Curfew Shall Not Ring Tonight

duction - Begin Cromwell Story

What is the greatest thing that has ever been written? Let me take you back to 2004. Let's throw the picture up there. Yeah there it is. So! Little Sam in third grade. My teacher Mrs. Schnakenberg announces to us all one day that next week we'd be going to Wollaroc State park. Oh yeah... the annual elementary field trip to Wolloroc to learn about our great state of Oklahoma. There was tomahawk throwing, basket weaving, teepee building, petting zoos, cow patty throwing contests (one of my few athletic successes mind you. Two years back to back champ), and then... there was CiCi's pizza. Oh man, I feel so bad for the workers at cicis that day. to have about 150 elementary students flood your doors to get some pizza and play games. But in addition to all that... I know, I know. What could possibly be better than hurling cow poop and tomahawks and stuffing yourself with pizza till you literally vomit? Well I'll tell you. Peighton Cox. Yeah throw that picture up there. Look at that bleach blonde hair and crooked teeth. That was enough to make third grade Sam go weak in the knees. And I... I had worked up the courage. I'd been planning this all day... guys this is so good. When we were assigned teams for the field trip I stood at a place in line so that Peighton and I would get on the same team. So we were put on the same team and she followed me around all day fixated on my hotness. She watched me throw tomahawks like a viking warrior, build teepees like a gruff outdoorsman and sling cow patties like a... well like a third grade boy. Finally we got to cicis and the time had come. I pulled her aside and leaned on a video game machine and said "Sup girl... I like you. Do you like me?" She giggled and ran away. Her friend Rachel came up and said, "she'll tell you in twenty minutes. Wait here." So I grabbed a seat just outside of the arcade and an eternity later Rachel sits back down... and ever so smoothly slips me a little piece of paper... I open it up... my fingers tingling with anticipation. And I read... the greatest thing ever written... I Like you too. With a little heart over the lowercase i in the word like. I jumped out of my seat ecstatic! Why wasn't Rachel rejoicing with me I wondered. Where was my new girlfriend? Why wasn't she here smothering me in kisses and clinging to my bulging biceps? Rachel looks solemn and says "turn the paper over." I turn it over and it says one word that broke my little heart into a million pieces... "NOT!" with a little heart after it. I was absolutely crushed. I had been duped. Deceived, tricked, fooled, ever so maliciously. I cried. See Peighton's opinion of me defined who I was as a third grader. It defined my opinion of myself. And it was a bad one. As humans we are naturally inclined to let others opinions of us define us. That's why when my mom slipped me a note that evening that read "I will always like you..." and I turned the note over and it didn't say "NOT" it said "I will always love you." My spirits were lifted. Who defines you, Christian? Let Christ's opinion of you define you, I implore you. And what is Christ's opinion of you?... For that... we turn to one of the greatest pieces of literature ever composed... Romans. Chapter 8. Let's dive in. (PRAY)

What is the greatest thing that has ever been written? Let me take you back to 2004. Let's throw the picture up there. Yeah there it is. So! Little Sam in third grade. My teacher Mrs. Schnakenberg announces to us all one day that next week we'd be going to Wollaroc State park. Oh yeah... the annual elementary field trip to Wolloroc to learn about our great state of Oklahoma. There was tomahawk throwing, basket weaving, teepee building, petting zoos, cow patty throwing contests (one of my few athletic successes mind you. Two years back to back champ), and then... there was CiCi's pizza. Oh man, I feel so bad for the workers at cicis that day. to have about 150 elementary students flood your doors to get some pizza and play games. But in addition to all that... I know, I know. What could possibly be better than hurling cow poop and tomahawks and stuffing yourself with pizza till you literally vomit? Well I'll tell you. Peighton Cox. Yeah throw that picture up there. Look at that bleach blonde hair and crooked teeth. That was enough to make third grade Sam go weak in the knees. And I... I had worked up the courage. I'd been planning this all day... guys this is so good. When we were assigned teams for the field trip I stood at a place in line so that Peighton and I would get on the same team. So we were put on the same team and she followed me around all day fixated on my hotness. She watched me throw tomahawks like a viking warrior, build teepees like a gruff outdoorsman and sling cow patties like a... well like a third grade boy. Finally we got to cicis and the time had come. I pulled her aside and leaned on a video game machine and said "Sup girl... I like you. Do you like me?" She giggled and ran away. Her friend Rachel came up and said, "she'll tell you in twenty minutes. Wait here." So I grabbed a seat just outside of the arcade and an eternity later Rachel sits back down... and ever so smoothly slips me a little piece of paper... I open it up... my fingers tingling with anticipation. And I read... the greatest thing ever written... I Like you too. With a little heart over the lowercase i in the word like. I jumped out of my seat ecstatic! Why wasn't Rachel rejoicing with me I wondered. Where was my new girlfriend? Why wasn't she here smothering me in kisses and clinging to my bulging biceps? Rachel looks solemn and says "turn the paper over." I turn it over and it says one word that broke my little heart into a million pieces... "NOT!" with a little heart after it. I was absolutely crushed. I had been duped. Deceived, tricked, fooled, ever so maliciously. I cried. See, Peighton's opinion of me defined who I was as a third grader. It defined my opinion of myself. And it was a bad one. As humans we are naturally inclined to let others' opinions of us define us. That's why when my mom slipped me a note that evening that read "I will always like you..." and I turned the note over and it didn't say "NOT" it said "I will always love you." My spirits were lifted. Who defines you, Christian? Let Christ's opinion of you define you, I implore you. And what is Christ's opinion of you?... For that... we turn to one of the greatest pieces of literature ever composed... Romans. Chapter 8. Let's dive in.

Topic/Text:

(PRAY)

Form: Expository

Alright guys, is a long chapter and we've got a lot of ground to cover. So we're gonna divide it up into three sections here. tells Christians of their new life in the Holy Spirit under the new covenant. tells Christians about our present suffering and future glory. celebrates our justification. All of these sections answer the question, who is God? And what is his opinion of humankind? How does God think about us? Let's get in to section one.

So here’s some background. A quick refresher about where we are at. Remember, Romans is a pastoral defense of God’s saving righteousness. Paul writes to a group of people who are divided and he uses the gospel to say you shouldn’t be divided. Be unified so that the gospel can go to the ends of the earth. In chapters 6 and 7, Paul has answered possible objections to his teaching in chapter 5 that Christians who have been justified by faith have full assurance of being saved in the last day. Neither sin (ch. 6) nor the law (ch. 7) can stand in the way of our ultimate vindication. In chapter 8, Paul takes up the theme of assurance once again. “No condemnation” is the great claim that stands over all of the chapter. Especially important is the introduction of a new “power” on the scene: the Holy Spirit. Mentioned in passing in 7:6, the Spirit’s work is the focal point of the chapter. It is because of the Spirit’s powerful influence that the believer can experience the blessings of salvation both now and into the future. tells Christians of their new life in the Holy Spirit under the new covenant. tells Christians about our present suffering and future glory. celebrates our justification. All of these sections answer the question, who is God? And what is his opinion of humankind? How does God think about us? Let's get in to section one.

-Exposition

Audience: Sunday Morning Adults, SCOG

-The Holy Spirit and the Blessings of the New Covenant - Life in the Spirit -DO THIS REAL QUICKLY.... MAYBE DON'T EVEN READ IT - Hit the six points - Illustrate - Apply - done (5 minutes) - God the Father

discusses six new-covenant blessings to the believer that proceed from the Spirit: justification (v. 1), obedience (vv. 2–8, 12–13), indwelling (vv. 9–10), resurrection (v. 11), adoption (vv. 14–16), and inheritance (v. 17).

-First, the Spirit is the one who places the sinner into Christ at the moment of faith, at which time God declares that person justified in anticipation of judgment day. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.(8:1).

C. Marvin Pate, Romans, ed. Mark L. Strauss and John H. Walton, Teach the Text Commentary Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2013), 167.

-Second, the Spirit is the one who fulfills the prophecies of the new covenant: through Christ he resides within the people of God, giving them the power to obey all the law of Moses envisioned but without being under the law (8:2–8, 12–13). This is important to note, because Paul does not suggest that the believer has no responsibility to live a holy life. No, he wants very much that you live a holy life. Though, he knows all too well that the flesh is incapable of obeying the law. Only through the enabling Holy Spirit does one find the capacity to please God. Let me say all that more simply: YOU CAN LIVE A HOLY LIFE. Enough of this, "Oh I'm just a sinner." No, stop it. You can live a holy life. How? 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 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, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Pick up in verse 12. 12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

discusses six new-covenant blessings to the believer that proceed from the Spirit: justification (v. 1), obedience (vv. 2–8, 12–13), indwelling (vv. 9–10), resurrection (v. 11), adoption (vv. 14–16), and inheritance (v. 17).

Alright guys, is a long chapter and we've got a lot of ground to cover. So we're gonna divide it up into three sections here. tells Christians of their new life in the Holy Spirit under the new covenant. tells Christians about our present suffering and future glory. celebrates our justification. All of these sections answer the question, who is God? And what is his opinion of humankind? How does God think about us? Let's get in to section one.

*Note: Bring a quarter

-First, the Spirit is the one who places the sinner into Christ at the moment of faith, at which time God declares that person justified in anticipation of judgment day (8:1).

-Second, the Spirit is the one who fulfills the prophecies of the new covenant: through Christ he resides within the people of God, giving them the power to obey all the law of Moses envisioned but without being under the law (8:2–8, 12–13). This is important to note, because Paul is not antinomian; that is, he does not advocate that the believer has no responsibility to live a holy life. Rather, he knows well that the flesh is incapable of obeying the law. Only through the enabling Holy Spirit does one find the capacity to please God.

-Third, the presence of the Spirit of God determines those who belong to Christ. And good news! The Spirit is for everyone! The OT Promise is fulfilled. God Himself, one third of the Trinity lives in you... God with us. Emmanuel! 9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

-Third, the presence of the Spirit of God, as mentioned above, fulfills the long-awaited Old Testament promise that God’s Spirit would be poured out beyond Israel onto all flesh (compare 8:9–10 with )—that is, those who believe in Jesus Christ.

-Fourth, the presence of the Spirit within the Christian is the deposit for the future resurrection body to be given to the believer at the return of Christ. We will rise again in a new body when the old order of things has passed away. And the Holy Spirit who lived in Jesus and raised him from the dead, also lives in us, we have a guarantee. 11 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.

-Fourth, the presence of the Spirit within the Christian is the down payment of the future resurrection body to be given to the believer at the return of Christ (compare 8:11 with ; ).

-Fifth, the indwelling Spirit gives believers the inward sense that God is their heavenly Father (8:14–16).

-Sixth, the Spirit is also proof that believers are destined for heavenly glory, all the while empowering them to suffer with Christ (8:17).

SO WHAT??

FQ: How do we live in exile?

-First, the Spirit is the one who places the sinner into Christ at the moment of faith, at which time God declares that person justified in anticipation of judgment day. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.(8:1).

-Exposition

discusses six new-covenant blessings to the believer that proceed from the Spirit: justification (v. 1), obedience (vv. 2–8, 12–13), indwelling (vv. 9–10), resurrection (v. 11), adoption (vv. 14–16), and inheritance (v. 17).

DT: Let Christ's opinion of you define you and let Christ's cross define Christ's opinion of you.

-Second, the Spirit is the one who fulfills the prophecies of the new covenant: through Christ he resides within the people of God, giving them the power to obey all the law of Moses envisioned but without being under the law (8:2–8, 12–13). This is important to note, because Paul does not suggest that the believer has no responsibility to live a holy life. No, he wants very much that you live a holy life. Though, he knows all too well that the flesh is incapable of obeying the law. Only through the enabling Holy Spirit does one find the capacity to please God. Let me say all that more simply: YOU CAN LIVE A HOLY LIFE. Enough of this, "Oh I'm just a sinner." No, stop it. You can live a holy life. How? 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 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, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Pick up in verse 12. 12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

_______________________________________________________________________________

-Third, the presence of the Spirit of God determines those who belong to Christ. And good news! The Spirit is for everyone! The OT Promise is fulfilled. God Himself, one third of the Trinity lives in you... God with us. Emmanuel! 9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

-First, the Spirit is the one who places the sinner into Christ at the moment of faith, at which time God declares that person justified in anticipation of judgment day. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.(8:1).

-Second, the Spirit is the one who fulfills the prophecies of the new covenant: through Christ he resides within the people of God, giving them the power to obey all the law of Moses envisioned but without being under the law (8:2–8, 12–13). This is important to note, because Paul does not suggest that the believer has no responsibility to live a holy life. No, he wants very much that you live a holy life. Though, he knows all too well that the flesh is incapable of obeying the law. Only through the enabling Holy Spirit does one find the capacity to please God. Let me say all that more simply: YOU CAN LIVE A HOLY LIFE. Enough of this, "Oh I'm just a sinner." No, stop it. You can live a holy life. How? 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 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, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Pick up in verse 12. 12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Introduction - Begin Cromwell Story

-Fourth, the presence of the Spirit within the Christian is the deposit for the future resurrection body to be given to the believer at the return of Christ. We will rise again in a new body when the old order of things has passed away. And the Holy Spirit who lived in Jesus and raised him from the dead, also lives in us, we have a guarantee. 11 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.

We've been in a series through the book of Romans and I have the privilege of preaching from what I believe to be some of the greatest literature ever written. Open your Bibles please to Romans chapter 8.

-Fifth, the indwelling Spirit gives believers the inward sense that God is their heavenly Father (8:14–16). They are adopted into the family of God. What would this mean for Paul's audience? Both Jews and Gentiles he was trying to unite? According to Roman custom, a father could legally adopt a boy outside the father’s family as a son. When the boy reached the age of thirteen or fourteen, the father bequeathed to his adopted son the father’s inheritance. Now God has brought all those who have the Holy Spirit indwelling them to be a part of his family regardless if they're a Jew or Gentile. Ya know, that's why we can sing "Father Abraham." 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

-Third, the presence of the Spirit of God determines those who belong to Christ. And good news! The Spirit is for everyone! The OT Promise is fulfilled. God Himself, one third of the Trinity lives in you... God with us. Emmanuel! 9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Alright guys, is a long chapter and we've got a lot of ground to cover. So we're gonna divide it up into three sections here and dive right in. tells Christians of their new life in the Holy Spirit under the new covenant. tells Christians about our present suffering and future glory. celebrates our justification. All of these sections answer the question, who is God? And what is his opinion of humankind? How does God think about us? Let's get in to section one.

-Fourth, the presence of the Spirit within the Christian is the deposit for the future resurrection body to be given to the believer at the return of Christ. We will rise again in a new body when the old order of things has passed away. And the Holy Spirit who lived in Jesus and raised him from the dead, also lives in us, we have a guarantee. 11 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.

-Sixth, the Spirit is also proof that believers are destined for heavenly glory, all the while empowering them to endure and suffer with Christ (8:17). It's an inheritance. you don't get an inheritance until someone dies. In the world you will have troubles... but fear not... HE has overcome the world. 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

-Fifth, the indwelling Spirit gives believers the inward sense that God is their heavenly Father (8:14–16). They are adopted into the family of God. What would this mean for Paul's audience? Both Jews and Gentiles he was trying to unite? According to Roman custom, a father could legally adopt a boy outside the father’s family as a son. When the boy reached the age of thirteen or fourteen, the father bequeathed to his adopted son the father’s inheritance. Now God has brought all those who have the Holy Spirit indwelling them to be a part of his family regardless if they're a Jew or Gentile. Ya know, that's why we can sing "Father Abraham." 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

-Transition

-Exposition

-Sixth, the Spirit is also proof that believers are destined for heavenly glory, all the while empowering them to endure and suffer with Christ (8:17). It's an inheritance. you don't get an inheritance until someone dies. In the world you will have troubles... but fear not... HE has overcome the world. 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

So what do we do with all of this? We know that God has blessed us by making us right with him, be becoming God with us, by adopting us into his family to live as his sons and daughters. tells us that GOD IS OUR FATHER The application is simple. Rejoice! We have a good Father. Not an evil one a good one. So Let who you belong to define who you are. Christ sees you as his child.... yet... yet there's peculiarity of verse 17... 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. Now that doesn't make sense... how? How is it that we become heirs with Christ provided that we suffer with him? It doesn't seem to fit. Here are all the blessings of the new covenant and now... now you must suffer if you want to be glorified. Why?

discusses six new-covenant blessings to the believer that proceed from the Spirit: justification (v. 1), obedience (vv. 2–8, 12–13), indwelling (vv. 9–10), resurrection (v. 11), adoption (vv. 14–16), and inheritance (v. 17).

-First, the Spirit is the one who places the sinner into Christ at the moment of faith, at which time God declares that person justified in anticipation of judgment day. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.(8:1).

-Transition

Let me deconstruct something in order to build it back up as a stronger more biblical understanding. We, particularly in a Western, especially American, worldview have the idea that all suffering is at worst evil and at best bad and something to be avoided. But is it? Is all suffering something evil? What does the Bible say about that? Now that could be an entire sermon series in and of itself but for now lets say this: In a Biblical worldview, suffering is not an evil thing that is to be avoided. Yes, suffering is still painful but it can be good. Now hang on a second here. Let's look at verse 17 again: 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. From our cultural point of view it seems that God is forcing us to go through something bad in order to get something good. As if glory were the reward for getting through the hard stuff. Now that seems like a God not worthy of worship. A god that is just like all the others. BUT! This is not the biblical view of suffering. A Biblical view of suffering is more like this (HOLD UP QUARTER) quarter. Ethan, heads or tails? (FLIP THE COIN AND CALL IT AS WHATEVER HE ASKS FOR). Ah, you win. Now even though he only called heads... there is still a tails side of the quarter. You can't ask for only heads and not get tails as well. They are inseparable. Without heads and tails you don't have a full coin. Just a shoddy replica. In the same way glory is not the reward for suffering, but part of a package deal. It's not one or the other, it's both and. It's... well, it's . 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We don't gain his life and suffering independently from each other. We gain his life and his life included suffering. But seriously... when was the last time you had to worship under ground afraid for your life? When was the last time you had rocks thrown at you or your buisness boycotted for being a Christian? When was the last time you were given a crown of thorns and hung on a tree? I doubt many of you have ever experienced that. I haven't. Does that mean that we are not gaining Christ's life because we do not suffer with him? No. Christ's Kingdom is not of this world. His suffering was not only physical. Christ cried at the tomb of Lazarus, he saw the throngs of sick and leprous and blind and mute and deaf and was troubled in his spirit. He saw the lost sheep of Israel harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. Christ's suffering was that of the divine eternal nature experiencing the temporal earthly nature. It was the suffering of seeing a child turned away from the faith... The suffering of coming to terms with the fact that world is corrupted and the human heart is a factory of idols. It's the suffering of exile. The suffering of realizing THIS IS NOT MY HOME.

So what do we do with all of this? We know that God has blessed us by making us right with him, be becoming God with us, by adopting us into his family to live as his sons and daughters. tells us that GOD IS OUR FATHER The application is simple. Rejoice! We have a good Father. Not an evil one a good one. So Let who you belong to define who you are. Christ sees you as his child.... yet... yet there's peculiarity of verse 17... 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. Now that doesn't make sense... how? How is it that we become heirs with Christ provided that we suffer with him? It doesn't seem to fit. Here are all the blessings of the new covenant and now... now you must suffer if you want to be glorified. Why?

-Transition

-Second, the Spirit is the one who fulfills the prophecies of the new covenant: through Christ he resides within the people of God, giving them the power to obey all the law of Moses envisioned but without being under the law (8:2–8, 12–13). This is important to note, because Paul does not suggest that the believer has no responsibility to live a holy life. No, he wants very much that you live a holy life. Though, he knows all too well that the flesh is incapable of obeying the law. Only through the enabling Holy Spirit does one find the capacity to please God. Let me say all that more simply: YOU CAN LIVE A HOLY LIFE. Enough of this, "Oh I'm just a sinner." No, stop it. You can live a holy life. How? 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 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, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Pick up in verse 12. 12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

-Third, the presence of the Spirit of God determines those who belong to Christ. And good news! The Spirit is for everyone! The OT Promise is fulfilled. God Himself, one third of the Trinity lives in you... God with us. Emmanuel! 9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Yet in the midst of our exile and suffering... Paul speaks up. God is not just Father He is Restorer, and Christ... is with you in your weakness.

Let me deconstruct something in order to build it back up as a stronger more biblical understanding. We, particularly in a Western, especially American, worldview have the idea that all suffering is at worst evil and at best bad and something to be avoided. But is it? Is all suffering something evil? What does the Bible say about that? Now that could be an entire sermon series in and of itself but for now lets say this: In a Biblical worldview, suffering is not an evil thing that is to be avoided. Yes, suffering is still painful but it can be good. Now hang on a second here. Let's look at verse 17 again: 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. From our cultural point of view it seems that God is forcing us to go through something bad in order to get something good. As if glory were the reward for getting through the hard stuff. Now that seems like a God not worthy of worship. A god that is just like all the others. BUT! This is not the biblical view of suffering. A Biblical view of suffering is more like this (HOLD UP QUARTER) quarter. Ethan, heads or tails? (FLIP THE COIN AND CALL IT AS WHATEVER HE ASKS FOR). Ah, you win. Now even though he only called heads... there is still a tails side of the quarter. You can't ask for only heads and not get tails as well. They are inseparable. Without heads and tails you don't have a full coin. Just a shoddy replica. In the same way glory is not the reward for suffering, but part of a package deal. It's not one or the other, it's both and. It's... well, it's . 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We don't gain his life and suffering independently from each other. We gain his life and his life included suffering. But seriously... when was the last time you had to worship under ground afraid for your life? When was the last time you had rocks thrown at you or your buisness boycotted for being a Christian? When was the last time you were given a crown of thorns and hung on a tree? I doubt many of you have ever experienced that. I haven't. Does that mean that we are not gaining Christ's life because we do not suffer with him? No. Christ's Kingdom is not of this world. His suffering was not only physical. Christ cried at the tomb of Lazarus, he saw the throngs of sick and leprous and blind and mute and deaf and was troubled in his spirit. He saw the lost sheep of Israel harrassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. Christ's suffering was that of the divine eternal nature experiencing the temporal earthly nature. It was the suffering of a child turned away from the faith... The suffering of coming to terms with the fact that world is corrupted and the human heart is a factory of idols. It's the suffering of exile. The suffering of realizing THIS IS NOT MY HOME.

-Fourth, the presence of the Spirit within the Christian is the deposit for the future resurrection body to be given to the believer at the return of Christ. We will rise again in a new body when the old order of things has passed away. And the Holy Spirit who lived in Jesus and raised him from the dead, also lives in us, we have a guarantee. 11 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.

-Transition

- Present Suffering and Future Glory - The Holy Spirit goes with us (8 minutes) - God the Restorer

-Fifth, the indwelling Spirit gives believers the inward sense that God is their heavenly Father (8:14–16). They are adopted into the family of God. What would this mean for Paul's audience? Both Jews and Gentiles he was trying to unite? According to Roman custom, a father could legally adopt a boy outside the father’s family as a son. When the boy reached the age of thirteen or fourteen, the father bequeathed to his adopted son the father’s inheritance. Now God has brought all those who have the Holy Spirit indwelling them to be a part of his family regardless if they're a Jew or Gentile. Ya know, that's why we can sing "Father Abraham." 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. God's glory is already the possession of the believer, even in this age of suffering. For the time being we endure our terrestrial suffering but while we groan... we hope. Not that we hope for something that will come in the future but for something that already lives inside of us to be completely revealed in all its celestial glory. In there are three different things that suffer and groan. This word to groan is the greek word στενάζω. In the Greek version of the Old Testament called the Septuagint this word, to groan, is used in : During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. This word means to cry out in hope for something better. Let's keep reading.

Yet in the midst of our exile and suffering... Paul speaks up. God is not just Father He is Restorer and Christ... is with you in your weakness.

-Sixth, the Spirit is also proof that believers are destined for heavenly glory, all the while empowering them to endure and suffer with Christ (8:17). It's an inheritance. you don't get an inheritance until someone dies. In the world you will have troubles... but fear not... HE has overcome the world. 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. Because of our present suffering, the very creation itself is groaning out for something better. The garden of Eden has been turned into desert and wasteland. Adam's sin brought the divine curse on the earth and not until Christ returns to restore all things will the creation cease its groaning. Notice that the creation groans as in the pains of childbirth... the pain is temporary... the joy is eternal. But even in the garden... there was hope that the Messiah would restore.. "I will put enmity between you, serpent Satan, and the woman, and between your offsprng and her offsrping.... he shall crush your head and you shall strike his heal... and his heel was stricken... "Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God and afflicted.... BUT... he was pierced.... for OUR TRANSGRESSIONs... For ours! he was crushed for our iniquites; upon him was the chastisement that brought us... peace...and with by his wounds we are healed.

-Transition

Paul continues and he says... 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons and daughters, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Not only does creation groan but so do believers inwardly groan as we wait and hope for our redemption. We groan because the indwelling of the Spirit is proof that the resurrection body awaits us. And it is this hope that sustains us in our exile... the psalmist who writes psalm 137 writes in exile... in misery... wanting nothing more but to return home... he sings, "How shall we sing the Lord's song in a foreign land?..." Oh Christian... you and I live in a foreign land... but in the deepest pit of despair.... in the darkness and loneliness of our exile.. let us cling to one another singing faithfully... Come, Lord Jesus. The song of hope, Christian, is set in the key of patience. Will you sing along? Come Lord Jesus. Maranatha.

The creation groans... believers groan... and all seems bleak... and then... oh the Bible is full of glorious "and then's" is it not? and then Paul writes 26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. I can do no better here than to quote commentator Marvin Pates: These mysterious and wonderful verses point out that the indwelling Holy Spirit groans on behalf of the believer. Such groaning, like that of creation and the Christian, is evidence of the overlapping of the two ages. The Spirit groans on behalf of the believer who suffers in this age. But the Spirit’s groaning is also a sign that the age to come has dawned. Thus, the Spirit intercedes with the Father when the believer is not sure what the will of God is. Access to the throne of God via the guidance of the Spirit assures the Christian that God hears now and will grant the glory of his Son (cf. 8:30). The Spirit who is the assurance of glory to come walks alongside of us... many times when we suffer we don't really want answers... we just want someone to go alongside of us... we want to know that no matter what happens we are secure. We want to know that no matter what happens... we will be secure...

So what do we do with all of this? We know that God has blessed us by making us right with him, be becoming God with us, by adopting us into his family to live as his sons and daughters. tells us that GOD IS OUR FATHER The application is simple. Rejoice! We have a good Father. Not an evil one a good one. So Let who you belong to define who you are. Christ sees you as his child.... yet... yet there's peculiarity of verse 17... 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. Now that doesn't make sense... how? How is it that we become heirs with Christ provided that we suffer with him? It doesn't seem to fit. Here are all the blessings of the new covenant and now... now you must suffer if you want to be glorified. Why?

Let me deconstruct something in order to build it back up as a stronger more biblical understanding. We, particularly in a Western, especially American, worldview have the idea that all suffering is at worst evil and at best bad and something to be avoided. But is it? Is all suffering something evil? What does the Bible say about that? Now that could be an entire sermon series in and of itself but for now lets say this: In a Biblical worldview, suffering is not an evil thing that is to be avoided. Yes, suffering is still painful but it can be good. Now hang on a second here. Let's look at verse 17 again: 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. From our cultural point of view it seems that God is forcing us to go through something bad in order to get something good. As if glory were the reward for getting through the hard stuff. Now that seems like a God not worthy of worship. A god that is just like all the others. BUT! This is not the biblical view of suffering. A Biblical view of suffering is more like this (HOLD UP QUARTER) quarter. Ethan, heads or tails? (FLIP THE COIN AND CALL IT AS WHATEVER HE ASKS FOR). Ah, you win. Now even though he only called heads... there is still a tails side of the quarter. You can't ask for only heads and not get tails as well. They are inseparable. Without heads and tails you don't have a full coin. Just a shoddy replica. In the same way glory is not the reward for suffering, but part of a package deal. It's not one or the other, it's both and. It's... well, it's . 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We don't gain his life and suffering independently from each other. We gain his life and his life included suffering. But seriously... when was the last time you had to worship under ground afraid for your life? When was the last time you had rocks thrown at you or your buisness boycotted for being a Christian? When was the last time you were given a crown of thorns and hung on a tree? I doubt many of you have ever experienced that. I haven't. Does that mean that we are not gaining Christ's life because we do not suffer with him? No. Christ's Kingdom is not of this world. His suffering was not only physical. Christ cried at the tomb of Lazarus, he saw the throngs of sick and leprous and blind and mute and deaf and was troubled in his spirit. He saw the lost sheep of Israel harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. Christ's suffering was that of the divine eternal nature experiencing the temporal earthly nature. It was the suffering of seeing a child turned away from the faith... The suffering of coming to terms with the fact that world is corrupted and the human heart is a factory of idols. It's the suffering of exile. The suffering of realizing THIS IS NOT MY HOME.

CONCLUSION-------

But how will we know?... How will we know that we are secure? How will we be secure in ourselves in a land that is not our own...

-Transition

One day in the third grade I told my crush Peighton Cox that I liked her. It took a lot of courage. She giggled and slipped me a little note a few minutes later and ran off. I opened it and I read the greatest 4 words ever written. "I like you too." My heart soared. And then I flipped the paper over and it said NOT!! with a little heart next to it. I was crushed. I told my mom and spent the day crying. When my mom slipped me a little note on the night that Peighton Cox dumped me... a note that said I love you on the front and I will always love you on the back with a little heart next to it... I believed her. I believed that she loved me. Why? Because her actions told me that she did.. her actions proved to me that she indeed loved me.

Yet in the midst of our exile and suffering... Paul speaks up. God is not just Father He is Restorer, and Christ... is with you in your weakness.

How do we know... how do we trust a God... who sees us in exile. Who hears us crying out to him in groans and suffering and hope... how do we trust him?... Are we not doomed to think ill of ourselves forever? It's all in vain! all in vain! I've been abandoned by Jesus and am a worthless soul and I do everything wrong and I can't get it right and I'm not good enough, not beautiful enough, not fast enough, can't provide enough, I'm not enough, not enough, not enough, NOT ENOUGH! How can we trust that God.... how do we define ourselves?

- Present Suffering and Future Glory - The Holy Spirit goes with us (8 minutes) - God the Restorer

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. God's glory is already the possession of the believer, even in this age of suffering. For the time being we endure our terrestrial suffering but while we groan... we hope. Not that we hope for something that will come in the future but for something that already lives inside of us to be completely revealed in all its celestial glory. In there are three different things that suffer and groan. This word to groan is the greek word στενάζω. In the Greek version of the Old Testament called the Septuagint this word, to groan, is used in : During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. This word means to cry out in hope for something better. Let's keep reading.

I want to close with another story and a poem. In the mid 1600's there was a civil war in England between Oliver Cromwell, the Lord Protector of England and King Charles. Cromwell sentenced a young soldier named Basil Underwood to die on accusations of espionage. Basil's fiancee Bessie begged Cromwell to save his life by giving him a pardon, but he refused. As the church sexton over and over pulled the rope at curfew, the bell remained silent. The young man’s fiancée had climbed into the bell tower and wrapped herself around the clapper to keeping it from striking the bell. She refused to let go in spite of the injuries she was incurring. When she finally climbed down to the place of execution, Cromwell, deeply impressed by such heroic and sacrificial love, commuted the sentence. The story is immortalized in a poem called “Curfew Will Not Ring Tonight,” by Rose Hartwick Thorpe.

19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. Because of our present suffering, the very creation itself is groaning out for something better. The garden of Eden has been turned into desert and wasteland. Adam's sin brought the divine curse on the earth and not until Christ returns to restore all things will the creation cease its groaning. Notice that the creation groans as in the pains of childbirth... the pain is temporary... the joy is eternal. But even in the garden... there was hope that the Messiah would restore.. "I will put enmity between you, serpent Satan, and the woman, and between your offsprng and her offsrping.... he shall crush your head and you shall strike his heal... and his heel was stricken... "Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God and afflicted.... BUT... he was pierced.... for OUR TRANSGRESSIONs... For ours! he was crushed for our iniquites; upon him was the chastisement that brought us... peace...and with by his wounds we are healed.

Slowly England's sun was setting o'er the hilltops far away,

Paul continues and he says... 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons and daughters, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Not only does creation groan but so do believers inwardly groan as we wait and hope for our redemption. We groan because the indwelling of the Spirit is proof that the resurrection body awaits us. And it is this hope that sustains us in our exile... the psalmist who writes psalm 137 writes in exile... in misery... wanting nothing more but to return home... he sings, "How shall we sing the Lord's song in a foreign land?..." Oh Christian... you and I live in a foreign land... but in the deepest pit of despair.... in the darkness and loneliness of our exile.. let us cling to one another singing faithfully... Come, Lord Jesus. The song of hope, Christian, is set in the key of patience. Will you sing along? Come Lord Jesus. Maranatha.

Filling all the land with beauty at the close of one sad day;

And its last rays kissed the forehead of a man and maiden fair --

The creation groans... believers groan... and all seems bleak... and then... oh the Bible is full of glorious "and then's" is it not? and then Paul writes 26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. I can do no better here than to quote commentator Marvin Pates: These mysterious and wonderful verses point out that the indwelling Holy Spirit groans on behalf of the believer. Such groaning, like that of creation and the Christian, is evidence of the overlapping of the two ages. The Spirit groans on behalf of the believer who suffers in this age. But the Spirit’s groaning is also a sign that the age to come has dawned. Thus, the Spirit intercedes with the Father when the believer is not sure what the will of God is. Access to the throne of God via the guidance of the Spirit assures the Christian that God hears now and will grant the glory of his Son (cf. 8:30). The Spirit who is the assurance of glory to come walks alongside of us... many times when we suffer we don't really want answers... we just want someone to go alongside of us... we want to know that no matter what happens we are secure. We want to know that no matter what happens... we will be secure...

CONCLUSION-------

He with steps so slow and weary; she with sunny, floating hair;

But how will we know?... How will we know that we are secure? How will we be secure in ourselves in a land that is not our own...

He with bowed head, sad and thoughtful, she, with lips all cold and white,

Struggling to keep back the murmur, "Curfew must not ring tonight!"

One day in the third grade I told my crush Peighton Cox that I liked her. It took a lot of courage. She giggled and slipped me a little note a few minutes later and ran off. I opened it and I read the greatest 4 words ever written. "I like you too." My heart soared. And then I flipped the paper over and it said NOT!! with a little heart next to it. I was crushed. I told my mom and spent the day crying. When my mom slipped me a little note on the night that Peighton Cox dumped me... a note that said I love you on the front and I will always love you on the back with a little heart next to it... I believed her. I believed that she loved me. Why? Because her actions told me that she did.. her actions proved to me that she indeed loved me.

"Sexton," Bessie's white lips faltered, pointing to the prison old,

How do we know... how do we trust a God... who sees us in exile. Who hears us crying out to him in groans and suffering and hope... how do we trust him?... Are we not doomed to think ill of ourselves forever? It's all in vain! all in vain! I've been abandoned by Jesus and am a worthless soul and I do everything wrong and I can't get it right and I'm not good enough, not beautiful enough, not fast enough, can't provide enough, I'm not enough, not enough, not enough, NOT ENOUGH! How can we trust that God.... how do we define ourselves?

With its walls tall and gloomy, moss-grown walls dark, damp and cold --

I want to close with another story and a poem. In the mid 1600's there was a civil war in England between Oliver Cromwell, the Lord Protector of England and King Charles. Cromwell sentenced a young soldier named Basil Underwood to die on accusations of espionage. Basil's fiancee Bessie begged Cromwell to save his life by giving him a pardon, but he refused. As the church sexton over and over pulled the rope at curfew, the bell remained silent. The young man’s fiancée had climbed into the bell tower and wrapped herself around the clapper to keeping it from striking the bell. She refused to let go in spite of the injuries she was incurring. When she finally climbed down to the place of execution, Cromwell, deeply impressed by such heroic and sacrificial love, commuted the sentence. The story is immortalized in a poem called “Curfew Will Not Ring Tonight,” by Rose Hartwick Thorpe.

"I've a lover in the prison, doomed this very night to die

Slowly England's sun was setting o'er the hilltops far away,

At the ringing of the curfew, and no earthly help is nigh.

Filling all the land with beauty at the close of one sad day;

And its last rays kissed the forehead of a man and maiden fair --

Cromwell will not come till sunset;" and her lips grew strangely white,

He with steps so slow and weary; she with sunny, floating hair;

As she spoke in husky whispers, "Curfew must not ring tonight!"

He with bowed head, sad and thoughtful, she, with lips all cold and white,

"Bessie," calmly spoke the sexton (every word pierced her young heart

Struggling to keep back the murmur, "Curfew must not ring tonight!"

Like a gleaming death-winged arrow, like a deadly poisoned dart),

"Sexton," Bessie's white lips faltered, pointing to the prison old,

"Long, long years I've rung the curfew from that gloomy, shadowed tower;

With its walls tall and gloomy, moss-grown walls dark, damp and cold --

Every evening, just at sunset, it has tolled the twilight hour.

I have done my duty ever, tried to do it just and right:

"I've a lover in the prison, doomed this very night to die

Now I'm old, I will not miss it. Curfew bell must ring tonight!"

At the ringing of the curfew, and no earthly help is nigh.

Cromwell will not come till sunset;" and her lips grew strangely white,

Wild her eyes and pale her features, stern and white her thoughtful brow,

As within her secret bosom, Bessie made a solemn vow.

As she spoke in husky whispers, "Curfew must not ring tonight!"

She had listened while the judges read, without a tear or sigh,

"Bessie," calmly spoke the sexton (every word pierced her young heart

"At the ringing of the curfew, Basil Underwood must die."

Like a gleaming death-winged arrow, like a deadly poisoned dart),

"Long, long years I've rung the curfew from that gloomy, shadowed tower;

And her breath came fast and faster, and her eyes grew large and bright;

One low murmur, faintly spoken. "Curfew must not ring tonight!"

Every evening, just at sunset, it has tolled the twilight hour.

I have done my duty ever, tried to do it just and right:

She with quick step bounded forward, sprang within the old church-door,

Now I'm old, I will not miss it. Curfew bell must ring tonight!"

Left the old man coming slowly, paths he'd trod so oft before.

Wild her eyes and pale her features, stern and white her thoughtful brow,

Not one moment paused the maiden, But with eye and cheek aglow,

Staggered up the gloomy tower, where the bell swung to and fro;

As within her secret bosom, Bessie made a solemn vow.

As she climbed the slimy ladder, on which fell no ray of light,

She had listened while the judges read, without a tear or sigh,

"At the ringing of the curfew, Basil Underwood must die."

Upward still, her pale lips saying, "Curfew shall not ring tonight!"

And her breath came fast and faster, and her eyes grew large and bright;

She has reached the topmost ladder, o'er her hangs the great dark bell;

Awful is the gloom beneath her, like the pathway down to hell.

One low murmur, faintly spoken. "Curfew must not ring tonight!"

See! the ponderous tongue is swinging; 'tis the hour of curfew now,

She with quick step bounded forward, sprang within the old church-door,

Left the old man coming slowly, paths he'd trod so oft before.

And the sight has chilled her bosom, stopped her breath, and paled her brow.

Not one moment paused the maiden, But with eye and cheek aglow,

Shall she let it ring? No, never! Her eyes flash with sudden light,

Staggered up the gloomy tower, where the bell swung to and fro;

As she springs, and grasps it firmly: "Curfew shall not ring tonight!"

Out she swung -- far out. The city seemed a speck of light below --

As she climbed the slimy ladder, on which fell no ray of light,

Upward still, her pale lips saying, "Curfew shall not ring tonight!"

There twixt heaven and earth suspended, as the bell swung to and fro.

She has reached the topmost ladder, o'er her hangs the great dark bell;

And the sexton at the bell-rope, old and deaf, heard not the bell,

Sadly thought that twilight curfew rang young Basil's funeral knell.

Awful is the gloom beneath her, like the pathway down to hell.

See! the ponderous tongue is swinging; 'tis the hour of curfew now,

Still the maiden, clinging firmly, quivering lip and fair face white,

Stilled her frightened heart's wild throbbing: "Curfew shall not ring tonight!"

And the sight has chilled her bosom, stopped her breath, and paled her brow.

It was o'er, the bell ceased swaying; and the maiden stepped once more

Shall she let it ring? No, never! Her eyes flash with sudden light,

Firmly on the damp old ladder, where, for hundred years before,

As she springs, and grasps it firmly: "Curfew shall not ring tonight!"

Human foot had not been planted. The brave deed that she had done

Out she swung -- far out. The city seemed a speck of light below --

There twixt heaven and earth suspended, as the bell swung to and fro.

Should be told long ages after. As the rays of setting sun

And the sexton at the bell-rope, old and deaf, heard not the bell,

Light the sky with golden beauty, aged sires, with heads of white,

Tell the children why the curfew did not ring that one sad night.

Sadly thought that twilight curfew rang young Basil's funeral knell.

O'er the distant hills comes Cromwell. Bessie sees him; and her brow,

Still the maiden, clinging firmly, quivering lip and fair face white,

Stilled her frightened heart's wild throbbing: "Curfew shall not ring tonight!"

Lately white with sickening horror, has no anxious traces now.

At his feet she tells her story, shows her hands, all bruised and torn;

It was o'er, the bell ceased swaying; and the maiden stepped once more

And her sweet young face, still haggard, with the anguish it had worn,

Firmly on the damp old ladder, where, for hundred years before,

Touched his heart with sudden pity, lit his eyes with misty light.

Human foot had not been planted. The brave deed that she had done

Should be told long ages after. As the rays of setting sun

"Go! your lover lives," said Cromwell. "Curfew shall not ring tonight!"

Wide they flung the massive portals, led the prisoner forth to die,

Light the sky with golden beauty, aged sires, with heads of white,

Tell the children why the curfew did not ring that one sad night.

All his bright young life before him. Neath the darkening English sky,

O'er the distant hills comes Cromwell. Bessie sees him; and her brow,

Bessie came, with flying footsteps, eyes aglow with lovelight sweet;

Kneeling on the turf beside him, laid his pardon at his feet.

Lately white with sickening horror, has no anxious traces now.

In his brave, strong arms he clasped her, kissed the face upturned and white,

At his feet she tells her story, shows her hands, all bruised and torn;

And her sweet young face, still haggard, with the anguish it had worn,

Whispered, "Darling, you have saved me, curfew will not ring tonight."

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,

Touched his heart with sudden pity, lit his eyes with misty light.

"Go! your lover lives," said Cromwell. "Curfew shall not ring tonight!"

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;

Wide they flung the massive portals, led the prisoner forth to die,

we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

All his bright young life before him. Neath the darkening English sky,

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Let Christ's opinion of you define you. And Let Christ's cross define his opinion of you.

Bessie came, with flying footsteps, eyes aglow with lovelight sweet;

Kneeling on the turf beside him, laid his pardon at his feet.

In his brave, strong arms he clasped her, kissed the face upturned and white,

Whispered, "Darling, you have saved me, curfew will not ring tonight."

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;

we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Let Christ's opinion of you define you. And Let Christ's cross define his opinion of you.

Curfew Shall Not Ring Tonight

Romans 8.1-17