I Can Face Tomorrow" GP
Sermon Outline: Stanly Community Church http://stanlychurch.org/
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Are We Sincere?

"Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord Is" (Ephesians 5:17)
My relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, should be the most important relationship of my life. To love Him, and be obedient to His will for my life, should be the main focus of my life. But I find that too often the focus on myself is more important. The decision to make Jesus Savior, and Lord of our lives, is the most important decision of our lives. It is not a decision that should be taken lightly, or done because of pressure from others, or to please others, or to make ourselves look good in the lime-light. No, the decision to have Jesus be Savior and Lord, must be a 100 % sincere decision, based on the Lord's will for us.
But even though I know this is important, I find myself being like a river that meanders, taking the path of least resistance, and eroding the outer banks of my path. The path of selfishness takes me away from what should be the main pursuit of my life, and that is keeping myself under the umbrella of the will of the Lord. And even though people do not see hidden events of disobedience, and self-centeredness, the Lord sees, and He is not pleased. The Lord Jesus must come first, and we need to be sincere and very serious about it. If the cross was 100% sincerity for us, How can we show any less? GP
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Our Resurrection Connection (Part 3 & 4)

In the sermon series "Our Resurrection Connection" (Part 3 & 4) Paul addresses three areas concerning the resurrection of the dead.
What Secured The Raising of The Dead?
(1 Corinthians 15:20-28)
The first fruits declare that we are apart of the harvest of souls that Jesus will bring to God when the world ends, and He comes to gather His own to Himself. The first Adam brought sin into the world, but Christ the second Adam brought eternal life to the world. And one day Christ will deliver the Kingdom to God, and everything will be under His feet. To deny the Resurrection of the dead is to deny the future kingdom of Christ, which we will be apart of.
What Is The Purpose For Raising The Dead?
(1 Corinthians 15:29-34)
Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, in Christ Jesus our Lord." Jesus fulfilled the promise of the gift of eternal life. It couldn't be ours, if Jesus hadn't provided it. Why are people getting baptized for others, if the dead are not raised? Why, says Paul, do we risk our lives, if the dead are not raised? Why not just live for today, because tomorrow we die? Why? Because there is a resurrection for us all. Jesus brought it to us! To not build our lives on this foundation is to our shame. By making Christ Jesus our Savior, and Lord, we establish this foundation of hope for our lives.
How Are The Dead Raised?
(1 Corinthians 15:35-49)
Take a look at Nature Paul says, and you will see the process of the resurrected body. Every seed planted declares the process of it. The different types of flesh, and heavenly bodies declare the peculiarity of it. It will not be like the physical, because it will be spiritual. And the way that the body is raised from corruption, to incorruption, from weakness to power, declare the performance of it.
The resurrection of the dead will be a reality.
Thanks be to God, Jesus brought this hope to us! Everyday, we need to celebrate! GP

Taking God's Tests

"When you are going through something hard, and wonder where God is, remember the teacher is always quiet during a test."
Do you have trouble taking tests? I have never been great at it.
I have always been nervous wondering if I would be fully prepared. James tells us: "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."(James 1:2-4) If God is quiet during our times of testing, it is to have us develop the patience needed to endure the severe trials of life. There are those times, when God wants to see just how patient we are, how strong we are. Too many of us, when we go through trials, we fall apart, and expect the worst. We feel as if this will be the end, and there will be no getting past this challenge in our lives. We ask so many "what if?" questions, our head spins. God as our divine teacher, gives us the needed information from His Word, and then quietly waits to see how we respond, how we deal with this life test. But not to worry, when the test is over, God will speak to our hearts, and reveal to us how we have done, and let us feel His loving presence, as we prepare for the next test of our lives. GP
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How Will This Benefit Me?

"Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself." (Philippians 2:3) If a person could be described as being like an apple, the worm inside, would be selfishness. And how many worms do we see today in people's lives? And that does not exclude those of us who profess to be Christians. The Apostle Paul makes it very clear, that in the life of a Christian, "Nothing should be done through selfish ambition or conceit." It should never be totally about ourselves. It should never be a question of how this person, or that event, or that pursuit, should totally benefit us. As Christians( striving to be like our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ) we are to always focus outward to the needs of others. The Lord has promised many times that He would take care of us. (Read Matthew 6:33,34, 11:28-30) With that established, we can be used by the Lord to help take care of others. I have said this before in sermons I have preached. "God meets the needs of people, through His people." To answer the question: "How will this benefit me? Reach out to others in the name of Christ, and see just how blessed you will be. Everyday The Lord gives us the opportunity. Let's take advantage of it, and really live! GP 

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The Good Fig

"Then the Lord said to me, "What do you see Jeremiah?" And I said, "Figs, the good figs, very good; and the bad, very bad, which cannot be eaten, they are so bad." (Jeremiah 24:3) Jeremiah had a vision that presented an illustration of both productivity, and destruction. The good and bad figs brought forth a message that is true of all man-kind, not just the nation of Israel. There are those who are like the good figs, useful, and productive for God. And then there are the bad figs, that are rotten and nauseous. I hope and pray that I am like a good fig, providing through my character and activity the good things of God. That I will do, as John tells all of us to do, and that is to "bear much fruit" (John 15:5) In a world, where there is much that is selfish, and rotten, and in the long run, destructive, may we be to God, and to others, like a fruit that is necessary, productive, and encouraging. Life is better for others, because we are there, and we are contributing to their well-being. I am so thankful for the positive, supportive people in my life. Let's strive to be this to others as well. When we do, the garden of life, will be beautiful! GP

Our Resurrection Connection (Mesage Two)

1 Corinthians 15:12-19
Laura Brooks, a 52-year-old mother of two, didn’t know it but she was one of 14,000 people in 2011 whose name was incorrectly entered into the government database as dead.
She wondered what was wrong when she stopped receiving disability checks, and her loan payments and her rent checks bounced. She went to the bank to clear up the issue, but the representative told her that her accounts had been closed because she was dead! Obviously, they were mistaken. (Radio Bible Class)  In our text the Apostle Paul paints a dismal picture of what it would be like, to not have the hope of the resurrection.
1. We would have no foundation for our Christian walk.(vv.12-13)
The foundation of our Christian walk is a risen Savior. If Jesus is not alive today, than what foundation do we have for our lives? What can we build on for today, and forever?
2. We would have no faith (vv.14-16)
What would there be to believe in? The preaching of the Gospel would be in vain, our faith would be in nothing. The early Christians and us, would be false witnesses of God.
We would be telling a great lie.
3. There would be no forgiveness (v.17)
If Jesus is not risen, than we are still in our sins. All that Jesus did on the cross, and at the tomb, would not have made restitution for our debt of sin.
4. There would be no future (vv.18-19) No heaven to go to, no eternal blessings to enjoy.
Put these all together, and you have the darkest, the most miserable existence there is.
Paul sums it up by saying: "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable."(v.19) But thanks be to God, the evidence is so strong concerning the resurrection of Jesus Christ, that Paul and many others changed their lives, and gave their lives, to stand up for it.
To me that is so encouraging. Why would they give their lives for something that wasn't true? GP
Sermon outline by Alan Carr www.sermonnotebook.com