SundaySermon - Rajesh - Yet not I, but Christ in me

 Yet not I, but Christ in me

Life is a journey that has its ups and down. The ups are blessings of God. The downs are testing and challenging times. But God is sovereign and he brings us through different experience with each experience shaping us.

However testing and temptation is different. Temptation is from the devil 

Verse: James 1:14

Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away.

But God's testing makes you a better person

Verse: Job 23:10

“But he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold.

The passage we will consider to study testing is Abraham when he was asked to sacrifice Issac

Passage: Genesis 22

Why God tested Abraham?

God tested Abraham several times. There were times when Abraham when he failed.... God promised a son through Sarah.... but he made arrangement for a son through Hagar. But God tested him with Issac his son for Abraham to discover how he has matured in faith. God wanted to rejoice along with Abraham to rejoice along with him.

The rejoicing is because of the maturity that was come over us through the lives. Again not because we did well and we passed the test. It is solely the work of God.

Just like how Paul put is

Verse: 1 Corinthians 15:10

But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace.

It is not our strength that brings maturity .... "yet not I but Christ who lives in me"

While Abraham and Paul came out passing the test, there could be failures. Will God abandon us in our failures?

Let's go to the Potter's house

Verse: Jeremiah 18:4

But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over.

God keeps working on you when you fail. ... He will start all over again until he makes you perfect.

The person who failed over and over again is Peter the Apostle. He lied to a woman to save himself. But did God give us on him..... He stood before the Ceasar and said that he is not worthy to die the way Jesus died. Hence died crucified upside down

Peter eventually learnt courage and faced death boldly.... becoming like Christ 

Verse: 2 Corinthians 3:18

So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.

Final Prayer

Hence God is transforming us. And our transformation is not complete. So we make this prayer everyday

Verse: Ephesians 3:19‭-‬20

19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. 

20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.


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