A great Sunday message for resurrection day. Our life is only sure in Christ. It's all about Him, as I repeatedly say. His birth, His life, His death and His resurrection...all that we might become righteous in Him.
2Corinthians 5:21 - For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
All about Him. The world is determined to do in their own power and strength. It is pure pride to be that determined. And don't you know we all fall into it. But God says we have no real power or strength apart from Him. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God... (John 15:5, 2Corinthians 3:5)
So the Sunday message was titled Jesus Christ and Him Crucified. In a nutshell, power is missing in many churches. Why? Because often church is being done man's way, not God's. It's man's wisdom, not His. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. (Galatians 6:3) We must be born again. When we are born into Christ and become true believers, that power works in the church. His Holy Spirit power is evident as we attend and worship. I can say that I feel that power even in Sunday school when we discuss the Bible.
Power comes with the new birth in Christ. It's the only true power. There can be life in any aspect of Sunday morning worship. It doesn't need to be somber. Besides being in Sunday school, it's in our praise and worship, prayer, time of testimonies, the message and time at the altar. Only a life in Christ produces this. Entertainment is fleeting; preaching Christ is eternal. He came that we could all have life. No one else can do this. We cannot achieve eternal life on our own. God gave us our initial birth and He hopes we will receive that new spiritual birth to gain access to heaven one day. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10
Jesus Christ and Him crucified. It is all we need to hear preached. This was the apostle Paul's main message since he knew the power of God in his life. Before Paul became an apostle he was Saul of Tarsus. He was a persecutor of Jesus' followers and disciples. I love this story! He was stopped one day on his way to persecute even more and was blinded by a great light from heaven. He once was blind to the truth of Jesus, but now he saw Him...and believed. From then on Paul preached Christ and His power, in His short life, and in His power over death.
That should be the goal of any believer, to preach Christ, His power to save, His power that comes to us upon conversion, His power in our lives...to give us wisdom, understanding and discernment. Hallelujah. Jesus is alive. He reigns. He died for our sins. He wants to be your Savior.
2Corinthians 5:20 - Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though
God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.
God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.
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