Climbing the Christian Life: Struggles and Triumphs

Sermon Summary

Life is a journey filled with struggles and triumphs, much like climbing a rock face. This adventure of living an authentic Christian life is fraught with challenges, yet it is infinitely rewarding. Every believer is on this climb, striving to reach the summit, which is the presence of Jesus. The Christian life is a continuous struggle, regardless of how long one has been a believer. The Ten Commandments, found in Exodus 20, frame this rock face, highlighting the ten greatest struggles we face in our lives. These commandments are not just rules but a reflection of the struggles we encounter, such as contentment, truth, integrity, purity, peace, authority, time, religion, worship, and our relationship with God.

The Ten Commandments are relevant to us today because they reflect the moral law, which is unchanging and rooted in the character of God. Unlike the civil and ceremonial laws of the Old Testament, which were specific to Israel and fulfilled in Christ, the moral law is timeless and universal. Jesus affirmed the enduring nature of these commandments, emphasizing that they are not abolished but fulfilled in Him. The commandments serve as a mirror reflecting God's character, a mentor guiding us to Christ, and a map showing us the way of love.

As we embark on this journey, it's crucial to assess where we stand in relation to the Ten Commandments. Some may feel they've already climbed the wall, but a deeper understanding reveals that the commandments address broader categories of sin and righteousness. Others may feel stretched out on the wall, struggling with the challenges of living a Christian life. The struggle itself is evidence of the Holy Spirit's work within us. For those who have fallen off the wall, there is hope in the mercy of God, which holds us and invites us to climb again out of gratitude, not obligation.

The Christian life is lived in the power of the Holy Spirit, who transforms the commandments from condemning rules into promises of what is possible through God's presence in our lives. This journey is not easy, but it is one of growth, transformation, and deepening relationship with God.

Key Takeaways

1. The Christian life is a continuous struggle, akin to climbing a rock face, where every believer strives to reach the summit, which is the presence of Jesus. This journey is marked by challenges and triumphs, and the Ten Commandments frame the struggles we face in our lives. [00:39]
2. The Ten Commandments are relevant today as they reflect the moral law, which is unchanging and rooted in God's character. Unlike the civil and ceremonial laws, which were specific to Israel and fulfilled in Christ, the moral law is timeless and universal. [16:08]
3. The commandments serve as a mirror reflecting God's character, a mentor guiding us to Christ, and a map showing us the way of love. They help us understand what it means to love God and our neighbors, providing a practical guide for living a life of righteousness. [23:52]
4. Assessing where we stand in relation to the Ten Commandments is crucial. Some may feel they've already climbed the wall, but a deeper understanding reveals that the commandments address broader categories of sin and righteousness. The struggle itself is evidence of the Holy Spirit's work within us. [27:00]
5. For those who have fallen off the wall, there is hope in the mercy of God, which holds us and invites us to climb again out of gratitude, not obligation. The Christian life is lived in the power of the Holy Spirit, transforming the commandments from condemning rules into promises of what is possible through God's presence in our lives. [37:42]
** [37:42]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:11] - Life as a Struggle and Adventure
[00:51] - The Climb of the Christian Life
[02:28] - The Struggle for Every Believer
[03:12] - Introduction to the Ten Commandments
[04:00] - Struggle for Contentment
[05:04] - Struggle with Truth
[05:52] - Struggle for Peace
[06:47] - Struggle with Time
[07:57] - Struggle to Worship
[08:28] - Struggle with God
[10:01] - Relevance of the Ten Commandments
[12:06] - Understanding the Law
[16:08] - The Moral Law
[17:53] - The Call to Obedience
[19:16] - The Ten Commandments as a Mirror
[21:11] - The Law as a Mentor
[23:52] - The Law as a Map
[27:00] - Assessing Our Position
[32:28] - Encouragement in the Struggle
[37:42] - Hope for Those Who Have Fallen
[39:16] - Living in the Power of the Spirit

Sermon Clips

The Christian Life is a struggle for every one of us from the moment of your new birth until the moment you stand in the presence of Jesus. Should a few to claim it, it helps to have some experience, but experience never takes the struggle out of the climb. [00:02:24]

The Ten Commandments really frame the rock face. This is where the struggle of the Christian Life really is lived and worked out. These are where you find all the issues that we face as followers of Jesus. [00:03:22]

The Ten Commandments are a mirror reflecting the character of God. As we probe these Commandments, that will in turn probe us. We're going to discover more and more of what God is like. See, none of us have seen God directly. He's invisible, obviously we cannot see God. [00:19:16]

The law really acts as a mentor bringing us to Christ. A mirror reflecting the character of God and a mentor bringing us to Christ. I love this word Mentor. It's got a warmth to it, and I think it's important for us to recognize this because some of us have the idea that the law is a very cold thing. [00:21:11]

The law is like a map showing us the way of love. Now the New Testament tells us about an occasion when Jesus was asked now which is the most important commandment, and Jesus gave a very wonderful answer. He didn't pick one of the ten and say, well, this is more important than any of the others. [00:23:52]

Some of us think we've already climbed the wall. Now there are a lot of folks who feel like that who hang around in churches. It comes out when something goes wrong in your life, you immediately protest about how good and how faithful you've been, and why could God possibly allow anything to happen to such a good person as you. [00:27:00]

There are some of us who know for sure that right now we are stretched out on the wall. You have come to Christ and you've begun The Climb. You want to please the Lord with all your heart, you want to do what is right, but it is so hard, and you've been struggling with the issues of living a Christian Life for a long time on this rock face. [00:32:28]

The fact that you want to be more holy than you are right now is the greatest single evidence of the fact that the Holy Spirit is at work within you, and you should thank God for that reality. [00:34:23]

There are some of us who've fallen off the wall. Let's be real honest about this. You know it. There was a time when you were walking with Christ, you were making progress as a Christian, but somewhere along the line, your foot slipped and you came off the wall. [00:37:42]

Here's what I want to say to you: thank God there's a rope. The Rope is called the mercy of God, and it reaches you through Jesus Christ. If it were not for the mercy of God, you would be gone, lost forever, but you have been held in the mercy of God, and that Mercy reaches you in Jesus right now. [00:38:55]

The wonderful thing about this difficult new life is that it is lived out in the power of the Holy Spirit. I'm going to end by telling a story that I've told before, but I find it helpful, and others seem to have found it useful too. [00:39:16]

Christian Life is a struggle, but the spirit of God is with you. [00:41:58]

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