A Device of Satan

Song: Teach Me Thy Way

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 2:3-11

"...lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices" (2 Corinthians 2:11).

A "device" is a thought directed toward another that involves purpose. Satan has plans for us. He seeks above all else to separate us from God.

When a brother or sister in Christ repents I am to forgive them. I am to comfort them. I am to reaffirm my love to them. When I fail to forgive a brother or sister of sin Satan takes advantage of me. If I am to receive forgiveness I must give it: "But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses" (Matthew 6:15).

Do not allow Satan to take advantage of you. Receive forgiveness for your own sins. Forgive, comfort, and reaffirm your love to those who repent.

Jason Cicero

The God of All Comfort

Song: Yes, For Me He Careth

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:3-7

The true and living God is the "God of all comfort" (2 Corinthians 1:3). He is the God of all solace. He calls us near for the purpose of comforting us.

Receiving His comfort enables me to comfort others: "...that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God" (2 Corinthians 1:4).

Tribulation, trouble, and sufferings come to us with the hope that our God is there. He cares. He comforts.

Jason Cicero

Hidden in My Heart

"...but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth." (1 Timothy 3:15; NKJV)

Sunday Morning Starters

We worship because...

1. Of what He has done.

2. Of what He is doing.

3. Of what He is going to do.

4. He is.

Jason Cicero

With Love

Song: The Love Of God

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 16:14

"God is love" (1 John 4:8).

Remember three things about how to live in relation to God being love...

1. He would have us respond to Him as He is: "And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment" (Mark 12:30).

2. He would have us respond to those in His image as He is: "And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these" (Mark 12:31).

3. He would have us do all things as He is: "Let all that you do be done with love" (1 Corinthians 16:14).

Jason Cicero

Of First Importance

Song: Low In The Grave He Lay

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:1-8

"For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures..." (1 Corinthians 15:3-4; NASBU).

The gospel consists of facts to believe, commands to obey, and promises to receive...

"Of first importance" is the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ...

Die with Him. Be buried with Him. Rise with Him. See Romans 6.

Jason Cicero

If One Member Suffers

Song: Love One Another

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:12-27

"And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it" (1 Corinthians 12:26).

There is one body. It is composed of many members. If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it.

The body is the body of Christ. The members are His brothers and sisters. He is the head. One becomes a member by being born of the Spirit into the body.

As a member of the body I need the Head. I also need the other members. The other members need me too. All of us need the Spirit.

Jason Cicero

Imitation

Song: O To Be Like Thee

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:1

"Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1).

To "imitate" is to mimic. Our Father would have us mimic our Elder Brother's thinking, speech, and behavior. Paul's charge is to mimic him so long as and only as he mimics Christ.

"Imitate" is in the continuous tense (Vine's). The imitation of Christ is a process. A daily process.

My daily "to do" list: Imitate Him!

Jason Cicero

Love Edifies

Song: Love One Another

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 8

Remember two things from 1 Corinthians 8:1...

1. Knowledge puffs up.

2. Love edifies.

Jason Cicero

Hidden in My Heart

"For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost." (Matthew 18:11; NKJV)

Sunday Morning Starters

Tomorrow is "Father's Day." Every first day of the week is our Father who is in Heaven's day. We worship Him in the beauty of holiness on His day each week.

"Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name; Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness." (Psalm 29:2; NKJV)

Jason Cicero

You Were Bought at a Price

Song: What Did He Do?

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 7:23

"You were bought at a price..." (1 Corinthians 7:23).

The Father gave the Son. The Son gave His life. My salvation was not cheap. My understanding of what he did for me should prompt me not to "become slaves of men," but to be the Man Christ Jesus' slave. He bought me at great cost.

Jason Cicero

The Three Tenses of Salvation

Song: Love One Another

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

1. Past - Justification - "And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but your were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God" (1 Corinthians 6:11).

2. Present - Sanctification - "Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (2 Corinthians 7:1).

3. Future - Glorification - "...who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself" (Philippians 3:21).

Jason Cicero

1 Corinthians 5

Song: The Obedience Song

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 5

Why were the Corinthians to "put away from" themselves "the evil person" (1 Corinthians 5:3)? Because God had already put him away. The Corinthians were not to fellowship him because he was not in fellowship with God.

Our fellowship with one another is the result of our fellowship with Him. When fellowship with Him is broken, fellowship with one another is to cease. Withdrawing fellowship from a brother is intended to communicate to him that he is no longer in fellowship with God.

When a brother of sister is not in fellowship with God, the loving response is to communicate that hard truth to them.

Jason Cicero

Biblical Evangelism

Song: The Gospel Is For All

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:6-7

Here is the process:

1. We plant.

2. We water.

3. God gives the increase.

Go work with God to save a soul. Plant His word in someone's heart. Water it. Pray His increase.

Jason Cicero

We Preach Christ Crucified

Song: At The Cross

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25

The message of the cross is:

1. Foolishness to those who are perishing.

2. The power of God to those who are being saved.

Preaching Christ crucified is:

1. A stumbling block to the Jews.

2. Foolishness to the Greeks.

3. The power of God and the wisdom of God to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks.

When "Christ crucified" is preached, what does this message mean to you?

Jason Cicero

Hidden in My Heart

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45; NKJV)

Hidden in My Heart

"For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them." (Luke 9:56; NKJV)