Fusion: week of 12/31

FAMILY THEME: THE PROMISE OF RESURRECTION

1 Corinthians 15:20-58

No matter how difficult life is, the believer has hope because

of the resurrection of Jesus.

1.  Jesus Paved the Way for Resurrection

     (1 Corinthians 15:1-34)

     Christ rose and paved the way for all who are in Him

     to be raised when He returns.

 
2.  We Will Have a Body Fit for Heaven

     (1 Corinthians 15:35-49)

     The resurrection body will be quite different from the 

     earthly body planted in burial.

 
3.  The Assurance of Resurrection Motivates Us to Live 

     for the Lord

     (1 Corinthians 15:50-58)

     The return of Christ and hope for our future resurrected

     bodies should motivate us to stand firm in our faith and 

     work for the Lord. 

Fusion: week of 12/24

FAMILY THEME: THE GREATEST GIFT

Luke 2:1-21

Luke's straightforward telling of the birth of Jesus grounds it in

history and connects it to prophecy.

1.  Jesus' Birth Fulfilled Scripture

     (Luke 2:1-8)

     Caesar's decree was a fulfillment of Scripture.

 
2.  Jesus' Birth is Joyful Good News

     (Luke 2:9-14)

     The news of Christ's birth is a source of joy for all who

     believe and accept Him.

 
3.  We Spread the Good News of Jesus' Birth

     (Luke 2:15-21)

     When the angels left, the shepherds went to Bethlehem

     and found Mary, Joseph, and the Baby.

Fusion: week of 12/17

FAMILY THEME: THE EXCELLENCE OF LOVE

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

How should believers live out a life of ministry using their spiritual gifts?

Paul dealt with this question in 1 Corinthians 13.

1.  Value Love Above All Gifts, Abilities, and Virtues

     (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)

     Without love, all our spiritual gifts and virtues are hollow 

     and meaningless.

 
2.  Love is Demonstrated by Attitudes and Actions

     (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

     Love is an expression of trust, hope, and perseverance.

 
3.  Love Will Never End

     (1 Corinthians 13:8-13)

     All the spiritual gifts will come to an end. Love, however,

     will never fail.

Fusion: week of 12/10

FAMILY THEME: GIFTED TO SERVE

1 Corinthians 12:1-31

Part of the division in the church revolved around the use of spiritual gifts.

Paul used this chapter to clear up the confusion.

1.  There Are Many Spiritual Gifts, All Given by the Same Holy Spirit

     (1 Corinthians 12:1-11)

     Spiritual gifts lead to a variety of ways to serve and different

     kinds of good works.

 
2.  There is One Body, Made Up of Many Parts

     (1 Corinthians 12:12-26)

     The body of Christ is pictured as unity that depends on diversity.

 
3.  Each Part of the Body Should Fulfill Its Particular Role 

     (1 Corinthians 12:27-31)

     While we don't all have the same function, we are all a part

     of the same body and we all play a unique part in the church.

Fusion: week of 12/3

FAMILY THEME: BODY OF CHRIST

1 Corinthians 11:17-34

The division in the Corinthian church was visible in the way they

observed the Lord's Supper.

1.  Division Damages the Church

     (1 Corinthians 11:17-22)

     Division in the church always damages and hinders the mission.

 
2.  The Sacrificial Love Pictured in the Lord's Supper is God's

     Design for the Church

     (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)

     The Lord's Supper should unite church members around their

     common faith in the sacrificial work of Christ.

 
3.  Sacrificial Love Should Guide Our Celebration of the Lord's

     Supper and Our Interaction With Our Church Family 

     (1 Corinthians 11:27-34)

     Our behavior should be consistent with the nature and work

     of Christ.

Fusion: week of 11/26

FAMILY THEME: FREEDOM IN CHRIST

1 Corinthians 8:1 - 9:23

Paul described what it truly means to have liberty in Christ.

1.  We Are Free to Put Others' Well-Being Above Our Own Desires

     (1 Corinthians 8:1-13)

     Mature believers should be willing to limit their freedom for the

     sake of less mature believers.

 
2.  We Are Free to Deny Our Personal Rights for the Sake of the Gospel

     (1 Corinthians 9:1-18)

     The centrality of the gospel may make it necessary for believers

     to restrict their rights.

 
3.  We Are Free to Serve Others in Order to Win Them to Christ 

     (1 Corinthians 9:19-23)

     Our preferences and traditions are nowhere near as important

     as winning people to Christ.

Fusion: week of 11/19

FAMILY THEME: CONTENT IN CHRIST

1 Corinthians 7:1-40

True contentment is only found in Jesus.

1.  We Are to Cultivate Contentment in Our Marriages and

     Marital Status

     (1 Corinthians 7:1-16)

     Christ calls us to cultivate contentment in our particular

     marital situation.

 
2.  We Are to Develop Contentment in Our Callings,

     Professions, or Circumstances

     (1 Corinthians 7:17-24)

     We should view our profession or circumstances as

     God's calling in our lives.

 
3.  Whatever Our Situation, We Seek Our Ultimate

     Contentment in Serving the Lord 

     (1 Corinthians 7:25-40)

     We can find contentment in serving the Lord no 

     matter our particular situations.