You Belong to Jesus
Notes
Transcript
The Scriptures
The Scriptures
So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.
Recap Using the Diagram. Where Paul has taken us thus far.
Recap Using the Diagram. Where Paul has taken us thus far.
Story
Story
Condemned.
Story about SSG Jones. I’ll never forget the look on his face when he walked in the room. He knew the game was up. He had been caught. He knew that he was about to face the music for all of the lies, hiding, and manipulation that had defined his life for the last 5 years. His story of brokenness culminated in being exposed. What
How do you think about your own story of brokenness? We all have a unique story of brokenness that is particular to us. In what ways are you terrified of being “found out”? What darkness are you holding onto?
Transition
Condemnation
Condemnation
Belonging
Belonging
“now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.”
Truth: You were made to “belong”.
Truth: You were made to “belong”.
You were made to belong to Jesus.
Belonging to Jesus means the power of the Spirit that made the Universe - the most powerful force in all the world “has freed” you.
Belonging to Jesus means the power of the Spirit that made the Universe - the most powerful force in all the world “has freed” you.
1. When you belong to Jesus you are free.
1. When you belong to Jesus you are free.
But the question is what has the power of the Spirit freed you from?
From the power of sin that leads to death.
Condemnation
Condemnation
Our unchecked path is to destruction. AKA Condemnation.
Condemnation signifies the declaring of an evildoer to be guilty; Unger, M. F., Harrison, R. K., Vos, H. F., Barber, C. J., & Unger, M. F. (1988). In The new Unger’s Bible dictionary (Rev. and updated ed.). Moody Press.
How did God make a way for broken people to belong?
How did God make a way for broken people to belong?
The Law of Moses was unable to save us.
The Law of Moses was unable to save us.
The law defined what it meant to be fully human.
The law defined what it meant to be a Hebrew. This was at the core of the Hebrew understanding of identity.
Because of the weakness of our sinful nature.
Because of the weakness of our sinful nature.
The problem was and is that no one was ever able to obey the law.
God’s standards for right living surpass our ability to follow through.
Our nature is:
Sinful - rebellious. Inclined to disobedience and self-destructive behavior.
It’s our nature.
Brokenness. Each of experiences a unique kind of brokenness. We are each inclined to make a pathway of destruction that is utterly unique.
So God
So God
So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.
God did what the law could not do.
God did what the law could not do.
God sees us in our weakness.
And he moves toward us.
To make a way.
He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have.
God sent his own son
God sent his own son
And significantly, he sent his son in a body, like the ones we have.
This is an incredible level of identification.
Our rebellion happens in our bodies. We sin viscerally. With our bodies we choose destruction:
Sexually.
Verbally.
Relationally.
Vocationally.
Monetarily.
Materially.
In that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his son as a sacrifice for our sins.
In that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his son as a sacrifice for our sins.
Our sin happens in our broken bodies.
He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.
The law laid out a “just” requirement - in other words we were made to be fully human and the law describes what that looks like. So God moved toward us - becoming fully human SO THAT he could fully demonstrate and fulfill God’s intention for people - to live a life of obedience that pleases him.
The law laid out a “just” requirement - in other words we were made to be fully human and the law describes what that looks like. So God moved toward us - becoming fully human SO THAT he could fully demonstrate and fulfill God’s intention for people - to live a life of obedience that pleases him.
What does it mean that God
What does it mean that God
God Freed us.
God Freed us.
Because of the finished work of Jesus we are now FREE to disobey our bodies and obey the Spirit - the very presence of God who now guides us because he resides in us. We belong to him.
Because of the finished work of Jesus we are now FREE to disobey our bodies and obey the Spirit - the very presence of God who now guides us because he resides in us. We belong to him.
God declared us