Rejoicing In Crucifixion

Rejoicing in Crucifixion

*John 12:24-25 24 "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit”

*Today is Easter, the day that is celebrated by egg painting, egg hunting, and bunnies. According to tradition, last Friday was the day Christ was crucified, and this morning He was raised from the dead. So today I am going to talk about crucifixion and death, but not His: yours.

I. Luke 9:23 And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.”

A. What does he mean by this? Since we don’t really own a cross to carry around, what is this symbolizing?

1. The death of your desires

2. Doing God’s will

II. The death of your desires

A. The first thing a Christian needs to do here is to understand the moral difference between his fleshly desires and the priorities of God.

1. Your fleshly desires are focused on you, your comfort, and what will make you happy for the moment.

a. An example of fleshly desires is that of possessions. Luke 12:15, “…a man’s life consiseth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.”

11. In today’s society the love of possessions has captured

the hearts of millions. People are selling their souls to get material wealth.

22. We should give freely to assist the less fortunate.

Matt. 6:19-21, “ Let us lay up treasure in heaven, not on earth.”

33. Luke 18:18-25 18 A ruler questioned Him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?". 20 "You know the commandments, `DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, DO NOT MURDER, DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS, HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER.’ " 21 And he said, "All these things I have kept from my youth." 22 When Jesus heard this, He said to him, "One thing you still lack; sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." 23 But when he had heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich.

44. Instead of working our whole lives to pay off things that we have purchased for the luxury of this world or store up for that rainy day that we are not supposed to believe will happen, we should “Labour…for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life…” John 6:27

55. What is that “meat which endureth”?

aa. Your salvation, the salvation of others, the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

b. Other examples of fleshly desire are those mentioned by Paul in Galations: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like

11. An example of this is when Peter gets his own revenge, John 18:10 “Simon Peter then, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear;”

22. Haggia 1:9 “Because of My house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house

A.. We are the temple now, and we are busy in our own house, not his temple. We are doing our own thing, and not on upkeep of his temple: Praying, reading the word, etc

c. You have to come to the point where you realize that your desires and your flesh are not good. They are bad by their very nature.

11. Romans 7:18 For I know that " in me ( that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not."

22. John 12:25 25 "He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal.

d. You have to understand that not everyone who goes to church, gets saved, and does miracles will make it to heaven—but only those who sacrifice it all to do God’s will daily: AKA taking up the cross daily to follow Him.

11. James 1:2 “Count it all Joy…” How can we count it all joy when we lose our jobs because of our belief, when our spouse leaves us because of what we believe, when our children and family hate us, when we lose everything because of our belief?

22. How can we rejoice when we have to choose between our family and God? Luke 14:26 "If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.