Easter Sunday
Notes
Transcript
FCF: We often rely on the absence of adversity for our confidence in life.
The power of Christ is the only source of confidence in life.
The power of Christ is the only source of confidence in life.
To what demonstrations of Christ’s power must we turn to obtain confidence in life?
To what demonstrations of Christ’s power must we turn to obtain confidence in life?
His saving power(33-34)
His saving power(33-34)
What does the saving power of Christ demonstrate?
Verses 33 & 34 contain rhetorical questions. Rhetorical meaning the answer is given in the answer, or that no answer is actually being requested in the question.
His declaration that His people are righteous will prevail against any accusation they are not (33)
His declaration that His people are righteous will prevail against any accusation they are not (33)
First rhetorical question: who shall bring any charge against God’s elect?
Lit = against those whom God has chosen or elected
This title was used to refer to Israel in the OT:
O offspring of Israel his servant,
children of Jacob, his chosen ones!
O offspring of Abraham, his servant,
children of Jacob, his chosen ones!
This particular phrase is rare in Paul’s writings although He certainly makes clear that God elects people to be saved. Here however, Paul is emphasizing not so much the class of the people as the quality of people.
The reality is, charges (accusations) will be brought against God’s people. Satan (Accuser) will bring charges. People who hate Christ and therefore hate God’s people will bring charges. Even our own flesh, in our struggle against sin and temptation will bring charges against ourselves.
The point here is not that charges will never be brought against God’s people, but that those charges will not stand. They will not be demonstrated to be true. They will never have any power or influence on the identity of God’s people.
And why is this the case. It has nothing to do with God’s people, but everything to do with God and His power. Look at the answer given to this rhetorical question in v. 33
It is God who justifies
Who will bring a charge against those whom God has chosen? No one, because the primary quality, the prevailing characteristic of God’s people is not their failures. It is not their shortfalls. It is not their sin. It is the fact that God’s people have been justified by God. That is to say, God has declared His people to be righteous in His sight. Perhaps we are not seen that way by others. Perhaps there are time we do not see ourselves that way, but what we who have been justified need to know is that our identity has been determined by God, and nothing can change this.
Our sins will not prevail against us because our Savior has already prevailed over our sins. Perhaps Rom. 3:23-24 are among the most precious in all of scripture:
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
No doubt we fall short of God’s perfection in our own strength and wisdom. Before God’s intervention, the accusations of Satan, the world and our own consciences would stick. But because God, through Christ, has redeemed His people, no accusation will ever stick because God’s redemptive work prevails.
Not only this but Christ’s saving power also demonstrates that
The victory that Christ’s redemptive work accomplished has been given to His redeemed (34)
The victory that Christ’s redemptive work accomplished has been given to His redeemed (34)
I say given but more accurately Christ’s victory has been imputed to God’s redeemed
Imputed = credited to someone. Christ’s victory in His work of redemption has been credited to His redeemed.
Notice the rhetorical question in v. 34: who is to condemn? The answer: No body. Why? 3 reasons, and none of them have anything to do with what we do. It’s all Christ. What did Christ do?
Died: Why would His death prevent our condemnation? Because it was His death that paid the penalty of our sins. It’s what we focused on Friday night. This is why that particular Friday is called Good Friday. Jesus died in the place of His people and took on the penalty of our sins.
But notice the next phrase in v. 34: more than that. It indicates a preferable statement. yes, the death is Christ is central and essential but His death does not stand on its own. Here’s where the theme of Easter is seen most explicitly in this text. Not only did Jesus die:
He was raised from the dead: Here’s the proof of the victory. Death did not have the final word. He defeated death. Defeated the consequences of our sin. Those who are in Christ contend with sin but are not consumed or overwhelmed by sin because of the resurrection of Jesus.
But that’s not all that Christ did. He died, He was raised:
He’s at the right hand of God. He’s at the place of highest honor in heaven. We know from other places in the NT, that Jesus is not just at the right hand of God but is seated at the right hand of God. This makes clear that the work that Jesus came to do in His death and resurrection has been completed.
He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
What else is the resurrected Christ doing?
interceding for us - Jesus is praying for His people while seated on His throne in heaven. Remember this church when you feel alone or isolated. Maybe it’s true that the people in our lives are not so concerned bout our struggles. Maybe it’s true that we get caught up in our own little worlds. Remember this. Jesus, the one, true living Savior intercedes for you.
What’s interesting and encouraging to note is that this interceding for God’s people is a work of the Trinity (Father, Son & Spirit)
We see the Son interceding on behalf of His people to the Father.
Earlier in this chapter we see the Spirit doing the same thing
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.
The victory that Christ’s redemptive work accomplished has been given to His redeemed
His declaration that His people are righteous will prevail against any accusation they are not
Both are demonstrations of Christ’s power. This is what we must turn to for confidence in life. We will fail, and life will continue to produce disappointments, but Christ’s saving power is the ultimate reality of the existence of God’s people.
The power of Christ is the only source of power in life.
But our salvation is not only a historical event in our lives. Yes, God saves His people in a moment in time, but the effects of His salvation stay with His people the rest of their lives into eternity. We cal this the perseverance of the saints. So we considered the saving power of Christ. Now we will consider:
His preserving power (35-39)
His preserving power (35-39)
The doctrine of the perseverance of the saints teaches that because God preserves His people
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
His people are able to persevere in their salvation and their salvation will remain in tact forever. The rest of our text will describe this.
What does the preserving power of Jesus do in the lives of His people?
Assures His people that the love of Christ is not conditional (35)
Assures His people that the love of Christ is not conditional (35)
This is talking about Christ’s love for His people. The love of Christ will always be there for his people. Again, our failures, battles with temptations, reluctance to forgive, selfishness etc. does not not and will not ever cause Christ to withdraw His love. He won’t discontinue His association with us or go a different direction based on how we behave. His love is constant.
Paul then names a list of candidates that some might think could separate us from the love of Christ
tribulation: general term for strong pressure (that’s everyday)
distress: combined with tribulation could be making clear that we contend with outward affliction and inward distress
persecution: the early church certainly dealt with this. Many Christians in the world face persecution. There appears to be a gathering storm in this country which will target the church. Are we ready? What will be crucial to our readiness is to know that persecution cannot separate us from the love our Savior has for us.
famine: In Paul’s day, the food supply was not nearly as reliable as we know it to be today.
nakedness: most likely refers to a lack of clothing, but one commentator suggested that nakedness could refer to indecency on parade.
danger: Paul’s world was a dangerous one to profess faith in Christ
sword: the threat of execution
Think though all of these. That all of these exist, and that God’s people can experience any and all of these may lead one to conclude that Christ’s love has been withdrawn. The logic goes something like this: If Christ loved me I would not experience affliction from without, distress from within, persecution, I would have 3 meals a day, I would have all the clothes I need and certainly would not be subjected to seeing offensive indecency, would be safe while living our my faith in Christ, and my life would never be threatened because I’m a Christian. No, the presence of these things are not evidence of Christ’s withdraw of His love. His love is present in the midst of these things and will sustain us through them.
Christ’s love is not conditional
The preserving power of Jesus
Enables His people to endure the most grueling hardships (36)
Enables His people to endure the most grueling hardships (36)
Quotes Psalm 44:22, which deals with the confusion of God’s people in light of what feels like unbearable suffering.
It appears that what Paul is doing here is making clear that God’s people still face suffering. And we should not be surprised when we do.
The Epistle to the Romans 6. The Christian’s Triumph Song, 8:31–39
“Suffering and persecution are not mere evils which Christians must expect and endure as best they can; they are the scene of the overwhelming victory which Christians are winning through Christ.”
God’s people have victory; the victory of Christ. But, the scene f this victory now is one that includes suffering.
BUT!
Verse 37 begins with this word. It may appear as No, but it is BUT which is meant to introduce a sharp contrast to v. 36. Yes, the scene of the victory that Christians have in this life is one that includes suffering, Christians are more than conquerors.
The preserving power of Jesus enables God’s people to
Rest in the fact that the love of Christ prevails over all trials (37-38)
Rest in the fact that the love of Christ prevails over all trials (37-38)
more than conquerors is really a verb and what it means is we are completely prevailing. So v. 37 literally says, but, we are completely prevailing through Him who loved us.
We are completely prevailing in all of our suffering, not through our own efforts or because of anything inherit to us but by means of the love Christ has for us.
Now notice how the sentence reads: through Him who loved us. Loved, as in past tense. What’s Paul getting at here? It’s not completely clear, but it seems to me that this is referring to a moment when the love Christ has for His people was expressed. Could it be that God’s people are completely prevailing because Jesus died for them, and rose again conquering their sin? The event in which Jesus expressed His love for His people was His redemptive work. His death and resurrection. This is where we really see what love is.
So, for those who are in Christ, even when we feel defeated and like we cannot go on anymore, and that we want to give up, even when we are discouraged and frustrated and disillusioned, know this: Christ died and rose again, and because he did we, even when we feel that way, are completely prevailing because Jesus has and is prevailing.
And these everyday challenges are never a match for what Christ is doing in and through His people. Paul is certain of this. Paul lists items that are no match for Christ’s preserving power:
death nor life: death is not to be feared. God is in it
angels or rulers: angels are not to be worshipped as does happen in some circles. rulers could reference to demons or earthly powers. either way, no power heavenly or otherwise can interfere with God’s love for His people
things present nor things to come: things that are impending nor things that will come. Are there things/events occuring in your life right now that you dread? Or do you fear the unknown? The future. Where do we find relief from this kind of fear. How do we manage our anxiety over these kinds of things? Realize, embrace the fact that those things, though challenging, cannot interfere with the love Christ has for His people. They can interfere with our comfort, our expectations, our preferences, but not what is most important - God’s love for his own.
height or depth: We might small or insignificant in this vast universe, but God is over it all and yet knows us intimately.
If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
The universe itself, with all its vastness and distance is not strong enough to separate us from God’s love.
powers: mighty works or miracles, powerful forces cannot interfere with God’s love
anything else in all creation: a summary of everything mentioned.
Nothing can separate us from the love of God, but what Paul makes clear at the end of v. 39 is that we cannot know the love of God apart from the love of Christ. The cross and resurrection of Christ display that love. We must embrace the cross to have the love of God as our preserving power. We are lost without it.
Conclusion
The power of Christ is the only source of confidence in life.
The power of Christ is the only source of confidence in life.
We may think and live as if we can do something or refrain from doing something or make up for past mistakes by paying it forward or sacrifice just a little bit more to obtain peace… peace with God. But anyone who has attempted to find peace that way (like I once did) will tell you, they are being honest, that the peace never comes or if it does come, it doesn’t last.
The answer to this pursuit of peace, which really whether we realize it or not, is a pursuit of peace with God, can only end through the saving power of Christ. Only He can break through all the obstacles within us that separate us from peace with God. Only He can transform us so fundamentally that when it comes to the accusations of our own consciences, the world and the devil Himself, we no longer are viewed through our flawed efforts, but the saving power of Christ.
But day to day is a battle. Even if we have been granted peace with God, life is hard, and much of that difficulty is explained by the fact that our concept of love is so different and contrary to the love of God. God’s love for His people is not conditioned upon their consistency in obedience or holiness. We are called to obey and pursue holiness, but God loves his people with a love that does not rise and fall on our performance. So when we face grueling hardships, knowing it is the preserving power of Christ that will sustain us and not our own enables us to endure. The love of Christ in fact, prevails over any trial that his people may face.
If you have been here at New life for any length of time, you’ve heard it emphasized more than once that we need to keep in clear view the fact that Jesus is alive. I don’t want to trivialize the resurrection, but we need to be a people who live our lives in light of the resurrection of Jesus. Especially when we face difficulty and suffering.
For me, when I was 18, my mother passed away after a several year struggle with cancer. And although it was not a clear to me then, what I can say now and, in fact, what I need to say to myself is
yeah, my mother passed away when I was 18 but Jesus is alive. He’s defeated sin and death. He’s alive
yeah, cancer can have devastating physical and emotional effects on people but Jesus is alive
yeah, the gathering storm that appears to be on the horizon in the country is concerning and may even keep some of us up at night, but Jesus is alive.
You see, we’re not suggesting that we ignore the reality of our struggles, but we cannot loose sight of the bigger and permanent reality. Jesus is alive.
And church, do not fail to keep the gospel in clear view day-to-day. The gospel is the message that must undergird our living everyday. Everyday remember :
Jesus died in our place and took the penalty of our sin on Himself so we could be forgiven
And more than that Jesus was raised, He is seated at the right hand of the Father because His work is finished and now He is interceding (praying) for His people from His throne.
Church, we have the victory! We have the victory of Jesus. His saving and preserving power.
So let’s preach something to ourselves and proclaim something to one another before we leave today. The power of Christ is the only source of confidence in life, and what sums this up well are the last 2 verses of our passage today. So let’s proclaim this together, by reading them out loud. Stand as we proclaim these words and we will then celebrate the resurrection through our singing.
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 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.