9/7/2014
Reconciliation
2nd Corinthians 5:18-21 God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. He has committed to us this message of reconciliation. We are Christ’s ambassadors, as if God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God! God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
To Comfort is to Come Alongside
2nd Corinthians 1:3-4 …Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
Grieving is Right, Despair is Hopeless
1st Thessalonians 4:13 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.
Our Faith is a SURE FAITH
1st Thessalonians 4:14-15 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him. According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.
Our Hope is in The Giver of Life Itself!
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
Our Encouragement is in God’s Word
1st Thessalonians 4:17-18 …and so we will be with the Lord forever, therefore; encourage each other with these words.
God’s Son Tasted Death for Us
Hebrews 2:9 We see Jesus, Who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.
The Experience of Death Completed the Son’s Incarnation into our Human Form
Hebrews 2:10 In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for Whom and through Whom everything exists, should make the Author of their salvation perfect through suffering.
His Humanity is Our Hope
Hebrews 2:14-15 Since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity so that by His death He might destroy Him who holds the power of death–that is, the devil– and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
Jesus’ Life Experience Makes Him the Great Shepherd that He Is
Hebrews 2:17-18 He had to be made like us in every way, in order that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that He might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted. Hebrews 4:15 …we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet was without sin.