Praying with Paul- Praying with Expectation
Praying with Paul • Sermon • Submitted
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Intro:
57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Tonight, we will continue [Praying with Paul]. The subject of my message is, [Praying in the Spirit].
I like to read. I have for some time. I have read different genres of books. Some have fascinated me, others I do not need to read again.
About two to three years ago, Bekah introduced me to another genre of books that I was not to interested in— books about pregnancy and taking care of babies.
She bought books on how to feed babies, we took classes on how what to expect in the hospital, we took classes on how to take care of babies, and we took a class on how to get a baby to sleep through the night (that one was my favorite).
One of the ladies we listened to was co-author of the book What to Expect when You’re Expecting. It was written in 2008 and is a New York Times Best Seller and on USA Today’s top 25 most influential book in the past twenty-five years.
There is a market for these types of books because having a child is life-transforming. Everything changes once that little angel comes into the world.
Preparing for a child is exciting and for us, it made it easier to know what to expect.
IF having a child is life-changing, Paul writes about an event that will forever change the world. It will all begin with the coming of the Lord.
It seems that nothing piques the curiosity of people more than teaching, preaching, or discussing the Lord’s coming.
In part, there has been much misinformation and lies about Christ’s coming. Some have denied it will happen, others have set dates only to be proved wrong.
Then there has been solid teaching and writing about the return of the Lord. If we have questions about Jesus’s soon return, we can guarantee that Corinthians did as well.
Remember, they had a knack for taking truth and misappropriating it in their church. So Paul wrote to correct any misinformation and misunderstandings about Jesus return.
When we keep Christ’s coming in view, we will pray with a new expectation.
I want to look at three expectations we should pray about in 1 Corinthians 15, [Expect His Coming], [Expect to Conquer], and [Expect Proper Conduct].
Let’s begin
1. Expect His Coming
1. Expect His Coming
51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—
52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?”
The Corinthians had a number of questions about the mystery of Jesus’s return. They did not know what to expect about {death} and what would happen to their bodies when He returns.
But, there is one more question, (When will the resurrection occur?) And (what about those who have not died?) (Will we receive a new body if we are not dead?)
Why all the questions?
They did not know what to expect. To the Corinthians, it was a mystery, yet Paul trusted their faith would help them. Here is the what to expect, we will not all sleep, or DIE, but we will ALL be changed.
Resurrecting the dead was plausible, because Jesus rose.
(But what about those of us who are alive?) In a moment, literally, the twinkling of an eye, the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised.
Paul continues, AND we shall ALL be changed. Almost simultaneously the dead will rise from their graves, and those who are alive will be changed.
We will all put on an incorruptible and immortal body. (Why?) Because flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.
When He comes we will receive a new body because we are not able to withstand the full measure of the glory of God in our present state.
Remember when Moses wanted to see the Glory of God, and the God told Him you cannot see My face and live? In our present sinful and corrupt state, we God’s glory would consume us.
So, the body that was either buried or alive will be transformed at the resurrection. Our bodies will not be destroyed, they will be replaced.
Just like Jesus, when they buried Him, His body was ruined by the woes of the crucifixion, beaten beyond recognition. All of that changed when Jesus ROSE from the dead.
Through the resurrection, death is swallowed in victory.
Because of the resurrection, death has lost its sting and hell has lost its victory.
We expect His coming, but until then...
2. Expect to Conquer
2. Expect to Conquer
57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
After detailing all that God planned for us at His coming, Paul erupts in praise. Before we look at how He praised, we need to remember something important about praise.
Praise and worship should be an active part of our prayer life. When we praise God we expect His presence to come. His presence makes all the difference in our prayer life.
Paul spent time sharing God’s plan for our future, then He began to praise Him— THANKS BE TO GOD WHO GIVES US THE VICTORY THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.
Notice the word victory, which means success or triumph in battle. God will give us help us win in this life and in the next.
In order to have victory, we have to have some type of contest or conflict. Paul’s writing establish that our conflict is not with flesh and blood.
If we are not fighting each other, why do we need victory?
Because sin and death are real in our world. I am thankful though that God will give us victory over sin.
It is NOT God’s desire that sin consume our lives.
1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?
2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
How do we get victory over sin?
1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
We have an Advocate, one who will help us conquer temptation— Jesus walks alongside of us and helps us.
17 No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the Lord.
37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
We can conquer now and in the future because Jesus is our conqueror.
Paul’s point is that Jesus will come FOR us, but until then He will come THROUGH for us as we face the effects of sin and death.
In our prayer, we can expect Jesus to come and to help us conquer. Now let’s we see we need to...
3. Expect Proper Conduct
3. Expect Proper Conduct
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
Therefore, that means in light of everything I have said, here is how God expects you to conduct your life.
Paul’s point is simple— because of the hope of the resurrection NOTHING is done in vain.
At times Christ’s coming seems SO far away.
11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.
His return is nearer than when we first believed. We have to be careful that we are not the fulfillment of Peter’s words:
3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts,
We should never scoff or doubt that Jesus will fulfill His promise to come again.
Instead we should:
be steadfast
immoveable
abounding in the work of the Lord
We could read this passage this way:
Therefore my beloved brothers and sisters:
be steadfast, do not waver or doubt God’s promises.
Be immoveable, do not listen to false teaching and stand strong in truth.
Abound in the work of the Lord, serve God with excellence and to the uttermost.
This is how God wants us to conduct ourselves until Jesus returns.
I like the way the Angel Gabriel spoke to Daniel:
13 “But you, go your way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days.
Go your way. Keep living for God. Continue to pray. Keep seeking Him. Rest in His promises. For when the time is right, the Lord WILL return for us!
Close:
Even though Paul calls the Lord’s coming a mystery and there often more questions than answers about Jesus’s return— it does NOT change the fact that Jesus IS coming again and soon.
When we keep His return in view it will change everything we do. Let’s think of what we will receive at His return:
He has prepared a place for us
He will make us like Him
He will give us anew body
He will give us full revelation of His glory
He will eradicate death
He will wipe away every tear
He will let us rule and reign with Him forever and ever
With His coming in view, it changes the way we pray. For we know that:
If He will come then with victory over sin and death, than He will come now and help us with consequences of sin and death.
No wonder John closed out Scripture praying:
20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
As we pray, let’s expect that He will come, we will conquer, and He will help us conduct ourselves in a Godly manner.
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