Romans 8:12-17
Notes
Transcript
Do you every have those weeks where the sermon takes a while to work its way out
This was a difficult one to work out
I had listened to an Adrian Rodgers sermon twice this week, the same sermon
It needed to settle
This morning we get right back to the letter of Romans
With some added thoughts from Adrians Rodgers
This is only a continuation of what Paul has been speaking about
If you will remember from a few weeks ago
Paul illustrated the difference between what it is to have you mind set on the Spirit and a mind set on the flesh
Paul shared
6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,
Paul shares that the the mind set on the flesh will lead to death
The mind set on the spirit will lead to life
We know those who belong to Christ have their mind set on the Spirit
We know there are people who don’t have their mind set on the spirit, but the flesh
And church as you have heard here a few times
The Spirit will lead to life
11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
So Paul continues to explain this
And He is going to make it practical
If our mind is set on the Spirit what should that look like
How will we see the difference between the spirit and flesh
This is what Paul is setting up
To show the practical difference of someone Who’s mind is set of the Spirit vs the Flesh
Because your actions will look different
The actions of a Saved Disciple of Jesus will look different from some who has their mind set on the flesh
Wouldn’t you agree
In fact we are called and commanded to be different
Paul explains what that looks like
12 So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh—
Because of Christ we are under obligation not to the flesh
Because you have repented of your sin and trusted in Jesus you are saved
I heard a sermon from Adrian Rodgers and during the sermon he says
Salvation is free
Discipleship is costly
To be a disciple is to be a student
Paul is going to take the salvation and apply it your life
Church this is what needs to be taking
You don’t just throw around the world the word obligated
See salvation is free and church that is what you have when you have repented of your sin and trusted in Jesus
But as we talked about a few weeks ago
Salvation is much more than just a get out of hell free
Salvation when applied to your life must turn into discipleship
We are not obligated to the flesh any longer because of what Christ did on the cross and the grave
Church
Start living your life worth of what Christ did
Not that you can earn because you can’t
But church we shouldn’t waste what He did
That is the discipleship I think Paul is eluding to
But before he gets there completely
13 for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
Paul says that if you are living according to the flesh then you must die
The way to Christ is through the death of yourself
“When Christ Calls a man He bids him to come and die.” - Dietrich Bonhoeffer
To come to Christ first and formost you must come and die to yourself
24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.
You cannot live for yourself and follow after Jesus any longer
Paul is eluding that as a believer in Jesus we are to be disciples of Jesus
When you become a disciple of Christ you are no longer living for yourself
You are living for Christ
You no longer live for yourself
You no longer get to live for your own wants and desires
Paul is sharing with the Jews in Rome
That because of Christ they can be saved
Because of Christ they can now become disciples of Christ and that is the expectation after your repent of your sin and trust in Jesus
Is that you begin to live for Christ
That you become a disciple of Christ
Church it is about putting the old flesh to death
Because you have your mind set on the Spirit
What Paul is ultimately illustrated is the process of becoming a disciple of Jesus
That when you do live with your mind set on the flesh, you then put to death the things
so church
A few weeks a go you were presented with salvation
You were asked if you would like to repent of your sin and trust in Jesus
Knowing Jesus leads to life
If you have ever made that decision Paul then calls you to start to live that life of having a mind set on the flesh
Are you willing to put the things of the flesh to death and live for Jesus this morning
Paul calls those who have made that decision and have repented of their sins and trusted in Jesus
14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”
See sometimes as believers we start to listen to the lies because we operate in this lost and broken world
See in case you hadn’t known this world is lost, broken, nasty, difficult
And I would bet sometimes that as believers we forget who we belong to
Yes in the midst of operating in this lost world
You forget who you are and who you belong to
Church Paul is reminding those believers in Rome who are keeping their mind focused on the Spirit
They are sons and daughters of the most High King
Do you understand who you are that because you have repented of your sin and you have trusted Jesus
You are no longer your own
You have been made new
Paul says you have been given a new Spirit
Then he brings up adoption language
To be adopted means you cannot be written out of the will
If the will is the reward which is eternal life with Christ
Then because you have repented of your sin and trusted in Jesus
You are now an adopted son and daughter of God the Father
You cannot be removed from the will
Nothing can remove you from that, Paul will say that in short while
So as you go about your daily life
Please hear me this morning if you have repented of your sin and trusted in Jesus you are saved
You are a son and daughter of the most High King
One commentary puts it this way, “If we are to understand the gospel, we must understand its obligations. Being reconciled with God brings us peace—but it also obligates us to turn away from the deeds of the flesh and be led by the Spirit of God instead.”
Being a son and daughter of the most High King brings about life and peace
Which also obligates us to put to death the things of the flesh
Church which is the process of being a disciple of Jesus
If we truly want to run after Jesus which always leads to life, we must come and die
So that we can truly live through Christ
Paul continues
16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.
Paul shares that if we have repented of our sins and trusted in Jesus
We are sons and daughters of the most High King
We have been adopted by the death and resurrection of Christ
Paul says that as heirs with Christ
We will get the same with as Christ
See Christ was hated and persecuted to the point of death on the cross
Church let me be clear following Jesus will cost you
18 “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.
Church understand if the world hates you
If you are persecuted know that they hated and persecuted Christ first
Church don’t be surprised when because you are following Jesus you encounter difficulties, persecution, and hate from this world
See following Jesus will cost you
Paul calls us to set our minds on the things of the Spirit
That will lead to life
Because we have done that we are obligated to put to death the things of our flesh
Church following Jesus will cost you
This morning as we come to our invitation
It is an invitation to come to KNOW Jesus personally
This morning to repent of your sin and to trust Jesus for the first time in your life
There will be someone who can talk with you and pray with you as you make that decision
It is also an invitation to as Dietrich Bonhoeffer said come and die this morning
To put the things of the flesh to death
Church to be a disciple a student of Christ this morning
Would you be obedient this morning
The altar is open
