INTRODUCTION
Matters of "life or death" are faced often enough, emergency response teams train and practice to respond to situations in order to save lives. What we need is a training for allowing death to replace life. The story of death for life begins way back in the book of Genesis.
I. Story Of Death
A. Lamb for a man
Genesis 3:21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
NOTE:
The theme of the innocent suffering for the guilty begins, as does Israel's love affair with blood and death.
B. Lamb for a family
Exodus 12:3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth [day] of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of [their] fathers, a lamb for an house: And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take [it] according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take [it] out from the sheep, or from the goats: And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. And they shall take of the blood, and strike [it] on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.
C. Lamb for a nation
Leviticus 16:18 And he shall go out unto the altar that [is] before the LORD, and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put [it] upon the horns of the altar round about.
Hebrews 9:7 But into the second [went] the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and [for] the errors of the people:
II. First the physical, then the Spiritual
A. Jesus didn't want people to die physically when He said
Mark 8:34 ... Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
B. Teaching self-denial deny (cessation - to disavow)
C. Jesus followers were taught save\lose... lose\save death for life
Mark 8:35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
D. Jesus begins to talk about eating His flesh and drinking His blood ... and people split
John 6:56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
John 6:66 From that [time] many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
E. Jesus talks about death, but notice Peter's words
John 6:68 ... Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
III. Same attitude
A. Lamb for a world... Jesus firstfruits
I Corinthians 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, [and] become the firstfruits of them that slept.
B. His death physical ours Spiritual
C. Arm yourself (same attitude)
1 Pet 4:1 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. 2 As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. (NIV)
1. human desire
2. will of god
D. I must be crucified (fig. to extinguish (subdue) passion or selfishness)
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Galatians 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Gal 5:24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. (NIV)
E. Paul practiced dying daily 1Co 15:31 death for life
Phil 3:7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ-- the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. (NIV)
CONCLUSION
A. Same attitude of Jesus
Hebrews 13:13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.
Heb 13:13 Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. (NIV)
B. Overcomers chose death... gained LIFE
Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
Rev 12:11 They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. (NIV)
