TOPIC: Jesus
TITLE: THE MARK – The Center of Christian Living!
SERIES: Jesus, His Person and His Works
TEXT: Philippians 1:21
“For me to live is Christ.”
INQUIRY: How does the authentic believer manifest “to live is Christ”?
CONCISE OUTLINE
Apparently, many of God’s so-called children are too fearful to walk publicly with or for the Lord … to be a fool for Jesus! Or as our text says, “to live is Christ.”
The Bible speaks of sin as missing the mark … this implies that there is a mark which we should desire to hit. And that Mark is Jesus! Anything missing the Mark is sin.
The committed believer did not always live to Christ! Of course not! He began to do so when the Holy Spirit convinced him of his sin. He committed to do so when “by grace” he saw his dying Savior making propitiation for his guiltiness. From the moment of this new and heavenly rebirth, he began to “live” to Christ.
INQUIRY: How does the authentic believer manifest “to live is Christ”?
EXPANDED OUTLINE
Can you honestly say for you “to live IS Christ”?
Many carry out this principle in some measure; but who is there who dares to say he lives wholly for Christ … in the same way Paul did?
But, this, my friends, is the authentic Christian life … its origin, its lifeblood, its nature, its means of operation, its objective are all gathered up in one person – the Living Word of God.
Lord, our prayer this day is that You forgive us our failure to live as You would have us live.
We here present ourselves to live only in You, for You, by You, and to You.
Let us be as the bull that stands between plow and altar, to work on the one hand, or to sacrifice on the other … let our motto forever be, “Ready for either.”
Morning & Evening
TITLE: THE MARK – The Center of Christian Living!
SERIES: Jesus, His Person and His Works
TEXT: Philippians 1:21
“For me to live is Christ.”
INQUIRY: How does the authentic believer manifest “to live is Christ”?
CONCISE OUTLINE
I. BY PAYING THE TOTAL PRICETRUTH/CONTEXT: Our meditative music this morning says, “Lord, we’ve come to listen, and hear what you would say.” Often I’m concerned that many church people listen but do not hear what the Lord has to say. As the Scriptures say -
II. BY DEVOTING HIS TOTAL LOVE
III. BY OFFERING THE TOTAL SACRIFICE
IV. BY ATTEMPTING TOTAL IMITATION
“Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, Who have eyes, but see not; Who have ears, but hear not.” [Jeremiah 5:21]Apparently I’m not alone in this concern. Let me read a few words from R. Albert Mohler Jr.’s Commencement Address to the 2004 graduating class at Southern Seminary. Mohler is president of the school. He became president at age of 30 (I believe) and was voted one of Time Magazine’s top 50 young adults in America the same year.
[DEMONSTRATED LIFE] Mohler said, “there are two types of people who hear the Word of God: those who believe it and seek to conform their lives to it and those who' listen to it but remain unchanged – like the man of James 1:23-24 who stares at his reflection in the mirror. … .I agree Roy and Revel Hession who said many come by the “door” way of Christianity, but very few arrive at Heaven’s gate on the “walk” way.
“We are to center our ministries, ourselves, and all that we do in the teaching and the preaching of God's Word, and in the demonstration [of it], motivating others likewise to be doers of the Word. We will know that our ministry is effective … if our congregations show what God's Word is in their lives.
“We live in an emotive age when many people judge the authenticity of their faith by how they feel,” he warned. “But if we give our primary con-sideration to feeling, eventually we will no longer even be able to feel.”
“I think I can say on the basis of an observation of the times that we will soon find out who are the doers of the Word,” Mohler said. “In this day there will be no more cultural Christianity. In the white-hot heat of our current confrontation, there will be no casual Christianity.”
“We must confront the church of God with this truth. We must arm Christians with this realization. We must challenge ourselves and others with the task and the litmus test of true faith, which is its demonstration.”
Apparently, many of God’s so-called children are too fearful to walk publicly with or for the Lord … to be a fool for Jesus! Or as our text says, “to live is Christ.”
The Bible speaks of sin as missing the mark … this implies that there is a mark which we should desire to hit. And that Mark is Jesus! Anything missing the Mark is sin.
The committed believer did not always live to Christ! Of course not! He began to do so when the Holy Spirit convinced him of his sin. He committed to do so when “by grace” he saw his dying Savior making propitiation for his guiltiness. From the moment of this new and heavenly rebirth, he began to “live” to Christ.
INQUIRY: How does the authentic believer manifest “to live is Christ”?
EXPANDED OUTLINE
I. BY PAYING THE TOTAL PRICEAPPLICATION/CHALLENGE: Paul's words mean more than most men think; they imply that the aim and end of his life was Christ. Let’s be honest, to Paul, life itself was Jesus.To the committed believer, Jesus is the Pearl of Great Price, for which he is willing to part with all that he has.II. BY DEVOTING HIS TOTAL LOVETo the committed believer, Jesus has completely won his love: so much so that his heart beats for Him alone.III. BY OFFERING THE TOTAL SACRIFICETo the committed believer, Jesus’ glory is his life; in defense of His Good News, he would sacrifice his life.IV. BY ATTEMPTING TOTAL IMITATIONTo the committed believer, Jesus is the template of his life, the model by which he would sculpt his character and reputation.
[SPURGEON] “Jesus was his very breath, the soul of his soul, the heart of his heart, the life of his life.”Can you say, as a professing Christian, you meet this ideal?
Can you honestly say for you “to live IS Christ”?
Jesus Himself said, “You cannot serve to masters.” If you profess, “to live is Christ”; how can you divide your devotion and not commit adultery?
- Consider your employment – are you laboring for Christ? Or is it done for self-aggrandizement and personal advantage? You ask, “Is this an improper motive?” For the Christian? Yes!
- Consider your finances – are they wholly devoted to Him?
- Consider your home – is it a temple of the Living God?
- consider this church – are you making it the sanctuary of worship He deserves?
- Consider when no one is looking – is the time devoted to the King of kings?
Many carry out this principle in some measure; but who is there who dares to say he lives wholly for Christ … in the same way Paul did?
But, this, my friends, is the authentic Christian life … its origin, its lifeblood, its nature, its means of operation, its objective are all gathered up in one person – the Living Word of God.
Lord, our prayer this day is that You forgive us our failure to live as You would have us live.
We here present ourselves to live only in You, for You, by You, and to You.
Let us be as the bull that stands between plow and altar, to work on the one hand, or to sacrifice on the other … let our motto forever be, “Ready for either.”
Morning & Evening
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