Today is Good Fri\u00adday, in three days Eas\u00adter. This sequence also appli\u00ades to the per\u00adso\u00adnal and faith pro\u00adcess towards matu\u00adri\u00adty. Paul wants to expe\u00adri\u00adence the resur\u00adrec\u00adtion power of Christ. For this to hap\u00adpen, he also wants to share in his suf\u00adfe\u00adring and beco\u00adme like him even into his dying. This ser\u00admon explains the signi\u00adfi\u00adcan\u00adce of this truth for our lives.<\/p>\n
It seems to me that it hap\u00adpens more and more often that my wife Sil\u00advia says some\u00adthing about which thoughts are run\u00adning through my head at the same time. The\u00adse are not only topics that are in the air. The secret of mar\u00adria\u00adge is that we get to know each other bet\u00adter and bet\u00adter and beco\u00adme more and more like each other. \tCan you under\u00adstand Paul\u2019s desi\u00adre to share in the suf\u00adfe\u00adrings of Christ? What is behind it? Today is Good Fri\u00adday, in three days Eas\u00adter. This sequence also appli\u00ades to the per\u00adso\u00adnal and faith pro\u00adcess towards matu\u00adri\u00adty. Paul wants to expe\u00adri\u00adence the resur\u00adrec\u00adtion power of Christ. For this to hap\u00adpen, he also wants to share in his suf\u00adfe\u00adring and beco\u00adme like him even into his dying. In this ser\u00admon, the importance of this truth for\u2026<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","wpfc_preacher":[23],"wpfc_sermon_series":[72],"wpfc_sermon_topics":[],"wpfc_bible_book":[],"wpfc_service_type":[12],"class_list":["wpfc_preacher-matthias-altwegg","wpfc_sermon_series-metamorphose","wpfc-sermon-single","post-3438","wpfc_sermon","type-wpfc_sermon","status-publish","hentry","wpfc_service_type-gottesdienst"],"acf":[],"sermons_blog_filters_topics":"\t\t\t\t
\nWe have even more poten\u00adti\u00adal for simi\u00adla\u00adri\u00adty in our rela\u00adti\u00adonship with Jesus. Now that is a most attrac\u00adti\u00adve pro\u00ads\u00adpect! He is a gre\u00adat role model. In gre\u00adat aut\u00adho\u00adri\u00adty he pre\u00ada\u00adched, per\u00adfor\u00admed count\u00adless mira\u00adcles and loved peo\u00adp\u00adle uncon\u00addi\u00adtio\u00adnal\u00adly. Han\u00adging on the cross, over\u00adwhel\u00admed by pain, he for\u00adga\u00adve his exe\u00adcu\u00adtio\u00adners\u00bb ser\u00advants. Wit\u00adhout ques\u00adti\u00adon, it is wort\u00adhwhile to be trans\u00adfor\u00admed into his image in our being. Paul is of the same opi\u00adni\u00adon: \u00abYes, I want to know Christ bet\u00adter and bet\u00adter; I want to expe\u00adri\u00adence in mys\u00adelf the power with which God rai\u00adsed him from the dead [\u2026]\u00bb (Phil\u00adip\u00adpians 3:10a). And we rai\u00adse our arms and shout \u00abAmen\u00bb. But then Paul con\u00adti\u00adnues with a very chal\u00adlen\u00adging state\u00adment that sounds fier\u00adce\u00adly like a buzzkill: \u00ab[\u2026] and I want to share in his suf\u00adfe\u00adring, so that I may beco\u00adme like him even to the point of dying\u00bb (Phil\u00adip\u00adpians 3:10b NG\u00dc<\/span>). We lower our eyes and say, \u00abOh, no!\u00bb But \u2013 for an all-round Jesus-like pro\u00adject, it is neces\u00adsa\u00adry to share in his life and in his suf\u00adfe\u00adring. And \u2013 first comes Good Fri\u00adday, then Easter.
\nAt his suffering
\nPaul wants to beco\u00adme a par\u00adti\u00adci\u00adpant in Jesus\u00bb suf\u00adfe\u00adring so that he beco\u00admes more like Jesus even to the point of dying. What does it mean to share in Jesus\u00bb suffering?
\nIn bap\u00adtism we are united with Jesus and the Father in death and resur\u00adrec\u00adtion. This is con\u00adfirm\u00aded: \u00abFor through bap\u00adtism we died and were buried with Christ [\u2026]\u00bb (Romans 6:4 NLB<\/span>). Bap\u00adtism is the ritu\u00adal in which the coven\u00adant with God is sea\u00adled. A coven\u00adant is the uni\u00adon of two per\u00adsons who mer\u00adge into a new body. It is based on vol\u00adun\u00adt\u00ada\u00adry com\u00admit\u00adment to the coven\u00adant part\u00adner. A per\u00adson who is bap\u00adti\u00adsed gives hims\u00adelf to God, just as God has given hims\u00adelf to us. A coven\u00adant is the frame\u00adwork and foun\u00adda\u00adti\u00adon for a trus\u00adting, loving com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adty. In bap\u00adtism, our for\u00admer life is cru\u00adci\u00adfied with Christ (Romans 6:6).
\nTo share in His suf\u00adfe\u00adring means to give ones\u00adelf com\u00adple\u00adte\u00adly to God. The self-will, the self-rea\u00adli\u00adsa\u00adti\u00adon, the ambi\u00adti\u00adons to let one\u2019s who\u00adle life mer\u00adge with God, to ally ones\u00adelf with Him. Jesus names as a con\u00addi\u00adti\u00adon for fol\u00adlo\u00adwing Him, deny\u00ading ones\u00adelf, taking up one\u2019s cross and giving up one\u2019s life for Him (Matthew 16:24f).
\nThis does not mean that we are pale, bored and tired of life, but that we cou\u00adra\u00adge\u00adous\u00adly and joyful\u00adly give our\u00adsel\u00adves to Jesus. That we bring our money, our marital sta\u00adtus, our fri\u00adends, our pas\u00adsi\u00adons to the cross and say: \u00abHere is my money. From now on we will deci\u00adde tog\u00ade\u00adther how I use it!\u00bb The result of this sur\u00adren\u00adder is gre\u00adat free\u00addom. I no lon\u00adger have to worry, becau\u00adse the One who owns and shares all gold and sil\u00adver with me has beco\u00adme my pri\u00adva\u00adte money mana\u00adger. Mar\u00adtin Buber is repor\u00adted to have said, \u00abTo begin with ones\u00adelf, but not to end with ones\u00adelf; to start from ones\u00adelf, but not to aim at ones\u00adelf; to grasp ones\u00adelf, but not to con\u00adcern ones\u00adelf with ones\u00adelf.\u00bb Such free\u00addom will be expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adced by tho\u00adse who beco\u00adme par\u00adta\u00adkers of Jesus\u00bb suffering.
\nA few weeks ago we dis\u00adco\u00adver\u00aded that the Beati\u00adtu\u00addes (Matthew 5:1ff) are vir\u00adtu\u00ades we are to learn. One of them is cal\u00adled: Wil\u00adling\u00adness to endu\u00adre oppo\u00adsi\u00adti\u00adon for the sake of righ\u00adteous\u00adness. This is also a form of sha\u00adring in Jesus\u00bb suf\u00adfe\u00adring. Y.E. shared what this meant to him in Sudan in the ser\u00advice just a fort\u00adnight ago. His account left a deep mark on many of us and cau\u00adsed con\u00ads\u00adter\u00adna\u00adti\u00adon. Despi\u00adte unspeaka\u00adble tor\u00adment becau\u00adse of faith in Jesus Christ, he said that we should not pray for the per\u00adse\u00adcu\u00adti\u00adon to stop, but that they would have strength to per\u00adse\u00adve\u00adre. A ques\u00adti\u00adon that has been on the minds of many of us is, \u00abWould I remain faithful to Jesus in such repres\u00adsi\u00adon?\u00bb With bap\u00adtism you have actual\u00adly ans\u00adwe\u00adred that ques\u00adti\u00adon, becau\u00adse you have mer\u00adged into a new body through coven\u00adant with Jesus. We could never go through such a pres\u00adsu\u00adre situa\u00adti\u00adon on our own. But I am con\u00advin\u00adced that the coven\u00adant will bear even then! Paul also gives an impres\u00adsi\u00adve account of his per\u00adse\u00adcu\u00adti\u00adons. This enu\u00adme\u00adra\u00adti\u00adon cul\u00admi\u00adna\u00adtes in the sen\u00adtence: \u00abThrough suf\u00adfe\u00adring we con\u00adti\u00adnu\u00adal\u00adly expe\u00adri\u00adence in our own bodies the death of Christ, so that his life may also be made visi\u00adble in our bodies\u00bb (2 Corin\u00adthi\u00adans 4:10 NLB<\/span>).
\nI am very impres\u00adsed by the atti\u00adtu\u00adde of Daniel\u2019s three fri\u00adends befo\u00adre they were thrown into the fiery fur\u00adnace. They said: \u00abOur God, whom we wor\u00adship, can save us from the fiery fur\u00adnace. And if he does not, still know that we will not honour your God or wor\u00adship the gol\u00adden image\u00bb (Dani\u00adel 3:17f LUT<\/span>). What con\u00adfi\u00addence, what assu\u00adrance, what free\u00addom! Their lives are con\u00adnec\u00adted to God \u2013 what can hap\u00adpen to them? Let us prac\u00adti\u00adse the vir\u00adtue of \u00abendu\u00adring oppo\u00adsi\u00adti\u00adon for the sake of righ\u00adteous\u00adness\u00bb ear\u00adly on. Let\u2019s start in small ways: Let\u2019s cou\u00adra\u00adge\u00adous\u00adly stand up for our faith in front of our stu\u00addy or work col\u00adle\u00adagues and neighbours.
\nWhen Jesus was on the cross, he said: \u00abFather, for\u00adgi\u00adve the\u00adse peo\u00adp\u00adle, for they do not know what they are doing\u00bb (Luke 23:34 NLB<\/span>). Unbe\u00adlie\u00adva\u00adble! Even in his dying Jesus loves his enemies and beco\u00admes their advo\u00adca\u00adte. Paul wants to be like Jesus even in his dying! In such a pres\u00adsu\u00adre situa\u00adti\u00adon the deepest cha\u00adrac\u00adter of a human being is reve\u00ada\u00adled. By prac\u00adti\u00adsing vir\u00adtu\u00ades as descri\u00adbed in the Ser\u00admon on the Mount, a stead\u00adfast cha\u00adrac\u00adter emer\u00adges. This is what meta\u00admor\u00adpho\u00adsis wants.
\nOn his life
\nYes, I want to know Christ bet\u00adter and bet\u00adter; I want to expe\u00adri\u00adence in mys\u00adelf the power with which God rai\u00adsed him from the dead\u00bb (Phil\u00adip\u00adpians 3:10a NG\u00dc<\/span>). By sha\u00adring in Christ\u2019s suf\u00adfe\u00adring, Paul also wants to beco\u00adme a sha\u00adrer in his life. We do not live towards dying, but die towards life. Good Fri\u00adday is fol\u00adlo\u00adwed by Eas\u00adter. The gra\u00adve is fol\u00adlo\u00adwed by the resur\u00adrec\u00adtion. Tho\u00adse who beca\u00adme simi\u00adlar to Jesus in dying may expe\u00adri\u00adence the power of resur\u00adrec\u00adtion in all its facets. This also appli\u00ades con\u00adcre\u00adte\u00adly at the end of earth\u00adly life and is the reason why many older fol\u00adlo\u00adwers of Jesus look for\u00adward to dying. They know that they are dying towards life.
\nDivi\u00adne vita\u00adli\u00adty, howe\u00adver, does not only show its\u00adelf in God\u2019s glo\u00adry in eter\u00adni\u00adty, but alre\u00ada\u00addy now. It is like a frog that was recent\u00adly a tad\u00adpo\u00adle and now jumps head\u00adfirst from a stone into the water full of vita\u00adli\u00adty. Or like a but\u00adter\u00adfly dancing in the sun\u00adlight from one flower to the next. That is life. That is resur\u00adrec\u00adtion power. Both ani\u00admals had to go through a meta\u00admor\u00adpho\u00adsis before\u00adhand. Resur\u00adrec\u00adtion power is shown in the trans\u00adfor\u00adma\u00adti\u00adon of our being towards a divi\u00adne cha\u00adrac\u00adter. When we have made our\u00adsel\u00adves one with Jesus in bap\u00adtism, a pro\u00adcess beg\u00adins in which we learn vir\u00adtu\u00ades and form a cha\u00adrac\u00adter from them. New things beco\u00adme pos\u00adsi\u00adble. Wit\u00adhout this resur\u00adrec\u00adtion power we would have to sta\u00adte with Jere\u00admi\u00adah: \u00abCan a colou\u00adred man chan\u00adge his skin colour or a leo\u00adpard his spot\u00adted coat? Neither can you do good all at once, after you have always done evil\u00bb (Jere\u00admi\u00adah 13:23 NLB<\/span>). A chan\u00adge of cha\u00adrac\u00adter is human\u00adly impos\u00adsi\u00adble. But from the cross flows a power that makes the impos\u00adsi\u00adble pos\u00adsi\u00adble. The meta\u00admor\u00adpho\u00adsis we have been tal\u00adking about all year is not just a tuning up of our appearance, not just a colour and style con\u00adsul\u00adta\u00adti\u00adon, but a divi\u00adne super\u00adna\u00adtu\u00adral mira\u00adcle that has its root in the cross of Jesus. Whoe\u00adver beco\u00admes a par\u00adta\u00adker of Jesus\u00bb suf\u00adfe\u00adring and life is trans\u00adfor\u00admed into his glo\u00adry, his cha\u00adrac\u00adter (cf. 2 Corin\u00adthi\u00adans 3:18).
\nAno\u00adther facet of this resur\u00adrec\u00adtion life: \u00abOur for\u00admer life was cru\u00adci\u00adfied with Christ so that sin would lose its power in our lives. Now we are no lon\u00adger slaves to sin\u00bb (Romans 6:6 NLB<\/span>). When we beco\u00adme like Jesus in dying, sin loses its power over us. We can still sin, but we no lon\u00adger have to. Sin is \u2026 not dancing to the music of hea\u00adven. Tho\u00adse who have been cru\u00adci\u00adfied with Christ have clear visi\u00adon and get in touch with hea\u00adven \u2013 even in the dark moments when I sit all alo\u00adne in front of the PC<\/span> at night and surf in the wrong direc\u00adtion. Also in the world of thought. Accor\u00adding to last Sunday\u2019s ser\u00admon, bet\u00adween 50\u201380,000 thoughts buzz through our brain every day. Unfort\u00adu\u00adna\u00adte\u00adly, the\u00adre are nine times more nega\u00adti\u00adve thoughts than posi\u00adti\u00adve ones. Accor\u00adding to infor\u00adma\u00adti\u00adon from the inter\u00adnet, only 3% of our thoughts are uplif\u00adting. What a poten\u00adti\u00adal for a bet\u00adter qua\u00adli\u00adty of life! We can have our thoughts chan\u00adged to the posi\u00adti\u00adve uplif\u00adting through meta\u00admor\u00adpho\u00adsis. The ori\u00adgi\u00adnal meta\u00admor\u00adpho\u00adsis pas\u00adsa\u00adge says: \u00ab[\u2026] be trans\u00adfor\u00admed [in your being] by the rene\u00adwing of your mind\u00bb (Romans 12:2 SLT<\/span>). Our sen\u00adses con\u00adtain our thoughts. We can encou\u00adra\u00adge the trans\u00adfor\u00adma\u00adti\u00adon of our minds through gra\u00adti\u00adtu\u00adde and prai\u00adse to God.
\nLast but not least, this new life also includes the aut\u00adho\u00adri\u00adty to per\u00adform mira\u00adcles. Con\u00adnec\u00adted to Christ, we may wit\u00adness how peo\u00adp\u00adle are hea\u00adled through pray\u00ader and how bur\u00addens have to give way.
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\n\u00abYes, I want to know Christ bet\u00adter and bet\u00adter [\u2026]\u00bb (Phil\u00adip\u00adpians 3:10a NG\u00dc<\/span>). Kno\u00adwing Christ bet\u00adter and bet\u00adter \u2013 the\u00adr\u00adein lies the poten\u00adti\u00adal for life chan\u00adge! The good news is that pro\u00adfound life chan\u00adge is not some\u00adthing that will hap\u00adpen later in hea\u00adven. No, it beg\u00adins now. With Jesus, the King\u00addom of Hea\u00adven has come to us on earth.
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\nPos\u00adsi\u00adble ques\u00adti\u00adons for the small groups
\nRead Bible text: 2 Corin\u00adthi\u00adans 4:7\u201311; Phil\u00adip\u00adpians 3:10<\/p>\n
\n\tWhat does it mean con\u00adcre\u00adte\u00adly to share in the suf\u00adfe\u00adrings of Christ? Do you want that too?
\n\tHave you alre\u00ada\u00addy expres\u00adsed through bap\u00adtism that you want to die and rise with Christ? Why (not)?
\n\tHow can we expe\u00adri\u00adence the resur\u00adrec\u00adtion power? What does this have to do with metamorphosis?
\n\tHow can we know Christ bet\u00adter and better?<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"