Compelled By The Love Of God Series

Last week we had two messages based upon the first 13 verses of chapter 5. Paul focused strongly upon the aspects of things beyond this life: the transformation of our earthly body to a building made without hands in the heavenlies, our being newly clothed in our eternal apparel and last Sunday night the fact that all of us will be judged one day for all we have done, said, not done and not said when we are before the judgment(bema) seat of Christ.

As amazing as these truths are Paul says the most compelling thing that should motivate us in our love for Christ is what He did in giving His life for us. Greater motivation than how great heaven will be or how horrible to face judgment.

Knowing all these things to be true and to be prepared for then what do we need to know about ourselves and our message as believers to make sure we are prepared for the amazingly important events Paul just wrote about?

14 For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; 15 and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. 16 Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. 17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

This morning I want to break these 8 verses up into three sections and use three words to look at specific truths: Motivation – Transformation - Application

MOTIVATION: WHOM WE ARE TO LIVE FOR: 14 For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; 15 and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.

1. Our motivation is that we have a compelling love within us. It is meant to be so compelling as to have a controlling impact upon our lives.

a. It is not saying that ‘our love for Christ motivates us’ but it is something much more. There should be something within our heart that draws out of us a love for God but the COMPELLING aspect, CONTROLLING degree that impacts us to the level of changing our daily DNA of behavior comes from understanding the true depth of His love and His works on our behalf.

b. “We love Him, because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). There is an intense level of inspired love that we should have because of our realization of His love for us and what that led Him to do for us.

having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; 15 and He died for all

c. A person who is apathetic about God’s purpose for their life is someone who has yet to understand what God potentially has done for them through Christ.

2. Our motivation is so powerful that we build our lives around His agendas and not ours: so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.

a. What has the love of Christ compelled you to do this past week: How has it changed a conversation you had? How has is changed your choices when watching TV? How has is made you do things you might not have otherwise done?

b. The ‘default’ lifestyle of the average person in this country is to ‘live for themselves’. People even build their religious beliefs around the idea that God exists for them and lives only to bless their lives continually.

Paul says the opposite is true in the life of someone who truly understands and has been impacted by what Christ has done for them.

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