Hearing God’s Voice from His Word
James 4:8 says, “Come near to God and he will come near to you.”
Take a moment and turn your attention to God. Tell God that you desire to trust and obey Him. Ask God to speak to you from His word.
Psalm of the Day
Psalm 4:1-4 Answer me when I call, God, who vindicates me.
You freed me from affliction; be gracious to me and hear my prayer.
2 How long, exalted ones, will my honor be insulted? How long will you love what is worthless and pursue a lie? Selah
3 Know that the Lord has set apart the faithful for himself; the Lord will hear when I call to him. 4 Be angry and do not sin; reflect in your heart while on your bed and be silent.
Read the Entire Psalm
Answer when I call. Use the words of this Psalm to pray to God. He is listening. Speak aloud to Him.
Scripture Reading
1 Corinthians 15:12-19 – Christian Standard Bible
12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say, “There is no resurrection of the dead”? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation is in vain, and so is your faith. 15 Moreover, we are found to be false witnesses about God, because we have testified wrongly about God that he raised up Christ—whom he did not raise up, if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. 18 Those, then, who have fallen asleep in Christ have also perished. 19 If we have put our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone.
Having God’s Ear through Prayer
- Express thanks to God.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal sin to you.
- Confess your sin to Him and receive forgiveness.
(1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sin He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins.”) - Bring your personal requests to God.
(Psalm 62:8 “Pour out your heart before God”) - Pray for someone in your small group.
- Join with others from River and pray for our nation. Give thanks to God for the U.S. and for the freedoms we enjoy. Pray for those leading our country and serving in the military.
Living as God’s People by applying the Bible
Scripture Reflection from the Sermon
Today we’ll read verses 12-19. As you read them, pay attention to the contradiction/wrong teaching that some proclaimed. Sounds like they thought of Jesus, their savior, but they had no category for their bodily resurrection! It’s like they’re saying, “Jesus, yeah, he’s God, but our resurrection, no way, that’s an impossibility.” It was a step too far for them. Paul rightly rebukes them and lists all the reasons they were wrong, concluding with this statement: “If we have put our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone.”
These are sobering words. Take time now to read the passage. Again, read it out loud and slowly. Let the word sink in as you read them. As God to speak to you as you read. When you’re done, come back, and we’ll finish up.
Do you think much about Jesus’ resurrection and, because of your faith in him, that one day, you will be raised to new life in a new resurrected body? The resurrection is central to the Gospel. It’s our future hope. Perhaps you were challenged by Paul’s last words… “If we have put our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone.” The Gospel’s truth does have tremendous benefits for our lives here in the present, but if we only look to the present, we fail to miss the depth and the breadth of all God has done in his redemptive work.