We Have a Relationship
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Is This Worth It?
Is This Worth It?
Why are we here today? Every Sunday?
If there’s really no good reason to be here today, then there’s no good reason to be here any Sunday.
This is the Sunday that makes it worth being the other 51, if it’s true.
If Jesus didn’t walk out of the grave this is a colossal waste of time.
Paul addressed this here:
1 Corinthians 15:
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
Faith is futile. Exercise in futility. On the gerbil wheel.
The dead will stay dead. There’s no afterlife and no way to get there if there is.
We are to be pitied.
Pity
So all this is a waste of time IF Jesus has not been raised from the dead. A huge IF.
B/C He has.
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
1 Corinthians 15:21-
How does Paul know? He saw Him. He was an eye-witness.
B/C Jesus walked out of His grave He has a profound impact on our daily lives. Not only is it worth it to be here today, and every Sunday, but it’s worth committing to a daily walk w/ God.
This is Paul’s experience that he wrote about in about how a daily walk w/ God changed His life.
Jesus walking out of the grave was the first step. Next there’s Paul’s faith. Then, there’s how he lived his life.
B/C Jesus walked out of the grave we can have a relationship w/ Him and this relationship will have a profound effect on our daily lives.
No Condemnation
No Condemnation
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.
Romans
(Recap Friday)
Paul, an expert in the law as Pharisee. Wealthy b/c of his position.
He gave up his wealth and authority to follow Jesus.
Obviously, kept his knowledge of the law.
Then, as a new follower of Jesus, he did his best to keep the law that he was so familiar w/.
Having given up all his wealth, and seeing all of his Pharisee friends still very wealthy; his commitment to keep the 10 commandments, including “You should not covet” created a significant conflict in his spirit.
By focusing on the law, the rule, he found he couldn’t keep the rule.
So, he broke the rule that he so desperately wanted to keep and felt guilty about it. He condemned himself as guilty.
It dogged him. It defined him early in his christian life. He couldn’t shake the self-condemnation.
. But as he matured as a Christian, he was able to write .
God doesn’t condemn us. So, if God doesn’t condemn us, why do we condemn ourselves for the things we do?
Why doesn’t God condemn us now? B/C of the relationship we have w/ Him by faith.
Sure, we do things that hurt Him. But, b/c of the relationship we have he disciplines , he doesn’t condemn.
He disciplines those He loves. It’s a growth opportunity.
B/C we love Him, we want to do less that hurts Him. How do we do that?
Not by focusing on the rules, but by focusing on the relationship.
Live by the Spirit
Live by the Spirit
For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Romans 8:
Paul realized that by focusing on the rule, it only made him break the rule.
But, by focusing on his relationship w/ God, daily, minute by minute, at the end of the day he hadn’t broken any rules.
Okay, we still break rules from time to time. And the law required a death for every broken rule.
So, when, by faith you accept Jesus’ death for your broken rules, the law is fulfilled. No condemnation.
Then, by living according to the spirit, which is a moment by moment thing, you break fewer rules.
So, the rules you break are atoned for, but you break fewer rules by not focusing on the rules but the relationship
Less reason for guilt, less guilt.
In raising my kids and grand kids, we have to have some rules.
If I make a big deal about them keeping the rules and not spend much time playing w/ them, doing what they want to do, basic relationship-building activities, they are much more likely to rebel and break all my rules.
If I make a big deal about the relationship building stuff, I won’t need as many rules, and at the end of the end of their childhood they will have ended up more obedient and less rebellious.
Jesus made this possible only after being raised from the dead and sending the HS to us.
But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.
We can walk in the Spirit, break fewer rules, have the rules we break be atoned for all b/c Jesus made it possible.
So, how do we break fewer rules by walking in the Spirit and not focusing on the rules?
Our desires change.
Desires Change
Desires Change
Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.
The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.
Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Romans 8:
When we walk in the Spirit or take delight in the Lord, He changes the things we desire to be the things He desires for us.
From Ephesians: Mind and Will.
Your mind is your evaluator and your will is your chooser.
Your will, will automatically choose what your mind evaluates as best for you.
Before we’re saved, we’re strictly selfish, looking out for ourselves. So, we choose what we want for ourselves.
When we come to Christ, we discover a Savior Who sacrificed what He wanted for us. We evaluate things differently.
Our will, will choose what’s best for us, but our mind may well evaluate that the best decision is the sacrificial one.
We know it ends up working out better for us b/c we know it worked out better for Jesus. He walked out of the grave. We will, too.
So, I can sacrifice now, for my wife, kids, church, friends, whatever, b/c I know everything will work out good for me in the end.
Here, Paul says, those who live according to the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.
We make better choices.
Therefore, behavior changes. We look different.
We already look different to God b/c the HS changed how we look on the inside.
Then, we live in the Spirit, He changes what we want for ourselves, we make better choices, look different than before, break fewer rules, experience less guilt and more peace.
We supernaturally want to make better decisions w/out even trying.
And, we live forever
We Live Forever
We Live Forever
You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
Romans 8:
How do you know that you’re going to live forever after your body dies here on earth?
B/C we know Jesus lives today even after His body died here on earth.
We’re not just biding our time, waiting to live then. We live now.
Granted, it’s just a fraction of the life we’ll experience then, but we live now.
We are alive, our marriages live and survive, our church is alive, and this community lives b/c ppl who are alive live here.
All of this is possible b/c we have relationship w/ our risen Savior.
Don’t focus on the rules, focus the attention of your life on your relationship w/ Jesus.
Jesus walking out of the grave was the first step. Next there’s our faith. Then, there’s how we live our life.
B/C Jesus walked out of the grave we can have a relationship w/ Him and this relationship has a profound effect on our daily lives.
The profound difference in the lives of believers is also proof that He walked out of his grave.
Today, we celebrate our Risen Lord.
Applications
Applications
Walk daily
Walk daily
Every day focus your attention on the relationship you have with Jesus.
He is our reference point. Align yourself daily, square yourself. He is true. When aligned w/ Him your life will be true.
As you walk w/ Him, your desires will change and you’ll make better decisions.
So you can...
Live today like you’ll live forever
Live today like you’ll live forever
These are the decisions we make moment by moment.
Every decision you make should reflect your belief that this life isn’t it.
We can sacrifice what we feel like we want today b/c we know that when we get to heaven we’re going to get more than we could ever imagine we’d want.
Sacrifice makes a marriage live. Makes a church live, a community, and extended family.
Daily walk
Daily walk
Live today like you’ll live forever by sacrificing today knowing you’ll get more forever.
No condemnation
No condemnation
God no longer condemns you. Don’t condemn yourself.
One of the things that’s most defeating in this life is our self-condemnation for things that we’ve done in our past.
God doesn’t condemn you. He saved you and gave you a new ID.
We allow bad decisions from our past to define us in our present. They don’t have to.
God gave us a new definition when first came to believe that Jesus died on the cross, walked out His grave, and did it for me.
The cross. The things that dog us are in front of the cross.
Our new ID is behind the cross.
Come for communion and take a name tag from the back of the cross b/c Jesus has given you a new ID.
Let go of the old. Embrace the new.