August 13, 2025 • 33 mins
In this sermon from Galatians 2:20, David Platt points to the amazing reality that Christ “exchanges” His life for ours.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
You're listening to David Platt Messages a weekly
podcast of sermons and messagesof pastor, author and teacher
David Platt.
Today's episode is a rerun ofone of our most listened to
messages of all time.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
I want us to look at one verse today, one verse
Galatians, chapter two, verse 20.
And in this one verse, I wannashow you what I've called, at
the top of your notes, thesecret to the Christian life.
And I say it's a secret notbecause I've come up with
something new that nobody's everheard.
The truth that we're about tolook at is all over the Bible.
(00:35):
In many ways it is the core ofChristianity, but I believe many
Christians, many true followersof Jesus, have missed this or
are missing this on a dailybasis.
So I want to show it to you,and I want to do two things.
First, like I mentioned, I wantto call many people today in
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this room and other campuses, tostart a Christian life, like to
put your faith in Christ and,for some, to be baptized if
you've never been baptized as afollower of Christ.
And then I wanna lead us andother campus pastors at other
campuses to pray based on thisverse.
So let's do this, let's read itout loud together.
(01:18):
So I'm gonna put it up here onthe screen, because this one
verse summarizes, maybe morethan any other verse in the
entire Bible, the confession ofany and every Christian.
So let's say it together.
Galatians, chapter two, verse20.
I have been crucified withChrist.
It is no longer I who live, butChrist who lives in me.
(01:43):
Live but Christ who lives in meand the life I now live in the
flesh.
I live by faith in the Son ofGod, who loved me and gave
himself for me.
All right.
So here's the deal.
Every Christian I know I'mtalking true Christian, not just
somebody who says they're aChristian, anybody can say that
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and mean all sorts of things I'mtalking every true follower of
Christ believes that Jesus diedon the cross for the forgiveness
of their sins, like everyChristian believes that.
But many Christians practicallystop there.
They believe they will go toheaven because they've been
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forgiven of their sins.
But the problem is they're notreally sure how to live the
Christian life between here andthere and, as a result, many
Christians live frustrated, ifnot empty, feeling or maybe even
defeated Christian lives.
(02:47):
I'm going to list off somedescriptions of what I mean by
the frustrated or empty ordefeated Christian life and just
see if any of these thingssound familiar to you.
One you know you're supposed towant to go to church, but
sometimes getting here on Sundayseems a lot more like a chore.
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You know you're supposed toread the Bible but you don't
really feel like you understandit.
And truth is you struggle tomake time for it.
You know you're supposed topray but your mind wanders a lot
.
And truth is you struggle tomake time for it.
You know you're supposed topray but your mind wanders a lot
and, truth be told, it startsto feel like a pretty empty
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religious exercise when you doit.
You know you're supposed to give.
Maybe you can feel a littleguilty.
You're not giving enough.
You could give more, but you'renot a little guilty.
You're not giving enough.
You could give more, but you'renot really compelled to.
You know you're supposed to havevictory over sin, but you still
find yourself struggling withthe same thing over and over and
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over again.
You know you're not supposed tobe worried or anxious about
anything, but in actuality youworry a lot and you're anxious,
even afraid, about a number ofthings.
You know you're supposed toshare the gospel but well, you
just don't, in part because youreally don't want to be that guy
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or a woman who's kind of crazyabout religion, or you're just
nervous that you're going to saysomething that doesn't make
sense.
They won't understand.
Or maybe this last one you knowthat God loves you Like, you
believe that, but you have thisnagging sense that God wants
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more from you.
Like you know you're saved byGod's grace, but you constantly
feel like there's some areaswhere you just need to work
harder and do better.
Maybe you're just tired andChristianity feels like more
work feels like more work.
(05:06):
Do you resonate with any ofthose descriptions?
So I have a feeling that many,if not most, of us resonate with
one or more, or maybe all ofthese, and if that's the case
for you in any way, then I wantyou to hear this secret today,
this truth that is crystal clearin Galatians 2.20 and all over
(05:27):
the Bible.
But so many Christians aremissing out on the secret, or
maybe, the way I would put it,the reason why so many
Christians live frustrated,empty, even defeated Christian
lives is because so few of ushave grasped I mean really
grasped the mammoth reality thatJesus died for you so that he
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might live in you.
Jesus died for you so that hemight live in you, so that you
might have an entirely new lifeNow, not just in eternity, which
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we talked about last week withthe rope, is important we're
talking now, on earth a new life, now, today, tomorrow.
New life, and God has beenopening my eyes in a fresh way
to this truth over the last fewweeks.
Two weeks ago, when we werestudying Acts, chapter one
together and the coming of theHoly Spirit, I shared a couple
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of quotes from Hudson Taylor andIan Thomas, and I have had all
kinds of people asking for thosequotes.
Hudson Taylor, missionary toChina, whose biography is
entitled Hudson Taylor'sSpiritual Secret.
He writes about the momentwhere he realized that he was
missing this secret.
He was trying to live theChristian life without realizing
that Christ was in him.
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Likewise, ian Thomas he livedin England, was going out every
night into the slums of Londonto do ministry, and he wrote
what I think describes so manyChristians, even myself.
He wrote I had been reduced toa state of complete exhaustion
spiritually until I felt therewas no point in going on.
One night at midnight I got downon my knees before God and I
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just wept in sheer despair.
I said, oh God, I know that Iam saved.
I love Jesus.
Christ, I am perfectlyconvinced that I am converted.
With all my heart I have wantedto serve you, yet I have tried
to my uttermost and I feel as ahelpless failure.
He said that night thingshappened.
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I can honestly say that I hadnever once heard from the lips
of men the message that came tome then.
But God that night simplyfocused on me the Bible message
of Christ, who is my life.
The Lord seemed to make plainto me that night through my
tears of bitterness.
You see, for seven years, withutmost sincerity, you have been
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trying to live for me, on mybehalf, the life that I have
been waiting for seven years tolive through you, ian Thomas
said.
I got up the next morning to anentirely different Christian
life.
That's what I'm hoping andpraying.
Hundreds, if not thousands, ofyou today might wake up to
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tomorrow to a freshunderstanding, or maybe a first
time understanding, that Jesusdied for you so that he might
live in you.
You might say in a fresh way Ihave been crucified with Christ.
I no longer live, but Christlives in me.
Think about what that means.
Follow this in your notes.
The Christian life is a totallyexchanged life.
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Galatians 2.20,.
I have been crucified withChrist.
Listen to the language there.
I died, yet I live.
So there's a total exchangethat's happening here.
There's an old me that has died.
Now there's a new me that lives.
So what's the old me?
And if you're not a follower ofChrist right now, let me invite
you to listen closely here.
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So this is a summary of whatthe Bible teaches.
If you are a follower of Christ, be reminded in the summary
what it means to be a followerof Christ.
Like the Bible teaches that wehave all been created by God and
we have all turned from God,from his ways, to our own ways,
and we know this.
It looks different in everysingle one of our lives, but we
have all chosen our ways overGod's ways, and the Bible calls
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this sin.
And our sin separates us fromGod, and if we die in this state
of separation from God, we willspend eternity separated from
God.
But God has made a way for us,you and me, to be brought back
into relationship with him.
God sent Jesus to live the lifewe could not live a life with
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no sin so that he could then paythe price for our sin.
That's what Jesus was doing onthe cross.
He was taking the penalty thatyou deserve for your sin, that I
deserve for my sin, uponhimself.
Jesus died for our sin and then, three days later, he rose from
the dead so that anyoneanywhere, including you today,
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like right now, can be forgivenof all your sin and brought back
into relationship with God.
Through faith in Jesus, you canexperience new, eternal life in
restored relationship with God,and that's what this verse is
talking about.
A Christian is someone whobelieves that Jesus died on the
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cross for them.
A Christian believes thegreatest news in the world God
loves me.
He gave himself for me on thecross and the old me, which
wanted my ways over God's ways,has been crucified, and in
exchange I've not gotten arefurbished.
This is so significant.
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Jesus did not die to make youbetter.
Jesus died to make you better.
Jesus died to make you new,totally new.
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Old me gone.
The new me is here and the newme is Christ in me.
Like think about this For thosewho are followers of Christ, who
have been crucified with Christ.
Just think about what thismeans.
You have given Jesus your sinand Jesus has given you in
exchange his righteousness.
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Just let this soak in.
Christian, you now have thevery righteousness of Jesus
living in you.
Keep going here.
You have given Jesus yourslavery to sin.
In exchange, jesus has givenyou his freedom over sin
Galatians 5.1,.
For freedom, christ has set usfree.
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Galatians 4.7,.
Christian, you are no longer aslave to sin.
You are now a son or daughterof God.
Keep going.
You have given Jesus yourdefeat against sin and Jesus has
given you his victory over sin.
Romans 7,.
Paul, who's writing Galatians 2, says what a wretched man I am
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in this war with sin.
Who will deliver me from thisbody of death?
Thanks be to God, through JesusChrist, our Lord.
So, christian, don't believe it.
Do not believe that you cannotovercome that sin.
Christ is in you, absolutely.
You can overcome that sin and,christians, stop beating
yourself up over your sin.
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Keep going here.
You have given Jesus yourjudgment for sin.
He has taken it from you and,in exchange, jesus has given you
his salvation from sin.
Romans 8.1,.
There is now no condemnationfor those who are what In Christ
Jesus.
Christ is in you.
Christ has taken all yourjudgment upon himself.
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There is no more price to bepaid, no more work to be done.
You can rest in his love.
It is finished and you don'thave to worry about a thing.
You don't even have to worryabout death, because you have
given Jesus your death and Jesushas given you his life.
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This is why people were beingbaptized last week, earlier
today, why I pray people will bebaptized as a result of this
gathering right now, this wordthat we're looking at, that will
step into the water tocelebrate this reality Jesus is
my life.
As they go down in the water,it's a picture of our dying with
him, just as Jesus died.
We have died to the old us, butin the way baptism works, we
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don't keep you underwater forvery long.
Why not?
Well, for multiple reasons, butthe main reason is because
Jesus didn't stay dead for verylong.
Three days later he rose to newlife and that's the picture we
have new life, a totallyexchanged life.
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Jesus is our life and with thisexchange to keep going comes
supernatural power.
The Christian life is asupernaturally empowered life.
Just think about the wonder ofthese words.
Christ lives in me.
Who?
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Christ?
Jesus, god in the flesh, likethe one who spoke and the world
came into being.
He said world and worldhappened, light, dark plants,
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and I'll just say a word.
And he is the one living in you.
He'll knock you out of yourseat if you think about it.
I just let this soak inChristian Jesus, god in the
flesh, is in you, you are in him.
This is how the Bible talksabout the Christian life over
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and over again.
I could take you so many placesright now.
Show you that Jesus is in you,you are in him, and this changes
everything.
Let me give you a picture.
When I was about to get engagedto Heather, so I've been saving
up for this ring, and so anybodyso high school teenage boys
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like start saving now.
It'll cost you the farm.
My junior hires just as youngas possible, start saving.
So as soon as I got, I'm proneto lose things and I did not
want to lose this.
So my plan was I'm going to getthe ring in the morning and
that night I'm going to askHeather to marry me, and so I
just got to not lose it duringthe day.
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I had one errand I needed torun during the day.
I needed to go to the mall, toa music store, to pick up a CD
that I was going to use thatnight, and the whole engagement
thing.
It's a whole nother story, butI just knew like this was the
day some dude was going to comeup to me and like mug me in the
mall and take whatever I hadwith me, like.
So I was pretty paranoid.
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So I got the biggest, heaviestjacket I could find.
It was not a cold day outside,but I got a big, heavy jacket
and had a little pocket righthere that I could zip it under.
So I unzipped the pocket, putthe ring in, zip the pocket back
up, put the heavy jacket on,had my hand on the ring at all
times and I just walked into themall like this, like head down,
no eye contact, just focusedget in there, get the CD, get
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out.
So I go into the music store.
So this was before.
You could just like do this onyour phone by a couple of clicks
.
So I'm in there looking for theCD.
I can't find the CD.
So I go over to this woman whoworks there and I'm like excuse
me, miss, like can you help mefind this CD?
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She's like sure.
So I start walking and with herand she's like well, what do you
want this CD for?
I was like I'm getting engagedtonight and she was like oh
really, do you have the ringwith you?
And I was like, do you everthink?
Like okay, is it all right tolie like sometimes.
I was like, okay, I don't thinkit is, but I definitely not now
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.
So I was like, yeah, I've gotthe ring.
And she said, well, can I seeit?
Well, can I see it?
So I'm like sweating.
Of course I've got this heavyjacket on and uh.
So I just turn to everybodyelse in the store and like we're
over in the corner and I likeunzip it, pull out the ring,
just kind of show it to her likeyeah, here it is.
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She looks over, she's likethat's beautiful.
Then she raises up and says toall of her coworkers hey guys,
this guy's getting married.
Come look at this ring thathe's about to propose to his
wife with.
And at this point I'm like, allright, that's it.
Why don't I just throw it?
Who wants it?
Like don't even come attack mefor it, I will just give it to
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you.
And everybody comes over,they're talking, look at their.
I'm like man, will you justplease give me the CD?
Like I just want the CD.
Fine, I get the CD, put thering back in the bag.
I go running out of the malllike this, like everything
changed, like the way I talked,the way I thought, the way I
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walked, every bit of me changedwhen I realized I had this like
treasure in me, like see it,like far, far, far greater than
a ring that's gonna fade and and, in the end, not gonna matter.
Like you have christ in you, itchanges the way you think, it
changes the way you walk, theway you love, the way you
interact with family or friends.
It changes the way you interact, or it changes every facet of
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your life.
When you you're alone, whenyou're with others, everything's
different.
When you realize Christ is inyou, it changes everything.
And when you know this, whenyou know Jesus is in you so
don't miss this then you realizethat the Christian life is not
about what you do for Jesus, butwhat Jesus does in you.
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That is so significant, like mysix-year-old would say like Dad
, this is you massive.
Because this is so differentfrom the way we are prone to
think.
Like most Christians think Ijust look at all Jesus has done
for me.
The least I can do for him isthis or that.
Do you hear that language?
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Look at all Jesus has done forme, has done past tense what
Jesus has done in the past forme.
So now, in the present, whatcan I do for him?
That is a totally wrong way tothink, and the reason it's wrong
is because Jesus hasn't stoppeddoing for you.
Jesus is still doing for youEvery moment of every day.
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Jesus is living in you, hispower working in you, see it.
See it, we are not living indebt to Jesus.
Like don't use that languagethe least I can do for Jesus is
this or that.
I just want to pay Jesus backfor all that he's done for me.
Listen, jesus is not abusinessman looking to do a
business deal with you.
There is no way you could everpay him back, and that's the
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point.
It's the beauty.
Jesus has not asked us to payhim back.
He has saved us by his grace,not in exchange for our best
works.
He saves us by his grace andthen he comes to live within us,
which means we are not livingin debt to Jesus.
We are living indwelled byJesus.
That's a very different way tolive.
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The Bible teaches that Jesus isin you, you are in him.
Jesus is with you, you are withhim.
All throughout the NewTestament, we see these promises
I will be with you, you'll bewith me, which means so, follow
this.
Jesus died for meaningfulrelationship with you, not
monotonous religious motion fromyou.
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Do you hear the language herein Galatians?
The one who lives in me lovesme and he gave himself for me.
No, jesus has not saved you fora life of monotonous religious
motion in his name.
Don't do it.
It's not Christianity and somany, so many are settling for
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it like it is.
It's not.
Jesus has saved you so that youmight live in loving
relationship with him.
The Christian life is theoverflow of the love of Christ
for you and the life of Christin you and in this relationship.
Jesus works with you toaccomplish his will in you and
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in the world.
Oh, there's so much we can talkabout here.
But during my time awayrecently with you, to accomplish
his will in you and in theworld.
Oh, there's so much we couldtalk about here.
But during my time away recently, I was so struck by the phrase
working with Jesus.
We read it in our Bible reading.
I was reading it one day Mark16, 20.
It says the disciples went outand preached everywhere while
the Lord worked with them.
That so stuck out to me.
That was after Jesus hadascended into heaven.
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It says Jesus was working withthem like co-laborers.
2 Corinthians 6.1 says we worktogether with them.
That's just totally transformedmy perspective the last month.
Like Jesus is working with me,with me, you Like every facet of
my life, all day long, I justwant to work with him.
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I want to work with him.
I want Jesus to lead me, guideme, direct me every single
moment of every single day, likeright now, and preaching, like
talking to people.
I just want to work with Jesus,like this is the Christian life
and in this.
So keep going.
Here.
The Christian life is awonderfully restful life,
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restful of rest.
Paul's whole point in thecontext of Galatians 2 here is
to emphasize how we're notworking to try to earn status or
favor with God.
Instead, we're resting in Jesusand his life in us, and all
that means.
That's why Hudson Taylor saidthe sweetest part of realizing
this truth is the rest whichfull identification with Christ
brings.
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Taylor wrote I am no longeranxious about anything because I
know Christ is in me and hewill give me everything I need
for everything I face.
If Christ is in me, why shouldI be anxious?
And this is it.
This is exactly what Paul meanswhen he says the life I now
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live, in the flesh.
I live by faith in the Son ofGod.
Think about what that means.
The life of faith believesJesus to be everything you need
for every moment you live.
The Christian life is not justputting your faith in Jesus,
however many days or months oryears ago, and then moving on
and doing your best.
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The Christian life is puttingyour faith in Jesus today and
tomorrow and the next day andthe next, believing him to be
for you.
All that you need, when youfeel weak, to believe in that
moment that his strength in youis sufficient.
When you feel lonely, tobelieve in that moment his love
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for you is enough.
When you're tempted to returnto sin, to believe in that
moment that his way is better.
When you're prone to despair,to believe in that moment that
his way is better.
When you're prone to despair,to believe in that moment that
his hope is greater.
The secret to the Christianlife is drawing in every need
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you have on the immeasurableriches of Christ in you.
And when you realize this, yourealize the aim of the Christian
life is not striving after morefaith or better faith or
greater faith.
No, we don't strive after faith.
We look to, we lean on, wetrust in and we rest in the
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faithful one who is in us, andbecause he who is in us is
faithful, in the end, theChristian life is a completely
secure life Because Jesus doesnot come and go with and in
those who are his.
Jesus in you now is Jesus inyou forever.
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All who have been crucifiedwith Christ, who now live in
Christ, christ in them, aresecure forever, and not just in
the future.
You are secure now in Christ.
We've talked about how fear,worry, anxiety are some of the
most prominent struggles acrossboth women and men, adults and
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children, not just in oursociety but in our church Fear,
worry, anxiety.
I want to give you a picture.
This is preaching throughTupperware.
All right, I want you topicture this first Tupperware
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container as you.
I'm going to do a littledrawing here of you.
Okay, you ready.
Here's you Be prepared, allright, well done, huh, all right
.
So this is you Now, based onwhat we just saw in what we just
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read.
Who is in you?
Jesus, christ is in you.
So let's take this piece oftough wear and let's write on it
Christ, all right.
So Christ is in.
Where's the top?
There we go.
Christ is in you.
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So now we're beginning to get apicture of your life, what we
just talked about, how, not onlyis Christ in you, but and you
look back up in Galatians,chapter two, verse four so many
places in the Bible.
It talks about how you are in,who you are in Christ.
So let's do this, let's callthis next on Christ as well and
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put a top on it.
So now we're getting a clearerpicture of who you are.
You have Christ in you, you arein Christ.
But then let me show you oneother verse Colossians, chapter
three, verse three very similarto Galatians, chapter two, verse
20, talks about how you died asa Christian and your life is
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now hidden with Christ.
Anybody know what it says nextIn God.
Is it on the screen?
Oh, you just knew it.
Well done, all right.
So sorry, I didn't mean todoubt you, sorry, that was great
, all right.
So your life is hidden withChrist in God.
So we got one more.
Let's bring out the big tub forGod, all right, and let's put
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Christ in you, you in Christ,christ in God.
Okay, now we've got a littlemore complete picture of your
life.
Now I want you to think aboutwhat comes at you in this world.
I want you to think about theadversary who wants to come at
you in this world.
In order for the adversary toget to you, let's just think
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about this for a moment.
He first will encounter God theFather, which he does not have
a good track record with, butlet's just assume for a second.
He makes it past God the Father, then he has to deal with Jesus
Christ himself, which last timethat happened he walked away
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shamed and defeated.
Now he thought he won for acouple of days, but then he
figured out that he was defeated.
He had his head crushed by thesnake crusher, and sin and death
and Satan were defeated.
So he's going to have to thendeal with Christ and then, if
he's able to get past Christround one, then he gets to you.
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But who is still in you?
Round two of Jesus Christhimself inside of you.
So I'm thinking that you'repretty secure.
In fact, I would take it a stepfurther.
Just to think practically Likeno matter what level of cancer
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or what diagnosis comes your way, no matter what people in this
world may do or try to do to you, no matter what happens in your
job, no matter what happens inyour job, no matter what happens
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in your circumstances, nomatter what this world throws at
you.
I want you to see a picture andbe reminded that you are in
Christ.
Christ is in you.
In God, you are absolutelysecure For those who are in.
When you are in Jesus, nothingcan stand against you, nothing,
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not even death itself.
So with that, I want to inviteyou to bow your heads with me.
Just ask you to bow your headswith me here at other campuses,
and I ask you to do this just tobow your heads with me.
Just ask you to bow your headswith me here at other campuses,
and I ask you to do this just tobow your heads, close your eyes
, because I want to put asideany, all distractions, and I
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just want to bring each of usright now, before God.
We've just heard from His Word.
So you, right now before God,right where you're sitting.
The first thing I want to askevery single person in this room
and other campuses, right therein that seat, I want to ask you
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before God is Christ in you?
Is Christ in you?
I'm not asking if you havecalled yourself a Christian if
you go to church.
Is Christ in you?
I'm not asking if you havecalled yourself a Christian.
If you go to church like, isChrist in you, thank you?
Don't not ask if you believe inJesus.
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Like we read this last week,even the demons believe in Jesus
.
The question is is Jesus yourlife?
Have you trusted in Jesus asyour life?
And if your heart does notresound with a yes to that, then
I want to give you anopportunity right now to say
Jesus be my life.
So, right where you're sitting,if that's you, you want to say
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that in your heart to God, letme just invite you right there
just to pray in your heart forGod.
Dear God, I know that I havesinned against you, that I have
chosen my ways over your ways,that I'm separated from you by
my sin, but I believe that Jesusdied on the cross for my sins.
(32:34):
I believe he gave himself forme and today I am trusting him
for new life.
Just pray, god.
Please make me a new person.
Please forgive me of all my sin.
Please fulfill me with yourlife Today and forever.
(32:59):
I want Jesus to be my life.
Speaker 1 (33:03):
We hope you've enjoyed this week's episode of
David Platt Messages.
For more resources from DavidPlatt, we invite you to visit
radicalnet.
You're listening to David Platt Messages a weekly
podcast of sermons and messagesof pastor, author and teacher
David Platt.
Today's episode is a rerun ofone of our most listened to
messages of all time.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
I want us to look at one verse today, one verse
Galatians, chapter two, verse 20.
And in this one verse, I wannashow you what I've called, at
the top of your notes, thesecret to the Christian life.
And I say it's a secret notbecause I've come up with
something new that nobody's everheard.
The truth that we're about tolook at is all over the Bible.
(00:35):
In many ways it is the core ofChristianity, but I believe many
Christians, many true followersof Jesus, have missed this or
are missing this on a dailybasis.
So I want to show it to you,and I want to do two things.
First, like I mentioned, I wantto call many people today in
(00:56):
this room and other campuses, tostart a Christian life, like to
put your faith in Christ and,for some, to be baptized if
you've never been baptized as afollower of Christ.
And then I wanna lead us andother campus pastors at other
campuses to pray based on thisverse.
So let's do this, let's read itout loud together.
(01:18):
So I'm gonna put it up here onthe screen, because this one
verse summarizes, maybe morethan any other verse in the
entire Bible, the confession ofany and every Christian.
So let's say it together.
Galatians, chapter two, verse20.
I have been crucified withChrist.
It is no longer I who live, butChrist who lives in me.
(01:43):
Live but Christ who lives in meand the life I now live in the
flesh.
I live by faith in the Son ofGod, who loved me and gave
himself for me.
All right.
So here's the deal.
Every Christian I know I'mtalking true Christian, not just
somebody who says they're aChristian, anybody can say that
(02:05):
and mean all sorts of things I'mtalking every true follower of
Christ believes that Jesus diedon the cross for the forgiveness
of their sins, like everyChristian believes that.
But many Christians practicallystop there.
They believe they will go toheaven because they've been
(02:25):
forgiven of their sins.
But the problem is they're notreally sure how to live the
Christian life between here andthere and, as a result, many
Christians live frustrated, ifnot empty, feeling or maybe even
defeated Christian lives.
(02:47):
I'm going to list off somedescriptions of what I mean by
the frustrated or empty ordefeated Christian life and just
see if any of these thingssound familiar to you.
One you know you're supposed towant to go to church, but
sometimes getting here on Sundayseems a lot more like a chore.
(03:11):
You know you're supposed toread the Bible but you don't
really feel like you understandit.
And truth is you struggle tomake time for it.
You know you're supposed topray but your mind wanders a lot
.
And truth is you struggle tomake time for it.
You know you're supposed topray but your mind wanders a lot
and, truth be told, it startsto feel like a pretty empty
(03:34):
religious exercise when you doit.
You know you're supposed to give.
Maybe you can feel a littleguilty.
You're not giving enough.
You could give more, but you'renot a little guilty.
You're not giving enough.
You could give more, but you'renot really compelled to.
You know you're supposed to havevictory over sin, but you still
find yourself struggling withthe same thing over and over and
(03:57):
over again.
You know you're not supposed tobe worried or anxious about
anything, but in actuality youworry a lot and you're anxious,
even afraid, about a number ofthings.
You know you're supposed toshare the gospel but well, you
just don't, in part because youreally don't want to be that guy
(04:20):
or a woman who's kind of crazyabout religion, or you're just
nervous that you're going to saysomething that doesn't make
sense.
They won't understand.
Or maybe this last one you knowthat God loves you Like, you
believe that, but you have thisnagging sense that God wants
(04:43):
more from you.
Like you know you're saved byGod's grace, but you constantly
feel like there's some areaswhere you just need to work
harder and do better.
Maybe you're just tired andChristianity feels like more
work feels like more work.
(05:06):
Do you resonate with any ofthose descriptions?
So I have a feeling that many,if not most, of us resonate with
one or more, or maybe all ofthese, and if that's the case
for you in any way, then I wantyou to hear this secret today,
this truth that is crystal clearin Galatians 2.20 and all over
(05:27):
the Bible.
But so many Christians aremissing out on the secret, or
maybe, the way I would put it,the reason why so many
Christians live frustrated,empty, even defeated Christian
lives is because so few of ushave grasped I mean really
grasped the mammoth reality thatJesus died for you so that he
(05:55):
might live in you.
Jesus died for you so that hemight live in you, so that you
might have an entirely new lifeNow, not just in eternity, which
(06:20):
we talked about last week withthe rope, is important we're
talking now, on earth a new life, now, today, tomorrow.
New life, and God has beenopening my eyes in a fresh way
to this truth over the last fewweeks.
Two weeks ago, when we werestudying Acts, chapter one
together and the coming of theHoly Spirit, I shared a couple
(06:41):
of quotes from Hudson Taylor andIan Thomas, and I have had all
kinds of people asking for thosequotes.
Hudson Taylor, missionary toChina, whose biography is
entitled Hudson Taylor'sSpiritual Secret.
He writes about the momentwhere he realized that he was
missing this secret.
He was trying to live theChristian life without realizing
that Christ was in him.
(07:01):
Likewise, ian Thomas he livedin England, was going out every
night into the slums of Londonto do ministry, and he wrote
what I think describes so manyChristians, even myself.
He wrote I had been reduced toa state of complete exhaustion
spiritually until I felt therewas no point in going on.
One night at midnight I got downon my knees before God and I
(07:23):
just wept in sheer despair.
I said, oh God, I know that Iam saved.
I love Jesus.
Christ, I am perfectlyconvinced that I am converted.
With all my heart I have wantedto serve you, yet I have tried
to my uttermost and I feel as ahelpless failure.
He said that night thingshappened.
(07:43):
I can honestly say that I hadnever once heard from the lips
of men the message that came tome then.
But God that night simplyfocused on me the Bible message
of Christ, who is my life.
The Lord seemed to make plainto me that night through my
tears of bitterness.
You see, for seven years, withutmost sincerity, you have been
(08:07):
trying to live for me, on mybehalf, the life that I have
been waiting for seven years tolive through you, ian Thomas
said.
I got up the next morning to anentirely different Christian
life.
That's what I'm hoping andpraying.
Hundreds, if not thousands, ofyou today might wake up to
(08:34):
tomorrow to a freshunderstanding, or maybe a first
time understanding, that Jesusdied for you so that he might
live in you.
You might say in a fresh way Ihave been crucified with Christ.
I no longer live, but Christlives in me.
Think about what that means.
Follow this in your notes.
The Christian life is a totallyexchanged life.
(08:57):
Galatians 2.20,.
I have been crucified withChrist.
Listen to the language there.
I died, yet I live.
So there's a total exchangethat's happening here.
There's an old me that has died.
Now there's a new me that lives.
So what's the old me?
And if you're not a follower ofChrist right now, let me invite
you to listen closely here.
(09:17):
So this is a summary of whatthe Bible teaches.
If you are a follower of Christ, be reminded in the summary
what it means to be a followerof Christ.
Like the Bible teaches that wehave all been created by God and
we have all turned from God,from his ways, to our own ways,
and we know this.
It looks different in everysingle one of our lives, but we
have all chosen our ways overGod's ways, and the Bible calls
(09:41):
this sin.
And our sin separates us fromGod, and if we die in this state
of separation from God, we willspend eternity separated from
God.
But God has made a way for us,you and me, to be brought back
into relationship with him.
God sent Jesus to live the lifewe could not live a life with
(10:04):
no sin so that he could then paythe price for our sin.
That's what Jesus was doing onthe cross.
He was taking the penalty thatyou deserve for your sin, that I
deserve for my sin, uponhimself.
Jesus died for our sin and then, three days later, he rose from
the dead so that anyoneanywhere, including you today,
(10:26):
like right now, can be forgivenof all your sin and brought back
into relationship with God.
Through faith in Jesus, you canexperience new, eternal life in
restored relationship with God,and that's what this verse is
talking about.
A Christian is someone whobelieves that Jesus died on the
(10:48):
cross for them.
A Christian believes thegreatest news in the world God
loves me.
He gave himself for me on thecross and the old me, which
wanted my ways over God's ways,has been crucified, and in
exchange I've not gotten arefurbished.
This is so significant.
(11:09):
Jesus did not die to make youbetter.
Jesus died to make you better.
Jesus died to make you new,totally new.
(11:30):
Old me gone.
The new me is here and the newme is Christ in me.
Like think about this For thosewho are followers of Christ, who
have been crucified with Christ.
Just think about what thismeans.
You have given Jesus your sinand Jesus has given you in
exchange his righteousness.
(11:50):
Just let this soak in.
Christian, you now have thevery righteousness of Jesus
living in you.
Keep going here.
You have given Jesus yourslavery to sin.
In exchange, jesus has givenyou his freedom over sin
Galatians 5.1,.
For freedom, christ has set usfree.
(12:11):
Galatians 4.7,.
Christian, you are no longer aslave to sin.
You are now a son or daughterof God.
Keep going.
You have given Jesus yourdefeat against sin and Jesus has
given you his victory over sin.
Romans 7,.
Paul, who's writing Galatians 2, says what a wretched man I am
(12:32):
in this war with sin.
Who will deliver me from thisbody of death?
Thanks be to God, through JesusChrist, our Lord.
So, christian, don't believe it.
Do not believe that you cannotovercome that sin.
Christ is in you, absolutely.
You can overcome that sin and,christians, stop beating
yourself up over your sin.
(12:53):
Keep going here.
You have given Jesus yourjudgment for sin.
He has taken it from you and,in exchange, jesus has given you
his salvation from sin.
Romans 8.1,.
There is now no condemnationfor those who are what In Christ
Jesus.
Christ is in you.
Christ has taken all yourjudgment upon himself.
(13:15):
There is no more price to bepaid, no more work to be done.
You can rest in his love.
It is finished and you don'thave to worry about a thing.
You don't even have to worryabout death, because you have
given Jesus your death and Jesushas given you his life.
(13:38):
This is why people were beingbaptized last week, earlier
today, why I pray people will bebaptized as a result of this
gathering right now, this wordthat we're looking at, that will
step into the water tocelebrate this reality Jesus is
my life.
As they go down in the water,it's a picture of our dying with
him, just as Jesus died.
We have died to the old us, butin the way baptism works, we
(14:02):
don't keep you underwater forvery long.
Why not?
Well, for multiple reasons, butthe main reason is because
Jesus didn't stay dead for verylong.
Three days later he rose to newlife and that's the picture we
have new life, a totallyexchanged life.
(14:22):
Jesus is our life and with thisexchange to keep going comes
supernatural power.
The Christian life is asupernaturally empowered life.
Just think about the wonder ofthese words.
Christ lives in me.
Who?
(14:43):
Christ?
Jesus, god in the flesh, likethe one who spoke and the world
came into being.
He said world and worldhappened, light, dark plants,
(15:07):
and I'll just say a word.
And he is the one living in you.
He'll knock you out of yourseat if you think about it.
I just let this soak inChristian Jesus, god in the
flesh, is in you, you are in him.
This is how the Bible talksabout the Christian life over
(15:27):
and over again.
I could take you so many placesright now.
Show you that Jesus is in you,you are in him, and this changes
everything.
Let me give you a picture.
When I was about to get engagedto Heather, so I've been saving
up for this ring, and so anybodyso high school teenage boys
(15:48):
like start saving now.
It'll cost you the farm.
My junior hires just as youngas possible, start saving.
So as soon as I got, I'm proneto lose things and I did not
want to lose this.
So my plan was I'm going to getthe ring in the morning and
that night I'm going to askHeather to marry me, and so I
just got to not lose it duringthe day.
(16:08):
I had one errand I needed torun during the day.
I needed to go to the mall, toa music store, to pick up a CD
that I was going to use thatnight, and the whole engagement
thing.
It's a whole nother story, butI just knew like this was the
day some dude was going to comeup to me and like mug me in the
mall and take whatever I hadwith me, like.
So I was pretty paranoid.
(16:29):
So I got the biggest, heaviestjacket I could find.
It was not a cold day outside,but I got a big, heavy jacket
and had a little pocket righthere that I could zip it under.
So I unzipped the pocket, putthe ring in, zip the pocket back
up, put the heavy jacket on,had my hand on the ring at all
times and I just walked into themall like this, like head down,
no eye contact, just focusedget in there, get the CD, get
(16:52):
out.
So I go into the music store.
So this was before.
You could just like do this onyour phone by a couple of clicks
.
So I'm in there looking for theCD.
I can't find the CD.
So I go over to this woman whoworks there and I'm like excuse
me, miss, like can you help mefind this CD?
(17:13):
She's like sure.
So I start walking and with herand she's like well, what do you
want this CD for?
I was like I'm getting engagedtonight and she was like oh
really, do you have the ringwith you?
And I was like, do you everthink?
Like okay, is it all right tolie like sometimes.
I was like, okay, I don't thinkit is, but I definitely not now
(17:38):
.
So I was like, yeah, I've gotthe ring.
And she said, well, can I seeit?
Well, can I see it?
So I'm like sweating.
Of course I've got this heavyjacket on and uh.
So I just turn to everybodyelse in the store and like we're
over in the corner and I likeunzip it, pull out the ring,
just kind of show it to her likeyeah, here it is.
(17:59):
She looks over, she's likethat's beautiful.
Then she raises up and says toall of her coworkers hey guys,
this guy's getting married.
Come look at this ring thathe's about to propose to his
wife with.
And at this point I'm like, allright, that's it.
Why don't I just throw it?
Who wants it?
Like don't even come attack mefor it, I will just give it to
(18:20):
you.
And everybody comes over,they're talking, look at their.
I'm like man, will you justplease give me the CD?
Like I just want the CD.
Fine, I get the CD, put thering back in the bag.
I go running out of the malllike this, like everything
changed, like the way I talked,the way I thought, the way I
(18:40):
walked, every bit of me changedwhen I realized I had this like
treasure in me, like see it,like far, far, far greater than
a ring that's gonna fade and and, in the end, not gonna matter.
Like you have christ in you, itchanges the way you think, it
changes the way you walk, theway you love, the way you
interact with family or friends.
It changes the way you interact, or it changes every facet of
(19:03):
your life.
When you you're alone, whenyou're with others, everything's
different.
When you realize Christ is inyou, it changes everything.
And when you know this, whenyou know Jesus is in you so
don't miss this then you realizethat the Christian life is not
about what you do for Jesus, butwhat Jesus does in you.
(19:25):
That is so significant, like mysix-year-old would say like Dad
, this is you massive.
Because this is so differentfrom the way we are prone to
think.
Like most Christians think Ijust look at all Jesus has done
for me.
The least I can do for him isthis or that.
Do you hear that language?
(19:46):
Look at all Jesus has done forme, has done past tense what
Jesus has done in the past forme.
So now, in the present, whatcan I do for him?
That is a totally wrong way tothink, and the reason it's wrong
is because Jesus hasn't stoppeddoing for you.
Jesus is still doing for youEvery moment of every day.
(20:10):
Jesus is living in you, hispower working in you, see it.
See it, we are not living indebt to Jesus.
Like don't use that languagethe least I can do for Jesus is
this or that.
I just want to pay Jesus backfor all that he's done for me.
Listen, jesus is not abusinessman looking to do a
business deal with you.
There is no way you could everpay him back, and that's the
(20:33):
point.
It's the beauty.
Jesus has not asked us to payhim back.
He has saved us by his grace,not in exchange for our best
works.
He saves us by his grace andthen he comes to live within us,
which means we are not livingin debt to Jesus.
We are living indwelled byJesus.
That's a very different way tolive.
(20:57):
The Bible teaches that Jesus isin you, you are in him.
Jesus is with you, you are withhim.
All throughout the NewTestament, we see these promises
I will be with you, you'll bewith me, which means so, follow
this.
Jesus died for meaningfulrelationship with you, not
monotonous religious motion fromyou.
(21:18):
Do you hear the language herein Galatians?
The one who lives in me lovesme and he gave himself for me.
No, jesus has not saved you fora life of monotonous religious
motion in his name.
Don't do it.
It's not Christianity and somany, so many are settling for
(21:41):
it like it is.
It's not.
Jesus has saved you so that youmight live in loving
relationship with him.
The Christian life is theoverflow of the love of Christ
for you and the life of Christin you and in this relationship.
Jesus works with you toaccomplish his will in you and
(22:05):
in the world.
Oh, there's so much we can talkabout here.
But during my time awayrecently with you, to accomplish
his will in you and in theworld.
Oh, there's so much we couldtalk about here.
But during my time away recently, I was so struck by the phrase
working with Jesus.
We read it in our Bible reading.
I was reading it one day Mark16, 20.
It says the disciples went outand preached everywhere while
the Lord worked with them.
That so stuck out to me.
That was after Jesus hadascended into heaven.
(22:27):
It says Jesus was working withthem like co-laborers.
2 Corinthians 6.1 says we worktogether with them.
That's just totally transformedmy perspective the last month.
Like Jesus is working with me,with me, you Like every facet of
my life, all day long, I justwant to work with him.
(22:47):
I want to work with him.
I want Jesus to lead me, guideme, direct me every single
moment of every single day, likeright now, and preaching, like
talking to people.
I just want to work with Jesus,like this is the Christian life
and in this.
So keep going.
Here.
The Christian life is awonderfully restful life,
(23:09):
restful of rest.
Paul's whole point in thecontext of Galatians 2 here is
to emphasize how we're notworking to try to earn status or
favor with God.
Instead, we're resting in Jesusand his life in us, and all
that means.
That's why Hudson Taylor saidthe sweetest part of realizing
this truth is the rest whichfull identification with Christ
brings.
(23:29):
Taylor wrote I am no longeranxious about anything because I
know Christ is in me and hewill give me everything I need
for everything I face.
If Christ is in me, why shouldI be anxious?
And this is it.
This is exactly what Paul meanswhen he says the life I now
(23:50):
live, in the flesh.
I live by faith in the Son ofGod.
Think about what that means.
The life of faith believesJesus to be everything you need
for every moment you live.
The Christian life is not justputting your faith in Jesus,
however many days or months oryears ago, and then moving on
and doing your best.
(24:10):
The Christian life is puttingyour faith in Jesus today and
tomorrow and the next day andthe next, believing him to be
for you.
All that you need, when youfeel weak, to believe in that
moment that his strength in youis sufficient.
When you feel lonely, tobelieve in that moment his love
(24:35):
for you is enough.
When you're tempted to returnto sin, to believe in that
moment that his way is better.
When you're prone to despair,to believe in that moment that
his way is better.
When you're prone to despair,to believe in that moment that
his hope is greater.
The secret to the Christianlife is drawing in every need
(24:57):
you have on the immeasurableriches of Christ in you.
And when you realize this, yourealize the aim of the Christian
life is not striving after morefaith or better faith or
greater faith.
No, we don't strive after faith.
We look to, we lean on, wetrust in and we rest in the
(25:21):
faithful one who is in us, andbecause he who is in us is
faithful, in the end, theChristian life is a completely
secure life Because Jesus doesnot come and go with and in
those who are his.
Jesus in you now is Jesus inyou forever.
(25:45):
All who have been crucifiedwith Christ, who now live in
Christ, christ in them, aresecure forever, and not just in
the future.
You are secure now in Christ.
We've talked about how fear,worry, anxiety are some of the
most prominent struggles acrossboth women and men, adults and
(26:11):
children, not just in oursociety but in our church Fear,
worry, anxiety.
I want to give you a picture.
This is preaching throughTupperware.
All right, I want you topicture this first Tupperware
(26:33):
container as you.
I'm going to do a littledrawing here of you.
Okay, you ready.
Here's you Be prepared, allright, well done, huh, all right
.
So this is you Now, based onwhat we just saw in what we just
(26:55):
read.
Who is in you?
Jesus, christ is in you.
So let's take this piece oftough wear and let's write on it
Christ, all right.
So Christ is in.
Where's the top?
There we go.
Christ is in you.
(27:17):
So now we're beginning to get apicture of your life, what we
just talked about, how, not onlyis Christ in you, but and you
look back up in Galatians,chapter two, verse four so many
places in the Bible.
It talks about how you are in,who you are in Christ.
So let's do this, let's callthis next on Christ as well and
(27:41):
put a top on it.
So now we're getting a clearerpicture of who you are.
You have Christ in you, you arein Christ.
But then let me show you oneother verse Colossians, chapter
three, verse three very similarto Galatians, chapter two, verse
20, talks about how you died asa Christian and your life is
(28:03):
now hidden with Christ.
Anybody know what it says nextIn God.
Is it on the screen?
Oh, you just knew it.
Well done, all right.
So sorry, I didn't mean todoubt you, sorry, that was great
, all right.
So your life is hidden withChrist in God.
So we got one more.
Let's bring out the big tub forGod, all right, and let's put
(28:29):
Christ in you, you in Christ,christ in God.
Okay, now we've got a littlemore complete picture of your
life.
Now I want you to think aboutwhat comes at you in this world.
I want you to think about theadversary who wants to come at
you in this world.
In order for the adversary toget to you, let's just think
(28:52):
about this for a moment.
He first will encounter God theFather, which he does not have
a good track record with, butlet's just assume for a second.
He makes it past God the Father, then he has to deal with Jesus
Christ himself, which last timethat happened he walked away
(29:13):
shamed and defeated.
Now he thought he won for acouple of days, but then he
figured out that he was defeated.
He had his head crushed by thesnake crusher, and sin and death
and Satan were defeated.
So he's going to have to thendeal with Christ and then, if
he's able to get past Christround one, then he gets to you.
(29:33):
But who is still in you?
Round two of Jesus Christhimself inside of you.
So I'm thinking that you'repretty secure.
In fact, I would take it a stepfurther.
Just to think practically Likeno matter what level of cancer
(29:58):
or what diagnosis comes your way, no matter what people in this
world may do or try to do to you, no matter what happens in your
job, no matter what happens inyour job, no matter what happens
(30:19):
in your circumstances, nomatter what this world throws at
you.
I want you to see a picture andbe reminded that you are in
Christ.
Christ is in you.
In God, you are absolutelysecure For those who are in.
When you are in Jesus, nothingcan stand against you, nothing,
(30:44):
not even death itself.
So with that, I want to inviteyou to bow your heads with me.
Just ask you to bow your headswith me here at other campuses,
and I ask you to do this just tobow your heads with me.
Just ask you to bow your headswith me here at other campuses,
and I ask you to do this just tobow your heads, close your eyes
, because I want to put asideany, all distractions, and I
(31:05):
just want to bring each of usright now, before God.
We've just heard from His Word.
So you, right now before God,right where you're sitting.
The first thing I want to askevery single person in this room
and other campuses, right therein that seat, I want to ask you
(31:25):
before God is Christ in you?
Is Christ in you?
I'm not asking if you havecalled yourself a Christian if
you go to church.
Is Christ in you?
I'm not asking if you havecalled yourself a Christian.
If you go to church like, isChrist in you, thank you?
Don't not ask if you believe inJesus.
(31:47):
Like we read this last week,even the demons believe in Jesus
.
The question is is Jesus yourlife?
Have you trusted in Jesus asyour life?
And if your heart does notresound with a yes to that, then
I want to give you anopportunity right now to say
Jesus be my life.
So, right where you're sitting,if that's you, you want to say
(32:09):
that in your heart to God, letme just invite you right there
just to pray in your heart forGod.
Dear God, I know that I havesinned against you, that I have
chosen my ways over your ways,that I'm separated from you by
my sin, but I believe that Jesusdied on the cross for my sins.
(32:34):
I believe he gave himself forme and today I am trusting him
for new life.
Just pray, god.
Please make me a new person.
Please forgive me of all my sin.
Please fulfill me with yourlife Today and forever.
(32:59):
I want Jesus to be my life.
Speaker 1 (33:03):
We hope you've enjoyed this week's episode of
David Platt Messages.
For more resources from DavidPlatt, we invite you to visit
radicalnet.
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