Sermon Central
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Look Where He's Brought Me From
Contributed by Ronnie Mcneill on Dec 4, 2007 (message contributor)
Summary: This sermon is one of a reminder of how the grace of God has brought us out of the darkness of Satan into the marvelous light of Jesus the Christ. We use to be old dead bones but the breath of the living God breathed life in us through salvation.
Introduction:
As I was taking my shower the other day, God Himself spoke a Word into my spirit. He took me to book of Ezekiel when it centered around the dry bones. I said God I’ve heard the story many times about the connection of the dry bones; however, there are unlimited facets to the mind and character of God. I won’t be speaking of how the bones reconnected this morning, and with that thought that brings me to my first of two points.
Development:
Point Number One: I’m In My Tomb
Looking at the world today, we have people that we can call the Walking Dead. I’m not talking about zombies that are seen in horror movies, but I’m talking about people, living today. I’m talking about people that are breathing today. People walking around today are the walking dead.
Preacher I’m not following you. Well if we go back down memory lane in our lives we were not always saved. We were out there doing our own thing. We were the walking dead.
Biblically we were in our tombs. We were what you would call spiritually dead.
We were in a state of death. Just what is death? In the Greek the word death is Thanatos (than - ate - toos), which basically means separation.
Death never means extinction, annihilation, non-existence, or inactivity. H.S. Miller quoted death in his book called Devotional Studies in Galatians and Ephesians, Death is the separation of a person from the purpose or use for which he was intended.
The Bible speaks of three types of deaths:
1.The Physical Death: the separation of a man’s spirit or life from the body. This is what men commonly call death. It is when a person ceases to exist on this earth and is buried.
Scripture References - 1 Corinthians 15:21-22 and Hebrews 9:27
2.Spiritual death: the separation of man’s spirit from God while he is still living and walking upon earth. This death is the natural state of a man on earth without Christ. Man is seen as still being in his sins and is dead to God.
Scripture References - Ephesians 2:1 Ephesians 4:18 and 1 John 5:11-12
Eternal death
3.Eternal death: the separation of man from God’s presence forever. This is the second death, an eternal state of being dead to God.
Scripture References - 1 Cor. 6:9-10; 2 Thes. 1:9
It is spiritual death, separation from God, which is prolonged beyond the death of the body. It is called the second death or eternal death.
But I want to focus on the Spiritual Death.
Spiritual death speaks of a person who is dead while he still lives which is found in 1 Tim. 5:6. He is a natural man living in this present world, but he is said to be dead to the Lord Jesus Christ and to God and to all spiritual matters.
a. A person who wastes his life in riotous ( rio – tus) living is spiritually dead.
Scripture References - Luke 15:32
These are your party hardy folks that just live for the weekend.
It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.
b. A person who has not partaken of Christ is spiritually dead.
Scripture References - John 6:53
COMMUNION
A person can actually receive and partake of Christ in the closest and most intimate and nourishing sense of his being (flesh and blood). The receiving and partaking can be just as intimate and nourishing as eating and drinking.
The point is this: a man must receive Christ into his heart, into his innermost being if he wishes to live. In fact, he is dead spiritually and eternally unless he so receives Christ.
Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
c. A person who does not have the spirit of Christ is said to be spiritually dead.
Scripture References - Romans 8:9
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
d. A person who lives in sin is said to be spiritually dead.
Scripture References - Ephesians 2:1 & Colossians 2:13
Scripture References - And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins. Ephesians 2:1
And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses Colossians 2:13
e. A person who is alienated from God is said to be spiritually dead. Ephesians 4:18-19
