1 Thessalonians 5:9-11 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
The elders and I read through these verses and prayed for our church this past week. These are positive and exciting and thankful verses to read and pray through for the church body! We have salvation through Jesus and we will live with Him for eternity (which started “the hour I first believed”). We can then take this good news and encourage and build up one another throughout the week as we pray and read and meet and fellowship. What a wonderful picture of our lives in Christ as individuals and as a community!
I hope you are encouraged and built up today as you think about and apply all who Jesus is and what He has done in your life, as a believer. If you are not a believer and follower, I pray you would consider the truth of His claims and receive Him as Lord and Savior.
This is the last sermon in our series based on the gospel tract, “Two Ways to Live.” It comes from John 3:36 and speaks to the choice each person must make concerning eternal life or God’s judgment and wrath. I preached this message on June 12, 2011.
17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19 Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Several things I observe from this amazing passage:
Jesus holds the Law and Prophets in an important place; we should hold them as important as well. They will last until the end of time. We must be about doing and teaching the Law and the Prophets in the Christian life.
Jesus fulfills the Law and Prophets. He is both the answer to all the Messianic prophecy of the Law and Prophets and He observed all the requirements in perfection.
He is our fulfillment of the Law and Prophets. Through Him, in Him, because of Him, we are counted righteous and are in the kingdom of heaven.
What an amazing person Jesus is! “Thank you Lord for fulfilling the Law and the Prophets. Thank you for your person. Thank you for your work of fulfillment on the cross on my behalf.”
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” – 1 Peter 2:9
We have won the ultimate victory through Jesus and the resurrection. He is the resurrection and the life! This is my final sermon in my series, “who you are in Christ”; it is from John 11.
So, you are a temple of the Holy Spirit – what does that get you? You are not only a temple but you are empowered! 2 Timothy 1:7 says you have a spirit of power, love and self-control – this will greatly impact your life.
Jun 21, 2011 
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