08/12/2012 This Glorious Gospel Assures Us!
Text: 2 Corinthians
5:15-17 (NKJV)
15 And He died for all, that those who live should live no longer
for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. 16 Therefore,
from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known
Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. 17 Therefore,
if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away;
behold, all things have become new.
10 Christ died for us so that, whether we
are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever. 11 So
encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing. 1
Thessalonians 5:10-11 (NLT)
Intro: Not yet Dead!
At least once Samuel L. Clemens, better known as “Mark
Twain,” was listed as dead while being physically alive. This type of erroneous
obituary has occurred all too often in the newspapers of our nation. On one
such embarrassing occasion, a man whose obit was printed in the paper rushed to
the editor. The “corpse” lodged his protest: “How dare you print my obituary in
the paper! I’m alive. See me. Here I am.” “I sure am sorry,” the editor
answered, “And it’s too late to do anything about it. The best thing I can do
for you is to put you in the ‘Birth Column’ tomorrow morning and give you a
fresh start!” (Illustrations for preaching and teaching)
The glorious Gospel
gives us a fresh start, have you died to self and are now experiencing new
life?
This glorious gospel therefore assures us:
1. We Might Live THROUGH Christ: 1
John 4:9 (NKJV)
“In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has
sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.”
This
is the way God revealed that He loves us. "God sent His only begotten Son
into the world, that we might live through Him.” The world is full of evil and
bad. People commit all kinds of evil, they... Curse God, ignore God, neglect
God, disobey God, disbelieve God, reject God, rebel against God, deny God and
oppose God and yet this is the glorious love of God. God still loves man and
still wants to help and take care of man. That is the Glorious Gospel!
“Beloved,
if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” 1 John 4:11
To live
through Christ we must love as Christ did!
This glorious gospel therefore
assures us:
2. We Might Live WITH Christ: 1 Thessalonians 5:10 (NKJV)
“Who died
for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.”
Love
protects our hearts: when we really see the love of Christ for us - that He
actually bore our sins and punishment on the cross - then we break before Him
and bow in humble adoration and love. Love floods us, for He did so much for
us. We never have to die; we never have to bear the punishment of sin - all
because He loved us. Therefore, our hearts reach out to Him broken and pouring
love back to Him. We stay sober: we live righteously and godly and look for His
return because we love Him. Our love keeps us sober. This is how we live with
Christ.
- “Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.”
Romans 6:8 (NIV)
- “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we
were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (NKJV)
When God saved us,
he appointed us to receive salvation from sin, death, and judgment to come. He
did not appoint us to death and wrath. Therefore, there is no excuse for a
believer to fall asleep and return to the world of darkness. A person who is
not sober will suffer the wrath of God. Christ died for us. The words wake or
sleep: they mean alive or departed. When Christ returns, whether we are still alive
on the earth or departed, we shall live together with Him forever and ever.
This is why He died, the very reason He went to the cross: that we might have
the glorious privilege of living together with Him throughout all eternity.
We
can live with Christ a lot easier when the believer puts on the full armor of
God.
This glorious gospel therefore assures us:
3. We Might Live FOR Christ: 2
Corinthians 5:15 (NKJV)
“And He died for all, that those who live should live
no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.”
All
who join themselves to Christ must die with him. This is more than the medical
definition “when the brain waves stop sparking and the heart stops pushing the
blood through our system.” It is death to Sin, the Flesh, and the Old. When we die
with Christ we live no longer for self or selfless ways. Christ’s death must
change the way we live here and now on earth, not simply insure our entrance
into God’s eternal presence. Anyone who expects to live in the resurrection
must respond properly to Christ’s death.
The gift of redemption that comes
through Christ’s death and resurrection requires that we change the way we
live. We are no longer to allow our selfish desires to twist the way we regard
or treat others. To accept death with Christ so that our own longings,
purposes, and securities are also put to death requires the risky venture of
faith. Paul insists that Christ controls the reins of his life so that he no
longer is driven to kick against the goads. He instead lives to serve others. “And
we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being
persecuted, we endure.” 1 Corinthians 4:12
Paul was driven to serve God and
others, so what drove him to this state of mind? His love for Christ.
“I am
crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:
and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of
God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 (KJV)
He lives He
lives He lives inside of me!
Paul found that Christ’s love compelled him to
hold fast…
Conclusion: Casting Crowns (Glorious Day) Living He loved me, dying
He saved me and buried He carried my sins far away. Rising He justified freely
forever. One day He’s coming, oh glorious day, oh Glorious day!
- The Glorious
gospel assures us He will return!
This glorious gospel assures us, We CAN Live THROUGH
Christ, We CAN Live WITH Christ and We can Live FOR Christ.
In : Sermon
Tags: gospel
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