Born to Die

1. What are some areas in which you need to put Jesus first?
2. Why do you think it is difficult to do so in those areas?
3. What are some areas in which you have put Jesus first?
4. How does it feel to have put Him first in those areas? Can you see blessings? Do you feel better about those areas?
5. Are there areas of your life in which you do not put Jesus first and are afraid to so you do not pray about them?

Born to Die Myrrh 12.18.11 Sermon

Sometimes gifts trigger memories (Surfboard and Kenny)

Today we are going to look at the gift of Myrrh and what it should bring to memory when we hear this famous Christmas account.

Matthew 2:11 It is evident that these were more then just gifts but they were symbolic and intended to be reminders of Jesus is.

1. Myrrh is a reminder of Jesus’ death
Because myrrh was used in the embalming or anointing of the dead, it came to represent mortality, suffering, and sorrow. The Israelites used perfumed ointments of myrrh in their funeral preparations to postpone the decay and alleviate the odors of the deceased. Although less than one pound was normally used in Israelite funerary preparations, Nicodemus brought "a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds" to prepare Jesus's body for burial (John 19:39). This was to show his respect for Christ. Other people burned myrrh as incense during cremations.
This gift is a foreshowing of what is to come. Jesus’ death
John 10:14-18 Jesus lays His life down -GOSPEL-

What should our Response be to Christ’s Death?
Non-believer –should believe
Believer- Die to self – Luke 9:23-24 We are called to lay our lives down… the Christian life is about dying to self daily.

How does this work out? The simple answer is… we think of Jesus first in every area of life. QUESTIONS
- Is Jesus first in my relationships with others? Am I at odds with anyone? Dating…am I remaining pure?
- Is Jesus first in the way I use my time? Do I spend time serving? Helping others? Do I spend time in the Bible?
- Is Jesus first in the use of my finances and the resources God has blessed me with? Do I give? Do I use what I have for the benefit of others?
- Is Jesus first in my work place or school?

As a believer it is no longer my life but it should be Christ living through me. Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ it is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me, the life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me ”

T* You might say that is painful to die to self
2. Myrrh is a reminder that Jesus eases the pain.
Until the invention of morphine and other modern painkillers, myrrh was a common painkiller. In ancient times it was often mixed with wine to make the drink more potent. As was the custom among the Jews, Christ was offered "wine mingled with myrrh" to ease the pains of the cross. (Mk 15:23).
It can be difficult to die to self and live for the Lord.
-People will hassle you for not joining in with their sinful ways. -People will mock you for living a different way then they do. -You may face resistance when you are doing what is right.
Mark 15:23 Jesus refused to drink it. I would say He did this to display His reliance on the Father and Holy Spirit to get Him through this terrible experience. He didn’t rely on a painkiller.
When we feel that it is too difficult to live a Christ centered life of dying to self we need think about the how the Father is in control how the Holy Spirit is with us to guide and comfort
and that Jesus said to Paul 2 Cor 12:9 “my grace is sufficient, my power is made perfect in weakness” Jesus says to all in Matthew 11:28-30 “come to me” “my yoke is easy my burden is light” Jesus is also know as the “Great physician” who can ease our pain.
T* You might say…I can’t die to self, I need help. And I would say you are right you need to beckon the Lord daily for help
3. Myrrh is a reminder to pray. When burned as incense, myrrh is a symbol of prayers rising to heaven.
James 5:16b The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. (Who is righteous? Believers)
When you pray, rather let your heart be without words than your words without heart. ~John Bunyan

Where is your heart?
Many times we don’t go to the Lord in prayer because we really don’t want these things to change, we really don’t want to “die to self” We don’t care. Our heart is hard or cold and we become more concerned with living for ourselves.
CS Lewis in Mere Christianity shares this illustration in his chapter about “Counting the Cost” He talks about not wanting to tell his mom about having a toothache because if he lets the dentist in his mouth he will do work on other teeth and find other problems and want to correct those as well.
It is the same way with the Lord when we start to daily go to Him in prayer He is going to start to troubleshoot in areas that we did not want Him to go to. He will say “ok I took care of this area… now I am going to work on that area with you”
Lewis was saying we don’t go to the Lord because we are afraid of how He will work and what He will put to death in our lives.
Part of dying to self is being open to God’s will
Jesus was prayed before He went to the cross, He prayed because was open to the Will of the Father to lay down His life.
We need to be praying in order to be prepared for daily self death.
Prayer does not change God, but it changes him who prays. ~Søren Kierkegaard
When we hear or read the account of the Magi giving the gift of Myrrh we should remember that Jesus was born to die for us and we were born to die for Him daily and in that daily death we will truly live.
















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12.4.11 Community Group Questions

From Pastor Steve's Message
1. Have you recently had the opportunity to point someone to Jesus? How did it go?

2. What is something you commonly worship/place on the throne of your heart? What are some ways your group can think of to keep Jesus there?

3. How does it make you feel to know that because of Jesus' resurrection - we will one day be resurrected to heaven and we are Justified?

4. Does the picture of Jesus in Revelation 19:11-16 change the way you think about Jesus? Does it help you to do anything in your relationship with him?