Today is a Good Day to Die
I. Many of Us are Afraid of Death/Dying
a. Three Deaths
i. Physical
1. Aging
2. Loss – Sickness, Tragedy, etc.
ii. Spiritual Death
1. An eternity of suffering in hell, separated from the goodness of God
iii. Personal (Death to Self)
1. Maturing from infant to adult
2. Dating
3. Marriage
4. Parenting
5. Ambition
b. Followers of Jesus, sons and daughters of God do NOT need to fear death
i. Jesus’ sacrifice, broken body and spilt blood, cancelled the record of all wrongs and everyone who receives and submits to Him as Lord and Savior never have to fear being separated from God in this life or the next.
ii. We are called to embrace the reality of physical death and not fear it
Revelation 12:11 New Living Translation
11 And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb
and by their testimony.
And they did not love their lives so much
that they were afraid to die.
iii. Jesus calls us to a life of daily dying to our self
1. The Only True Christian is a Dead/Dying One
II. Five Ways to Die to Self
a. DIE WITH CHRIST
Matthew 10:39 (&16:25) New Living Translation
39 If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.
Matthew 16:25 New Living Translation
25 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.
i. Jesus doesn’t want us to waste our time clinging to what we cannot hold onto
1. When we surrender to Him, He can restore all things
2. Control is an allusion
ii. When we give up our lives in their entirety to Him, we find our lives because we find freedom
1. Clinging to your life is a prison, allowing the Creator to care for you is freedom
Romans 6:3 New Living Translation
3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death?
Romans 6:8 New Living Translation
8 And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him.
iii. Have we forgotten? We didn’t only join a club, when we were baptized into Jesus’ death and if we died with Him we will also live with Him
1. This is why we believe in baptism, not necessary for salvation, but necessary for partnership with Jesus
Romans 8:11 New Living Translation
11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.
iv. We cannot experience the resurrection power if we have not experienced the death of Christ
1. Holy Spirit ONLY brings life to dead things
Luke 5:31 New Living Translation
31 Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.
v. This is in direct opposition to the spirit of this age
1. Be true to yourself vs be true to Jesus and die/deny yourself
b. DIE SLOWLY – it’s a process
Galatians 2:20 New Living Translation
20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Galatians 5:24-25 New Living Translation
24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.
i. Those who belong to Christ Jesus
1. Dying to self with Christ is a privilege of those who BELONG to Christ
2. If there is no difference between your old self and your now self, you don’t belong to Christ.
a. You just said words and got wet
ii. Nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature (flesh)
1. Passions – sufferings
a. You have suffered to become the person you are, it took hard work, survival,
i. Sticking a fork in a light socket, touching a hot stove, etc.
b. Jesus is commanding you to crucify that person today
2. Desires – cravings, longings
a. Your old motivations, the things that moved and drove you
iii. To His cross and crucified them there
1. Nail them to His cross so we can’t take them back down when things get tough
a. It’s easy to rely on what we have been for years, maybe decades
iv. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow His leading
1. We have a new way of navigating life now, by the Spirit
a. If we have died with Christ, we also have the same Spirit that rose Him from the dead bringing new life to our mortal bodies (Romans 8:11)
2. We don’t have to listen to the driving voices of our old self (passion and desire)
a. Holy Spirit now will lead us, will we follow?
v. In EVERY part of our lives
1. Holy Spirit wants to lead you in all parts, not only the parts you cannot handle on your own
a. Too many of us believe that we only have to surrender to Jesus the parts of our lives that are out of our control, or that we don’t like.
b. If He isn’t Lord OF ALL, He isn’t Lord AT ALL
c. DIE DAILY
Luke 9:23 New Living Translation
23 Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.
i. If you want to be My follower
1. These are the requirements of “Following Jesus”
ii. You must give up your own way,
1. You are not a Christian if you have not given up your way, and embraced the way of Jesus
a. If you’re not reading your bible, you have no idea what the way of Jesus is
b. Many of us are disappointed with our spiritual walk, because we have neglected the word of God, and thus His power
iii. Take up your cross daily
1. It’s not a once and done deal, it must take place daily
iv. Follow me
1. OBEY, it doesn’t matter if you can read if you don’t. You’re as good as illiterate
2. It doesn’t matter if you can hear if you don’t obey. You’re as good as def
3. It doesn’t matter if you can walk if you don’t walk in His ways.
4. You MUST obey and follow Holy Spirit
d. STAY DEAD
Romans 12:1-2 New Living Translation
12 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
i. When we die daily, we become living sacrifices, alive, but surrendered in every area of our lives (Not perfect by any means, but surrendered)
ii. Give your bodies to God
iii. Living and Holy – acceptable
1. Your life is acceptable when it is empowered by the Life and of Holy Spirit
2. Biblical acceptance of a sacrifice is consumption by Fire
iv. This is truly the way to worship Him
1. The songs you sing is not your worship, the life you live is.
2. Is your worship acceptable?
v. Don’t copy behaviors and customs of the world
vi. Let God transform you into a new person
1. As in don’t resist Him, a living sacrifice can hop off the altar, it can fight back when the fire comes and refuse to be consumed
2. Don’t fight Him, lean into it
vii. By changing the way that you think
1. Your mind is renewed by the Word of God, period.
viii. Then you will LEARN to know God’s will for you
1. Learn to know, not just know, learn to know
a. READ YOUR BIBLES
2. Good, pleasing, and perfect
III. Today is a Good Day to Die
a. Surrender your life today, don’t wait, Jesus is waiting
