FRUITFUL LIVING – LIVING THE CRUCIFIED LIFE

FRUITFUL LIVING – LIVING THE CRUCIFIED LIFE

Galatians 2:20  “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Even though every believer has been ‘crucified with Christ’ in the ultimate sense of victory over sin and the grave, we must make certain choices to be crucified with Christ for victory in our daily battle with sin.  What does it mean to be crucified with Christ? What does it mean to take up our cross daily?  What does it mean to truly identify with Christ in His death?  It is all about death to self… 

Let’s look at

10 Characteristics of the Crucified life…(the following is an edited version taken from Beth Moore’s Living Beyond Yourself study)

Characteristics:

1.   Few will understand – face the fact that there will be those around you – especially those closest to you that will question, maybe even challenge what you do with your life as God leads.  Have you been there? Have anyone challenge you about how you spend to much time at church? Why you spend your money on missions or serve the poor when you could be buying a new house, boat, car or spending your time watching sports or enjoying some other form of leisure activity every week? This is not to discount the need for leisure but many live their lives for pleasure and leisure rather than using it to replenish their soul. If we are going to live the crucified life – a life in Christ – people will not understand us! – even other believers (those that are not surrendered fully to the Lordship of Christ)

2.   You must abandon your own will and your own agenda – as long as we cling to our own agendas we will never live out the will of God.  What is God’s will and purpose for our lives?  How do we find out what it is? (audio)  How can we find comfort in the death of our own will and desires? 1 Cor 2:9-10.. However, as it is written:

   “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”^[a]—  the things God has prepared for those who love him—
 ¹⁰ these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.
   The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.  
 Heb 12:2  fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

3.   Your intimate spiritual companions will be few – we might as well face it, there are very few in the church of Jesus Christ that choose the narrow road – there are few that will take the same road of the crucified life.  God is an ‘add on’ in their life rather than ‘their life’.  Be thankful for those you have in your life that are and pray for those who are not.

4.   Intense, alone times with God are required – the best preparation any of us can do for our most agonizing trials or growth spurts is when we are the only one with the teacher. .we are the only one receiving the attention and comfort and strength from the only One who has the power to give it. 

5.   You will constantly be on the witness stand – we will always be under a microscope.  Matt 26:57-67: Jesus before the Sanhedrin   There will never be a time when we are not subject to the observation of others. We will be held under the scrutiny of non-believers and believers being called to the witness stand. In Heb 13:12-14 we find that Jesus took on our shame and disgrace – we must be willing to do the same. He suffered outside/ away from his home base – we must be willing to leave some of our comforts. He was unashamed of us – we should be unashamed of Him! 1Peter 3:15-16 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, ¹⁶ keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

6.   You must go ‘outside the camp’ – God will continually force us outside our comfort zone if we are living the crucified life. (call to Africa – audio) When was the last time you were required by God to leave your comfort zone? If there hasn’t been – we have to ask ourselves why not?

7.   There will be times when your dignity is forfeited – think about Jesus hanging on that cross, He could have come down from there and saved Himself and His dignity. How difficult is it going to be for us to surrender our dignity when God calls us to? The promise, however, it receiving God’s covering.. Ps 91:1 ¹ “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
   will rest in the shadow of the Almighty”  

We will be safe within the shadow of the almighty!

8.   There will be times you must forego your rights – We may have the right to be angry, the right to be bitter, the right to be happy, the right to give up on that wayward/ prodigal son or daughter.  We have many rights but is God calling you to surrender them to Him.. surrender them to His Lordship – let Him lead the way, be your vindicator, be your peace, be your strength, be your hope – He will replace our rights with His supernatural work of the Spirit.

9.   You must accept that death is painful – Death hurts. We have to face the fact that at times, choosing the will of God over our own is going to be excruciating. We love our flesh and the pleasure of sin so it is going to hurt to have its desires crucified! What makes it worth it? (share ideas)

10.Because He was forsaken, you never will be – Because Jesus agreed to have the sins of the world heaped upon Him and experience separation from the Father, we will never be forsaken. Jesus took on the full force of rejection and separation – separation of humanity, His creation and separation from the Father. Because He was forsaken, we never will be. 

1.     Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
 

2.     Deuteronomy 31:8
The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
 

3.     Joshua 1:5
No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
 

4.     Hebrews 13:5
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
 

Our salvation.. our relationship with God is secure! 

Even though every believer has been ‘crucified with Christ’ in the ultimate sense of victory over sin and the grave, we must make certain choices to be crucified with Christ for victory in our daily battle with sin. If we are to bear the fruit of the Spirit, we must die daily – live the crucified life.

FRUITFUL LIVING – LIVING THE CRUCIFIED LIFE

GROUP WORK

Galatians 2:20  “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

1.    Of the 10 Characteristics, which gives you the most concern in your current walk with the Lord? Which spoke most personally to you?

2.    How does God want you to respond to what you have learned this evening?

3.    As you consider your current struggles, is there something you are not dying to that could literally transform you and/ or the situation?

4.    What prevents us from letting go / dying to the things we know God is calling us to give to Him and do His will instead?

5.    Discuss the final passages shared about God never leaving or forsaking us. Do you REALLY believe this? If not, why not?