September 11, 2024 A HIGHER PURPOSE
2 Corinthians 5:14-15 “For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.”
This is another passage that cuts right to the core. Paul stated that it was the love of Christ that controlled him; and that should also be what controls us. If we believe it and embrace it, it’s a major, life changing fact that Christ died for us. The perfect, sinless Son of God, Christ Jesus, shed His blood on a cruel cross-for you and I. On one particular day over two thousand years ago, Jesus was beaten and nailed to a cross-for you and I. And here is the point we must get; because He died for all, all died. The old us has died. A major change has taken place; as believers, because Jesus died for us, we are to no longer live for ourselves. That’s big. The culture in which we live is all about living for self. The lie of the culture is that if we live for ourselves, we will be fulfilled and will be ‘happy.’ As believers, it is critical that we come to understand and embrace the fact that we are to no longer live for ourselves but we are to live for Him who died for us. Living for Him is an issue of the heart and an issue of who is in control. Living for Him does not necessarily mean we are to quit our job and move to a foreign mission field. It does mean that our motives change; living for Him means that we do the things that are pleasing to Him. The commands in the New Testament reveal what pleases Him. When we love one another and prefer one another, when we help others who need our help, when we bear one another’s burdens, when we give as He leads, when we pray for and encourage others, when we seek Him first, when we are kind, when we speak the truth in love, and when we are connected to the body of Christ, He is pleased and we are living for Him. He may call us to a major life style change, but more likely, He calls us to ‘bloom where we are planted,’ and to be conduits of His life to those around us. As said above, Paul said that he was controlled by the love of Christ; that certainly refers to His love for us, but there is more. His love for us changes us on the inside, but it also finds expression through us that touches the lives of others; His love in us reflects Him. Also, living for Him has a way of simplifying our lives; life gets complicated and unfulfilled when we are pursuing the things that we mistakenly think will satisfy us.
Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loves me and gave Himself for me.”
Colossians 3:23 “What ever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not to men; knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.”
Blessings, Buddy
2 Corinthians 5:14-15 “For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.”
This is another passage that cuts right to the core. Paul stated that it was the love of Christ that controlled him; and that should also be what controls us. If we believe it and embrace it, it’s a major, life changing fact that Christ died for us. The perfect, sinless Son of God, Christ Jesus, shed His blood on a cruel cross-for you and I. On one particular day over two thousand years ago, Jesus was beaten and nailed to a cross-for you and I. And here is the point we must get; because He died for all, all died. The old us has died. A major change has taken place; as believers, because Jesus died for us, we are to no longer live for ourselves. That’s big. The culture in which we live is all about living for self. The lie of the culture is that if we live for ourselves, we will be fulfilled and will be ‘happy.’ As believers, it is critical that we come to understand and embrace the fact that we are to no longer live for ourselves but we are to live for Him who died for us. Living for Him is an issue of the heart and an issue of who is in control. Living for Him does not necessarily mean we are to quit our job and move to a foreign mission field. It does mean that our motives change; living for Him means that we do the things that are pleasing to Him. The commands in the New Testament reveal what pleases Him. When we love one another and prefer one another, when we help others who need our help, when we bear one another’s burdens, when we give as He leads, when we pray for and encourage others, when we seek Him first, when we are kind, when we speak the truth in love, and when we are connected to the body of Christ, He is pleased and we are living for Him. He may call us to a major life style change, but more likely, He calls us to ‘bloom where we are planted,’ and to be conduits of His life to those around us. As said above, Paul said that he was controlled by the love of Christ; that certainly refers to His love for us, but there is more. His love for us changes us on the inside, but it also finds expression through us that touches the lives of others; His love in us reflects Him. Also, living for Him has a way of simplifying our lives; life gets complicated and unfulfilled when we are pursuing the things that we mistakenly think will satisfy us.
Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loves me and gave Himself for me.”
Colossians 3:23 “What ever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not to men; knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.”
Blessings, Buddy
RSS Feed