CREED: Life, Now and Not Yet (March 15 )

---

CREED: Life, Now and Not Yet (March 15th) THE COMMUNITY 1. What is your favorite smell?

2. From the music, sermon or service what truths did you learn? What characteristics about God did you notice? What challenged, encouraged, or inspired you?

THE BIBLE (Websites - biblegateway.com, blueletterbible.org,

biblos.com, ccel.org) 3. Read 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. Use the websites above to read it in different versions. What words, phrases or observations stand out to you?

4. In what way will Christians one day share in the resurrection of Jesus? How is this possible?

THE APPLICATION 5. Why is real forgiveness so difficult both to offer and to accept? How does this apply to you in your relationship with God?

6. What aspects of eternal life are you enjoying now? And what are you looking forward to in the future?

7. What are some things that you see a “poor reflection” of or know about only in part right now? What affect does this have on your faith journey?

8. Now that you’ve engaged with the sermon, the Scripture and your Small Group, what is your next step to help you develop as an authentic follower of Jesus Christ?

Creed: Life – Now and Not Yet March 15, 2015

1 Corinthians 13:8-13 Hope = want something to ______or be the ________. Psalm 34:8

Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!

Proverbs 27:7

A person who is full refuses honey, but even bitter food tastes sweet to the hungry.

Because of the Holy Spirt we can know… 1. Christians have the ______________ of sins  Forgiveness

is not based on our ___________, but God’s ____________. Ephesians 1:7

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.  Giving

and receiving forgiveness is a ___________ that brings ____________. Mark 11:25

And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

2. Christians will get new _________.  A resurrected

body is our earthly body only ___________ and then ___________ just like Jesus Christ. (1 John 3:2; 2 Cor 5:1)

 Our

bodies will be __________ for eternity at the return of Christ. (1 Thess 4:16-17; 1 Cor. 15:51-52)

 Until

Christ returns we ________ and __________. Romans 8:23

And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

3. Christians have life _____________.  Eternal

Life ________ at the moment of ____________. (John 17:3)

 __________

is the doorway and the annoyance during his life. (1 Cor 15:53-55; Rev 21:4)

 Christ

is all about _______, that is why he made it _________. (John 14:6) Romans 8:10-11

And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. 11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.

Conclusion: While we wait for our future hope, the Holy Spirit will stir our desires and give us a taste of what is to come. Quote from A. W. Tozer “O God, I have tasted Thy goodness, and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more. I am painfully conscious of my need for further grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire. O God, the Triune God, I want to want Thee; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made more thirsty still. Show me Thy glory, I pray Thee, so that I may know Thee indeed. Begin in mercy a new work of love within me. Say to my soul, ‘Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away.’ Then give me grace to rise and follow Thee up from this misty lowland where I have wandered so long.”

AMEN - so be it, let it be, it is so.