(20th Nov. 2011) Christ lives in me

 

 

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

 

 

Sermon: CHRIST LIVES IN ME.

 

One day, Jesus called a small guy who looked down at him on a sycamore-fig tree. "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." Zacchaeus! he is a person who Jesus knew before? or he also knew very well about Jesus and his power? No either. Zacchaeus had no any faith to believe in Jesus Christ. He just had a curiosity and then climbed the tree to see because his height was very small. However, without any will of Zacchaeus, Jesus chose and called him. It is only Jesus' will on him. Then, what happened? Zacchaeus changed! He who was a chief tax collector and called a sinner by people experienced the gift of Salvation from the Lord Jesus Christ. He turned his mind to God Almighty.

"Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount" (Luke 19:8)

By the joy of gift of salvation, he had in mind to live as a child of God. To us, what is the most precious grace is the gift of salvation without any payment.

Now, we remembered the gift and saw new baptists (Cho youngsuk, Im hangsuk, Han heejung, & Choi seungah) who received the gift like Zacchaeus. By the baptism, we always considered that we have to live as children of God. By the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we gained the true life from him apart from the power of the darkness, Satan.

What is "baptism"? It means firstly to wash "sins". Water is a symbol of washing dirties. However essentially, we know by the baptism, even we uses water, that our sins were washed only by the blood of Jesus Christ on the Cross; "..the blood of Jesus Christ, his son, purifies us from all sin"(1 john 1:7b) With this grace, we are joyful to give our Lord all glory from us. This is true happiness for us.

Secondly, it means to "sink" under water. In the baptist churches, pastors sink new baptists from head to feet under sea, river or swimming pool. If people sink all body under water, they must die because they could not breath, but after sinking and get out of water, they must live. Yes it is! Baptism means "death and resurrection"; "we were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the father, we too may live a new life." (Rome 6:3~4)

We should put off our old self which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires to be made new in the attitude of our mind and put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:22~24).

Why we have Wedding ceremonies? Some men says that marriage is "the tomb of Life". However, being perfect human should get married to someone and make a family because marriage is an important process of mature lives. So by the ceremony of Wedding, man and woman say "be faithful to our vow" in front of their families, friends and so on. Baptism is so. We not only have faithful lives in church gaining a salvation from the Lord but also more seriously serve the Father God, believe in the son and our Lord, Jesus Christ, follow the protection and guide of the Holy Spirit by the ceremony of baptism.

Now, we have a new decision to make more deep relationship with the Lord. He love to receive it. By the process, we can experience a new change on our lives by the blessing of God.

Therefore, we have to have in mind; " I am dead, Christ lives in me" (Galatian 2:20). CHRIST LIVES IN US. THIS IS onLY OUR JOY AND GRACE FOR CHRISTIANS BECAUSE THE LORD LEAD US TO HAPPINESS FOR HEAVEN, IN THIS WORLD UNDER THE POWER OF THE DARKNESS. I HOPE YOU ARE IN CHRIST ALL THE TIME EVEN TILL YOU GO TO BACK THE HOUSE OF GOD, HEAVEN. AMEN.

 

A HOUSE OF PRAYERS FOR ALL NATIONS 2011