Have You Died With Christ?

DEATH

• The universal nemesis of all men

• The one thing man has not mastered

• Rather, death has dominion over all men

• No matter how much we resist, in time death will overtake us all

Are you afraid of death?

• Consider the effect that death has on us

• When we witness it

• When it touches us

Jesus came...

• To free us from the fear of death

• Hebrews 2:14-15 Since then the children are sharers in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same; that through death he might bring to nought him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15. and might deliver all them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

THE MAN GOD CREATED – ADAM

• Genesis 2:7 And Jehovah God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

• Genesis 2:21-22 And Jehovah God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof: 22. and the rib, which Jehovah God had taken from the man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.

God did not engineer man to die

Man brought death upon himself

Death is a consequence of disobedience / the result of our sin

Genesis 2:15-17

Romans 5:12

The entire universe was subjected to corruption

• Genesis 3:17-19 • Romans 8:20-22 • Every child born is destined to die

JESUS CHRIST, OUR SAVIOR

Sent by GodMatthew 1:18-23

Luke 2:8-12

It is true that Jesus died

• He died according to God’s foreordained counsel – Acts 2:22-23

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

Jesus was resurrected

• He appeared to many people after His death

• There were eyewitnesses – 1 Corinthians 15:1-8

Things to consider

• Jesus surrendered all – Philippians 2:5-8 – Hebrews 5:7-9

• Jesus did not die as a consequence of His sins – Hebrews 4:14-16 – Hebrews 2:9-10 – Isaiah 53:3-11

The Reason

WHY is it that death could not hold Jesus?

Acts 2:23-24

1 Corinthians 15:55-57

Revelation 1:17-18

WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?

Many people are not looking to be saved

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

Salvation from sin and death are through faith in Jesus Christ

Only one thing remains

• You must die with Christ in order to be saved

• Many people have been deceived by a distorted gospel that fails to reveal the whole truth

• But, why must I die?

Consider what it means to be “dead”

What temptations are effective on a dead man?

When I “die” to sin... then I will not respond to its enticement

Romans 6:1-2 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2. God forbid. We who died to sin, how shall we any longer live therein?

Romans 6:7-13

knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin; 7. for he that hath died is justified from sin. 8. But if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him; 9. knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death no more hath dominion over him. 10. For the death that he died, he died unto sin once: but the life that he liveth, he liveth unto God. 11. Even so reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus. 12. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey the lusts thereof: 13. neither present your members unto sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves unto God, as alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

Romans 6:16-18

Know ye not, that to whom ye present yourselves as servants unto obedience, his servants ye are whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? 17. But thanks be to God, that, whereas ye were servants of sin, ye became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching whereunto ye were delivered; 18. and being made free from sin, ye became servants of righteousness.

Romans 6:3-5

Or are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4. We were buried therefore with him through baptism unto death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life. 5. For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection;

In baptism our old man is crucified

• We are raised up to walk in newness of life

• Galatians 2:20 have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.

Perhaps there is someone here tonight who is ready to “die” with Christ – in order to be raised up with Him?

Are you afraid of death now?

Colossians 3