Baptism

29 February 2012

Opening Prayer/Worship

Theme: Connecting with God

Topic: Baptism

Reading: 1 Peter 3:18-22

For Christ also suffered^* for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you^* to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, ¹⁹in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison, ²⁰who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight people, were saved through water. ²¹And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you—not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for^* a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ²²who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him.

Introduction

For the next few weeks, we will be looking at the theme “Connecting with God”. I believe that our ultimate desire as Christians is to be in fellowship with God; knowing and doing His will at all times and in all places thereby serving His purpose. During this Lenten season, we will be discussing strategies that will make our daily work with God what He really wants it to be. We shall also consider certain traditions of the Church that connect us with God; what some people may refer to as sacraments or ordinances. We shall begin this series by first looking at baptism. Baptism is generally referred to as the initiatory rite of the Church through which the baptized become part of the body of Christ i.e. the Church. There are different conceptions as to how and when baptism should be done. We shall be discussing all that but more importantly, we shall be looking at the spirituality of baptism and how it connects us with God.

Questions/Discussion

1. What are the two forms of baptism and why are they spiritually essential?

Matthew 3:11

I baptize you with^* water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with^* the Holy Spirit and fire.

Acts 2:38-39

Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.’

Acts 11:15-18

And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning. ¹⁶And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, “John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” ¹⁷If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?’ ¹⁸When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, ‘Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.’

1 Corinthians 12:12-13

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. ¹³For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

Ephesians 4:1-6

I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, ²with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, ³making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. ⁴There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, ⁵one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.

1 Peter 3:18-21

For Christ also suffered^* for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you^* to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, ¹⁹in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison, ²⁰who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight people, were saved through water. ²¹And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you—not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for^* a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

2. Is there any particular time that one should be baptized?

Acts 16:14-15, 29-34

A certain woman named Lydia, a worshipper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. ¹⁵When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, ‘If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home.’ And she prevailed upon us. ²⁹The jailer^* called for lights, and rushing in, he fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. ³⁰Then he brought them outside and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ ³¹They answered, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’ ³²They spoke the word of the Lord^* to him and to all who were in his house. ³³At the same hour of the night he took them and washed their wounds; then he and his entire family were baptized without delay. ³⁴He brought them up into the house and set food before them; and he and his entire household rejoiced that he had become a believer in God.

1 Corinthians 15:29

Otherwise, what will those people do who receive baptism on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf?

3. How do we get connected with God through baptism?

Luke 7:27-30

This is the one about whom it is written, “See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,    who will prepare your way before you.”  ²⁸I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John; yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.’ ²⁹(And all the people who heard this, including the tax-collectors, acknowledged the justice of God,^* because they had been baptized with John’s baptism. ³⁰But by refusing to be baptized by him, the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God’s purpose for themselves.)

Romans 6:1-4

What then are we to say? Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? ²By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it? ³Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

Colossians 2:9-12

For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, ¹⁰and you have come to fullness in him, who is the head of every ruler and authority. ¹¹In him also you were circumcised with a spiritual circumcision,^* by putting off the body of the flesh in the circumcision of Christ; ¹²when you were buried with him in baptism, you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.

4. Does baptism guarantee eternity with God?

1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 11-12

I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters,^* that our ancestors were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, ²and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, ³and all ate the same spiritual food, ⁴and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. ⁵Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, and they were struck down in the wilderness. ⁶ Now these things occurred as examples for us, so that we might not desire evil as they did. ¹¹These things happened to them to serve as an example, and they were written down to instruct us, on whom the ends of the ages have come. ¹²So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall.

Ephesians 1:13-14

In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; ¹⁴this^* is the pledge of our inheritance towards redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.

Intercession/Worship

Conclusion

Through baptism, we outwardly declare our allegiance to God through Christ. Let our inner being also reflect the pledges made during our baptism that through us, God will reach out to others.

Closing Prayer

Thank you Lord for drawing us into fellowship with you through baptism. Refresh us with Your Holy Spirit that we may live the life of the risen Christ all the days of our lives. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Light of the world

22 February 2012

Opening Prayer/Worship

Theme: The Good News

Topic: Light of the world

Reading: 2 Corinthians 4:3-6

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.⁴In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.⁵For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake.⁶For it is the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Introduction

Christ said in the Scripture that we His followers are the light of the world, and in the text for today’s study, St. Paul is reminding us that God has given us the light of the knowledge of His glory in the face of Jesus Christ. In the beginning, God said let there be light and there was light. Similarly, he sent His Son to die for the sins of the world that the light of the gospel will illuminate our hearts, lives and the world. The world and the heart of man became dark following the fall of Adam and Eve but through the death and resurrection of Christ, God restored man to his former glory. A glory that can only be found in Him. This restoration is only available to just anyone who accepts Christ as His personal Lord and Savior. The restoration then brings about the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ and leads to an abundant life.

Questions/Discussion

1. What connection exists between the creation of light at the beginning and God making His light to shine in our hearts?

Genesis 1:3-5

Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light.⁴And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.⁵God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

John 1:1-13

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.²He was in the beginning with God.³All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being⁴in him was life,^* and the life was the light of all people.⁵The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. ⁶ There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.⁷He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.⁸He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.⁹The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.^{* 10} He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him.¹¹He came to what was his own,^* and his own people did not accept him.¹²But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God,¹³who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

2 Corinthians 4:6

For it is the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 1:12, 16-19  

Therefore I intend to keep on reminding you of these things, though you know them already and are established in the truth that has come to you. ¹⁶ For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty.¹⁷For he received honour and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, ‘This is my Son, my Beloved,^* with whom I am well pleased.’¹⁸We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain. ¹⁹ So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

2. How do we use the light of the gospel God has shown in our hearts?

Isaiah 60:1-3

Arise, shine; for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
² For darkness shall cover the earth,
and thick darkness the peoples;
but the Lord will arise upon you,
and his glory will appear over you.
³ Nations shall come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

Matthew 5:13-16

‘You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot. ¹⁴ ‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden.¹⁵No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house.¹⁶In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

3. List some of the factors that prevent the light of the gospel of Christ from going in or shining out from our lives.  

Luke 8:11-15
‘Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.¹²The ones on the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.¹³The ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe only for a while and in a time of testing fall away.¹⁴As for what fell among the thorns, these are the ones who hear; but as they go on their way, they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.¹⁵But as for that in the good soil, these are the ones who, when they hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance.

Luke 11:33-36

‘No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar,^* but on the lampstand so that those who enter may see the light.³⁴Your eye is the lamp of your body. If your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light; but if it is not healthy, your body is full of darkness.³⁵Therefore consider whether the light in you is not darkness.³⁶If then your whole body is full of light, with no part of it in darkness, it will be as full of light as when a lamp gives you light with its rays.’

1 John 1:5-7

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all.⁶If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; ⁷but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

Intercession/Worship

Conclusion

We are the children of the true Light and our calling is to be the light in our dark world. May we arise and shine for the glory of the Lord is upon us.

Closing Prayer

We thank you Lord for the light You have shone upon our hearts in Christ Jesus. Grant us the grace and strength to be the light and salt of the world through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

Running the Race

15 February 2012

Opening Prayer/Worship

Theme: The Good News

Topic: Running the Race

Reading: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it.²⁵Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable garland, but we an imperishable one.²⁶So I do not run aimlessly, nor do I box as though beating the air; ²⁷but I punish my body and enslave it, so that after proclaiming to others I myself should not be disqualified.

Introduction

To receive the good news is a great and wonderful experience but then comes the challenge of emulating Christ in our everyday life. Why do some seem to have a hitch-free Christian life while that of others seem to be riddled with struggles? Let me say that no Christian is immune to the challenges of life; Christ never promised such. The promise of God is that He will bring us through life’s troubles when we believe in His Son Jesus Christ. Do we have any role to play in living the new life in Christ? Personally, I will say yes. Not that what we do is the reason we will be with Christ on the last day but that through the guidance of the Holy Spirit we will make the right choices and that God will keep us blameless until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Christian life is described by St. Paul as a race, and my prayer is that we will all run and finish strong and triumphant.

Questions/Discussion

1. Why did St. Paul describe the Christian life as a race?
1 Corinthians 9:24
Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it.

2 Timothy 4:7

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

2. What are some of the reasons that make the Christian life appear unreasonably difficult and impossible?

Romans 11:17-23

But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in their place to share the rich root^* of the olive tree,¹⁸do not vaunt yourselves over the branches. If you do vaunt yourselves, remember that it is not you that support the root, but the root that supports you.¹⁹You will say, ‘Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.’²⁰That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand only through faith. So do not become proud, but stand in awe.²¹For if God did not spare the natural branches, perhaps he will not spare you.^*22Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity towards those who have fallen, but God’s kindness towards you, provided you continue in his kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.²³And even those of Israel,^* if they do not persist in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again.

1 Corinthians 9:26

So I do not run aimlessly, nor do I box as though beating the air;

2 Corinthians 4:4-11

In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.⁵For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake.⁶For it is the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. ⁷ But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.⁸We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair;⁹persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;¹⁰always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies.¹¹For while we live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh.

Hebrews 3:12-19

Take care, brothers and sisters,^* that none of you may have an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.¹³But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today’, so that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.¹⁴For we have become partners of Christ, if only we hold our first confidence firm to the end.¹⁵As it is said, ‘Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.’ ¹⁶Now who were they who heard and yet were rebellious? Was it not all those who left Egypt under the leadership of Moses?¹⁷ But with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?¹⁸ And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, if not to those who were disobedient?¹⁹So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.

3. How do we run the Christian race to the end, to live with Christ eternally?

John 15:5-8

I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.⁶Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.⁷If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.⁸My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become^* my disciples.

James 1:2-8, 12

My brothers and sisters,^* whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy,³because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance;⁴and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing. ⁵ If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you.⁶But ask in faith, never doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind;^{7, 8}for the doubter, being double-minded and unstable in every way, must not expect to receive anything from the Lord. ¹² Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord^* has promised to those who love him.

Intercession/Worship

Conclusion

The Christian life is like a race, and we have been called to run with all our strength. Through the mercies and grace of the Lord, we will run the race to the end, triumphantly.

Closing Prayer

Lord without You we can do nothing. We beseech You to endue us with Your Holy Spirit to strengthen and guide us all through our days through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Proclaiming Christ

The Lord’s Table: Bible Study/Prayer meeting

(Every Wednesday 6-7 pm in the Chapel)

St Paul’s Church

The Anglican Church of Canada

8 February 2012

Opening Prayer

Theme: The Good News

Topic: Proclaiming Christ

Reading: 1 Corinthians 9:16-23

If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation is laid on me, and woe betide me if I do not proclaim the gospel! ¹⁷For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a commission. ¹⁸What then is my reward? Just this: that in my proclamation I may make the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my rights in the gospel. ¹⁹ For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them. ²⁰To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might win those under the law. ²¹To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law) so that I might win those outside the law. ²²To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that I might by any means save some. ²³I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.

Introduction

Just before Christ ascended to Heaven following His resurrection, He gave us what is popularly known as the Great Commission: “Go into the world and preach the good news to all creation”(Mark 16:15). In the today’s text, St. Paul is reminding us of that great charge; the good news we have received is free but goes with the responsibility of bringing other people to Christ. According to the Scripture, Heaven celebrates over one sinner that repents than over ninety-nine that have already given their lives to Christ. God has reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave each of us the ministry of reconciliation that we should go into the world and make Christ known. Heeding to this call is challenging but has great rewards. In this study, our focus will be on how God has entrusted us with the ministry of bringing people to Christ.

Questions/Discussion

1. What does it mean to proclaim the gospel?

Mark 1:38-39, 16:15

He answered, ‘Let us go on to the neighbouring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.’ ³⁹And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons. ¹⁵And he said to them, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the good news^* to the whole creation.

1 Corinthians 9:16

If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation is laid on me, and woe betide me if I do not proclaim the gospel!

2. St. Paul said “I have become all things to all people”; what was he implying?

1 Corinthians 9:19-23

For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them. ²⁰To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might win those under the law. ²¹To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law) so that I might win those outside the law. ²²To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that I might by any means save some. ²³I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.

3. List some of the strategies we can/cannot adopt in proclaiming Christ.

Luke 10:1-12, 16

After this the Lord appointed seventy^* others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. ²He said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest. ³Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. ⁴Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. ⁵Whatever house you enter, first say, “Peace to this house!” ⁶And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. ⁷Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the labourer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. ⁸Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; ⁹cure the sick who are there, and say to them, “The kingdom of God has come near to you.”^{* 10}But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ¹¹“Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.”^{* 12}I tell you, on that day it will be more tolerable for Sodom than for that town. ¹⁶ ‘Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.’

Acts 19:8-20

He entered the synagogue and for three months spoke out boldly, and argued persuasively about the kingdom of God. ⁹When some stubbornly refused to believe and spoke evil of the Way before the congregation, he left them, taking the disciples with him, and argued daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.^{* 10}This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord. ¹¹ God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, ¹²so that when the handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were brought to the sick, their diseases left them, and the evil spirits came out of them. ¹³Then some itinerant Jewish exorcists tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, ‘I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.’ ¹⁴Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. ¹⁵But the evil spirit said to them in reply, ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?’ ¹⁶Then the man with the evil spirit leapt on them, mastered them all, and so overpowered them that they fled out of the house naked and wounded. ¹⁷When this became known to all residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks, everyone was awestruck; and the name of the Lord Jesus was praised. ¹⁸Also many of those who became believers confessed and disclosed their practices. ¹⁹A number of those who practised magic collected their books and burned them publicly; when the value of these books^* was calculated, it was found to come to fifty thousand silver coins. ²⁰So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.

2 Corinthians 3:1-6

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Surely we do not need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you or from you, do we? ²You yourselves are our letter, written on our^* hearts, to be known and read by all; ³and you show that you are a letter of Christ, prepared by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. ⁴ Such is the confidence that we have through Christ towards God. ⁵Not that we are competent of ourselves to claim anything as coming from us; our competence is from God, ⁶who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of letter but of spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

4. What are the rewards in preaching Christ?

Luke 10:17-24

The seventy^* returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!’ ¹⁸He said to them, ‘I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. ¹⁹See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. ²⁰Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.’ ²¹ At that same hour Jesus^* rejoiced in the Holy Spirit^* and said, ‘I thank^* you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.^{* 22}All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.’ ²³ Then turning to the disciples, Jesus^* said to them privately, ‘Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! ²⁴For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.’

Intercession

Conclusion

On reconciling us to Himself, God gave us the mandate of making Chrsit known. Let us avail ourselves to the power the Holy Spirit that we will not only preach Christ but live a Christ-controlled life.

Closing Prayer

Fill us Lord with your Holy Spirit that we may proclaim Your good news to all. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.