OUR PRINCIPLE OF “LIFE”

SERIES: FOR THESE THINGS LIVE.

TEXT: COLOSSIANS 3:1-4.

Today let us start a series of three messages that form our core values as a people of God in this church.

For many years now, one of our core values has been “A CHRIST CENTRED CHURCH.” Core values are important for a church and for an individual life. A core value is a principle of life for which you are willing to live or die for. Our first core value or principle is “Christ Centred.” This morning message is about life, “The principle of life”-Colossians 3:1-4.

Moses declared in Deuteronomy 3:20, “Choose to love the Lord your God and to obey Him and commit yourself to Him, for He is your life.”

Being “Christ centred” is the antithesis of the path the world lives. The principle of the whole world is “Self-centred-self-centred.”

Unregenerate people live for self, for the unsaved life is lived selfishly.

No matter what garments of humanistic philanthropy or benevolence they may clothe themselves-sinners are Self-centred-self-centred creatures.

Self-centred living is very damaging in the short-term and ultimately self-destroying in the long-term.

Salvation is God’s way of turning you from a self-centred, self-damaging and self- destroying life to a Christ centred way of life.

Living a Christ centred life is neither a form, method nor religion-it is source of life.

A church that is Christ centred will be different to other churches. When you are in a church that is Christ centred you will find ministry that is Biblically based, spirit led-not market driven, Christ centred, not man centred and God focused, not consumer oriented. It is all about the life of Christ.

There are three things you need to know:-

CHRIST IS THE SOURCE OF LIFE FOR YOU.

• This will be true spiritually and physically.
• In the beginning God breathed into man’s nostrils the breath of life and became a living “nephesh”-a living being.
• Who put the life in man’s nostrils? God did.
• Who decides when to remove that life from man’s nostril? God does.
• So, whose life is it? It is God’s life.
• We go wrong when we prioritise the life received from God instead of God who gave the life in the first place.
• We tend to worship the life God gave instead of worshiping God Himself “the God of life.”
• Never forget that Christ is the source of your life (physical). He is also the source of your spiritual life-John 6:47-48.
• Life begets life and all life comes from God.
• When God got hold of you-you got life.
• When we hung around in wrong company we get death.
• We don’t get freedom, we get bondage.
• Life begets life, death begets death,
• If you want life, you get it from Jesus Christ. If you want more life you get closer to Jesus Christ-you spend time with Him.

CHRIST IS THE PRINCIPLE OF LIFE IN YOU.

• The life you experience is in direct proportion to your relation to the source of life-CHRIST.
• Christ is not only the giver of life, He is the Life-John 14:6. He is not only the source of life-He is the substance of life-1^st John 5:11-13.
• Paul says the same thing about the principle of life-Gal. 2:20.
• Jesus Christ and the believer have the same life-John 5:39-40.
• Many people turn to many things for life-they become empty.
• But there is only one source for life-Jesus Christ.
• What is the principle of life that Jesus Christ taught?-John 12:24-25.
• Paul tells us the same principle of life-1^st 15:36.
• If we want more life, we need more death.

If we want deeper life, we need deeper death.

If we want greater life, we need greater death.

If we want more powerful life, we need more powerful death.

• If Jesus Christ be in you, if the source of life and the substance of life be in you then there are a number of things and truths to embrace:-

1. The presence of Christ should enlighten you.
2. The power of Christ should embolden you.
3. The purpose of Christ should employ you.

CHRIST IS THE MANIFESTATION OF LIFE THROUGH YOU-2 Cor. 4:10-11.

• All of life should be an expression of our union with Christ.
• All of life should be geared to accomplish the purpose of Christ.
• All of life should be a demonstration of the life of Christ.
• All of life should be aimed at expressing the glory of Christ.
• Therefore:-

1. The word of God should excite you.
2. The will of God should empower you.
3. The work of God should employ you.

• Be at your father’s business, at home, at school, at work and on the way as you walk.
  • If the life of Christ is in you, then you can be at peace and in love with the father.
  • You can rest in His arms, secure in His love.
  • If you truly want to know more of the father’s love, you must surrender to more of the son’s life.

CONCLUSION

• Christ is the source of life for you.
• Christ is the principle of life for you.
• Christ is the manifestation of life through you.
• Are you Christ centred?