Posts by John Longmire (Page 136)

The Great Commission reveals the goal of discipleship and the central purpose for the Christian community. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”(Matthew 28:18-20) GO! Jesus Christ…

At the end of 2nd Corinthians, Paul speaks of a translated experience where he was taken into heaven and shown things of which he could not speak. He then speaks of a “thorn in his flesh” that was given to keep him humble. It is necessary to boast; nothing is to be gained by it, but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a person in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up…

The goal of the Christian life is that we would serve as ambassadors for Jesus Christ. In 2 Corinthians 5, Paul explains the purpose of ambassadorship. From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is…

The main theme of Jesus’ teaching is “The Kingdom of God.” Within this main theme are some essential sub themes:  1.  The Authority of Jesus as Messiah and King 2.  The Fulfillment of the Old Covenant 3.  The Character of the Kingdom 4.  The Kingdom’s Place in History 5.  Righteousness 6.  Faith  7.  Discipleship 8.  The Holy Spirit 9.  Opposition to the Kingdom 10.  Expectation of Christ’s Return The stories of Jesus in the gospels reveal these themes; the further…

Those who follow Jesus are called to live in a noticeably different and beautiful way. In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians he describes the beauty of the Christian life, and how it is a fragrance to others. But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads in every place the fragrance that comes from knowing him. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being…

I Corinthians 15 is one of the key passages of Scripture regarding the resurrection not only of Christ, but also of those who follow him. Paul offers an explanation of the resurrection according to the following progression of thought, which is offered here from the Scriptures with little commentary. The History of Resurrection Encounters Now I would remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you…

Christianity is not merely a philosophical religion; it is a religion that encompasses both soul and body. Everything we believe internally as a corresponding reality in the physical world. In the early church, Christians struggled to live out Christ’s call to righteousness in a cultural context that was morally corrupt. Some Christians believed that Jesus had put an end to all moral laws and regulations and began to proclaim “All things are lawful for me.” Paul challenges this convention and…

Why is there such a terrible disconnect between the church and the world? Since the birth of the church there has been a disconnect between the followers of Jesus Christ and the people of the world. Not only do we behave differently (or at least we should), but we think very differently. In Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, he highlights this difference and explains that it has to do with the message of the cross. For the word of…

This week, we embark on a new series entitled “Live Different,” an exploration into Paul’s letters to the Corinthians. American culture in the 21st century is becoming more like the first century than ever before. Our culture is becoming extremely diverse as many different religions, philosophies and political ideologies attempt to occupy the same space. Yet even as “tolerance” and “pluralism” are celebrated, hostility towards Christianity is increasing. The letters of Paul to the Corinthians will provide us with great…

Christianity is a religion composed entirely of converts. Whether or not we grew up in the church or were baptized as infants, all of us must make a decision to repent of our sins and follow Christ. Pentecost is the birthday of the church when there were 3000 people in Jerusalem who were converted to Christ in a single day. Simon Peter had just finished his great message declaring Christ to be the resurrected Messiah and the fulfillment of Old…