Below are notes to a sermon preached Sunday evening, May 29, 2005, at Gospel Light Baptist Church, Albany, Georgia.
I LOVE JESUS BECAUSE HE IS MY LIFE
By Michael D. O’Neal
Pastor, Gospel Light Baptist Church
Albany, Georgia
Scripture Reading: Deut. 30:19-20
Text: Deut. 30:20
Deuteronomy 30:20 That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
Introduction: I want you to notice in our text the words, “for he is thy life …”
Tonight I want you to consider those words, and I want you to see the foreshadowing of Jesus once again. Moses wrote repeatedly things that testified of Jesus. Our Lord said:
John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
Jesus was referring to the books of Moses, for He said in the same chapter:
John 5:46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.
Moses said that the Lord God Almighty was their life.
Likewise, Jesus is OUR life.
(have congregation turn to and read):
Colossians 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Moses told the people to love the Lord, obey His voice, and cleave to Him because He was their life.
The same is true of the relationship of Christians to the Lord Jesus Christ. Tonight I want to see if you agree with me as I bring a message on this subject:
I LOVE JESUS BECAUSE HE IS MY LIFE
I. JESUS IS THE PERSONIFICATION OF LIFE
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Jesus personifies
A. A fountain, not a foul, stagnant pond
B. A flower (lily or rose), not a funeral
1. Our Lord Jesus could not have quit His work as a carpenter and become a funeral director; every service would be broken up by a resurrection!
II. JESUS IS THE PRINCE OF LIFE
Acts 3:15 And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.
As Prince of life:
A. Jesus dwells in life, and life is in Him
B. Jesus dominates life
III. JESUS IS THE PROVIDER OF LIFE
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
John 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
A. Through His own payment
1. He has paid the fine and penalty to save us from a death sentence
B. Through His own proclamation
1. He has issued a WRITTEN pardon – 1 Jn. 5:13
IV. JESUS IS THE PROTECTOR OF LIFE
John 10:27-31 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and my Father are one.
Colossians 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
A. He is our security
B. He is our secret hiding place
1. Col. 3:2
V. JESUS IS THE PURPOSE OF LIFE
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
A. We live to please Him
B. We live to promote Him
C. We live to portray Him – reflecting His light to others, representing His Lordship as ambassadors
VI. JESUS IS THE PLEASURE OF LIFE
John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
A. Jesus is PURE pleasure
B. Jesus is PERPETUAL pleasure
VII. JESUS IS THE PATTERN FOR LIFE
1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
As a pattern, He is
A. A path to follow in life
B. The promise for the future after life
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Michael D. O’Neal (Proverbs 11:30), Pastor, |