July 28, 2010, I Corinthians 16

Key Verse: 

Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 

(I Corinthians 16:13) 

Central Truth: 

Don't fall into the trap of trying to be like everyone else. 

"BE GREAT" 

As we look at the verse above, there are four key phrases that I would like to explain: 

The first is "be alert." As Christians, we need to be aware of our surroundings including those people we have contact with the most. The people who we hang out with the most can have a significant impact on our habits and can lead us on a path that is not Christ-like. 

The second is "stand firm in our faith." It is easy to stand firm like a house that is built on a foundation with solid ground unlike one that is built on sand. It is hard when someone or something tests our faith and puts doubts in our head about our Savior Jesus Christ. We need to hold our ground and stand strong in our faith and belief system that God is our rock that we can lean against when life is good or not going our way.

The third is "act like men." As many of us have heard before, "Grow up!" This can be very intimidating as a young man or woman. When we live with our parents or guardians, we don't have to grow up. Mom and Dad will take care of everything because we live in a little bubble they made for us. As young Christians, however, we are tested and put through trials and tribulations. They are small at first, and as we grow spiritually they get harder. We have to grow up in our relationship with Christ in order to make it in life. 

The last is to "be strong." We need to fight for our Lord and Savior just as He fought for us by giving up His life on the cross for our sins. This was the ultimate sacrifice. We need not to be ashamed that we believe and have faith in a God that we may not be able to physically touch or see. Jesus Christ is an all powerful and all forgiving God. Although we can't explain His miracles, we can still have the faith and belief that we can do all things through Him. 

Stand up for the Kingdom of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!