Thanking God for the greatest Gift
Notes
Transcript
Intro:
Intro:
The advent season is here. People have begun decorating their house, decorating trees and the children are making their Christmas list of requests. The season of Christmas and the season for giving and receiving gifts have come.
Let us not during this season forget the greatest gift given. This is the gift of Salvation and all the great benefits that are included in this great gift. When remember this gift we remember the giver of this Gift in God the Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus is the reason for this season. We celebrate the advent of Christ coming from heaven to be born on earth to die for our salvation.
Therefore, as we celebrate this advent season, we also look forward to to the return of our resurrected Lord and Savior Jesus! With this great anticipation we are to prepare to join the kingdom and to work for the kingdom while here on earth. Paul encourages the church of Corinth to continue to work in this great joy of salvation.
Who is writing the letter?
Who is writing the letter?
1 This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Sosthenes.
Paul, is known to Corinth as Acts 18 chapter shows the impact of Paul preaching the Gospel there.
There we discover Sosthenes who was beaten.
17 The crowd then grabbed Sosthenes, the leader of the synagogue, and beat him right there in the courtroom. But Gallio paid no attention.
Some scholars see the Sosthenes mentioned in the letter to Corinth as the synagogue leader in Acts. One thing that is for certain that the person identified is a Christian and received the gospel message as the others addressed in this letter to the church of Corinth.
Who is addressed?
Who is addressed?
The Corinth church is mixed with Jews and Gentiles. Some of the Jews resisted the message of Paul preaching that Jesus is the Messiah. Therefore
6 But when they opposed and insulted him, Paul shook the dust from his clothes and said, “Your blood is upon your own heads—I am innocent. From now on I will go preach to the Gentiles.”
This lead Paul to preach the gospel to the Gentiles and build the church in Corinth through the gospel. Paul’s preaching leads the Church to know that they are God’s holy people.
2 I am writing to God’s church in Corinth, to you who have been called by God to be his own holy people. He made you holy by means of Christ Jesus, just as he did for all people everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.
The blessing of God’s calling and the call to holiness.
The blessing of God’s calling and the call to holiness.
God is holy and calls us to be holy. We can not become holy on our own. We are made holy because the saving work of Jesus Christ. Jesus made us holy (1 Corinthians 1:2). All who call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. The wonderful gift of salvation.
To know that God forgives us of all our sins.
To know that God loves us to forgive us and show mercy.
This is the God that will give us peace because of his amazing grace.
3 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
Paul is grateful because God’s amazing Grace
Paul is grateful because God’s amazing Grace
This grace is the continuous keeping of God’s regeneration through the Holy Spirit that keeps us toward the Lord. Paul is speaking of this grace of God in works of his salvation power. We are saved and kept by God’s grace to do the great work for the kingdom.
God’s grace toward us is responded by works of the Spirit in our life to do his good and perfect will.
These are the Reasons to be grateful, because of God’s gracious gifts through the Spirit.
These are the Reasons to be grateful, because of God’s gracious gifts through the Spirit.
4 I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus. 5 Through him, God has enriched your church in every way—with all of your eloquent words and all of your knowledge. 6 This confirms that what I told you about Christ is true. 7 Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul is grateful for the many gifts of the Spirit exemplified in the Church of Corinth.
Paul is grateful for the many gifts of the Spirit exemplified in the Church of Corinth.
The church possess so many gifts we learn about them in this letter.
The church possess so many gifts we learn about them in this letter.
Paul points out in his letter to Corinth that we only have these gifts through Jesus Christ for the glory of the church.
There are not our gifts because we belong to Jesus because we were purchased with a price.
The blood of Jesus has redeemed us from the penalty of death.
God’s gracious act of salvation has called us to work for his Glory.
Therefore, God has gifted us with gifts to do great work for the kingdom.
The church come to know many of the gifts of the Spirit from this letter to Corinth.
Paul in this letter addresses the diversity of the gifts of the Spirit of God!
The gifts are given to those who belong to Christ Jesus, which also implies that our gifts are not for us but for the Glory of the Lord!
Paul’s prayer is also expresses the subject matter for his letter. This part of prayer dealing with the many gifts of the church in Corinth’s is also addressed in chapters 12 to 14.
Paul’s prayer is also expresses the subject matter for his letter. This part of prayer dealing with the many gifts of the church in Corinth’s is also addressed in chapters 12 to 14.
In addressing the church’s gifts Paul also makes clear that with out Love the gifts do not matter in chapter 13.
We know these gifts because of God’s love toward us.
This Love of God blesses the church in every way...
This Love of God blesses the church in every way...
5 Through him, God has enriched your church in every way—with all of your eloquent words and all of your knowledge.
This great of God’s blessings in their lives is confirmed by their abilities expressed by the spiritual gifts.
6 This confirms that what I told you about Christ is true.
Paul’s preaching of the gospel has grown in their lives.
The truth of the Gospel will produce evidence.
The gospel is transformative.
The saving power of God leads to transformation
The saving power of God leads to transformation
The proof of God working in our lives is the change of lifestyle.
We are being transformed and are doing new things with greater power of the Spirit for the glory of the Lord.
We have turned from the world of sin to live a life filled of the Spirit.
We are now walking in the Light and sharing this awesome light with others.
7 Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We are saved and now wait on the return of our savior.
We are saved and now wait on the return of our savior.
We are to be working for our savior in response of this great gifts of salvation.
We need to thank the Giver of every good and perfect gift.
God will keep us until Christ Return
God will keep us until Christ Return
8 He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. 9 God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Jesus has saved us to be blameless upon his return. Jesus desire for us to work in obedience of his will as we wait for the establishment of his kingdom.
He will keep you strong.
God’s power of the Holy Spirit will enable us to be strong until the end.
The Holy Spirt will guide us to be aware of the schemes of the enemy.
Be vigilant for the enemy is trying to distract and cause others to not know the power of salvation.
May the church be the witness of the glory of God.
May the church use her gifts to proclaim this awesome Gospel!
God is Faithful!
God is Faithful!
9 God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
God Will!
Just that alone is powerful to know that God will!
What will God do? (I am glad you ask that Question)
God is able to do all things.
Because of that we can do all things through Christ!
For with man it is impossible but with God all things are possible.
God showed us he has defeated death trough His Son, our Lord and Savior.
We know the power of redemption because of Jesus.
We know the beauty of mercy and forgiveness because of Jesus.
God will Save!
Jesus Saves!
The Lord saves!
We are in partnership with the Son, Jesus Christ our Lord
We are called by his Grace and Kept by his grace.
We are called by his Grace and Kept by his grace.
Jesus is coming back to claim his saints.
Jesus came to usher us into the kingdom of God!
We now celebrate this Advent season and look forward to his coming again!
We thank God he came from heaven to save us and now we wait for him to come from heaven again and restore us for all eternity with a new body prepared for the new heaven and new earth.