"More Than Conquerors"
Stand In Awe...Of God • Sermon • Submitted
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Our key passage:
Our key passage:
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.
Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
Romans 8:37 (NIV)
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,
neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Have you noticed how much the Bible talks like this?
Have you noticed how much the Bible talks like this?
Maybe that’s a “No?”
Maybe that’s a “No?”
Perhaps because we need to face facts.
Perhaps because we need to face facts.
The Christian walk is one, long, continuous evolution of perspective.
The Christian walk is one, long, continuous evolution of perspective.
Consider our passage...
Consider our passage...
The last two weeks included inspiration from C.S. Lewis and Mother Teresa. This week...
The last two weeks included inspiration from C.S. Lewis and Mother Teresa. This week...
“It’s hard to soar like an eagle, when you’re surrounded by turkeys”
“It’s hard to soar like an eagle, when you’re surrounded by turkeys”
Adam Sandler
Adam Sandler
But let’s explore a quote from Jesus...
But let’s explore a quote from Jesus...
John 10:10 (ESV)
“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
Now in context
Now in context
Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
“Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”
Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”
Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.
Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”
Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?”
Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.
The turkeys were flocking...
The turkeys were flocking...
“Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.
The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.
But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”
Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.
Maybe Sandler is on to something...
Maybe Sandler is on to something...
Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.
All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them.
I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.
The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
The Great I AM
The Great I AM
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—
just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.
I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.
The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again.
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
Victorious Christians - Carthage, Alexandria and beyond
Victorious Christians - Carthage, Alexandria and beyond
Epaphroditus
Epaphroditus
I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need,
for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill.
Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.
I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious.
So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men,
for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.
The Parababolonoi
The Parababolonoi
The “Riskers of Death,” “The Gamblers,” “The Risky Ones”