Christ Through Me: Who's Living My Life (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)

Series: Christ Through Me

Sermon: Who's Living My Life

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

Date: July 7, 2019

 

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.  (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)

Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.  God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.  (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, NLT)

"He himself is the very dynamic (power, energy, supply) of all his demands."  -Major Ian Thomas

Philippians 1:6; 2:13-14

Let's dive in and see how to let God do in us what He promises to do:

1. Predicament
   • Your response to Jesus Christ will determine our condition in the sight of God: redeemed or condemned
   • Romans 10:9-10:13
   • "The One who calls you to minister to the needs of humanity is the One who by your consent ministers to the needs of humanity through you."  -Major Ian Thomas
   • "If you will but trust Christ, not only for the death He died in order to redeem you, but also for the life that He lives and wants to live through you, the very next step you take will be a step take in the very energy and power of God Himself."  -Major Ian Thomas
   • You will be the human vehicle of divine life.
2. Pattern
   • Now if it is true that the Lord Jesus will live His life through you on earth today, as He lived His life once in His own body on earth more than 1900 years ago, it is both interesting and necessary to discover how He lived then so that you may know how He will live through you now.
   • John 5:19, NLT
   • "Jesus Christ, as man, lived in total, unquestioning dependence upon the Father."  -Major Ian Thomas
   • He humbled Himself - set aside His divine prerogatives and walked this earth as man - a perfect demonstration of what God intended man to be - the whole personality yielded to and occupied by God for Himself.
   • "He lived in unbroken dependence upon the Father, taking no step except in recognition of the fact that apart from the Father, He could do nothing, so He calls upon you to live in the same total dependence upon Him."  -Major Ian Thomas
   • John 15:5
   • Colossians 2:9-10, NLT
   • Romans 1:17c
   • "Relate everything, moment by moment as it arises, to the adequacy of what He is in you, and assume that His adequacy will be operative (working)."  -Major Ian Thomas
   • 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, 24
3. Power
   • We can trust His power is working when we choose to live in total, unquestioning dependence upon the Spirit as Jesus did upon the Father.
   • When we fail, we need to confess our sin - especially the part of it that has something to do with not living in total, unquestioning dependence upon the Spirit - and ask Jesus to take back the throne of our lives.
   • "The One who calls you to a life of righteousness is the One, who by your consent, will manifest that life of righteousness through you!"  -Major Ian Thomas
   • To be in Christ - that makes you fit for heaven; but for Christ to be in you - that makes you fit for earth.
   • "You see, for seven years, with utmost sincerity, you have been trying to live for Me, on My behalf, the life that I have been waiting for seven years to live through you."  -Major Ian Thomas

WEEKLY CHALLENGE: Read chapter 1 in "The Saving Life of Christ" twice.  Relate everything, moment by moment as it arises, to the adequacy of what He is in you, and assume that His adequacy will be enough.

I thank You that You are risen from the dead, that at this very moment You indwell me in the person and power of Your divine Spirit; that You have never expected of me anything but failure, yet You have given to me Your strength for my weakness; Your victory for my defeat, Yourself for all my bankruptcy!  I step out now, by faith, into a future that is limited only by what You are.