Have you ever been thankful even when everything doesn’t go right? I am having to learn this lesson over and over again it seems. I have to constantly remind myself that God truly is in control and that he is directing everything to the second coming of his Son Jesus Christ. Even though the Corinthian Church was very troubled in that it faced the same issues that we often face in today’s Church Paul was very thankful to God for his saving grace, his sanctifying grace and even his sustaining grace until the Lord Jesus Christ comes back. Please read 1 Corinthians 1:4-9. A quick peek into Paul’s ongoing prayer life can be seen here as he writes to the Corinthians that he is always thankful to his God for that grace that he has given them in Christ Jesus. Will you stop and express thanksgiving to God for the grace given to the members of your Church family that is in Christ Jesus? God’s grace in Christ Jesus enriched this body of believers with spiritual gifts that would be used to testify about the Lord Jesus Christ and to build up the body of Christ for heaven’s kingdom purposes. This body of believers was gifted with speech and knowledge. As the Corinthian believers exercised their gifts the message of Christ Jesus was confirmed among them. The Holy Spirit enabled the body of Christ to understand and communicate the good news of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world around them. As they gave testimony the Holy Spirit would work in the hearts of those listening. As many as were appointed to eternal life would respond to the good news through faith. The Corinthian believers may have thought that they lacked spiritual gifts as they were comparing their gifts to other churches and their gifts. Paul had to remind them that they didn’t in fact even today each Church is gifted as God sees fit. So each Church that is in Christ Jesus whether Protestant or Catholic is gifted so that the gospel can be shared and applied as we wait for the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. I don’t know about you but as I look around everything is happening just as the Lord said it would. The coming of the Lord Jesus will be just like in the days of Noah. Noah preached repentance of sin and faith in God and the people laughed until the flood waters were released. The same will happen on the day the revealing of our Lord Jesus takes place. Then it will be too late. One truth we know and can be sure of is this God is faithful. The original language has it this way: faithful is God. God grace will sustain every born again believer guiltless to the end. God’s sustaining grace will continue to sanctify the believer until the that day, making us holy. God has called us into fellowship with his Son the Lord Jesus Christ, are you seeking him and his kingdom daily for your life?
Categories: Weekly Sermon