“From Death to Life”

Introduction:  What does death look like?  The mysterious case of a piece of glass embedded in a foot.

I.        What does death feel like?

                  --When you are alone (Elijah)

                  --When you are different (Jeremiah)

                  --When you don’t understand (Job)

                  --When you do wrong (Isaiah)

                  --When you are afraid (Peter)

          We forget or we don’t know:  Jesus loves you!

II.       From Death to Life

          A.     Where the process starts (Ephesians 2)

                  1.      God, who is rich in mercy and love, saves us by his grace.  We don’t deserve or earn it.

                  2.      He did this when we were dead in our sins.  He made us alive in and with Christ.

          B.     An R.S.V.P. is required

                  1.      John 5:24, “Whoever hears my [Jesus’] word and believes him who sent me has eternal life.”

                  2.      John 11:25, “I am the resurrection and the life.  Whoever believes in me will live…”

          C.     All of us must go to the cross (Romans 6)

                  1.      “We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might…”

                  2.      “If we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.”

          D.     The Secret Ingredient (Romans 8)

                  1.      Life comes to our bodies when his Spirit indwells us.

                  2.      War continues in us between life and death.  His Spirit strengthens us [Philippians 1:6, 1John 4:4]

                  3.      v13, “If you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit…you will live.”

Conclusion:   Deuteronomy 30’s admonition, “Choose life, that you and your offspring may live.”

                        Communion