Living For Christ

EPHESIANS 1:7-10 A FELLA NAMED ROB CUTSHAW •OWNED A ROCK SHOP IN NORTH CAROLINA. •LIKE MANY IN HIS TRADE, HE HUNTED FOR ROCKS, •THEN SOLD THEM TO COLLECTORS OR JEWELRY MAKERS. •HE KNEW ENOUGH ABOUT ROCKS ↓ TO DECIDE WHICH TO PICK UP •AND SELL, BUT HE WAS NO EXPERT. •HE LEFT THE APPRAISING OF HIS ROCKS TO OTHER PEOPLE. •WHILE ON A DIG IN 1969 ROB FOUND A ROCK •HE DESCRIBED AS "REAL BIG AND KINDA PRETTY" HE PUT THE ROCK IN HIS SHOP •BUT EVEN AFTER A FEW YEARS NO ONE BOUGHT IT •ACCORDING TO ROB HE ENDED UP •KEEPING THE ROCK UNDER HIS BED •ROB HAD HOPED TO GET AS MUCH AS $500 DOLLARS, FOR THE BIG BLUE HUNK A ROCK •BUT HE WOULD HAVE TAKEN LESS IF SOMEONE OFFERED IT… •THAT'S HOW CLOSE ROB CAME TO SELLING •FOR A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS WHAT TURNED OUT TO BE THE •ONE OF THE LARGEST, MOST VALUABLE SAPPHIRE EVER FOUND. •THE BLUE ROCK THAT ROB HAD ABANDONED •TO THE DARKNESS UNDER HIS BED FOR ALMOST TWO DECADES •NOW KNOWN AS "THE STAR OF DAVID" IT WEIGHS NEARLY A POUND, ITS VALUE HAS BEEN ESTIMATED IN •THE MILLIONS.. THERE ARE TIMES IN THIS LIFE •WHEN WE JUST DON’T KNOW •THE VALUE OF WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE. •THIS IS SAD WHEN IT IS SOMETHING MATERIAL, LIKE A GEM STONE BUT IT IS INFINITELY SADDER •WHEN IT IS SPIRITUAL… •WHEN WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN SOMETHING BY GOD •AND WE FAIL TO UNDERSTAND •THE VALUE OF GOD’S GIFT.. WE NEED TO KNOW THE VALUE •OF THE FREEDOM GOD HAS GIVEN US •OF THE FORGIVENESS OF OUR SINS.. •THE VALUE OF THE GRACE HE HAS LAVISHED ON US •IN THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST WE NEED TO KNOW THE VALUE •OF THESE THINGS…. BECAUSE WE CANNOT •LIVE LIKE ONE WHO IS TRULY FREE •UNTIL WE UNDERSTAND JUST HOW VALUABLE •THAT FREEDOM IS.. TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LOOK •AT PAUL EXPLAINING OUR FREEDOM •THROUGH THE GOSPEL IN CHRIST JESUS •AND HOW THIS PROCESS IS PART OF GOD •COMPLETING HIS PLAN FOR CREATION TURN TO EPHESIANS 1:7 •PAUL HAD JUST TOLD THE EPHESIANS •HOW THE FATHER HAD PREDESTINED THEM •TO ADOPTION THROUGH CHRIST •AND HOW THIS WAS DONE TO PRAISE THE GLORY OF THE FATHER •AND HIS GRACE WHICH WAS GIVEN IN THE BELOVED (JESUS CHRIST) EPHESIANS 1:7–8 “IN HIM WE HAVE REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD, THE FORGIVENESS OF OUR TRESPASSES, ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF HIS GRACE WHICH HE LAVISHED ON US. IN ALL WISDOM AND INSIGHT” IF WE ARE GONNA LIVE FOR CHRIST •WE NEED TO LIVE AS ONE BOUGHT FOR A PRICE… •WHEN PAUL SAYS IN HIM WE HAVE REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD, •THAT WORD REDEMPTION MEANS TO RELEASE OR SET FREE. TO LIBERATE OR DELIVER SOMETHING •THAT WAS ENSLAVED OR CAPTIVE… •AND PAUL JUST SAID… WE AS BELIEVERS IN JESUS CHRIST •HAVE REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD •WE GOTTA UNDERSTAND THAT MEANS WE WERE ONCE, ENSLAVED OR •CAPTIVE…I THINK MAYBE…TO BE REDEEMED YOU HAVE TO HAVE BEEN CAPTIVE… • SOMETIMES… WE DON’T REALLY GET THIS… •DO WE REALLY DEEP DOWN KNOW IN OUR HEARTS •THAT WE WERE SLAVES TO SIN JOHN 8:34 “JESUS ANSWERED THEM, “TRULY, TRULY, I SAY TO YOU, EVERYONE WHO COMMITS SIN IS THE SLAVE OF SIN. “ ROMANS 6:6 “KNOWING THIS, THAT OUR OLD SELF WAS CRUCIFIED WITH HIM, IN ORDER THAT OUR BODY OF SIN MIGHT BE DONE AWAY WITH, SO THAT WE WOULD NO LONGER BE SLAVES TO SIN;” WHEN I LOOK BACK AT HOW I •USED TO LIVE.. I CAN SEE THAT I WAS A SLAVE TO SIN •NOT JUST IN MY ACTIONS… BUT IN MY THOUGHTS AND WORDS •I DID NOT KNOW IT AT THE TIME… I FELT LIKE I WAS FREE •BUT I WAS UTTERLY BOUND UP IN SIN… EVERY NOW AND THEN WE NEED •TO TAKE THE TIME TO LOOK BACK ON OUR ENSLAVEMENT... •REMEMBER OUR CAPTIVITY IN SIN… •SO THAT WE CAN FULLY APPRECIATE OUR REDEMPTION… •FREEDOM FROM BONDAGE... AND WHEN WE KNOW WE ARE •FREE…. WE NEED TO LIVE LIKE WE ARE FREE… •REJOICE… RELAX… BE AT PEACE WITH GOD… •NOT WORRYING AND LOOKING OVER OUR SHOULDER •NOT FEARING WHAT IS TO COME… JOHN 8:36 “SO IF THE SON MAKES YOU FREE, YOU WILL BE FREE INDEED.” SO LIVE FREE… NOT AS ONE •WHO IS ANXIOUS ABOUT TOMORROW… •NOT AS ONE WHO IS ENSLAVED IN SIN •NOT AS ONE CONDEMNED… •BUT AS ONE WHO IS FREE •AS ONE WHO HAS RECEIVED THE FORGIVENESS OF OUR •TRESPASSES, … THIS WAS REQUIRED FOR OUR REDEMPTION… •THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST… •OUR TRESPASSES…. OUR SINS… HAD TO BE FORGIVEN… •AND THIS WORD FORGIVEN IS AMAZING… •IT MEANS TO SEND AWAY… TO REMOVE… AND THE BLOOD OF CHRIST DID NOT •REMOVE OUR SINS JUST A LITTLE WAYS.. PSALM 103:12 “AS FAR AS THE EAST IS FROM THE WEST, SO FAR HAS HE REMOVED OUR TRANSGRESSIONS FROM US.” CHRIST’S DEATH ON THE CROSS •REMOVED OUR SINS COMPLETELY AWAY FROM US… •AS FAR AS THE EAST IS FROM THE WEST… •THIS HAD TO BE DONE… BECAUSE WE COULD NOT BE FREE •WHILE WE WERE STILL IN OUR SINS.. •BUT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING WE COULD EARN… IF WE ARE GONNA LIVE FOR CHRIST •WE NEED TO LIVE AS ONE WHO DID NOT EARN THEIR FREEDOM •PAUL MAKES IT REALLY CLEAR THAT WE DID NOT EARN REDEMPTION. •ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF HIS GRACE WHICH HE LAVISHED ON US IN ALL WISDOM AND INSIGHT. THIS IS A DESCRIPTION OF THE WAY •CHRIST REDEEMED US… HE DID IT… •ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF HIS GRACE. •GRACE IS UNMERITED FAVOR… •GRACE IS GETTING SOMETHING FAR BETTER THAN WHAT YOU COULD EARN… •THAT IS WHAT IS SO AMAZING ABOUT GRACE.. AND JUST LOOK AT HOW HE GAVE •THIS GRACE…HE LAVISHED IT ON US IN ALL WISDOM AND INSIGHT •NOW SOME FOLKS WANT TO SAY •THAT THIS LAVISHED ON US GOES WITH THE NEXT VERSE •BUT THE GRAMMAR IN THE GREEK IS PRETTY CLEAR… IT IS THE RICHES OF HIS GRACE THAT HE LAVISHED ON US… •THIS SHOULD REALLY HELP US •TO LIVE LIKE SOMEONE WHO DID NOT EARN REDEMPTION… •SEE IF WE THOUGHT WE DID SOMETHING •TO EARN OUR SALVATION, WE MIGHT GET A LITTLE PUFFED UP ABOUT IT. EPHESIANS 2:8–9 “FOR BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED THROUGH FAITH; AND THAT NOT OF YOURSELVES, IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD; NOT AS A RESULT OF WORKS, SO THAT NO ONE MAY BOAST.” AND TRUST ME… IF I HAD EARNED •MY SALVATION… I WOULD BE BOASTING ABOUT IT. •BUT NONE OF US CAN BOAST OR BRAG •BECAUSE WE HAVE REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD, •THE FORGIVENESS OF OUR SINS •ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF HIS GRACE WHICH HE LAVISHED •ON US IN ALL WISDOM AND INSIGHT. •AND DID YOU NOTICE HOW IT SAYS WE HAVE •NOT WILL HAVE… BUT HAVE AS IN HAVE IT RIGHT NOW… •SINCE WE HAVE IT NOW WE NEED TO LIVE IN IT NOW.. BOOKER T. WASHINGTON ONCE •DESCRIBED WHAT HAPPENED •THE NIGHT OF THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION •"THERE WAS NO SLEEP THAT NIGHT," •"ALL WAS EXCITEMENT AND EXPECTANCY. •EARLY IN THE MORNING WE WERE ALL SENT FOR… THE PROCLAMATION WAS READ •AND WE WERE TOLD THAT WE WERE FREE •AND COULD GO WHEN AND WHERE WE PLEASED… •THERE WAS GREAT REJOICING… • HE GOES ON TO SAY, "BUT, THE WILD REJOICING DID NOT LAST LONG. BY THE TIME THEY RETURNED •TO THEIR CABINS, THERE WAS A CHANGE IN THEIR FEELINGS. •THE GREAT RESPONSIBILITY OF BEING FREE •SEEMED TO UPON THEM. •NOW THAT THEY WERE LIBERATED, •THEY FOUND POSSESSION OF FREEDOM TO BE MUCH MORE SERIOUS •BUSINESS THAN THEY HAD ANTICIPATED. •THERE IS A CHALLENGE TO LIVING FREE.. •WHEN WE WERE SLAVES TO SIN… WE HAD AN EXCUSE… •WE HAD NO CHOICE… WE HAD NO CALLING TO LIVE BY GOD’S WILL BUT NOW THAT WE ARE FREE IN •CHRIST… WE HAVE NO EXCUSE… •WE HAVE THE POWER TO CHOOSE TO NOT SIN… •WE ARE CALLED TO LIVE BY GOD’S WILL.. •THIS IS WONDERFUL.. THIS IS AMAZING.. •BUT THIS IS MUCH MORE CHALLENGING.. IT IS NOT DIFFICULT •TO LIVE AS A SLAVE TO SIN… JUST GO WITH THE FLOW •DO WHAT FEELS GOOD… CONFORM TO THE CULTURE… •BUT IT IS A CHALLENGE TO LIVE FOR CHRIST •AS ONE REDEEMED BY GRACE… EPHESIANS 1:9 “HE MADE KNOWN TO US THE MYSTERY OF HIS WILL, ACCORDING TO HIS KIND INTENTION WHICH HE PURPOSED IN HIM” IF WE ARE GONNA LIVE FOR CHRIST •WE NEED TO KNOW THAT GOD REVEALED THE GOSPEL OFFER TO US…. •SOME OF US LIKE TO THINK WE FIGURE THINGS OUT ALL ON OUR OWN… •THAT NOBODY HAS TO EXPLAIN ANYTHING TO US… •BUT PAUL TELLS US HE MADE KNOWN TO US •THE MYSTERY OF HIS WILL, •THE IDEA HERE IS THAT GOD THE FATHER…. •REVEALED… OR MADE KNOWN TO US… •THE MYSTERY OF HIS WILL. •WE DID NOT FIGURE THIS OUT ON OUR OWN BUT WHAT IS THE MYSTERY •OF HIS WILL?... WELL… IN THE BIBLE •A MYSTERY IS SOMETHING THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY HIDDEN •THAT HAS BEEN REVEALED. IN THIS PARTICULAR VERSE... •BECAUSE OF WHAT PAUL JUST SAID… •I THINK PAUL IS TALKING THE GOSPEL.. THE MYSTERY OF HIS WILL IS THE •GOSPEL MESSAGE… PAUL JUST TOLD US THAT WE HAVE •REDEMPTION THROUGH CHRIST’S BLOOD •THE FORGIVENESS OF OUR SINS ACCORDING TO •GOD’S GRACE…. THAT IS THE GOSPEL MESSAGE THIS WAS GOD’S PLAN FROM THE •BEGINNING… BUT THIS PLAN WAS NOT REVEALED… •WAS NOT MADE KNOWN… UNTIL JESUS CHRIST CAME INTO THE WORLD… •WE COULD NOT FIGURE OUT THIS PLAN ON OUR OWN… •GOD HAD TO MAKE THIS PLAN KNOWN TO US… ERIN AND I LOVE OLD MYSTERIES. •MY FAVORITE ONES ALL HAVE THE SAME SCENE IN THEM. •EVERYBODY IS GATHERED IN ONE ROOM AND THE DETECTIVE SAYS. •I GUESS YOU ARE ALL WONDERING WHY I HAVE CALLED YOU HERE. WHEN THEY SAY THAT YOU •KNOW THEY ARE GONNA TELL YOU WHO DID IT. •YOU SEE ANY TIME A MYSTERY IS SOLVED •SOMEONE HAS TO REVEAL SOMETHING. •SOMETHING THAT WAS HIDDEN HAS TO BECOME KNOWN, •AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE GOSPEL. GOD’S PLAN TO SAVE SINNER’S •BY GRACE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST •HAD BEEN A MYSTERY FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS… •AND THEN GOD MADE KNOWN THE MYSTERY OF HIS WILL.. IF WE ARE GONNA LIVE FOR CHRIST •WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND… NO ONE •FIGURES OUT THE GOSPEL ON THEIR OWN… •THE GOSPEL HAS TO BE REVEALED… OR MADE KNOWN •OUR PART IN THIS IS TELLING FOLKS ABOUT JESUS ROMANS 10:14 “HOW THEN WILL THEY CALL ON HIM IN WHOM THEY HAVE NOT BELIEVED? HOW WILL THEY BELIEVE IN HIM WHOM THEY HAVE NOT HEARD? AND HOW WILL THEY HEAR WITHOUT A PREACHER?” THAT WORD PREACHER MEANS… •PROCLAIMER… SOMEONE WHO TELLS PEOPLE ABOUT •GOD’S OFFER OF SALVATION THROUGH JESUS CHRIST… •IF WE ARE GONNA LIVE FOR CHRIST WE GOTTA PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL… IF WE ARE GONNA LIVE FOR CHRIST •WE NEED TO KNOW THAT IT WAS GOD’S DESIRE •TO REDEEM US THROUGH JESUS CHRIST •PAUL SAYS THAT GOD MADE THE GOSPEL KNOWN •ACCORDING TO HIS KIND INTENTION WHICH HE PURPOSED IN HIM GOD WANTED TO MAKE THE GOSPEL •KNOWN… HE DESIRED TO MAKE IT KNOWN.. •HE WAS NOT FORCED TO.. HE DID DO IT RELUCTANTLY… •HE DID IT ACCORDING TO HIS KIND INTENTION. •HIS FOND WISH… HE MADE THE GOSPEL KNOWN OUT OF HIS LOVE FOR US… •A LOVE THAT WAS PURPOSED AND REVEALED •IN JESUS CHRIST… A LOVE THAT DISPLAYED GOD’S •AMAZING GRACE… HIS UNMERITED FAVOR… •A LOVE THAT REDEEMED US AND FORGAVE OUR SINS LOVE IS THE DRIVING FORCE •BEHIND GOD’S PLAN FOR OUR SALVATION… •AND GOD WILL USE THIS PLAN OF SALVATION •TO BRING TOGETHER AND COMPLETE HIS PLAN FOR EVERYTHING… EPHESIANS 1:10 “WITH A VIEW TO AN ADMINISTRATION SUITABLE TO THE FULLNESS OF THE TIMES, THAT IS, THE SUMMING UP OF ALL THINGS IN CHRIST, THINGS IN THE HEAVENS AND THINGS ON THE EARTH.” IF WE ARE GONNA LIVE FOR CHRIST •WE NEED TO TRUST THAT SALVATION BY GRACE THROUGH CHRIST •BRINGS TOGETHER ALL THE OTHER PARTS OF GOD’S PLAN. •THAT IS WHAT PAUL MEANS WHEN HE SAYS WITH A VIEW TO AN •ADMINISTRATION SUITABLE TO THE FULLNESS OF THE TIMES, •THAT WORD ADMINISTRATION MEANS A SET OF PLANS •OR ARRANGEMENTS… AND IN THIS CASE •PAUL IS TALKING ABOUT THE PLANS OR ARRANGEMENTS OF THE GOSPEL… AND PAUL TELLS US THE GOSPEL •PLAN IS SUITABLE… SET UP FOR.. •THE FULLNESS OF TIMES… THE CONCLUSION OF EVERYTHING… •GOD’S PLAN STARTED BEFORE TIME STARTED •GOD’S PLAN INCLUDED THE CREATION OF ALL THINGS THE GARDEN WAS PART OF THE PLAN •EVEN THE FALL IN THE GARDEN WAS PART OF THE PLAN… •SO WAS THE FLOOD… AND THE TOWER OF BABEL… •ABRAM… ISAAC… JACOB… •JOSEPH… MOSES… ALL PART OF GOD’S PLAN AND GOD COMING IN THE FORM OF •A MAN… JESUS CHRIST… LIVING A SINLESS LIFE •DYING ON THE CROSS TO PAY FOR OUR SINS •RISING ON THE THIRD DAY… ASCENDING TO HEAVEN… •THIS WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE CONCLUSION OF GOD’S PLAN… GALATIANS 4:4–5 “BUT WHEN THE FULLNESS OF THE TIME CAME, GOD SENT FORTH HIS SON, BORN OF A WOMAN, BORN UNDER THE LAW, SO THAT HE MIGHT REDEEM THOSE WHO WERE UNDER THE LAW, THAT WE MIGHT RECEIVE THE ADOPTION AS SONS.” ALL PREVIOUS PARTS OF GOD’S PLAN •REACH THEIR FULLNESS IN THE GOSPEL… •IF WE ARE GONNA LIVE FOR CHRIST •WE NEED TO TRUST THAT THE GOSPEL BRINGS TOGETHER •ALL THE OTHER PARTS OF GOD’S PLAN… •TRUST THAT NOTHING WILL BE LEFT OUT… IF WE ARE GONNA LIVE FOR CHRIST… •WE GOTTA TRUST THAT EVERYTHING IN THE UNIVERSE •WILL BE COMPLETED IN CHRIST… •NOTHING WILL BE LEFT INCOMPLETE… •JUST IN CASE WE MIGHT THINK THIS DOES NOT COVER EVERYTHING… •PAUL SAYS… THAT IS, THE SUMMING UP OF •ALL THINGS IN CHRIST, THINGS IN THE HEAVENS AND THINGS ON THE EARTH. •I MEAN THAT IS PRETTY CLEAR… HE SAYS ALL THINGS… •SO I THINK THAT MEANS… ALL THINGS… •AND HE SPECIFICS… ALL THINGS IN HEAVENS AND THINGS ON THE EARTH… THAT’S EVERYTHING… IT’S NOT LIKE •THERE IS SOMEPLACE ELSE.. STUFF COULD BE HIDING… •AND ALL THESE THINGS… EVERYTHING WILL BE SUMMED UP… •COMPLETED OR FINISHED IN CHRIST… •THE QUESTION IS… DO WE LIVE LIKE WE BELIEVE THIS? WHEN WE GET UPSET ABOUT •SOME INJUSTICE IN THE WORLD… SOMEONE GOING UNPUNISHED… •WE HAVE FAILED TO UNDERSTAND •THAT ALL THINGS WILL BE COMPLETED IN CHRIST… •WHEN WE WONDER HOW GOD CAN ALLOW SUFFERING IN THE WORLD WE ARE NOT LIVING LIKE TRUST •THAT ALL THINGS WILL BE SUMMED UP IN CHRIST… •WHEN WE GET ANGRY AT GOD FOR THE HORRIBLE THINGS •THAT HAPPEN IN THIS LIFE… WE HAVE FORGOTTEN •THAT ALL THESE THINGS… EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM WILL BE DEALT WITH WHEN CHRIST •RETURNS… •THE SUMMING UP OF ALL THINGS IN CHRIST, •THINGS IN THE HEAVENS AND THINGS ON THE EARTH •BEGAN AT THE CROSS BUT IS NOT COMPLETED UNTIL HIS RETURN…. REVELATION 21:1–5 THEN I SAW A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH; FOR THE FIRST HEAVEN AND THE FIRST EARTH PASSED AWAY, AND THERE IS NO LONGER ANY SEA. AND I SAW THE HOLY CITY, NEW JERUSALEM, COMING DOWN OUT OF HEAVEN FROM GOD, MADE READY AS A BRIDE ADORNED FOR HER HUSBAND. AND I HEARD A LOUD VOICE FROM THE THRONE, SAYING, “BEHOLD, THE TABERNACLE OF GOD IS AMONG MEN, AND HE WILL DWELL AMONG THEM, AND THEY SHALL BE HIS PEOPLE, AND GOD HIMSELF WILL BE AMONG THEM, AND HE WILL WIPE AWAY EVERY TEAR FROM THEIR EYES; AND THERE WILL NO LONGER BE ANY DEATH; THERE WILL NO LONGER BE ANY MOURNING, OR CRYING, OR PAIN; THE FIRST THINGS HAVE PASSED AWAY.” AND HE WHO SITS ON THE THRONE SAID, “BEHOLD, I AM MAKING ALL THINGS NEW.” AND HE SAID, “WRITE, FOR THESE WORDS ARE FAITHFUL AND TRUE.” AND THAT IS HOW ALL THINGS •WILL BE SUMMED UP IN CHRIST… •EVERY INJUSTICE WILL BE DEALT WITH… •EVERY SUFFERING WILL HANDLED… •EVERY EVIL WILL BE ACCOUNTED FOR… •NOTHING WILL BE LEFT… ALL THINGS WILL BE MADE NEW…. IF WE ARE GONNA LIVE FOR CHRIST •WE GOTTA LIVE LIKE WE TRUST THIS… •NOW… I NEED TO BE HONEST HERE… •I AM NOT SAYING I CAN DO THIS ALL THE TIME… •I DON’T THINK ANY OF US CAN DO THIS PERFECTLY.. BUT I DO THINK WE CAN ALL DO IT •A LITTLE BETTER EACH DAY… •WE CAN WALK A LITTLE MORE IN FAITH… •WE CAN LIVE A LITTLE MORE LIKE ONE WHO HAS BEEN REDEEMED… •LIVE A LITTLE MORE LIKE ONE WHO DID NOT EARN THEIR SALVATION… WHEN ROB CUTSHAW FOUND THAT •BIG PRETTY BLUE ROCK… HE FOUND SOMETHING OF GREAT VALUE… •HE LIVED WITH THIS THING OF GREAT VALUE UNDER HIS BED FOR 20 YEARS… •DURING THAT TIME… HE STRUGGLED TO PAY HIS BILLS… •HE WORKED PART TIME CUTTING FIREWOOD… HE DID THIS BECAUSE HE DID NOT •KNOW THE VALUE OF WHAT HE HAD… •SOMETIMES I THINK WE HAVE THAT SAME PROBLEM… •WE HAVE SOMETHING OF IMMENSE VALUE… •IT IS RIGHT HERE WITH US ALL THE TIME.. BUT WE MISS OUT ON THE LIFE •WE COULD HAVE BECAUSE WE DON’T LIVE LIFE FOR CHRIST…. •IF WE ARE GONNA LIVE LIFE FOR CHRIST •WE HAVE TO LIVE AS SOMEONE BOUGHT FOR A PRICE.. •SOMEONE FREED FROM CAPTIVITY.. •FREED FROM SLAVERY TO SIN.. IF WE ARE GONNA LIVE FOR CHRIST •WE NEED TO LIVE LIKE WE DID NOT EARN OUR SALVATION… •NOT BRAGGING ABOUT HOW GOOD WE ARE.. •BUT BEING HUMBLE AND GRATEFUL FOR THE GRACE GOD HAS SHOWN US… •KNOWING BY GRACE WE HAVE BEEN SAVED… IF WE ARE GONNA LIVE FOR CHRIST •WE NEED TO PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL.. •KNOWING GOD MADE KNOWN HIS PLAN FOR OUR SALVATION •THROUGH JESUS CHRIST… •AND WE ARE CALLED TO TELL OTHERS THIS GOOD NEWS. IF WE ARE GONNA LIVE FOR CHRIST •WE NEED TO TRUST THAT EVERYTHING •IN HEAVEN AND IN EARTH WILL BE COMPLETED IN JESUS CHRIST…. •NOTHING WILL BE LEFT UNFINISHED •ALL THINGS WILL ACCOUNTED FOR… •THIS BEGAN WHEN CHRIST CAME THE FIRST TIME… AND THIS WILL BE COMPLETED •WHEN CHRIST RETURNS… •BUT… FOR US TO LIVE FOR CHRIST •WE FIRST HAVE TO BE BORN AGAIN IN CHRIST… •FOR US TO BE REDEEMED WE HAVE TO BELIEVE… GOD OFFERS US SALVATION… •REDEMPTION FROM SIN… •FORGIVENESS OF OUR TRESPASSES… •HE OFFERS THIS THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST… •AND WE CANNOT EARN THIS… •ALL WE CAN DO IS TRUST…. TRUST THAT GOD CAME •IN THE FORM OF A MAN… •LIVED A SINLESS LIFE… •DIED ON THE CROSS TO PAY FOR OUR SINS.. •ROSE AGAIN AFTER THREE DAYS… •ASCENDED TO HEAVEN.. AND HE IS COMING BACK…