SPELL LIFE WITH A CAPITAL ‘C’


Text: Col 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.


Introduction: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary gives 17 definitions for ‘life’. Every one of them could apply to Christ!


Man has become obsessed with what he calls ‘the quality of life’
(consider the absurdity of those who are dead making a decision as to the quality of life.
Eph 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins)


He even insists on using his standards of life to determine who has a right to live!
* The unwanted infant MIGHT suffer in life - abort (kill) it.
* The mentally retarded will never have a ‘normal’ life - abort (murder) them
* The terminally ill have no ’quality of life’ (and besides they are a drain on society) - euthanize them!
* The pain ridden have no joy - them and ignore them.


AND YET _ _
The depraved killer and rapist deserve to have a chance at LIFE.

* It’s not right to execute HIM! - (give us Barabbas)
* His mind may be warped but he can still write a ‘best seller about his crimes. We’ll shell out our big bucks for the movie rights because people will flock to see it.
* “Sure, his crimes cost millions, but it’s society’s fault!
* HIS quality of life is good, (he ENJOYS his crimes!)
* HE is AWARE (and looking for another opportunity or victim) therefore HIS ‘quality of’ life entitles HIM to live!


This is the thinking of a GODLESS society!


Turn from these things to Jesus - THE PRINCE OF LIFE.

Acts 3:15 And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.


Jno 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.


26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.


28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.


I From the new birth to eternity - LIFE is spelled with a Capital ‘C’!
A. In the new birth, Christ IS life
Jno 5:24 (above) and


Jno. 1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.


B. There IS no other way.
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.


I Jno 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.


C. Actually, ALL owe their lives (being) to him
Acts 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.


II HE is our present life.
Gal 2:19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.
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. He gives our present life REAL purpose
Jno 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
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.


Serve the flesh and the whole life dies with the flesh. Live in the Spirit (serving Christ) and your life has eternal meaning because HE is eternal.


B. Christ makes a difference in daily living
1. We are free from the law of sin and death
Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Not only free from the penalty of the law of sin, but free from the dominion of sin


C. Our present LIFE in Christ is not composed of material things.
Lu 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
Lu 12:23 The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.


D. Neither is it a constant euphoric state. There will be trials and sorrows. He was called a man of sorrows. This is not brought about because he wants us unhappy, but rather because the Spirit of Life is sorrowed by sin.
Isa 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.


E. To REALLY live IS Christ!
Phil 1:20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.


1. Children: A Christ-life will keep you from disobedience, cheating, hurting others, etc. If you are too young to obey Christ in your life, you are too young to be saved! (You are safe, not saved, until you become accountable to God.)


2. Teens: Christ will give you power to say NO to drugs, drinking and immorality. If he doesn’t, then maybe He isn’t IN you.
I Jno 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.


3. Parents: You CAN bring your children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. No? Then admit that satan has more influence in your home than Christ!


4. The Christ-Life will cause you to love His Church.


5. It will make you revel in the Word of God.


III It will cause you to rejoice in Hope.
Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.


A. What IS this ‘hope of glory’?
Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:


Col 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.


Jno 14:19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.


IV To Sum Up:
A. Only Christ can give you eternal life and salvation from sin
B. Only Christ can put real meaning in your present life by giving it eternal significance
C. Though many of the lost may have performed great deeds, what will it matter at the Great White Throne?
D. Only Christ can give the sure hope of eternal life because only HE has it to give.