DYING TO LIVE
2 Corinthians 5:1-11
REMEMBER
THE PROMISE
V:1. Now we
know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from
God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2 Meanwhile we
groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, 3 because when we are
clothed, we will not be found naked.
A. The life of a man born of a woman is
but a few years and filled with trouble.
1. God knows the day we were born and
the day we will die.
2. This is not our home we are just
passing through.
3. The Human flesh that houses the soul
and the spirit is just
Temporary shelter.
4. God formed Adam from the dust of the
earth and breathed into him
And he became a living
soul.
5. When Adam and Eve ate from the tree
of knowledge and Good and
Evil, fellowship with
Lord was broken.
6. The
only way to reestablish fellowship with Lord is through
The atoning blood of
Jesus Christ.
B. Every believer is covered by the
blood of Jesus while housed in these
Earthen vessels.
2 Timothy 2:21-22
If a man, therefore, purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto
honor, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good
work.
1. Paul was called to be an apostle by
Jesus Christ to preach the gospel
To the Gentiles.
2. Once Paul excepted the commission from Jesus, he became a target
Of Satan.
3. Paul was targeted for death by the Sanhedrin
court in Jerusalem
And the Jewish hierarchy
in every city he preached Jesus.
C. While in the body, every believer is
clothed in the righteousness
Of Jesus and under His protection.
1. We learn early in our Christian walk
that our faith In Jesus
Does not eliminate the
trials and tribulations of life.
2. We remember that we are promised a
home in heaven.
3. John 14:1-3
4. "Do not let your hearts be troubled.
Trust in God; trust also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it
were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for
you.
5. While living on earth we have hope in
the promise of
Eternal life with Jesus.
LIVE ACCORDING
TO GOD’S PURPOSE
V:4 For
while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to
be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling so that what is
mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now it is God who has made us for this
very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to
come.
A. As long as we live we should be
looking forward to the day we shed this mortal body and put on immortality.
1. I am sure that while you are in good
health you are not looking to die.
2. We want a long life.
3. However, we should be prepared to
die.
B. When we face unbearable trouble is
the time we wish for our heavenly
Home where there is no sorrow or trouble
1. It should be our objective to be pleasing to
God.
2. God can make our trials work to our benefit.
3. God can make sorrow our joy.
4. Being clothed in His righteousness we
endure trials to the end.
C. We should clothe our minds in the righteousness
of the heavenly realm.
1. God made us for His purpose of
enduring trials. In
So doing, we encourage others
to do the will of God.
2. We were made for good works which are
to preach Gospel
Of Jesus Christ.
3. We have a guarantee of the successful
completion of our
Work for Christ with the indwelling
of the Holy Spirit.
4. We are empowered daily with the Holy
Spirit to work out
Our soul salvation.
WALK BY
FAITH
V:6.
Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in
the body we are away from the Lord. 7 We live by faith, not by sight. 8 We are
confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with
the Lord.
A. We walk by faith and not by sight.
1. We live daily in the glory of the
Lord Jesus manifested in the
Power and the magnificence
of His creation that is all around
Us as far as the eyes can
see.
2. We are confident that we are at home
in bodies made
With his perfection and
designed to glorify
Him with praise and
worship all day long.
3. We praise Him with our mouths and
worship Him with our devotion
And works.
B. We are confident that while we live
in these mortal bodies that
Immortality awaits us in the promised return of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1. We must change our attitude toward
death in the body.
2. It takes death in the body to be at
home in the Lord.
3. We will not see eternal life until
these earthly bodies are laid to rest.
C. While we live in these earthly
bodies, our mind must continually focus
On our heavenly home prepared by Jesus.
1. No one wants to die. But to die is to
be in the glory of the Lord,
2. Surly to be present in the body is
absent from the Lord and all
His glories.
3. We are confident to be absent from
the body is to be present with
The Lord is our soul’s desire.
4. While we yet live, we can glory in
the Lord’s presence with
Praise and worship.
5. The trials and tribulations of today
are nothing in comparison
To the glories of heaven.
PLEASE
THE LORD WITH YOUR LIFE
V:9. So we
make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from
it. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one
may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good
or bad.
A. It must be our goal to please the Lord
with our thoughts, actions and
Deeds.
1. We store up treasures in heaven with
our work for the Lord
2. We should let our works reflect the
praise of the Lord that’s in
Our hearts.
3. Fake praise and worship add no treasures
in heaven.
1 Corinthians 3:12-15
If any man builds on this
foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, 13 his work
will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will
be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work.
14 If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15 If it is burned
up, he will suffer loss.
B. If the nonbelievers are judged,
believers will be judged more harshly for
Our soul salvation.
Hebrews 12:5-7
"My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons.
1. The Lord is now preparing us for the
day of Judgement
By Jesus,
2. Even though our sins are forgiven, and
our salvation is secure
The Lord keeps a record of
all we do.
3. What we do for the Lord will stand
the test of fire.
4. What we do for the Lord tainted with
selfish reasons will not stand.
Revelation 11:18
The time has come for judging
the dead,
and for rewarding your servants
the prophets
and your saints and those who
reverence your name,
both small and great and for
destroying those who destroy the earth."
Revelation 20:12-13
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and
books were opened. Another book
was opened, which is the book of life.
The dead were judged according to
what they had done as recorded in
the books.
Revelation 20:15
If anyone's name was not found written in the
book of life, he was
thrown into the lake of fire.
5. Knowing the promise of heaven and the
horrors of hell, let us
Go about our business of
serving the Lord with gladness and
Thanksgiving.
Rev. M.
Mitchell
NIV
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