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| A Job? or A Joy? |
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One Letter Makes a Big Difference
It is amazing what a difference one little letter can make.
Years ago, when people still typed letters on typewriters, our church secretary typed the same form letter to the dozens of folks who visited each Sunday. The letter was SUPPOSED to begin with this sentence:
It was a joy to have you and your family worship with us yesterday
One day, we got a letter back with a humorous note from a good-natured person (who eventually joined our church). He pointed out there was just one little letter that was different in the letter he got from us. In her haste, our secretary had typed:
It was a job to have you and your family worship with us yesterday
Just one little letter, but a big difference in meaning!
In I Corinthians 15, the Apostle Paul wrote to the church about a critical area of doctrine: The physical, bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. There was a heresy being taught to some in the Corinthian church that Jesus did not really rise from the dead. Paul sought to nip that false teaching in the bud, and to do so, he contrasted two little words that were separated by just one little letter.
They both begin with the letter "i" and contain only two letters. One of those words is "if" and the other "is."
Paul begins by saying "if" the Christ is not raised from the dead, then the following things are true:
Our labors for the gospel are useless
Our faith is in vain
We are false witnesses of God
We are still in our sins
The dead in Christ are lost
We are among men most miserable (some versions say, "we are to be pitied more than all men.")
But then he alters just one little letter and declares in verse 20, "But now is Christ risen and has become the first fruits of those that are asleep!"
Because Christ is risen, our labors for Him yield eternal results, our sins are forgiven, and we have the assurance of eternal life for ourselves and for our deceased loved ones who trusted in Him. We will see them again, because Christ is risen.
Just one little letter, but a big difference, not just in meaning, but in action.
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Cheryl |
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March 24, 2008 at 2:49pm |
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| OMG! What a blessing!~ |
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| I loved this informative blog! Thanks big time. |
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Heidi |
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March 24, 2008 at 5:03pm |
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| Great Blog! Thanks!! |
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Great Blog! Thanks!  |
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| one letter does make a difference, now in the computer age, I have client that is a preacher of a big church, his secretary was on google doing some research, she accidentally typed a letter tooooo many and was instantly infected with a NASTY trojan that was bringing web page after web page of porn, on the front pc, that all the guests walk by coming into the church office, and of course the monitor faced the door, so as people were walking in, they were confronted with nasty porn, I felt sooo bad for the preacher, and especially the secretary... so yes 1 letter does make a difference////// sorry, did not mean to go off subject on the LORD..... |
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| GREAT JOB!!!!!! BLESSINGS!!! |
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Ed |
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March 25, 2008 at 5:54am |
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| Very insightful, thanks! |
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Norman |
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March 25, 2008 at 4:56pm |
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| Food for Thought. I can think of the different reactions there were to the bulletin. I hope most people would laugh. I would. That scripture really shows how everything hinges on what He has done. |
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Rick |
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March 25, 2008 at 5:16pm |
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| Very nice! |
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Walter |
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March 26, 2008 at 3:28pm |
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| Very cool |
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Della |
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March 28, 2008 at 4:54pm |
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1 Corinthians 15
Witness Of CHRIST'S Ressurection
1: Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2: By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
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:
5: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
6: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
7: After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
8: And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
9: For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
10: But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
11: Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.
The Resurrection Defended
12: Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13: But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
14: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
15: Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
16: For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
17: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
18: Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
19: If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
20: But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
21: For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22: For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
23: But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
24: Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
25: For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
26: The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
27: For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith, all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.
28: And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
29: Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?
30: And why stand we in jeopardy every hour?
31: I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
32: If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.
33: Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
34: Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
The Resurrection Of The Body Explained
35: But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?
36: Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:
37: And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain:
38: But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.
39: All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.
40: There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
41: There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.
42: So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
43: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
44: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
45: And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
46: Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
47: The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
48: As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
49: And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
50: Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
51: Behold, I shew 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 trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall 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 shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have 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 thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
56: The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57: But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58: Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
Amen! I am so glad that the "if" is not true.
Thank you, Linda! |
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