The Crucified Life
Ga 2:20 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.
Are you dead yet?
The bond servant - (ear piercing)
Exodus 212 If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.3 If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him.
4 If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself.
5 And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free:
6 Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever.
What a picture of the crucified life!
A few years ago, I came out of a pastoral situation that just about killed me. To make a long story short, pastor and people didn't quite understand each other, and pastor sort of got crucified in the process. I thought it was the worst thing that had ever happened to me - now I think it may have been the best.
After it was all over my superintendent was urging me to take on another challenge. He said, "Come on Pastor Rick, you've still got a lot of fight left in you." I thought, "Lord, I hope not."
I don't need fight, I need crucifixion.
Listen to what the scriptures say about crucifixion -
When you are crucified, you are:
Dead to fleshly affections and lusts.
Ga 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
After the Spirit, not the flesh
Ro 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
1Pe 4:2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
Dead to the world.
Ga 6:14 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.
Dead to sin.
Ro 6:6 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.
Ro 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Newness of life.
Ro 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Col 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
2Co 4:11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
The crucified life is what saved us.
We all want the benefits of salvation, but who wants crucifixion?
Satan's lure is always the easy way - the short cut.
In the crucified life -
Self will must go - I want, I will, I won't, I am, I'll get…
Self preservation must go - not me…
The crucified life is less concerned with rights and position and more concerned with faithfulness.
You'll lose self -
Die daily
1Co 15:31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
Deny self
Mt 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Forsake all
Lu 14:33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
Sell all
Lu 18:22 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.
The measure of spirituality is not signs and wonders but the fruit of a crucified life.
Joh 12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
When you live the crucified life:
The crucified life is not a pretty picture on this side of eternity - at least, not to the flesh. But it is the life we are called to. It is the life God has designed for us and the one He will most bless.