Fellowship - Union With God Series

Fellowship - Union with God

1 Corinthians 1:8-9

Introduction

We are in the midst of difficult times in this country and others. Financial crises are rampant around the globe. Some are even talking about economic collapse in many nations. It is a gloom and doom scenario. Everyone seems to be declaring civilization is over.

Radical Islamic states are preparing to wreak havoc to prepare the way for the "prophet". Beheadings are becoming common place in the news. Violence is everywhere. Your security is being threatened everywhere you go. No one is safe.

For many of you crisis is a reality of life. We have had several in our church lose their job. As a result many will be facing problems in housing, food, and the essentials of life. Frustration and worry raise their ugly heads. As a church we will do our very best in making sure no one is without the needs of life. We are your brothers and sisters. But we are not the Lord God.

Some of you have or are facing life changing illnesses. You have gone to the doctors, taken medication, prayed, and put your trust in the Lord. But the illness persists and at times your faith is shaken. The church and others are praying for you. You have enough prayer chains praying the illness ought to be bound by now. You "know all things work together for good" but you are growing weary of waiting for "the good" to begin happening.

And to top it all off, peanut butter has become a killer. All the events and circumstances I have mentioned are not fictional accounts. They are yesterday and today’s news report.

So what do we do as believers when our strength is giving out, when our bodies are failing, and fear is rampant? 1 Corinthians 1:8-9 give us some answers we can count on as believers in the Lord.

Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.

1. Confident in Christ

"Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed."

First, if we give ourselves, commend, to the Lord and Him only each day we have all that’s necessary to meet the day. He is the source, the only source, of all our needs. We have been given everything we need by the Lord to deal with daily living no matter what it holds for us.

He equips us daily for whatever the day holds. We do not lack any spiritual gift, any spiritual tool we will need. We can be absolutely confident in Him. He will never leave us nor forsake us. Romans 8:35-37 says,

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

We can also look forward to His return. For the New Testament believers they expected His return any day. As the verse says, they "eagerly" waited for "Jesus Christ to be revealed". Our hope is not only in this life but eternity as well. We are His and He will come for us.

The word "eagerly" in this verse has a dual meaning. First there is the idea of great anticipation. There is an excitement about the return of Jesus Christ. Too many of us forget that He is coming back and it could be today. For those who believe and trust in Him that means all the suffering, the frustration of life, is over. We will be with Him forever more bathed in His love and glory. Hallelujah! What a day that will be.

The word also carries the idea of activity. We are to be about the work of the Lord daily. We need to be telling others about Jesus Christ, worshipping Him, loving our neighbors with the love we have already experienced in Christ. Our desire will be that "none should perish" but all receive Him in repentance and faith.

I don’t know about you but I don’t want to leave on loved one, one friend, or for that matter my worst enemy. We need to get a sense of urgency in our witnessing and live each day for Him. Why, because He might come back? Yes, but our primary motivation should be it is His will. He loves us and has freed us from sin. We are to love the Lord with everything, love others, and our commission is to tell others.