Romans 8:1-17 "Internal Combustion"

I was hoping that nobody would play on the pun of today’s date until now. Somebody with more time than I have has clipped every time this phrase appears in the Star Wars movies:

https://youtu.be/VH83SsL_fIQ?si=TatJxJnVWusf6zNP

Over the next 2 weeks graduates will be encouraged to maximize every opportunity to make the most of their lives and to make a difference in our world. Much of the plot of the George Lucas collection of movies invokes some mystical power that can be either light or dark that leads to victory over one’s enemies.

  Many consider religious meetings as a place to recharge one’s batteries for a week of living. Some recharge once or twice a year. Some recharge every 3-4 weeks, when I was a kid Sunday morning, Sunday night and midweek prayer meeting were considered the norm [3 to Thrive]. But did God ever intend for us to depend upon rechargeable batteries?

As some promote the move toward electric vehicles, the cost of EVs, the availability of charging stations, the range batteries, and the time necessary to recharge have led many to continue to look toward internal combustion engines.

As I have been intrigued by old westerns in recent years (is that a sign I’m getting old?), much of the debate between horses and the Model A had to do with distance. Mrs. Budke is learning how hard and how long her horse can run, but a car with internal combustion can keep on going as long as there is fuel available.

As long as you keep taking in the fuel of God’s Truth, His Spirit can use that truth to equip you with the strength, the resolve and the wisdom to accomplish all that He requires of us.As long

TRANSITION: My thesis this morning is that God does not intend for your spiritual life to run on rechargeable batteries; He desires to place a power plant within you that is sufficient for any task.

Life on an Elevated plane (Ro 8:1-4)

Last week we focus on the frustrations of falling short of our own hopes and desires. This week we see the hope of God’s intent and the confidence of being in Christ—it is not what I bring to the relationship, it is what He provides. What I bring is frustrating failure, what He supplies is victorious grace.

2 weeks ago on Easter we talked about the life that we can have after sin has died (or Christ died for sin on our behalf). Today Paul picks up that thought of a new life after death.

He provides a position that is above the muck and the mire of human failure.

I have never owned or needed a pair of muck boots. I have owned snow boots. I have owned rain boots. I have owned rubber overshoes. I’ve owned combat boots. I own hiking boots. I currently own cowboy boots, but I’ve never owned muck boots—a sign that I am not a Chase County native. As a matter of fact, I never heard of muck boots until moving to cattle country.

The term “muck” is often paired with another 4-letter m word—”mire”. I learned something new this week. What is the difference between “muck” and “mire”? According to the definitions I found muck is dirt, rubbish or waste, and mire is wet or soggy land.

A quick read of the end of Ro 7 exposes what John Bunyan called the slough of despair, the muck and mire of human attempts at goodness. In Bunyan's allegory, it's a bog where the protagonist, Christian, sinks under the weight of his sins and guilt.

In contrast to the slough, God places His child on a raised platform, the boardwalk if you will.

God does for us, through Christ, what we can never do for ourselves.

look with me at verse 3

Romans 8:3 ESV:2016

For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,

2. Resolve, rule-following, giving up for lent, re-committing at camp each year are not “bad” they just don’t last.

They may power your flashlight for an hour or two, but the batteries drain quicker than store brand AAs.

Life as my own Endeavor (Ro 8:5-8)

Today’s text does not appear out of the blue. It builds on everything that has been said in the previous 7 chapters. We have come to identify that no matter how talented, how resources, how intelligent, how strong, how nice you may be; EVERY one of us has a problem with sin and that sin ALWAYS leads to death. The Good news, the Gospel, is that God provides an alternative.

This reminds me of the stubborn cowboy who went to the doctor and said, “Doc, whenever I bend my elbow like this, it gives me a strong stabbing pain”. The doc felt around, looked up something in his laptop, then said “Stop bending your elbow like that. You can pay my nurse on your way out.”

Sometimes all that is necessary is to stop one path and start another!

Tuesday of this week I thought I’d be a nice guy and take my wife out for lunch. We headed toward Council Grove, we spent 20 minutes watching a team of cowboys try to get one stubborn calf across the highway before they opened the gate and let him back into the pasture he had come from, then we proceeded North.

I got up to the Division Ranch when I realized, if I stay on this path I will not get the lunch that I desire. Saddlerock Cafe is closed on Tuesdays. I was on a futile expedition that was going to require more time and would not satisfy in the end. I determined to turn around and head for another destination.

Ro 8:5-8 says that you can keep on your own path and get nothing, or you can take a new direction which will be a more enjoyable journey with a much better outcome!

If I keep doing in my own strength all I’m doing is generating a box of used batteries.

TRANSITION: the alternative route is to allow internal combustion of God’s Spirit to provide the power for your decisions and actions.

Life depending upon His Engine (Ro 8:9-11)

The Spirit indwells (Ro 8:9)

Ro 8.3 tells us that God does what we cannot do.

It has been said that Christianity is not about making bad people good. It is about making dead people alive!

When we come to the point when we admit that I have sinned, and I keep on sinning. When I agree with God about the way that He sees me and decide to receive His free gift of forgiveness and redemption. Just as the Spirit raised Jesus on the first Easter, the Spirit takes up residence in each of us and gives new life.

Jesus Himself described it this way when He made the declaration

John 5:24 ESV:2016

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

and when the Spirit indwells, He give life AND the power over sinful choices and behaviors.

The Spirit gives (Ro.8.11)

The life I see described in v.11 is not only life after the grave. I read that it is the ability to live while we are still in our mortal bodies.

His indwelling presence answers our prayers (Mark 11:24)

His indwelling presence gives victory over temptation (Ro 8:31)

His indwelling presence gives peace that surpasses understanding (Phil 4.7)

His indwelling presence gives assurance amidst doubts (Phil 1.6)

His indwelling presence gives healing over sickness (Jas 5.15)

His indwelling presence overcomes the world with its discouragement and disillusion (1 Jn 5.4)

His indwelling presence makes us more than conquerors. (Ro 8.37)

I’ve been on teams that could not win a game and were mercy-ruled more than playing full games; and I’ve been on teams that dominate. I’ll admit it is a whole lot more fun to be on the 2nd type of team. These verses in the middle of this section tell us how to make the roster of the winning team.

TRANSITION: Winning in this life is not the end though. because...

Life rewarded in His Eternal Family (Ro 8:12-17)

In Ancient Judaism (OT) adoption was rare because property was connected to tribal distribution and reverted to the tribe in the year of Jubilee. Care for orphans and widows happened within the extended family (as in the story of Ruth and a Kinsman redeemer). However by the time of the NT in the Graeco-Roman world adoption became a common legal practice.

Citizenship and family holdings became much more important. The differences between slave and free, foreigner and citizen had much stronger importance (as in Paul asserting his Jewish credentials in Acts 22 & Phil 3; then asserting his Roman citizenship in Acts 16 & 23).

Family guarantees Relationship (Ro 8:14-16)

Young adults (graduates) frequently invest late teens and early 20’s to “find themselves”, then when starting family of their own they are reminded of the value of the clan to which they belong.

I would not be surprised if each of our soon-to-be graduates will hear sometime in the next month, “Spread your wings and fly, but remember where you come from.”

A not infrequent theme in modern Christian music is to recall thoughts like “it not because of what I’ve done, but because of whose I am” or “I am loved by you, it’s who I am” or “I am made in the image of a perfect God.”

3. As each of us seeks to find our place in the world, being part of God’s family gives us roots and stability no matter where we may go or what we may do.

Family guarantees Inheritance (Ro 8:17)

fellow heirs with Christ - I’ve spent 55 years and I am still coming to terms with the the idea that the eternal God is going to entrust to us the same riches as His only begotten Son; the one whom Philippians 2 describes as

Philippians 2:9–10 ESV:2016

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

2. As children we ask to be excused from the table or raise our hand to be allowed to speak in class or to visit the restroom. Those who have identified with Christ in his death to sin are raised with authority over sin and the enemies of God.

Just as the reference to Star Wars is younger than many who are listening to me today, this next illustration will probably only connect with those who are older than the Star Wars generations. Remember the episode of the Andy Griffith Show where Gomer learned that Barney had to follow the rules? The episode concludes with Gomer running down the street yelling “citizen’s arrest! citizen’s arrest!”

3. Being part of God’s family does not give us authority to make a “citizen’s arrest”, it gives us authority to make a royal edict!

4. Being part of God’s family is not about inheriting stuff (streets of gold and a heavenly dwelling may be nice, but) being entitled with authority to rule and reign over all creation in the new Heaven and new earth is much more valuable.

5. Inheriting authority is unbelievable, but even greater is the privilege of being in the presence of God for eternity. What makes heaven so inviting is not the comfort or wealth, it is the companionship of our Father and the Bridegroom. I certainly have questions for Samson, Jonah & Daniel. I long to visit with Peter, James and John. But being free from the presence of sin and being in perfect union with the triune God will be glory for me!

Conclusion:

I anxiously anticipate what it will be to have my full inheritance as an heir of God and to fully enjoy intimacy with the God who created us and the Son who redeemed us, but in the meantime we get to enjoy life in the Spirit!

Right now you can experience liberty from the condemnation or guilt of sin. Right Now you can experience the overcoming power of life within the Spirit!

Light & Lamp Application:

Light for my Path

The abundant life (Jn 10.10) moves from guilt and defeat to forgiveness and power.

Lamps for my Steps

When tempted to despair, remember “no condemnation”

When Satan discourages, claim your inheritance.

Start each day by asking God’s Spirit, “How can we demonstrate authority today?”