Hi friends,

Here’s today’s sermon.

 the very heart of our church culture and membership expectation. That our partners will be saints who strive to live a life of: Holiness, Happiness, Health, Helpfulness, and Hope. 

These five elements are essential aspects of the manifestation of the impact of the gospel and evidence the Spirit-Led, Christ Centered Christian life with the chief aim of giving God the Glory, 

So, let us start by defining what the gospel is, in multiple levels of depth, for those who may be new to our faith:

For a child: The gospel is the good news about Jesus, who came to the world to be our friend and help us be good. When we do something wrong, we can ask Jesus to forgive us and make us clean inside. We can be happy and have peace because Jesus loves us very much.

For a teenager: The gospel is the message of hope and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. We all make mistakes and sin, but through repentance and faith in Jesus, we can experience forgiveness and a new start in life. By yielding to the Holy Spirit, we can live a fruitful supernatural lifestyle, filled with joy and peace.

For a college student: The gospel is the story of God's love and grace, and how it is available to all through Jesus Christ. When we recognize our sin and turn away from it, we can receive the forgiveness and cleansing that only Jesus can provide. By yielding to the Holy Spirit, we can experience a transformed life, full of purpose, peace, and power.

For a PhD student: The gospel is the message of salvation, made possible through the virgin birth, sinless life, Sacrificial death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Through repentance, we can receive forgiveness for our sins and be reconciled to God. When we yield to the Holy Spirit, we can experience the abundant life that Jesus promises, including joy, peace, and the fruit of the Spirit.

For a sociologist: The gospel is the message of hope and transformation for individuals and society. Through repentance and faith in Jesus, individuals can experience forgiveness and renewal, which can lead to positive change in their relationships, communities, and the world. By yielding to the Holy Spirit, believers can live a supernatural lifestyle, characterized by love, joy, peace, and other fruit of the Spirit.

For a theologian: The gospel is the message of the kingdom of God breaking into the world through Jesus Christ, the second Adam. It is the good news of salvation and redemption, made possible through Jesus' death and resurrection, which defeated sin and death and restored grace to the world. The gospel is rooted in the biblical doctrine of the Trinity, where Jesus Christ is the pre-incarnate second person of the Trinity, and in the doctrine of original sin, where sin entered the world through one man, Adam, but grace came into the world through Jesus Christ, the second Adam. Through repentance, individuals can receive forgiveness and be reconciled to God the Father, and experience the transforming power of the Holy Spirit in their lives. The gospel invites individuals to participate in God's redemptive work in the world, bringing joy and hope to all who believe. Those who believe in the gospel become part of the body of Christ, the bride of Christ, and the family of God, sharing in a living and vibrant relationship with the Lord and with one another. 

Holiness

The ultimate goal of holiness is to become like Jesus and reflect His character in all aspects of life.

* "For God has not called us to be impure, but to live a holy life." 1 Thessalonians 4:7

*  "The great need of the church in every age is the need of personal holiness."- JC Ryles

* Elevated to the Third Degree-Only once in sacred Scripture is an attribute of God elevated to the third degree. Only once is a characteristic of God mentioned three times in succession. The Bible says that God is holy, holy, holy. Not that He is merely holy, or even holy, holy. He is holy, holy, holy. The Bible never says that God is love, love, love; or mercy, mercy, mercy; or wrath, wrath, wrath; or justice, justice, justice. It does say that he is holy, holy, holy, that the whole earth is full of His glory.- RC Sproul

* Jesus was called Drunkard (Luke 7:34),  a Samaritan (John 8:48), demon-possessed (John 7:20), and a sinner (John 9:24)

* Remember even though Jesus was friend of the sinner. He went to weddings drank wine, laughed with friends but was still sinless and holy.

Holiness is not just about what we avoid, it's about what we embrace

Happiness

[Rom 15:13 NLT] 13 I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

* Joy is the flag that flies on the castle of the heart when the King is in residence."- Max Lucado

* Happiness is not just a feeling, it's a choice rooted in deep spiritual gratitude.

HEALTHY

* Emotional health is a byproduct of spiritual health, as we surrender our worries and fears to God.

* Physical health is a gift from God, and we honor Him by taking care of our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit.

* Emotional health is not just the absence of pain, it's the presence of peace.

[1Pe 2:24 NLT] 24 He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.

Anticipation seems to be a factor in motivation for health for many

Reading Books Is Tied to a Longer Life

HELPFUL

Mar 10:45 NLT] 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Helpfulness is not just about what we do for others, it's about who we become in the process.

According to "The Paradox of Generosity," Americans who describe themselves as "very happy" volunteer an average of 5.8 hours per month. Those who donate more than 10% of their incomes also exhibited lower depression rates than those who did not.

HOPEFUL

* [Rom 15:13 NLT] 13 I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

* Hope is not just a feeling, it's a decision to trust in the promises of God, no matter what life brings.

* hope is “a multidimensional dynamic life force that is characterized by a confident yet uncertain expectation of achieving good, which is realistically possible and personally significant” (Dufault & Martocchio, 1985).

* biblical orthodoxy defines hope as a confident trust in the promises of God and in his ability to bring about good things in our lives, no matter what our circumstances may be.

Hope reduces feelings of helplessness, increases happiness, reduces stress, and improves our quality of life.

Hope you were inspired.

Love ya,

Ed

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BGpy6TM

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