Sunday AM Sermon 2015-12-27

 

Sunday AM Sermon 2015-12-27

 

Sunday AM Sermon 2015-12-27

 

How is Jesus the Door?  Jesus wasn't talking to just anyone when He made this statement.  He had a specific group in mind.  Yet, His statement impacts our coming and going.Sunday AM Sermon 2015-12-27

When Jesus said, "I Am the light of the world" he spoke to a Jewish crowd for whom the phrase would have had special meaning.  Jesus is communicating a position of authority and significance for His words.  How should we respond to Jesus' words todady?

Jesus said He is the bread of life.  What did He mean by this?  Jesus goes further to say that people must eat His flesh and drink His blood.  This is a grotesque image.  How is Jesus' message reasonable and relevant to modern readers?

Jesus was unique.  Only Jesus could provide a path to the Father.  Such a message is not popular in our modern culture which views this as an exclusive and intolerant theme.  Yet, Jesus' message is one of love and acceptance because anyone willing to follow Jesus may enter the way.

We all like a story that ends well.  For Paul, there were still problems at Corinth.  He warns the handful in that church who were still causing problems, but then encourages the church as a whole to be like minded.  As a newly started congregation, our church family can gain from Paul's final exhortation to be like minded.  Imagine what God can do with us when we put our minds together and serve as one.

He was attacked.  Some in the Corinthian church rejected Paul personally.  He reminds the church not to judge by worldly standards.  As Christians today, we need to avoid using wordly standards to judge.

How easy is it to respect others?  People who have made  tremendous accomplishments or live lives of integrity are fairly easy to respect.  But what about those who may live less than respectful lives?  David encountered King Saul, a man of jealousy, hate, and murder.  Yet David held him in respect because of God.  God wants us to respect others even when it is not easy.  How then can we be respectful of others?

In our new Christians class we continue our study of Bible basics.  This week's focus in a study of church leadership.

Saul was selected by God to serve as king over Israel.  He had a mission.  Yet Saul forgot his position in serving God and was caught with his hand in the cookie jar, so-to-speak.  As Christians some times we might fail to listen to God.  How can we remain faithful?

What might a new Christian want to know?  In our adult Bible class we explore basic Bible principles that will help new Christians.  This week we continue discussing church leadership.  (Due to technical difficulties the recording ends abruptly).