He Is The Reason_pt1: We Live

In a culture where Christmas has the interest of everyone - even non-believers, it’s easy to allow ourselves to forget what this season is all about...

And on the other end of the spectrum, it’s also easy to forget to live this meaning, all year long!

1 Corinthians 2:1–2 The Message

You’ll remember, friends, that when I first came to you to let you in on God’s master stroke, I didn’t try to impress you with polished speeches and the latest philosophy. I deliberately kept it plain and simple: first Jesus and who he is; then Jesus and what he did—Jesus crucified.

This entire life we share is about Jesus. He is the reason...

He is the reason...

[STORY] - Have you ever seen those people who’s dogs just walk calmly next to them?

Well, we’ve never experienced that!

[Jake on the Promenade in Santa Monica]

Jake saw an opportunity to run as an opportunity to LIVE!

He wasn’t being rebellious, he just wanted to LIVE!

[PAYOFF] - How about that animals who have been abused - chain or caged inhumanly. Once the chains are broken, they don’t seem to run into freedom, as you would expect.

[WHY?] - Because they have lost the will to live...

[WRITE IT DOWN] - He is the reason... we live!

We live

Before Christ, because of sin, we were dead.

Romans 6:4 NIV

We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

“you were dead in your transgressions and sins” -

Romans 6:4 NIV

We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

He took our sin and died for us, so that we could take advantage of His death.

Romans 7 NIV

Do you not know, brothers and sisters—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law has authority over someone only as long as that person lives? For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law that binds her to him. So then, if she has sexual relations with another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man. So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. For when we were in the realm of the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death. But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code. What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead. Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good. Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! Nevertheless, in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it used what is good to bring about my death, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful. We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

Romans 7:6 NIV

But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.

Once we could only serve God through a strict written law. That is all gone now!

Romans 7::6

2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

[PAYOFF] - This new is the life we have in Christ!

Since we have been given life.... [NOW] - (next step) let’s Live!

Next step: Live!

[TRANSITION] - Because Jesus is the reason we live, He now becomes the reason we worship.

We worship

[STORY] - The night Jesus was arrested, he was in the garden praying...

John 17:25–26 NIV

“Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

We know because of , that He sent His Son because He already loved us...

[PAYOFF] - we can see that He also sent His Son so that we could have that same love!

WRITE: Love out next to “Worship”

John 17

Loving our Father in Heaven, His Son who saved, and our neighbor! (loving others is worshipping or Father!)

[TRANSITION] - Because Jesus is the reason we worship, He is now the reason we gather…

[NOW] - (next step) Love!

Next step: Love!

[TRANSITION] - Because Jesus is the reason we worship, He is now the reason we gather

We gather

[STORY] - The n

Hebrews 10:24–25 NIV

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

All the more… We gather around Christ, to fellowship and grow in His love, and to await His triumphant return!

We Gather @ Connect Church:

To worship

To agree

To love

Acts 2:46–47 NIV

Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

[NOTE] - Why do we worship on Sunday? (10 Commandments say: Sabbath (Sat.))

Traditional Sabbath worship on Saturday at the Synagogue… followed by the Lord’s Supper on Sunday (Sat evening)

Persecution drove Jewish Christians out of the Synagogues

Gentile Christians, without the Jewish understanding, allows the Agape meal to slip out of practice.

() “On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people…” (Communion & Preaching)

() “On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.” (Giving tithes & offerings)

“Community (fellowship) has begun. Routine and habit - this is good!

“Habit” is good if there is “heart”

[NOW] - (next step) Fellowship!

Acts 2:46-47

Next step: Fellowship!

[TRANSITION] - Because Jesus is the reason we gather, He is now the reason we give…

We give

This time of year there is lots of gift giving

It’s easy to fall into the mindset that Christmas is about presents and such...

[BUT] - we must remind ourselves that EVERYDAY is about GIVING… of ourselves!...

1 Peter 4:7–11 NIV

The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Ephesians 2:10 NIV

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

1 Pet

We were created to do it, gifted and prepared to do it, planned in advance to do it… now, the next step is to...

Next step: Obey!

Take Away

2 Peter 1:2–3 NIV

Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

Everything for living has been downloaded to us through Christ...

“knowledge of Him” - “not merely of intellectual apprehension, but rather of deep contemplation; the knowledge which implies love—for only love can concentrate continually the powers of the soul in close meditation upon its object.” - Spence-Jones, H. D. M. (Ed.). (1909). 2 Peter (p. 2). London; New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company.

Ephesians 1:17–23 NIV

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

not merely of intellectual apprehension, but rather of deep contemplation; the knowledge which implies love—for only love can concentrate continually the powers of the soul in close meditation upon its object.

Spence-Jones, H. D. M. (Ed.). (1909). 2 Peter (p. 2). London; New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company.

[PAYOFF] - ALL LIFE IS WRAPPED UP IN HIM!

Philippians 3:8 NIV

What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ

He is the reason we live (He is the reason we have life), because....

He is life!

Colossians 3:4 NKJV

When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

Related Media

Related Sermons