Living the Difference -- Dead to Live -- Galatians 2:20

Introduction
Death is something that most people don’t like to think about. We are cognizant of the inevitability of death and as we know, funerals are a regular part of life more and more the older we get. I sit in my office and many days at 11:40 and 2:40 a funeral procession will be moving down Lexington Avenue.
We can think about death in several ways. We can see it as an ultimate end or as a passing to a new life with God. Many people fear death. If it were the year 1907, my life expectancy would only be two more years. Death is not something that we anticipate, look forward to, and even though we plan for it, neither we nor our families are ever ready for it.

Describing the Biblical Text
In this passage Paul is telling the Galatians that they do not have to become adherents of the law of the Jews before thy become followers of Jesus Christ.
As a matter of fact, he would insist that to be forced to become Jewish prior to following Jesus would negate the grace of God.
Paul then pointed his own Judaism saying that if after following Christ he rebuilt his Jewish faith he would then be a transgressor or one who walks past the true faith in Christ.

Narrate the Contextual application
As we look at this text, we see Paul using death as a metaphor.
He is describing a life of serving Christ as not only a death, but as an execution.
Make no mistake about the impact of these words on those who heard them read.
You see, Paul was saying that who we were is not important compared to who we are in Jesus.

Life Application (thesis)
In looking then at the theme “Living the Difference” through the lens of this passage, we will see the main point that we are developing this morning is this: Dying to self means living by faith in Christ.
I do need to make a statement of clarification here.
We are speaking to this topic this morning in the narrow context of faith in Christ.
It is possible to die to self and then not follow Christ.
We can crucify the flesh for many reasons.
Think about it for a minute. A man desires to have a relationship with a woman that he has met. He quits smoking and loses weight. A rabid football fan desires to show support for his team. He takes off his shirt at the stadium on a 20-degree day to reveal that he has painted a team logo on his chest.
It can even be unhealthy as the 100 lb. girl who perceives she is overweight and diets and purges after meals.
All of these things are in some form or another dying to self and forfeiting desires.

But Paul was speaking here to something that would be life changing.
He was speaking to the difference that Jesus would make in a life that was completely surrendered to Him.
Let’s see what we need to acknowledge this morning from this passage.

SO WHAT!! (Outline)
Acknowledgement number one is this.
I have been crucified with Christ.
That is a hard hard statement for anyone to make and completely mean it.
What did we say about that phrase crucified with Christ earlier?
I am executed with Christ.
I was watching a very popular entertainment audition program the other night and there was a contestant on the show that made this remark, “God likes good people.”
That is about the most convoluted, repugnant, and inaccurate statement I have ever heard.
I would almost rather see the little blue oval that covers their mouths when they curse than to hear someone mischaracterize the nature of God.
Some people might be thinking “what was so bad about that.
It feeds into the American myth of Christianity which was very much like the heresy that the Judaizers preached as they said that you had to become Jewish to become a follower of Jesus.
It’s a works based system.
If I am good, then God will like me.
Now, let me ask you the most subjective question of all.
Are you good?
No one wants to say no to that and in most people’s eyes, they are good people.
But, in God’s eyes, no one is good.

That is what Paul is saying when he indicates that he is crucified with Christ.
All of his Jewishness that should be applicable in God looking on him with favor is crucified with Christ.
No man is justified or declared righteous by the law of by any and I mean any deeds that he would do to gain favor with God.
That Bible teaches that we have nothing to bring to God.
We cannot even seek Him until He moves us or draws us.
This is the idea in classical theology of total depravity.
Man is totally depraved in his separation from God and cannot even know the things of God.
But, Paul’s statement gives us hope and a possibility for a future with God.
For if we were crucified with Christ, our self-made efforts to come to God were also crucified.
But what else went to the cross with Jesus?
Our sin went to the cross with Jesus.
“All we like sheep have gone astray,” declares the prophet Isaiah, “But the lord laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”
Our old life went to the cross as well.
Remember our passage from last week?
If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation behold the old things have passed away and new things have come from God.
That means that Jesus died to give you a new life with God that you could never ever earn or deserve.
God likes good people, BAH!
Anyone thinking like that would need a serious attitude adjustment that they might see themselves as God sees them.

Baptism paints a very good picture of what takes place when we receive Christ into our lives.
We are buried with Him in death to our old lives to sin and to selfish desires.
We are raised again to walk with Christ and in Christ in a newness of life.
That newness of life points us to the second acknowledgement that we would see in this passage.
I live by faith in the Son of God.
When we are crucified with Christ and we die to sin and self.
One of the great things that happens when we enter into a relationship with Jesus is that death is replaced with life.
It is life that is not self reliant in terms of our seeking God but it is life that was sought by God and has replaced our empty efforts to seek and know God on our own terms with Faith.
It is believing the One who loved and gave Himself up for us.

Right now you might be thinking that all of your efforts to try to come into a relationship with God have been useless but I want to say this, right now, someone might be sensing the call of God on their lives.
Someone here could be sensing that it is time to crucify the old life and to nail it t the cross of Christ and to live anew by faith in Christ.
If God is calling to you, you can answer him right now.
Let’s bow our heads for just a moment.
If it is your desire to crucify the flesh and all of its empty efforts to know God and to walk in a new life that has come to God solely through the cross of Jesus, won’t you pray with me?
Dear Lord. I am tired of doing things my way. I know I have sinned and can never meet your expectations on my own. I want to be crucified with Christ and put to death my sin and selfish desires. I want to live by faith in Jesus, the son of God. I receive Jesus into my heart and life and my Lord and savior. Thank your for dying for me and raising from the dead and thank you for saving my. In your name, AMEN
If you just surrendered your life to Christ, you are ready to walk in that newness of Life.

That means that in the life you lead, Christ will be living in you.
This means that our motivations change.
Our desires change; our attitudes change; our behavior changes.
We do everything we can to conform to Jesus Christ.
We do everything we can to live in way that pleases Him and you know what?
We have the ability to do that.
We have that ability because Christ lives in us.
We have that ability because Christ gave Himself for us to give us that ability.

On May 6, 1954 something incredible happened that had never happened before. Roger Bannister became the first human being to ever run the mile in under four minutes, 3:59.4. The old record of 4:01.4 had stood since 1945. The four minute mile was seen as an impossible barrier to overcome. But Roger Bannister did it. But, six weeks later Bannister’s record fell as John Land trimmed almost 2 seconds of the old time. By 1957 16 different runners had achieved the milestone. Isn’t it amazing how we can do that which we know is possible?

I want to tell you that you can live a life that brings glory to the Lord because the life you live in the flesh you live by faith in the Son of God.
Are we ready to live that life?
Are we ready to live the difference that Jesus has made in our lives?
If Jesus has made a difference in our lives then it is time to live that difference and to show that difference to the world.