How Crucified Are You ? Galatians 2:20
Over the last five weeks on Sun. morning we have been looking at the crucifixion. Hopefully, we have a clear understanding of what the crucifixion of Christ means, and what it was like. Yet, tonight do we have a understanding of what it means to be "crucified with Christ"
In order to draw attention to world peace, in 1973 Patrice Tamao of the Dominican Republic allowed himself to be crucified as thousands watched on TV. Tamao had three six-inch stainless steel nails driven through his hands and feet and intended to stay on the cross for 48 hours. However, after 20 hours he requested to be taken down because he had developed an infection.
From the time of Christ’s sacrifice to the present, many have sought to show their devotion to Jesus, secure their own forgiveness, or make some public statement by actually having themselves crucified. In 1965, Daniel Waswa in Kenya compelled his wife to crucify him "for the sins of all Kenyans." (Men don’t let your wives try this at home !)
After reluctantly obeying, his wife collapsed and died-apparently from shock. Daniel was rescued by neighbours, but he later died from an infection.
Hopefully we know that this is not what the Lord was talking about when he said take up your cross, and I hope that we understand that this is not what Paul in speaking of in our text this evening...but what does he mean ? Here are a few thoughts.
I. I Am Crucified With Christ Because He Died For My Sins !
Isa. 53:5-6
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
1 Cor 5:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
Gal1:3-4 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that the might deliver us from this present world according to the will of God and our Father:
As we look upon the crucifixion scene we see three crosses, we see Christ on the middle cross, and thieves on either side, yet I was there. I was crucified with Christ because my sins were nailed to him on that cross !
Rom 6:6 Knowing this that our old man is crucifed with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Song: Thanks To Calvary
Today, I went down to the place where I used to go
Today, I saw the same old crowd I knew before
And when they asked me what had happened, I tried to tell them
Thanks to Calvary, I don’t come here anymore.
Thanks to Calvary I am not the man I used to be
Thanks to Calvary things are different than before
And as the tears ran down my face I tried to tell them
Thanks to Calvary, I don’t live here anymore.Then we went down to the house where we used to live
My little girl ran behind the door, like so many times before
And I said "Honey you don’t need to be afraid,
you’ve got a new daddy now
And I said, "Hon never fear, you’ve got a new mommy here,
Thanks to Calvary we don’t live here anymore.Thanks to Calvary I am not the man I used to be
Thanks to Calvary things are different than before
And as the tears ran down my face I tried to tell them
Thanks to Calvary, we don’t live here anymore.Thanks to Calvary I am not the man I used to be
Thanks to Calvary things are different than before
And as the tears ran down my face I tried to tell them
Thanks to Calvary, I don’t live here anymore.
Thanks to Calvary, we don’t live here anymore.
Because of Calvary and my crucifixion with Christ the Old Man is dead, and I have been made a new creature in Christ Jesus !
II. I Am Crucified With Christ Because He Died In My Stead.
One of the most beautiful pictures of what Christ did for us on Calvary is found in the O.T. book of Genesis in chapter 22. I’m sure you recall the story.
God commanded Abraham to take his only son Isaac and to offer him as a burnt offering on Mt. Moriah.
As Abraham and Isaac made their journey up the hill, Isaac spoke to his father...My father: and he said, Here am I my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering ? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering:
After arriving on the Mt. Abraham built an altar and laid the wood on it, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And as Abraham drew back his knife to slay Isaac, the angel of the Lord stopped him. As Abraham lifted up his eyes he saw a ram caught in the bushes, and Abraham took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.
I Should Have Been Crucified
I was guilty with nothing to say
And they were coming to take me away
When a voice from heaven was heard that said
Let him go take Me instead
And I should have been crucified
I should have suffered and died
I should have hung on the cross in disgrace
But Jesus, God’s Son took my place
That crown of thorns, a spear in His side
and all the pain it should have been mine
Those rusty nails were meant for me
Oh but Christ took them and let me go free
And I should have been crucified
I should have suffered and died
I should have hung on the cross in disgrace
But Jesus God’s Son took my place.
Yes Jesus God’s Son
Oh Jesus God’s Son
For Jesus God’s Son took my place.
III. I Am Crucified With Christ Through My Denial Of Self.
Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Though our sins were nailed to him on the cross, and though he died in our stead, there is a daily crucifixion that must be made. We must die daily. The flesh must be crucified....put to death daily. We must reckon it dead with each approaching day !
1 Cor. 15:31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
Paul is saying that he was exposed to death every day as he denied himself and followed the Lord. Because of his faith in Christ he bore in his body the marks of the Lord Jesus Christ.
IV. I Am Crucified With Christ Through My Death To Sin.
Col 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry;
Being that the old man was crucifed on the cross with Christ, we must treat it as dead. We must mortify...put to death....those things pertaining to the old man.
Let me ask you a question tonight....how crucified are you ?
Have you seen yourself through the eyes of faith crucified with Christ on the cross, as he died for your sins, and died in your stead !
How crucified are you when it comes to your denying your self, and dying to sin ?
1. His hands, and feet were crucified. Are your hands and feet crucified ?
Psalms 22:16
Literally hundreds of years prior to the death of Christ, David said "they pierced my hands and my feet". This prophecy was referring to the death of Christ on the cross where his hands and feet would be nailed to the cross.
How crucified are we ? Are our hands and feet crucified with Christs ? When we allow Christ to use our hands to reach out to the lost, and those in need....when we allow him to use our hands to hug, and not harm....when we allow him to use our hands to hold and not hit....when we allow him to use our hands to help up, and not push down....we are allowing our hands to be crucified ! When we allow our feet to be used by the Lord to carry the gospel to others...when we follow him in obedience, and walk the paths that he has chosen....we are crucifying our feet !
2. His will was crucified ! Are we allowing our will to be crucified ?
As our Lord knelt and prayed in the garden agonizing over the cup of sin and judgment that he must drink, his sweat became as drops of blood...but through his agony he prayed...Luke 22:42 Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will but thine be done.
The will of Jesus was to do the will of him that sent him. And he was obedient to this....Phi 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
When it comes to doing our will or God’s will....how crucified are we ?
3. How Crucified Are Our Ears ?
On the cross, Jesus did not allow the criticism, the condemnation, and the cursing get to him. It did not effect him to the point that he railed and cursed back. What he did hear was the request of the repentant thief ? Are our ears crucifed ? How crucifed are they ? What are we allowing our ears to hear ? Are we listening to the trash hurled at us daily from the world ? Are we hearing it so much that we are deaf to the cries of those around us who need forgiveness....who are hungry...who are desperate. How crucifed are we ?
4. How Crucified Is Our Tongue ?
There’s alot of piercing going on these days ! I see even tongues pierced, but most of our tongues need to be crucified. Amen ? Some of us need to crucify our tongue because it curses...the tongue that gossips needs nailing to the cross ! The tongue that speaks bad about the neighbor, and about the church needs to be crucified ? How crucified is your tongue ? Is it crucified to the point to where it lives to share the gospel ? How long has it been since we shared the love of God with someone ? Have you tried to win a family member, friend or neighbor to the Lord recently ? How crucified are we ?
5. How Crucified Are Our Eyes ?
Before Jesus was crucified, he was beaten in the face. I would imagine that his eyes were bruised and swollen. I would also imagine that the blood from the crown of thorns had ran down his face into his eyes, and had probably matted his eyes.
How crucifed are our eyes ? Have we crucified them to the images that the world sends to us ? We must crucify ourselves to the lust of the eyes ! Yet, we must open our eyes to those around us who are lost ! We must not allow our eyes to become blind to the hurting, the hopeless, the helpless. How crucified are our eyes ? How crucified are we ?
6. The Mind Of Christ was crucifed. How crucified is our mind ?
Paul wrote Phil 2:5-8 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Christ had a mind of humility. He had the mind of a servant. He was obedient.
Is our mind crucified with Christ ? Or are we self-centered, self-seeking, and self-serving ?
How crucified is our mind ? How crucified are we ?
In order for our actions, and attitudes to be pleasing in the site of God ? In order to be obedient to the will of the Father, our mind must be like that of Christ’s !
7. His Affections Were Crucified ! How crucified are our affections ?
Christ’s very incarnation demonstrates to us his affection for the Father, and for humanity. The life that he lived while on this earth illustrated the Divine love of God. He was selfless. His love unconditional ! His taking up the cross, bearing it to Calvary, and his laying down his life declares the affection of God !
How crucified are our affections ? Where are our treasures, and what are our desires ?
In Col 3:2 Paul said....Set your affection on things above not on things on the earth.
Why ? V. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in glory.
For this reason, our affections are to be crucified ! And if they are...our desires will be towards the things that be of God, and others !
How crucified are we ?
CHRIST HAS NO HANDS
Christ has no hands but our hands
To do his work today;
He has no feet but our feet
To lead men in His way.
He has no tongue but our tongues
To tell men how He died;
He has no help but out help
To bring them to His side.
We are the only Bible
The careless world will read;
We are the sinner’s Gospel,
We are the scoffer’s creed.
We are the Lord’s last message
Given in deed and word.
What if the type is crooked?
What if the print is blurred?
What if our hands are busy
with other work than His?
What if our feet are walking
Where sin’s allurement is?
What if our tongues are speaking
Of things His lips would spurn?
How can we hope to help Him,
And hasten His return?
So, Christians, tell your neighbors,
Tell everyone you know.
Tell them that Jesus died,
Because He loved us so.
Tell how He came from Heaven
To earth, so He could give
His life upon the cross,
That all mankind might live.
