CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST

For Lent, our church is studying Twenty-four Hours that Changed the World by Adam Hamilton.  We continue with the crucifixion of Christ and it's implications for us.


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Galatians 2:19-21

Romans 6:1-11

MESSAGE

What I've learned from all the fairy tales, folk stories and ancient epics I've ever read or seen the Disney version of is that everybody needs something. They need to be freed from a curse, sometimes brought on by their own poor choices or by circumstances beyond their control, rescued by the kiss of unconditional love, a prince or knight in shining armor, a wizard or a fairy godmother. Everyone needs a second chance for an ever-after. Everyone needs to be saved ...

… even escaped three convicts on the run.

In the movie, O Brother, Where Art Thou, Everett, Delmar and Pete follow a large group of people dressed in white robes where baptisms are taking place. Suddenly, Delmar breaks away from his friends and pushes his way to the front of the line to be baptized.

Delmar: Well that's it, boys. (He announces after his baptism) I've been redeemed. The preacher's done warshed away all my sins and transmissions.

It's the straight and narrow from here on out, and heaven everlasting's my reward. Neither God nor man's got nothin' on me now. C'mon in boys, the water is fine.

As in the movie, during Paul's time and for much of the early history of Christianity, baptism was by full immersion.

Baptism then, as now symbolizes God's redeeming work of grace in our life through the washing away of our sins by the blood of Christ and our repentance. Being immersed under water also symbolized Christ's tomb. Thus Paul said that we are baptized in the death of Christ.

In this sharing of Christ's death, being crucified in him, we are freed from the control of sin's power. We no longer have to remain trapped in self-destructive, alienating life patterns.

Emerging from the water, we share in Christ's resurrection. We are dead to the sin that ruled our lives and kept us from being the people God created us to be. Because we share in the resurrection of Christ, our ever-after includes eternal, everlasting life.

Notice I didn't say “happily ever-after.” “Happily ever-after” implies that there will be no more troubles, no more challenges, and that we live fairy-tale lives, coming out of our baptism are perfectly formed, mature Christians. That's not how it is. Our ever-after is a journey, a growing process that requires thinking and acting in new ways.

When we are crucified and resurrected with Christ, Jesus comes to live in us. Our response to Christ within us should be to turn away from the unloving ways we lived that alienated and hurt other people and separated us from God. We're expected to live a new way, loving God with everything we've got and our neighbors as Christ loves us.

Paul the Apostle calls it “getting rid of the old corpse.” In other words, leaving our old habits and behaviors behind to live by faith. We walk in a newness of life with Christ, which is a lot harder than it sounds.

Our walk with Christ is an ongoing process of surrendering our will to God's will and living sacrificially. It's giving up our self-desires for faithful obedience.

Even your pastor struggles with it.

Recently, our Conference scheduled an event on my birthday which falls on a Saturday this year. Not only does this clash with my plans for the day but also cuts into my together time with my husband.

So for a couple of weeks, God and I have had this stand off. I know God wants me to go, but I don't want to. I've whined and insisted on my own way and stamped my feet, and God just stands there, immovable.

Finally I realized, this wasn't my choice. My life is no longer my own. It belongs to Christ, and Christ lives in me. I confessed that I wasn't willing to go, but I was willing to be willing, and God can work with that.

My attitude is changing, and I'm sure that if God wants me to go, it's going to be a great day.

We walk in a newness of life with Christ. We don't journey into our ever-after alone. Christ is there with us – guiding us, teaching us, carrying our burdens with us and helping us grow and change so we can fully, joy-fully live, even in the most painful and challenging of circumstances.

And when we slip back into old ways that same self-sacrificing, never give up on us love that took Christ to the cross, is there offering us forgiveness and fresh starts and second chances and keeps us moving forward.

That's what it means to be crucified with Christ.

Everyone needs rescuing. Everyone needs saving.

Everyone needs a second chance and an ever-after.

Everyone needs Christ.