Living The Christian Life (Jan 1 2017) - Jason Lock

Good morning, Harvest.

Good morning.

I'm glad to uh be with you or bring greetings from Harvest Bible Chapel in the Markham campus.

My name is Jason, and I'm very glad to be with you today.

And I would invite you to open up your Bibles to Galatians chapter 3.

Galatians 3 · chapter mention

Welcome to all of the kids who are normally in Harvest Kids this morning.

We're really glad that you're here for this family service.

And today, I'd like us to consider three passages of Scripture that will ask us and allow us to ask the question how do I live the Christian life?

It's the first day of a new year.

Maybe this is the right message that we need to hear to start off 2017.

How do I live the Christian life?

Maybe, like me, you have associated living the Christian life with a series of things that you must do.

And we know that the Bible tells us how we should live.

Do love your neighbors, do read your Bible, do show compassion and hospitality to strangers, do share the gospel, do unto others as you would have others do unto you.

But I think if we were honest and evaluated our own selves, as I've had to as I studied these passages this past week, I've found that when I focus on the doing first, uh living the Christian life kind of feels like going to school the way that our grumpy old grandpa used to tell us that he went to school.

Uphill, both ways, in the snow.

Trudging through.

It wasn't like it was when he used to live.

But what I found, and what I think you will find today, is the testimony from God's word, is that living the Christian life isn't first about a series of things we must do.

Living the Christian life isn't first about you or about me at all.

Do you remember Galatians chapter 2, verse 20?

Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ.

It's no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.

Friends, living the Christian life isn't about us and what we do first.

Living the Christian life is first about allowing Christ in us, allowing the Holy Spirit to live his divine life through us.

But maybe you have felt, like I have felt, the trudging through the snow everywhere I go.

It's uphill both ways.

And maybe, like me, you've felt sometimes it's easier just to not do the do's of Scripture.

And you've just given up because it's too hard, and you feel like you're trudging through and you haven't gotten to purity yet.

You're trudging through and you haven't gotten to evangelism yet.

You're trudging through and you haven't gotten to teaching your kids scripture yet.

What would it look like if we postured ourselves to let the Holy Spirit live his life through us?

Maybe you've seen pictures like this or videos like this online when a eagle takes off at heights.

All it needs to do is posture itself with open wings and the air currents will allow the eagle to soar.

Friends, in the same way, letting the Holy Spirit live his life through us is merely posturing our heart in such a way that the divine power of the Spirit of Christ will carry us and you will soar.

You won't be trudging through purity, you will soar.

You won't be trudging through evangelism, you will soar.

You won't be trudging through your finances, you will soar.

So today we're gonna consider uh three necessary postures of the heart that will enable us to allow the Holy Spirit to live through us.

So before we uh look into God's word, let's posture our hearts first in humility and pray and ask that the Lord would fill us and lead us by his Holy Spirit now.

Father in heaven, we recognize that uh we need you.

We desperately, desperately need you.

I feel like I'm carrying burdens a thousand tons on my back when I try to uh live this life in my own strength.

Father, I ask in the name of Jesus that you would bring relief to us today, that you by your spirit would live through us, and that this church, Harvest New Market, would be known as a church that is filled and led by your Holy Spirit and that experiences life and peace.

So, Lord, grant this unto us through the scriptures and in the name of Jesus, please.

Amen.

Amen.

I hope you have your Bibles open to Galatians chapter 3.

Galatians 3 · chapter mention

Are you there?

Just give me a nod so that I know that you're there.

Alright, great.

Galatians chapter 3, verse 1 to 4.

Galatians 3:1–4

We'll read this in a minute.

Um, Paul wrote to this church, to the Galatian church, because he needed to correct some false teaching.

In this passage, specifically, Galatians chapter 3, he wanted to bring attention to the obvious truth of the gospel and the obvious false teaching that had crept into their mindset.

Galatians 3 · chapter mention

So, in order to do that, he asked them some questions that cause them to remember their experience when they were converted, when they first believed in Jesus.

The point is this if I'm gonna let the Holy Spirit live through me, I must have faith.

If I'm gonna let the Holy Spirit live through me, I must have faith.

Let's read God's word, Galatians 3, verse 1.

Galatians 3:1

It says this, O foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you?

It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.

Let me ask you only this.

Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?

Are you so foolish?

Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?

Okay, so Paul is asking a question here to allow the Galatians to recall their conversion experience, and the answer is implied within his question.

The gift of the Spirit is not achieved by our own effort, it's received by faith.

Now, uh to receive the Spirit means this.

Maybe you want to write this down if you take notes.

To receive the Spirit means to be indwelt by all the Spirit's presence.

To receive the Spirit is to be indwelt by all the Spirit's presence.

Now, if you're a follower of Christ, that has happened.

That happened the moment that you first believed in Jesus.

When you first believed in Jesus, 100% of the Holy Spirit inhabited himself within you and is always dwelling within you.

But there's more to the passage, let's keep reading.

Verse 4 says, Did you suffer so many things in vain?

If indeed it was in vain?

Does he who supplies the spirit to you and work miracles amongst you do so by works of the law or by hearing with faith?

Two relationships that the Apostle Paul says we have with the Spirit here.

First he's received, but then the Spirit is also supplied.

While to receive the Spirit means a one-time act when I believe in Jesus, whereas I am dwelt by all the Holy Spirit's presence, to be supplied with the Spirit is the continual filling of the indwelt Spirit's power.

And that is not achieved by my own effort.

That is supplied by faith.

Living the Christian life is not achieved by my own effort.

The power that we receive is when we posture ourselves with faith.

It's like a family.

It's like a family who is getting into their car and driving to church.

As you did today.

We all know where we're going and we all know how to get there.

And when dad finally gets everyone buckled in, he gets into the driver's seat, turns the ignition, effortlessly presses the accelerator, and drives himself to church.

That's what it is to live in the Holy Spirit by having faith.

Yet there's another way to attempt to live the Christian life.

It's like this other family driving to the same church.

They all know where they're going and they all know how to get there.

And when Dad finally gets everyone buckled into the car, instead of going into the front seat and buckling himself in, he opens the trunk and pulls out a rope and attaches it to the bumper and tries to drag his family in the car to church.

Friends, living the Christian life isn't first about what you do.

It's first about posturing ourselves to allow the Holy Spirit to live through us.

And if we're going to do that, we must have faith.

So then, how?

How am I going to have this faith?

Well, faith has an object.

Faith depends itself on something.

When I'm focusing on the doing first, I'm depending on myself.

If you're going to have faith first, we must agree we don't have what it takes to live the Christian life.

If you're going to have faith, you gotta agree.

You don't have what it takes.

And if you're willing to humble yourself and agree with this, you'll only be agreeing with what the Apostle Paul said about himself.

Listen to this, Romans chapter 7, verse 18.

Romans 7:18

The Apostle Paul said, For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is my flesh.

For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.

That's where faith starts.

I can't do it.

Would you agree with me?

I can't do it.

We can't do it.

But then faith turns to God and sees his power and faith relies on him.

Agree that you can't do what it takes, and then ask that God's Holy Spirit would live through you.

Luke chapter 11, verse 13.

Luke 11:13

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask.

Admit you can't do it, and with hands open, ask God, would you fill me?

Would you fill me?

You have the power I don't.

And he will.

He will when we have faith.

That's the first posture.

But then here's the second one.

Uh turn to John chapter 15.

John 15 · chapter mention

It's just to the left a little bit.

If you're in Galatians, you'll pass 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Romans, Acts, and then John in John 15.

So let me kind of uh lay out the landscape of this passage real quick.

In John 14 to John 16, Jesus was preparing his disciples for what life would be like when he wouldn't be with them anymore.

He'd lived with them for three years, and he knew that soon he would be going to the cross to die, and then he would return to heaven.

John 14, Jesus introduces the disciples to who the Holy Spirit is and what he would do.

John 16 is the actual what his ministry would be and how he would operate.

That's John 14 and John 16.

But John 15, Jesus tells the disciples how they can be connected to the work of the Spirit.

Look at John 15, verse 1.

John 15:1

Actually, we'll start at verse 4.

It says this Abide in me and I in you.

As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.

Verse 5.

I am the vine.

You are the branches.

That means me.

I am a branch.

You are a branch if you are in Christ.

Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit.

For apart from me, you can do nothing.

If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers, and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned.

If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

If we are gonna let the Holy Spirit live his life through us, then we must abide in Christ.

I'll make this really simple, okay?

My wife's gonna come up here and help me right now.

Um this uh stem of this plant that we see right now is abiding in this root.

When I got it, it was like this big.

Actually, it grew really uh big, but then we need to do a little makeover for it to actually contain it.

This stem is abiding in its root, and as long as it does abide in the root, it will be able to be sustained with the life that it needs to live.

This stem is not abiding in that root, and it is not connected to the source of life that it needs to live.

But it doesn't look dead right now, does it?

No, it's it's pretty green, it still holds its structure, it doesn't flop over, it's not withered, it's not frail.

But how long is it gonna last like that?

How long is it gonna be till the leaves start falling off?

Until it changes color, and until the only good it is for is to be gathered with other twigs and used as a kindling.

How long can you last apart from abiding in Christ?

How long does it take after a Sunday morning when you leave and you feel like, yeah, I'm good, let's go?

And then you're yelling at your kids again.

And then you're frustrated about finances again.

And then you just want to watch the game.

I don't want to go to small group.

Listen, for me, I can have a great time in God's Word in the morning, and at lunch, I'm anxious as a bee flying around.

If we are gonna be connected to the Holy Spirit, John 15, 7, look down at this.

John 15.7 shows how we will be connected to the life of the Holy Spirit and abide in Christ.

It says, if you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

We will be connected to the life of the Holy Spirit when we abide, when we are connected to the tether of the word of God and prayer.

We desperately need to renew our minds in God's word, or else our minds will be focused on ourselves and our flesh, and then we will dry out.

We desperately need to focus our hearts' requests and desires on God so that our heart is tuned to God's will and not our own.

We must, if we are going to abide in Christ, we must immerse ourselves in God's word.

And then when we do, we will soar.

John 15 continues to say, when we abide, our prayers will be answered.

God will be glorified as we produce fruit, as our lives are changed.

Moreover, we will be assured that God loves us.

Even more, though, we will obey his commandments and we will be filled with divine joy.

Do you want this?

We're all gonna wither out if we think we can do it ourselves, if we think we don't need God's word in prayer.

If I'm gonna let the Holy Spirit live through me, then I must abide in Christ.

And then this last one.

This last one is in Romans chapter 8.

Romans 8 · chapter mention

Romans is a little to the right of John.

Go John, then Acts, then Romans.

Romans chapter 8.

Romans 8 · chapter mention

Romans chapter 8 is one of the most extensive passages in Scripture about life in the Spirit.

Romans 8 · chapter mention

I would encourage you to read it with your family even later today.

Romans chapter 8, verse 12.

Romans 8:12

Uh, this here's the third posture of our heart that we need to let the Holy Spirit live through us.

If I'm gonna let the Holy Spirit live through me, then I must yield control.

I must yield control.

Romans chapter 8, verse 12 says this.

Romans 8:12

So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.

For if you live according to the flesh, you will die.

But if by the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

That's what I want.

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

If you have believed in Jesus Christ, then what Romans chapter 8, verse 12 says is true of us.

Romans 8:12

It says that we are debtors.

We are indebted, our whole lives are indebted to Jesus.

Because you see, there was a cost, a penalty put on our lives because of our sin.

The Bible says that all have sinned, and all are condemned by God's law, because we've broken it.

But Jesus faced our condemnation, suffered our penalty, and he purchased us, redeeming us from sin and death with the price of his own life.

Because Jesus purchased us with his own life, we are now indebted to him.

And we are indebted to let the Holy Spirit lead us.

And if we let the Spirit lead us, he will lead us away from sin and towards righteousness, away from disobedience and towards obedience.

And if we are going to let the Spirit lead us in this way, we must yield control of our lives to Him.

When you're driving and you come to an intersection, With a yield sign, you're required by law to do something, aren't you?

You're required by law to yield, to stop to oncoming traffic, to let other vehicles go first, because they have the right of way.

You don't.

And if you try to take that right and drive when it's not yours, well, we're endangering ourselves to our own well-being and others' well-being.

If we're going to yield control of our lives to the Spirit, we must humbly, daily confess to the Lord and say, Lord, not my way.

Your way.

Not my way in my family.

Not my way in my finances.

Not my way in entertainment, education, fashion, fashion, diet, recreation, or anything else, not my way, I'll follow yours.

And this is what the Holy Spirit wants to do in us.

He wants to lead us towards the good path of life and away from sin and death.

But the opposite attitude, holding on to control rather than yielding it, that opposite attitude will alienate us from the Holy Spirit's presence.

He wants to lead us and say, This is the good way.

Follow it.

But when we say, I want my own, we alienate ourselves from the Spirit.

This is the way, husband.

This is the way, father.

This is the way, student.

Follow it.

I want my own way.

This is the way.

Follow it.

I want my own way.

This is the way.

Follow it.

I want my own way.

I want my way.

You ever read in the letters of Paul?

The words that sometimes we can quench the spirit or grieve the spirit?

When you don't listen to the spirit's voice, you gag the spirit.

He wants to lead you.

But the Holy Spirit will not be led by stubborn Christians.

But this, though it may have been your 2016, does not mean need to be your 2017.

Christ purchased your life if you've believed in Jesus.

And if you haven't, believe in him today and you will be saved.

You will be forgiven.

You will have the hope of eternal life, and you can experience fullness of life in the Holy Spirit now.

And then when we yield control, when we abide in Christ, his word and stay close to him in prayer, when we have faith and depend on him in this way, we will posture ourselves and the Holy Spirit will come and fill you, and you will soar.

Let us be a church that is filled with the Holy Spirit.