R sbc
April 24, 2005
Sunday Morning
Series: “CHrist the Sum and Substance of The Bible”
Text: Gal 2-19-21
Sermon # 40
Subject: “ What It Means To Die With Christ”
Text: Gal 2-19-21
Intro: What a statement, to die with Christ, such a privilege, and such a blessing to be a part of this death. In this sermon and in this text Paul mentions three different deaths that I wish to speak too this day.
No one here needs an explanation as to what it means to die, but it does have a meaning to it, and it can be applied in our sermon this morning. “Death means” the absence of life. Basically there are two kinds of death: (1.) Physical (2.) Spiritual. But there are many application that come as a results of these deaths. In our text Paul mentions three of them.
I... “ THE DEATH TO THE LAW”..VS 19
The context of this statement is seen in the previous verses of this chapter. Paul is saying I am dead to the law when it comes to justification...vs 16. But I believe it to go deeper than just one statement..
(1.) We are dead to it with respect to it’s condemning power: Romans 8:1
(2.) We are dead to it with respect to it’s indictments and accusations: Romans 8:33
(3.) We are dead to it because Christ has set us free from it: Romans 8:2
(4.) We are dead to it because the LORD hath laid help on one that is mightier than I.
Psalms 89:19 Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people.
Romans 10-4 “ For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one theat believeth.
(5.) We are dead to the law because we are complete in Christ:
Col 2-9-10 “ For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him which is the head of all principalities and power:
(6.) We are dead to the law because Christ has made a full satisfactory payment of the demands of the law:
So if this is true, then the law cannot exact from us anymore payment, GOD is completely and throughly satisfied. The Hymn writer says it like this:
“Free from the law, Oh happy condition, Jesus hath bled, and there is remission, Cursed by the law and bruised by the fall, grace hath redeemed us once for all. Now are we free there’s no condemnation Jesus provides a perfect salvation “Come unto me O hear his sweet voice Come and he saves us once for all. Children of GOD O glorious calling Surely his grace will keep us from falling Passing from death to life at his call blessed salvation once for all...
(7.) We are dead to the law because our school master hath brought us to Christ and left us there...
Gal 3-23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. 26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
II... “THE DEATH WITH CHRIST”...VS 20
There is no question that we needed to die with Christ. But what does that really mean. It is so important that we understand this fully and clearly... we need to know for sure did I die with Jesus Christ that day? This question can only be answered as a person becomes alive in Christ... I know I died that day, but I cannot assure you that you did. It is personal, it is real, it is vital.
(1.) Dying with Christ speaks of union:
In the Old Testament:
Ex 28-21 “ And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet; every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes.
Vs 29 “ And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgement upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the Holy place for a memorial before the Lord continually.
Vs 30 “And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgement the Urim and Thummin and they shall be upon Aaron’s heart when he goeth in before the LORD and Aaron shall bear the judgement of the children of Israel upon his heart before the Lord continually.
Wow that grabbed me when I read this.. Note three things about this union Aaron had with the people of the Lord..
1st. Their names where written:
Jesus told his disciples not to rejoice in their spiritual power but in this fact Luke 10:20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
Revelation 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
2nd. He bear their names in his heart and their judgement:
Christ loves us people and proved it. He had us in his heart before the foundation of the world. One song writer of late, when he was on the cross I was on his mind. He knew me yet he loved me.....
Notice that he had a “breastplate of judgement..this was personal, this was vital, this was typology this was the gospel in symbol and in shadows that these people saw before the LORD that day...
3rd. He bear their judgement:
Christ was judged in our place what an awful thing when you really think of it. The great exchange that day at calvary. God laid upon him our sins, our filthiness, what an exchange his righteousness for our sins..
The Urim and Thummin was lights and perfections: Christ is both light and perfection. He bear it all for us that day...
1 Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
(2nd.) It means that we are now accepted by the Father:
Exodus 28:38 And it shall be upon Aaron’s forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD.
Christ before the Father in our place we are accepted forever: Ephesians 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
III... “THE DEATH OF CHRIST”
Let me make it as clear as I can this morning that the death of Christ was no afterthought with the Father. The death of Christ was no afterthought with the LORD JESUS CHRIST either...
1st. He anticipated his death:...
Not so with his followers:
Matt 16-21- 23 21 ¶ From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. 22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. 23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
In the Old Testament prophecy:
Isa 50-5 The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. Vs 6 I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting. 7 For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.
Listen to what Luke said about this very thing:
Luke 9-51 ¶ And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,
2nd. The context of his death:
Mark 14-12-28
a. It was in the context of the passover lamb: vs 12
Christ is called the lamb of GOD, the lamb from the foundation of the world, so it was in the context of this most solemn feast that the Jews had...
b. It was in the context of revealing his betrayal..vs 21
c. It was in the context of the Lord’s supper being instituted..vs 23-28
3rd. The nature of his death:
The nature of something is the very essence of it. It is that which makes it work or not work. I wish to show the nature of it for our last thoughts this morning...
(1.) Eternally determined:
Acts 2-22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: 23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: 24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
(2.) It was voluntarily endured by Christ:
John 10-18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
John 19-11 Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?
(3.) The fruit of it:
a. It pardon us: Col 2-14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
b. It showed us how victorious Christ was:
He said in Revelation
Revelation 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
Revelation 3:7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;
Revelation 5:5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.