Posted by LUMC on Oct 18, 2017 in "For the Good of The Body"
“LAB: C’s are “Living and Breathing Christ” Summer Discussion groups! Christ is essential to Christianity and He is the source of our unity….so let’s keep Him central!
Key Concept: “God’s answer to our Human Problem is the gift of Jesus!”
Scripture to Consider: I Corinthians 1:22-24…Notice what the Jews insist on and what the Gentiles (Secular world) demand. Then notice what God provides for all instead!
Isaiah 55:8-9 says God’s thoughts and practices are higher than man’s thoughts and practices.
Discuss: HOW DOES THE POWER OF JESUS’ DEATH BRING RESTORATION (SALVATION) AND HOW DOES THE CROSS OF JESUS CHALLENGE OUR NATURAL ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT HOW RELATIONSHIPS ARE REPAIRED?
Prayer: God, help us to align our lives according to your design for us to become more and more like the image of Jesus Christ. Transform us so we represent you well! Amen.
Let the discussion begin:
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Posted by LUMC on Jul 25, 2019 in "For the Good of The Body"
I Corinthians Chapter 5 is divided in two parts: 1) The person who claims Christ and yet is living in outright moral rebellion to God’s intentions. 2) The person who makes no claims to Christ and is living a life of immorality.
Paul makes it clear that we will connect with non-Christians and we are not to expect them to follow God’s rules. However, for the person who proclaims Christ as Savior, yet lives in outright immorality, the church is to hold their brother or sister accountable.
To make his point, Paul uses the illustration of leaven in bread. Leaven works through the entire loaf…in a similar way, moral sin contaminates the entire church.
You may have guessed that this is a very difficult task and who and how and when and why we care enough to confront is demands deep discernment.
In addition to I Corinthians chapter 5, please consider Matthew 7:1-5 and Galatians 6:1-3. Grapple with these questions: 1) How can we as the Body of Christ maintain and inspire genuine spiritual health? 2) How do we as Christ’s Church “get it right” when individuals are “living wrong?”
PS-Apologies for not getting this post up earlier in the week. Prayers needed for me to get done what needs done in a timely manner!
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Posted by LUMC on Jul 17, 2019 in "For the Good of The Body"
I Corinthians Chapter 1-The nature of salvation…Jews expect miracles in order to believe…Greeks demand logical arguments/wisdom and yet God sends Jesus to bring salvation.
Chapter 2 focuses on the Holy Spirit, who teaches or reveals these spiritual mysteries. The most basic statement is that humans cannot not perceive spiritual realities without God’s Spirit. (2:14)
As we learned Sunday, “Church” (“ekklesia” is the Greek term) refers to a people who are assembled and called out to live by the Spirit of God, rather than a place where we worship. Let’s see ourselves as the Body of Christ-an organism who takes direction from the head or the mind (which is Christ-2:15)
As we allow God’s thinking to shape our thinking and as we respond with faith to the direction of God’s Spirit, we together will accomplish things beyond our wildest imaginations.
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him!” (2:9)
Let’s refuse to look at the church as a “mere human” institution, but rather mature in learning how God’s Spirit wants to shape our thinking, values and actions. (I Corinthians 3:1-4 depicts the immature disposition of the Corinthian church and how it is thus filled with jealousies and quarrels.)
Let’s surrender our human thoughts to God’s divine thoughts and let’s put our own plans aside to follow the journey of the Spirit.
Sunday’s sermon reminded us that sail boats are not made for the harbor…but for the open seas. So, let’s raise our sails and capture the breeze of the Spirit to be led into ventures of faith together.
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