Part 1
I recently preached a sermon on Romans chapter 8 verses 12-17, the title of the Sermon was HE IS…you are. There were three main points…
1) You don’t have to.. 2) If you are led by the Spirit of God, you are sons of God.. 3)You’ve been more than adopted as sons, you are heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ
Romans chapter 8:12-17 says, “12So then, brothers,we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13For 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. 14For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15For 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!" 16The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17and 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.”
You don’t have to... live according to the flesh anymore, if you are a new creation in Christ we are not debtors to the flesh, but you do have to walk by the Spirit, in doing so you will put to death the deed of the body and you will live. HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN? Let’s look at Romans 8:1-2,
What does verse two say, For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free, in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death? What in the world does that mean, any youth here?
Acts chapter two talks about the coming of the Holy Spirit, but we also see in Genesis 1 v2 that even while the earth was void and darkness was over the face of the deep the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And in v. 26 that God said let us, note the plural, make man in our, note the plural, image, after our,,note the plural, own likeness.
Now there are two terms flesh and Spirit.The Greek words sarx and pneuma are central to Paul’s teaching in Romans, but they are not easy to understand.
Scholars debate what Paul means by sarx in particular passages, but all agree that he does not think of it as the pagan Greeks did. Since Greek phiosophy focused on man, the Greeks thought of “flesh” versus “soul” as distinct parts of a man. The flesh was considered the corrupt, mortal prison of the pure, immortal soul. the soul was good, the body evil.
BY CONTRAST Paul adopts the OT idea of flesh. The OT focuses on God, so it contrasts “flesh” and “spirit” (Isaiah 31:3). “Flesh” is the substance of human and animal life; hence, it is mortal, transient and weak compared to “spirit”, which is the power and vitality of God. This is the contrast we see in Paul’s writings: (human) flesh versus (divine)Spirit or (God-centered human) spirit, NOT (human)flesh versus (human) soul
In Romans 8:4-7 and 12-14 Paul is using sarx as (the old nature that persists in the believer. Although the believer’s flesh has been crucified, it continues to have a sinful influence 7:18, Therefore, the believer must strive “by the Spirit” not to live according to the habits and outlook of unregenerate human nature (In Romans 8:4-7 and 12-14) The Christian has the Spirit’s power to choose not to act according to the flesh, but rather to act in accord with God’s aims.
The greek words for spirit is pneuma, the difficulty is that pneuma is never capitalized so we must rely on context and grammar to tell us when to translate it SPIRIT or spirit, Normally pneuma in Romans means one of two things 1) The Holy Spirit of God, the third person of the trinity (used this way in Romans 5:5, Romans 8:1-27, Romans 9:1, 15:19.
The spiritual part of man, the part that enables him to relate to God who is Spirit like in Romans 1:9, 8:16, 12:11) Man’s spirit is dead or asleep until it is enlivened by the Holy Spirit also 1 Corinthians 2:14-3:1 and15:44-46 NAVPRESS commentary/bible study on Romans p120-22.
However, We should not just live by the SPIRIT so that we will not die,
but we should live by the SPIRIT so that we are able to-ENJOY LIFE in the SPIRIT. (How do you do that?)
Realize the Spirit dwells in you! The Spirit dwells in you, DO YOU BELIEVE THAT! Really, daily, moment by moment does that thought, belief, resonate throughout your being! IT SHOULD!
If the Holy Spirit isn’t dwelling in you, you might think I’m crazy, in fact, you’d be crazy not to think that I was crazy. Isn’t it hard to believe, I mean if you don’t know Jesus and someone is talking about having a Spirit lead them and guide them, WHAT? Is this guy serious? Is this right? I thought I just had to believe in Jesus, Well that’s right, but believe today isn’t just believe with your head knowledge, believe isn’t just I understand a God exists, or even the God exists. It is having a personal relationship with God, by His Grace and by faith living out the Gospel of Jesus Christ with help, with the power of the Holy Spirit.
REALIZE the SPIRIT dwells in YOU(is that it really, is it that easy?)
Furthermore the SPIRIT isn’t just dwelling but is RELATING with you.
YOU ARE SONS of GOD, and not just sons of God Co HEIRS with CHRIST, brothers with Christ, brothers with God. Is the Spirit of God leading you? If He is, you are sons of God. So how do you know if you are being led by the Spirit of God? I think God will change your heart and you will know He is there, you will He is and you are, and others will know too.
Have you thought about your life lately? Have you thought about it in context of this statement, If you are led by the Spirit of God then you are sons of God?
How is your life? Have you taken inventory recently? How about today? This is Thanksgiving week. What is your mind set on?
How about as a church? Get your list out. Everybody’s got one, even me. How are we doing? Before you answer remember we are all in this together. Remember who the church is? The church is us, not me, not Richard, not the elders, not the deacons, the church has one foundation, Jesus Christ, He is the Cornerstone, He is the builder, He puts together the congregation, the leaders, the staff, Jesus is head of the church. The church are those that believe in Jesus. Those who confess Christ as Lord and Savior, those whom the Spirit indwells within, We are all working together, or are we? Where are our minds set? Are our minds set on, things of the flesh? Or are our minds set on the Spirit and life and peace? Now ask all those questions knowing that the Spirit of God is leading you and that you are sons of God and that God is and you are... How much more enjoyable is it knowing that!!!!!! PRAISE THE LORD.
“This leading of the Holy Spirit is active, it is what we call sanctification, it is constant effective and is a beneficial influence that is worked out in the hearts and lives of God’s children, enabling them more and more to crush the power of indwelling sin and to walk in the way of God’s commandments freely and cheerfully.” p 257 William Hendricksen Romans NT commentary.
Being led by the Holy Spirit means we are sons of God, There are definite benefits and blessings from this that I think we often forget about.
Jesus says in John 14, I am the way, the truth and the life. If our minds are set on the Spirit, the Spirit will show us Jesus, Jesus will give us life and peace. We all know the song count your blessings count them one by one,
When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath doneSo, amid the conflict whether great or small,
Do not be disheartened, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end. GOD WHO IS OVER ALL HAS GIVEN US HIMSELF! THE NUMBER ONE BLESSING OF ALL!!!
Jesus has given us the way, the truth and life with him everlasting! Do you believe in Jesus? Do you submit and surrender everything you are and everything you have in loving Jesus? really everything?
Tune in next week for pt 2
Pt. 2
Isn’t that the example Jesus showed us? He gave everything, all the time, still is, always will. His grace is sufficient, for us, His love compels us to respond by loving him, by loving life, by reveling in the blessings he provides, like peace, like the fruits that we produce, gentleness, kindness, love, peace, joy and goodness, self control and patience and faithfulness.
If we are sons of God that means we are a family. that means despite OUR feelings for one another we still must learn to walk by the Spirit.
When we walk by the Spirit we don’t envy one another, we don’t live by the flesh we don’t have to provoke one another, envy one another or lust after one another.
OUCH! How many of us envy one another here? Let’s be honest. Oh if I just had there income, or if I had there job, or there family, or there spouse, if only my car, my clothes, my figure, my life....OUCH! How about provoking. If only you helped out here, or if I could just get someone to volunteer there, or how come they make all the decisions, or why doesn’t my opinion count, TRIPLE OUCH!
Is this walking by the Spirit, nope! Am I guilty YEP! Are you guilty YEP! are we all guilty, YEP! But remember who you are, you don’t have to live by the flesh, you can live by the Spirit and put to death the deeds of the body, YOU WILL LIVE, not only will you live but you will live while being led by the Spirit of God, who adopts us as sons, but it doesn’t just stop there he also makes us co-heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. What’s the difference, we need to truly be repentant. Being repentant means hating our sin, being grieved over our flesh, yet realizing the CHRIST IS LORD, we have to be repentant like Peter.
STORY OF PETER!! this is PETER’s CHURCH, Do you remember this story, from Matthew 16:13-18, “Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ
13(A) Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" 14And they said, "Some say(B) John the Baptist, others say(C) Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." 15He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" 16Simon Peter replied,(D) "You are(E) the Christ,(F) the Son of(G) the living God." 17And Jesus answered him, (H) "Blessed are you,(I) Simon Bar-Jonah! For(J) flesh and blood has not revealed this to you,(K) but my Father who is in heaven. 18And I tell you,(L) you are Peter, and(M) on this rock[a] I will build my church, and(N) the gates of(O) hell[b] shall not prevail against it.
Diedrich Bonhoffer preached his last sermon in Berlin just before Hitler took over on this text. , The search for the church of Peter,
Jesus went out to the desert with his disciples to announce the start of his eternal church, not among the Pharisees, not among great multitudes which he could have done, but secluded with a few. Jesus poses the question to them, and to us, Who do the people say that the Son of Man is? As they said then, we could say now, one of the prophets, a good person, a great teacher etc. Yet Peter said You are the CHRIST, the Son of the living God, Jesus said Peter had received that from his Father in heaven and that Jesus was going to build his church on this rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it! Who is this Peter that Christ would build his church on him? Bonhoeffer says Peter is nothing, absolutely nothing more than a man who believes; a man whom Christ has met on the way and recognized, and who now confesses his faith, and Christ calls this confessing Peter the rock on which he will build his church.
Peter’s church is the church of those confessing Christ not the church which becomes what one says or what the people say, it is concerned with singing, praying, preaching, doing and reaching out with the confession always and only,
But this church was also the one who said he never knew Christ, said he was ashamed of Christ as he stood before the High Priest, He is the follower of little faith that sank in the water on the lake, Jesus said to him “Out of my sight Satan!”
Peter was weak, denying, failing, a weakling of little courage easily swayed by those he was with. that is Peter’s church the one that betrays, fails unfaithful the one that is ashamed of its Lord but should be standing up for him,
BUT Peter’s church is now also that of who it is said, “He went out and wept bitterly.”
Judas who also betrayed the Lord, went out and hanged himself.
That is the difference. Peter went out a wept bitterly, Peter’s church had divine sadness which leads to rejoicing,
For this Peter, this broken reed, is called by God, imprisoned by God, formed by God
YOU ARE PETER WE ARE ALL PETER, not this person or that person but all of us, we who live simply confessing Christ we who are fearful, faithless, and yet formed by God
We shall confess and He shall build, We shall preach he shall build. We shall pray to him he shall build We do not know his plan. We do not see whether he builds or tears down. It may be that the times, which by human standards are times of collapse, are for him the times of great building. It may be that the times, which by human standards are times of great success, are for him times to tear down. It is a great comfort that Christ gives to his church: confess, preach, and bear witness to me. I alone will build as it pleases me. Don’t give me orders. Do your job- then you have done enough. You are all right. Don’t seek out reasons and opinions. Don’t keep judging Don’t keep checking again and again to see if you are secure. Church, remain a Church!, But you church, confess, confess, confess! You have only one Lord--CHRIST ALONE. By his grace alone you live. Christ builds.
Christ has built it, The victory lies with the church, because Christ the Lord is with it and has conquered death, Do not ask if the victory is yours, but believe in the victory and it is already yours. THE victory is yours because you aren’t a debtor to the flesh, you are led by the spirit and you are adopted into God’s family as sons,no more than sons as heirs to HIS KINGDOM. REJOICE CHRISTIANS!
How can we enjoy life in the Spirit?Lord Help me, to walk with you, but not just walk help me to live by the Spirit. Take control and produce in me a heart that is loving, that is gentle and kind and one that loves peace and experiences joy, a heart that understands your goodness and is self controlled not envious and provoking, but patient and faithful.
Living by the Spirit, )PAUSE(
Sounds hard, sounds impossible, sounds depressing, defeating BUT ITS NOT! IT IS POSSIBLE, IT IS Glorious
THE SPIRIT OF HIM WHO RAISED CHRIST JESUS from the dead dwells in YOU!
THE SPIRIT IS POWERFUL, don’t doubt that, don’t forget that, don’t rely on anything but that.
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