Message Notes for September 1, 2024

Series: Influencers

Title: Why The Church?

Bottom Line: The Church exists to give testimony to the power of Jesus who lived, died, and rose to forgive our sin and invite us into a relationship with Him into eternity.

Be an influencer by sharing testimony of why the resurrection of Jesus matters in your life.

Paul’s reminder to the Corinthian church (and us).

1. JESUS FORGAVE SIN:

2. JESUS DIED:

3. JESUS WAS BURRIED. (v 4)

4. JESUS WAS RAISED on the third day according to the Scriptures. (also, v 4)

5. JESUS APPEARED TO PEOPLE 15:6 After that, he was seen by more than five hundred of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. 15:7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.

15:8 Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him. NLT

15:9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. NIV

True Humility:

15:10-11 But by the 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. NIV

15:11. Whether then, it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed. The apostles never strayed from the message. In the same way, I want to be able to say, “I’ve been true to the message.” Don’t you?

How do we live now in FAITH?

1. Stay in the Word.

2. Be with others who challenge you and speak into you.

3. Consider one of the small groups happening all around CTK. Come to church, in person, as often as possible.

4. Find some way to talk about your own testimony.

Family/Group Study Notes for the week of September 1, 2024

Series: Influencers

Title: Why The Church?

 As you look over the 5 reminders of Paul in 1 Cor 15: how confident are you that you could share these truths with others? Any that you struggle with? Which ones do you need to commit to learning more about so that you can answer people’s questions as they wonder about these truths? Might you need to attend a class at a place like Gordon Conwell where you can gain confidence in why you believe these things? Or use an online resource?

JESUS FORGAVE SIN

JESUS DIED

JESUS WAS BURRIED

JESUS WAS RAISED

JESUS APPEARED TO OTHERS

 What false messages might you be paying attention to in your life? How would you know if you are believing things that are not accurate? Who in your life would you count on to mention it if they notice something seemed “off”?

 Here are a few verses you could look at to go a little deeper with the things we shared up front this week.

For more information on the facts of Jesus’ death, see the Life Application Commentary Mark, in Mark 16:9, the chart called “Evidence that Jesus Actually Died and Arose.” Jesus had quoted prophet Jonah: “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” to show the connection to “three days” as prophesied in the Old Testament. Psalm 16:8-11 and Psalm 110 also foretell the resurrection of the Messiah.

 Of the four suggestions for living in FAITH, which one might be a growth area for you? What else are you committed to doing to live out your faith?

1. Stay in the Word. How has God been revealing beauty in your life? Are you getting a chance to notice who He is and what He is doing in your life? Have you told others? Who could you testify to this week about God? It simply means that you are talking about your experiences and how it helps you to have faith in God. List some folks you’d like to bear witness to.

2. Be with others who challenge you and speak into you.

3. Consider one of the small groups happening all around CTK. Come to church, in person, as often as possible.

4. Find some way to share your own testimony.