1 Corinthians 11:24-32 – I Believe – Bible study

1Cor 11:24-32 I Believe Tonight we partake of the Lords Supper. I see in the Scripture that this fellowship has been purposes. One of those purposes is to refresh our walk with the Lord and another is to reaffirm our faith in Him. I see several hints at this is our text. 1. \#25\ Our Lord tells us to remember Him and what He has done. 2. \#27\ Be careful of being unworthily and guilty. 3. \#28\ Examine ourselves. 4. \#31\ Judge ourselves. 5. \#32\ We are not to be condemned with the world. Our Lord gave us this fellowship to help us examine both our heart and our faith. Tonight, lets consider what we believe. I. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God. A. One would think that certain truths could go without saying inside of a church, but we have seemingly long since past that station. 1. Some preachers today deny that Jesus is the Son of God. 2. Some deny that He is the eternal Son of God. They claim Jesus became deity. 3. And still others deny that Jesus is the only Son of God. 4. Let me state that I believe that Jesus is the One and only, eternal, Son of God! B. Some do not understand that knowing who Jesus is, is such a basic tenet, that without it, you could not understand any other Biblical truths. 1John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. 1. Look at the many truths in this one verse: a. The Son of God has come. b. The Son of God gave us understanding to know Him. c. The Son of God provided the means that we may be IN Him. (That is salvation.) d. The Son of God is Jesus. e. The Son of God is the true God. f. The Son of God gives eternal life. 2. However, the truth I want to point out is that with the Son of God comes "understanding, that we may know HIM (God the Father) who is true. a. Without an understanding of Jesus, you cannot know the Father. 1Jo 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: b. Then John says without knowing who Jesus is, you cannot know the Holy Ghost. c. So which member of the Godhead must you understand first, before you can understand the others? d. Jesus! e. Why? Because without Jesus, you cannot be saved, and without salvation, you cannot have the Holy Ghost, and without the Holy Ghost, you cannot understand any other Biblical truth. 3. There are a lot of important truths in the Bible, but of them all, first and foremost is to preach Jesus Christ, the Son of God! II. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. A. There can be no doubt that Jesus both lived and was crucified. 1. No one really denies the facts of Jesus life and death. There is simply too much historical evidence. In fact, one has said that there is more evidence that Jesus lived and was crucified than that William Shakespeare lived. I do not know if that is true or not, but Jesus life and crucifixion are clearly documented. 2. The oldest and most detailed account is the Bible, written by several different writers over several decades. Some of the first books written would have been the gospels, around 55 to 80 AD; but the book of 1Corinthians may be older than the gospel, being written around 54 AD, just 17 or so years after Jesus death. 1Cor 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 3. Other non-believing historians reference Jesus life and crucifixion as well. Josephus (37-100 AD) Pliny the Younger (61-112 AD) The Babylonian Talmud Tacitus (56-117)Josephus (37-100 AD) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gD8P-eSupDE 4. The facts that Jesus lived and was crucified by the Romans is generally accepted by all, religious and secularists, who study history. AND I believe it! B. But even more, I believe that Jesus actually died. 1. Of course, the Bible makes this crystal clear. 1Peter 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: Ro 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 2. Some have theorized that Jesus did not die, but that He simply fainted. Such a theory does not hold up under scrutiny. 3. Romans knew something about death. They were very good at inflicting death with it. The crucifixion was not their invention, but it was their perfection. 4. The Romans literally crucified thousands upon thousands during their day. In 70 AD, when they destroyed Jerusalem, the Romans crucified 500 Jews per day. 5. Although I have seen several recent articles that question some of the details of the crucifixion, the Biblical account has been verified right down to the nails driven into Jesus hands and feet. (1968 discovery) 6. The only error most make concerning the crucifixion is the height of the cross. Most imagine the victims being elevated so that people would have to look up to see the face of the condemned. In actuality, history indicates the victims were at eye level so that if they could have removed their feet from the wooden beam, they would have easily been able to stand up. III. I believe that Jesus rose on the 3rd day. A. Resurrection Day is the lynch pin of all lynch pins. 1. Christmas is the day the payment for sin became available. 2. Crucifixion Day is the day the payment was made. 3. But the Resurrection Day is the day when the check cleared the bank and our sin payment was accepted. B. Resurrection Day is the day that our sin was paid, the devil was defeated, death died, and heaven became the home of the saved! IV. I believe that Jesus ascended back to the Father. Acts 1:6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. 9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. A. We do not talk about the ascension very much mainly because there is no holiday, Jewish or Christian, that corresponds to it. 1. The ascension fell in the fifty days between the Passover and Pentecost, what the Jews call Shavuot. a. These 50 days were considered part of the Passover. b. They were called the Counting of the Omer. c. Omer means the beginning of many good things. d. Pentecost was the 50th day and the close of the Passover. 2. \#Acts 1:3\ says that Jesus taught the disciples and proved that he was alive for 40 days. a. The ascension would have occurred during that 50 day period. b. In fact, since Jesus was in the grave 3 days, we can assume the ascension was on the 43rd day, 7 days before Pentecost. http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/Spring_Holidays/Sefirat_ HaOmer/Ascension/ascension.html B. 40 is an interesting day in the Bible. 1. Moses waited 40 days to receive the commandments on Mt. Sinai. 2. Jesus fasted 40 days before beginning His ministry. 3. The Jews spied out the land for 40 days and received a sentence of 40 years to wander for failing to enter the Promised Land. 4. In all but that last case, which was a punishment, it would seem as though the number 40 implies that afterward, something good is going to happen. C. When Jesus ascended back to heaven, He opened the door for many good things to happen! 1. The Holy Ghost to come. 2. The church to be born. 3. The evangelism of the world to begin. D. In fact, Jesus prophesied the coming of the Holy Ghost and His empowerment to witness for Him at His ascension \#Acts 1:8\. E. Interestingly, these prophecies were fulfilled on the 50th day, the day of Pentecost. F. Hence, when I say I believe in the ascension of Jesus, I must also say i believe: 1. In the church as Gods body of fellowship and service. 2. In the personal indwelling and empowering of the Holy Ghost. 3. And in the duty of the church to evangelize the lost world. V. I believe Jesus will return to claim His own. Acts 1:10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. A. I believe Jesus will return two times. 1. Jesus will come once to get His people. 2. He will return a second time to deal with those who would not go. B. Jesus resurrection seems to be a picture of ours. 1. No human eye saw Jesus resurrection. a. People saw the after effects of the resurrection, but not the resurrection itself. b. So will be our resurrection. Jesus will gather us as a thief in the night. 2. The stone was rolled away. a. The heavy stone that sealed Jesus tomb was moved either back up the groove that it rolled down in or out of the way all together. b. While they are not used much anymore, we have used tombstones to mark graves for centuries. When Jesus comes to gather us, there is going to be some moved stones! 3. The ground shook at Jesus resurrection. a. I believe the earth quaked because of the power of God that moved into Jesus body. b. I would not be surprised if there is some ground shaking during our resurrection as well. In fact, I would be surprised is there is not. 4. There were angels. a. God used angels at Jesus resurrection to deliver several messages. b. I image God will have angels on hand to gather the resurrected to Himself. 5. Jesus tomb was empty. One thing is for certain. When Jesus comes to gather His own, our tombs will be empty as well! C. I believe in Jesus return and whats more, I believe it could happen at any moment. These are some of the things I believe and affirm to be true. What about you?