“What is your spiritual gift?” That is a question that many of us have been asked. Do we know? Paul writes in our passages this week that we as a church are one body and each of us make up that body. And like our real bodies, all of our parts have different functions. When all the parts are working correctly, all the body itself works correctly. The Holy Spirit gives each of us gifts so that our collective body can operate in harmony. This week we will look at the unity that God demands and what comes when we are using the gifts from the Holy Spirit. If you feel like you’re alone and don’t know how you are part of the body of Christ, this sermon is for you.
Have you ever made plans to do something only to have them change due to circumstances beyond your control? Perhaps your carefully conceived idea you thought best wasn’t the best idea at all. The apostle James in chapter four of his letter wrote that our plans come down to if the Lord wills. Do we know what the Lord wills? This week, we’ll dig into this question and apply it to some very important issues that affect us all.
Firmness. Confidence. Fearlessness. Courage. The disciples in the book of Acts possessed these qualities after the Holy Spirit came and rested on them on the day of Pentecost. We read in Acts how Peter stood before the crowds and the Jewish leaders proclaiming Jesus, and how Paul proclaimed Jesus in the face of extreme opposition. That boldness allowed them and others to be used by the Lord no matter the cost. This week, we’ll look at what it means to have the Holy Spirit so we can speak, act and live boldly for the Lord.
As we come to the end of the gospel of John, we are witness to a pretty heavy scene. Jesus spends a few moments with Peter, one of his boldest disciples, who just recently had a spectacular fall. What transpires around the lakeside fire is what every believer who has failed in his or her walk would hope for: assurance that the Lord still has them in His care. But the passage doesn’t end there. We also see that Peter had a responsibility that would end someday with him giving his life for his Lord. As we prepare for next Sunday’s worship service, allow God to speak to you about His love and assurance and what He’s asking of you in your walk of faith with Him.
In Colossians 2:19, Paul writes that those who delight in false humility have lost connection with the head, or Jesus. We can do all sorts of things to show everyone how spiritual we are, but if we are trying to live a spiritual life without Jesus as our Lord and Master, it doesn’t benefit anyone. If Christ is our Lord and we have died to our old selves, we need to live as if we are already with him in glory. That means that we are to put away behaviors that don’t reflect our connectedness with Jesus. This week, we will look at Colossians 3:1-14 and explore how a child of God should live his or her life to reflect the character of Jesus.