CCF Sunday Messages

Having just spent the past five weeks mulling over and pondering the heavenly reality of resurrection, we now take the truth of 1st Corinthians 15:58 — our labor in the Lord is not in vain — and put some skin on it!

In chapter 16 Paul gives some personal and practical insight into church life. Paul has instructed a number of the churches to alleviate the poverty in the church in Jerusalem–many, many miles away! To get the full picture, we need pieces from Romans and 2nd Corinthians. But for now, we will get some practical encouragement about fellowship and care in the Body of Christ!

Some of God’s people are suffering. Others have the means to help. Money is powerful. Love of money can lead to a lot of trouble and pain. But it can be a real tool for demonstrating care for others. Money represents time and energy and our lives. e get money in exchange for time and work. To give that away is to give away something of ourselves. Paul wants the Corinthians to help as they are able.

We do not live our lives in little compartments. Over here is our physical health, and over there is emotional health, and here is my hobby and there is my work. Every aspect of our lives is interrelated, and how we do in one area is directly related to every other area. And all of the areas are connected to our understanding of God and ourselves. The way you think about money and generosity may reveal something about the way you think about God and the world around you.

Having just spent the past five weeks mulling over and pondering the heavenly reality of resurrection, we now take the truth of 1st Corinthians 15:58 — our labor in the Lord is not in vain — and put some skin on it!

In chapter 16 Paul gives some personal and practical insight into church life. Paul has instructed a number of the churches to alleviate the poverty in the church in Jerusalem–many, many miles away! To get the full picture, we need pieces from Romans and 2nd Corinthians. But for now, we will get some practical encouragement about fellowship and care in the Body of Christ!

Some of God’s people are suffering. Others have the means to help. Money is powerful. Love of money can lead to a lot of trouble and pain. But it can be a real tool for demonstrating care for others. Money represents time and energy and our lives. e get money in exchange for time and work. To give that away is to give away something of ourselves. Paul wants the Corinthians to help as they are able.

We do not live our lives in little compartments. Over here is our physical health, and over there is emotional health, and here is my hobby and there is my work. Every aspect of our lives is interrelated, and how we do in one area is directly related to every other area. And all of the areas are connected to our understanding of God and ourselves. The way you think about money and generosity may reveal something about the way you think about God and the world around you.

As we finish 1st Corinthians chapter 15, Paul brings his discussion of resurrection to a victorious crescendo and climax! Death and the grave do not have the last word! Like a lion with no teeth, a snake with no venom, or a bee with no sting, death has been stripped of its power and the grave has been forced to give up its prisoners. Jesus will lead captives out of captivity at the resurrection. Our old, earthly bodies will yield to new heavenly ones.

But this raises a question. If it is death that releases us from these “earth suits” (earthly bodies) that we dwell in, what will happen to those that are alive on earth when Jesus returns?

Did you know that “the gospel” includes the resurrection as well as the second coming of Jesus Christ. We, as the church, are looking forward to a day called “the Rapture of the Church”. What is that? When will it happen?

People will be living and working and busy about their lives when the Rapture happens. Here is the big question: When Jesus comes, will living people in earthly bodies be stuck on earth because they don’t have their heavenly bodies yet? Will they have to die first? Or will they be excluded from heaven!

So many questions and lots of answers as we wrap up our study about resurrection. Don’t miss this last section!

As we finish 1st Corinthians chapter 15, Paul brings his discussion of resurrection to a victorious crescendo and climax! Death and the grave do not have the last word! Like a lion with no teeth, a snake with no venom, or a bee with no sting, death has been stripped of its power and the grave has been forced to give up its prisoners. Jesus will lead captives out of captivity at the resurrection. Our old, earthly bodies will yield to new heavenly ones.

But this raises a question. If it is death that releases us from these “earth suits” (earthly bodies) that we dwell in, what will happen to those that are alive on earth when Jesus returns?

Did you know that “the gospel” includes the resurrection as well as the second coming of Jesus Christ. We, as the church, are looking forward to a day called “the Rapture of the Church”. What is that? When will it happen?

People will be living and working and busy about their lives when the Rapture happens. Here is the big question: When Jesus comes, will living people in earthly bodies be stuck on earth because they don’t have their heavenly bodies yet? Will they have to die first? Or will they be excluded from heaven!

So many questions and lots of answers as we wrap up our study about resurrection. Don’t miss this last section!

On this Palm Sunday we continue in our study of 1st Corinthians 15 – The Resurrection chapter – with Part III in our series. As we would expect, this next section is packed with essential truth. How we think and how we understand really does dictate how we live. Our true theology is evident in the story of our lives, decision, emotions, attitudes and behaviors. That was true for the Corinthian Christians and it is still true for us!

The next section is filled with “kingdom battle” words — power, authority, enemies, rule, and so on. For those who are movie fans and have been tracking with the Marvel series and awaiting the final conclusion, you may be interested in some of the discussion. Death (Thanatos or Thanos in Greek) is the last and greatest enemy and is personified (given human traits for illustration) in this chapter. Like Goliath, Death is an enemy that seems to loom large and to be unstoppable and unbeatable. The greatest battle a person will fight is with Death and none of us is equipped to overcome. What chance do we have?

We will also discuss the Mormon practice of “baptizing for the dead” that finds its origin here in chapter 15 and in some other bad theology. Finally we will see the moral consequences of believing that death is unconquerable. When there is no hope for the future, and no judgement, what does that produce in society and community? A very good question and one we will deal with as we study this section.

How we think really does affect our lives in ways you might not even realize!

On this Palm Sunday we continue in our study of 1st Corinthians 15 – The Resurrection chapter – with Part III in our series. As we would expect, this next section is packed with essential truth. How we think and how we understand really does dictate how we live. Our true theology is evident in the story of our lives, decision, emotions, attitudes and behaviors. That was true for the Corinthian Christians and it is still true for us!

The next section is filled with “kingdom battle” words — power, authority, enemies, rule, and so on. For those who are movie fans and have been tracking with the Marvel series and awaiting the final conclusion, you may be interested in some of the discussion. Death (Thanatos or Thanos in Greek) is the last and greatest enemy and is personified (given human traits for illustration) in this chapter. Like Goliath, Death is an enemy that seems to loom large and to be unstoppable and unbeatable. The greatest battle a person will fight is with Death and none of us is equipped to overcome. What chance do we have?

We will also discuss the Mormon practice of “baptizing for the dead” that finds its origin here in chapter 15 and in some other bad theology. Finally we will see the moral consequences of believing that death is unconquerable. When there is no hope for the future, and no judgement, what does that produce in society and community? A very good question and one we will deal with as we study this section.

How we think really does affect our lives in ways you might not even realize!

You have heard it said that some things are a “matter of life and death”. All month, as we discuss resurrection, we will be discussing life and death. At the end of the day, when the smoke clears and people stop long enough to turn off the stimulus and think, it all boils down to life and death. And the Bible is so clear and simple about these things.

Let’s ask that a very basic question: “Why do people die?” Death is our universally shared human experience. It transcends color and race and economic and social status. It touches the rich and poor, young and old, good and evil, powerful and weak, popular and obscure. It is painful, confusing, and yet we accept its presence. Maybe we ask why when it seems to come before it should, like in the life of someone young, or in a way that is painful; but nonetheless, death is our constant companion.

But why? Has death always been the human experience? Who says it has to exist? This is what we discuss in our next section of chapter 15! How is death connected to sin? What does resurrection say about sin? What does it even mean to be dead or alive? In this next section, Paul takes us through the hypothetical mental exercise of imagining there is no resurrection and imagining the repercussions of it!

You have heard it said that some things are a “matter of life and death”. All month, as we discuss resurrection, we will be discussing life and death. At the end of the day, when the smoke clears and people stop long enough to turn off the stimulus and think, it all boils down to life and death. And the Bible is so clear and simple about these things.

Let’s ask that a very basic question: “Why do people die?” Death is our universally shared human experience. It transcends color and race and economic and social status. It touches the rich and poor, young and old, good and evil, powerful and weak, popular and obscure. It is painful, confusing, and yet we accept its presence. Maybe we ask why when it seems to come before it should, like in the life of someone young, or in a way that is painful; but nonetheless, death is our constant companion.

But why? Has death always been the human experience? Who says it has to exist? This is what we discuss in our next section of chapter 15! How is death connected to sin? What does resurrection say about sin? What does it even mean to be dead or alive? In this next section, Paul takes us through the hypothetical mental exercise of imagining there is no resurrection and imagining the repercussions of it!

Paul picks up a super-important (and timely) topic as we enter 1st Corinthians 15: resurrection! This is a long chapter, and will take us right up to Easter, so we will be well prepared by the time we gather for Resurrection Sunday.

The Corinthian issues with bodily resurrection, and the fact that Paul had to set the record straight, has given us the most comprehensive and practical chapter on resurrection in the Bible! It seems that there were some powerful persuaders in the Corinthian church. They were contrary to Paul and his teaching, and were influencing the whole church. One major place they departed was regarding resurrection: they were teaching that there was no bodily resurrection!

I find it fascinating to ask people what they think happens when they die. Have you ever asked that? People have so many different ideas on this topic, but for the Christian the clear answer is resurrection! And not just spiritual; it is physical and literal. There is no way around that! Both Jew and Greek would have struggled with this concept. The Sadducees, one branch of Jewish leadership, rejected the resurrection among other things. Paul used this topic to create a split between Sadducees and Pharisees in Acts 23. And if you take a look at Acts 17, you will see that it was the topic of resurrection that caused an abrupt ending to Paul’s sermon on Mars Hill in Athens. Those Stoic and Epicurean philosophers would have none of it!

So, what exactly is being taught in Corinth? How important, and how true, is a literal, bodily resurrection from the dead? Does it matter if it is literal or just spiritual? Can we really prove it anyway?

These questions just scratch the surface of what lies ahead in chapter 15! Listen in and come and see as we dig into this important chapter!

Paul picks up a super-important (and timely) topic as we enter 1st Corinthians 15: resurrection! This is a long chapter, and will take us right up to Easter, so we will be well prepared by the time we gather for Resurrection Sunday.

The Corinthian issues with bodily resurrection, and the fact that Paul had to set the record straight, has given us the most comprehensive and practical chapter on resurrection in the Bible! It seems that there were some powerful persuaders in the Corinthian church. They were contrary to Paul and his teaching, and were influencing the whole church. One major place they departed was regarding resurrection: they were teaching that there was no bodily resurrection!

I find it fascinating to ask people what they think happens when they die. Have you ever asked that? People have so many different ideas on this topic, but for the Christian the clear answer is resurrection! And not just spiritual; it is physical and literal. There is no way around that! Both Jew and Greek would have struggled with this concept. The Sadducees, one branch of Jewish leadership, rejected the resurrection among other things. Paul used this topic to create a split between Sadducees and Pharisees in Acts 23. And if you take a look at Acts 17, you will see that it was the topic of resurrection that caused an abrupt ending to Paul’s sermon on Mars Hill in Athens. Those Stoic and Epicurean philosophers would have none of it!

So, what exactly is being taught in Corinth? How important, and how true, is a literal, bodily resurrection from the dead? Does it matter if it is literal or just spiritual? Can we really prove it anyway?

These questions just scratch the surface of what lies ahead in chapter 15! Listen in and come and see as we dig into this important chapter!