Life in the Spirit
The Power of the gospel • Sermon • Submitted
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How does the gospel become a reality?
TV adverts. Dream - know - to make it a reality simply...
We have the best news in the world. Romans 1:16-17. Beaituful truth.
(SHORT RECAP?)
Recieved through faith. But how do we know it as a reality in every day life.
When race we have been thinking about becomes a battle - how do these truths apply?
When battling with sin, how do these truths apply?
We fallen into complacency how to these truths apply?
When suffering?
When greiving?
When confused or doubt?
I wonder if great struggle we have in conservative truths is to let glorious truths move from head to heart - and I can’t help but feel its because we have a gap in our theology. We talk about Jesus, and God, but how easily we neglect the work of the Holy Spirit.
Let the Spirit apply the gospel to your heart.
Let the Spirit apply the gospel to your heart.
Reading
What are we told about the role the Holy Spirit plays?
How can we see the gospel and its power become reality in every day lives. Essential work of the Holy Spirit.
The Spirit gives you life and power
The Spirit gives you life and power
Paul draws us contrast between 2 powers, - between flesh and Spirit. Flesh is talking about sinful nature. Self realiant, self centred life of every human on planet. Saw in chapter 5 how by nature all connected to Adam’s sin, and by nature all sin and all face death and wrath. We cannot save ourselves. Outside the gospel we cannot please God!
The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.
Imagine country under new regime. A political leader decides to set up army in rebellion. He is good to his troops. treats them well, feeds them, pays them. There is a lot of good. But its all done in opposition to the true ruler. However good they are - cannot please true ruler while living in rebellion.
This is true for every person outside gospel of grace. Flesh is sinful state before Holy God.
But gospel is that there was one who by another power lived in perfect obedience to God and with whom God was well pleased.
For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Jesus came in likeness of man to live life we could never live, and be an offering on our behalf. On the cross sin was punished in him, so that God could show his justice and love. He took our guilty verdict and faced death we deserve.
This is the gospel we know and put our trust in. But how is it applied to us? We need to get this.
How did Jesus live in perfect obedience to God? How as a man did he resist Satan in the desert. By what power did he drive out demons, calm storms, heal blind, deaf and lame, raise the dead, and come back from the grave himself
Holy Spirit!
Holy Spirit is bank of God’s resources.
Now look with me again at v9-10 and see signifiance,.
But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
How is gospel given - grace. How is gospel recieved? Faith - but How is gospel applied - its through an eternal bond we have with Jesus, The same Spirit that brought Jesus from grave, dwells in heart of every believer. Same Spirit that defeated death, now gives life both physical and Spiritual to you. This is how we are united to him. And by this unity in the Spirit, the sin that brings death has truly been dealt with. So that there is no condemnation. Doesn’t exist. Instead we have life in the Spirit. And from this Spirit we have power to life that we are called to.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
Corrie ten Boom offered an insight into this marvelous truth: “I have a glove here in my hand. The glove cannot do anything by itself, but when my hand is in it, it can do many things. True, it is not the glove, but my hand in the glove that acts. We are gloves. It is the Holy Spirit in us who is the hand, who does the job. We have to make room for the hand so that every finger is filled”
How do we fight sin? Strength of resolve and self discipline? Striving to live the life we think we should be living? and tapping into power of Spirit to help us do it? Other way round - Knowing that life has already been given to us and submitting ourselves completely to the giver. Not about harnessing power of the Spirit but letting him take the reigns completely. Christian life not defined by a moment or individual choice, but a heart that increasingly and consistently lets go of flesh and gives its self to the Spirit.
Because it by SPirt and only by Spirt we live.
The Spirit tells us who were are
The Spirit tells us who were are
Not knowing who you are is vulnerable place to be. Yet we spend so much of our lives tryig to figure it out, trying to shape our own identity, yet in reality letting others shape us.
We look for identity in all kind of things. Work, achievements, success, sexuality, gender, power, populatiruty, respect.
But leave us living in fear - because identity is always under threat. We lose a job, or are disresepcted or fail or are critisized or when undermined.
Look with me at v14-17. Some of most influencial verse on my Christian walk
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
Here is truth that Spirit applies. Fundamentally, first and foremost every believer is a child of God.
Child of God
If we let sink in, implications change everything.
Who are you? You are made and loved unconditionally by creator and ruler of everything. Which means your life’s worth is infinate because its defined by his love for you.
You are sons and not slaves - our identity is secure so we need not fear, because its not based on any merit or performace of ours, but on Spirit’s work.
It menas that your dad is greatest power in existance and is on your side, against sin and Satan
It means that we can have intimacy with our creator as a loving Father. Abba - Dadda, pappa.
And it means that whatever we face or whatever we feel, our identity doesnt change. Because Spirit testifys we are his children.
Few words have impacts me more than these.
Ever struggle with identity. Feel pressure to be someone or look a certain way or act a certain way? Every feel unworthy? Stop letting world define you, and instead let Spirit tell you who you are - you are a child of God.
Ever struggle with identity. Feel pressure to be someone or look a certain way or act a certain way? Every feel unworthy? Stop letting world define you, and instead let Spirit tell you who you are - you are a child of God.
The Spirit tells us where we are going
The Spirit tells us where we are going
How do we sum up our experience of this life we we think about the last year?
global pandemic. Wars and terrorism. Suffering. personal tragedy. The reality of fraily and death.
We long for answers, for things to make sense. we long for hope.
There is something wonderfully reasurring about v18-30.
Paul recognises the reality. Global Frustration. Since the fall, our world is broken. Things are not as they should be.
Right that we recognise that. but the Spirit gives us hope.
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.
Why does God allow the frustration. The groaning - so that we hope for something better.
Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.
We have had our adoption papers signed - We are God’s children. But we children waiting to be brought home. We aren’t supposed to be satisfied now. There would be something wrong. Spirit helps us to look forward to paradise realised.
How we are to approach frustrations that surround us?
by letting them point to greater reality, reality we live in wait for. Hope made certain by the Spirit who unites us to Jesus. Where the rubber hits the road its these gospel truths, applied by Spirit - Life and power, idenity, and certain hope that will keep us going - because they show us that God can be trusted.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
We have been feeling weight of life recently. between family illness and big decisions, there is lot of uncertertainty. But this verse is why Holy Spirits role is essential.
How incredible it is to know that the eternal God has an eternal purpose, thats been planned in every detail of our lives. I don’t know right now what he is doing - but I will. I have peace knowing that the frustration isn’t pointless, or random, but for my good, as a child who God loves and wants the very best for. And knowing this brings an immense peace and a certain hope.
How do we enjoy truths of gospel? Life and power, identity, hope. It’s as we depend on Spirit.
What does it look like to apply the gospel? Giving ourselves to the Spirit in good times and bad in both strenght and weakness. Spirit who saves us, sustains us and intercedes for us. The Spirit who empowers us to live the life we have been given as we look forward to glory.
