I. EXORDIUM:
Do you belong to the LORD?
Yes. He's my Controller.
II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:
Believers/unbelievers
III. OBJECTIVES:
To show that we live or die unto the LORD, because we belong to Him. We are His property, and He is our Controller.
IV. TEXT:
Romans 14:8 (Amplified Bible)
If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or we die, we belong to the Lord.
V. THESIS:
Praise, worship, glorify, adore, bless, honor, acknowledge and thank You very much LORD JESUS for we live unto You and we die unto You, whether we live or die, we belong to You.
VI. TITLE:
We belong to the LORD
VII. EXPLICATION:
A. Author: Apostle Paul
B. Date written: 57 A.D.
C. Place written: From Corinth
D. Purpose: To prepare Roman believers for his long awaited visit.
E. To whom written: Roman Christians
VIII. MAIN BODY:
Romans 14:8 (Amplified Bible)
If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or we die, we belong to the Lord.
Romans 14:8 (New King James Version)
For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.
A. If we live, we live for the LORD. If we die, we die for the LORD.
"If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord."
1 Thessalonians 5:10 (Amplified Bible)
Who died for us so that whether we are still alive or are dead [at Christ’s appearing], we might live together with Him and share His life.
Philippians 2:30 (Amplified Bible)
For it was through working for Christ that he came so near death, risking his [very] life to complete the deficiencies in your service to me [which distance prevented you yourselves from rendering].
Philippians 2:17 (Amplified Bible)
Even if [my lifeblood] must be poured out as a libation on the sacrificial offering of your faith [to God], still I am glad [to do it] and congratulate you all on [your share in] it.
This is a miserable world that we're living in, people are afraid to live and they are also afraid to die. But while we enjoy the LORD JESUS in our life, that makes our life enjoyable, our focus is on the LORD JESUS, the Savior of our souls in our lives not on life itself.
Colossians 1:27 (Amplified Bible)
To whom God was pleased to make known how great for the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ within and among you, the Hope of [realizing the] glory.
Hebrews 2:15 (Amplified Bible)
And also that He might deliver and completely set free all those who through the [haunting] fear of death were held in bondage throughout the whole course of their lives.
As born again CHRISTian believers, we must not be afraid of living and afraid of dying.
B. We belong to the LORD, whether we live or die.
"So then, whether we live or we die, we belong to the Lord."
Acts 21:13 (Amplified Bible)
Then Paul replied, What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart like this? For I hold myself in readiness not only to be arrested and bound and imprisoned at Jerusalem, but also [even] to die for the name of the Lord Jesus.
Our example here is Apostle Paul who is never afraid to live for the LORD or die for the LORD. He takes all things here on earth with reason and motivation coming from the LORD JESUS, that's why the LORD JESUS honored Paul by making all his writings inspired and part of the bible. We see here a person that is really solid for the LORD, no hypocrisy.
Acts 17:28 (Amplified Bible)
For in Him we live and move and have our being; as even some of your [own] poets have said, For we are also His offspring.
We see in our days, there are many CHRISTian, so-called and they still believe that they are CHRISTians but are never going to church for 5 years or 10 years, is that a believer? No according to GOD's WORDS they can't prove their faith by their actions. They cannot even submit to GOD by their schedules.
Hebrews 10:25 (Amplified Bible)
Not forsaking or neglecting to assemble together [as believers], as is the habit of some people, but admonishing (warning, urging, and encouraging) one another, and all the more faithfully as you see the day approaching.
They have forsaken the assembling of ourselves together as church. When asked these hypocrite believers will say they are CHRISTians but they will whisper to themselves yes, 10 years ago. That's why these very same hypocrite believers will even have the guts to say to the LORD.
Luke 6:46 (Amplified Bible)
Why do you call Me, Lord, Lord, and do not [practice] what I tell you?
We are after the application of the WORD OF GOD not the rejection of it or just the hearing of it.
James 1:22 (Amplified Bible)
But be doers of the Word [obey the message], and not merely listeners to it, betraying yourselves [into deception by reasoning contrary to the Truth].
1 Corinthians 3:22-23 (Amplified Bible)
Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas (Peter), or the universe or life or death, or the immediate and threatening present or the [subsequent and uncertain] future—all are yours,
And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.
1 Corinthians 15:23 (Amplified Bible)
But each in his own rank and turn: Christ (the Messiah) [is] the firstfruits, then those who are Christ’s [own will be resurrected] at His coming.
1 Thessalonians 4:14-18 (Amplified Bible)
For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will also bring with Him through Jesus those who have fallen asleep [in death].
For this we declare to you by the Lord’s [own] word, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord shall in no way precede [into His presence] or have any advantage at all over those who have previously fallen asleep [in Him in death].
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud cry of summons, with the shout of an archangel, and with the blast of the trumpet of God. And those who have departed this life in Christ will rise first.
Then we, the living ones who remain [on the earth], shall simultaneously be caught up along with [the resurrected dead] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so always (through the eternity of the eternities) we shall be with the Lord!
Therefore comfort and encourage one another with these words.
Lord or "kurios" in Greek meaning: Controller.
He's the One in control of us, not the other way around.
ILLUSTRATION: I was reminded of a person who declares she goes to church, but not true, she's a CHRISTian like 10 years ago, she only has memories of church, upon confrontation, it seems to her that she's taught to go to church whenever she's convenient. I told her, well you heard wrong, or your ears tried to hide you the truth. The truth is whether it's convenient or not for us, we go to church, that's the essence of worship, we worship our Master, our Controller, the One who controls us.
IX. CONCLUSION:
Praise, worship, glorify, adore, bless, honor, acknowledge and thank You very much LORD JESUS for we live unto You and we die unto You, whether we live or die, we belong to You.
