Life In Christ Series

INTRO.- ILL.- There was a New England Patriots’ fan with a really crummy seat. Looking with his binoculars, he spotted an empty seat on the 50-yard line. Thinking to himself "what a waste," so he made his way down to the empty seat.

When he arrived at the seat, he asked the man sitting next to it, "Is this seat taken?" The man replied, "This was my wife's seat. She passed away. She was a big Patriots’ fan." The other man replied,"I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. May I ask why you didn't give the ticket to a friend or a relative?" The man replied, "They're all at her funeral."

Some people are dedicated football fans. I doubt many would be that dedicated, however. Although the Super Bowl of last Sunday night was the most watched TV program ever with 111.3 million viewers. That’s a lot of football fans!

What is life to the average American? To some, it may be football or sports in general. To most, however, it seems to be the “good life,” that is, people want a good job, decent wage, nice home, plenty of time off to enjoy life, sports, great vacations, etc.

Ephesians 5:15-17 “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.”

God is the one who gives us life and time and He deserves more of that time than we give Him!

ILL.- Robert Lauer wrote in A Greater Enemy: “Long ago, William Law warned that the world is now a greater enemy to the Christian than it was in apostolic times. It is a greater enemy, because it has greater power over Christians by its favors, riches, honors, rewards, and protection than it had by the fire and fury of its persecutors. It is a more dangerous enemy, by having lost its appearance of being an enemy.”

Lauer is saying that the world with all of its glitter and gold is our enemy! Oh, it’s a nice place to live, because look at the comfort we have and all the luxuries we enjoy! THAT’S THE POINT! Too much money or materialism is a detriment to our faith in Christ, because we look too much at them and not at Him! We take our focus off Him and put it on the fads and fancies of the world!

I John 2:15-17 “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.”

Life in Christ means we have to live in this world but we are not to be controlled by this world. What do we do? How do we live?

PROP.- Paul tells us what we should do in our life in Christ.

1- We put away the former life

2- We put on the new life

3- We put down the devil

I. WE PUT AWAY THE FORMER LIFE

20 You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. 21 Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires.

Your former way of life. What was it like? What did you used to do that you no longer do? What did you used to do that wasn’t a good thing that you no longer do?

ILL.- A friend of mine tells about a time in his life that even though he was a Christian and even though he had been raised in the church he would take off Sunday morning with his boat and beer and head to the lake. He would wait until the people were in the church so they wouldn’t see him drive by the church, going to Grand Lake.

Now, what’s so bad about what he did? Here is what is bad. He was totally leaving God out of the picture of his life by ignoring worship. He was not giving God thanks for anything and everything good in his life. He was not praying and praising the Lord. He was not seeking the Lord’s will, but his own will. He was only pleasing himself. And he would admit that.

All of us may have a similar story but not quite the same. It could be better or it could be worse. Many people have been plagued by troubles in the past with drinking, carousing, ignoring God, dishonoring people and parents, etc.