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The death of Christ gives new perspective

2 Cor 5.16-17

“Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.”
Eph 4.23 NLT
—•—

  1. About Christ, Jn 7.24.
  2. About others 2 Cor 5.16-17.
  3. About family in Christ, Rom 14.15; 1 Cor 8.11.
  4. About oneself, Gal 6.3.
  5. About serving, Gal 5.13; 1 Pet 2.16.
  6. About suffering, Heb 12.7.
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Love, the more excellent way

Introduction

  • Love is a big word. It covers a wide range of meanings in our language. By studying what the Bible says about it, we can come to an understanding of what it means in God’s plan for us.
  • The Corinthians loved knowledge, philosophy, and personalities. As a result, they lost the essence of the Way of Christ.
  • They suffered from the same syndrome as the first disciples, a competitive love of first place.
  • Paul presents love as the cure to this syndrome.

Love in 1 Corinthians 13

  1. Love in context, 1 Cor 12-14: The chapter comes in the center of a discussion about the proper use of gifts in the congregation.
    1. As such, love is the centerpiece and the motivation for the use of gifts.
    2. Love is the solution to selfish ambition.
  2. Essential love, 1 Cor 13.1-3: Motivation matters. If we don’t do things out of love, then our works bring us no benefit.
  3. Active love, 1 Cor 13.4-7: Love is not a feeling, but a cluster of attitudes and actions that benefit the beloved one.
  4. Unending love, 1 Cor 13.8-13: The nature of love is not affected by eternity, as are faith and hope. On the contrary, it comes into its fullest light.
    1. Miracles—which the Corinthians loved so much—would cease, but not love.
    2. God is love, 1 Jn 4.8, 16. As such, it partakes of his eternal nature.

Conclusion

  • “Pursue love” 1 Cor 14.1, and seek those things that will properly express it and that will edify the family of faith. (Edification is the key word of chapter 14.)
  • Since God is love, let him define it, sustain it, express it, preserve it, and nurture it in us.
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Why are you sad?

Luke 24.13-17

  1. When Jesus conquered death?
  2. When God works providentially in your life?
  3. When God has made forgiveness available to you?

—Bobby Cloyd, Keltonburg TN congregation

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Israel and Judah’s Fall

  1. They Turned Away in Apostasy: Jeremiah 8:4-5
  2. They Turned Away from God’s Word: Jeremiah 8:9
  3. They Turned to Greed and Gain: Jeremiah 8:10
  4. They Turned to Deceit: Jeremiah 8:10-12

—John Henson, Dibrell Church of Christ, McMinnville, TN

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Distinctive people

  1. David: 1 Samuel 17:45-47
  2. Lazarus’ Sister Mary: Mark 14:3-9
  3. The Widow: Mark 12:41-44
  4. You as a Christian: 1 Peter 4:16

John Henson, Dibrell Church of Christ
95 Gills Rd., McMinnville, TN 37110-4456

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The distinctiveness of Christianity

  1. Distinctive in its Power: Romans 1:16-17
  2. Distinctive in its Message: Galatians 1:11-12; 2 Peter 1:20-21
  3. Distinctive in its Importance: Matthew 16:26; 1 Timothy 1:15-16

John Henson
Dibrell Church of Christ
95 Gills Rd.
McMinnville, TN 37110-4456

 

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The benefits of love

1 Cor 16.14

  1. The purpose of love brings fulfillment. Even menial and unpleasant tasks become meaningful when done in love. The worst job is redeemed by love. Every activity holds the potential as a channel to express love.
  2. The work of love produces usefulness. Nothing is wasted when love is at work. “Every work performed by love is beneficent, it has a brightness in it to enlighten, a balm in it to soothe, a music in it to charm, an aroma in it to please” (D. Thomas).
  3. The force of love creates unity. Love binds everything in life into a coherent whole. It brings oneness to the self and to the community. If God is love, then love embraces all of one’s existence.

This outline was inspired by one by D. Thomas in J.S. Exell’s Biblical Illustrator, on the Bible text above.

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‘Christian’ means persecution

1 Pet 4.12-19

Introduction

  1. This passage is the third and final time that the word “Christian” appears in the New Testament.
    • The first in Acts 11.26 focused on Christians as Christ’s people.
    • The second in Acts 26.28 focused on persuasion for becoming a Christian.
  2. The context of today’s text is suffering because of persecution and the need for faithfulness.
  3. Peter begins this passage by addressing his readers as “beloved” v. 12. They are precious to him, because their faith is precious to them.

What does it mean to suffer as a Christian?

Continue reading “‘Christian’ means persecution”

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God’s model for the church’s prayers

  1. Content — Jesus gave what we rightly call the “model prayer” Mt 6; Lk 11, as a guide for what should be included in our prayers, as Paul did in 1 Tim 2.1-7;
  2. Candidate — We talk about the right candidate for baptism, but there is also a right candidate for leading prayer as well, 1 Tim 2.8:
    (a) Males;
    (b) Not just any male, but one who is holy and not angry;
  3. Comprehension — People must be able to understand the prayer, 1 Cor 14.13-16.

Outline from randalmatheny.com.