(4.) Gal_2:20 : 'Christ Liveth in me.'
The sermon emphasizes the importance of having a deeper, spiritual connection with Christ, rather than just imitating Him, and explores the possibility of Christ dwelling in us through the Holy Spirit.
F.B. Meyer shares a profound encounter on a train, discussing the limitations of imitating Christ versus experiencing His indwelling presence. He emphasizes that true religion is not merely imitation but a binding of the heart to the Lord, allowing Christ to live through us by the Holy Spirit. Meyer reflects on the transformative power of having Christ dwell within, enabling believers to express a life that mirrors His own. He concludes with the powerful truth that being joined to the Lord makes us one spirit with Him, highlighting the intimate relationship believers can have with Christ.
Text
One day when traveling by train, a young man sat opposite me in the car, reading Thomas a Kempis' "Imitation of Christ." I knew the book, and sat beside him and said: "A grand book." He said: "Yes." Said I: "I have found something better." "Better?" "Yes." "How?" "Better for me, because I was always a poor hand at imitation. I imitated the minister with whom I settled from college, and nobody but myself and my wife ever guessed that my sermons were imitations of his. When I was a boy, my father had me taught drawing, and my master put before me something, and my copy needed to have letterpress underneath to state it was an imitation of the copy.
And when I sat down to imitate Christ, no one could have guessed what I was trying to attain. But," said I, "my young friend, if my drawing-master could have infused the spirit of his skill into my brain and hand, he could have drawn through me as fair a drawing as his own; and if my great and noble friend could have only put his spirit into me, why should I not have spoken even as he? And if instead of imitating Christ far away in the glory, He will come by the Holy Ghost and dwell in me, by His grace He shall work through my poor yielded life, a life something like His own fair life."
Christ liveth in me. Many have no idea what religion is. Religion, religo, a Latin word meaning "I bind,"--it is the binding of the heart to the Lord. :No, I recall that; it is better: "He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit." O Christ, Thou art one with me, to make me one with Thee world without end!
Sermon Outline
- I. The Limitations of Imitation
- A. Imitating others without true understanding
- B. The need for a deeper connection with Christ
- II. The Possibility of Union with Christ
- A. Christ dwelling in us through the Holy Spirit
- B. The potential for spiritual transformation
- III. The Reality of Union with Christ
- A. The binding of the heart to the Lord
- B. Becoming one spirit with Christ
Key Quotes
“If instead of imitating Christ far away in the glory, He will come by the Holy Ghost and dwell in me, by His grace He shall work through my poor yielded life, a life something like His own fair life.” — F.B. Meyer
“Christ liveth in me.” — F.B. Meyer
“O Christ, Thou art one with me, to make me one with Thee world without end!” — F.B. Meyer
Application Points
- We can experience a deeper connection with Christ by surrendering our lives to Him and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us.
- True spirituality is not about imitating others, but about being united with Christ in heart and purpose.
- As we become one spirit with Christ, we can live a life that reflects His character and brings glory to God.