Crucified with Christ

[0:00] Galatians 2 verse 20 it says, I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.

[0:17] 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. One of the most telling Bible verses is Galatians 2 verse 20.

[0:33] I quote, There is a preacher of the old school, but he speaks about as boldly as ever today. He's not very popular, even though the world is his parish, and he travels to every part of the globe, and he speaks in every language.

[0:48] He visits the poor, he visits the rich, he preaches to people of every religion, and he preaches to many of no religion. And the subject of his sermon is always the same.

[1:00] It never changes. He is an eloquent preacher, and he is able to stir emotions in hearts that are not emotional. He is able to bring tears to the eyes that seldom weep.

[1:11] His arguments are beyond reputation. There is no heart that remains untouched and moved by the force of his appeals. This preacher shatters life.

[1:24] This preacher disturbs the status quo. Most people hate him. Everybody listens to him. His name is... Death. Death.

[1:36] Every tombstone is his pulpit. Every newspaper prints his text. And one day you will be the subject of his sermon. And he will stand at your graveside and preach to others.

[1:50] His name is Death. Death. This leads into my first point. Paul says, I am crucified with Christ.

[2:03] Number one. To be crucified with Christ means death. Death. To be crucified with Christ means death.

[2:15] We're going to learn about crucifixion. What it means, and especially what does it mean when Paul says, I am crucified with Christ. The bottom line is to be crucified is to die.

[2:28] It's death. Our old man is crucified with him. It says in Romans 6, verses 6 through 7. And it's not talking about your dad, which I think is a kind of irreverent thing to call your dad.

[2:40] Your old man. It's talking about the old man, your flesh. It's your sinful nature. In Romans 6, verses 6 through 7. It says, 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.

[3:00] For he that is dead is freed from sin. Our old man is crucified with him. To be crucified means death.

[3:11] It means the death of the cross. It means a dead body hanging on a tree. Crucifixion. Think of that. Think of what that means.

[3:21] This is what people have said. In the ancient world, death on a cross was the most shameful of deaths. The most painful, the most embarrassing, the most gruesome, the most humiliating way to die.

[3:36] The first century historian Josephus said, it's the most wretched of deaths. A pagan orator, Cicero, knew it as, so horrible a deed.

[3:49] That's what the people who saw it described it as. The most wretched of deaths, so horrible a deed. What did it mean to be crucified?

[4:00] To be crucified meant being stripped, beaten, nailed by your hands and by your feet. And then made to stand upright in plain daylight, so that every passerby could mock and jeer as you helplessly and hopelessly choke to death.

[4:21] I am crucified with Christ. To be crucified means dead. We need the right message today.

[4:32] We need the message of the cross. To be crucified means dead. We have to die. We have to die. You and I have to die.

[4:43] It means death. Death to the self. Death to the flesh. When you are crucified, you are no longer alive. Crucifixion means you're dead. What is he on about?

[4:55] You might be asking. Crucifixion means dead. When you become a Christian, there's a death and there's a resurrection.

[5:08] There's a dying and a coming to life. As a butterfly emerges from the cocoon, a transformation has happened.

[5:20] The caterpillar has died. The butterfly has come alive. That's the Christian life. It's death to self and life to him, to God.

[5:31] It's a new life. It's a change of masters. We're no longer servants of sin. We read there in Romans 6. When you become a Christian, there's a dying and a coming back to life.

[5:42] As a brand new person. A brand new start. A brand new heart. To be crucified means to be put to death. We don't live to please the flesh any longer but our Father.

[5:53] It means the eye, the ego, dies. It no longer lives. And we put our hope, not in the flesh, but in Christ, our Saviour. It's a daily surrender of our lives.

[6:05] It's God first. It's a change of priorities. A change of mindset. Something is born again.

[6:18] Life is reborn in us. In John 3 verse 30, John the Baptist said, He must increase, but I must decrease.

[6:30] He says, Jesus must become greater as we become less. He must increase, but I must decrease. John 3 verse 30.

[6:41] Paul says, I live, yet not I. There's a like verse in Galatians 6 verse 14. Paul says, but God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world.

[6:59] The world is crucified unto me and I unto the world. There's a death towards the world and what it stands for. A death towards the world in its ways, its standards.

[7:12] I am crucified. I am crucified unto the world. Romans 6 goes on from verse 11. It says, likewise reckon ye also yourselves indeed to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

[7:29] Let not therefore sin reign in your mortal bodies, that you should obey it in the lust thereof. But it goes on, yield your members, yield your body as servants to righteousness.

[7:42] There's a change of authority. There's a change of mastery. There's a change of lordship over your life. We have to die though. We have to die. Die to sin. So that God helping you, you'll come to that place where you can say, when you face temptation, you can say, sin, you are no longer my master.

[8:05] I am dead as far as you are concerned. Death is a total commitment. It's a fundamental change that happens. You know, a dead body counts sin, can it?

[8:18] Of course, we know we are still frail. I'm not teaching sinless perfection here today. But God helping us, there'll be a deadening. There'll be a dying towards that sin. There'll be a death, even if it's incremental, even if it takes time for that dying process.

[8:35] That we'll be dying towards sin. We'll be dying towards it. It won't have the same attraction, the same love, the same pull that it had. Death is a complete commitment.

[8:47] Think, for example, of, to picture it, bacon and eggs. You've heard this example, I'm sure. It's like the difference between bacon and eggs. Who had bacon and eggs today?

[8:58] Oh, there's some people have. You know, that chook just gave the egg for you, Roy. It only gave the egg. Whereas the pig gave his life for you.

[9:09] That's the difference, isn't it? You know, the difference between bacon and eggs. Some Christians have just an eggs kind of commitment. They'll just give a little bit, you know, that doesn't really cost that much.

[9:21] But we're called to die. To die. The pig is completely committed to your breakfast. That's what we need to be as a Christian.

[9:32] We need to be completely committed to Christ. Completely committed to Christ. And that's not to gain any glory to yourself in this process. Don't get me wrong.

[9:43] But Christ has not come to give you a positive thinking gospel. A crossless gospel. But a gospel that means a death. A dying and a coming to life again.

[9:56] Christ has come to bring us life. But you must die to self. The old Adam. The old man has to die. George Muller tells of his death. He rose to his death before he physically died.

[10:09] George Muller, that man of God, that did such great wondrous things for God's glory. You know, the great orphanage work and great ministry by faith.

[10:19] Living by faith in a tremendous way. And this is how George Muller described the day that he died. He said, There was a day that I died. Died to George Muller.

[10:33] His opinions. His preferences. His tastes. His will. Died to the world. It's approval. Or censure. Died to the approval or blame even of my brothers or friends.

[10:47] And since then, I have studied. Only to show myself approved unto God. There was a day when I died. Can you say this?

[10:59] Can you say this? There was a day that I died. I have died. And I've come to life again. I live for him now. To him.

[11:09] For him. In him. I'm going to live each moment. That he gives me breath to. In that newness of life. New ambitions. New desires.

[11:20] New motives. New freedom. New power. So to be crucified. It means death. Death. If you came for a feel good message today.

[11:31] I don't make any apologies. This is what Jesus says. You must. Die. To self. Die to self. To be crucified. To be crucified means death. Secondly.

[11:43] To be crucified. Means being identified with Christ. Paul says. I am crucified with Christ. With Christ. And he says.

[11:54] Christ liveth in me. Being crucified with Christ. Means an identification with him. A surrender. A union. With him.

[12:04] Galatians 4.19. It says. My little children. Of whom. I travail in birth again. Until Christ. Be formed in you.

[12:15] Paul had the heart. Of. As it were. A mother. Laboring. To bring. A life. To life. A travailing.

[12:26] Now. I can only. Talk in. In imaginary terms. Of the. Pain. Of childbirth. I've not had the.

[12:37] The pleasure. Of such a thing. But. That. That Paul says. That he travailes. In birth. For some. That they. Would.

[12:48] Have Christ. Formed in them. That was his. Earnest prayer. A light to a travail. The pains of childbirth.

[13:02] Some of you. Ladies. Can relate to that. That's the kind of. Intensity. Of feeling. Of passion. That Paul had. That Christ. Will be formed in you. That's my prayer for you.

[13:13] Each one here today. That Christ. Will be formed in you. That you'll be shaped. By his tender hand. As clay in his hand. Formed in his hands. Made who he wants you to be.

[13:24] And it's one of the great. Privileges I have. As a preacher. To exhort people. To be like Jesus. To be like Jesus. To be like him. To become more Christ like.

[13:35] That Christ. Will be formed in you. That's my prayer for you. That I might. Play some. Insignificant part. To see that happen. By God's helping. A travailing.

[13:47] A. Birth pains. For you. That Christ. Will be formed in you. A conforming work. Has to happen.

[13:58] A conforming. It matters what. You're identified with. Now. The son I'd like to pray for this morning. He identifies.

[14:09] With Manchester United Football Club. He's got a. He's got a problem there. He's got a. He's got an addiction. To Manchester United Football Club. He identifies with them.

[14:19] Sometimes he walks around. With a shirt that says. Manchester United. Sometimes he gets up. At ungodly hours of the morning. And watches the. Manchester United play.

[14:30] Now. I'm using that as an example. I'm not knocking. Manchester United. Or whoever you. Might. Have. That. Foul addiction to. That. No.

[14:41] There is that. Identification. And identification happens. And we all identify with things. You see people walking around with slogans on their shirts. They identify with whatever it be.

[14:54] What are you identified with? What are you identified with? What is it that. That you want to. Herald and proclaim. And show to the world. Julie and I were watching some footage lately.

[15:07] Of a recent significant. Assemblies of God event. In the USA. And it was a major. Event. Of the Assemblies of God. In the United States of America.

[15:18] And it was being addressed. By the general chairman. Of the AOG. And it was quite. Telling to see. What predominated. In this event. Which was a youth event.

[15:29] It featured much. Of worldly ways. There was Christian hip hop. There. And there was. There was some worldly hip hop. As part of the event. And they even had. A Christian.

[15:40] Death metal. In this event. And you wonder. What is going on? Why would you want to be. Identified. With that? Why would you want to be. Identified.

[15:50] With that? I saw some posters lately. There was a pastor. That was advertising. How he would dress up. Like a magician. And perform some illusions. And magic tricks.

[16:01] Now I haven't brought. Any magic tricks. For you this morning. I hope that I'm getting. You something from God. Something that will do. Your soul good. That's what we need. We want to be conformed. With Christ.

[16:11] We want to be identified. With him. I've seen some further things. There were some. Church youth groups. Where they thought it was funny. For some of the young men.

[16:21] To dress up. In women's clothes. And take a video of it. And laugh about it. Despite the Bible. Specifically. Denouncing such nonsense. As wrong.

[16:33] And ungodly. You know. I've seen footage also. Of the Harlem Shake. Where whole churches erupt. In a total copy.

[16:45] Of a foul. Worldly song. It's disgusting. I don't want to be identified. With that. No sir. I also saw a disgusting advert.

[16:56] For a men's ministry. Of a local church. Victory Church. Just down the road. Towards Adelaide. And this event. Specifically promoted. The event.

[17:07] With beer. And bourbon. Put on by the church. Bourbon. In other words. Whiskey. High content. Alcohol. Why would you want.

[17:18] Your men's ministry. Event. To be identified. With that. I don't understand that. People. I cannot fathom that. I cannot justify that.

[17:29] Or think of any way. You could justify that. The Bible says. Paul prays. That Christ would be formed in you. That Christ would be formed in you.

[17:40] Not the world. Some churches are not forming Christ in people. But they're being conformed with the world. They're about impressing the world. And the world's ways on its people.

[17:52] I've heard lately how purpose driven churches. Have dropped the terms lost and saved. It's not cool. It's not politically correct. To call some people lost.

[18:04] And some people saved. Now they've re-badged it. They say. Churched. And unchurched. Well I'm telling you today. You can be churched. And lost. As hell today.

[18:15] You can be churched. Day. Night. Midweek. Every hour of the day you can be in this place. And put on a holy smile. You can be churched.

[18:25] And lost. Lost. It's not about being churched and unchurched. There's a lot of churched people that are lost. Lost.

[18:37] Lost. Don't be fooled people today. I don't want to be identified with that. I want to be identified with Christ.

[18:50] With Christ. No matter what the cost. No matter what the cost. Who and what you are identified with matters. Don't be afraid to stand up and be counted.

[19:03] You are being conformed. Conformed. Identified. Marked. Stamped. Conformed. Romans 12.

[19:14] That familiar one in the concept it says of living sacrifices. And be not conformed to this world. But be ye transformed. By the renewing of your mind. That you may prove what is that good.

[19:27] Acceptable. And perfect. Will of God. Be not conformed to this world. But be ye transformed. The only thing this world can do is create death. We must die to what the world stands for.

[19:42] Paul says. I am crucified unto the world. We have to take the path of the cross. The way of the cross. And be found in him. There's many scriptures we could quote.

[19:53] For example. Philippians 3. Paul says. I counted all things lost for Christ. Yea doubtless. I count all things but lost for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.

[20:05] For whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but done. That I may win Christ. And be found in him. Not having mine own righteousness.

[20:17] Which is of the law. But that which is through the faith of Christ. The righteousness which is of God by faith. That I may know him. That I may know him. And the power of his resurrection.

[20:29] And the fellowship of his sufferings. Being made conformable to his death. Conformable unto his death. We need the fellowship of his sufferings.

[20:40] Will you join this fellowship? I pray you will. Join the fellowship of his sufferings. Christ liveth in me. You cannot live the Christian life without Christ in you.

[20:53] Don't pretend. Don't kid yourself. If Christ is not in you. You need to seek him. The strength of the church. Is where the people know him.

[21:05] Where Christ is formed in us. Where we conformed unto him. Where we're becoming more like Jesus. More like Jesus every day. More and more like him. More of his character. More of his likeness.

[21:16] More of Jesus. Would I know. 1 Peter 2.7 It says unto you that believe. He is precious. He is precious. Our identity is changed.

[21:31] And we live by the faith of the Son of God. He becomes even more precious to us. Day by day. He becomes more and more precious. Ever more precious. It's like that song.

[21:42] Nearer. My God to thee. God helping us that we'll be nearer to him tomorrow. Than we are today. Amen. And that we're nearer to him today. Than we were yesterday.

[21:54] That Christ will be formed in us. That Christ will be in the centre of our lives. Of our thinking. Of our purpose. Of our relationships. It's Christ. Christ centred. Christ centred. Philippians 2.13.

[22:06] For God worketh in you. Both to will and to do. Of his good pleasure. Will and do. Will and do. Of his good pleasure. God works in you.

[22:18] Jesus didn't come to improve you. Jesus didn't come so that I could improve myself. Jesus didn't come to lift my self esteem.

[22:31] Jesus came with a message of self denial. Self denial. When we're identified with Christ. It impacts how we walk in the world. We become Christ centred.

[22:44] But friends there's a cost factor here. There's a very real cost factor. As you take up your cross. You must deny yourself.

[22:57] That's heavy isn't it? Heavy stuff. Someone put it like this. You must transfer the ownership. Of all that you are. And all that you have. To all that he is.

[23:10] Your life. Is no longer your life. It's his. It's now his life. Your time. It's no longer your time.

[23:20] It's now his time. Your possessions are no longer your possessions. They are now his possessions. In the sense that you want to use things for his glory.

[23:32] God helping you. Find ways to use what you have. Wisely. Your future. It's no longer your future. It's his future. He's already there. Your treasure.

[23:44] It's no longer your treasure. It's now his treasure. You've transferred all that you are and have unto him. That you have.

[23:56] All that he is. Now I'm not preaching works today. This is not about how to become a Christian. This is about how Christ can be formed in you.

[24:07] It's how you can draw nearer to God. And he draws near to you. This is not how to be saved. Because right from the very instant of salvation.

[24:18] It's all to his glory and praise. It's all of his majesty. It's all to his honour. You can't claim any credit for it. Nor can I.

[24:29] Nor are you growing as a Christian. Because Jesus says, John 15, verse 5, For without me, you can do nothing.

[24:40] Nothing. Zilch. Nada. Nothing. Nil. Zero. You can do nothing without me, he says. But as we draw near to him, he draws near to us.

[24:52] There's a wonderful reciprocation there. So being crucified with Christ, it identifies you with him. With his pathway. With his cross. With what it means.

[25:04] The cross. Think of the cross. The cross hurts. I am crucified with Christ. The cross hurts.

[25:15] It's hard. It's ugly. It's painful. Will you partake of Christ and his suffering? 2 Timothy 1, verse 8.

[25:26] In part, Paul says, Be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel, according to the power of God. It may mean suffering for you. Now we can all suffer in different measures.

[25:38] In our fair land, there's not a lot of suffering. Not a lot really. Let's face it, people. How will you suffer for Christ?

[25:49] Maybe there's things that you can think of. How can I suffer for Christ? What are some ways that my Christianity can step across the line and do something that's uncomfortable for me?

[26:00] Are you ready to suffer affliction? To suffer mistreatment? Misunderstanding? From your loved ones? Your family? Your friends? People you hold dear? Maybe they need a strong exaltation from you.

[26:14] Who else is going to tell them? It might mean afflictions for you. Let me read some sections of a song. Am I a soldier of the cross?

[26:26] A follower of the land? And shall I fear to own his cause or blush to speak his name? In the name, the precious name of him who died for me.

[26:39] Through grace I'll win the promised crown whatever my cross may be. Since I must fight if I would reign increase my courage, Lord. I'll bear the toil, endure the pain supported by thy word.

[26:54] Am I a soldier of the cross? The cross? The cross is uncomfortable. The cross is a place where you will be identified with Christ.

[27:11] Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live I live by the faith of the Son of God. The Lord Jesus doesn't repair the old you.

[27:22] You know, some people think becoming a Christian is turning over a new leaf. Oh, today I'm going to commit my life to Jesus Christ. I'm going to turn over a new leaf in my life. It's not about that.

[27:35] It's God bringing you to your knees, to your face in terror at his wrath knowing the only safety for you is the shed blood of Jesus Christ for your sins.

[27:51] That is your only hope. That's the only condition. That is your only means is the cross today. The only means is the cross. The Lord Jesus doesn't repair the old you.

[28:03] He replaces him. To be crucified means death. It means to stop living and start living. That's what it means to be crucified with Christ. To be crucified with Christ means your identification changes.

[28:16] you're not an Aussie anymore. Well, you are kind of. You can have dual citizenship in the kingdom of God but your true citizenship is in heaven, isn't it?

[28:31] Amen? Who believes that? You've got a better country. A better country than Australia even. Even than Australia. A better country yet to come.

[28:42] Your citizenship changes. your nationality. Your identification changes. This is a badge that you can wear. I'm a Christian. Back in Acts when they said at Antioch they first started calling them Christians it was a term of mockery and derision.

[29:01] Let's make it real now. We have heard I am crucified with Christ. Let's make it practical now. What is this preacher on about? Exactly where does this crucified life start?

[29:14] How do I get there? Where is this? How do I sign up? It starts at the foot of the cross. You have to humble yourself to receive his grace.

[29:30] You have to humble yourself to start on this road of the cross. So we sing to be crucified means death. We sing to be crucified means identification.

[29:43] Crucifixion with Christ. And thirdly we sing to be crucified means humility. Humility. Crucifixion was very public.

[29:55] The indignity of it. The loss of pride as it was beaten out of you even before you got there. You were beaten black and blue along with your flesh and your clothing were shredded and torn and wrecked away.

[30:11] Consider the shame of the cross for a moment today. It means being spat upon. It means being derided. It means being mocked and hated for him. It means being nailed to a cross to be crucified.

[30:26] I'm sure that we can all look back on hard times in our lives. I know that I can. Not of any great measure compared to many that are here. but times of difficulty times of difficulty and you learn from those.

[30:40] You grow from those. I can remember as a schoolboy being picked on being called names. There was a lot of name calling and fights and I gave a couple of blood noses in return.

[30:58] But as a Christian when we suffer we don't retaliate. When we're a Christian and we suffer we don't fight that.

[31:11] At least not in carnal fleshly ways with fleshly carnal weapons. We're to act as Christ did in humility and grace. He was reviled and he reviled not again.

[31:24] He didn't return those cursings and mockery back. He didn't revile again. He said Father forgive them for they know not what they do.

[31:37] Life is a learning journey. You've been there. We've been there. Those places of trial of hardship of having some rough things happen.

[31:49] And when we graduate from our school as it were our tertiary education begins. We enter the school of hard knocks.

[31:59] It gets even worse. I can remember one of my first jobs and I was used to getting some glowing report cards. And when I got my first supervisor report qualified knocked the stuffing out of me.

[32:13] And it knocked the stuffing out of me when I was sacked as well. The school of hard knocks. It takes it out of you doesn't it? It starts to humble you. It starts to make you realise how weak and me for you are.

[32:28] How dependent you are on him. The school of hard knocks. The Christian life can be like that. It can be like that. It's the way of the cross. It means as a Christian you can be slighted and abused and hated and misunderstood for his cause.

[32:45] I remember as a young Christian I went and spoke to some of my old school friends and they weren't my friends very long after that. You start to stand for Christ and sometimes you lose some friends.

[32:59] Get used to it. That's the Christian life. That's the Christian life where the rubber hits the road. That's the cross. I am crucified with Christ.

[33:10] To be crucified with Christ means humility. That's the humility that we need to have. You're learning something good when it happens when you go through those hard knocks. It helps you draw closer to the one you need to be close to.

[33:27] No man can serve two masters. It goes against the flesh to be a Christian sometimes but we must bow. It says of the disciples when the word got too hard for them they forsook him and fled.

[33:45] Even Peter the one that he chose to be the exemplary primary leader just only days before ran and renounced him.

[34:01] We're all unworthy and inadequate. We must bow. We must realise our pride. I must realise my pride. My pride. The cross addresses our pride.

[34:14] Doesn't it? We need it. We need it. We must watch ourselves. You know sometimes we can get so smart. What does the Bible say?

[34:26] Knowledge puffers up. We need someone to pop our balloon sometimes. Don't we? We need someone to pop our balloon sometimes. Knowledge puffers up. We need humility.

[34:37] Humility. Humility. I need it. I don't know about you. 1 Peter 5 verse 6 it says humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time.

[34:49] to be crucified means humility. We cannot save ourselves. You can't keep yourself saved. There's some cults that think well I've got to am I saved today or did that thing that I did wrong make me lose my salvation and I've got to get it back again.

[35:11] I did I lose it if I got to do this so I can get it back again. No! It's all of him. It's all of him. It's all of Jesus. It's all of Jesus.

[35:25] Not of man lest any not of works. Come on. It's an obvious one. Not of works lest any man should boast. You can't save yourself or keep yourself saved. It's all unto him unto him unto him.

[35:39] The glory is his and his alone. To be crucified means to be rendered helpless. Helpless. Your hands and feet are rendered immobile.

[35:50] Let's face it. What works can you do on the cross? To be crucified means you can't do anything. You are rendered immobile.

[36:01] Immobile. Salvation wasn't by works. That's what legalism means. Not any of it. Not any of your works. The answer is in the cross.

[36:12] It's in the cross. We need to depend on him. On his grace. Galatians 2. 21. It goes on, I do not frustrate the grace of God. For if righteousness come by the law, law, legalism, then Christ is dead in vain.

[36:27] It's not by any of that. Could someone just put the coolers on? I have to get into it.

[36:43] That's what legalism means. Amen? Now, we have some stands we take. I'm not saying you're saved by them.

[36:53] You don't have to agree with all the things that we say. We're not saved by that. We want to love him and draw close to him.

[37:03] That's what it's all about. And we don't frustrate the grace of God. We don't frustrate the grace of God. I need his grace. We need his grace. It says that some people's actions frustrate the grace of God.

[37:16] It's when we try to work our own way. Without God we're powerless, helpless, defenceless. Our hands and feet are nailed. Come on. The cross means total surrender.

[37:29] You can't do! nothing! to use the wrong grammar. The starting point is humility. Without me you can do nothing, he says. It's where grace begins.

[37:39] Humility. Humility. 1 Peter 5, God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time.

[37:52] God resists the proud. The minute we get proud is when God resists us. Don't get proud. Keep humble. Humbleness of mind. Be clothed with humility.

[38:03] All of you be subject one to another. I don't know about you but I need to work on my humility. It's a project that will continue until I die.

[38:15] My humility. It's a lesson that is constantly being learned isn't it? Because the minute you think you got some truth or you think that you arrived and you start to feel that you're right and they're wrong is when it all falls to pieces doesn't it?

[38:34] We don't want that. 1 Corinthians 1 it says God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty and the base things of the world and the things that are despised as glory in his presence that no flesh should glory in his presence but of him in Christ Jesus who is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption that according as it is written he that glorieth let him glory in the Lord that no flesh should glory in his presence but don't let that stop you glorying in the Lord glory in him glory in him and thank God God uses the nobodies the weak you know the base the despised the things that are nothing God uses the nobodies to do something you know if we all had to wait till we were qualified or we had a certain level of knowledge before we did anything then who would qualify who would be able to do anything for him it's when we realise our inadequacy is when he steps in and does it when we think of

[40:00] Abraham Moses David the biblical prophets the twelve disciples none of them were really much to speak of themselves they weren't much to note but it was one person plus God one person it could be you it could be me it could be each one of you one person plus God to do his will to accomplish his purposes and it says Jesus is our wisdom Jesus is our righteousness Jesus is our sanctification or our holiness Jesus is our redemption the one who liberates us and sets us free Jesus is the one who is our glory a priest said this about the crucified life it will cost you it will cost you popularity it will cost you promotion it will cost you an easy life it will cost you to have to discipline yourself you will have to buffet your body you will have to say no to temptation you will have to say no to this world you will have to break with!

[41:00] the crowd the cross the new ownership I live by the faith the faith of the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me so let me quickly recap to be crucified with Christ it's I think it's significant it signifies his saving grace and it signifies the growing in grace of the Christian life it's not like one day you've arrived and you suddenly get that certificate that you've achieved an A++++ and there's no improvement necessary in your life I know Stuart's almost there but you don't ever get to that place where you've arrived

[42:01] Paul said I've not yet got there still pressing towards the mark didn't he there's still something more there's still some more growing to do that's the sense of the Christian life and to be crucified with Christ it's something that takes time it's something that takes day by day by day denying yourself and taking up your cross daily daily daily it's a daily walk a daily sanctification in other words a growing in holiness a growing closer to him and he drawing closer to you but friends think of this now just to quickly recap the main points to be crucified it means death death you can't get more significant change than that can you death to your own way to your own life and a receiving of his new life of eternal life and you don't have to wait till the hereafter you can have it in the here and now it says this is the record if you believe on the name of the son of

[43:10] God you have everlasting life now in the present tense in the 21st century on Kirk Street Elizabeth Park you can know it you have everlasting life if you believe the record that God has given of his son this is the record of his saving love of the saving message it means death to yourself and new life begins and secondly it's identification now some of you might still have that identification with some worldly soccer club you know some of you might have some different identifications some of you might like particular brand names of clothing or shoes but please I pray I plead I beseech you be identified with Christ that's what counts that's what absolutely counts and there's nothing more precious than Christ to know him him to know his life eternal to be identified with

[44:12] Christ no matter what it costs so that in the workplace the school place your everyday place that you're not afraid to be a Christian you're not afraid you're not ashamed you will be identified with Christ and identified with his cross and that's not a cross hanging around your neck it's about what the cross means and thirdly to be crucified means humility humility such that you realise hey I've not arrived yet grace is still doing a work in me God's got a lot of working to do in me I'm still a Christian under construction grace begins when humility starts and friends I plead with you let's humble ourselves under his hand ask him to help you some of this might seem wow this is too high a goal for me to reach I know I blow it every day I do something sinful I think something sinful this is too high a bar that this preacher said I just walk away

[45:13] I can't achieve this none of us can none of us can the flesh is still as ugly and as vile in Andrew Craig it's got to be killed it's got to be nailed I've got to get the hammer and spike out every day and nail the old Andrew Craig because he's ugly and sinful and not worthy of heaven and it's the same with all of us we must humble ourselves never come to a place where you think you've arrived as a Christian let grace have its perfect work I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me let us!

[46:17]