LIFE IN DEATH

Table of Contents

1. Worship and Introduction to the Message
2. Genesis 3:22-24 — Understanding “Keeping the Way”
3. Reading the Old Testament Through Christ
4. Misunderstood Scriptures About Losing Life
5. Matthew 10:39
6. Mark 8:34-35
7. The True Meaning of “Taking Up Your Cross” — The Stake
8. Coming to Christ Means Dying to the Old System
9. Romans 6: United With Christ in Death and Resurrection
10. 2 Corinthians 5: All Died in Christ, All Raised in Christ
11. Colossians 2 & 1 Corinthians 15: Dominion of Sin Destroyed
12. Life Transformation Through Grace
13. Why the Law Cannot Produce Change
14. Galatians & Hebrews: The Just Shall Live by Faith
15. Returning to Genesis: The Tree of Life and Grace Alone
16. Communion Message
17. Closing Blessing and Encouragement

Worship and Introduction to the Message

The service opens with worship, magnifying and exalting the name of Jesus. The pastors lead the congregation in praising God, declaring glory to His name, and lifting high the name of Jesus above every name. Once everyone is seated, Pastor Leonard introduces the message and asks for the light to be turned on. He explains he has a message from the Old Testament to share — a passage that has deep meaning when viewed through the finished work of Christ.

Genesis 3:22-24 — Understanding “Keeping the Way

Pastor Leonard reads Genesis 3:22-24- “And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.”

He emphasizes that the flaming sword was not placed to keep humanity away, but to keep the way — to preserve access to the tree of life — until the true way, Jesus Christ, would be revealed. God was not punishing man; He was protecting the path back to eternal life.

Pastor explains that when we read the Old Testament, we must read it through the filter of Jesus Christ, asking:

• How does this point to Jesus?
• How does this reveal grace?
• How does this apply to us today?

This scripture launches the sermon’s central truth: There is life in death — in the death of Jesus, and in our death with Him.

Reading the Old Testament Through Christ

Pastor Leonard explains that translations throughout history — including the King James Version — have often portrayed God as harsh, wrathful, and vengeful. But when we look through Christ, we discover God’s heart of grace. This passage in Genesis is not a picture of punishment, but of protection and redemption.

Misunderstood Scriptures About Losing Life

Pastor then connects Genesis to the words of Jesus: He quotes Matthew 10:39– “He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.” Religion has used this to demand sacrifice, suffering, and abandoning all earthly joy. But Pastor corrects that misunderstanding — Jesus delights in our relationships, enjoyment, and daily life blessings. That is not the meaning of this scripture.

He then reads Mark 8:34-35– “And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.”

Pastor notes that people often think this means Jesus wants us to suffer exactly as He did on the cross — even though when Jesus spoke these words, He had not yet gone to the cross.
He explains that translation has misrepresented Jesus’ intent, and now he will show the true meaning.

The True Meaning of “Taking Up Your Cross

Pastor teaches that the word “cross” in the original language refers to a stake used as a boundary marker. In ancient culture, stakes marked a family’s land, inheritance, and identity. So “take up your cross” means:

• Pull up your stake from your old identity
• Leave religious traditions behind
• Even if it means being rejected by family
• Follow Jesus into a new identity
To believe in Jesus back then was to become “as good as dead” to one’s family and community — but alive in a new family with Christ.

Coming to Christ Means Dying to the Old System

Pastor Leonard teaches that Jesus was preparing people for the moment they would put faith in Him and be united with Him. Following Jesus meant leaving the old religion, the old mindset, and the law of Moses — the “do-it-yourself system.” When someone chose Jesus, they were treated as dead by their family and tradition. But in Christ, they would discover true life.

Romans 6: United With Christ in Death and Resurrection

Pastor reads Romans 6:2-6- “God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore, we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.”

Pastor explains:
• Jesus died to sin once and for all
• When we believe, we are united in that same death
• Sin’s power and dominion over us ends
• We are raised into a totally new life in Christ
Death to sin → Resurrection to righteousness.

2 Corinthians 5: All Died in Christ, All Raised in Christ

Pastor continues by quoting 2 Corinthians 5:14-15– “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.”

And then 2 Corinthians 5:18-19– “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.”

He declares:
• Because Jesus died, all died spiritually with Him
• Because Jesus was raised, all were raised
• God is not counting sins anymore
• God reconciled the whole world through Jesus.
This is the core of the gospel of grace.

Colossians 2 & 1 Corinthians 15: Sin’s Dominion Destroyed

Pastor then reads Colossians 2:11-15– “In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”

And 1 Corinthians 15:56-57- “The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

He explains:
• The sin-dominated “old man” is gone — crucified
• The written code (law) was nailed to the cross
• Jesus defeated satan and every power openly
• Victory is already ours in Christ. We are not trying to gain victory — we live FROM His victory.

Life Transformation Through Grace

Pastor shares personal testimony: He loved his wife but still acted selfishly, argued, and blamed her: “If you didn’t do what you did, I wouldn’t have done what I did.” That was sin and the old mindset controlling his behavior. But grace changed everything.

He discovered:
• “I am crucified with Christ…” (Galatians 2:20 — full verse below)
• He has Christ’s nature inside him now
• His thinking had to align with his new identity

So he reads Galatians 2:20– “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
He now loves his wife with the love of Christ.
He wakes early and serves others — like driving a woman to work every morning.
Not by force — but because Christ lives in him. Grace produces a transformation that the law never could.

Why the Law Cannot Produce Change

Pastor explains that sin doesn’t disappear, but:
• Sin loses its dominion
• We now walk in the Spirit and please God
• The law only frustrates, condemns, and burdens

He rereads Romans 6:14– “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”

Galatians & Hebrews: The Just Shall Live by Faith

Pastor reads: Galatians 3:11- “But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for the just shall live by faith.”
Galatians 3:24- “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.”

And he explains why the law cannot please God, quoting Hebrews 11:6- “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
He says: Faith in Jesus = pleasing God
Law-keeping = impossible to please God

Returning to Genesis: The Tree of Life and Grace Alone

Pastor Leonard returns to the foundational scripture of the message:

He again quotes Genesis 3:22-24– And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.”

Pastor explains:
• The tree of life represents Jesus
• The tree of knowledge of good and evil represents the law — the “do-it-yourself system.”
• If man ate from both, he would live forever in a mixture
• God protected the way to the tree of life by preventing mixture

The only way to come to the tree of life is through death — death with Christ.

We must:
• die to sin
• die to the law
• die to self-righteousness

Then we are raised in the newness of life with Him and have free access to eternal life. Pastor says- “It makes so much sense when you look at the gospel message…”

Communion Message

Pastor Lori continues the message into communion with encouragement:

She reminds the church:
• We are coming into fullness as we begin the new year
• Communion is coming into Jesus’s presence and losing ourselves in His love
• Perfect love casts out fear
• Jesus knows our fears, struggles, symptoms, and worries
• We must cast every anxiety on Him
• He watches over us with deep affection

She quotes 1 Peter 5:7– “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

She declares:
• On the cross, Jesus said, “Finished.”
• That means He did it all
• We remember His life, death, and resurrection — His finished work

Then she reads Matthew 26:26-28– “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”

She leads: Bread: “His body was broken so ours may be whole.”
Cup: “His blood washed us clean from every sin.” The congregation partakes together in faith and remembrance.

Closing Blessing and Encouragement

We thank you for reading this complete, scripture-rich article based entirely on the original spoken message: “LIFE IN DEATH.” We pray this teaching encourages you to rest in the finished work of Jesus, celebrate your new identity in Him, and share the truth of His grace with others. Jesus has done it all — now we live in His victory.

Please feel free to share this message so others can also discover life in Christ and freedom from the do-it-yourself system of the law. All glory to Jesus!