Have You Died With Christ?

DEATH

• Death, the universal nemesis of all men. Of all the things in this world, death is the one thing man has not ruled over, rather death has dominion over all men – eventually. Even when we resist mightily, it is only a matter of time before death has its way with each of us. Death will conquer all...

• Are you afraid of death? Jesus came to set you free from the fear of death - Hebrews 2:14-15.

CREATED

• God created the first man and from the man, God made a woman. These two, Adam and Eve are the parents of all of humanity. Genesis 2:7; 2:21-22. There are considerable implications to this truth, when we acknowledge that we are created by God. Choose evolution and deny God. But, even in this we deny ourselves, our heritage, we deny our very nature. If you believe there is no God, then how do you deal with the inevitability of your death? What about your soul?

When God created the first human beings, Adam and Eve, He did not engineer man to die. Man brought death upon himself. Death is a consequence of disobedience. The fact that men die is the result of our sin. Genesis 2:15-17, Romans 5:12. It should be noted that in both of these texts the death that passed to all men is “spiritual death” – the consequence of sin. PHYSICAL death is also a consequence of man’s disobedience to God – but, that came many years later for Adam (he lived a very long life before he died).

Choose to believe in God and you open your heart to the One who created you and has the power to redeem you – God can save you from the consequences of your sins.

When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, the entire universe was subjected to corruption: Genesis 3:17-19, Romans 8:20-22. Whether one accepts the truth of this account or not, it will not change the inevitability of the cycle of birth and death in which we find ourselves. Every baby that is born is destined to die. You were a baby at one time. Therefore, you are destined to die. Hebrews 9:27 And inasmuch as it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this cometh judgment;

In the same way that you may not believe that God created the world, you may not believe in God’s judgment – but, your unbelief will not change the truth of what did happen, and what will happen. In any event... you will die. When you die, then you will KNOW. But, unless you make preparations for eternity, it will be too late.

JESUS

It soon became clear that man could not save himself, not from sin – nor from the consequence of sin – death. Therefore, God sent to earth a Savior. Matthew 1:18-23, Luke 2:8-12. Ultimately Jesus will save us from death. But, you may ask, “How can He do that? When will He do that?” Jesus lived two thousand years ago – and does not history record that He himself “died” – that Jesus was crucified on a cross – and buried in a grave?

It is true that Jesus died. It was in God’s plan for our redemption that Jesus would die. Such was according to God’s foreordained counsel – that is, it was not a surprise to God when Jesus was crucified - Acts 2:22-23. But, if Jesus dies, then would He not have the same problem that all of mankind has – in that He would be DEAD?

Jesus claimed to have the power to take his life back again... and history will show that He did not remain in His grave, but that he was resurrected and lived – AFTER he was killed. Jesus appeared to many people after His death – and they believed and were witnesses of His resurrection - 1 Corinthians 15:1-8.

Jesus’ death was different in that He willingly laid down His life... for us - John 10:14-18.

What Does Your Heart Say?

At his point you will have to grapple with your thoughts and choose whether you will believe this message, or not - For it is indeed a choice that each man will make when he hears this story.

Some things to consider about the death and resurrection of Jesus:

Jesus surrendered all when He submitted to this plan of God to save mankind from sin and death - Philippians 2:5-8, Hebrews 5:7-9.

Jesus did not die as a consequence of His sins; rather He died for us...

TAKING OUR SINS UPON HIMSELF

to make a redemption for us: Hebrews 4:14-16, Hebrews 2:9-10, Isaiah 53:3-11.

The reason that death could NOT hold Jesus – and He was resurrected – is because He was sinless: Acts 2:23-24, 1 Corinthians 15:55-57, Revelation 1:17-18

Our conclusion is this – it is clear that Jesus has the power to save us from death – in that He has overcome death and now controls the grave – and can free anyone He wants from death and Hades.

SALVATION

What must I do to be saved? Many people are not looking to be saved – in that they do not consider themselves to be “lost”, I am alive. I’m doing ok (maybe). I don’t need “religion” to live my life. I don’t need God to tell me what to do.

Fine. Live your life and do what you want – but, you will still have to face death. Living without God may not appear to be a difficult choice. But to die without God on your side, that will have eternal consequences. You do not have to believe this, but when you die – you will know; we will all know the truth then. But, it will be too late for so many.

It is only when a man carefully considers who he is – a man – created in the image of God and what he has done – sinned – rebelled against God and the fact that we will all die – then each of us will have to decide what we are going to believe and do.

Jesus came to provide us with a way of salvation

• We can be saved from our sins through forgiveness.

• We can be saved from death through a resurrection.

• Recognize that we may still taste physical death, but we are not afraid of it.

• Death will not conquer us, nor will it have dominion over us in that we will be raised again to LIVE with Jesus

Salvation from sin and death are through faith in Jesus Christ - Ephesians 2:8-9

Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that he died on a cross for you – bearing your sins there – and that He was resurrected and has ascended into heaven to prepare a place for us there?

Only one thing remains – you must die with Christ in order to be saved. What? How did that become part of the deal. I thought all you had to do was “believe”.

Many people have been deceived by a gospel that fails to reveal the whole truth. Many preachers will tell you that you are saved – when you believe – and never tell you the whole truth of God – that you must die with Jesus in order to be “born again” as a child of God.

Or they may tell you that you have to be “born again”, but they will not tell you HOW to be born again – HOW to die to sin and self.

But, why must I die? Consider what it means to be “dead” – all of your desires, all of your ambitions, everything dies with you. You cannot be tempted if you are dead.

Illustration – a dead man lies in a casket... with what can you tempt him?

• Will he rise up for money? • For a beautiful woman? • For a gourmet dinner?

• To watch the Steelers play in the super bowl?

• When I “die” to sin... then I will not respond to its enticement. When my self dies, I am put to death. Everything that called to me, everything that pulled me away from God, everything that had such a hold on my life: IT CAN NO LONGER TEMPT ME, if I am truly dead to sin.

• Romans 6:1-2, 7-13,16-18.

Whom do you serve?

• You cannot serve two masters. If you are serving yourself, serving Satan, living in sin – you cannot serve God. You must die to sin – in order to live for God.

• How does this happen? Romans 6:3-5. It is in baptism that our old man is crucified and we are raised up to walk in newness of life – a life that is in Christ: Galatians 2:20.

Dying with Jesus

• we must surrender self

• we must learn obedience

• we have to be baptized into Christ

• Galatians 3:26-27 For ye are all sons of God, through faith, in Christ Jesus. 27. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ.

Are you afraid of death now? Colossians 3:5-10

Put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry; 6. for which things' sake cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience: 7. wherein ye also once walked, when ye lived in these things; 8. but now do ye also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful speaking out of your mouth: 9. lie not one to another; seeing that ye have put off the old man with his doings, 10. and have put on the new man, that is being renewed unto knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Colossians 3:1-4 If then ye were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. 2. Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth. 3. For ye died, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4. When Christ, who is our life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory.