God: Savior

Here in the South, a lot of people have grown up with some kind of connection with God, the Bible or the church.  You would think that means that most people here would be how we would describe as “saved” or a “Christian,” but there’s one question that stumps so many people.  It even stumps the most religious of people.  If you would have asked me that question before my sophomore year of college I wouldn’t have known how to answer it.  

I want to show what the Bible says about God being a Savior.  Then I will share the question that stumped me for a long time.  After that we will read some passages to discover what He saves us from.  Finally, I will share a story that demonstrates different ways people respond to the Savior.  

God: Creator

Welcome! Today is our second message on our series on worship entitled “Sing and Tremble.” Our focus today is on worshiping God as creator – the creator of the universe, creator of life, creator of you and me. Last week we talked about our title by focusing on God’s holiness, and how one proper response to God’s perfect holiness is in fact, to tremble: to remember that apart from Christ and what He has done for us on the cross, we would have no hope for reconciliation with God, that apart from Him we would stand condemned with no hope for forgiveness.

I am reminded of the account of the first sin, Adam’s fall, in Genesis 3. After Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, we have this passage:

Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” – Gen. 3:7-10

Worship: God & Us

Welcome! Today I am excited to begin with you a new series on worship. What exactly is worship? Is there a good definition? I am going to read one I have found and like. Unfortunately, it is quite long. This comes from D. A. Carson:

"Worship is the proper response of all moral, sentient beings to God, ascribing all honor and worth to their Creator-God precisely because He is worthy, delightfully so. This side of the Fall, human worship of God properly responds to the redemptive provisions that God has graciously made. While all true worship is God-centered, Christian worship is no less Christ-centered. Empowered by the Spirit and in line with the stipulations of the new covenant, it manifests itself in all our living, finding its impulse in the gospel, which restores our relationship with our Redeemer-God and therefore also with our fellow image-bearers, our co-worshipers. Such worship therefore manifests itself both in adoration and in action, both in the individual believer and in corporate worship, which is worship offered up in the context of the body of believers, who strive to align all the forms of their devout ascription of all worth to God with the panoply of new covenant mandates and examples that bring to fulfillment the glories of antecedent revelation and anticipate the consummation."

Indispensable and...

I Corinthians 12:12-31

We’re finishing our series titled Broken and Indispensable today.  We’re going to take a pause at this point in the book of I Corinthians, and we will come back to the last four chapters as a separate series starting in January.

Our passage for today is the second part of chapter 12.  Last week, Tim shared on that first portion regarding spiritual gifts.  The closing thought from last week’s passage was that different spiritual gifts are given to different individuals as determined by the Holy Spirit.  And so, we are each uniquely equipped for works of service.  Verse 7 said these gifts are “given for the common good.”  In other words, we should not use our gifts for our own benefit, but rather to benefit others. 

Today, we’re going to see that idea reinforced and talk about how God intends the body of Christ to fit together like a physical body.  These themes will also lead us to speak of the unity within the Body of Christ.

Different Kinds of Gifts

1 Corinthians 12:1-11

In our study of 1 Corinthians we have come across several issues where Paul has needed to correct the understanding or practices of the believers in Corinth. In the last chapter he addressed head coverings and the Lord’s Supper; in our passage for today he wants to teach the Corinthians more about the role of the Holy Spirit. Their understanding was limited to some degree. What does the Holy Spirit do? What is His job description? They probably knew God the Father as the Creator and Jesus as the Savior. It’s harder to identify the Holy Spirit with one main role.

If you look through the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, you can actually find more than 50 types of things that the Holy Spirit does. He is instrumental in drawing us to God, in convicting us of sin, in regenerating us into new people, and in comforting, encouraging, directing, teaching, and empowering us day by day. In a couple of weeks we will be starting a new sermon series on worship, and one of the things we will talk about for sure is the essential role of the Holy Spirit in true worship.

The Lord's Supper

I Corinthians 11:17-34

Good morning and welcome!

We are continuing on in our series on the book of I Corinthians.  Last week, Carl covered the first portion of chapter 11.  Now, we’ll pick up there and finish the chapter with the subject of the Lord’s Supper. 

This whole chapter is best understood in the context of actions done in public gatherings, rather than what goes on in the privacy of one’s own home.  And, these themes continue through the remainder of the entire book of I Corinthians.

Let’s pray before we start into today’s verses.

Lord Jesus, thank you for sacrificing your own body on the cross for us.  Thank you for the memorial of the Lord’s Supper.  Please sharpen and freshen our minds and our hearts regarding this special remembrance of You.  Teach us, we pray.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Coverings

(I Cor. 11:1-16)

Welcome! Today we continue our series into I Corinthians, coming to Chapter 11. Let me say this is a hotly debated and contested passage, one of the most debated passages in all of scripture. One key question is whether the specific practice, head covering, is applicable today. There is also a question about appropriate hair length. Another key question is what the passage has to say about men’s and women’s roles in general. We will talk about all these questions today. You could say we have a lot to “cover,” so let’s get right to the passage.

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the traditions just as I passed them on to you. – I Cor. 11:1

Running from Idolatry

1 Corinthians 10:14-33

On December 2nd, 2006 I made a choice.  I said “I do” to Miriam.  And that meant that I said “I don’t” to every other woman on the face of the Earth.  I’m glad I said “I do.”  Miriam actually said the words “I sure do.”  

When it comes to loving God, you say “no” to everyone else and every other thing that can come between you and God.  It doesn’t mean you can’t love a spouse.  We just can’t put the spouse before God.  It doesn’t mean that you can’t make money.  We just don’t want to serve money over God.  

So, Paul talks about this issue of idolatry in 1 Corinthians 10, which is putting something before Him.  I divided up this passage into two sections.  One is focused on clear issues of idolatry.  The other is focused on grey areas of the Christian life.

Running to Win

I Corinthians 9:24-10:13

Welcome! Today we continue our series into I Corinthians, finishing Chapter 9 and going on into Chapter 10. Although today’s passage starts with verse 24 of Chapter 9, I want to back up a little and go back to verses 19-23.

Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. – I Cor. 9:19-23

Self-Denial for the Gospel

I Corinthians 9:1-23

Praise God for the precious gift of His Son.

In the time we have remaining, let us continue with our study of I Corinthians.  We are going to read through a good portion of chapter 9 today.  The thoughts there stand by themselves, but it is helpful to consider where we finished up last week.

Tim shared on chapter 8, and the message there affirms our liberty in Christ.  We are free.  At the same time, we should take care with our liberty and how we express it.  We need to consider that our knowledge is limited.  And so, we need to think and act with humility.  But, we do not need to be afraid because God is more powerful than anything.  We can move forward with confidence.  And yet, we may need to choose to limit our freedom out of concern for our brother or sister. Our guiding principle must be love.  If taking advantage of our right to freedom would cause someone else to sin or even stumble, we should give up that freedom. (1 Corinthians 8:13)

In today’s passage, we are going to read about Paul’s example of his use of liberty.  I think what we will see is that he’s going to turn the reasonable and even Biblical course of action on its head.  While his course or direction may seem strange and certainly distinct, I think it is easier to understand by having just taken communion together.