Celebrate Life

Into:

Welcome:

Name, retire minister of 33 years,

Wife, educator, tumor front right Lobel area

15 years ago, experienced a setting I was not familiar. Prayer at the alter, high drug culture, demonic culture, rugged individualism. I was faced with thinking my way through what is the essence of the Good News or Gospel.

I read the Scriptures i think twice - no other voices, commentaries

One prayer: Holy Spirit please make it absolutely clear to me what is the essence of the Christian message or Good News

The word Good News was used in Scripture and I wanted to know

I will never forget 2 Tim, 2:8, Just before Paul dies

New Living Translation Chapter 2

8 Always remember that Jesus Christ, a descendant of King David, was raised from the dead. This is the Good News I preach. 9 And because I preach this Good News, I am suffering and have been chained like a criminal. But the word of God cannot be chained. 10 So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen

I discovered in Acts 25:17–20 ““When his accusers came here for the trial, I didn’t delay. I called the case the very next day and ordered Paul brought in. But the accusations made against him weren’t any of the crimes I expected. Instead, it was something about their religion and a dead man named Jesus, who Paul insists is alive. I was at a loss to know how to investigate these things, so I asked him whether he would be willing to stand trial on these charges in Jerusalem.”

After my own research I started reading others who where much smarter, wiser and educated, experienced - NT Wright - Anglican Minister, world renowned NT early church historian.

Major work the resurrection of the Son of God, some 900 pages. He would make statements like Paul could have been known as the appostal of the Resurrection. Also, the NT is a Resurrection revolution through and through, or if you would ask 1 Cent followers of Christ who are you, they would say we are resurrection people.

I discovered we are saved in the resurrection 1 peter 1:3, 3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead.

So much more started to change in my thinking - it was as if Romans 12:2 , let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

There is so much more I could say,

But I am challenging us to start thinking of Resurrection as the primary emphasis

Why was this the NT Revolution

I believe until the Church returns to this way of thinking and movement we will not see the church engage the world or be as effective as we could be.

2. God and Jesus is LIFE

A. My thoughts on God seen as LIFE - Genesis - giving Life, Rev- books of Life, Crown of Life, Throne of God is the River of Life, Trees of Life, Fountains of Life.

John 5:26 “The Father has life in himself, and he has granted that same life-giving power to his Son.”

a. has life - means this is a fact and not of a degree. This is the essence of God - Life - It is not a characteristic

b. For me this is the most basic thing I can say about God is HE is LIFE. And then that life is love, holy, caring, etc

c. Robert Collins, Atheist turned Christian, the human genome project, The Language of God. Creation, We can predict back one tenth of 100 millionth 7 times. back to 10 seconds but not beyond. Well our God of Life started it all.

Question: So - if our God is Life, starts Life, thinks life, creates life out of nothing.. What should we be thinking? Reflecting, Bible lessons, teaching, preaching, engaging our world who are like dead bones or the walking dead. What should we be putting in front of our children to train in a way of thinking, etc.

B. My thoughts about Jesus

John 5:26 “The Father has life in himself, and he has granted that same life-giving power to his Son.”

Jesus is the exact representation of the Father. I think what you say about God in essence you can say about Jesus as John 1.1 “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.

If this is so and Jesus is as GOD - LIFE should see this being said by others in scripture

1 John 1:1–4 “We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us. We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy.”

Question: If Jesus is life, started life with God, gives life, thinks about life, offers life, etc what do you think we should be thinking about, reflecting, bible lessons, preaching, engaging our world of people who are like dead bones, walking dead, boring life, destructive lives, etc. What should we be placing in front of our children so they begin to understand by osmosis what they are to be thinking.

C. My thoughts about my self

John 5:24 ““I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.”

John 10:10 b ‘ My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”

Application: I am thinking about life in a positive way. In a healthier way. It really is about His Life in me. I have coined the Phrase Celeb rating Life

If God thinks about Life, Jesus thinks about Life, and that is the purpose for the world, I should be like them and think about Life. The Life they have for me. It is most amazing, my life is being built on His Life in Me.

What can shake you in this position?

Judy’s tumor in 2016, my prayer. In the past 7 years it hasn’t been easy. Walking, thinking, ability seems to be worsening. People talk about retirement should be golden days. And when ask how we Are doing - Celebrating life. Nothing can separate you from Jesus and the Life He has in you.

D. My thoughts about my children and grand Kids:

Children seem to be able to catch your attitude in life and your values quickly and easily. What they experience in their developing years is most significant for all of the rest of life.

working at Rehab and mother saying her child saw a pic of Jesus and the crucifix - he must be a bad person

Granddaughter and pic

Grandson and call

E. My thoughts about my world

atheist in the hospital: Its about a dead person who came back to life, He is life , I met Him, He gave me life and I have been celebrating life ever since.l

my health care overseer - how are you, celebrating life, what are you celebrating

AT - June - are you that dead person

Everywhere

F. My Church

I want to see a 1 C. Revolution of the Resurrection.

Acts3, Just after the Holy Spirit came and the Church was started, Peter and John heal a man lame from birth.

Peter saw his opportunity and in v. 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. And we are witnesses of this fact!

16 “Through faith in the name of Jesus, this man was healed—and you know how crippled he was before. Faith in Jesus’ name has healed him before your very eyes.

Acts 4:1-4, While Peter and John were speaking to the people, they were confronted by the priests, the captain of the Temple guard, and some of the Sadducees. 2 These leaders were very disturbed that Peter and John were teaching the people that through Jesus there is a resurrection of the dead. 3 They arrested them and, since it was already evening, put them in jail until morning. 4 But many of the people who heard their message believed it, so the number of men who believed now totaled about 5,000.

. 10 Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead.

Acts 4: 29 And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. 30 Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

31 After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.

The Believers Share Their Possessions

32 All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. 33 The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all.