Facing the Giants
Elevating Christ
John 8:28-30 – Romans 12:2
INTRODUCTION: One of the greatest challenges facing the nation of Israel as they entered into the land God had promised them was giants. From the giants of Genesis, who seemed to be a spiritual being seeking to intermarry with the daughters of men to the races of people known as Rephaim, Emites, Nephilim, and the most famous of all – Goliath!
The people of God have always faced giants. They have always existed, and their very purpose seems to have been to thwart the plans of almighty God and his people. Today, we have giants also. Not people giants, but attitude giants. And these giants, just like the ones of the past, are here to sap our strength, falter our purpose, and stunt our growth.
So, over the next several weeks, we are going to be facing giants that are in our lives. Giants that, once conquered, allow us to move closer to our Savior and Lord.
So, first, let us look at what we should be doing – elevating Christ, and then as the weeks go by, dealing with the issues that keep us from elevating Christ.
I OUR KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST IS RELATED TO OUR ELEVATION OF CHRIST
A Jesus Said
1 God in the flash is telling us this – declared truth from God the Son
2 Whatever God says to us is important to us.
a God does not just chit-chat with us.
b God speaks in a loving way to us ALWAYS!
B What Jesus said was CONDITIONAL
1 What Jesus said Is related to what I will and will not do!
2 What Jesus said was temporal in nature
a When I do it.
b I have the choice
C The key to my Christian life is the place or elevation Christ has in my life!
1 Speaking in terms of the series, “Is Christ the Giant of my life?” or, “How big of a Giant is Christ in my life?”
2 If Jesus is the giant of my life, than there is no room for any other giant.
a Phrase, “you will know”
b Meaning – Have a sufficient end
c Elevating Jesus gives us closure in our life.
3 If Jesus is not the giant of my life then there is room for any other giant to exercise influence and control over me!
II IN ORDER FOR CHRIST TO DO WHAT HE DID, HE DID WHAT THE FATHER TAUGHT HIM
A One of the most interesting things about our relationship with Christ is that He NEVER asks us to “go it alone”
B Jesus always models for us the relationship He had with the Father
1 Jesus does what the Father taught Him.
C Are we doing what God has taught us?
1 God teaches us what we do not know
2 God expects us to act on what HE has taught us
3 God cannot teach us more till we have mastered what He has already taught.
a Think for a moment, what bores kids in school? The fact that they are not challenged.
b Challenge brings motivation to learn, and excel.
c When we stop learning from God, we lose motivation for our Christian life.
1 God does not speak
2 We do not here
3 Our spiritual lives go into stasis!
THERE IS NO SUSPENDED ANIMATION FOR THE CHRISTIAN. THE MOMENT HE STOPS LEARNING IS THE MOMENT HE ALLOWS APATHY AND SPIRITUAL ATTACK IN.
III PLEASING THE FATHER WAS CHRIST’S CONSTANT ACTIVITY
A Notice Jesus says that it is his constant activity to please the Father
B Jesus ALWAYS does what is pleasing to God the Father.
C Even as Christ approaches his death and the cross, his devotion to God leaves Him NO regrets.
SO WHAT IS YOUR ACTIVITY LEVEL TO WARDS GOD? HOW MUCH OF YOUR LIFE IS ACTUALLY SPENT IN SPIRITUAL ACTIVITY?
I believe that the key to this is found in the words of Paul in Romans 12:1-2
IV A TRANSFORMED LIFE IS A GOD HONORING LIFE
A A transformed life cannot be demanded or order, but it can be urged!
B A life offered to God for transformation is a sacrificed life
1 A life that is right with God through Christ – there is no other way
2 A sacrificial life is both material and immaterial
a Our bodies and what we do with them are the only things we really have to offer.
b These are the only areas where our free will operates!
3 A sacrificial life is a constant continual living sacrifice
a As long as I live, I am to be His sacrifice.
b Sacrificed regardless of my location
c Sacrificed regardless of my desires
C A Sacrificial life is pleasing to God
D A Sacrificial life is reasonable as a response to all that God has done
E The act of offering produces the effect of offering
1 If I have really offered myself to God -- hook, line, and sinker, than I can expect, …
2 Non-conformity to the world – the world is not our pattern
3 A transformed mind – a change in our moral character
4 A discerning of His will – to scrutinize (like picking a melon)
So, as we look forward to Facing Our Giants, this is the goal we are shooting for, Elevating Christ in our life, so as to make it impossible for the other giants to get in!
