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So my goal tonight isn't really I'm not really focused so much on teaching you deep things right now I'm just looking at the death of Christ and Similar to what I did with new life at the church last night last night I just covered some topics there in Romans 5 today. I want to start off with Romans 6 and You know Like tonight we're thinking about the death of Christ. I come in Sunday. Well, you know, we call it resurrection Sunday We rejoice at the fact that Jesus Christ rose from the dead Victorious over the grave of a death of a hell of a sin Over the devil in many ways and and so we can rejoice on the Sunday and think about his his resurrection What we generally do on this I guess Easter Wednesday or Thursday We often think about Christ and his death and the fact that he went to die and we all know why he died He died for you and I he died for our sins Our Lord God died and if you look at Romans 6 and verse number 8 it begins by saying Now he that is dead Sorry, let me read that again. Now if we be dead with Christ, that's a title for the sermon tonight We be dead with Christ. So what I want to do today is, you know, I don't really want to cover the death of Christ I just preached about that last night. So, you know, we recognize that the Lord Jesus Christ died We recognize that that is the means by which we received everlasting life But the death of Christ is more than just salvation The death of Christ symbolizes how we ought to respond in light of the truth that our Lord Jesus Christ died for us So before we focus in on verse number 8 there, let's look at verse number 6. It says 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 So the death of Christ is symbolic that our old man. Do you know what the old man is? That's our flesh It's the it's the body by which we were born into this world. That old man has been crucified with him So as we think about what Christ has done praise God for his salvation Praise God that I believe you're all saved here. At least the ones that are old enough to understand the gospel But what more does the death of Christ represents? It also represents that your flesh Your body has been crucified with Christ. What does that mean? It says that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth. We should not serve sin Now again, we deal with this reality This paradox if you will that God wants us to live a life that is righteous God does not want us to sin, you know But the reality is we are dealing with this crucified flesh as it were this dead old man that we have to be We have to wake up every morning too. And this flesh this old man has this constant desire to sin against the Lord It wants to serve itself. It doesn't want to serve the Lord the old man is selfish the new man that we receive in Christ Jesus or the new creature is Selfless the new man wants to serve Christ the new man is always perfect without sin But the flesh sins and so we have this like duality of our nature and you know It's this frustration because I want to live righteously I want to live for Christ Jesus But the the old man gets in the way and the reality is from a from a spiritual perspective Is that the old man is crucified the old man is dead because we ought to be living in the new man Say pastor, why is it that the old man still kind of out there? You know, it's kind of like in zombie mode It's still like I want it dead. I want to crucify it it's just we still have to function in this world and this is the body of sin that we Unfortunately have to deal with at this point in time which is why we rejoice at the idea that one day God's gonna give us a new body a Resurrected body and that body will never have that sin nature. It will always desire to do that which is right but in the meantime, we have this body of sin and We have to face reality that this flesh this crucified old man Wants to live again and wants to commit all kinds of manners of sin But that's not what God wants us to do. God wants to live a life of holiness One that we do not serve sin And so the first thing that I want to bring to your attention You know we be dead with Christ. What does this represents? It represents that your old man is crucified and you ought to be as it were dead to sin You know God has given us not just the power of salvation, but he's given us the power to live a righteous life Do you understand that you know before you were saved before you trusted Christ as your Savior your good works? Whereas filthy rags in the sight of God there is nothing Unsaved Unregenerate man is able to do to please the Lord Only once you are saved only once you trusted Christ as your Savior and you receive that new creature only then in The power of that new creature are you able to do the good works? That God will reward you when he sees you face to face and so The what we ought to think about today is well if Christ died for me Then I ought to be dead to sin You know God wants me to live a life where I'm walking after his paths after his righteousness Look at verse 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin Now pastor Kevin you say pastor Kevin and I'm the same I still sin to this day pastor Kevin But here's the thing a reality of the Christian life ought to be I know it requires efforts It requires putting on the new man But the reality of the Christian life ought to be that as we mature and we grow and we get further into our Christian life that we have more and more victory in our in our life Yes in the sins that so easily bring us low There ought to be you know, I kind of think about it as percentages. Let's say the moment I got saved I don't know maybe 5% of my life I'm walking in the spirit and 95% that old man wants to get out of that crucifixion and walk again and then as I get you know a little bit older in my life three years four years five years into my Christian life I'm hoping that maybe you know 30% of my life is one where I'm walking in the spirit as it were and 70 still the flesh is there frustrating me But as the time goes on more time goes on as a growing mature in my knowledge and understanding of my Lord God And my love toward my Lord God, you know you ought to be finding victory in your sin you ought to find in a life where you're able to walk in the righteousness of Jesus Christ and so as I said the first Symbolic representation of being dead with Christ is that your old man is dead to sin It is a crucified old man. It says in verse number nine Sorry verse number eight Now if we be dead with Christ We believe that we should also Live with him knowing that Christ been raised from the dead die of 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 So the first thing that I want you to think about is that boy is my life reflective Like of a crucified old man or is that old man just walk in you know That zombie that just keeps walking Continues to consume and lust after the wrong things, you know Am I finding victory over that old man? Am I crucified that man daily and I'm making sure he gets out of the way so I can live a life that pleases my Lord Can you come with me to Galatians to come with me to Galatians to? Galatians to Galatians 2 and verse number 20 Galatians 2 and verse number 20 Now, let me say something about living the right life the life that God wants to live You know how when it comes to salvation? We generally have two ways that people aim to have salvation as it were right we understand that for us It's simple faith on Jesus Jesus did it all the Lord did it all and I'm just going to trust my full faith and trust is on Jesus and that's how I'm going to heaven right and Then you got the other view. Well, I'm trying my best. I'm trying to keep the commandments of God I'm trying to go to church and do the right things to go to heaven, but you know that pathway always fails Because the flesh always fails Well, you know what in the same way that you have trusted Christ as your Savior by faith alone Did you know it's the same way by which Christ wants us to live our lives by faith look at Galatians 2 Galatians 2 and verse number 20 Galatians 2 and verse number 20 The Bible reads I am crucified with Christ Nevertheless I live this is the important part yet not I But Christ liveth in me very very interesting So Lord you want me to live a righteous life. Yes, the old man's been crucified, but I'm alive But Paul says it's not really me. That's living. It's Christ that lives in me and This is the key of living a life that pleases God Just like the key of salvation is to put your full dependence on Jesus alone your full faith and trust in Jesus alone Did you know the way you walk the Christian life to live for him is the same It's the same principle if you're just trying to reform the old man Make it in you by your own strength. You know I'm gonna read the Bible in my own strength Let me say something about reading the Bible the Bible says that the natural man receiveth not the things of God Say well that natural man must be an unbeliever yes It is an unbeliever, but the natural man is the old man, and you have the old man Sometimes you go. I need to read my Bible. Yes. You do read your Bible. I hope you read your Bible every day Sometimes we pick up the Bible and we read it in the old man, and it just goes over our head like I read it I read my five chapters a day. I've got no idea what I just come. I have no idea what I just read I've been there. I've read the Bible and okay. I've done my reading. I checked off my plan. What did I just read? Can't even remember it. What did I just learn there was nothing there, and that tells me I did it in the natural man. I did it in the old man that I'm supposed to crucify and do it in Christ Jesus Say and this is what I do people say how do you do that? I don't think it's that complicated I just say God help me get rid of that old man Let me crucify that old man and Lord I want to read the Bible in the new man It's just like when I get up to preach. I say Lord. Can you please take down that flesh? I don't want to preach the wisdom of pastor Kevin I want to preach your wisdom Lord use me clean me as a clean vessel Lord I've sinned against you. Please clean me. I want to be just a clean vessel for your use I want your words to come out. I want your wisdom to come out help me to preach your sermon Tonight to your people that's how I always speak when I get up to preach because I don't want it to be the flesh I don't want it to be the natural man I don't want it to be that old man that ought to be crucified your pastor Kevin you should crucify that old man Of course, I try it's always there I've got to get rid of him and so I go to God cuz I go do it in Christ Jesus If I just do it by my own efforts and my own strength Oh, you're gonna fail just like if you're trying to get saved by your own efforts in your own flesh You're gonna fail in that regard. You've got depend on the strength and the faith that comes from our Lord God. I Read Galatians 2 20 again. I am crucified with Christ Nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I Live for this by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me So brethren another thing that you need to understand. Yes, the crucified the crucified of the flesh is something we ought to Aim for every single day of our lives But the death of Christ also represents that he wants us to live by faith You've been saved by faith. You need to live by faith And it's it's it's a challenge. I get it. I'm the same as you I get it that crucified old man Gets out of the cross whatever it is, right picks himself up and I was like get out of the way I want to live the right life that God wants me to live and Instead of it just being a battle within me. I say Jesus. Can you win that battle for me? Can you clean me? Can you use me? Can you help me when I pick up the Bible Lord revealed your great truths to me so I can understand I'm not wasting my my time. I'm not wasting my 10 minutes my 15 minutes Can you please reveal to me your great truths and I need to receive that in a new man? Because the natural man goes over its head. He can't receive it So the second part I have for you brethren tonight that I want to think about reflect on the death of Jesus Is that he wants us to live by faith and live in Christ Jesus He is the one that we ought to be living for and here's the one that gives the power and the life to live the Life that pleases him please come with me to Hebrews 12 Hebrews 12 and all of these points can be their own sermons Honestly, I just want to cover it I try to remind you guys tonight as we think of the death of Christ praise God you're saved But you know, he wants us to take that death Symbolically as it were and apply it to our lives Okay He wants us to live a life that thinks about his death and what God had intense for us to do in this Christian life Hebrews 12 please Hebrews 12 Hebrews 12 And you guys know this verse verse number one. We're foreseen. We are come pass about with so great a cloud of witnesses let us lay aside every weight and The sin which doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us It's kind of what I've been covering already. So those two main points. All right, we're laying away every weight We're laying away the sin. We've been given power over sin. We've crucified that old man He wants us to run the race with patience that requires the new man that requires a new man to be on the racing track But again, the fact that sins are brought up here. We understand there are Roadblocks there are difficulties that we deal with as we're trying to run that race that God is set before us But verse number two is what I really want to think about and before I read verse number two Just think about Christ You know, he was a Taken what about Christ? He's he's a good man He's God He was born in Bethlehem's manger humble beginnings, you know lived a righteous life Loved his family loved his disciples Loved the lost sheep out there, you know performed great miracles I mean, what is there to hate about Jesus? There is nothing to hate about Jesus And yet he lays down his life He gets arrested Falsely accused his best friends leave him one of his friends betrays him right beaten whipped mocked his beard pulled off I mean Beaten Bible says these form was Unlike anything that's ever been seen didn't even look like a man when he was taken and the cross, you know that the cross was put upon him he had to carry that for a while then crucified on the cross and You know, I mean I just nails in your hands and your feet the crown of thorns Right. I just just the physical suffering is just too much What about the spiritual suffering of all our sins upon his body, right? And I saw who could do that Only God could do that and lay down his life for sinners like you and I I said this to New Life Atlas Church yesterday That as much as I love you guys, you know, I look here but I wouldn't die for you Who would I die for who would I die for I would die for my family I would die for my wife and kids like I think about it because I love them so much Right and Christ lay down his life. He suffered so greatly and I just sometimes I think you know I'm sure we've all been there in our Christian life that we lose a bit of motivation Maybe get a little discouraged a little cold toward the things of God and we just we just like I said, we lose that motivation And what happens when you start losing that motivation? You know, I want to think about what verse because we need to be on a race We need to get to the finish line. You know, the finish line is Jesus We know who want to get to the point where we see Jesus face to face when we go to Home to be with him in heaven But what I love about verse number two is this it says Look in unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith and then it talks about him who for the joy that was set before him look this endured the cross This spies in the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God the Bible says that Jesus endured the cross He had to go through the endurance he endured such Difficulties in life and then we think about Jesus and his death for us. He's suffering for us. It says in verse number three for consider him We ought to consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners Against himself. This is important lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds What we're learning here is like I said, we get a little cold we lose motivation we get a little weary We might want to faint in our Christian life. We may want to just get out of church and just live like the world You know and give up. It's just too hard Well, God wants us to remember the death of Christ and how he endured such suffering for sinners Christ endured such suffering and great death for you and I and So when we start to lose motivation and we need endurance the Bible says we need to put our eyes on Jesus Jesus you endured for me. So I need the endurance. I need to keep going. I need to keep running I need to keep pushing forward even when I'm Struggling to keep that motivation going What's the key to longevity in the Christian life now, you know, we don't believe in the what is that the Perseverance of the Saints like you know that you know You're only truly saved if you remain faithful to the day you die, that's ridiculous. Okay, you're saved because of faith Okay, you're saved because not of your endurance you're saved because of the endurance of Jesus But when you look upon his death and you start to lose motivation, you know, you're meant to look at him So Jesus you suffered so much for me How can I not keep running for you? I'm gonna get to the finish line Jesus. I don't even have to suffer as much as you did The third reason we need to reflect on the death of Jesus is that it's motivation for endurance It'll keep you going and I promise you you're at some point in your Christian life. You are gonna get discouraged You are gonna lose motivation. You're gonna start wondering, you know, what maybe just living like the world is just I'm saved Anyway, is it really worth it? I mean I've been there, you know I mean maturity and growth begins to develop at some point You don't think like that anymore But it is very common especially for those that are newer in the faith to go through difficulties I just want to give up because it's just too hard Let me just say when it gets too hard It's because you're trying to do it in the flesh Like I said earlier you need to do it in the new man. You need to it's it's Christ that lives for you Okay, and you look at his endurance and that will help you not become weary, okay not to give up in the race Can you come with me to 1st Corinthians 1 please 1st Corinthians 1 1st Corinthians 1? Well, you're turning to 1st Corinthians 1 the three points so far, you know We need to remind ourselves that our old man is crucified with Christ. We are dead to sin Number two, we ought to live by faith not just be saved by faith, but we need to live by faith Number three The death of Christ gives us motivation for endurance to get to that finish line in the race that God has set before us What else is important about the death of Christ 1st Corinthians chapter 1 please in verse number 18? 1st Corinthians 1 18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness But unto us which are saved it is the power of God The cross is the power of God for those of us that are saved Are you lacking a bit of power tonight? Then you need to think about the cross you need to remind yourself of the cross Isn't it interesting the preaching of the cross the preaching of the gospel we would say that way to the to the unsaved world It's foolishness it boggles my mind because The gospel message is it's the best. What's better than the gospel? What's better than Christ dying for you and giving you a free gift of salvation? Is there a better story? Is there a better gift in the world? That's what I mean, it's it's so precious it's too it's a free gift and it's so valuable it's been paid by the blood of Jesus and We we understand how simple it is Christ did all the work he suffered for me He's my substitution. He gives me his righteousness and I trust that alone and I'm saved Call upon the name of the Lord and thou shalt be saved Jesus. I receive a free gift. Thank you for dying for me I'm only trusting you Jesus. I mean such a simple transaction that takes place such simplicity Such a beautiful message Why doesn't everybody just receive it? Is it a weird I find it weird Maybe because I grew up in a Krishna. It's always like well, yeah, who wouldn't want to get saved, right? I think I got I told you the story where when Jonathan was really young I went I took him soul winning and this was on Sunshine Coast and there were these two guys shirtless guys come out You know profanity get the F out of here, you know all this stuff and you know I thought they were gonna be violent toward us to be honest and then we walk off and Jonathan says to me dad is the reason I didn't want to hear the gospel is because I already saved What to him? It's like who doesn't want to hear the gospel and if they don't want to if they're telling to f off and get off alone It must be because they're already saved and they don't need to hear it To him. It's like well who doesn't it's so simple. It's so beautiful. Who doesn't want to hear and get saved But the Bible tells us to them that perish it's foolishness It's full but to us it's power You know what? I'm not afraid of death That's power people are afraid of death. I'm not afraid to stand before my creator I'm gonna be in the righteous of Christ He's gonna see me pure. All of my sins have already been crucified on the cross with Jesus Christ I'm not afraid of death. I'm not afraid of seeing God face to face I know I'm gonna be in a mansion in eternity in that new Jerusalem the new heaven and new earth and I'll be with all of you. We have a great time together. I Mean I I've got this great Hope that even when the world gets worse and worse and worse and there might be walls and rumors of walls and all kinds of Problems. I'm like, well, I'm just passing through. I'm just an ambassador. My real home is the kingdom of God. That's where I belong Like it's such power and Also the power to share the the message of the cross and see people saved What's more powerful than changing the eternal destination of someone who is headed to hell Ten minutes later 15 minutes later now They're headed to heaven because you went to them and you show them the preacher on the cross. How powerful is the preacher on the cross? But for most people is foolishness even most Christians Most churches that probably tonight are going and bowing themselves to a cross of Jesus and taking the What do you call it? Eucharist and they're like, oh, yeah, Jesus died. It's like to tell him it's free and it's not of works to them. It's foolishness They still don't get it. I don't get it. It's so easy. It's so beautiful and the Bible says it's a power of God Look at verse number 19 for it is written. I Will destroy the wisdom of the wise and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudence You know the simple things of God are of a greater wisdom than the wisdom of the wise the wisdom of the world You know, I actually like to learn I I listen to podcasts. I like to read books besides the Bible sometimes Whoo, it's good to learn You know, I like to think about things but whatever wisdom I get in this world is Not comparable to the great wisdom fan in the cross of Christ the power of God and you found it you have that power So when we think about the death of Christ, yeah, it's salvation praise God for that But there's so much more that God wants us to reflect upon. We've got great power with the people of God We're the royal family. I'm a son of God. You're a son or a daughter of God. Praise God I mean, it's such a great truth my father Created this place. My father made you that's power And to think about the death of Christ and the salvation it gives us boy the power of God and to rejoice in that power Is amazing? Can you come to me come with me to one more passage, please? Ephesians 5 like I said, I'm not aiming to preach a long one today We want to just think about the death of Christ. We want to be able to share a meal together And Also to break the bread and drink that juice in Ephesians chapter 5, please Ephesians chapter 5 Ephesians 5 Ephesians 5 You're not something else I don't understand I Don't understand why Christians fight with each other. I Don't get it. I might be a bit ignorant a bit naive. I Know we all have the flesh I know we get frustrated each other. I Just don't know how Christians can't get along with like believers. I'm talking about believers born-again believers I don't get how born-again believes can't just get along with other born-again believes. I Don't get it because here's the thing If I go to work and I don't get along with work colleague I still have to figure out how to work with them to get the job done In the world we have to figure out how to just get along and like so if I can just find ways to just set aside some differences and You know, look at the bigger picture. I just don't know why we can't do that amongst believers Like I don't get it You know, I'll be on I just don't get it. I don't get it But look at Ephesians 5 Ephesians 5 Ephesians 5 verse number 1 Bible says be therefore followers of God as dear children Be therefore followers of God. Okay. So what God does I've got to follow that. Well, that's a high standard Yeah, it is verse number two look at this and walk in love You know, I'm supposed to love each one of you and you're supposed to love me and to love each other love You know, I kind of think about okay, how do I get on with that work colleague that we just don't seem to you know Be on the same page. We frustrate each other. It's I wouldn't say it's love but it's that purpose of you know making that sale the purpose of Whatever making the customer happy right to hit our KPIs we're driven by something and When I see brethren unable to get along with each other Fighting with one another I just it's like Walk in love is is there not is there not something greater that we're aiming for is there not I mean What do we have to? You know even when someone doesn't like me And someone says horrible thing like a believer and says horrible things about me I tend to think He means well, I just have this I just think well, maybe There's some truth in what he's saying. It's just not delivering it the right way, but I think maybe it's got the right intentions It's just how I commonly think I'm not a superhero. I'm not anything like that I just don't understand why God's people can't get along with God's people sometimes. I'm not saying it's a problem that I'm seeing Yeah, it's just a problem that I see overall You know amongst brethren I just oh he believes a bit differently about this or he raises his kids differently about that Or you know I didn't say hello to me at church today Whatever it is. I just got nothing in common. You got Jesus in common. What do you mean nothing in common? You're saved. We're so few that are truly saved I Just can't I don't get it. I do it honestly. I don't get it but if he's just five or two and walk in love as Christ also have loved us What? well, how do you love us and have given himself for us an Offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour This is why I don't get it if Jesus loves me so much that he would die for me and I'm supposed to be a follower of God. I'm supposed to follow Christ Okay, now. I can't die for your sins. We know that okay. We can't do that same But as I said in verse number two and work in love as Christ also have loved us the love that Jesus has for me and for you that he died for you and Suffered for you or to be the same measure of love that I walk in when we deal with one another I Just kind of get along with so much Wait a minute. You're meant to love them the way Christ loved you and lay down his life for you I Mean it's it's a high standard. It's God's standard of love It's a pastor. It's impossible. Yes, of course. It's impossible for the old man going back to point number one Yeah, crucify the old man when you say I just can't get along with brother so-and-so at church or sister so such It's the flesh and I don't blame you cuz I got the flesh, too But I'm supposed to love and walk in love by the Spirit. I'm supposed to live it's Christ Jesus that lives in me and He loved me so much that he died for me pay for my sins, so how can I not get along my brethren? You know the fifth one the fifth point that I have for you is walk in love You know Christ death is there to show us the love of God So when you get frustrated at me because it's my third time preaching in a row You're probably sick and tired of me already when you get sick and tired of me. I went to go you know what Jesus loved me So I better love my pastor the way Jesus loved me And I better love brother Tim the way Jesus loves me, and I better love sister Carol the way Jesus loved me and gave his life for me That's why I don't get it. It's like it's like the people that I ought to be able to work the closest with and be able to just forgive the stupid things that We argue about sometimes just whatever Okay, you're wrong. You're wrong. You can't again like if I'm so confident about my belief and my doctrine where I stand I'm not gonna get Flustered if you believe something differently about some other minor issue some secondary or tertiary issue We're supposed to walk in love and So the five points that I have for you tonight brethren now title was we be dead with Christ We be dead with Christ Well, just those five points once again number one remember that your your your old man has been crucified with Christ Meaning that you're dead to sin Okay, the old man. No no no don't live by that old man. That's point number two live by faith And let Christ Jesus live for you work in the power of the new man that is given you Number three when you lose motivation when you get a bit cold to all the things of God Remember the endurance that Jesus had me suffered for you Okay, the death of Jesus is to give us motivation for our endurance to get to the finish line Number four is the power of God unto salvation Boy, I am unmovable about my salvation And I'm so thankful that God would use a weak instrument like me to see people saved It's an amazing power that the death of Christ gives us the preaching of the cross and lastly number five walk in love The standard of that love is the love that Jesus Christ had for you when he'd laid down his life and suffered for all of your Sins all right brethren. Let's pray