Jesus' Resurrection and Our Resurrection

Gary DeLashmutt

1 Corinthians 15:35-58

One of the many hopes we have as believers in Jesus is the hope of the resurrection of our bodies at the appointed time. Just as Jesus was resurrected in bodily form, so shall we be raised to an imperishable body. Paul answers the Corinthian's questions regarding if bodily resurrection is possible, what it will be like, how and when one can get a resurrected body and how it should affect one's daily life.

A Life of Inexpressible Joy

Conrad Hilario

1 Peter 1:1-9

Upon receiving Christ, we become chosen by God, we have an imperishable inheritance, and we have incredible security in our salvation. God desires we obey him for the long term out of love and not out of fear for the short term. I response to his incredible gifts and our security in him, we can live a life of inexpressible joy, and courage even through times of difficult trials.

Things God has Done for Us

Dennis McCallum

1 Peter 1:1-9

Peter in 1 Peter 1 opens his first letter with a description of the things God has done for us who are in Christ. God has chosen us, set us apart. He has sprinkled us with the blood of Christ, allowing us to be spiritually reborn. We and all his promises to us are kept safe and secure by the power of God. We have the healing of our souls so damaged by sin. And finally we have the gift of suffering, which among other things, teaches us to truly depend upon God and not ourselves.

Jesus and John

Ben Foust

Revelation 1

When John meets the risen Jesus in Revelation Chapter One, he falls face-down like a dead man. Jesus's appearance was so brilliantly different from the man he knew during Jesus' earthly ministry that John was awe-struck. Can this be the same man? Is Jesus the gentle lamb who is relational and approachable? Or is he the fearsome lion of Judah who will judge the earth? Is he immanent or transcendent? The answer is he is both! He is both king and friend which qualifies him to be our savior.

The Newness of Life

Conrad Hilario

Philippians 3:9-14

Paul tells us God wants to forgive our sins and give us new life based on the work Jesus did on the cross for us. Some people never progress beyond receiving His forgiveness, but those who desire to grow and walk with Jesus will encounter suffering and failure. But this the only way for God to break through our fleshly resistance and conform us to the likeness of Christ.

The Glorious Transformation

Scott Risley

Philippians 3:17-21

As believers, when we die our body is temporarily separated from our spirit but a day will come where our spirit is reunited with our transformed, resurrected body. It will be a glorious body that will retain its original identifying features but will have amazing new abilities! Christ will transform our body of humble state into conformity with the body of His glory. Not only will our bodies be transformed but also our desires will be sanctified and fulfilled on the New Earth. Although while on this earth, our bodies are broken and our desires are corrupt, God offers hope. Don't miss out on the glorious transformation God offers.

Jesus and the Woman in the Crowd

Ben Foust

Mark 5:21-43

The story of the woman in the crowd who had a bleeding disorder demonstrates that Jesus is a man of compassion, the healer of hopeless situations, the inviter of outcasts, the rewarder of faith, and that Jesus' power is absolutely adequate. Sickness and death are symbols of our alienation from God. Jesus' power over them is proof he has the power to fulfill his mission to reconcile us. All of us will encounter hopeless situations at some time. When that happens, Jesus invites us to put our faith, however small it might be, in him.

Five Ways to Experience God's Power

James Rochford

Philippians 3:9-15

When Paul talks about the power of the resurrection, he is not referring to life after death but the actual power that can raise the dead. This same power is also what fuels spiritual growth. The five ways to experience God's power in spiritual growth is 1. Share in Jesus' suffering, 2. Forget what happened in the past, 3. Reach forward, 4. Press on and 5. Respond to God's guidance. God changes lives; will you respond to his invitation?

Pressing on Toward the Goal

Scott Risley

Philippians 3:10-16

Paul longs to experience the power of Jesus' resurrection, not the resurrection to eternal life, but the resurrection power of living a victorious life. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to us to live a life for Jesus, but it requires sharing in his suffering. As we allow suffering to strip away our self-sufficiency it allows God's power to shine through us to his glory.