Living a Crucified Life

20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

INTRODUCTION:

· Illustration:

o “Belief vs. Discipleship” (KMB 113)

To believe costs nothing; to follow Christ is expensive.

I believe in Christ’s work for me, but discipleship is the result of His work in me.

Believers consider themselves first; disciples consider Christ first.

Believers (only) produce no perfect fruit, but disciples are known by their fruit.

Belief saves my soul, but discipleship glorifies Christ.

Believers (only) are not necessarily known as Christians, but disciples are known as Christians.

Believers go to heaven; disciples are richly rewarded there.

—Calvary Church News

· Jesus’ death should have a practical impact on your life and mine. In this passage, we see the needed impact. We are to lead a “crucified life”.

I. CHRIST LIVING THROUGH YOU (VS. 20 A).

“My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.”

A. This begins with a crucified will.

1. The will must be sacrificed daily. (1 Corinthians 15:31)

1 Corinthians 15:31 HCSB

31 I affirm by the pride in you that I have in Christ Jesus our Lord: I die every day!

a) You must die to self -will, that Christ might live through you.

b) You must seek his will continually.

(1) Through the clear teachings of Scripture.

(a) Examples:

(i) Witnessing (Acts 1:8)

Acts 1:8 NLT

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

(ii) Praying (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

1 Thessalonians 5:17 NLT

17 Never stop praying.

(iii) Studying (2 Timothy 2:15)

2 Timothy 2:15 NLT

15 Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.

(iv) Stewardship (Mal. 3:10)

Malachi 3:10 NLT

10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!

(v) Worship (Hebrews 10:25)

Hebrews 10:25 NLT

25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

(vi) Love (John 15:12)

John 15:12 NLT

12 This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.

(2) Through common principles taught in Scripture.

(2 Corinthians 5:14-18)

2 Corinthians 5:14–18 NLT

14 Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. 15 He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. 16 So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! 17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.

(a) Examples:

(i) Associations

(ii) Entertainment

(iii) Hobbies

(3) Through the conviction and leadership of the Holy Spirit.

(a) Convicting of sin in your life.

(John 16:8)

John 16:8 NLT

8 And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.

(b) Calling you to service

(Acts 9:1-20)

Acts 9:1–20 NLT

1 Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest. 2 He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains. 3 As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” 5 “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! 6 Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone’s voice but saw no one! 8 Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. 9 He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink. 10 Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord!” he replied. 11 The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. 12 I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.” 13 “But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! 14 And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.” 15 But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. 16 And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.” 17 So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. 19 Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength. Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days. 20 And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God!”

(Acts 13:2)

Acts 13:2 NLT

2 One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Appoint Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them.”

c) God is to be our pilot, not our co-pilot!

2. The will must be sacrificed completely.

(Romans 12:1-2)

Romans 12:1–2 NLT

1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

a) Die to the world.

b) Die to your own will.

(1) Even in regard to good things.

(Acts 16:6-10)

Acts 16:6–10 NLT

6 Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time. 7 Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there. 8 So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas. 9 That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” 10 So we decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there.

B. This continues as we walk in Christ’s will.

(Galatians 2:20b)

Galatians 2:20b (NLT)

20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.

1. Letting Christ live through you is key.

a) Christ lives in you.

(1) He entered at the point you trusted in Him.

(John 14:16-17)

John 14:16–17 NLT

16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.

(Ephesians 1:13-14)

Ephesians 1:13–14 NLT

13 And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. 14 The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.

(2) At this moment He is still there.

(Hebrews 13:5)

Hebrews 13:5 NLT

5 Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”

b) Christ lives through you as you allow Him to.

(John 12:32)

John 12:32 NLT

32 And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.”

(1) Hymn: “Let Others See Jesus In You”

1, While passing thro' this world of sin, and others your life shall view, Be clean and pure without, within; Let others see Jesus in you.

2. Your life's a book before their eyes, They're reading it thro' and thro' Say, does it point them to the skis, Do others see Jesus in you.

3. Then live for Christ both day and night, Be faithful, be brave and true, and lead the lost to life and Christ. Let others see Jesus in you.

Refrain:

Let others see Jesus in you,

Let others see Jesus in you.

Keep telling the story,

be faithful and true;

Let others see Jesus in you.

(2) The Primary objective is to allow Him to fill you and live fully through you.

(a) Illustration: What God Claims” (KMB 113)

“What God claims, I yield;

What I yield, He accepts;

What He accepts, He fills;

What He fills, He uses;

What He uses, He blesses.”

—Moody Monthly

II. CHRIST’S LOVE OPERATING IN YOU (VS. 20 B).

“So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

A. The faith relationship enables us to live for Christ.

1. This life begins by faith.

(Ephesians 2:8)

Ephesians 2:8 NLT

8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.

a) Not by works

(Romans 3:20)

Romans 3:20 NLT

20 For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.

(1) Acrostic:

F orsaking

A ll

T rust

H im

(2) It is a belief that commits the utmost to one who is unseen.

Like Moses did. (Hebrews 11:27)

Hebrews 11:27 (NLT)

27 It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible.

(a) Past Sins

(b) Present circumstances

2. This life continues by faith.

(Romans 1:17)

Romans 1:17 NLT

17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”

a) This means relinquishing control to Him!

B. This faith relationship empowered by love gives motivation for service.

(1 John 4:10)

1 John 4:10 NLT

10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

1. We respond to His love.

2. This response to His love bears fruit.

CONCLUSION:

A- Summary

B- Illustration:

· “Burning Bridges” (KMB 108)

A young woman who was converted several years ago wrote her pastor letter. She had made a profession of salvation, but had never gone on. Her experience is just what keeps many from walking in close fellowship with Christ. In her letter she said: “I had so many idols, I wasn’t willing to face the ridicule of my office associates, yes, and of my own relations; also I belonged to several worldly clubs. I loved the friendship of worldly people whom I was sure would scorn me if I was a true Christian. I loved too well the good things of the world, like clothes, beyond what I could afford, but as this year draws near its close, by God’s help, I am going to ‘burn my bridges’ and tear every idol from my heart, and from henceforth be a true Christian.”