June 16th. 2024 Sermon
2 Corinthians 2024 • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Transcript
Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. If we are “out of our mind,” as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
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Father's Day Pastoral Prayer
"Heavenly Father, we thank you for our fathers, whom You specifically chose for us, whether by natural birth or adoption. For those who had good fathers, we thank you for their example, their care, their counsel, their presence in our lives. May we honor them appropriately through our words and deeds".
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Dear God,
You are amazing and great, Lord. I thank You for the ministry of elementary camp, and for the opportunity it gives children to encounter You in an awesome way. As we talk about Your perfect plan, Your great power, and Your amazing rescue of Your people through Your Son, Jesus, help us to put our trust fully in You. Help us to allow Your peace to envelop our hearts.
I pray for our counselors as they love these campers in a way that shines Christ Jesus. I pray for the Holy Spirit to lead their conversations, Bible studies, and devotion times. Lord, may my words and the words of our co-director, Jeff, glorify and honor You. Open the hearts of each camper as he or she learns more about how wonderful You are, Lord.
Thank You, Lord, for Your mercy and grace. Thank You, Lord, for allowing us to witness the power of Your love as it changes lives. Help us to remember that everything we do is done solely to bring You honor and glory. In Jesus’ precious and holy name I pray, Amen.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” -Proverbs 3:5–6
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For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
What motivates you?
Where do you find your motivation?
—> On this Father’s Day, it is easy for me to say that one of my biggest motivators in this life is my children.
—> At other times in my life I would answer that question with money, or with pride, or with notoriety and recognition…
—> but Paul says in verse 14 “for Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.”
—> it is Christ’s love that compels him to action. Not our love of Christ but our understanding of His love for us.
—> Why? “because we are convinced that one (Christ Jesus) died for all”
—> We know Christ’s love because he died for all
—> That is our motivation. That kind of love. The kind of love from a being that would die for people who hate him.
—> Think about that…Jesus loved all people even the ones that hate him, even the ones that say he is a liar, even the ones that say he doesn’t exist, even the ones that want nothing to do with him. Jesus willingly gave up his life because he loved them that much.
—> whew…sit in that love for a minute.
And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
—> I love these 2 verses. Its in these 2 verses that I think you can see Paul’s love, motivation, and his enthusiasm for the gospel, because he is basically repeating verse 14 in 15 but making it clearer.
For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
—> Christ’s love compels us to live differently. The reality that Christ would die for us compels us, motivates us not to just live differently but to die to ourselves and live for Christ.
—> That is some kind of motivation
—> As Christians, as those that live in the reality that Jesus willingly died for our sins, was buried and then rose again. If we say we believe that. We are no longer the people we were born as.
—> Those people are dead. They died with Christ, we no longer are living for ourselves but we are living in a new reality. We are living in the light of Christ.
—> What does this mean? What does it look like?
So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
—> When we have died to self and are living for Christ people aren’t just people anymore. What do I mean?
—> If I’m living for myself , If I’m living with myself as the focus and the center of attention, and my primary objective is making David happy then I’m going to treat people differently. Than if I have died to myself and am living for the one that died for everybody.
—> The lady that works at Starbucks and gets me my coffee she isn’t Mrs. Coffee the coffee pot she’s Susan. The lady that scans my groceries she isn’t just an extension of Crest she’s Bonnie.
—> When we die to self and die to “me being the focus” it opens our eyes to see that all people are people that matter to God. All people are people that Jesus willingly died for. All people matter and are of worth and value, just like me.
—> Then Paul takes it one more step a reminder that all People can know Christ and that all people can be changed by Christ.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
—> If anyone is in Christ a new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here. What’s that mean? It means that we need to own peoples new life just like we have new life. Now that’s pretty easy right now. Look around. I’m going to go out on a limb and say everyone in this room is a Christian.
—> But I pray for a day, soon, that that isn’t the case, and on that day we need to hold folks to their new identity, call them by their new name. They are no longer sinner but they are saved.
—> So how do we get there…
—> We start taking it seriously to look at people as Jesus looks at them.
—> Jesus cares deeper about people than simply what they can do for him.
—> how do we do that?
—> start with a name
—> when you meet someone new this week get their name. first and last would be great but first will do.
—> After you get their name get one detail about them that will help you remember them.
—> For instance, this week I met Gibbie at the Sr. Citizens Center. One detail about Gibbie is that he likes to play pool and has a pool cue that’s over 50 years old that he got in Spain.
—> now I’m going to start praying for Gibbie. I’ll pray for him until God tells me to stop.
—> The next time I see Gibbie, I’ll take the conversation a little farther until I can assess if Gibbie knows Christ and lives for Christ or not.
—> Repeat…Repeat…Repeat…