| Is Your God Too Small? | | 27/10/08 Joel Virgo writes: This is an analysis of some text-message questions, focussed on the topic of God's Sovereignty, along with book recommendations.
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| Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 Religion versus Wisdom | | 27/10/09 Joel Virgo writes: Solomon has been warning us about what is valuable – but more about what is not. Anything we expect to provide meaning for our lives 'under the sun' is going to disappoint us in the end if we are honest about it.
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| Ecclesiastes 2: The Pursuit of Happiness. | | 06/10/08 Joel Virgo writes: In the early chapters of this ancient but resonant book Solomon gives us a full-on report on life from a secular perspective, or 'under the sun', to use his phrase. A secular worldview is not limited to the atheist.
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How we should live: 2 Corinthians 5
John Hosier writes: I’ve never blogged before! But Joel Virgo suggested that I might like to fill a gap while he is away over the next few weeks and so here goes.
Most of the Elders tend to take their holidays in August, but as David Fellingham and I have grownup children as well as significant numbers of grandchildren we tend to hang around in August and continue an Eldership presence and cover the preaching. On Sunday David started a new mini-series entitled Anointed for Triumph.
Last Sunday I continued with my series on 2 Corinthians 5, looking at verses 6-10. Everyone thinks that sermons should have 3 points, but many don’t – I had 5 points. I wanted to challenge the congregation with the relevance of what might seem a theologically testing passage to think how they would live in the coming week. So here’s a summary.
1. Be courageous (2 Corinthians 5:6)
This is a natural follow on and application from the previous verses where Paul has told us that we have the absolute certainty that if the frail tent of our body is destroyed then we have a permanent, indeed eternal replacement to live in heaven. If you check out the first chapter of this letter you’ll find that Paul had a terrible experience in Asia that caused him even to despair of life itself. But this experience taught him to rely on the God who raises the dead. Whatever challenges we face this week – be courageous – our reliance is on the God who even raises the dead.
2. Live by faith (v7)
Faith pleases God and is the way that Believers ought to live. Worldly people live by what they see and mock us for living by faith in someone we can’t see. But the fact we can’t see doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. We can’t see electricity but we believe it exists. Yes, say our critics that’s because you throw a switch and a light comes on. What you see proves there is electricity. Exactly! So how about a vast universe, millions of planets and stars, holding their courses and in place and a whole complex Universe continuing to function. Seems to me there is God.
Our faith overcomes the world. The Bible says that the fool says in his heart that there is no God.
3. Think about heaven (v8)
Oh please we’re just off on holiday, who wants to think about heaven! Our problem with heaven is that we don’t think it will be as good as a holiday or…. Actually two Biblical words for heaven are ‘gain’ and ‘’better’. Look at Phil. 1:21-23 and see what I mean. God has given us everything to richly enjoy in this life, but think about heaven; it will be much better.
4. Fulfil your purpose (v9)
Which is to please the Lord, or more grandly, live to the praise of his glory (Eph 1). Our life has meaning. Every day in whatever we are doing we can fulfil the purpose of our life and seek to please the Lord. Don’t treat your life now as a rehearsal for the real thing. This is the real deal now. Don’t live half packed or you’ll live half baked. Live to please God this week wherever you are and whatever you are doing. We are simply following Christ who came to do his Father’s will.
5. Be aware (v10)
There is a judgement to come As Believers we will not be judged for our sins – Christ has taken that judgement for us. But we will be evaluated for our works. Check out 1 Corinthians 3:10f for the same teaching. We can gain or lose reward as we enter heaven depending on how we have lived for Christ now. This isn’t to be reduced to individual actions - for example, I went to a Prayer meeting and therefore qualify for a reward. It’s about the way our character has been built over our lives. Are we those who always persevere, do we give generously, are we prayerful people etc?
What rewards will we get?
Well they seem to include a rich welcome, friends, responsibilities (to be utterly fulfilling) and crowns. These may be to some extent symbols or pictures but they point to real rewards. Don’t miss out – press on to gain the prize – Paul did.
* Live courageously
* Live by faith
* Think about heaven
* Fulfil your purpose
* Be aware
And have a good week.
I’m back to writing Bible study notes for Scripture Union and CWR. |
John Hosier, 01/08/2008 |
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