“Walking in Thanksgiving and Praise”
1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
There are many of us that have developed a beautiful Christian appearance on the outside. We know how to put on the Christian smile, we have that Christian walk, we have the Christian vocabulary, but on the inside we are totally opposite from the outside look (Matthew 23:25). When we are not around other Christian folks, or we are alone then the real you will come out, greed and self-indulgence. If this is you go to God in prayer and ask Him for forgiveness and to give you a clean heart that will allow the love of Jesus to flow freely through your heart (Psalm 51:10).
First, we see that a child of God needs to be thankful for what God has done in his life.
If you are a child of God you need to recognize all what Jesus has done for you, the material and the unseen. I need to understand that Jesus created me, and continues to give me life. Jesus provides the air, land, food; fire and water that I need to sustain my life. I also need to understand that Jesus can require my life any time He wants to because I belong to Him. He doesn’t need permission from me, my family, or anyone else when He decides to call me home in heaven (Luke 12:20). It doesn’t matter if you believe in Him or not, or if you are a Christian or not you still belong to Jesus (1Cor. 7:23). A Christian should have a thankful attitude and being more concerned about what I can do for Jesus, then what He can do for me, Jesus has done more than enough for me and my house.
Second, we see the gift, which is the victory.
The victory here is the victory over sin and death through Christ Jesus. Jesus died on the cross for you and me, so that we can have eternal life and live with Jesus in heaven if we make Him our Lord and Savior. It’s the gift that keeps given because of our children, grandchildren, other family members who accept Jesus as their Lord and savior will all reunite one day together in heaven. When we see clearly the stakes here we should want to see everybody receive Jesus, even the ones you don’t like, and even the ones who are blinded by the sin they are living in.
Third, we see the giver of the gift.
Jesus said there is no greater love than one who lays down his life for his friends: this is what Jesus did for all of us, He laid His life down for you and me (John 15:13). Jesus said He is the only way, the truth, the gate, the door and no one can come to the Father except through Him (John 14:16, John 10:9). Jesus loves and cares for you that much my friends, He walked what He talk. God so loved the world (humanity) that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16). What a mighty and loving God we served; if it was like a cat's old saying and I had eight more lives to give, I’d give every one of them to Jesus. If you know someone who would be blessed with this message please feel free to share it with the “whosoever ” (Romans 10:13), because we share because we care for one another. If anyone wants to use this in their sermon again feel free God gave it to me to give to you. Have a bless week and may the Lord's peace be with you my friends!
“Walking in Thanksgiving and Praise” (Full Context 15:56-57)
I. Being thankful. V:57a
II. The Gift. V:57B
III. The Giver. V:57c
