Church Of The Lost Sheep

" So we have no reason to despair. Despite the fact that our outer humanity is falling apart and decaying, our inner humanity is breathing in new life every day. You see, the short-lived pains of this life are creating for us an eternal glory that does not compare to anything we know here. So we do not set our sights on the things we can see  with our eyes . All of that is fleeting;  it will eventually fade away.  Instead, we focus on the things we cannot see, which live on and on." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 in the Voice Bible Version [This is the 9th and last lesson of this series] Image Credit: idisciple.org We will try to end this mini series within a series on a high note, and by saying that there is no other way we can find real peace, real hope and real joy other than with God. Apart from God, it is just not possible, especially not in a broken and fallen world. Imagine The singer John Lennon, who once declared he was more famous than Jesus, sang his famous song entit

"We share the same spirit of faith as the one who wrote  the psalm,  “I believed; therefore I spoke.” We also believe, and that belief leads us to acknowledge that the same God who resurrected the Lord Jesus will raise us with Jesus and will usher us all together into His presence. All of this is happening for your good. As grace is spread to the multitudes, there is a growing sound of thanks being uttered by those relishing in the glory of God." 2 Corinthians 4:13-15 in the Voice Bible Version [This is the 8th lesson of this series] Resurrected This song sums up the excerpt above ( 2 Cor 4:13-15), and indeed sums up  this series of messages as a whole. Christians sing songs of praise and thanskgiving, in awe and worship, of the God who made it possible for us to be reunited with Him and live forever. All these are of course, nonsense to those who do not believe and needless to say, to those who do not understand. But for those who do, it is the one thing that has made

" We always carry around in our bodies the reality of the brutal death  and suffering  of Jesus. As a result, His  resurrection  life  rises and  reveals its wondrous power in our bodies as well. For while we live, we are constantly handed over to death on account of Jesus so that His life may be revealed even in our mortal bodies of flesh. So death is constantly at work in us, but life is working in you. 2 Corinthians 4:10-12 in the Voice Bible Version [This is the 7th lesson of this series] Apostle Paul wrote much about how Christ followers share in Christ's suffering and death and in His glorious resurrection. He had to, because followers of Christ who were spread out in different places have to know. This is still the case today. From the previous message , we know that it is not easy living the Christian life. But just imagine how life is for the non-Christian? It is much harder and this is why so many have to turn to every other thing (except God) to survive. Suff

"We are cracked and chipped from our afflictions on all sides, but we are not crushed by them. We are bewildered at times, but we do not give in to despair. We are persecuted, but we have not been abandoned. We have been knocked down, but we are not destroyed." 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 in the Voice Bible Version [This is the 6th lesson of this series] Continuing from the previous lesson , the analogy given by Apostle Paul is that as Christ followers, we are cracked pots (fragile cooking vessels) containing the Holy Spirit of God. [Yes we can laugh at how people call Christians crackpots, because they are, cracked pots] "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." Christians sing about this. The daily pressures of life, comes at anyone from all sides. Like a cooking pot, there is heat from the fire and also from all sides. Storms come and go, raining on our parade

"But this beautiful treasure is contained in us— cracked  pots made of earth and clay—so that the transcendent character of this power will be clearly seen as coming from God and not from us." 2 Corinthians 4:7 in the Voice Bible Version [This is the 5th lesson of this series] The God of the universe chooses ordinary people to do the extraordinary. Preachers of God's message can boast all they want, but should only really, on the Lord. Once they boast otherwise, or on their own accomplishments, their own talents then they have missed the most basic of Christian doctrines. Christians are saved by Grace alone, through Faith alone, in Christ alone, as revealed by Scripture alone, to the glory of God alone. God saves by grace, so not one among them can boast. Yet many did not seem to get the memo or have selective memory loss. We Are A Mess To be a Christian, one has to mess up (not hard) and fess up (not easy). Then one has to accept God's gift of grace (not h

" We do not preach about ourselves. The subject of all our sermons is Jesus, the Anointed One. He is Lord  and Master  of all. For Jesus’ sake we are here to serve you.  The God who spoke  light into existence,  saying, “Let light shine from the darkness,” is the very One who sets our hearts ablaze to shed light on the knowledge of God’s glory  revealed  in the face of Jesus, the Anointed One." 2 Corinthians 4:5-6 in the Voice Bible Version [This is the 4th lesson of this series] Christians are called Christians for a reason. And it should be obvious. Because they are followers of Christ. In the same way, Christian preaching and sermons ought to be about Christ. John wrote: " In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and

" Now if our gospel remains veiled, it is only veiled from those who are  lost and  dying, because the  evil  god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers. As a result the light of the good news, the radiant glory of the Anointed—who is the very image of God—cannot shine down on them. " 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 in the Voice Bible Version [This is the 3rd lesson of this series] This is an important lesson for teachers of God's Word to always keep in mind. The Gospel of the God's Kingdom cannot be understood by those who have not been redeemed and renegerated by the Spirit of God. The god of this world has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts and their minds to the Truth and the need to be reconciled to the God of Creation, Our Heavenly Father. Ignorance For those who are merely ignorant , there is hope. They have a chance but they need to hear or have to be taught the Gospel. For those who have already heard, many only needs others to tell them

" Instead, we have renounced all the things that hide in shame; we refuse to live deceptively or use trickery; we do not pollute God’s Word  with any other agenda . Instead, we aim to tell the truth plainly, appealing to the conscience of every person under God’s watchful eye. Now if our gospel remains veiled, it is only veiled from those who are  lost and  dying, because the  evil  god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers. As a result the light of the good news, the radiant glory of the Anointed—who is the very image of God—cannot shine down on them. We do not preach about ourselves. The subject of all our sermons is Jesus, the Anointed One. He is Lord  and Master  of all. For Jesus’ sake we are here to serve you." 2 Corinthians 4:2-5 in the Voice Bible Version [This is the 2nd lesson of this series] Christian preachers should teach about Christ. That should be a given. Many sometimes do preach about themselves. But hopefully in the context of them becoming l

  "Since we are  joined together  in this ministry as a result of the mercy  shown to all of us  by God, we do not become discouraged." 2 Corinthians 4:1 in the Voice Bible Version [This is the 1st lesson of this series within a series] Being a follower of Christ is not easy. Those who preach otherwise is not teaching the full counsel of God. Did Christ had an easy life? Did any of His apostles? Indeed before Christ went to the cross, He told His closest followers that it is not going to be easy for them. No student is greater than His teacher. Christ prayed for them and for all who will believe in Him through the teachings of His followers. He knew what they will go through. Mad World In this mad world, Christ followers are like sheep among wolves. And sadly, wolves have entered the church, since the 1st century as Paul wrote about, as did Peter, James and John and as prophesied by Christ. This is why Christ sent His Spirit, the Comforter, the Counselor, Guide, the Tea