Sermon – February 8th
Dear folks,
This Sunday is Communion in which we will observe the Lord’s Supper as Christ commanded. It causes us to remember that “salvation is of the Lord”, not of our own doing. One of the great blessings of salvation is not to walk in the way of the wicked because the way of the wicked is hard. God has called us to sanctification (a life of holiness and purity) by the Spirit. Sanctification means to be set apart as in “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” (1 Cor. 6;20) As Christians we have died in a spiritual sense to ourselves
(Colossians 3:1-4) so we no longer live for ourselves. This truth sets us free from the control of our sinful passions and desires which war against the soul. Note Galatians 5:16-24 for the warfare between the Holy Spirit within us against the sinful nature we inherit from Adam through our parents. So we will always be in inner conflict as we try to live a life pleasing to the Lord.
Read 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 noting that our hearts are a living place of the Holy Spirit. Compare this with 1 Corinthians 3:1-23 where Paul teaches that spiritual infants in Christ are of the flesh; that is, pretty much dominated by our sin nature. The goal of our lives is to mature in Christ so we can enjoy substantive spiritual food, and leave the milk of the Word. We are to grow up in Christ so our works will not go up in smoke at the judgment seat of Christ.
It is good to know that we have been sanctified, we are being sanctified and eventually we shall be sanctified. This work is done by God the Holy Spirit, yet in this life we are commanded to cooperate with the process of present sanctification. Here are the Scriptures that support this thinking: 2 Thessalonians 2:13 , 1 Peter 1:2, Romans 6:19, Romans 6:22 , 1 Corinthians 1:30, 1 Thessalonians 4:3
The Lord’s Supper is a strategic time to consider that God wants us to live a life of purity; avoiding sexual lust, pornography, selfishness and anger which destroy churches, families, nations and lives. Instead He desires that we walk in peace enjoying, even in difficulty, all that is true, good and beautiful. Read over 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 in preparation for Communion. May we work at these things lest Satan trick us into believing a lie because we have not paid attention. Remember TMI, (too much information) is an obstacle to serious and thoughtful examination of Biblical Spiritual truth.
In His grace,
Lee
