Just as the local church in Corinth was independent and yet interdependent, so our local church needs to be. As Paul shares some travel plans with the church, we learn that we must be both intentionally independent and intentionally interdependent.

As Paul concludes his epistle to the Corinthian church, the resurrection of the Christian (chapter 15) has everything to do with what follows. This closing chapter provides practical examples of how to “be steadfast, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord” (15:58). The opening four verses instruct us how “the work of the Lord” is funded by the local church and its need to be “steadfast” in this privilege and responsibility. We consider four elements of new creation generosity:

1. New Creation Responsibility

2. New Creation Solidarity

3. New Creation Continuity

4. New Creation Accountability

The writer to the Hebrews exhorts his readers to not get into the habit of neglecting the Lord’s Day gathering but to instead gather faithfully to stir one another to love and good works. We will consider three elements of this exhortation:

1. Who gathers

2. Why we gather

3. Results of gathering

Deuteronomy 32:10–14 contains a moving recollection of God’s paternal care for Israel. Verses 15–18 indict Israel for forgetting their privileged position before God and forsaking him altogether. This text forces us to ask whether we have forgotten our privileged position before God. Are we unmindful of Jesus who bore our sin? We will consider this theme under two headings:

1. Getting Your Privilege (vv. 10–14)

2. Forgetting Your Privilege (vv. 15–18)

As Paul draws his teaching about the resurrection to a close, he does so in a spirit of appropriate confidence, the kind of confidence produced by heartfelt belief in the resurrection of the Christian. We will examine Paul’s confident conclusion under the following headings:

1. A Confident Expectation (vv. 50–53)

2. A Confident Exaltation (vv. 54–57)

3. A Confident Exhortation (v. 58)

Philippians 2:14–16 is a well-known, but underrated exhortation by the apostle Paul for believers to do all things without grumbling or disputing. We will examine this exhortation by considering:

1. A Tongue Bridled by the Gospel (v. 14)

2. A Testimony Born of the Gospel (v. 15)

3. The Impact of the Sincere Gospel (v. 16)

When it comes to the resurrection, Christians need a biblically instructed imagination. Not in the sense of make-believe, but rather the biblically realistic ability to look at what is decaying and normally to be discarded with the eyes of faith seeing a new creation, made in the image of Jesus Christ. We will look at this passage under four headings:

1. Interrogation (v. 35)

2. Illustration (vv. 36–41)

3. Implication (vv. 42–44)

4. Image-ination (vv. 45–49)

How are we supposed to apply the truth that God is light? According to 1 John 1:5–2:1, it means living our lives exposed to God and one another. Being true to ourselves and God about the reality of our sin will produce true fellowship and help us experience true forgiveness. God’s light not only exposes our sin, but in Jesus, purifies us. Therefore, before God, we may be naked but unashamed. We will consider this truth under three broad headings:

1. God’s Exposing Light (1:5)

2. True Fellowship (1:6–7)

3. True Forgiveness (1:8–2:1)

The Christian life is both useless and hopeless if there is no resurrection. But as Paul reminds us, “Christ has been raised from the dead!” Therefore, Christians remain committed to the theology of the resurrection, conduct themselves in accordance with the theology of the resurrection, and contend for the theology of the resurrection. We will consider three things about resurrection theology from this text:

1. Resurrection Theology Pictured (v. 29)

2. Resurrection Theology Practiced (vv. 30–32)

3. Resurrection Theology Protected (vv. 33–34)

The passage in Matthew 20:26–28 centres on Jesus addressing the disciples’ request for prominent positions in his future kingdom. He challenges their ambition by emphasising servanthood as the essence of true greatness. Jesus exemplifies this through his own life, sacrificially serving others rather than seeking authority. This call to emulate Christ’s humility and selflessness extends to modern believers, encouraging them to prioritise serving others within their communities as a reflection of their faith.