JAMES W. FARRIS: WHERE DOES CHRIST DWELL TODAY?

WHERE DOES CHRIST DWELL TODAY?
Ephesians 3:17-19

1. Ever get spiritual boost? Wake up, all is clear-Feel spiritually invigorated!

A. Your focus on Him is right. So you speak, think, do better than in a long time.
B. And it feels so good that we do even more! We want to keep riding this wave!
C. “I am becoming more like Him in actions!” Then recall I Pet. 2:21, Eph. 2:10
D. “That’s my purpose!” and feel even better again! Why? RESOLVED.

2. Can do good, think you’re fine, never reach center of joy/hope till He dwells in heart.

3. Religious world misses this, but the righteous understand God is pleased, not with
outer form religion but with purity and Christ-like holiness of the inner man.

A. Don’t put cart before horse. Actions initiated by obedient faith is never empty!!
B. Every generation runs risk of missing this fact via materialism.
C. People are prone to turn from security of spiritual life for visible gods of this age.
D. Jews did with nations around them…church does by turning faith into showtime.

I. YOU CAN SHOW A PERSON WHERE TO FIND CHRIST TODAY.

1. Rev. 3:20, Jn. 14:23, Gal. 2:20, 2 Cor. 13:5

2. “Dwell” is key! “To live or reside, permanent dwelling, not temporary or uncertain.”

A. “Indwelling” is plain, literal fact. Not just an influence we learned to mimic.
B. JC doesn’t influence like Socrates does. Col. 1:19, 2:9 same verb! So what?
C. God wants His Son to be able to make His place within us. Jesus never has to stand at the door to knock since He came in a long time ago and never left.

3. How can He live in my heart? (Rom. 10:17, Gal. 4:19) One thing to be immersed
into Him, another to live so He is formed and seen living in me. But it can happen!

4. People change people. Ever known one to act differently in your house?

A. Jesus should have changed us noticeably. How we talk, relate, interact, work.
B. We want to shut out the bad, bring in the good, because of who I take with me.
C. By following this rule, it starts to come naturally because of who guides me now.

II. YOU CAN SHOW THE WORLD TODAY CHRIST LIVES IN YOUR HEART.

1. Heart is fragile. Give it to Him, He’ll rule thoughts, give soft conscience, bring peace.

2. He is not like a man who rents a room, but doesn’t care or identify with surroundings.

A. We let Him in and say “Make me yours” He transforms his space to be like Him.
B. We sing it “He lives within my heart”…Now we see the power in letting Him!

III. YOU CAN SHOW CHRIST IS ALIVE AND YOUR FAITH PROVES IT!

1. Think how important your faith is. Biblically? (Heb. 11:6, Jn. 3:18, 8:24, Acts 16:31)

A. Fact: What one does or doesn’t believe leads to action/character.
B. Faith/conduct not important only before conversion but after. (2 C. 5:7, I Pet. 1:18)
C. World isn’t blind! The more we show Him, the more changes can be made.
D. Lets show: “I believe…trust in…rely on…know...hold…obey…from inside out.”

IV. WE WILL WHEN WE REMEMBER THE BLESSINGS THAT COME!

1. Ever wish you could always be like you are sometimes? (Heb. 13:8, I Cor. 15:58)

2. I can have deeper understanding. (Acts 10:34) Peter’s experience enabled to see truth.

A. Someone said, “Christianity is reproduction of life of JC in human heart.”
B. ARE YOU BIG ENOUGH TO ALLOW THAT?

3. Who in here doesn’t want to know the love and fullness of God? (3:19)

A. “Have thine own way Lord…” We are painters on spiritual canvas of soul!
B. What are you drawing? Think JC ever says “Wider, longer, stronger, bolder?”
C. Maybe our concept of JC or Christianity is too small and so we LOVE the idea of salvation but fail to grasp the greatness of life that God intended.
D. JESUS CAME TO DWELL IN YOU…IS HE WHERE HE BELONGS?