Living in the Resurrection

In this podcast, the speaker discusses the importance of living in the resurrection and being radical in our faith. They emphasize the need to remove anything from our lives that is not pleasing to God and to say yes to Him, which will help us say no to sin. The speaker also encourages us to have a lifestyle of worship and to present our whole lives as a sacrifice to God. They highlight the transformation that occurs when we are filled with the fullness of God and live in the resurrection life. Welcome to CCI Fellowships podcast. Thank you for joining us. At CCI Fellowship, we are reaching God, reaching each other, and reaching our community. We pray that this week's message challenges you in your walk with the Lord, causes you to grow in your faith, and encourages you in your love for the Word of God. He is risen indeed. I hope that that phrase, Lindsay said, there's no more to be said. He is risen indeed. And that phrase alone should cause us to tremble on the inside. Because He is risen, and He is forever risen. And because He is risen, that we can live our life entirely for Him. So I want to talk to you today about living in the resurrection. So if you'll open your Bibles to Romans chapter 6. Romans chapter 6 and verse 5. It says, It says, Father, we come to you with holy fear and trembling. We come to you in the glorious name of Jesus Christ. In that name, Father, your Word says that because of all He did, you also highly exalted Him and gave Him a name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow in heaven, on earth, and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. We come in that name. We come in the power of the resurrection to the throne of grace to express our immense gratitude. Lord, we can never adequately express our gratitude except by living a life of worship to you all the days of our lives. So God, we come with expectation to the throne of grace. We approach your Word with fear and trembling and reverence. And we ask God that you would, as Lindsay was saying, that you would instill in us that joy that you want us to have because Jesus is risen indeed. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Jesus says, Lazarus, come out. And Lazarus rises and is brought back from the dead. What do you think his life was like after that moment? Or the Ethiopian man who was led to salvation by Philip, the evangelist, what do you think his life was like after that? Or what about the Samaritan woman whom Jesus encountered at the well, what do you think her life was like after that encounter? Or even the ten lepers, they come to Jesus and say, Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on us. And Jesus, knowing that they needed to be healed, said, go your way. And as they went, they were healed. One of them, one of the ten came back, a Samaritan, not one of the household of faith, the other nine were Jews. What was that Samaritan's life like after that? We get a glimpse in that story when it says that he came back to Jesus with a loud voice, crying out to God and glorifying God. And it says that he fell down on his face at the feet of Jesus and gave thanks. That gives you a glimpse of what his life was like. What about the other nine, the ones that are supposed to be God's people, Jews and New Testament language believers? They never came back, never gave thanks. I'll thank him later if I see him. What do you think their life was like after that encounter with the Messiah? Or what about the new man, the new woman that was created in Christ Jesus? How does he or she live? What does living a resurrection life look like? Death was arrested and our life began. What does that look like? I want to zoom in a little bit and get on people's toes. When Jesus was hanging on the cross in deep misery and pain, what picture, what image do you think he had in his heart when he thought of your resurrection life in him? And the question is, are you living that life? Our opening verse says that if we have been united together in the likeness of his death, certainly, I like that word, it gives assurance, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of his resurrection. The word likeness refers to identifying with. So we identify with his death because we are dead to sins, but we also identify with the resurrection of Jesus. What does that even mean? I mean, the life of Jesus, how did it change after he was raised from the dead? He didn't just suddenly become more holy. He was 100% holy before and after. How did his life change? Well, the book of Philippians starts pointing us in the right direction. It says that Jesus laid down his glory, his divine attributes, and came in the likeness of man. So when Jesus was raised from the dead, when he was resurrected, God restored him to glory again. This is how the life of Jesus was different after the resurrection. But what does that mean for you and for me? Well, we can say it means that we are being conformed into the image of Jesus Christ. And that would be a good Bible answer, I would say A+. But I think there's a lot more than that. And the apostle Paul, in Ephesians chapter 3, I think he starts to scratch the surface of what we want to know. When he says that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, might be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height to know the love of Christ that passes knowledge. And this next phrase, every time I read it, every time I hear it, every time I think about it, it grips my heart. It says in that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. What does it mean to be filled with all the fullness of God? I think it points to the resurrection life. It means being filled with Jesus to the brim. It means being filled with love, with his faith, with his words, with his thoughts, his compassion. To be filled with his patience, with his power, and with his boldness, with his calm, with his assurance and meekness. It means to be filled with his purity. It means to be overflowing with him. And I believe that that is the image, that is the picture that Jesus had when he hung on the cross and thought about you and me and how we were going to live our new resurrected life. But how do we get from point A to point B? So let me give you some practical steps to living in the resurrection. So go with me please to 2 Chronicles chapter 15. 2 Chronicles chapter 15. Starting in verse 8, we're going to read an account about King Asa. He was one of the good kings of Judah. He did what was pleasing and what was good in the sight of the Lord. 2 Chronicles chapter 15 starting in verse 8. It says, And when Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Oda the prophet, he took courage and removed the abominable idols from all the land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities which he had taken and the mountains of Ephraim. And he restored the altar of the Lord that was before the vestibule of the Lord. Then he gathered all Judah and Benjamin and those who dwelt with him from Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon. For they came over to greet him in great numbers from Israel when they saw that the Lord his God was with him. Verse 12. Then they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their hearts and with all their souls. So the first thing that I want to share with you about living in the resurrection is to be radical. If we're not radical, we are not causing any movement and any change for the kingdom of God. And it says here that Asa removed the abominable idols from all the land of Judah and from all the land of Benjamin. He removed everything and anything from his life that was not pleasing to the Lord. The Bible says in Romans that just as Christ was raised from the dead, we also should walk in newness of life and the resurrection life. In Ephesians it says that you put out the old man and put on the new man which was created according to the image of God in true righteousness and holiness. Is there anything in your life that is causing you to not go deeper in the Lord? Is there anything in your life that is causing you to fall? Is there anything in your life that God could say that is not pleasing in my sight? I want you to bring it to me and deal with it together with me. We need to be radical. If there's something in your life that is blocking you from going deeper in the Lord, you need to remove it. We need to remove it, ASAP. We cannot compromise our walk with God, our holiness, and our purity. But always remember that a yes is always more powerful than a no. When you say yes to God, what you do is basically you position yourself to say no to sin. You're not even saying no to sin. You're so filled with God, you're so filled with Jesus to the brim, that you're not even looking at sin. When it knocks on the door, you brush it off because you're so filled with God. You're captivated by God. Now there are some times that we need to be like Paul who said, I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest after I have preached to others I myself be disqualified. There are times that we need to stand our ground and say to sin, no. But I have found that this only works in the short run. It is always better when we're saying yes to Jesus, to walking with Him, to going to deeper waters, to knowing Him more and seeing more of His glory and His splendor and His beauty. It is much more effective to protecting your purity than simply saying no to sin. So yes, we are dead to sin, but it's because we are alive in Christ. The being alive in Christ makes you want to draw closer to God and live entirely for Him. The being dead to sin, if you think about it, I'm dead to sin, but that doesn't necessarily make you want to draw closer to God. It's the fact that He is alive and that we were raised together with Him to live in this newness of life, in this resurrection life. So a yes is always more powerful than a no. So be radical so that you can live in the resurrection life. Number two, in spirit and in truth. It says that Asa restored the altar of burnt offering to the Lord. Make sure worship has a right place in your life. And I'm talking about the Romans 12, one kind of worship. Paul said, present your bodies, your entire life as a living sacrifice to God, holy and pleasing, an acceptable sacrifice. That's the kind of worship that I'm talking about. Choose to live a life of worship in spirit and in truth. Not just in song, and song is good, it needs to be an important part of our life, but in spirit and in truth also means living a surrendered life of worship to the Lord. It means I live all for God and I live to God. Everything that you do, you do it for the Lord. Everything for the glory of His name. This means submitting every part of your life to His worship. It means everything you are, you give it to the Lord. It's a life of complete abandonment. I believe that that is the life, that is the resurrection life that the Lord Jesus is calling us to live. A life of complete abandonment. It does mean relinquishing your dreams and your desires and your wants. It's constantly going back to the garden of Gethsemane and saying, Lord, let it be your will and not mine. This is the life of worship. So how can you live in the resurrection life? You need to be radical, you need to live a life of worship in spirit and in truth, and number three, you need to do it together. I cannot overstate this. It says that Asa gathered all the people, all his friends and his family, and it says that they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord with all of their heart and with all of their soul. Seek the Lord with all of your mind, with everything that is in you. Resolve in your heart that you're not going to let anything get in the way. Let your lamps burn. Make sure that you do it together. A resurrected life will always be light to those around. It will always be causing impact. It will always be an agent of change. It will always draw people to the feet of our great king, of our great and wonderful and glorious Jesus. But we need to do it together, and I want to show you the power of doing it together. We don't have time to read the whole story, but if you're taking notes, it's Acts chapter 16, verses 25 to 34. It's a story where Paul and Silas are in prison. You guys know this story. And so they're in prison, and instead of complaining, which most of us would do, you know, we're in prison, but Lord, why is this happening to me? They decide to pray and to sing hymns to God. They are living a resurrection life. The Bible says that the prisoners are listened. Then suddenly there's a great earthquake. The foundations of the prison are shaken, and immediately the doors of each of the cells were opened, and everybody's chains were loosed. The keeper of the prison is asleep. He wakes up, and he's about to kill himself because he thinks that all the prisoners left. But Paul stops him and says, we are all here. And the guy is dazzled. And then comes to Paul and to Silas and says, what must I do to be saved? And they say to him, believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household. That very night, him and his entire household, who were not looking for God, were saved. As the worship team comes up, and Pastor Sergio and Josela and Isbel and Francis to the table. Let me close with this. What were Paul and Silas doing? Yes, they were praying and singing hymns to God. They were living a resurrection life. They were living that life that Jesus gave up on the cross. All the suffering that he went through, so that they would be able to be living this kind of life that causes impact. They were living the resurrected life together. When you choose to live the resurrection life, God will make sure that those around you. Think of family members, think of friends, think of co-workers. Think of people that have contact with your ministries or your works. Think about anyone in your life that does not know the Lord. When you live the resurrection life, God will make sure that those around you will notice and will be touched by heaven. Even if they are not looking for God. Even if they are not interested in Jesus. The jailer of the prison, the keeper of the prison was not looking for God. He was not interested. But here comes heaven through the resurrection life of two people who decided to devote their lives to God. A life of abandonment. And they come into this place. The atmosphere of the prison is changed. Because instead of nagging, which is what most of us would do. They start living, they start breathing the very life of Jesus into that place. The life of the resurrection Jesus. And everybody there is changed. As a result, the keeper and all of his household were changed forever. Never underestimate the power of the resurrected life. So as we approach, what a beautiful privilege that we have to celebrate the Lord's Supper. I want this time, as you receive the elements, just close your eyes. And I want this time to be a time between you and the Lord. Think about Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, because that was a key moment. Think about that moment. When he said three times, Lord, if there is another way, make this cup pass from me. And we know the answer was no. And Jesus said, okay, I will do it. For the joy that was set before him, he endured the cross. That's when it started. For that was a key moment. And think also of the cross. When he hung on the cross, thinking about you and thinking about me. But also think about when he was laying in the tomb. Think about the Father's faithfulness. Because it was written that he was not going to leave him in the place, in the realm of the dead, in the sheol. He had promised to raise him from the dead. And Jesus knew the scriptures. Remember that with the same faithfulness that God the Father fulfilled the promise to Jesus. God the Father is going to fulfill the promises that he has made to you. With the same intensity and with the same faithfulness. And think about finally when that stone was rolled. And Jesus wasn't there. He had been risen. Then he rose to the heavenly of heavenly and presented his blood. And the Bible says that at that moment he obtained an eternal redemption for us all. He is risen indeed. Death was arrested and life, new life has begun. So please close your eyes right now. And I want to give you a moment. The Bible says that we are not to approach the Lord's supper. To partake in his body in a manner that is unworthy. So as your eyes are closed, take a moment. And if there is anything in your life that you need to confess to the Lord. If there is anything in your life that you need to surrender. Now would be the time. We'll just give a few moments of silence for you to do that. Lord, thank you that you are faithful. And your word says that if we confess our sins to God. That he is faithful and just. To forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness. So we come father with a pure heart. Because we have been sprinkled by the blood of Jesus. Because we have been washed by his word. Because we have been washed by his word. He said to the disciples, you are now clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. You have spoken your word to us. And the blood of Jesus has been shed for us. We come to you with a pure heart. With a clean heart. In awe and in reverence. Lord, stir up this joy that is in us. Stir it up father. That we may never lose our joy in the Lord. That we will never lose our awe of the cross. Of the burial, of the resurrection. That we may never take it for granted. Guard our hearts Lord. That we will not be like those nine lepers who never came back to even thank you. Help us be radical in our living for you. Your disciples were in the early church. They were radical. That's why so many amazing things happened for the kingdom of God. Help us live a resurrection life for you. Because of what you did. So I'm going to read in just a moment and grab my helmet. First Corinthians 11.23 says, For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you. That the Lord Jesus on the same night in which he was betrayed took bread. And when he took the bread, he gave it to his disciples. And when he took the bread, he gave it to his disciples. And when he took the bread, he gave it to his disciples. And when he took the bread, he gave it to his disciples. That the Lord Jesus on the same night in which he was betrayed took bread. And when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, Take, eat. This is my body which is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me. You may eat your bread. In the same manner he also took the cup after supper saying, This is the cup. This is the new covenant in my blood. This do, and as often as you drink, do it in remembrance of me. You may drink your cup. For as often as you eat this bread, and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. Father, we again bless you. We bless your holy name. We exalt your name. Oh, let everything that has breath praise the Lord. You are worthy of it all, Father. You are worthy of all the honor, and all the power, and all the glory. You are the only one who is worthy. You are the only one who is worthy to break the seals and to open the scrolls. None other than the Lamb of God. And now you sit on the throne. You also dwell among us and in us through your spirit. God, we thank you. We worship you. And we pray these things in the glorious, and wonderful, and majestic name of our risen Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. And amen. We hope to see you or hear from you soon. Blessings. Amen.