Reflection #3

1 Corithians 15:1-11

Now, brothers , I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise you have believed in vain.

For what I received I apssed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on teh thrid day according to the Scriptures and he appeared to Peter and then to the Tweleve. After that, he appeared to more than 5 hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, through some have falled asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

For I am the least of the apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them -- yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. Whether , then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.

To my Christian brothers and sisters, what is hope and joy we hold on to? It is the gospel that has been revealed to us by God. That Jesus died for our sins only to be risen again. He is ALIVE and is our Lord. Sin is defeated and we have so much to look forward too because when the time comes, we will be reunited with our Creator and Father. And in the mean time in view of God's mercy, offer your bodies as living sacrifices holy and pleasing to God-- this is your spirtual worship of God (romans 12:1).

Jesus is alive. How can we not give our lives to God? Out of his lvoe and mercy, God raised jesus and also God will raise us. Our lives are then for our God. What does that mean? Well i think these verses sum it um pretty well.

Jesus replied: " 'Love your God with all your heart and all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it. 'Love your neighbor as yourself'. Al lthe Law and Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Matthew 23:37-40


That's pretty much it. Love God and Love neighbor. These combined means our lives are to be devoted to worshiping our God and our lives are devoted to loving each other as God loved us. It oh-so-easy in word but it's defintely harder in practice.

But that's why Jesus risen is so important. Our Lord is alive and with that ahead of us, we can endure whatever difficulties we face. The Holy Spirit works in us and helps us love God and love each other.

That alone is amazing ain't it?

2011 is coming up very quickly and I know it's going to be another grace filled year where God will show me so much.