SERMONS BY DOUG

Sunday Ser Apr 14 19

Every Christian is Part of the Body

 Text: 1 Corinthians 12:12-28

 MANY MEMBERS BUT ONE BODY 12:12-13

12 For even as the body is one and yet has many members,

and all the members of the body, though they are many,

are one body, so also is Christ.

13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

 DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE BODY 12:14-19

14 For the body is not one member, but many.

15 If the foot says, "Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.

16 And if the ear says, "Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.

17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be?

If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?

18 But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.

19 If they were all one member, where would the body be?

 EVERY PART OF THE BODY IS NEEDED 12:20-23

20 But now there are many members, but one body.

21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you";

or again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."

22 On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary;

23 and those members of the body which we deem less honorable,

on these we bestow more abundant honor,

and our less presentable members become much more presentable,

 EVERY PART OF THE BODY CARES FOR EACH OTHER 12:24-27

24 whereas our more presentable members have no need of it.

But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked,

25 so that there may be no division in the body,

but that the members may have the same care for one another.

26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it;

if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

27 Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it.

 Romans 12:15-16 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another;

Sun Ser Apr 21 19

Grow in Love with One Another

John 13:34-35 "A new commandment I give to you,

that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 

35 "By this all men will know that you are My disciples,

if you have love for one another."

John 15:12-14 "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. 

13 "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. 

14 "You are My friends if you do what I command you.

1 Thessalonians 4:9-10 Now as to the love of the brethren,

you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;

                 10 for indeed you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia.

But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more,

1 Peter 1:22 Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls

for a sincere love of the brethren,

fervently love one another from the heart,

1 John 4:7-8 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God;

and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

8 The one who does not love

does not know God, for God is love.

1 John 4:11-12 Beloved, if God so loved us,

we also ought to love one another.

12 No one has seen God at any time;

if we love one another,

God abides in us,

and His love is perfected in us.

Sunday Sermon May 12 19

More Than First

Jesus began His early teaching by telling us that when God is most important in our life, we don’t have to worry about life!

Matthew 6:31-33 - "Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?'  32 "For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  33 "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

SEEK FIRST

Jesus began very early in His ministry to ask His disciples to follow Him.

John 1:43 - The next day He purposed to go into Galilee, and He found Philip. And Jesus said to him, "Follow Me."

FOLLOW ME

It soon became more than following Jesus – following Jesus became a life commitment – an eternal commitment!

Luke 9:23-25 - And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.  24 "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.  25 "For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?

DIE TO SELF DAILY

As Christian, our total purpose of life is following Jesus to eternal life!

John 12:25-26 - 25 "He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal.  26 "If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.

MUST FOLLOW JESUS

Practically lived out as seen in the Apostle Paul’s life

Philippians 3:7-8 - But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,

LOSE ALL TO GAIN CHRIST

Paul didn’t do it perfectly, but He kept trying!

Philippians 3:13-14 - I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

KEEP REACHING FORWARD

More than first is how it must be – No longer I but Christ

Galatians 2:20 - "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

NO LONGER I BUT CHRIST

If Jesus is your life, He will always be your priority!