09/22/2024 Church service

周日礼拜

视频

 The Gospel Mission  福音使命

 
 

1 Cor 1:24,25: But for those who have been chosen to follow him, both Jews and Greeks, he is God’s mighty power, God’s true wisdom, and our Messiah. For the “foolish” things of God have proven to be wiser than human wisdom. And the “feeble” things of God have proven to be far more powerful than any human ability.
歌 林 多 前 書 1:24,25: 但是对那些受到召唤的人，不论是犹太人还是非犹太人（希腊人），基督是上帝的力量和智慧。 因为上帝的“愚蠢”比人的智慧要英明，上帝的“软弱”比人的力量要坚强。(page 1848)

Col 2:13,14: You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.
歌 羅 西 書 2:13,14：因为你们的罪和你们没有摆脱罪恶自我的力量，你们在精神上死去了，但是，上帝使你们与基督一起复活，
他赦免了我们所有的罪孽。 他取消了对我们不利和反对我们的记录，把它钉在十字架上毁掉了它 (pg 1910)
Romans 6:23: For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
羅 馬 書 6:23: 虽然罪的回报是死亡，但是，上帝赐给他子民的无偿馈赠—让我们在主基督耶稣之中得到永生。 (page 1830)

1 Cor 1:18 – For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
歌 林 多 前 書 1:18: 十字架的教导对那些趋于毁灭的人来说是愚蠢的，但是，对于那些得救的人来说，却是上帝的力量。(p1848)
Romans 5:8 - But God has shown us how much he loves us—it was while we were still sinners that Christ died for us!
羅 馬 書 5:8: 但是，当我们还是罪人时，基督却为我们而死，上帝以此展示出了他对我们深厚的爱。(pg 1828)

 

 

 

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视频脚本 Script

the Gospel Mission
1 Cor 1:18-25

“Remember the Mission”
(in today’s scripture) Paul is talking about how people miss the simple message of the gospel – and the Word of God has no impact on their lives

vs 22,23: “Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”

Until our eyes are opened and our ears can hear, we are in a dead state

Eph 2:1 “Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.”

Col 2:13,14: You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.

Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Christ has saved us from not only from our sins, but the death that sin causes.

“…made alive together with Christ…”
This is the Message of the Cross.

Once our eyes have been opened, we realize this is the Power of God
1 Cor 1:18 – “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

Have you seen the Light?
All these scriptures today have at least one thing in common…
They were all written by the Apostle Paul

But Paul wasn’t always Paul – before that, he was Saul

Saul became Paul after a spiritual resurrection in Jesus Christ

Acts 9 describes Saul's conversion to Christianity, including his encounter with a blinding light from heaven and his restoration of sight by Ananias:

Saul had been full of rage and wanted to kill Jesus' disciples.
Saul asked the high priest for a letter to arrest followers of the Way in Damascus.

On the road to Damascus, Saul is struck by a blinding light from heaven and hears a voice say, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?"
Saul becomes blind and is led into Damascus.

The Lord speaks to Ananias in a vision to find Saul at Judah's house. Ananias lays hands on Saul, restoring his sight.

Saul is baptized and his strength returns after eating a meal.

Paul was about 30 years old when he met Jesus. He had been a gold medal sinner.
We’re not just talking lying, stealing or drunkenness… his sin was even worse!

He viciously abused Christ and Christ’s people! He hated Christ and he was consumed with hatred for those who followed Christ. His passion in life was to arrest, imprison and execute Christians. It didn’t matter if they were men, OR women!
He didn’t care about the homes and families he destroyed. He tore up lives, and home and marriages and ripping fathers and mothers away each other, and from their children.
Yet - Jesus Christ saved Paul out of his great sin!

There are some things about Saul’s conversion that are unique to him but there are some things here for all of us to learn about genuine conversion.

Regardless of how or when it happens, everyone needs a transforming encounter with Jesus Christ.
I don’t want to cause anyone to unnecessarily question their salvation, but this is such an important matter.
Even if there were only one person here who does not really know Jesus Christ, it would be worth spending all morning on this.

We all must know the answer to the question, “Am I really saved?”. “Am I born again?”.

Prevenient Grace (God calls you)
John Wesley understood grace as God’s active presence in our lives. This presence is not dependent on human actions or human response. It is a gift — a gift that is always available, but that can also be refused.
God’s prevenient grace stirs up within us a desire to know God and empowers us to respond to God’s invitation to be in relationship with God.
God’s grace enables us to discern differences between good and evil and makes it possible for us to choose good….
It is a new nature through Jesus work within us
God takes the initiative in relating to humanity.
We do not have to beg and plead for God’s love and grace. God actively seeks us!

This is NOT the story of Paul seeking out Jesus! It is the story of Jesus seeking out Paul.
Paul was on his way to carry out his business, HIS goals, HIS plans. He was an enemy of Christ and the people of Christ.

Yet it says, “The Lord told Ananias, “(Paul) is my chosen instrument”.
Jesus chooses and calls.

When Jesus walked along the shoreline of the sea of Galilee, he called out to John and Peter, “Come! Follow me”.
They weren’t thinking about anything but fishing.
But when Jesus said, “Follow me”, they left their fishing equipment right there, and followed Jesus.

Have you heard Jesus calling to you? Have you heard him say, “Follow me”?

Jesus : My own sheep will hear my voice and I know each one, and they will follow me. I give to them the gift of eternal life and they will never be lost and no one has the power to snatch them out of my hands.

Yes, we must respond, we repent of our sins, we believe in Christ but behind it all and before it all, He is there calling you.

He comes to you before you come to him.

Jesus chose Paul. He chose you.
It is a mystery in some ways and it can become a stumbling block to try to figure out how that all works.
But it is God who comes after you.

It didn’t matter what a tough guy Paul was. It didn’t matter how violent he was, how much he hated Jesus Christ. God interrupted his life!

Paul’s intent was to ruin the church; God’s intent was to use Paul to build the church!
Who won?

Romans 5:8 - But God has shown us how much he loves us—it was while we were still sinners that Christ died for us!
Jesus Christ saves sinners, enemies, bad people.
Christ died for sinners, for the unrighteous.
Jesus saved Saul while he was “spewing death threats against the Lord’s disciples”!

He had official letters authorizing him to arrest Christians and drag them off to Jerusalem to torture, imprison or perhaps to put them to death!

After his conversion, Paul never got over that Christ would save a person like him.

1 Timothy 1:13 “I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man”.

He looked back on his life and regarded himself as the chief of all sinners.

1 Corinthians 15:9 “For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God”.

If Jesus would save the worst of us, he can save any of us!

Part of being saved is recognizing the truth that only Jesus can save us

“My hope is built on nothing less…”

Eph 2:4,5: But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)
It is God’s grace through Jesus Christ that saves us – and it is God’s grace that keeps us

We need His grace to forgive us and save us
We also need this grace to be able to change

Acts 20:32: “And so now, I entrust you into God’s hands and the message of his grace, which is all that you need to become strong. All of God’s blessings are imparted through the message of his grace, which He provides as the spiritual inheritance given to all of his holy ones.”

Grace for now – Grace for a lifetime

The Gospel of God’s Grace IS the Gospel Message.

Matt 4:16 “ …the people living in darkness have seen a great light”

Have you seen the Light?

Hillside United Methodist Church
3739 US 80
Phenix City  AL  36870
United States
Pastor: Mike J Koger

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