This morning we will be continuing in Romans chapter 8 if you want to turn there.
! We'll be looking at verses 8-11.
If you're using one of the Bibles here in the church, it's on page 944.
So you can turn there if you want at this point.
I'd like to start by just sharing a little story about our time in China.
In China, when our family was living there, there was one specific word that we all learned relatively quickly.
It's the word waiguaren.
Waiguaren.
You see it?
For me it's there, but for you it's there.
So I'm never sure which way to point.
Waiguaren.
And it means foreigner.
And literally every place we went, literally every place we went.
If you're walking down the street, if we're in stores, if we're in the park, if we were in restaurants, every place.
People would stop and they would point and go, oh, waiguaren, waiguaren.
I'm not exaggerating.
And so we learned it pretty quickly.
And it means foreigner.
And so after we had been there a while, several years, it got to the point where I kind of liked to play with them a little when this was happening.
I mean, this happened, we lived there 12 years.
The day we left, still just as many people going, oh, waiguaren, waiguaren.
Okay, it didn't change.
But after a few years, I'd like to play with them.
And I would say back to them,
which, that's the next one, actually is the Chinese for Hakka people.
And that's the primary people group that lived in our city.
And so I'd say, no, no, no, we're not foreigners.
We're Hakka.
Now, the way that works is in that word, you break out the two characters.
There's ke, which basically means guest, visitor, that kind of thing.
And jia, and jia means family.
Now, the way the logic worked for me is we were by far the guest family more than they were.
Right?
And so I would say, no, we're Hakka.
Well, as you could imagine, they didn't agree.
Okay?
And so then the conversation would go something like this.
You're not Hakka. We're Hakka.
Okay?
And then the questions would ensue.
Okay?
And usually 99.9% of the time, 99.9% of the time, the next question would be,
Can you speak Hakka?
Now, we lived there a long time, okay?
And my language teacher had prepared me for this question.
Ashley had got me set because they always would ask that next.
If I'm saying Hakka, they're going to want to know, do I speak Hakka?
So I would respond, in Hakka,
I really like to speak Hakka.
And they would do basically what you just did.
They'd be all excited.
And they'd say, Anvoyo, which is, it doesn't have a good translation, really great.
It really means very fierce, but in a positive way.
And so, you know, they would respond that.
And then I was already set for my response.
I mean, it happened A, B, C, every time.
I would say, Chu voye, chu voye, which is Hakka for, ah, it's no big deal.
At that point, they were just delighted.
And, and, uh, Allie can tell you, they still would talk to her after we left it.
Where's your teacher that is Hakka, you know?
Um, and so, the problem is, at this point in the conversation,
I needed to move on.
Right?
I mean, we were quickly approaching the, the full use of my five sentences in Hakka
that I had prepared.
And if I lingered any longer, then it was going to come down to a, a thing like, you know,
were you born here?
And are your parents Hakka?
And as you can imagine, those probing questions wouldn't go too well for my argument.
So, right about that point, I would move on.
We'd have somewhere to go or something else to do.
So, the point in all of that is this morning, as we come back to Romans chapter eight,
and look at verses eight through 11, my goal is for us to look at three questions.
Three questions that hopefully will help us dive deeper,
and in a very practical way, help you avoid doing spiritually
what I was intentionally doing with Hakka,
giving some rote answers to cover over the truth of the matter and move on with things.
So, this morning we're going to look at three questions as we go through this passage,
and we're going to just go verse by verse, okay?
So, we're going to start with Romans eight, verse eight.
Romans eight, verse eight.
I guess I better open my notes here.
It'll make it a little less long.
Romans eight, verse eight.
And the first question is, are you in the flesh?
Are you in the flesh?
Romans eight, verse eight says, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
And so, the first question I want us to consider this morning is, are you in the flesh?
Okay?
Now, we've talked about and used this phrase, in the flesh, many times already in Romans,
and don't worry, there's still some more to come.
But I wanted to take a second and just define what do we mean when we talk about in the flesh?
What do we mean by in the flesh?
And so, here's a brief definition from Pastor Dave's book of theology for you here.
In the flesh means living out of that self-centered, selfish, prideful focus or motivation that we're all born with.
Okay?
So, when we talk about being in the flesh, this is what we have in mind.
Living out that self-centered, selfish, prideful focus or motivation that we're all born with.
Very interestingly, just in the last week or two, I was talking with a young lady,
and she was talking about how the majority of the people think children are born good.
To which I replied, anyone who thinks children are born good haven't had any children.
Right?
Because I had to work really hard to get my kids to do what was right, but to lie or to cheat or to steal,
or to beat their brother in the head with a stick, that all came very naturally.
Yeah?
So, you know, the idea when we talk about being in the flesh is that very thing.
The nature that we're born with.
The way that we just come out being self-centered, being selfish, being prideful.
And so, we notice from this verse, in verse 8, it says what?
It says, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
That means there is some group of people that cannot please God, whatever they do.
And the definition of those people are those who are in the flesh.
And so, if there's a group of people that cannot please God, whatever they do,
and it's those people that are in the flesh, it behooves us to take a look at our lives and see, are we in the flesh?
And I came up, do you guys appreciate the fact that it says flesh there, those five letters?
It took a long time to do that.
So, if some of those words aren't good, just know it was the best I could do with the letter I had.
Okay?
So, here's five areas for us to look at as we consider are we in the flesh.
The first is free time.
Free time.
Okay?
How do you spend your free time, the time that you have to decide what you're going to do with?
Maybe you spend it sleeping or watching TV, watching movies.
Maybe you spend it playing sports or going to the gym.
Maybe you like working on some project or a hobby.
Maybe you're involved in some kind of event where you like to be outside or just enjoy nature.
You know, how are you spending your free time, the time that you get to decide what you're going to do?
Now, as we consider this, something important to point out is I'm not saying any of those things are wrong.
Okay?
I'm not saying any of those things are wrong.
But first, I want you to decide how you spend your free time.
Second, I want you to think about what's the motivation behind what you do with your free time.
See, because that's what we're talking about.
When we're talking about in the flesh, we're talking about the motivation behind it.
So, what's your motivation?
Are you choosing to spend your free time out of a heart that's selfish, that's self-centered, that's prideful?
Whatever the answer is for how you spend it, what's your motivation behind it?
Are you in the flesh?
Okay?
Think about that.
I'll give you a second.
Okay, that was long enough.
Okay?
Look at a second point.
L, the longings.
Longings.
What are the things you really desire?
What are the things you're pursuing?
What are the things that you are lusting after?
What are the things that really are driving you?
Okay?
Here's a list of things I came up with.
Maybe it's comfort.
Are you longing for comfort?
Maybe it's physical pleasure, success, material things.
Maybe you're longing for someone's approval or maybe you're longing for someone's attention.
Maybe you're longing to be beautiful.
Maybe you're longing for financial success or wealth or security and safety.
Maybe you're just pursuing being distracted from all the things that are going on in your life.
What is it that you really long for?
Now, again, it's not that any of those things necessarily is wrong, but what's your motivation in those longings?
Do those things flow out of a selfish, self-centered, prideful life?
So think about it.
Your longings.
Are you in the flesh?
Number three.
E.
Your excuses.
What are the reasons that you're giving for the things that you do or the things that you don't do?
Whether they're things you know you should do, you don't do, or things that you know you shouldn't do, you do.
What are your reasoning for doing or not doing those things?
And again, does it flow out of a selfish, self-centered life?
Okay?
Are you in the flesh?
Think about it.
Okay, number four.
Spending.
What are you spending your money on?
Where is all your money going?
Are you spending it on necessities or luxuries, on helping others, on giving it to Jesus?
And actually, this is free, okay?
I'm just sticking this in.
This is no extra charge for this little nugget here.
But I was talking with a couple of people in the past couple of weeks about the church
and some ministries that could happen if more people came to church and then we'd have more money and we could do more things.
It was actually give everybody an iPad in case you're curious.
But I said to them, look, it's not that we need more people.
We just need people to be giving at least 10%.
Well, they were shocked.
They said, no, our church is generous.
And our church is generous.
And they said, surely our church, everybody is tithing.
And I said, well, I don't know the details, but I know statistically what's true.
And so I grabbed some statistics for you, okay?
Here's some statistics about the average church.
Okay, tithers, people who give at least 10%, make up only 10% to 25% of a normal congregation.
Only 5% give at least 10% of their income.
And 80% of American Christians only give 2% of their income.
Christians now in days are giving at about 2.5% of their income on average.
And during the Great Depression, it was 3.3%.
And for families making more than $75,000, the church giving figure drops to just 1%.
Average giving by adults who attend U.S. Protestant churches is about $17 a week.
Okay?
Interesting.
Okay, statistics.
Now, I agree.
Maranatha is more generous than average.
But just thinking about it, the question is, how are you spending your money?
And now, that's not the hard question.
Okay?
The hard question is, what's your motivation in it?
So whether you're spending that on luxurities, or you're spending it on giving it to Jesus,
the question is, why?
What's the motivation behind it?
That's what matters.
Are you doing it out of a selfish, self-centered heart?
Is it done out of pride?
If so, then it's in the flesh.
Okay?
One last one.
H. Helping.
Helping.
I know some of you are saying, okay, listen, preacher.
I was with you.
Free time.
I got it.
Longings.
I got it.
Excuses, of course.
Spending.
You get a little particular.
H. Helping.
You're saying, by looking at how we help and serve others, we can decide if we're in the flesh.
And again, remember, it's about motivation.
So think about it.
Think about it.
In your own life, where you're serving, helping, doing things for other people, what's the motivation?
Is it self-centered?
Again, if you're giving all your money to feed starving orphans in India, but it's out of a selfish motivation, it's in the flesh.
And we just read in verse 8 that that does not please God.
Okay?
If you stop to help somebody whose car is broken down, or if you give all your money to the poor, or if you do everything you can to save the environment, or if you're helping a little old lady across the street.
If you're helping a little bit, but it's flowing out of a spirit or a motivation that's self-centered, that's selfish, that's prideful, then those things aren't pleasing to God.
It's the flesh.
Psalm 14, 1 through 3 says this.
Only fools say in their hearts there is no God.
They are corrupt, and their actions are evil.
Not one of them does good.
The Lord looks down from heaven on the entire human race.
He looks to see if anyone is truly wise, if anyone seeks God.
But no, all have turned away.
All have become corrupt.
No one does good.
Not a single one.
And you remember the story of the rich young ruler, right?
The rich young ruler comes to talk to Jesus, and he says, good teacher, what must I do to receive eternal life?
And you remember Jesus says back to him, he says, why do you call me good?
No one's good except God alone.
And we have a trouble in our society really often grasping this truth.
Understanding, you know, that there is no one good.
That there is no one who does what's right.
We look at our own lives and the lives of others, and we see all the kind things that are done,
or we see all the things that, you know, we're not doing wrong, or all the ways that we're better than somebody else.
And we just somehow subliminally think that we're placing good works on the positive side of the scales of justice.
But it comes down to motivation.
It's all about why we're doing those things.
If it's self-centered, if it's selfish, if it's prideful, it's in the flesh.
Now, don't get me wrong.
I would much rather somebody help me across the street than mug me and leave me in a ditch.
Okay?
I mean, there are definitely actions that are better actions.
They're more kind.
They're more helpful.
They're more legal.
Right?
They're a better reflection of Christ and His character, His law.
So there are actions that are better, but we need to understand if we're doing those things out of a heart that's focused on selfishness, self-centered pridefulness,
if those good things are coming out from that motivation, they're not good.
And they don't please God.
So the question is, are you in the flesh?
Are you in the flesh?
So that's question number one.
Question number two.
Romans 8, verse 9.
You, however, you, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if the Spirit of God dwells in you.
Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him.
Now, we ask the question, are you in the Spirit?
And let's just take a minute and define in the Spirit, okay?
Again, just for practical purposes, this is how I defined it for you.
In the Spirit.
The Spirit of God has moved into your life, and now you have the ability to think, speak, and act from a completely different motivation.
You can choose not to be self-centered, selfish, and prideful.
You see, until the Holy Spirit comes into your life, you really don't have an option.
Okay?
But the Spirit, in the Spirit, gives you that option.
You can choose.
Your motivation, your focus can now be your love for Jesus and your desire for others to see His beauty.
So, when we talk about being in the Spirit, this is the concept, this is the idea.
The Holy Spirit has moved in and is changing you.
Okay?
But notice that it says, if, if the Holy Spirit is there, if the Spirit of God dwells in you.
And so, I'm going to give you six fingerprints, six fingerprints of the Holy Spirit's work in your life.
And let's think through this, are you in the Spirit?
Number one, S, salvation.
Salvation.
You know, one of the first things that becomes evident when the Holy Spirit is in our life, is that we begin to see our sin.
And, not just see it, but to turn away from it and begin to follow Christ.
Look at these verses.
Jesus speaking in John 16, verses 7 and 8.
Jesus says,
Nevertheless, I tell you the truth.
It is to your advantage that I go away.
For if I do not go away, the Helper, the Holy Spirit, will not come to you.
But if I go, I will send Him to you.
And when He comes, He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.
Jesus is saying, it's better for Him to not be with us so the Holy Spirit can be within us.
But when the Holy Spirit does come, notice what happens.
There's conviction of sin.
Right?
It's not just talking about feeling guilty for when you do bad things.
Notice what it says in 2 Corinthians 7, 10.
There's two kinds of grief.
Godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without any regret.
Whereas worldly grief produces death.
So the Holy Spirit, when He comes into your life, begins to show you your sin.
You begin to have the desire to turn away from it and follow Jesus.
Notice what it says in Titus 7, verses 4 through 7.
It says,
But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, He saved us.
Not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy.
By the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior.
So that being justified by His grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
So S, salvation.
If the Holy Spirit's in your life, you're going to see the works of salvation happening.
P, a passion for Christ.
A passion for Christ's glory.
When the Holy Spirit comes into our life, we see a growing hunger and desire to see Christ glorified.
In our own lives, in the world around us, in the lives of others.
Again, look at John chapter 16, verses 13 and 14.
Jesus says,
When the Spirit of truth comes, again the Holy Spirit,
When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth.
For He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak,
and He will declare to you the things that are to come.
He will glorify me, for He will take what is mine and declare it to you.
In Philippians 3, 3, talking about us as Christians, says,
For we are the circumcision who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus,
and put no confidence in the flesh.
So do you see that in your life?
Do you see the Holy Spirit's fingerprints of giving you a greater passion for Christ's glory?
Do you have a desire to see much made of Jesus?
To see Him lifted up in your life, in the world, in the people around you?
One of the fingerprints of the Holy Spirit.
The first I.
Okay?
The Holy Spirit interprets God's Word for us.
Interprets God's Word for us.
If the Holy Spirit is in your life, if you are in the Spirit,
one of the things the Holy Spirit's going to do is give you a hunger for God's Word,
and help you understand and apply it.
Look at John 14, 26.
Jesus says,
And then 1 Corinthians 2, verses 9 through 14 says,
It says,
But as it is written,
What no eye has seen, no ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love Him,
these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit.
For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.
For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person which is in him?
So also, no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
Now we have received not the Spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God,
that we might understand the things freely given us by God.
And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom,
but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.
The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God,
for they are folly to him.
He's not able to understand them because they're spiritually discerned.
When the Holy Spirit comes into our life,
one of the fingerprints, one of the signs, one of the evidences,
is there's a growing desire for God's Word.
There's a growing impact of God's Word on our lives.
You know, we talked previously in one of the sermons I shared with you about how amazing it is
that we believe God's Word, that it's a testimony to God's work in our life.
And the Holy Spirit does that, helps us understand it, helps us apply it.
So do you see that fingerprint in your life?
The R.
The Holy Spirit replaces our habits.
Replaces our habits.
When the Holy Spirit is in our life, when we are in the Spirit,
we see a change in how we live.
Notice Galatians 5, 19 through 25.
I'm sure this will be familiar.
It says,
When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear.
Sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy,
outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these.
Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But then verse 22.
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives.
Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
There is no law against these things.
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.
Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit's leading in every part of our lives.
So, are you in the Spirit?
Can you look at your life and see how the Holy Spirit is at work replacing your habits, changing how you live, moving in your life?
And not that you're perfect.
I'm not saying that.
Again, it's always a process.
But if the Holy Spirit's there, you should see that change happening if you're living in the Spirit.
Okay, second I.
The Holy Spirit involves us in the church.
Notice what it says in Ephesians 2, 19 through 22.
It says,
Not only does the Holy Spirit involve you in connecting with the church, but he gives you spiritual gifts for the building up of the body of Christ.
Everyone here has a part to play.
Everyone that is indwelled by the Spirit has a gift that we need.
We need you.
You need us.
And we labor together for the kingdom of God.
It's part of what the Holy Spirit does.
Okay, T.
Talking about Jesus.
You know, I'm sure you're familiar with Acts 1-8 where it says,
You'll receive power when the Holy Spirit's come upon you.
You'll be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, the ends of the earth.
But here's an interesting list from J.D. Greer.
He points out that every time the Holy Spirit fills people in Luke or in Acts, they begin to talk about Jesus.
Okay?
So, very interesting list.
Look at this.
When the Spirit fills John the Baptist, he proclaims the coming of the Lord.
When the Spirit fills Elizabeth, she proclaims a blessing over her relative, Mary, being the mother of Jesus.
When the Spirit fills Zechariah, he prophesies about the coming glory of Jesus.
When the Spirit fills the disciples at Pentecost, they declare the gospel in multiple languages.
When the Spirit fills Peter, he preaches to the rulers that Jesus is their only hope of salvation.
When the Spirit fills the disciples, they speak the word of God boldly in the face of persecution.
When the Spirit fills Paul, he immediately begins to preach in the synagogues.
We see time and time again, if the Holy Spirit is at work, if the Holy Spirit is in you, if you are in the Spirit, you're going to be talking about Jesus.
It's just a natural result.
If you think back, the reality is because the Holy Spirit is growing your passion for Christ, it's only going to naturally overflow in your talking with others.
Whether that's the people that you work with, the people that you live with, the people that you go to church with, the people that you're shopping with, everybody around you.
And I'm not saying you can't have a conversation about anything but Jesus.
I mean, it's okay to be like, hey, how's the weather? Do you know Jesus?
I mean, that's okay.
The point is, the Holy Spirit is creating an excitement in us, and it's going to flow out of us.
We're going to see that in our conversations with others.
So, there's some fingerprints.
There's some fingerprints.
So, think about in your life.
Take a minute and consider, do you see these fingerprints of the Spirit happening in your life?
Are you in the Spirit?
And the reality is, if you don't, if you don't see the fingerprints of the Holy Spirit, or maybe if you do see a high percentage of in the flesh,
then you need to consider, do you have a relationship with Christ?
Have you had an experience where you have come to Christ and surrendered your life to Him?
Notice Acts 2, verses 38 and 39.
Peter, when he's preaching, says,
Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins.
And you'll receive the gift of the Holy Spirit for the promises for you and for your children and for all who are far off.
Everyone whom the Lord your God, our God, calls to Himself.
And so, in your life, if you don't see the signs that you are in the Spirit, don't leave today without talking to someone.
If you'd like to see that change of moving from being in the flesh to being in the Spirit, then talk to any of the people that are around you.
Come and talk to me, and let's walk through how you can begin a relationship with Jesus today.
Now, hopefully, at this point, you can see that you are growing out of being in the flesh.
And you're seeing signs that you are in the Spirit.
The third question that I want to ask is, are you living it out?
Are you living it out?
If the Spirit is in you, if you're in the Spirit, are you living it out in the world around you?
Okay?
Just briefly, three things.
The first is from verse 9, where it says,
You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit.
In fact, the Spirit of God dwells in you.
Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him.
Are you living as one who belongs?
And honestly, this is only half a point.
Because there's responsibilities and rewards.
But after preaching in a couple weeks, I'm going to use the rewards later.
So, you're only getting half a point.
You'll have to come back for the other half.
Our responsibility, though, is if we belong to Christ, then it should affect how we live.
Look at 1 Corinthians 6, 19 and 20.
I'm sure you're familiar with this.
It says,
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?
You are not your own, for you were bought with a price.
You belong to Christ.
So, glorify God in your body.
Are you living in a way that shows you belong to Christ?
Are you bringing Him glory in the things that you're doing?
Are you bringing Him glory in how you're living your life?
And, you know, the truth is this really has just been a struggle.
And I've shared some with you guys before, too.
The whole issue in my life about my eating and is my eating really glorifying God?
And struggling through that, even just this week praying about, you know, Lord, wanting to be an example of one who belongs.
Are you glorifying God in your body?
Number two.
They're not numbered, but the second one.
As one who is dying.
Are you living as one who is dying?
Verse 10 says,
But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is life because of righteousness.
Are you living as one who is dying?
You see, just because the spirit is at work in us, that doesn't change the effects of sin.
Right?
We still live in a sinful world.
Our bodies are still dying.
We're still having to face all the struggles and suffering that's happening.
But are you living as one who's dying with the knowledge of what the spirit is at work doing?
Look at 2 Corinthians 4, verses 7 through 12.
It says,
But we have this treasure, the treasure of the gospel, the glories of Christ, in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.
We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed.
We are perplexed, but not driven to despair.
We are persecuted, but not forsaken.
We're struck down, but not destroyed.
Always carrying in the body the death of Jesus.
We're living in a fallen world.
We're carrying the death of Christ in us as his children.
Always living.
Always carrying in the body the death of Jesus.
So that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.
For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake.
So that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
So death is at work in us, but life in you.
Are you living like one who's dying?
Are you dying daily?
Are you taking up your cross?
Are you being willing to give up your rights, your desires?
Are you willing to set aside the things that don't really matter because you're dying?
Are you willing to carry the death of Christ in order that the life of Christ might be seen by those around you?
You know, I said I wasn't going to do this, but I'm going to do it anyway.
And then I'm going to cry.
And then we're all going to be here another ten minutes.
You know, it was such, it was, just give me a minute.
It was such a blessing this week to watch our young people serve.
And they served and they served and I didn't hear anybody complain.
And they were sleeping here and they were having late nights and they were having early mornings.
Because I was having early mornings and when I would get here, they would already be up and around and doing things.
And they were serving and giving of themselves.
And I assure you there were some times when they didn't want to.
Okay?
But they were willing to live like they're dying.
That's what really mattered.
They were willing to give themselves.
And already we're seeing an impact from their labors.
And I just ask, continue to pray for that.
Are you willing to live as one who's dying?
Third point, and then we'll conclude.
Are you living as one who will be raised?
Are you willing, are you living as one who will be raised?
Not only are we living a life where we know we're dying, but there's something more, right?
There's something beyond what we see.
Look at 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verses 1 through 5.
It says,
Our outer self is wasting away.
Our inner self is being renewed day by day for this light momentary affliction.
And remember, Paul is the one writing this.
The one that had been shipwrecked and whipped and beaten and stoned and left for dead.
Anyway, that's a long list.
And he's saying,
This light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.
As we look not to the things that are seen, but to the things that are unseen.
For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
If you're not in the flesh, if you're in the spirit, if the spirit of God is dwelling in you, are you living as one who will be raised?
Are your priorities, your heart, your focus, your passion, your response to the things going on around you, are they with a view towards eternity?
Are you living out the spirit in your daily life?
In closing, I have a really long quote from Francis Chan in his book, Forgotten God.
But it's really good.
But I have it up there, so you guys will read this too.
I'll read.
I feel like this is a good summary.
It says,
And this is the question I just can't get around.
If it's true that the spirit of God dwells in us, and that our bodies are the Holy Spirit's temple,
then shouldn't there be a huge difference between the person who has the spirit of God living inside him, or her, and the person who does not?
This may be a silly illustration, but if I told you I had an encounter with God, where he entered my body and gave me a supernatural ability to play basketball,
wouldn't you expect to see an amazing improvement in my jump shot, my defense, my speed on the court?
After all, this is God we're talking about.
If you saw no change in my athleticism, wouldn't you question the validity of my encounter?
Churchgoers all across the nation say the Holy Spirit has entered them.
They claim that God has given them a supernatural ability to follow Christ, put their sin to death, and serve the church.
Christians talk about being born again and say that they were dead, but now have come to life.
We've become hardened to those words, but they're powerful words that have significant meaning.
Yet when those outside the church see no difference in our lives, they begin to question our integrity, our sanity, or even worse, our God.
And can you blame them?
Are you in the flesh?
Are you in the spirit?
Are you living it out?
Let's pray.