[0:00] Galatians chapter 2. Galatians chapter 2. We've been doing the book of Galatians. Galatians chapter 2. The end of the chapter.
[0:13] Coming up on the end of the chapter. Galatians chapter 2. The last couple of verses of chapter 2. It says, Galatians chapter 2, beginning of verse 20.
[0:24] I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless, I live. Yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
[0:39] I do not frustrate the grace of God. For if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. We're going to talk about Christ liveth in me.
[0:54] In the previous verses, we talked about the fact that Peter and Paul have had a little bit of a confrontation over going by the law or going just by grace.
[1:05] Whether we had to obey Jewish tradition, Jewish rituals, or Christ paid the price for everything. And in these last verses here, he kind of is summing it up again for us.
[1:18] He does that, first of all, by giving us the believer's position. The believer's position. What is our position? Notice what he says.
[1:29] See, as a believer who is unified with Christ, as a believer who is in union with Christ, Bible throughout these books, I mentioned Wednesday night about Ephesians 35 times in Ephesians, it says in Christ.
[1:50] We're in Christ. If we're in Christ, then we have an identification with him. An identification with Christ.
[2:00] He says, I'm crucified with Christ. I've identified with him. I've identified with his death on the cross. He says, look, keeping the law doesn't matter.
[2:12] Keeping the law does not save. Keeping the law does not keep you saved. We are in Christ. He says, the demands of the law, the jurisdictions of the law, all of those different things.
[2:28] He said, it doesn't matter. He says, what did Christ do for us? Romans chapter 6, verse 11. He says, likewise, reckon ye also yourselves to be dead, indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
[2:44] When we identify with Christ and his death and burial and resurrection, we're identifying with the fact that he died for us. We're dead to sin, but we are alive in Christ.
[2:58] So that means we also identify with the cross. We identify with the cross. By identifying with Christ's death, Paul says everything changed. In Romans chapter 6, verses 3 through 6, he says this.
[3:13] Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death. Therefore, we are buried with him by baptism into death.
[3:25] That like as Christ was risen up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. He says, we have identified with Christ in his death, his burial, but we should also identify with him in the newness of life.
[3:44] The fact that Jesus rose from the dead. Then in verse 5, it says, for if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall also in the likeness of his resurrection.
[3:55] If we're identifying with Christ in his death, he said we also identify his resurrection. Christ is one package. We either accept him or we don't. If we accept him, we accept everything he's done.
[4:08] Verse 6, knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. He said, now we identify with Jesus Christ.
[4:22] He says, sin should not have the power over us it's had in the past. He says, now that we identify with Christ, he said, look, I am crucified with Christ.
[4:36] What does he mean by all that? Well, think about it. A dead man doesn't try to obey the law. He's dead.
[4:47] A dead man doesn't try to battle the world. He's dead. A dead man can't be controlled by sin.
[4:59] He's dead. See, if we're dead in Christ, if we're crucified with him, these things can't have a hold on for us. Later on in Galatians chapter 5, it says this, verse 24, and they that are Christ have crucified the flesh with the affections and lust.
[5:16] We have died to this world's hold on us. We have died to the hold that sin and the lust of this world has on us. He says, remember the position you have in Christ.
[5:29] If you trust in Christ, he says, I am crucified with him. Then he says, nevertheless, I live.
[5:41] Yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. Nevertheless, I live. The believer's passion. The believer's passion. He says, look, Paul recognized the truth that we're crucified with Christ.
[5:56] But we're alive again because of Jesus Christ. We die to ourselves. We die to the things of this world. But we're alive because Jesus rose from the dead. We have the ability to rise as well.
[6:08] We are alive in him. You know, he doesn't expect us to live by our own ability and our own power. He says, Jesus Christ will give you what you need.
[6:20] Jesus Christ will meet the needs that you have. He doesn't expect us to live on our own. He says, I expect you to live by the power of God. He says, I'm going to be passionate about certain things.
[6:38] I am passionate about the resurrection. Jesus Christ gave his life, paid for our sins. We talk about that and the fact that he went to that cross.
[6:49] He died so that we can have salvation. But we would not have salvation if he did not rise again. If he just stayed in the grave. But he rose again.
[7:03] And Paul says, look, we're going to be passionate about that resurrection. He says, when Christ rose, what happened? He went back to heaven.
[7:14] He's standing on eternal ground. He says, and we do that. Those of you that are with me on Wednesday, excuse me, on Wednesday nights. What did we talk about last Wednesday?
[7:25] We were talking about being in Christ. We are seated in the heavenlies because of Christ. We are seated in the heavenlies. Oh, what a life we have.
[7:36] We're not going to go to heaven someday. We're not going to go and be with Christ someday. We're already there. You say, it doesn't feel like heaven down here to me. I didn't say it was heaven down here.
[7:48] But God sees us as already there. God who sees eternity. Sees us as already there. We're already in. Because of what Jesus Christ did.
[7:59] Paul says, I was crucified with him. Nevertheless, I live. And he says, I have a passion about that. What God has done for me. Passionate about his resurrection.
[8:12] Passionate about living in Christ. Passionate about living in Christ. Because we are dead in and of ourselves. Christ gave us life.
[8:25] He made it so that we can be alive. Colossians chapter 3. Verses 3 and 4. It says, for ye are dead. And your life is hid with Christ in God.
[8:38] When Christ, who is our life, shall appear. Then shall ye appear with him in glory. When the Bible talks about Jesus Christ returning to this earth. Who's coming with him?
[8:50] We are. See? He says, Christ who is your life. When he shall appear. You shall appear with him in glory. Because he lives within us. The power of him is in us.
[9:03] And we have life because of him. So, let's go to the next thing then. Power. The believer's power. Where does our power come from? It comes from Christ living within us. He says, look.
[9:16] I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless, I live. Yet not I. But Christ liveth in me. Christ liveth in me. I was watching a video just recently.
[9:32] Some of you may know the name Terry Fader. He's a ventriloquist. One American idol. A number of years. Not American idol. America's Got Talent. A number of years ago. I love watching those guys and the things that they do.
[9:48] And the thing about it is. He has these dummies. You know. And he has his hand up inside them. Makes them move and stuff. And his voice being thrown over to make them talk and everything.
[10:00] Paul says, Christ liveth in me. I am crucified with Christ. I'm dead. But Christ liveth in me.
[10:13] And he talks. See, that's the way our life should be. It's not us. It's the power of God that moves us. It's the power of God that speaks through us.
[10:26] He says, look. We need to identify with the power of Christ. Charles Spurgeon. In his book, Lectures to My Students.
[10:37] He said this. When your own emptiness is painfully forced upon your conscience. Chide yourself. That you ever dreamed of being full.
[10:50] Except in the Lord. See, we so often think we can do things. And we can accomplish things. And we can do all this. He says, no, no, no, no, no. Because somewhere along the way, you're going to realize.
[11:00] You know what? It's not me. I can't do anything. I can't accomplish what God wants me to accomplish. I can accomplish what I want to accomplish most of the time.
[11:11] But he says, Christ liveth in me. The power of Christ working in me. And through me. See, Nathan has the ability to fix airplanes.
[11:30] He can do that. He's learned how to do that and stuff. But to make a difference in the life of the people he's going to work with. That's Christ working through him. It's not him.
[11:42] It's Christ working through him. The difference for us. If we're going to make a difference in people's lives. It has to be Christ working through us. Allowing him to come in.
[11:54] Christ liveth in me. Allowing him to operate. Allowing him to move. Allowing him to speak through us. See, it's not through ourself. We don't do anything of ourself.
[12:05] In John chapter 15. Verse 5. He says, I am the vine. Ye are the branches. He that abideth in me and I in him.
[12:16] The same bringeth forth much fruit. For without me, ye can do nothing. See, he says, you're a branch on a tree. But you're going to have that life flow coming through. Or else you're not going to accomplish anything.
[12:29] You won't look around the property here. We have trees that have leaves. And they're growing and stuff. Because the lifeblood is flowing. And we have trees on this property that got nothing. Because it's not flowing through.
[12:42] See, is Christ living in you? If you want to see something accomplished in your life. You want to see some great things done in your life. Do it through Christ living in you.
[12:56] So it's not through self. But it is through Christ. Christian life is not so much the believer living for Christ. As Christ living through the believer.
[13:06] Let me read that again. Christian life is not so much a believer's living for Christ. People say, I can't live for Christ. I can't do that. I can't keep the things he wants me to keep.
[13:17] I can't do this. I can't do that. No, you can't. He says, but it's Christ living through the believer. Jesus can do it. Somebody said, it's an anonymous quote.
[13:29] I think it's up there, Ian. Yep, that one. It says, Jesus died on the cross to save you from sin. He lives in you to save you from self.
[13:42] Left to ourselves, we can mess things up pretty badly, can't we? Left to ourselves, we can cause all kinds of problems. But he says, he lives in you to save you from self.
[13:56] Colossians 1.27. To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of the mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
[14:11] He says, what makes a difference in your life? What makes a difference that where you're going to be able to share the riches of his glory to others? Christ in you.
[14:24] He sang just a minute ago, my hope is Jesus. He says, Christ in you, the hope of glory. Christ makes all the difference. 2 Peter 1.4.
[14:35] Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these ye may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. He says, we're partakers.
[14:47] When Christ comes to live within us, we're partakers of his divine nature. He has given us great and precious promises. He says, you allow me to come in and watch the difference it makes in a life.
[14:58] Watch it to things you can do. We've been talking on Wednesday nights the last few months. We've been talking about Elijah.
[15:12] Elijah was just an ordinary guy. The Bible says in James that he was subject to like passions as we are. He was just an ordinary person.
[15:25] Not all that great, not all that tremendous. But God used him to do great things because he allowed God to work through him. Great and precious promises come to us when we allow God to work through us.
[15:40] Ephesians 3.17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, that ye being rooted and grounded in love. He says, Christ, dwell in your hearts. When Christ dwells, the change that it makes.
[15:53] Philippians 4.13. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Picture it this way. We are facing a lot of things in this life.
[16:04] There are all kinds of things taking place around us. There is all kinds of evil around us. Think of the things that are facing us. Disease.
[16:15] A number of people here have disease or have been faced disease. Things that are taking place in their life. And you are like, how is this ever going to get done?
[16:25] How is this ever going to finish? What am I going to do? You are not. There are people who face injustice. Why? Why this?
[16:36] Why that? Why the other thing? There are people who face oppression. And you look at the news and stuff and you find out, you know, we as Christians are probably going to face more and more. It's probably going to get worse, not better.
[16:51] As you read the Bible, you know it's probably going to get worse, not better. We face all this. Picture it this way. In the Old Testament, there were times, and in history there were times, where there would be a city.
[17:06] And they'd be surrounded by soldiers. They'd be doing a siege against the city. And they'd have it locked off, not letting anyone in or out, not letting anything in or out.
[17:17] They had it locked down. And the people would be in there and water would be getting short. Food would be getting short. People would be getting really concerned about where things are going.
[17:29] Then a spy sneaks into the city. And he lets the people know. This enemy that's outside your gate, the main force has been somewhere else.
[17:41] And they have been defeated. And their leaders have surrendered. It's only a matter of time before these guys get the word. When Jesus went to Calvary, the war was over.
[17:59] He was crucified, yes. He died, yes. He was buried, yes. But he rose again. And the war was over.
[18:12] He ascended back to heaven. And the war was over. There may be skirmishes still going on. There may be battles here and there. There may be some tough times. But Jesus has won.
[18:26] Knowing the position we're in. Having a passionate heart. Knowing that the power comes from God. Should help us in our persuasion.
[18:39] The believer's persuasion. He says in the last part of verse 20 there. He says, Christ liveth in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh.
[18:52] I live by the faith of the Son of God. Who loved me and gave himself for me. I should be persuaded. And I should live by faith.
[19:03] Do I trust God? How many times have you heard me say that? Probably over the last six months. Do you trust God? That's what this book is all about.
[19:16] Helping us to get to the point. Where we learn to trust God. For the things that he has done. We have seen him work. We have seen him answer prayer. We have seen him take care of things.
[19:27] Do we daily live out our life. Having faith in God. And what he can do. His incredible sacrifice should motivate us. He loved us enough.
[19:38] That he came and died for us. 2 Corinthians 5.7. A little short verse. For we walk by faith. Not by sight. Sometimes things don't look good.
[19:50] Sometimes things don't look like they're going to come out the way we want them to. But he says you walk by faith. There's affliction that we go through. There's adversity that we face. There are things that we go through.
[20:02] Develop your faith. Keep your focus on God. Hudson Taylor. Talking about missionaries this morning. Hudson Taylor was a missionary who started the China Inland Mission.
[20:16] As missionary to China. He saw God do tremendous things. Here's one of the quotes he said. Many Christians estimate difficulties. In the light of their own resources.
[20:28] And thus attempt little. And often fail. In the little that they attempt. All God's giants. All God's giants. Have been weak men.
[20:39] Who did great things for God. Because they reckoned on his power. And presence. With them. All of God's giants were weak men. Elijah. Subject to like passions as we are.
[20:51] All of God's giants. Were weak men. Who did great things for God. Because they reckoned on his power. And his presence. With them.
[21:01] It's not about me. It's about him. It's not about what I can do. It's about what he can do. And Paul says. He liveth in me. Romans chapter 5 verse 2.
[21:13] He says.
[21:25] We have access to faith. We have access to the grace of God. We get to stand. In the hope of God's glory. And all that he is. And all that he can do.
[21:37] I live also because. Of his love. Notice the last part of verse 20. Who loved me. And gave himself for me. He says.
[21:48] He loved me. And gave himself for me. When we consider the love. That Christ showed for us. How can we not live by faith? He came.
[22:00] And gave himself. In Ephesians chapter 5 verse 25. It's talking about husbands and wives. And all that. You know. Husbands love your wives. Even as Christ also loved the church.
[22:11] And gave himself for it. He loved us. And gave himself. For us. Why do we doubt that he's going to be with us now? Romans chapter 8.
[22:22] Beginning at verse 37. Nay. In all these things. We are more than conquerors through him that loved us. He says. We have already won the war. God is with us.
[22:33] We don't have to worry. He goes on. And he says. For I am persuaded. That neither death. Nor life. Nor angels. Nor principalities. Nor powers. Nor things present. Nor things to come. Nor height.
[22:44] Nor death. Nor any other creature. Shall be able to separate us from the love of God. Which is in Christ Jesus. Our Lord. He says. We. Have the love.
[22:55] Of God. And nothing can separate us. From that. God loves us. You know.
[23:06] When we stop and think. About the position. In Christ. I am crucified with Christ. But that feeds.
[23:18] Our passion. That feeds. Our recognition of the power that is in us. That feeds. Our persuasion. That God. Can do. Everything.
[23:29] He can take care of us. He can meet our every need. Then in verse 21. I do not frustrate the grace of God. For if righteousness come.
[23:42] By the law. Then Christ is dead. In vain. Do you notice how he words that? Notice the. The tenses he uses there. If Christ didn't do all of this.
[23:53] If Christ didn't accomplish all this. Then Christ is dead. He didn't rise from the dead. He's not alive. He's not doing all these things. If we have to live by the law.
[24:04] If we don't live by Christ. Who died for us. And he rose again. And now lives in us. If we don't believe that. He says. Then you just believe that Christ is dead. And nothing happened. He says.
[24:15] Christian. That's not the way we live. That's not how we go. He's trying to emphasize the fact that. It is by the grace of God.
[24:26] We've been talking about that. Since we began this book. It is by the grace of God. We have God's riches. At Christ's expense. We have God's redemption. At Christ's expense.
[24:38] We have grace. That has saved us. Grace that changed us. The law. Could not provide righteousness.
[24:49] Couldn't make us acceptable. The grace of God saves us. The grace of God sustains us. The sacrifice that Jesus made.
[25:00] Made all the difference in the world. Paul says. Christ. Liveth. In me. When we go out.
[25:10] Into this world. People should never see you. Steve Hersey. Christ. Liveth. In me. Steve Hersey died. Steve Hersey is not gone.
[25:23] Christ. Liveth. In me. When you go out into the world. They should not see you. Christ. Liveth. In you. Do we understand.
[25:34] The importance. Of the fact that Jesus died on that cross. Rose again. Ascended back into heaven. And then saved us. We accept what he did for us.
[25:47] We reach out. We accept that gift of God. That has been given to us. For by grace. He is saved through faith. It is not of yourselves. It is the gift of God. Not of works. Less than even.
[25:58] You boast. Have you reached out. And taken that gift. That God has given to you. Have you reached out. And taken that gift. That God says. Look. I did this for you.
[26:10] All you have to do. Is accept it. And allow me. To come in. And live in you. That's what people should see.
[26:20] That's what we should see. In our own lives. If you're here this morning. You don't know Jesus Christ. Come talk to me.
[26:31] Ask me. I will take the word of God. And I will show you. How you can know. 100%. That you're on your way to heaven. If you are saved. Is he living in you?
[26:43] Are you allowing him. To live in you? So that when the world looks. They see Jesus. If you've been here long enough. If you know where we're going.
[26:54] 513. 513. In your hymn book. 513.