HOW TO LIVE IN THIS WORLD SERIES
ALL SCRIPTURAL TEXTS ARE FROM NEW LIVING TRANSLATION
LIVE IN THE POWER OF THE CHRIST’S PASSION
1So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too. For if you are willing to suffer for Christ, you have decided to stop sinning. 2And you won’t spend the rest of your life chasing after evil desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God. 3You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy—their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols.
4Of course, your former friends are very surprised when you no longer join them in the wicked things they do, and they say evil things about you. 5But just remember that they will have to face God, who will judge everyone, both the living and the dead. 6That is why the Good News was preached even to those who have died—so that although their bodies were punished with death, they could still live in the spirit as God does. 1 Peter 4:1-6
When I think of the Passion of Christ, his death had been foremost in my mind. Although, Mel Gibson may not be the greatest theologian or interpreter of biblical data, his understanding of the SUFFERING of Christ is closer to reality than what my thinking had been.
I hadn’t really considered how horrible the trial and beating might have been. I had overlooked the SUFFERING of Christ as secondary or minimal. I always notice in scripture the “death” of Christ. But now I notice the term “suffering” and “death” of Christ.
I was struggling this week. I had committed to fasting and prayer, but it wasn’t going well. It seemed like I was not making any contact with God. I went to see the Passion on Thursday. In preparation for this message. I couldn’t help thinking, how Jesus went through so much for us, for me. He didn’t quit. He didn’t wimp out. And I thought, when I see the cross in it reality, there is no sin, no habit, no attitude, no possession that can keep me from serving Christ.
If I am a follower of Christ, then I must consider myself a dead man to sin, self and this world. I must live for Christ and Christ alone.
I can no longer just come to church for my needs and my pleasurable worship. I must be about those for whom Christ suffered and died.
This passage calls us to recall and meditate on the PASSION, the SUFFERING AND DEATH of Christ. And more on the SUFFERING than the DEATH. From now on, instead saying “Christ died for you.” I will have to say “Christ suffered and died for you.” The emphasis on suffering.
THE BIG QUESTION
HOW DO I RESPOND TO THE SUFFERING OF CHRIST?
1So then, since Christ suffered physical pain
The Greek word for suffer is the word pasca which is where we get the term Passion. So it is appropriate to consider how we will respond to the Mel Gibson version of the PASSION, which emphasizes Christ suffering for us.
How can we respond? How will we respond? I can think of four possible responses.
NO RESPONSE. Blow it off, like any other movie
MINIMAL RESPONSE. Critique the film
RESPOND WITH THE MIND. Acknowledge the facts and keep every thing on an intellectual level.
RESPOND WITH THE WILL. Allow the reality of the facts change my life and lifestyle. Many times we use the term the HEART for WILL
I want to respond with my mind and my will and all my heart.
Peter tells us how to respond to the suffering of Christ.
Do you want to take a look at what the man who knew first hand about the suffering of Christ, because he had such personal issues going on with Christ that made the suffering all the more tortuous for Peter. So much so that when he was put to death, they tell us that he had them hang him upside down, because he was not worthy to be crucified like Christ.
Peter says
1. ARM YOURSELVES WITH CHRIST’S ATTITUDE
you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had
A. Christ’s attitude
Philippians 2:3-8
3Don’t be selfish; don’t live to make a good impression on others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourself. 4Don’t think only about your own affairs, but be interested in others, too, and what they are doing.
5Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. 6Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. 7He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form. 8And in human form he obediently humbled himself even further by dying a criminal’s death on a cross.
Selflessness
Humility
Focus on others
Not demanding His rights
Emptied himself for us
Obedience to the extreme
All of these attitudes seem so contrary to leanings of our culture today.
They sure don’t seem to come naturally.
Notice however the results of such and attitude
Philippians 2:9-11 9Because of this, God raised him up to the heights of heaven and gave him a name that is above every other name, 10so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
We also see the mind and attitude of Christ in what we call the Fruits of the Spirit listed in Galations 5:22-23
22But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law.
Peter tells us to
B. Arm yourselves
The word arm is in a tense or better yet a voice in the Greed language that takes many English words to translate or interpret. The grammar of Middle voice means that the person is participating in the action
Implies the armor is being given and you have to receive and do something with it.
God is providing what you need, but He is not doing it for you.
You are actively receiving and employing what God has given you.
The phrase that we just read from the Galatians passage, says “when the Holy Spirit controls our lives”.
I always misunderstood the word control. I thought that meant that I just ask the Holy Spirit to control my life, he would take over. I wouldn’t have to choose any longer between right and wrong, good and bad, righteousness and sinfulness. But what I’ve learned over the years is that it means that in every situation I must choose to do and be what the Holy Spirit directs me to do and be and He doesn’t force me. If I choose God He helps me,
This is what arming myself is all about.
Instead of saying, “OK Lord here I am do what you want with me.”
You must participate in the arming. We must ask,
“OK Lord, where is the armor?”
The answer is the Bible, the mind of Christ
“How do I put it on Lord?”
The answer is by studying, memorizing, applying
What do I do with this armor now, Lord?
The answer is fight important battles. Go out, do good, love well, be a part of my search and rescue team (our term for outreach and evangelism). Serve others, die in my service.
2. FIGHTING THE BATTLE OF THE WILLS
For if you are willing to suffer for Christ, you have decided to stop sinning.
A. WE MUST BATTLE OUR WILL
We must decide to stop sinning
And what is SIN?
1. Sin is DOING the things we know we shouldn’t do
1 Peter 4:2-3
2And you won’t spend the rest of your life chasing after evil desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God. 3You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy—their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols.
Galatians 2:19-21
19When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results: sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, 20idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group, 21envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other kinds of sin. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
2. Sin is NOT DOING the things we know we ought to do.
James 4:17 17Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.
Many people, including myself believe that the gospel of Mark, though written by Mark, the information came from Peter’s teachings and sermons. In Peter’s and Mark’s gospel we hear Jesus call us to take up His cross and follow him.
Mark 8:34 34“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow me.
Peter uses the phrases “evil desires” and “selfish ambition”
The first battle we fight is dying to selfish evil desires that arise within us.
Paul’s response to the cross and the battle is summed up in Galatians 2:20
“I have been crucified with Christ. 20I myself no longer live, but Christ lives in me. So I live my life in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Allowing the Holy Spirit to control my life. Arming myself.
These all start with killing, crucifying the selfish desires within ourselves.
We must stop sinning and we must crucify the will to sin.
On the other hand we must replace that crucified will with another and that is the WILL OF GOD.
3. WE MUST BATTLE FOR GOD’S WILL
1 Peter 4:2-3
2And you won’t spend the rest of your life chasing after evil desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God.
Sin and selfishness are very important concepts to the faith, but I fear that we have made too much of the negative aspects of the faith and not enough of the positive aspects. Christ does not call us to death in order to die. He calls us to say no to our sinful and selfish desires and to die in order that we might really live.
John 10:10 Jesus says “I have come that you might have life to the full”
We don’t have the time today to talk about how we can know the WILL OF GOD. But for the most part, the WILL OF GOD is no mystery. The WILL OF GOD is for us to LOVE HIM, AND OTHERS. If you want more specifics than that I can help you. But too many people are seeking God’s will for where to live, who to marry, where to work, who to date, where to go to school, what to invest in. God can and will give specifics. I believe the gift of prophecy and words of knowledge still are functional for today. There is a lot of hocus pocus stuff out there, but there is the real thing, too. That’s what I want. But for the most part, it is important who you are and how you are where you are and where you live and who you are with. It is less important where you live and work and who you are with.
Remember God guides the footsteps of the righteous
He leads the humble in what is right, teaching them his way. Psalm 25:9
CONCLUSION
BIG IDEA OF THE PASSAGE OF THE PASSION
CHRIST SUFFERED AND WE WILL SUFFER
We will Suffer by saying “no” to our sinfulness and selfishness
1So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too.
We will Suffer rejection from those who are not saying “no”
4Of course, your former friends are very surprised when you no longer join them in the wicked things they do, and they say evil things about you.
WHY SUFFER?
We are all going to face God and we will all be asked how we responded not just to the movie THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST, but we will be asked how we responded to THE PASSION OF JESUS CHRIST.
5But just remember that they will have to face God, who will judge everyone, both the living and the dead.
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO RESPOND?
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“… the people who know their God will be strong and take action.
Daniel 11:32 God’s Word Translation
