1.20.2008
Building Up – Living in Christ
Fight for Truth – Part 2
Jude 3, 20, 21
Are we contending for the Faith?
Are we building each other up in the faith?
Are we truly living IN Christ?
Here are some points on how.
I had been going to the gym to work out.
When I first started working out, I lifted a total of 19,000 pounds in the circuit. NO, not all at one time, as a friend of mine inquired. It’s a circuit of stations and it counts how much weight, how many sets and how many repetitions. At the end of the workout, it computes and tells you your total workout and the total weight lifted.
As soon as I established that start, I set a goal. 25,000.
Within 3 weeks, I was at that Goal, so I set another one. 30,000.
I began to push myself, and soon was up to 35,000 pounds.
Feeling pretty good about myself, I got confident. I wanted to hit 45,000.
I was at 44,250 +/- and hit a wall.
My foot began to hurt, my right elbow was always sore.
And to make matters worse, I had gained 15 pounds from my starting weight..
15 pounds! I was supposed to be losing weight, not gaining.
I went to the Doctor’s office and told the Doc what I was doing. “You’re Doing WHAT???”
No, no, no. You don’t need to be working on bulking up your body, you’re already big enough, you need to be working on your heart, building it up.
It wasn’t physical, exterior strength I needed to bulk up on, but rather … interior muscular strength I needed to be building up. Cardiovascular strength. I was not to be on the muscle machines, but rather on the cardio machines. Walking and Running. Not sitting and pumping iron. But moving.
Interesting concept isn’t it.
God wants us to do the same doesn’t He?
He wants us to build up inner strength.
We don’t need to be strong. As the song ‘Jesus loves me’ goes. We are weak but He is strong.
Inner strength. Endurance. Inner Peace.
So we can walk and not be weary. Run and not faint. Isaiah 40:31
God wants us to wait upon HIM, so that He can renew our strength.
So how do we get this inner strength, endurance and inner peace?
He wants us to wait upon HIM
But they that wait
Hebrew: qavah (kaw-vaw’)
to bind together (perhaps by twisting), i.e. collect; (figuratively) to expect -- gather (together), look, patiently, tarry, wait (for, on, upon).
He wants us to Live for Him.
For me to live…is Christ Philippians 1:21a
Jude 1:3, 20-21
3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.
20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
Contend earnestly.
Building up our faith
Bound together by our faith, to Gathering together, Looking forward to or waiting for or waiting upon the Lord.
We are to do this…to Live in Christ.
Isaiah 40:31
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
What does it mean to live in Christ?
1. Believing that He is the Son of God.
1 John 4:15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
2. Receiving him as Savior and Lord
John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
3. Doing what God says.
1 John 3:24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
4. Continuing in the Faith
1 John 2:24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
5. Relating to the community of believers – Christ’s body
Romans 12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
John 15:5-6 Jesus tells us…
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
Think about this…
He is the vine. The main thing. The trunk, the root, the life giver.
We are his branches. We can not live without the vine. We can not survive without this main feed, this connection.
And if we do not produce fruit, or detach ourselves from the vine, we will be cut off forever.
Therefore, as long as we stay connected to the vine.
And bare fruit, We are purified by the word of God.
We are to bear fruit. It’s not talking about children although if we have children we are to share this message with them as well.
We are to spread the Gospel message to others.
What is Fruit?
Fruit is nourishment and can satisfy a hungry mouth,
But in it contains an element that produces more. Inside the fruit are contained seeds. These are Seeds of faith. When planted, they produce more fruit. And when that fruit is planted, it produces even more.
We are all part of the vine. The vine gives life.
Are you Living in the Vine?
Are you building up your faith?
How?
By making up your mind and heart to
Believing, Receiving, Doing what God says,
Continuing in faith,
Being part of the body of believers. Staying true to the Body of Christ?
Build up your inner strength in the one who gives us strength.
Praise the Lord.
