Ultimate Sacrifice

 
Choosing the Ultimate Sacrifice… By Pastor Dan Kennedy © July 18, 2010 www.pastorkennedy.com pastorkennedy@gmail.com Do you struggle, with little victory against sin? Are you bound with desires or habits that you know are not pleasing to God? Are you unable to control your anger, lust, or gossip? Is there something else that God’s Spirit has convicted you as being wrong, but you cannot change? There is a key spiritual truth taught in Scripture that should help us in our dilemma with sin. It stands in diametric opposition to our human depravity. It is called the principle of “dying to self”. It is not a “popular Biblical teaching”, as you might imagine. It does not claim the grandiose promises of wealth, health or human success for the one who so follows its teaching. Its purpose is to give victory in the life of the Believer in Jesus Christ, in overcoming, by the Power of the Holy Spirit, the sinful nature, through “death to self” and “life toward God”. Its purpose, though painful, is to ultimately give a truly bountiful blessing and harvest. For those not so inclined to follow this Biblical principle, the outcome of a life that does not “die” to sin has a result of another sort…with an outcome not so pleasing, for a much longer duration, with no other option. This principle reveals the true state of the soul and the genuineness of faith and works! Ironically, whether or not we follow this principle, death and life is involved: • Those who die to themselves (by the empowerment of God’s Spirit), find life. • Those who live to themselves, enjoying the pleasures of sin for a season, find that they die in their relationship with God. Let’s look at this intriguing Biblical Truth. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, who wants to live a more righteous life, dying to yourself is a necessity. To see this Biblical truth, let’s look at three different facets of dying to self. The first is a visual, tangible illustration of this principle. The Picture of Baptism – of Death to ourselves and Life unto God Baptism is important in the life of the believer for a reason. • Remember that if you had wanted to be a disciple of Jesus when He was here, Christ would have asked you to be baptized into His Name. (John 3:22; 4:1-3) • Remember that baptism is not an “add-on” to Christianity; it is an essential part of Christianity. Christ told His disciples before He ascended into heaven, to go into the entire world and preach the Gospel, baptizing those who believed the Gospel of His Kingdom. (Matthew 28:18-20) Baptism, then, is of great significance to the Believer in Jesus Christ. I believe it carries even greater significance than possibly we can naturally understand. Paul taught, in Romans 6 and Colossians 2, that baptism was a picture of (1.) death to our sinful self, and (2.) a resurrected life unto God. What are the Primary Principles of Baptism according to the Scripture? ~ Buried in Baptism. If we have been baptized into Christ Jesus, we are spiritually baptized and united into His death. ~ “I” am crucified with Christ. Our “old self” is spiritually crucified with Christ, in order that the body of sin in us might be brought to nothing, so we would no longer be enslaved and bound to sin. ~ The legal demands of the Law are cancelled. The record of sin and its legal demands against us has been cancelled. Jesus has nailed its demands against us, to His cross! ~ Death has no Power against the Risen Christ. Because Jesus Christ has been raised from the dead, death no longer has dominion over Him; Christ will never die again. ~ Believers in Christ are Spiritually Raised with Christ. If we were baptized into His death, we are also spiritually raised in unity with His resurrection to “walk in newness of life”. ~ Believers in Christ are Empowered to be Alive to God, not to continue to live as slaves to sin. We can consider ourselves as dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:3-11 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Colossians 2:12-15 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. Baptism illustrates the profoundness of these principles: • Death to the old fleshly life. - The Cancelation of the legal demands of the Law against our sin. • Resurrection to New Life in Christ. This principle is reiterated in other passages of Scripture: Colossians 3:1-4 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Galatians 2:19b, 20 I have been crucified with Christ. 20 It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. How can I apply this picture of dying to sin and living unto God, in my own life? We cannot do this on our own we must rely on the Presence of the Holy Spirit in our life to accomplish what only God can do through His Power. The Empowering Presence of the Holy Spirit First, understanding the Background: Why did God send the Holy Spirit at Pentecost? Here are at least three reasons: • To Transform God’s Children through New Birth. The Holy Spirit came to transform those who by grace through faith are Born Again into God’s Family to become Children of God. Titus 3:3-7 To Empower God’s Children in victory over Sin, and endurance in Suffering. The Holy Spirit came to empower God’s Children to live, as they should in a place dominated by the world, the flesh and the devil. The Holy Spirit came to give us the Power to live a victorious Christian life over the deception of sin and the pain of suffering! Romans 8:13 (see below); Col. 1:12, 13 • To Seal God’s Children with a Spiritual “Down Payment” for Heaven. The Holy Spirit came to be the “down payment” of the inheritance that God is giving to His Children for eternity. Ephesians 1:13, 14; 2 Cor. 1:21, 22 In seeking to die to ourselves and live unto God we must seek the empowerment of God’s Holy Spirit to give us victory in this struggle. If we seek the power of the Holy Spirit in dying to our sinful fleshly desires, we will have Spiritual life! If not… Romans 8 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. This verse in Romans 8 is a profoundly important verse in the life of the individual seeking to be a Christian and follow Christ. Let’s go back to the beginning of Romans 8 where we can see more what Paul is sharing with us of this critical Scriptural principle. If we do not allow God’s Holy Spirit, through God’s Word, the Bible, to transform our minds (Rom. 12:1), then our minds will continue dwelling on that which is destructive to us spiritually. If though, we seek the empowerment of God’s Spirit, through His Word to transform our minds, then God’s Spirit empowers us to put to death the carnality, which is in us and all around us, in the world, the flesh and the devil. Romans 8 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. 12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. Each of us has lived long enough to understand the destructiveness of living a life that is permeated with corruption that is in the world. Since God is Holy, there is no sin in Him – nor can He allow sin to be condoned in His Presence. We must question whether or not we are truly born again if we continue to enjoy wallowing in the fantasy…or reality of sin in our hearts and lives, and do not seek the empowerment of God’s Holy Spirit within us (as Believers in Christ), to die to sin. The outcome of living in sin, on the inside and outside, is death. The outcome of overcoming victory over sin in our hearts is life and peace. We may act like we are believers in Jesus Christ…say all the right words and do all the right things around those who confess to have given themselves to Christ, but if we are continuing to live, on the inside as carnal, do not expect God to be confused or deceived about who you really are! Romans 8 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. We have been “born again” by the Spirit of God for a reason: to live like and to be Children of God…in our hearts – and that will come out in our lives. This transformation of New Birth is from the inside out, not the other way around. The Biblical truth of “dying to self” is a natural outcome of New Birth. This New Birth causes us to choose to live exercising the Ultimate Sacrifice on a daily basis – death …death to ourselves and our fleshly desires, and life unto God. God’s Spirit also allows adversity and trial to make us aware that dying to our self should be more of a priority in our spiritual life than we would want it to be! Adversity, in the life of the Believer in Christ, as strange as it may sound, reveals the inconsistency, incompleteness and unfulfillment of temporal and carnal things. Trials uniquely point us to the value of dying to our self and the Holy Spirit gives us the ability to see how adversity assists us in our deepening relationship with God as we allow Him to refine our lives, even as gold is refined. Just as a Governor’s Pardon, in our country, legally cancels the sentence of death for one condemned on death row, so Baptism pictures the cancelation of the Law’s legal demands for justice and death, before God, for the one Redeemed from sin by Jesus Christ. The “Pardon”, in either case does not mean that the one receiving the pardon will have a perfect life from that time forward! One must rely on the Presence and Power of the Holy Spirit to “grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ”! (2 Peter 3:17, 18) If we have not been truly Born Again these principles will seem very foolish to us. To the Believer in Jesus Christ, having a deeper relationship with God in dying to sin, and enduring and being purified through trial, is necessary for those who wishing to follow truly follow Christ – which includes following Him to the cross. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to faithfully endure suffering and “the cross”, so that we will also be glorified together with Christ in our eternal inheritance – the Harvest. We have seen “dying to self” pictured in the ordinance of Baptism. We have understood through the Scripture that we can have victory over sin in “dying to self” through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Now let us look at a third facet of “dying to self” revealed in nature itself – affecting the fruit (harvest), outcome and rewards of our Christian life and labor. The Principle of the Harvest – Life is the Outcome of Death to Self Death is a strange prerequisite to life, yet when it comes to seeing fruit in any harvest. Anyone must acknowledge that new abundant life can never come without the death of the individual seed, which is placed in the ground. If an individual must always gather things for themselves, always have things their own way, always be in control, be self-sufficient, and greedily self-satisfied; then, that person will not see much of a harvest, if any, through his or her life. They will remain alone, surrounded by all the temporal things gathered to themselves that can never be taken with them into eternity. A person who lays down his or her life for God; who pours out his or her life for others; who dies to his or her own wants, to instead give their life for the blessing of others – that person will see a harvest. Which person is more satisfied in the end? He or she who gathers to him or herself, or he or she who lays down his or her life for God and for others? Would you and I like to see eternal fruit borne in our life? Would we like to see our lives count for the Kingdom of God? There are verses in Daniel 12 that give me an amazing vision waiting for those who are honorable in their lives and fruitful for the Kingdom of God. This chapter begins by stating what is going to happen at the end of the world’s age, and a glimpse of those who are honorable to God in eternity. Daniel 12 “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. 2And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. Who do you want to be when you face eternity? One who has eternal life with God, or one who faces shame and everlasting contempt? Do you want to have the blessing of those who are wise and turn many to righteousness? I do. Realize that the blessing of those who are wise and turn many to righteousness are simply reaping the fruit of the principle of the harvest. No seed bears fruit, unless it dies first. This was modeled in the life of Christ. John 12 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. Jesus Christ, the One through whom the universe was created and the glories of His Oneness with His Father, died in order to redeem us from our sinful state. Because of this, God has highly exalted Him to have a Name above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father! (Philippians 2:5-11) Have this mind among yourselves, the Scripture says, which is yours in Christ Jesus. Conclusion Does this serious principle of God’s Word make sense to you? God is holy. He did not send His Son and His Holy Spirit to redeem us from sin, just so we could continue to live a life of self-indulgent sin. God’s desire for His Children is that they live a life to overcome and conquer the world, the flesh and the devil. He will reward His Children for living that kind of a live here on earth. Revelation 3 21 The one who conquers (overcomes), I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. Revelation 12 11 And they have conquered (overcame) him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. This Overcoming life is pictured when we are baptized as Believers in Jesus Christ. This Overcoming life is empowered by the Holy Spirit of God in dying to ourselves and living unto God. This Overcoming life is blessed by the Principle of the Harvest. In dying to our sinful nature we become God’s seed to give life to a fruitful harvest for His Kingdom. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Galatians 2:19b, 20 Postscript: Colossians 3 Put On the New Self 3 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. 12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. http://www.pastorkennedy.commailto:pastorkennedy@gmail.comshapeimage_1_link_0shapeimage_1_link_1