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September 13, 2020, Sunday, 6:19 PM
Manila, Philippines
CCF 4W'S Our Hope Is Christ, The Risen Lord!
WELCOME
How was your celebration of Holy Week different this year from previous years?
WORD
1 Peter 3:13-15
13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,
Our grave concern about COVID-19 clearly brings out fear of death. We sometimes think that death is the end of life, forgetting that we are all just passing through on earth. Eternal life & there is no other religion or person who can claim victory over death apart from JESUS; the only ONE who conquered death! In a seemingly hopeless situation, where do you look for HOPE? Hope is so crucial to our daily existence. Research shows that people without hope are the most susceptible to sickness & death. The apostle Peter tells us in
1 Peter 3:14
14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, not to be afraid or be troubled & he points his readers towards the HOPE that is IN US. It is JESUS CHRIST alone! Therefore, Jesus has to be central in everything in life. This means that we must take into consideration what JESUS wants us to do in every situation we find ourselves in. Peter instructs believers to sanctify Christ as Lord; which means that you do not only do what He wants you to do, but you also uphold Him as your source of confidence. Peter then encourages his readers that their lives should be so distinctly different so that others who do not believe will see that HOPE IN CHRIST is so much more than any other earthly source of hope. In fact, we are expected to be able to explain this to others effectively. HOPE in the Bible means CERTAINITY & that is why it is very important to put our HOPE in CHRIST, the RISEN LORD!
Hebrews 11:1
By Faith
11 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
said "faith is the assurance of things hoped for." Faith & hope are like a pair of wings; they work together. Our Christian life will soar in Christ alone! When we say our HOPE is in CHRIST, we have to look at three things that form the basis for this unshakeable confidence we have: His CLAIMS, the PROOFS He gave & the IMPLICATIONS of His resurrection from the dead.
1. HIS CLAIMS
The only way-Jesus said, "I am the only way"
John 14:6
6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
and it sets Him apart from all the other founders of various religions in the world. His claim was specific; He is the ONLY way & therefore, Jesus defined His ministry with such great & impeccable precision!
God-In the old testament
Isaiah 44:6
Besides Me There Is No God
6 Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel
and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts:
"I am the first and I am the last;
besides me there is no god.
God spoke of who He is; the King, Redeemer & the LORD of Hosts, the first & the last. In the new testament, Jesus made the same claim in
Revelation 1:17-18
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.
Gives eternal life-In
John 10:22-33
I and the Father Are One
22 At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter,23 and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon.24 So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." 25 Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me,[a] is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one."
31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, "I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?" 33 The Jews answered him, "It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God."
the Jews demanded that Jesus reveal once & for all if He was indeed the Christ; the promised Savior. Jesus answered that He has the power to give eternal life. In
John 10:30
30 I and the Father are one."
Jesus stated, "I & the Father are one." The word "one" used was in tge neuter form, which means they are one in ESSENCE. Who alone can give eternal life other than God? The people understood this, so they wanted to stone Him for blasphemy.
Grants forgiveness-In
Mark 2:3-5
3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried
by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic
Jesus declared to the paralyzed man that his sins were forgiven. This was attributed as blasphemy on the part of Jesus & this was why the religious leaders wanted to kill Him, blasphemy was punishable by death. People doubted His ability to forgive sins, but He showed His authority over all by commanding the paralytic to stand up & walk. The people were amazed & glorified God upon seeing this!
Mark 2:6-12
6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts,7 "Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" 8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, "Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise, take up your bed and walk'?10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"—he said to the paralytic— 11 "I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home." 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"
2. PROOFS
His resurrection-put simply, the proof of who Jesus is, was His RESURRECTION,
Romans 1:3-4
3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David[a] according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,
The most important evidence of Christianity! We believe in Jesus because we know from historical & Biblical accounts that He died & rose again; a foundational truth for us Christians. Many people can make claims, as what other religious leaders are doing. But why is our HOPE so secure?
1 Corinthians 15:1-4
The Resurrection of Christ
15 Now I would remind you, brothers,[a] of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
Tells us that the most important truth of the gospel is that Jesus died & He rose again on the third day, in fulfillment of prophecies made about Him in the scriptures.
Legal Method-science is not the only way to access & assess truth claims.
1 Corinthians 15:5-8
5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.
Mentions to whom Jesus appeared. These eyewitness include James, the brother of Christ who did not believe in Jesus but eventually led the church in Jerusalem, Paul, who as Saul, persecuted Christians & even to the infamous doubting Thomas:
John 20:26-28
26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." 27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe." 28 Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!"
These are credible legal evidence from these "adversarial witnesses."
Martyred followers-the 11 of the 12 apostles of Jesus died for their faith. To risk your life for something that you know is not true is something that you just do not do; but they willingly gave their lives to prove their belief that the death & resurrection of Jesus Christ was TRUE & ultimately important. They have encountered the reality of the resurrection & did not fear death because of this truth.
3. IMPLICATIONS
We are given these wonderful ASSURANCES as we HOPE in
Assurance of forgiveness-
1 Corinthians 15:17-19
17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.19 If in Christ we have hope[a] in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
reminds us of the assurance of our forgiveness. Many of us have skeletons in our closet. We have done things we know we should not have done, but knowing that Christ can offer absolute, complete pardon & forgiveness, it gives us hope!
Power-we not only have assurance of forgiveness, but according to
Ephesians 1:18-20
18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,
We are also assured that the same power that made the resurrection possible is at work in us to accomplish His purpose for us.
Eternal life-In
John 11:25-26
25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life.[a] Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?"
Jesus said that He is the resurrection & the life. All who believe in Him will enjoy eternal life with Him!
Glorious future-
1 Peter 1:3-5
Born Again to a Living Hope
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Promises that our future is so glorious. It is guaranteed & protected by God Himself. That is why we can choose not to fear or be troubled, because a great future awaits us with the Risen King who will be worshipped forever; Jesus Christ, whose resurrection we celebrate & remember this Sunday!
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
1. How is your sense of hope nowadays considering the pandemic? Have you experienced feeling hopeless?
Mia answer: My sense of hope nowadays considering the pandemic by being hopeful to Gods purpose; no I never experienced feeling hopeless
Kathy answer: Tell you frankly, I have been unemployed since 2016. Considered this the being hopeful to God's purpose is the thing I am trying to do right now.
2. Where do you put your hope aside from Christ?
Mia answer: I put only my hope in Christ
Kathy answer: I also put my high hopes in God. Hopefully he would carry all my burdens.
3. List down two verse from this lesson that are most meaningful to you. How will you apply the truth in these verses in your life this week?
Mia answer: 1 Peter 1:3-5
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