Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:14-18 & Ephesians 2:4-10

I. Jesus was given new life at His resurrection.

A. 2 Corinthians 5:14, “One has died for all, therefore all have died.” Jesus died for sin, and we Christians died to sin with Jesus. Jesus then died on the cross as our substitute. Jesus took death and hell for us so that we could escape from death and hell. What happened to Jesus after He died for sin as our substitute? Jesus was raised from the dead (vs. 15). And who gave Jesus this new resurrection life? Ephesians 1:20: “That (God) worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places.”

B. We Christians are already living our resurrection life with Jesus today (Eph. 2:5-6). And part of living a new resurrection life is a radical change in our motives. Our motives in life will have changed so much that it is like we are born again. Jesus died for every Christian because of His great love for us. And how has that fact changed us? Verse 14 says, “The love of Christ controls us” (2 Cor. 5:14). In light of such amazing love, we no longer live for ourselves (2 Cor. 5:15). We live sacrificial lives of love for God and others.

II. You were given new life when you were united with the resurrected Christ.

A. There is a phrase that is used in 2 Cor. 5:17 that describes your union with Jesus: in Christ. You are living in personal union with the risen Christ by faith. You are united with Jesus because Jesus lives in you. You were in Christ the moment you put your faith in Jesus alone to save you. When you are in Christ, that transforms the way you look at everyone and everything (vs. 16). If you are in Christ, you are a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). Who does all the work to make you a new creation? God does (Eph. 2:8-9). Salvation and new creation are a gift of God’s grace.

B. Once we are a new creation, we respond to God in gratitude by doing good works (Eph. 2:10). One of those good works is to speak the message about the reconciliation God wants with others. 2 Cor. 5:18. “All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” Are you spreading this message of reconciliation? Are you living a life of reconciliation with others? By faith in Jesus, our sin is now not counted against us. Our sin is now counted against Jesus.

Application:
Are you born again? There is no salvation without new birth.

Sources:
The Bible
Commentaries by G.K. Beale, Murray Harris, David Garland and Gary Millar.

Sermon Discussion Questions

1. When was Jesus given new life? Since what is true of Jesus is now true of us, what do we receive along with Jesus? How are we changed after we receive this gift of new life?
2. Can you give an example of how you have changed since you trusted that Christ died for your sins? How have your actions and motives changed?
3. What does Paul mean when he says that we Christians are in Christ? What is the result of being in Christ? How will being in Christ change how you relate to other people?