[0:00] Well, it's really delightful to be here. As some of you know, some of you will have joined us. We host our annual Christmas party in this room, and it has become kind of a place that we really like.
[0:13] We've rented it out for the whole weekend. We're here Friday night. If you joined us for the Good Friday Circles, we were here yesterday for our Egg Olympics. I'm not sure how that word goes together, but the Olympics somehow did that.
[0:26] That was really fun. We hope to do this again. It's a little bright. I know I have kind of a halo effect going, but you can remember that whenever you want. All right. During this Easter season, as we head into a new season out of the season of Lent, which was more about morning, about self-reflection, self-examination, you move into a season of celebration of the Easter season between now and Pentecost Sunday.
[0:59] And so I want us to take some time to sit with one particular question, and that's this. How does the resurrection of Jesus Christ impact our lives today?
[1:13] Even when birds flying around, there's a nest up here, right? It's covered the other day. So I know that it will be distracting. That's all right. It's good to have the air flow coming in. This is the question. How does the resurrection of Jesus Christ actually impact us today?
[1:31] Yet as Christians, we believe that Jesus was raised, really raised from the dead, bodily resurrection. Yet, far too often, the resurrection of Jesus is something that is an abstraction.
[1:43] It's a historic, distant event. It has no real present reality. But that wasn't the way it was for the early Christians. But the early Christians, they saw the resurrection, and it immediately impacted him.
[1:57] In fact, the Apostle Paul, who was not there when Jesus was raised, the Apostle Paul sees the resurrection of Jesus as shaping his lived reality, his actual experience.
[2:10] And that's what the eighth chapter of the book of Romans is all about. It begins with these incredible words. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
[2:27] We're going to spend this Easter season, the next few Sundays, marinating. That gets you hungry for later. Marinating in Romans chapter 8.
[2:39] In this beautiful description of what resurrection life looks like. And so here's what I want you to see today. Is that this. That the work of the Holy Spirit is to make Jesus' resurrection life a reality for you.
[2:55] That's what the Holy Spirit does. The Holy Spirit is at work now to make resurrection life a reality for you. Let's read from Romans chapter 8.
[3:06] I can't wait for the spring looking at this chapter. Verse 1. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
[3:21] For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free. In Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.
[3:31] 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 poor sin.
[3:43] He condemned sin in the flesh. In order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fulfilled in us. Who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
[3:56] For those who have, who live according to the flesh. Set their minds on the things of the flesh. For those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.
[4:07] For to set the mind on the flesh is death. But to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God.
[4:19] For it does not submit to God's law. Indeed it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You however. Not in the flesh.
[4:32] 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.
[4:44] 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 dwells in you.
[5:01] He who raised Jesus Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
[5:12] Amen. Friends this is God's Word. And He gives it to you because He loves you. And because He wants you to know Him. Here's what I want to look at. Just briefly this morning as we reflect on this.
[5:24] And kind of intro our way into Romans chapter 8. It's this. Number one. Why do we need this resurrection life? Why do we need this resurrection life? Second.
[5:34] How do we get this resurrection life? And then thirdly. What effect does this resurrection life actually have on us? I know. It's very entertaining.
[5:48] Fighting that little class. For supremacy. Seems so small and yet so powerful. Why do we need resurrection life? How do we get it? What its lasting effect is?
[5:59] Why do we need it? Well, when I was in middle school. I was in love with a girl. As you might be. And as is typical of love in those early days.
[6:12] It's very fickle. One Friday afternoon. This girl's best friend came to me and said. You know. She's going to break up with you probably on Monday.
[6:25] Because there is another boy from another school who is interested in her. Now this other boy at this other school. His name is John Hennigenberg. John Hennigenberg has been seared into my brain for decades now.
[6:40] And so I spent the weekend overwhelmed by this. I tried to call her. She did not pick up the phone. I went to my soccer game on Saturday morning distraught and worried about it.
[6:52] I couldn't sleep. All I could do was envision John Hennigenberg. And this lovely girl of mine. Talking for hours.
[7:03] And laughing together. And enjoying one another. And me on the outside. I felt rejected. It was the hardest weekend of my young life at that point.
[7:17] I felt embarrassed. I felt ashamed. I felt condemned. You know. If you are a human being who is breathing right now. You know that feeling that conversation.
[7:28] That feeling that no matter how hard you try. You are definitely not going to be able to measure up. In whatever circumstance you're there. You know. Sometimes it comes from outside of you.
[7:40] Right? That you have. Your boss has unfair criticism. Or when you say something's dumb. Before you think about it. It just falls out of your mouth.
[7:50] I'm very familiar with that. Or you see on someone's social media person. You've been let out of something that you really wanted to be a part of. I spoke to a little friend this week.
[8:03] And she is going through another spectrum of divorce. Here's what she said. She said she feels embarrassed and ashamed. Because she never wanted to be this person.
[8:16] She feels embarrassed. Because she wonders what her friends and angers and people of church are going to say. See. Condemnation is something that comes to us from outside.
[8:28] But not only from outside. Sometimes it comes up from our own souls. Inside of us. Right? You have the deadly shoulds. I should be healthier. Or skinnier.
[8:39] I should make more money. I shouldn't be so mean to everybody. I've talked to them. Each of us has this inner dialogue of criticism and condemnation.
[8:49] Sin in this world has made it so that. Whether it's coming from the outside or coming from the inside. We are slaves of condemnation. That's why we need this resurrection of life.
[9:04] You see. To fight that sense of condemnation. We become practiced. At trying to change our inner dialogue. Right? Whether it's like Stuart Smalling from the 90's SNL.
[9:16] Sitting in front of his mirror. Giving himself a daily affirmation. That he is good enough and smart enough. And tough. Or whether it's the song of self-pity.
[9:31] That we sing to ourselves. Like. Well. I'm just Kim. Anywhere else I'd be a Tim. Is it my.
[9:43] Is it my destiny. To die a life of long fragility. I mean. I mean. What's self-pity. It's amazing. See.
[9:54] What makes it funny though. Is that we all know that feeling. We know that inner battle. To silence the critics. To silence the bliss of condemnation. And most of the time. We are our own worst critics.
[10:06] Aren't we? We have labels that we put on our own souls. Too weak. Too dumb. Not beautiful.
[10:16] Not beautiful. I don't know. We have these. These labels of condemnation. You know. Even the apostle Paul wrestled with this. Before we get to chapter 8. And chapter 7. Which we don't have time to look at.
[10:28] He wrestled with a very similar question. This is the question he asked himself. Why do I do the things that I don't want to do? Why is it. That despite knowing.
[10:40] That this will hurt me. I still do it. It's like he couldn't help himself. And that's the way that we feel. You may know what is best for you. And yet.
[10:50] You can tell yourself that you are kent nut. All day long. But you're still going to eat that extra pizza. You're still going to take that extra drink. You're still going to say the wrong thing.
[11:03] At the wrong time. You're still going to miss the sale. That you should have had. You're still going to go back to those websites. You're still going to. You're still going to do those things.
[11:14] That you hate about yourself. And then you're back to the place. Of condemnation. Again. We all know the rule. This is why we need freedom.
[11:26] From condemnation. We invent all these ways. To try to free ourselves. Not just internal talk. But sometimes. We try to ignore condemnation. What we try to do is.
[11:37] Is like the prodigal son. We leave ourselves from judgment. We set our own rules. We make our own standards. We write our own story. We preach our own truth.
[11:50] But you know it doesn't work. Just like Paul figured out. Just like the prodigal son figured out. There is not one of us. Who lives up to our own standards. Each of us has moments.
[12:03] Where we lay in bed. And know what we have. We have to say anything. And so sometimes. Instead of. Instead of running away from it. We just try to. Manage the standards.
[12:14] A little bit. Like the older brother. In the parable. Of the prodigal son. We learn how to play the game. Better than other people. We bend the rules. So that we can meet.
[12:24] And we succeed. Better than others. And then we look down. On everybody else. We become moralistic. We become demanding. We become rigid.
[12:35] And judgmental. We need to have something. Better. Ray Orland says that. Romans 8. Is perfect. For anyone.
[12:45] Who lives. With a low. Great fear. Of anxiety. Fever. Of anxiety. And shame. Because you can't forget. Your failures in the past. You don't measure up.
[12:56] In the present. And fear. You won't be capable. In the future. That's you. Romans chapter 8. The good of the city.
[13:09] So how do we. Get this resurrection. How do we get this? Well we get it from. The Holy Spirit. Here's what's amazing. About Romans chapter 8. It's a super long chapter.
[13:21] But you know. There's not one. About. There's not one. In the name. In the name. There's not. One. Suggestion.
[13:33] For how to do life better. There's no demand. That you get it together. Before you come to God. There's no. There's no. Reminder. That if you just follow.
[13:43] The ten commandments. Everything's going to work out fine. There's no. Guilt keeping. There's none of that. In fact. All it is. Is one. Extended.
[13:54] Invitation. By God. Through his Holy Spirit. To invite you. To relate. Fundamentally. Differently. To him. Let's write it down. Just verse. Just verse one. Now.
[14:07] There is therefore. Now. Not in the future. When you really. Get yourself together. Not when you. Finally. Stop. Doing that thing. You always do.
[14:17] Now. Right now. Without delay. Without hesitation. There is. Now. No condemnation. For those who trust Jesus.
[14:30] There is. No. Condemnation. No. Here. It's in fact. It's the very first word. Of the entire chapter. It's as though. Paul wants to. Capitalize it. Envolve it. And make it a bigger font.
[14:41] He wants you to see. That no. Is the central piece. Of this sentence. It's placed there. Because it means. That there is not. Less. Condemnation.
[14:53] There is not. There is absolutely. Not any. Unqualified. Without reservation. No. Condemnation. For those. Who are in Christ.
[15:04] Jesus. None. Now a little bit. Not maybe. None. For those. For those. For those.
[15:14] Who are. In Christ. Jesus. This. Little phrase. In Christ. Jesus. What does it mean? It's all over the chapter. We'll dig into it more. It talks about the doctrine. The historic doctrine.
[15:25] Of the. Of the. Union. With Christ. But. Here's what's interesting. More clearly. Than just about. Anywhere else. In the Bible. The Apostle Paul.
[15:35] Says something about this. He says. We can be in. Or united. To Jesus. His resurrection. Life. By the work. Of the Holy Spirit. He talks in abstract terms.
[15:46] About this. In other places. But here. What he says is. That the work. Of the Holy Spirit. Is to make us. Live. The reality. Of Jesus.
[15:57] His resurrection. And we are united. To him. This chapter. Has more. Information. About the work. Of the Holy Spirit. Than anywhere else. In the Bible.
[16:08] The first. Eight. Or the first. Seven chapters. Of Romans. He mentions. The Holy Spirit. Five times. In the second. Half of the book. After this. He mentions. The Holy Spirit. Eight times. But here. In this chapter.
[16:19] He mentions it. 21 times. We can say this. This is the most charismatic. Chapter. In all of the Bible. This is a chapter. Where you see.
[16:29] What the work. Of the Holy Spirit. Is really doing. This is the answer. To Paul's question. How has God. Removed. Condemnation. From me.
[16:40] By the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit. Work. Is to help you. Actually. Live out. The resurrection. Life. That Jesus. Has. Accomplished.
[16:51] And how. Is that. Now. What does that look like. Look at verse 11. Verse 11. It's great. If the spirit of them. Who raised Jesus.
[17:02] From the dead. Dwells. In you. He. Who raised Christ. Jesus. From the dead. Will also. Give life. To your mortal bodies.
[17:13] Through his. Spirit. Spirit. What that. What that means. Is that. The Holy Spirit. The one. Who takes. Dead things. And makes them rise.
[17:24] Is the very. Same spirit. Who is. At work. In you. The very. Power. Of God. That raised. Jesus. From the dead. Is the power. That is coursing.
[17:35] Through. Your veins. We have. Resurrection. Life. Inside of us. We are. Spiritually. United.
[17:45] And it is. Coming to. This realization. That. That means. That we are. Well. In a sense. We are. In two locations. At once. In one sense.
[17:57] We sit. In Chattanooga. And that we sit. At the right hand. Of God. Seated in the heavenly places. With Jesus. Our Lord. You are. At this moment.
[18:07] Full of weakness. And failure. And foolishness. You are a sinner. And yet. You are a saint. Of God. Beloved. And accepted. And secure. At this.
[18:18] Same moment. There are two realities. At work. In you. You are dead. And sinning. And you are alive. To God. And yet. The power. Of that. Of that.
[18:30] Resurrection. Life. Is the thing. That is becoming. More and more. Through of you. Resurrection. Life. Is coursing through. Your veins. As sure. As your blood. Is coming. Through your heart.
[18:41] That's what makes this real. This is how. It's all. It's all. That's abstract. How does that actually. What does that look like? What effect.
[18:51] Does resurrection. Life. Have on it? I'm so glad. Tyron. Repeated this line. From Christ alone. No guilt.
[19:03] In life. Can you imagine. Living a life. Without work. No fear. In death. This is the power.
[19:14] Of Christ. In me. From life's first cry. To final death. Death. Jesus commands. My destiny. There is no power. Of hell. There is no scheme.
[19:26] Of man. There is no scheme. Of man. Until he returns. Or he calls me home. Here. In the power. Of Christ. I stand.
[19:39] That's what it looks like. To have resurrection. Life. Coursing through your veins. Is that perspective. On the way. Life actually is. We actually read. About someone. Earlier. In the service.
[19:50] Who was experiencing. That in real time. We read about Mary Magdalene. Now. There is a lot of confusion. About Mary Magdalene. There were some folks. In the middle ages. Who called her.
[20:00] A prostitute. Who then healed. The scriptures. Talk about her. To heal. The demon possession. But in popular. Shows. The chosen. The defense. She has a whole lore about her.
[20:12] We are not going to worry about her. We are just going to say. Very simple. That this was a woman. Who had experienced. Something profound. In Jesus. Something had been.
[20:24] Disastrous. In her life. And Jesus had healed her. And she was one of the most. Committed people. To Jesus. She is there. Every time. They are already looking on.
[20:35] To Jesus. At his crucifixion. She is the first one. At the tomb. At the resurrection morning. She is the one. Who is. Pleasant. Something has happened.
[20:45] To her. That has changed her. And yet still. On that morning. In the darkness. She looks in. And she sees the.
[20:56] She sees the Jesus. His body. Is there. And she was distraught. What was she feeling. In that moment. Yes. This was a woman.
[21:08] Who had known condemnation. She. She knew. What it was like. To have people. Talking about her. On her back. She knew. What it was like. To be called. Named. To be looked at.
[21:18] To walk through a room. And people. To stare at her. And say nothing to her. She knew. What condemnation was like. And yet. In Jesus' presence. She was free of it. And then.
[21:29] He was gone. He was dead. He was gone. I can only imagine. That in that moment. Her greatest fears. Had been realized. She realized. That though that.
[21:39] Those. That time of Jesus. Was wonderful. Now she had really. Been abandoned. It was like. Giving her a gift. And ripping it away. She was gone.
[21:52] He was. He was. He had left her. He wasn't going to. Come back. He had left her. To himself. She was. Condemned.
[22:03] Without hope. And then. Did you notice. The thing that changed. Was it. It was. It was. He said.
[22:14] It was. It was. And it opened. The floodgates. See. Suddenly. The voices. Of condemnation. Lost their power. Resurrection.
[22:25] Life. Became. A present. Lived. Reality. For her. She saw. And heard. Jesus. And that. Is what the Holy Spirit. Does. For us. It. It doesn't.
[22:36] The Holy Spirit. Doesn't immediately. Change your circumstances. Having a resurrection. Life. Does not mean. That everything. Is going to go well. Through you. But what it does mean. Is that.
[22:47] You will be changed. In the rest of the life. Tim Keller. Put it. Something out. That I have never seen before. The Apostle Paul. In all of his letters.
[22:58] He prays. For the people. That he's driving to. And he writes. These prayers out. There's. Dozens of them. But in his prayers. He never once.
[23:10] Prayed. That the circumstances. With which. These Christians. Are struggling. Will change. He doesn't pray. For their circumstances.
[23:21] To change. He prays. That they might be. Empowered. By the Holy Spirit. To live. In the midst. Of the difficult lives. Of the children. Resurrection.
[23:35] Life. Given to us. By the Holy Spirit. Changes. Us. In the midst. Of the Lord. What does that actually. Look like.
[23:46] What are you struggling. With cancer? You can know. That every day. As you struggle. With nausea. And pain.
[23:56] Jesus himself. Suffers. With you. He experiences. Pain. With you. He says. It will not always.
[24:06] Be like this. You will not. Be alone. In your pain. For God. To go to divorce. I told my friend. The speech. The resurrection.
[24:17] Life of Jesus. Means that. Even in her. Deepest moments. Of pain. And alienation. New life. Is being born. Out of the death. Of this relationship.
[24:28] Her children. Her family. Her friends. Will be witnesses. To something new. Born in her. If it is born. Of faith. That the darkness. Of her pain. Is not the only thing.
[24:39] Happening. A new life. Can come after that. What about. If you feel like. You're the guy. That just. Always gets laid off. That.
[24:50] That your career. Has just not. Gone the way. That you wanted. Jesus wants. You to know. That he knows. The sting. Of rejection. He's walked.
[25:00] To the lonely path. Of condemnation. And criticism. Of people. Who just don't. Understand you. What Jesus says. To you.
[25:11] Is that condemnation. Is not. Your name. That he has secured. A new name. For you. That he. He is writing.
[25:21] A story. For you. For which the last word. Is not written. See. In the resurrection. Something glorious.
[25:32] Is born. And now. That. That. By the Holy Spirit. That resurrection. Life. Is a present. Reality. For you. Francis Scufford. Is a. A British writer. He says this.
[25:43] He wrote this. In an article. In the Atlantic. I think. How will that help. How will the resurrection. Help me be thinner. And richer. And stronger. And more sexually successful.
[25:54] It won't. It will only help you. Be kinder. Braver. More tolerant. To Martin. Inevitable. Imperfection. More hopeful.
[26:07] More. Convinced. That the world. That can. That the worst. That can happen to us. As humans. Is not. The last word. Because there is a love.
[26:19] Which never rests. Never gives up. And is. Never defeated. There is. The love. The power. Of life.
[26:29] That is. Never defeated. Because of the resurrection. Of Jesus. You just close. And. Look around. As we.
[26:42] Leave. You. I want you. To look. Into the eyes. Of every. Single. Person. In. From. The. I want you. To know. That behind. Those. Beautiful. Eyes. Are so many.
[26:53] Words. Of condemnation. For some. People. I've been. Telling them. Those words. Of condemnation. Since they were. For some.
[27:04] People. It's been. Their failures. That have. Caused this. For some. Of them. They are. Replacing. Even. In this. Room. For. It's a. Convocation. And.
[27:17] What I. Want you. To see. Is. That. For those. Who. Are. In. Christ. Jesus. Coursing. Through. Their. Veins. And. Making. Less. And. Less. Certain.
[27:28] Are. The. Words. Of. Life. The. Resurrection. Of. Jesus. I. Want. You. To. See. Them. I. Want. You. To. Honor. Them. I. Want. You. To.
[27:38] Serve. Them. I. Want. You. To. To. Tell. Them. The. Words. Of. Resurrection. Life. To. Speak. The. Words. Like. Jesus. Spoke. To. Mary. The. Words. That. Will. Draw. Their.
[27:49] Hearts. Towards. God. I. Want. Grace. And. Peace. To. Be. A. Place. Where. We. Can. Say. Not.
[28:04] Just. From. Him. But. From. One. As. Well. As. We. Live. Out. This. Resurrection. Life. Here's. What. It. Will. Look. Like. If. The. Resurrection.
[28:14] Is. Working. In. You. It. Will. Mean. You. Create. A. Culture. A. Gospel. Culture. Of. People. Who. Believe. You. And. You. Say.
[28:26] I. Do. Not. Be. Good. Let. Tell. That. In. This. World. It. It. Is. Hard. To. To. To. Time.
[28:36] I. Make. Your. Blood. For. Everyone. And. Yet. Because. Of. The. Resurrection. Life. There. Is. Therefore. Now. The. Condemnation.
[28:51] For. You. Christ. Jesus. Let. We. Pray. Our. God. We. Pray. If. You. Would.
[29:02] Help. Us. To. Not. Just. Believe. That. In. Abstract. To. Believe. That. Jesus. Was. Raised. From. The. Dead. Yes. We. Need. To. Believe. That. But. We. Pray.
[29:12] That. That. Will. Become. A. A. Live. Reality. For. A. Life. Would. You. Bless. Us. With. The. Power. Of. Your. Spirit. And.
[29:22] Work. In. Us. Lord.oree.