Life
August 31, 2022
Life
Victory Church
August 31, 2022
Purpose of Life
Serving God
For years Leo Tolstoy (Russian intellectual) searched for an answer to the question, “What’s the purpose of life?” He addressed it to many of his contemporaries. No one gave him a satisfactory answer. Then one day he met a peasant friend, who upon listening to the well-worn query, immediately replied, “To serve God.” Whereupon the Russian literary genius declared it to be the highest wisdom he had ever encountered.
Jesus was a servant.
Philippians 2:7-8 (NKJV)
But made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
Matthew 20:28 (NKJV)
Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.
John 20:21 (NKJV)
So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”
Why was Jesus sent?
John 10:10 (NKJV)
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
John 3:16 (NKJV)
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
Jesus’ work as the Lamb has been finished; now it is our responsibility to continue His work until He returns!
Greater Works
John 14:12 (NKJV)
Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.
This was fulfilled in the lives of the disciples:
Acts 2:43 (NKJV)
Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
How? Because we have Life, Christ Himself, on the inside of us!
Ephesians 4:4-6 (AMPC)
There is one body [of believers] and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when called [to salvation]— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of us all who is [sovereign] over all and [working] through all and [living] in all.
2 Peter 1:2-3 (NKJV)
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue
Divine Power. Divine as in pertaining to the true God, proceeding from God, or God-like. This suggests that this power only has one source – God. If we’ve been given “divine power,” this implies that we literally have God’s power in us!
How fitting that Peter would make such a statement…
Acts 5:12-16 (NKJV)
And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch. 13 Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly. 14 And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 15 so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. 16 Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.
The same Christ that was in the Apostles is in us!
Spirit of Life
The First to Receive the Spirit of Life
John 20:21-22 (NKJV)
So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
This verse calls back to Creation when God formed man.
Genesis 2:7 (NKJV)
And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.
Zoe
Romans 8:2 (NKJV)
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
2222 zōḗ – life (physical and spiritual). All life (2222 /zōḗ), throughout the universe, is derived – i.e. it always (only) comes from and is sustained by God’s self-existent life. The Lord intimately shares His gift of life with people, creating each in His image which gives all the capacity to know His eternal life.
Romans 8:11 (NKJV)
But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
2227 /zōopoiéō (dzo-op-oy-eh’-o) (“make alive, enliven”) is particularly used of God infusing His life in the believer. The Lord infuses eternal life (zōē) into us each time we receive (obey) faith from Him.
(From 2221 /zōgréō, “alive” and 4160 /poiéō, “make”) – properly, make alive (zōos); i.e. “quicken,” vivify (“animate”); (figuratively) cause what is dead (inoperative) to have life; empower with divine life.
You have the divine power of Life on the inside of you!
Life is _____
John 11:25 (NKJV)
I am the resurrection and the life…
John 14:6 (NKJV)
I am the way, the truth, and the life…
Colossians 3:4 (NKJV)
When Christ who is our life…
Life is a person… and if Life is a person, what could we possibly contribute.
So what do I do?
Rest
When we became a Christian, we were inclined to do everything ourselves… Later, in having seen the LORD to be our Life, we know that all is of Christ and not of us. Consequently, we learn to rest and look to Him.
–Christ the Sum of All Spiritual Things (pg 19-20)
Jesus Gives True Rest
Matthew 11:28-30 (NKJV)
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Be Inspired
Webster’s 1828 of “Inspired”
“INSPI’RED”, participle passive Breathed in; inhaled; infused.
1. Informed or directed by the Holy Spirit.
Being led by the Spirit
Romans 8:9,14 (AMPC)
However, you are not [living] in the flesh [controlled by the sinful nature] but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God lives in you [directing and guiding you]. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him [and is not a child of God]. 14 For all who are allowing themselves to be led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
Things to practice:
- Pray and ask for a greater revelation of the knowledge of God.
- Read and meditate on the Word of God.
- Yield. Allow yourself to be used by God.