3-1-09SERMON

Crucified with Christ
Galatians 2:17-21
3-1-09

    You know the great thing about being retired, …as you don’t have to worry about getting fired.     Can
anyone tell me what this past Wednesday was? Was the beginning of lent. We, don’t place much
emphasis upon the Lenten season but perhaps we ought to. Did you ever think about giving up
something, denying yourself in order to be drawn closer to our Lord?   And I’m not speaking about giving
up something you don’t care for, but something that is dear to you.
    Paul said in the scripture this morning, I am crucified with Christ. Not many of us can make such a
statement.   He went on to say, nevertheless, I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.   In other words, Paul
was saying, the man that I used to be is no longer. The man who became angry, easily, the man who
thought that he knew it all. The murderer, this man is dead.   Now, a new person, a new man, lives within
that body.    The Bible says that when a person is born again, he becomes a new creature in Christ
Jesus. It goes on to say that old things are passed away, and that all things are become new. The new
things of which Bible speaks are spiritual things; thus there are changes within. If a person is black when
he accepted Christ, he will still be black. If he’s short, he will continue to be short, and if he’s over-weight,
the weight is not going to disappear. His outward appearance will remain the same. But inwardly, he is an
entirely new person.   His soul which was dead is now alive.   His eyes which were closed to spiritual things
are now opened.    However, since he is still living in the flesh, Satan will immediately set out to drag him
back into the World. This is why it is so essential for the Christian to keep his mind and body under
control. And the way to do that is to crucify the flesh day by day.   There are some things that the body
loves to do, things in which it is eager to indulge in, which are sinful to us, and to our Lord.   Too many
Christians are being controlled by the flesh. Crucifying the flesh is a very painful experience and most of
us don’t care for pain.   Our Lord said, that the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. For those of us who
have attempted to lose weight, or to over-come something else in our lives that we know is harmful to us,
we know how true that statement is.   When I was growing up we had Parents’ pressure which was good,
because our parents had our interest at heart.   Today, there is peer’s pressure and sad to say peers do
not always have the best interest of others at heart.
    In Galatians 6:14 we read, but God forbid that I should glory, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus
Christ, by whom the World is crucified unto me, and I unto the World.   Notice, not only must we crucified
“self” but the world also must be crucified. Before we came to know Jesus Christ in a life changing way,
there were certain people, friends, relatives. Whose company we enjoyed, whose opinions we valued.
Their approval meant a great deal to us. And because this was the case, there were things we did that
perhaps we really did not want to do, but we did, for the simple reason that we wanted their approval and
acceptance. Many people have taken up smoking, drinking, drugs, not because they enjoyed those
things, but because they wanted to be part of the group. Once a person is born again, he must take a
stand for Christ and for what he knows is right. He must therefore crucify the World, and the opinions of
those who are worldly. Not an easy thing to do. Our Lord never said it was easy. To be a true follower of
our Lord, is to be more concern with pleasing Him, than pleasing others. If we don’t learn to crucify the
world, we will end up going back to the world. And one day, one day soon, this old world, as we know it
and everything else that is sinful is going to be destroyed. We would do well not to look at this life, but
rather at what Christ is preparing for us.   When we think about the future, and the second coming we
ought to have a desire, a longing to crucified the flesh and the things of the World just out of love and
appreciation for what our Lord has done for us.    And friends, until we are able to do that, we will never be
able to do all that God has for us to do.   As Christians, we need to take a firm stand for what we know is
right and live and until we do our lives will continue to be torn. For the spirit of God will be pulling one way,
and the World, or the flesh, will be pulling the other. And of course there is always the danger if we do not
strive to do what is right of being drawn back into the old life style.
    Until we reach the point where we truly desire to do our best to crucified the flesh, we can not grow
spiritually, because we will be giving in again, and again, to our own desires.   Oh friends, we need to be
striving to please God, instead of self. Oh how we need to be striving day by day to do His will. When a
person places anything above the cause of Christ he or she is not crucifying the flesh.   There are so
many who are still babes in the Lord and thus they will place anything and everything before the cause of
Christ.   When we attempt to please the World, we are not pleasing God, for the things of the World are
always, always in contrast to the things of God.   This is one of the reasons our Lord said that we are to
walk after the spirit and not after the flesh. If we don’t crucify the flesh, when the Spirit wants us to do the
will of God, the flesh will come out on top every single time. The Bible says in Romans 8:7 that those who
are in the flesh are enemies of God.   God forbid that you or I should be His enemies. But friends, the only
way we can keep from being His enemies is to crucified the flesh.   When a man walk according to the
flesh, he’s always attempting to gain the praises of men, he’s struggling to get ahead and still he finds that
he is without peace.   Our peace is not found in the things of the World, but in a person. The person we
call Jesus Christ. Our desire as Christians ought to be to please God more than man, and to be the very
best that we can be for HIM. I wonder how long it will take some of us to come to the realization that being
one of God’s children is the greatest thing in all the world? Nothing can compare to having your name
written down in the Book of Life.   Peace, Peace, wonderful peace, Coming down from the Father above.
But friends for the peace to last, the flesh must be crucified. And the sad thing is it is something that must
be done again, and again, and again.
    We all know what our Lord said about attempting to serve two masters. It can not be done. God is not
going to share you with the devil.   God is a jealous God, and He has every right to be. He made you the
first time and He purchased life for you the second time with the precious blood of His Blessed Son. We
either belong to God completely or we don’t belong to Him at all. You can NOT be a lukewarm Christian.
Many are playing fire, and playing with fire is dangerous, because sooner or later you are going to get
burn. The Bible says in Colossians 3:3-6, 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. Mortify (kill if you will)
therefore your members which are upon the earth and it goes on to name the things which we are to kill.
To die to the World, to die to the flesh is a continuous process. There will be temptations every day,… so
there must be a refusal each and every day to yield to temptation. There will always be something
tempting you and me. Temptation in itself is not sinful. It is the yielding to the temptation that is sin. The
whole message this morning can be sum up in that the more we die to self, the more capable we will
become in living for our Lord.   The more we refuse to give in to Satan, the happier our lives will become.
The more the flesh dies, .. The more the Spirit is capable of controlling. And friends when the spirit is in
control, you can be sure that it is much harder for Satan to have his way.   I tell you, there is joy in being
able to say “NO” to the devil.
    In just a few moments we are going to be receiving the Lord’s Supper. Here is ONE who was without
sin, one who was completely holy, .. And he allowed them to crucify Him, in order that you and I might have
the hope of one day living with Him forever.   Friends, I believe with all my heart that the very least that any
of us can do to show our appreciation and our gratitude is to attempt to live day by day for Him. And the
only way we an do that, is to do away with self.   I don’t know where you stand this morning with God, but I
believe that if you are honest, and if you allow the Holy Spirit to search your heart, He will reveal to You
your standing before our Lord. Will you allow the Spirit of God to do that as we go to prayer this morning?