04) He is Life
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
The question of if Jesus lived has not been a significant point of controversy and speculation for the world. Even how he died, being crucified on a cross has also not been widely protested. Along side the gospels, there have been Jewish historians like Josephus, Roman historians, and Syrian philosophers that have made comments about the life and death of Jesus of Nazareth. These men and others had no interest in spreading Christianity. Many of them were actually openly against those that were called Christians. They among many others would validate the life and death of the son of a carpenter, who claimed to be the son of God, the messiah, the called out one, the anointed one, the savior of the people of Israel.
Unlike his life and death, it is what happened next, has been the center of debate, speculation, and argument. The resurrection is the pivotal event in the redemptive work of God’s plan of salvation. It is the moment that the hope of a Christian rest on.
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.
Without Christ being raised from the dead, then Paul tells the Corinthians that what they proclaim is in vain, it is worthless, and therefore so is your faith. The proclamation of the followers of Jesus would be liers and false witnesses. The truth that they were telling the world, the Good News of Jesus would be found to be a lie if Jesus was never raised from the dead.
9 If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
This statement which was there testimony and our own would be worthless and would save no one if there has not been a resurrection. This is what we celebrate on Easter Sunday. It should be the pinnacle of the Christian calendar. Without the Jesus conquering the grave there is no Easter and there is no faith. It should be a day of great reverence, a day of worship, a day of reflection, a most precious and special day.
This is why we have been looking to the work of God through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. We have looked at the great love shown to all of mankind through the cross. We have looked that the great debt that was paid on our behalf by the sacrifice of Jesus for the forgiveness sins, and we have looked at the righteous life that is credited to those who have faith.
Those who’s faith has saved them.
8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—9 not from works, so that no one can boast.
God has not just accomplished these in our lives but he has also given each and every believer new life. Spiritual life comes through the Gospel of Jesus.
1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins 2 in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. 3 We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, 5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! 6 He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—9 not from works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.
The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead
The hopeless and desperate state of the unregenerate person is one of spiritual death.
1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins 2 in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. 3 We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also.
And you were dead. The reality of the unbeliever is one of being dead. Without Christ there is just spiritual death. The word is the state of being a corpse. In the garden Adam and Eve were created with both spiritual life and physical life. There was one command given to Adam that he must follow or death would become his reality.
16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree of the garden, 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.”
We know the story that the serpent tempted Eve while Adam stood by and watched. Through the disobedience of the first man death entered into the world for all men.
12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all people, because all sinned.
The curse of spiritual death came and entered the world without exception affecting each and every person, all of humanity.
23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God;
When we look out into the world we see all of the ways that we are different than other people. We separate ourselves into all sorts of groups and camps. We separate by age, the young and the old, by economic, the rich and the poor, by nationality, by race. We separate by physical characteristics like height, weight, strength, health. We separate by religion, ancestry. The list keeps going on and on about the ways in which human being distinguish themselves from each other. but at the most basic and natural part of us we are all united into the same common group. We are all born spiritually dead. We are all born, living in this world as the walking dead, living in darkness.
Dead in our trespasses and sins. This is the life before Christ. A life that that is filled with the behavior of this world. Following the ways that the cunning deceiver has created. Schemes of the devil
11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens.
The spirit of the air, the devil. The deceiver, the lier. The one who is at work in the disobedient. The one who continues to scheme and raise up idea after idea to turn men and women from seeing the truth that is God.
3 For although we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh, 4 since the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but are powerful through God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments 5 and every proud thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ.
The arguments of lies that the world lives by that draws people away from God. The driving force of the walking dead.
3 We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also.
The state of living out all of the fleshly and sinful desires that come to mind. To pursue self above all.
16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s possessions—is not from the Father, but is from the world.
This is the motivation of those that are spiritually dead. They may look alive, the may have the image of a person who is alive but their motivations betray them. And in this state there is no hope there is no way out. The walking dead cannot be anything but hostile toward God.
7 The mindset of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit to God’s law. Indeed, it is unable to do so.
21 Once you were alienated and hostile in your minds as expressed in your evil actions.
In the minds of those that are lost, there are only desires of the flesh. As whatever is desired, any inclination that comes to mind becomes the motive to live for one’s own self. This is natural and easy for every one. I have never met anyone who says “Pastor I really struggle when the bible teaches on selfishness. I have to work very hard to pursue what I want. All I have ever wanted is to do what is good for others.” That is not what is natural. I have never talked to a parent that had to teach a kid to be selfish. I have never met a child who didn’t put their wants before others.
This is the natural inclination of the walking dead and if God did not intervene with the hearts and minds of men and women. If he did not do a work there no hope. Every person would stay as children under wrath.
But there are two simple words that are some of the most amazing words in scripture.
But God, without the hand of God actively and intentionally coming into the world and into the hearts of the lost, what a hopeless state we would be in, But God.
But God
But God
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, 5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! 6 He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—9 not from works, so that no one can boast.
God who is rich, abounding, in mercy intervenes to redeem those that have not redeeming qualities. Because of his abounding mercy he put off the punishment of sin so that at the right time he may demonstrate his great love for us. It is lost in some English translations. But love is repeated in the Greek.
Because of the great love in which he loved us. He made us alive even though we we dead in trespasses. He did not make us alive as individuals one at a time separate. It says the God made us alive with Christ. He made you alive with him. The phrase “made you alive with him” is a single Greek word that means to reanimate conjointly or to quicken together. Paul is saying that the believer is made alive conjointly with Christ. As he lives so does the believer.
This word is only used one other place in the bible and it is in Colossians.
11 You were also circumcised in him with a circumcision not done with hands, by putting off the body of flesh, in the circumcision of Christ, 12 when you were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And when you were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you alive with him and forgave us all our trespasses.
This is the truth we proclaim when a person chooses to follow the scriptures and be baptized. Baptism by a person is a proclamation of the regenerative work of God by raising them in new life through their faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and savior. Buried with him in baptism and raised through faith. In the working of God.
God who raised Jesus from the dead. And when you were dead in your trespasses God made yo alive “with him”.
This is necessary for there to be any hope. Jesus said to Nicodemus
3 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
A truth that a new life, not one of a human nature but one that can only be accomplished by the will of the one who is rich in mercy and has great love, God
11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name, 13 who were born, not of natural descent, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God.
It was by grace that we are saved. By God’s unmerited favor.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, 5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! 6 He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—9 not from works, so that no one can boast.
God saves people and “raised them up with with him”. This is another word that has a meaning of an action taking place with Christ and people. This word means to rise together as if being awaken from slumber together. As Christ is raised up by God so are his children also being raised up. To be seated in the heavens.
For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourself; it is God’s gift...
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.
Can there be any gift of greater value? A true gift. One that was not earned, was not owed. This is not one of those gifts that is given in response to someone else’s gift. This is the work of the resurrection. Without Christ dying and God raising him, and God uniting us in this work, there is nothing for us. There is not way back to God. We all die in the misery of our own waste as we create the fruit if unrighteousness.
We are taken from the pit, from the bottom of the well, from the depths of darkness and by his work we are brought to a new place to a new life. One that one can boast in. One that only gives God the glory.
4 Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be in the likeness of his resurrection. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be rendered powerless so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin, 7 since a person who has died is freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him, 9 because we know that Christ, having been raised from the dead, will not die again. Death no longer rules over him.
United in Christ in the likeness of his death and so we have hope that we will also united with him in the likeness of his resurrection. Our old self has been hung on the cross with our savior. Crucified with him so that we may no longer slaves to sin. bound to only sin for the duration of our lives. but to be free for the first time in out lives to live.
Death has no rule of Jesus and so those who have been raised and made alive with him will live forever in the newness of a life in Christ. In Christ and Christ alone the walking dead are made alive. The curse of Adam’s fall is overcome with the one who will unite to himself a people for God.
19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile everything to himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
For
22 For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.
This is the reality for those that see their need of a savior and put there hope in Jesus as their Lord and savior. But in this new life there is more than just sitting and admiring the cross. To many live as if resurrection is just a good movie or a good story to believe in. A teaching that was great and now I will be thankful that he did what he did but now let me go back to my own life.
But let us look at the next verse.
Walk in Life
Walk in Life
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Because we have been raise with him, it is time to get to work. God prepared work for us to do. He states that we are to walk in them to live in a way that exhibits these behaviors. Work that he give us everything we need to accomplish.
3 His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
Much of the new testament give instruction on how those that have been saved are to live. Today we will quickly look at three aspects of this new life.
First we must seek.
1 So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
If you have been born again, then you are to seek the things above. To search out the unveiling truths of Christ seated at the right hand of God. To willfully and intentionally turn our minds and attention from this world to the next one. To seek to know what is going to be burnt away and what will be endure. Too many claim that Christ died for them but live as if he never existed.
When a person seeks the truth of the word they will be both encouraged and convicted by it. The Holy Words of God will reveal our sin to us. We will see what is of the flesh and earthly in contrast to what is of God, that which is good and heavenly.
When this happens there is second aspect to a believer’s life. We must put off what is of the flesh and be renewed into the image of the one who saved us.
5 Therefore, put to death what belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, God’s wrath is coming upon the disobedient, 7 and you once walked in these things when you were living in them. 8 But now, put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator. 11 In Christ there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all.
Dealing with sin is not easy. Why? Because it is natural, it is our default setting. It usually means that there are hard decisions to make. There are things that will have to be removed from our lives. The pride of men and women do not want to admit that they are weak or in error. So our sinful nature fights against admitting to ourselves that we need to change, we need to repent and turn from our sin.
We must come to see the damage that sin continues to bring into our lives and know that obedience to God’s words are good for us, the are a blessing from the Lord.
The Christian life isn’t just spending every day trying not to sin. It is training in righteousness. Working for the kingdom and putting one the new life that has been recieved.
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive. 14 Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Jesus said if you love me you will follow my commands. The work of the Holy Spirit in our lives produces desires that are contrary to the desires of the flesh. He fills our hearts with new desires, ones that lead to righteousness and good works. Paul would right to the Galatians.
16 I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Christians are to walk by the Spirit. To hears his words that were written in God word as God breathed out the scriptures through human agents. The desires of the flesh produce that which is against God and the desires of the Spirit produce in us the character of God himself.
19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I am warning you about these things—as I warned you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
There is no conflict in the mind of a person who has not come before the Lord and been saved by Jesus. They don’t see any other way to live. But for the believer there are these two desires at work. Any we have the freedom to act and follow either of them but one leads to fruit of righteousness and the other leads to the fruit of wickedness.
A new life will have proof of spiritual life. It may be slow and it will likely be messy but a true believer will over time show the effect of the Spirit of Christ in their lives. John would say how we treat each other does reveal new life.
14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers and sisters. The one who does not love remains in death.
God has prepared good works for us to do and we are commanded to walk in them.
Conclusion
Conclusion
When we sift out everything that has been added to Easter over the centuries, when you take away all of the man made traditions, when the eggs and baskets, the candy and rabbits, the church traditions, and everything else, there isn’t much left.
All that is really left is a day in which the children of God, those that have been saved and united with him. Those who have faith and believe that Jesus has saved them from their sins. They gather in reflection, celebration, and thanksgiving to God for the resurrection of Jesus from the dead and that God choose to unite his children to Christ.
Without the resurrection there is no salvation, there is no new life. There is just walking dead. But we are his children.
We are Loved.
We are Forgiven.
We are Righteous.
We have been risen with him. Buried in baptism and raised to walk in new life. We are to live out the greatest commandments.
37 He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the greatest and most important command. 39 The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. 40 All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.”
1 I hear the Savior say, "Thy strength indeed is small, Child of weakness, watch and pray, Find in Me thine all in all."
Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe; Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.
2 Lord, now indeed I find Thy pow'r and Thine alone, Can change the leper's spots And melt the heart of stone. [Refrain]
3 For nothing good have I Where-by Thy grace to claim; I'll wash my garments white In the blood of Calv'ry's Lamb.
4 And when, before the throne, I stand in Him complete, "Jesus died my soul to save," My lips shall still repeat. [Refrain]
Prayer
Benediction
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
