Go! And Live For Christ - 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 Series

Go! And Live for Christ

Introduction:

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (NLT): "Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them."

These verses challenge us to reflect deeply: What does it mean to live for Christ? How does His love compel us to transform our lives? Today, we will delve into three pivotal truths:

Christ's Love Compels Us

We Have Died to Our Old Life

We Are Called to Live for Christ

May the Holy Spirit illuminate our hearts as we journey through His Word.

1. Christ's Love Compels Us

The apostle Paul declares that it is Christ's love that controls or compels us. The Greek word used here for "love" is ???p? (agape), signifying a selfless, unconditional love that seeks the best for others.

Understanding 'Compels': The term translated as "controls" or "compels" is the Greek word s????e? (synechei), which means to hold together, constrain, or urge. This indicates that Christ's love is not passive; it actively urges and directs our actions.

Romans 8:38-39 (NLT): "And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love... Indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Paul emphasizes the inseparable nature of God's agape love. Understanding this unwavering love should compel us to live in gratitude and obedience, knowing we are eternally secure in Him.

Imagine a river's current so strong that it carries everything along its path. Similarly, Christ's love is a powerful force that, when embraced, propels us forward in our spiritual journey, guiding our decisions and actions.

A.W. Tozer once said, "The reason why many are still troubled, still seeking, still making little forward progress is because they haven't yet come to the end of themselves."

What a powerful and piercing truth that is. Church, let’s not rush past those words—let’s allow them to sink deep into our hearts.

You see, many of us are burdened by spiritual frustration. We feel stuck in cycles of defeat, anxiety, restlessness, and spiritual stagnation. And we wonder why. We pray, we attend church, we even serve—but something feels missing. The breakthrough seems distant. The peace of God seems elusive.

And Tozer, with Spirit-led clarity, gives us the diagnosis: we haven’t yet come to the end of ourselves.

That means we’re still trying to do life in our own strength. We’re still holding the steering wheel. We’re still relying on our own wisdom, our own strength, our own plans. We’ve said Jesus is Lord with our lips, but in our hearts we’re still living like we are the master of our own destiny.

But friend, you cannot be full of Jesus until you are empty of yourself.

When we surrender to Christ's love, we cease striving on our own and allow His love to direct our paths.

That’s what it means to come to the end of yourself—it's to say, “Lord, not my will but Yours be done. Not my strength, not my ego, not my ambition—Jesus, I surrender all to You.”

Let me ask you—what if the very thing holding back your spiritual progress is not your circumstances, but your refusal to fully surrender?

Coming to the end of yourself isn’t a place of defeat—it’s the beginning of freedom. It’s where resurrection begins. You can’t be raised to new life until your old self dies.

So church, hear this: If you’re tired of being stuck, if you’re weary of trying to carry it all—there is a better way. It is not found in striving, but in surrender. Jesus is not calling you to try harder—He’s calling you to trust deeper.

Let go. Lay it down. Come to the end of yourself—and you will find the limitless, resurrection life of Christ waiting to carry you forward.

2. We Have Died to Our Old Life

Paul asserts that since Christ died for all, we have all died to our old life. This signifies a profound transformation.

Understanding 'Died': The Greek word ?p??a??? (apethanon) refers to dying. In this context, it implies a spiritual death to our former sinful nature.

Galatians 2:20 (NLT): "My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me..."

Our former selves, dominated by sin, have been crucified with Christ. Embracing this truth means rejecting past sinful behaviors and allowing Christ to live through us.

Consider a caterpillar undergoing metamorphosis into a butterfly. The caterpillar's old existence ends, giving rise to a new, transformed life. Similarly, dying to our old selves allows us to emerge as new creations in Christ.