April 4, 2021 - Romans 8:1-11

So I would just like to have all the littles in the room look up give me the biggest loudest. Happy Easter that you can and I think the lights will come on when you do. Granny all the all the kiddos in the room. Happy's to ready one, two three.

That is so great. That's right, That's right.

Hey, man. Happy Easter is right. We love the noise of children. And so if in the middle of the service or sermon your children Make some noise, that is okay because God has given them to us. They are a gift. We love them. We're glad they're here. We're glad they're sitting with you. And so we embraced everything that comes with it. So just want to make sure that make sure that you are aware of that. So laws that are in play, right? We recognize them not all the time, but there are times when things seem to go poorly. We kind of call him outright. We think about Murphy's Law. I think most of us are familiar with with mirth Murphy's law made popular in the 19th century by an engineer who had a junior engineer working for him who seem to make a lot of mistakes and that's where he kind of is that that that the phrase kind of became very popular. I don't I don't think it originated with him. But but he made a lot of mistakes and just kind of said if there's something wrong you can do he's going to do it. And so that became their Colts there to their corporate culture for trying to make sure that they were paying attention to the details, right? So he say something like if something can go wrong it will Write another adaptation of that there are several of them. But but just a few. Yet you never find a lost article and tell you what replace it soon as you buy a new one, right? So it's what you do just keep the receipt you buy it the other one turns up and take it back right long as it's not something you're using, you know, or unless you know how to repackage really well matter will be damaged in direct proportion to its value right that the world is going to break right the cheaper ones know they live on into eternity.

Left to themselves things tend to go from bad to worse writes. Those are some of the adaptations of that. I think most of us chuckle in agreement agreement because we've experienced something similar in a lot of our lives right? I mean you can have a real pessimistic view on life and just go down those rabbit holes would encourage you not to but we acknowledge it when those things are there, right? You're late to get somewhere and in the slow trucks are in front of your the accident happens in front of you right and I don't care about the people in the car, but I'm late right? I mean, I know you guys wouldn't think that but set apart for God brings out some other laws that are a part of our life as humans as a part of our life as Spiritual Beings and so he's writing a letter to the church in Rome in the middle of the first-century when Nero was raining in Rome and until he talks about the law of the spirit of life. In the law of sin and death and he Compares and contrast these a little bit and he's so he speaks of the law of the spirit of life when he tells us that those who are in Christ are set free for living a life that is pleasing to God through the inner animating work of the spirit of Life. I'll say that again those who are in Christ are set free. We saying that this morning either hands because we praise God that we are set free for living a life pleasing to God. Through the inner animating work of the spirit of life. If you have a Bible turn with me to Romans chapter 8 or if you've got a phone open your Bible out there will put the main scriptures up on the screen here so you can you can track with us but Romans 8, we're going to look at verses 1 through 11 this morning. Paul writes me says there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus for the law of the spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus. from the law of sin and death for God has done with 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 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in a to walk not according to the flesh. But according to the spirit for those who live according to the spirit. I'm sorry other cording to The Flash versus five that their mind on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the spirit set their mind on the things of the spirit for to set the mind on the flesh is death. But to set the set the mind on the spirit. his life in peace 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 those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 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. But if Christ is in you although the body is dead because of since the spirit of life because of write-ups are the spirit is life because of righteousness 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 Let's pray together. Differently father we praise you for giving us your word which you inspired. What you what you breathe out through the very lives in the very personalities of the 40 or so authors who wrote These 66 books of the Bible you moved within their life their circumstances their personalities to give us a fully inspired inerrant word of God that we can read and study and know in order to know you personally to know how to to live in to move in to have our being as we follow you.

Thank you for showing us your your Eternal nature and your divine power through even looking at creation. But giving us more specific wisdom and direction in Authority in your word father. You've given us your spirit your children your spirit to illuminate or turn the light on in our minds to be able to read and understand not just with our brains. But but with the spirit spiritual eye spiritual spiritual understanding and so we pray for that this morning or did I preach your word? It's not my message. This is your message. And so we I asked you for help what I'm dependent on you.

That's why I pray for your help. That you would animate me that you would speak through me that I if I would say anything that would not be from you that it would just fall on deaf ears and that people would not here but the things that are from you that are right and true and pure in in and uplifting and encouraging encouraging or even challenging but yet true that you through the spirit of God would would prick the hearts of everyone here that they would hear what they need today and leave here as people changed trusting you maybe for the first time or or or re-establishing their trust in you again, we pray these things in Jesus name. Amen. Amen, God has graciously. graciously

graciously set free all who are in Christ Jesus from sins penalty. empower

these are some of the most encouraging verses in all of the Bible. And they come after a chapter that is is quite perplexing and and maybe even a little discouraging itself in the previous chapter of the Apostle Paul's been talking about his conscience and he's talking about the struggle for the faith and to struggle the struggle to do things. Well as he seeks to to follow the lord and he fixed to to honor the Lord and yet he finds the more he struggles the more he realizes he's not doing the things that he knows he ought to do the things that he wants to do any of the things that he really wants to be doing. He's not doing and what that really is cotton capsulating is at a very high level summary the Christian conscience those who are striving to please the Lord and yet we recognize the the more we grow in our relationship with God the more we recognize just how I'm done. We really are just how far from having arrived we really are. And so we always find this law at work in in our bodies. He's falling short of God's perfect standard and so he feels the condemnation he deserve which is why the second word and that first point is that God has graciously or God has graciously set free all who are in Christ Jesus.

And we'll see this born out as we dive through this passage today. This is true for Paul. This is true for you. And it is true for me.

The best thing a coach can do is come alongside of a of an athlete or of a student of a certain subject and and help them to see where their fundamentals are wrong because of a coach doesn't help them see where their fundamentals are wrong. It doesn't matter what strength they have. They may be able to power through certain aspects of of a swing or of a hit or whatever the case might be. But when it comes down to the real competition at as skills begin to develop or as they begin to get older that the strength will only take you so far if your fundamentals are wrong and everyone that is sitting in this room and the sound of my voice and the reading of the word of God. We need to say that our fundamentals at the very start are wrong are fundamental efforts to live in a way that please God Or actually not living in a way that pleases God and this is the law that Paul recognizes in chapter 7 and it begins to kind of expound here in chapter 8 in Romans 7 5 through 6. He says while we were living in the flesh our sinful passions aroused by the law. Where at work in our members to bear fruit for death, but now we are released from the law having died to that which held us captive so that we serve in the new way of the spirit and not in the old way of the written code. So he's well aware of his sinful living of a sinful Tendencies and how God has graciously set us free to be able to live in serve in the new way of the spirit. So he picks up on that theme here in chapter 8 and it begins to develop it for the dishes the wonderful doctrine of what really several docks at doctrines come into play Here by justification and sanctification and But really that the doctrine of a believer's union with Christ that when we return from our self and we turn to Christ through repentance and Faith Christ the spirit of life into Wells us. We are one with him United with him. And so Easter weekend reminds us that there's a real penalty that needs to be paid this picture of Jesus hanging up on a cross that we often see painted and bloodless and and pretty and artistic is not anything compared to the depiction of what actually happened only in Christianity. Can we see the the most heinous thing that human eyes could see and look at it and say what a beautiful sites that the perfect God who never send who never did wrong who never thought wrong would give his son for those who reject him. I don't know about you when I get rejected then I get mad fast. I mean like I really love myself.

tell me you're like how terrible your right I'm just being honest. When somebody offends me somebody says something that goes against the grain with me. I mean, I don't have to like talk myself up into getting defensive. It just like bam right there anybody else?

Maybe learn how to do some sacrificial love sure but send my son.

What a wonderful God. What a wonderful God we serve who has graciously given us all things in Christ earlier enrollment Paul develops his argument. He said that in Romans chapter 2 verse 4, it's God's kindness whenever use the word Grace Church. We can't forget what they mean, right it was so Grace is undeserved kindness or favour. So God's kindness toward us in Jesus Christ. Maybe I'll be good practice even as a church family or is a family home to read a replace some of your churchy language with with some things that that are synonyms but mean the same thing we just talked about God's kindness. God is so kindly Given us all things in Christ has any church family?

If you've ever been grieved by your sin, maybe you are seeing it today. Grieved by your sin and you believe that Jesus is who he says he is and that God has raised him from the dead. The Bible says that that you're safe. No, no dog and pony show. No no Hoops to jump through. And I need to tell you that because we're going to dive into some tough stuff here. No, no Hoops to jump through except recognizing it calling it what it is not trying to excuse it away cuz we love ourselves.

We don't like to be told they were wrong. We don't even like to be told that we're awful. Yeah, that's what the Bible says. But yet we're created in God's image made to to Image Fourth his Beauty and glory in relationship and and how we lived in our own private lives. But as well as with others and and God has said that Romans 10 8 through 10 at the word is near you it is in your mouth and it's in your heart. That is the word of faith. We Proclaim faith is to have it confident Assurance of the things that we don't see you have company expectation that they are true and real verse 9 because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and you believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you will be saved for with the heart One Believes and is Justified that the legal term meaning is made right with God's the gavel comes down. And God says you are righteous what me? Yes, but I didn't write. Jesus dead Jesus dad and if at that point, you're still saying well, I'm glad Jesus did but I'd like to add this to the equation. God says no. You're not justified affect your approach. You're trying to create your own Hoops to jump through and that's not how it works. I'm the holy God and I set the terms and so see for with the heart One Believes and is Justified or made right with God and with the mouth one confesses and is saying no does a challenge here.

Because what implicit is that? What's what's not stated directly is that I missed visibles. I'm always going to

let me know what assignment now getting what's implicit in it. Is that We talked about genuine belief talking about a real understanding of what's happening at God's holy and I can't work my way to heaven. I can't add anything to the equation. It's Jesus plus nothing faith in Christ. It's not a shallow confession where we say? Oh, I believe that Jesus is Lord that God raised him from the dead. And now I'm going to go live. However, I want that's not belief that's not repentance and faith and that's not the gospel. Are you in Christ through faith based on his shed blood for the remission of your sins? And if so, you can enjoy the assurance that there is now no condemnation for you because you are in Christ. If you are then God has graciously or kindly set you free from sins penalty. And sins power if you are not then God has graciously giving you an opportunity today to see yourself for who you are and to turn to him acknowledge who you are that you were totally dependent on him bless you that you're welcome bless you that you were totally dependent on him. And that is the first act of worship that you can do and it's a beautiful act of worship to the Lord John 15:13 says a greater love has no one than this that he lay down his life for his friends. There is no way God could love you more. and he has

and if he is not the first love of your life and Friends Would you just throw off all restraints and run to him? Would you get anything that's out of your way in your way out of the way and run to him? That we use this imagery of running to him. But really what we mean is just acknowledge in your heart. God I need you. I believe you are who you say you are and it's relatively clear or I'm sorry really clear. That I am who you say I am and I need you. The law of the spirit of Life overpowers the law of sin and death. So you might ask this question when it went when Paul says there's nothing there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus question to say what how right I ain't got gives us to 4 is here Paul does he says for the law of the spirit of life has set you free for God has done with the law weakened by the flesh could not do in other words the law, which is that everything that is right before God everything that would be need to be done in order to live a perfect right righteous life cannot save anyone because we can't do it once in

We like to call them mistakes like a mistake is 2 plus 2 equals 5 right Kids 2 plus 2 is 5 is that right? Always a wise guy in the bunch. 2 + 2 is 4

but failing to study for my test when I know I have a test and I'm choosing not to do well things before the Lord is not a mistake. That's Sim

and every one of us in here has sinned but God the spirit of Life overpowers the law of sin and death as you see this pain I have right up here, right? So what's going to happen if I let go of this pain?

It's get maybe it's going to float.

Oh, okay. So you're getting it even there? Okay. So if I drop this pain, I mean it's going to fall right? Why what's the law of gravity write the law of gravity says that if I'm going to drop this pain, it's going to it's going to fall but me holding this play one of his pen at a personality and it said leave me alone. Right? Let me have my own way. The reality is this if it is only going to go directions friends, if you and I are not living according to the spirit. We are only going to go One Direction and that is the opposite direction of the Lord. There is nothing that you and I can do to say hey float bringing in the power of the spirit of Life, which will overcome and overpower than natural law or the spiritual law of who we are without God. The only way to change the natural direction of this pain. Is my overriding it with a stronger power brothers and sisters friends God's spiritual power of giving life is stronger. It is mighty or it is more enjoy during it is complete. More complete the only Power able to overcome.

The only Power able to overcome your and my natural bent. To run headlong away from the Lord Enzo Paul showing us how to know whether we are operating according to the law of the flesh which of the lost internet for according to the law of the spirit, which of the law of Liberty of the of the of the spirit of Life answer number two. He says that your mindset reveals whether or not you are in the Flasher in the spirit of what they was interesting in this passage that you're not going to find any commands.

miniature sink 19 you will and some of the surrounding passages so it's not like there are no commands. But here Paul is helping us to see what is the very first words of the text. He says there is therefore now he's talking about a state of being if you are in Christ you are now you are state of being is that your holy Your Righteous right? Because it doesn't mean you act perfectly all the time, but it does mean that because you are Justified legally because the gavel is come down you are right in Christ before God because of what Christ has done for you write a newspaper testing kits, right? You have to test your water sometimes or if you have a pool may be up to test a chlorine level in your pool and see about his own papers to test strips, right and and you can go get them for different purposes to but we're going to stick with water. And so you going to get these little this little plastic thing of test strips and you can hear in a dip it in and you're like, oh that's that's that's still too whenever pick a chemical chlorinator to chlorinated and I but I'm not sure if this test test strip is right. I'm going to pull out another test strip.

I want to see right. How ridiculous would it be to argue with the test strip? No, there's not that much chlorine in there.

What Paul is saying that the way that we live our life is a revelation? Of a mine that is either set on the flesh or mind that is set on the spirit.

You say you can't live your days with your mind set on the flesh set on the flesh that on the flash you get the idea set on the flash walk into a building and then all of a sudden think oh, I am of the spirits because I'm in here now.

If your mind is set on the flash. Paul says you are of The Flash. But you don't have to be that a challenge here is we want to begin making a course correction. She's not a bad thing question is just which direction do we go with it? You see your course correction can be no. I'm going to try to I'm going to try really am going to do better. I got to make it to church more times this year. I'm going to put off this kind of a spending habit. Stop looking at this kind of a TV show or I'm going to stop going to this website or I'm going to stalk stop speaking to my spouse in this way, or I'm going to stop living in this way and and God says you're just trying to live according to the flesh, but not as bad.

The problem is we've already missed the mark. The Bible says that we are hostile to God.

For the Mind Set On the flesh is hostile to God verse 7 for it does not submit to God's law and bead it cannot those who are in the flesh. Cannot please God Martyn Lloyd Jones says it this way about this phrase according to the flesh. He says that the term includes not only a thought and understanding but it includes the affections the Emoji the desires the objects of pursuit that non-Christian set their minds on the things of the flesh. Not only mean how they think about them occasionally says but these are the things about which they think of most of these are the things that they think about habitually right? That's how it went when you're not trying to think about something but your mind is always thinking about something. What are you thinking about? That is the Revelation that is the the test strip if you will of whether your mind is set on the flesh or the your mind is set on the spirit.

It's the trend with a bent of their thinking it is toward those things. It's much the same as what you and John says in 1st John 2 15 and 16. Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world the love of the father is not in him for all that is in the world that desires of the flesh the desires of the eyes and the pride of life is not from the father, but it's from the world. So loving the world is setting your mind setting your mind on the things of the flesh to live for temporal things that the world values things that aren't why Paul said for we set our minds not on the things that are temporary for the things are at on the things that are Earthly for the things that are Earthly or temporal. We want to set a remind on things that are each her know more than we actually like.

Love the things of God.

Some people like the idea of camping.

What you're giving yourself away from you laugh at him like I know who it is now, so don't people like the idea of camping more than I actually like camping. And everything that comes with it. Sometimes we like the idea of being a Christian. Sometimes you like the idea of thinking about ourselves as a Christian, but when it actually comes down to it the world just hugs that are hard.

That wasn't Paul talking about a real struggle here. So it doesn't mean that all of those things are instantaneously gone.

He seems a real genuine struggle going on here. But what happens the spirit of Life overpowers the spirit of death and the spirit of Life pulls us up from our natural tendencies when we are in Christ when we are united with Christ and said, let me animate you let me feel you. Let me move you. Let me give you new loves new want to new desires new habits. new purpose of new priorities I just satisfaction with things that only leads to death with dissatisfaction with things that are only temporal. If you look at the test trip again and again and again, and it's not changing colors, you are not in the spirit.

If you look at how your mind is set again, and again and again you are not of the spirit.

That could sound on time but it's actually the most loving thing I could say to you this morning, which is why God says it right here in Black and White driver is told not to drive if he's inebriated. Right if he or she drinks right there not to drive because they can hurt themselves. They can hurt somebody else. It's a wonder they need to do they need they need to pull the car over. Right? This is not like a Jesus Take the Wheel. I'm going to keep on the pedals here. Now. This is like pull the car over. Put it in park. Turn off the key. Take your seatbelt off. Get out of the car. Yes. I'm belaboring this.

Walk around hanneke to somebody else. Let them get in the car and you get in the passenger seat and you let God take over the Lord will I trust you if you could no, nope. Nope. Nope. That's just like here. Let's share the driving. I want to know why I want your heart. Why is the best thing for you? The best thing for you and me. Is to love the Lord Our God with all of our heart with all of our soul with all of her.

It will result in the most it will result in an in temporal, but eternally lasting joy for you if you love God, but see if you don't love the things of God. It's not appealing to you. the challenges don't you just got to let God help you call it what it is.

Number three if you are in Christ God's spirit who lives in you will raise your body from the dead to Glorious eternal life. I mean, this is the promise of Jesus's resurrection. If God who raised Christ from the dead through his Spirit has the power to raise God from the dead a historical fact. God will also fulfilled his promise to raise you from the dead as well verse 9 you however are not in the flesh but in the spirit if in fact the spirit of God dwells in you anyone who doesn't have the spirit of Christ does not belong to him. Do you love God or do you love the idea of loving God but you want on your stuff? Do you love God or do you love the idea of loving God and you think of it as friends with benefits? No.

Do you love God? You love the things that God loves verse 10, but if Christ is in you although the body is dead because of sin. The spirit is life because of righteousness if the spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives 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 The Christian Life is based on a recognition of what God has done and whenever you see that language, what what has happened? What is true means that it has happened? It got his worked it in such a way that has an enduring and lasting impact for all of eternity. 2nd Timothy 1 1314 Timothy says Paul said to Timothy follow the pattern of sound words that you heard from me in the face and love that are in Christ. Jesus by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us guard the good deposit his truck who guard the good deposit entrusted to you. Is he even talking to a man that he knows is a believer. He doesn't just say Timothy Focus get it done. Keep the faith. At every juncture at every turn we are to encourage one another which is why we're to meet together ongoingly not to stop meeting together, but they keep mint meeting together so that we can consider how to stir one another up in love and Good Deeds like Paul is doing to Timothy here right? It's not just cuz they went like how to write a Bible class by better not skip church because I have to read the Bible one day. No, he he saying this is this is how I feel encouraged by the spirit of God at work you work within you by by the spirit of God, which overcomes your natural tendencies to run away from me guard the good deposit entrusted to you. Work at it give yourself to it relying on the spirit and the promised that the spirit of life will overcome within you. How many kids are great promise and 2nd Corinthians 5 1 through 70 says for we know. But if the 10th of our is our Earthly home is destroyed. We have a building from God a house not made with hands Eternal in the heavens for in this tent meaning in this body We Grown longing to put on our Eternal. I'm sorry our Heavenly dwelling. We don't always do this. Well, we don't always do this right which is why we are so thankful for the kindness of God if indeed by by putting it on we may not be found to be naked.

For while we are still in this tent we groan being burdened not that we would be unclothed but that we would be further clothes. So that what is Mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God who has given us the spirit as a guarantee. So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body. We are away from the Lord for we walk by faith and not by sight. He's being of good courage brother be of good courage sister because if you are in Christ, if you are united with Christ and spirit of God in Wales UK lives in you animate you hold you sustained you be encouraged it doesn't depend on you. put on God who always keeps his promises on God who never lies on God who will fill your heart with the satisfaction of loving the things he loves increasingly, so So being a good cards be content with the struggle. The struggle is real. We all feel it. We feel it differently in the struggle is different but be content with it because it's God's design for us. for now

When when Jesus came?

You didn't simply die on a cross. when Jesus came what he did is he he lived life perfectly so that he would be able to undo what Adam had done

A few minutes we're going to close and we're going to celebrate the Lord's supper together Community together something we do here. Is it as a church on a regular basis to be really easy for this to become wrote for us and we want to try to avoid that if it's important to know communion is something that God has given for his church to engage. It's a celebration as I said at the beginning of the message. It's a celebration of the most disgusting and horrible and horrific. Reality that has ever happened. That is the murder of the son of God. The perfect one the Spotless lamb and when we look at that little tiny piece of bread, we think this bread this body. Jesus said he gave for us.

so that you might know him So that your heart might be able to be transformed? With new loves a new one takes and this juice represents the blood of Christ which was poured out for us. There is no forgiveness without the shedding of blood and so Jesus came to live our perfect righteousness and be killed on a cross and then raised from the dead to demonstrate that he has truly overcome the penalty the power and sins raining presence in our life. So we we take this together.

If you're trusting in Christ, we want you to join in this with us. If you're not we want to encourage you and invite you to use this as an opportunity to ask God to help you search your heart.

We wouldn't want you to take of something that isn't actually something that you believe. So you're welcome to partake with us and we invite you to.

But as we've spoken today what has the test strip of how use 10 to set your mind revealed about your heart? How is the Lord through his Spirit maybe even speaking to you now?

The engine of a car lies underneath the hood you think about that it lies underneath the hood in and it did it dwells there it it lives there and even when the car is stopped, even when the car is turned off the engine is there ready to be engaged at any point. Maybe you're a Christian who has walked away from regular ongoing activity with the body of Christ. Maybe you walked away from from regular activity with the Lord even but you know that you are a sinner and and deserve God's Wrath, but God has kindly saved you. And it's time to come back to the Lord.

You got hasn't taken a spirit away from you isn't unbolted the engine and it's underneath your hood, but he would say look the holy spirit is here. Engage the spirit of God set your mind on the flash. Really the best way to do that is to say Lord. Will you set my mind on the flash or die repents? And I'm coming home. Will you change me again? Will you give me a greater love for you? That I'm currently walking in. Do you want me to re-engage with the body of Christ that preaches your word?

When the spirit of God into was the believer that believer has set his mind on Christ and he has the Impala I had the power. Drive this life. drive through this life with the spirit of God empowering each and every decision we make I hope that this Easter is a reminder to you of the many things that are available to you. The power of God the wisdom of God the joy of Christ in everything we do. Let's pray together Heavenly Father. We are so