1) There are at least two dozen “minor imagers” for the NT church.
2) One of these minor images is that of a “letter.”
3) READ 2 Cor. 3:2-3.
Paul compared the church at Corinth to a “letter.” He also said this letter could be “read” by others.
4) The “lives” of these Christians were like a “letter” which had not been written with pen and ink.
5) This “letter” which illustrated the Corinthians church had been written by the “Spirit of the living God.”
6) Let’s think about the “church,” as well as our individual lives, in terms of a “letter.”
i) First, every letter has a “sender.” Second, if mail is properly processed, it will be “delivered” to the right person.
ii) Third, there is “ink” or something similar to “inscribe” information about sender/receiver.
iii) Inside the envelope there is news (good or bad) which is designed to be read.
iv) Finally, letters are designed to be opened and dealt with in an appropriate manner.
THE “POSTMASTER GENERAL” IS THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE US POST OFFICE.
1) The chief executive of the church does set the rules.
2) Jesus’ position as the head of the church is used to set the rules and these rules are enforced.
i) Mt. 28:18-20 – Lord has all power” (authority).
ii) The Lord established His church (Mt. 16:18) and it has rules – items are “bound and loosed.”
iii) If we are not authorized to alter the lesser (post office policies), w/about the church?
3) Lesson one from the church being like letter: Respect the head of the organization; obey Him in all things.
4) We need a “thus saith the Lord” (divine approval) for what we do in the spiritual realm.
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6) God’s word has been “delivered once for all time” (Jude 3) and the message is for each one of us.
7) God’s delivery, which was completed by the end of the first century, was not a partial shipment.
8) The “ink” spoken of by Paul in 2 Cor. 3 was designed to last till the end of time.
9) 2 Tim. 3:16-17.
10) All claims of “revelation from God” after the first century cannot be true.
11) God’s letter is communication about how to live – what to do and what to avoid.
12) The way we respond to this letter will give us a reputation.
13) Our response to God’s letter will cause us to create a letter which tells the story of our life.
14) Deity wants us to read the letter, study the letter, treasure this letter, and live it out every single day.
15) If we will do this God says we will be like a treasured letter (2 Cor. 2-3).
a) In many ways each of our lives is like a letter – a long, long letter.
b) The good we have done, the bad we have done, the forgiveness we have found in Christ.
c) Our trials, our tribulations our pain, our successes and victories, it is all a big letter.
16) We are also writing a letter congregationally.
a) Faithful or unfaithful, obedient or disobedient, working or dead.
b) Evangelistic or satisfied with the status quo. Moving forward or stuck in the past.
c) Being a light in the community or helping contribute to the darkness.
17) Jesus is the supreme Postmaster. He has sent us a letter. What we do with this letter is up to us.
18) If we stood before the Lord this day and God compared our lives to a letter, what would it say?
