Exploring The Mystery Of Our Union With Christ Series

“United We Stand!”

Exploring The Mystery Of Our Union With Christ!

Introduction:

1. IE: Several Months Now - If You Drive Down Main Street In Greenfield, Met With Patriotic Banners - Red, White & Blue - Phrase: “United We Stand!” - Set Up To Show Support For Our Nation & Our Troops, Fighting For Freedom In Faraway Lands - Important & Powerful Truth - Christ Said “If a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand” (Mark 3:24-25) - There Are A Great Many Benefits To Standing United!

- There Is Strength (IE: Ganging Up Against Bullies)

- There Is Power (IE: Politicians Getting Most Votes)

- There Is Comfort (IE: “Misery Loves Company!”)

2. For Christians, However, There Is Another Unity – Greater Than Any National, Social, Or Familial Bond Combined!

- Christians Are United With Their Savior Jesus Christ!

- For The Christian, There Are Also A Great Many Benefits To Standing United With Christ – Too Many To Count (IE: As The Sands On The Seashore!)

3. The Doctrine Of A Christian’s Union With Christ:

- Is A Great Blessing For Christians!

- Because It Is A Fact!

- 1 Corinthians 1:30 - “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus!”

- Your Union With Christ Is Personal! God Himself Placed You There! (“Of Him”)

- Your Union With Christ Is Present! It Is Something That You Possess In Your Life Right Now! (“Are”)

- Your Union With Christ Is Permanent! It Is Secure, And There Will Never Be A Separation! (“In”)

- Also, Is A Great Mystery For Christians!

- You May Have Questions About Your Union With Christ!

- How Can I Be United With Christ?

- What Does It Mean To Be United With Christ?

- How Do I Experience This Unity With Christ?

- The Bible Speaks Of This Union As A Mystery (“Something Hidden, Something Beyond Human Knowledge” - Charles Hodge)

- Ephesians 5:31-32 - “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.”

- 1 Corinthians 1:26-27 - “Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:”

4. We Are Going To Explore The Mystery Of Our Union With Christ!

- IE: “Clue” Game - A Murder Has Been Committed - Each Player Travels To Different Rooms Inside The Mansion (The Playing Board) - In Each Room, They Can Gather Clues Which They Can Piece Together To Understand More About The Mysterious Crime, And Eventually Solve It!

- The Entire New Testament Is The Mansion Through Which We Will Travel, From Room To Room Gathering Clues About The Mystery Of Our Union With Christ!

- But, Unlike “Clue”, You Will Never Be Able To Completely Solve This Mystery! So Why Explore?

- To Believe In Your Union With Christ More!

- To Understand Your Union With Christ Better!

- To Experience Your Union With Christ Better!

5. In Our Exploration, We Will Look At:

- The Definition Of Your Union With Christ

- The Conditions For Your Union With Christ

- The Components Of Your Union With Christ

I. What Does It Mean To Be United With Christ?

A. Your Union With Christ Is Broad!

- It Covers Many Facets Of Your Life As A Christian!

- IE: Like The Cutting Of A Diamond

- Millard Erickson: “In One Sense, Union With Christ Is An Inclusive Term For The Whole Of Salvation; The Various Other Doctrines Are Simply Subparts!”

- The More You Learn About What Makes Up Your Salvation, The More You Learn About Your Union With Your Savior, Jesus Christ!

B. Your Union With Christ Is Biblical!

- Several Phrases Used In The New Testament To Help You Search Out And Explore Your Union With Christ!

- “In Christ” / “Into Christ” (78x)

- If You Are A Christian, You Are In Christ!

- “Christ In You” (Colossians 1:27)

- If You Are A Christian, Christ Is In You!

- “As Christ” (8x)

- If You Are A Christian, You Are Like Christ!

- “With Christ” (9x)

- If You Are A Christian, You Have Fellowship With Christ!

- Other Terms & Phrases & Illustrations Throughout The NT That Describe Your Union With Christ! (IE: Get Out Your Concordance Or Bible Search Program & Look Them Up!)

C. Your Union With Christ Is Beneficial!

- As It Says In Psalms 103:2 - “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits!”