How To Live Above the World
Notes
Transcript
We spent a lot fo time talking about Christ dying on earth, but now as He begins to tell us how to practically live our lives, we see Chrst no longer on the cross, but in Heaven.
Christ sits on the right hand of God
Christ sits on the right hand of God
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
The importance of Christ sitting is that He has finished the work He was called to do.
right hand— A person of high rank who puts someone on his right hand gives him equal honor with himself and recognizes him as of equal dignity
Christ hides our life in God
Christ hides our life in God
When we focus on Christ, we focus on God, because Christ is in God and we are in Christ.
For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
We have a union with Christ in His resurrection. We have shared that resurrection and now our lives have become unified in His life.
For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
Christ will appear to us and then with us in glory
Christ will appear to us and then with us in glory
When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
I. Sit with Christ
I. Sit with Christ
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
The resurrection is the secret for living above the world.
To sit with Christ means that we must rest with Him in the completed work of Calvary. Stop doubting your position with God and rest in Christ’s work.
Sitting with Christ means you have surrendered your life
Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
Paul now begins the practical instruction for the believer. He had laid the foundational work and the first words that revealed the secret to a successful practical Christian life is “If ye then be risen with Christ.”
A. The Believer is presently spiritually resurrected.
A. The Believer is presently spiritually resurrected.
The tense of “be risen” is something that has happened at a point of time in the past.
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
It has already happened to one that has been born again at the time of salvation
If you are risen — Those that are legalistic havent recognized they are risen
B. The Believer has spiritual power in the resurrection
B. The Believer has spiritual power in the resurrection
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
1. Power to raise our bodies
And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.
But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
2. Power to live right
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
If we have been crucidied with Christ, we have had our sins penalty paid and have sin’s power defeated. If we reckon this to betrut, we can live in teh resurrection power of God.
3. Power to Spiritually Choose Right
3. Power to Spiritually Choose Right
Weare not just talking about the fact that Jesus rose,but if Jesus rose and we were buried into His death, then we ourselves are also resurrected.
We have the same victory that Chrst has over death and over sin. We just need to believe it.
Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
reckon — account. To reckon, impute, number.
If you are saved, you are already seated, but you need to reckon it so.
Impute it to your mind that you are already resurrected.
II. Seek Things Above
II. Seek Things Above
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Seek — to seek after, look for, strive to find
above — Above, in a higher place
Once you have your position settled from where you focus, you now seek for the blessings in that place.
You can see what Man can do when they seek thos ethings that are below. This is what causedmen to create a great city called Babylon and a tower called Babel. God never wanted men to join together to seek things below. He has called teh individual, teh church, teh family to seek above.
Cain’s line was industrious, but failures, all of them. They couldn’t see past the filth and ambitions of earth, but they did great feats for men.
Seth’s line called upon the name of the Lord. They were not listed with teh greta earthly endeavours, but they were blessed on teh earth because they were seeking that whoich was above not below.
Christians miss so much when all they don’t look up.
Pschologists say, “look within”
The opportunist says “look around”
Th optimist says, “look ahead”
The pessimist says”Look out!”
God says, “Look up”
The fool says “look down” and keep placing yourself into teh bondage of this world instead of looking up.
Jesus had to tell tehe disciple’s to look up for the fields were white, ready to harvest”
All they could see is that he was speaking to a Samaritan woman, cultural issues, personal issues, but not teh things of God in reaching souls.
A. The Potential to Seek
A. The Potential to Seek
For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
We have not earned a place at our SaviOur’s side in glory. Jesus first came to seek for us, so that we could seek for Him.
We are not seeking for salvation, we are seeking the things that Godsaid we could have because we are saved.
We could not seek when we were lost,but now that we are saved we can seek teh things of God.
B. The Priority in Seeking
B. The Priority in Seeking
For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.
Seek first for God’s spiritual kingdom
Seek first for God’s spiritual kingdom
Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
When you find yourself getting ancxious about this world, give it to the Lord in prayer.
The true blessings are with Christ in Heaven. Don’t only expect for Him to bless you using earthly means. The real blessings are in Heaven.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Illustration: Solomon asked for understanding and wisdom, but teh Lord lso gve him what He needed on earth, but because he sought for tehthings of Heaven first!
III. Set Your Affections Above
III. Set Your Affections Above
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
set your affections — mind. To think, have a mindset, be minded. The activity represented by this word involves the will, affections, and conscience.
A. The Treasure of Your Heart
A. The Treasure of Your Heart
Your life will be formed according to the treausre you seek., The treasure you seek is what you love. Some love money and riches and therefore their decsions are made based upon money
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
We are dead to the world, so we should not live for this world, but fo rthose things above
B. The Thinking of Your Heart —What you set your heart on is what will determine what you will be.
B. The Thinking of Your Heart —What you set your heart on is what will determine what you will be.
For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; But his heart is not with thee.
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
IV. Surrender To Live Christ’s Life
IV. Surrender To Live Christ’s Life
For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
We seek above for the high calling. There are many lower callings that come from the world, but we must seek the prize from above, for fullfilling God’s calling for our lives.
We are presnt with the Lord in spirit today, but one day we will appear before the Father with Christ in glory. The glory is Christ and everything that is. We will be rewarded for living life with Christ.
And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
Invitation:
Are you risen? Reckon it so
Are yu seeking, striving to know God