WEBVTT 00:00:04.400 --> 00:00:06.400 Nevertheless, uh, we're gonna be diving in. 00:00:06.480 --> 00:00:10.080 So, what we're talking about here is life in the spirit. 00:00:10.400 --> 00:00:17.600 And there's a reality for us that we have to understand that uh there's something unique about the God that we serve. 00:00:17.679 --> 00:00:28.800 Uh, one is that he's the only true and living God, uh, but also that he is the God who is near to us, uh, that he is close to us, and and he presents this in a few different ways. 00:00:28.960 --> 00:00:36.479 One, God throughout the Old Testament was always near to his people, but it was in this geographical state, right? 00:00:36.560 --> 00:00:42.240 He his presence filled the tabernacle, and his people would come to worship him there. 00:00:42.560 --> 00:00:52.880 And then all of a sudden, God breaks into our very existence and he puts on flesh, born of a virgin, and then he is dwells among us. 00:00:52.960 --> 00:01:01.359 I I loved that song we just sang, because that song was actually, if you don't know the history of this, that song is based on the apostles' creed. 00:01:01.520 --> 00:01:14.159 What happened was is that there was an Anglican uh pastor who on Twitter challenged Hillsong uh to write a song that was confessional and theologically robust. 00:01:14.239 --> 00:01:16.879 He said, Write it on the apostles' creed, dare you. 00:01:16.959 --> 00:01:18.480 And they said, All right, we'll do that. 00:01:18.560 --> 00:01:21.200 And they did a pretty pretty good job, I'd have to say. 00:01:21.359 --> 00:01:28.879 Uh, and so what but what this helps us do is this helps us to tether ourselves to the historic faith of the church. 00:01:29.040 --> 00:01:43.040 I I had a conversation this weekend with someone about uh the dangers of progressive Christianity because we have ourselves fooled that the farther we progress away from the historical faith, the better that we're actually becoming. 00:01:43.280 --> 00:01:44.959 And that's a false assumption. 00:01:45.040 --> 00:01:47.280 It's a lie that we convince ourselves of. 00:01:47.519 --> 00:01:53.840 We have to, as the church today, anchor and tether ourselves to the historic church of what it's always believed. 00:01:54.159 --> 00:01:57.599 This is why confessions and creeds are so important. 00:01:57.920 --> 00:02:01.200 Uh, purest doctrine is that Jesus. 00:02:01.359 --> 00:02:05.840 And the farther we get away from him, the more dangerous waters we tread into, right? 00:02:06.000 --> 00:02:10.719 Back in the day, if you wrote heresy, it was chained to your leg and you were burned at a stake. 00:02:10.879 --> 00:02:14.080 Today you get a two million dollar book deal on a tour with Oprah. 00:02:14.319 --> 00:02:26.879 We we what we want to do is we want to look at what the men who paid for the price to be able to give to us guarded and kept the doctrines of God. 00:02:27.439 --> 00:02:32.000 So on that, God comes and dwells among us in Jesus. 00:02:32.240 --> 00:02:35.680 And then Jesus, he lives this perfect, obedient life, right? 00:02:35.759 --> 00:02:38.719 He he suffers and dies in our place. 00:02:39.039 --> 00:02:43.199 He he rises from the grave and then he ascends to the Father. 00:02:43.360 --> 00:02:49.680 And he says, before this, though, he says, Don't worry, I'm gonna bring, I'm gonna send someone who's gonna help you. 00:02:49.759 --> 00:02:57.919 I'm gonna send the Holy Spirit to live in you and to dwell in you so that you would know that you are mine. 00:02:58.080 --> 00:03:10.080 And so in the Old Testament, we see that that God inhabited the praises of his people in the tabernacle in the temple, but in the New Testament, God inhabits the people of his praise. 00:03:10.319 --> 00:03:19.120 So therefore, worship of God and service of him is no longer based on geographical location, but it's based on the spirit of whom dwells within us. 00:03:19.360 --> 00:03:39.599 And so this reality that we are believers who has placed our faith in the gospel of Jesus in his death, burial, and resurrection, and has been filled by the spirit is a unique reality compared to any other religion or faith that you'll find that the hand of man has made. 00:03:40.080 --> 00:03:46.240 The Bible tells us that God is not just with us, but in us by the Spirit. 00:03:46.319 --> 00:03:48.639 And this we're gonna look at what does that also mean? 00:03:48.719 --> 00:03:54.879 So we've been looking at life in the Spirit, and we're gonna be introduced to a new reality or implication of what that is. 00:03:54.960 --> 00:03:56.240 That's what Paul's been working through. 00:03:56.319 --> 00:03:58.800 He said, He said, Look, here's the reality. 00:03:58.879 --> 00:04:02.159 You're in a devastating state because of sin. 00:04:02.479 --> 00:04:10.719 You have chosen to rebel against God, and now you are bound by that rebellion and sin, and you can't serve God. 00:04:10.879 --> 00:04:15.039 So both in your ability and desire, you are bound to sin. 00:04:15.439 --> 00:04:19.360 And you can't choose righteousness, you cannot please God, you cannot serve him. 00:04:19.680 --> 00:04:23.519 Nothing that you can do is good unless we're liberated by the Holy Spirit. 00:04:23.600 --> 00:04:24.800 That's what Paul brings into. 00:04:25.040 --> 00:04:30.480 It's not about works, it's not about things that you do and actions that makes you closer to God. 00:04:30.639 --> 00:04:34.240 It's whether the Holy Spirit fills you or not. 00:04:34.480 --> 00:04:39.759 And if the Holy Spirit fills you, now here's some implications of that reality. 00:04:39.920 --> 00:04:46.000 And so last week uh we talked about life in the Spirit, setting our mind on the Spirit instead of on the flesh. 00:04:46.160 --> 00:04:53.519 This week we're gonna be talking about working in the Spirit and how it uh we understand that as sons and daughters. 00:04:53.839 --> 00:05:04.240 So if we looked at verses 12 through 13 and we tried to summarize this beginning passage, uh it would I would summarize it this way kill sin or it will be killing you. 00:05:04.879 --> 00:05:08.240 Kill sin or it will be killing you. 00:05:08.800 --> 00:05:13.040 When we start off with verse 12, uh Paul says, so then. 00:05:13.360 --> 00:05:22.800 Uh that that what he's talking about is he's referring to what he just previously stated, and here's an implication uh based upon what he previously stated. 00:05:22.879 --> 00:05:37.920 So so then is this since we have been born of the Spirit by being united to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, this has accomplished something for us because God himself accomplished it on our behalf. 00:05:42.639 --> 00:05:53.519 So since we have been freed and filled by the Spirit and united to Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection, this is the implication. 00:05:53.839 --> 00:05:54.480 So then. 00:05:54.639 --> 00:05:57.600 And then he uses this term, brothers. 00:05:57.920 --> 00:05:59.040 So then, brothers. 00:05:59.199 --> 00:06:00.560 Now, this is important. 00:06:01.360 --> 00:06:04.560 He's addressing people who are in God's family. 00:06:04.720 --> 00:06:08.879 And we're gonna walk through how does he know that they are part of God's family? 00:06:09.040 --> 00:06:13.199 What's the mark or what's the evidence that they are a part of God's family? 00:06:13.360 --> 00:06:14.879 But we have to realize something. 00:06:15.120 --> 00:06:22.399 Paul, in chapters one and seven, was the only other times that he ever used this term of endearment. 00:06:22.560 --> 00:06:28.879 So for five chapters, two, three, four, five, and six, Paul did not use the term brothers. 00:06:29.120 --> 00:06:29.680 Why? 00:06:29.920 --> 00:06:37.040 Because he was working through our sin nature and the consequences of our rebellion against God. 00:06:37.199 --> 00:06:46.959 He had no right to call brothers, because those who are in that state of rebellion and who are under their nature of sin are not a part of the family of God. 00:06:47.199 --> 00:07:01.839 Now he says, but you who do not live according to the flesh, but live according to the Spirit, because the Spirit has filled you, now he reinstates this term of endearment, this familial language of brothers. 00:07:02.079 --> 00:07:02.879 That's key. 00:07:02.959 --> 00:07:14.079 That's key for us to understand in a worldview as we engage culture of who are in God's family and who are not, and what are the markers and evidences of that truth? 00:07:14.319 --> 00:07:20.240 We are brothers only upon the basis of the Spirit's work in us. 00:07:21.040 --> 00:07:35.120 This term of endearment is to establish who we are now through the work of the Spirit alone, not through any of our actions or behaviors, but because the Spirit of God fills us and dwells within us, we are able to be brothers and sisters in Christ. 00:07:35.279 --> 00:07:41.120 And that's a truer reality than what we even experience in our natural family, right? 00:07:41.199 --> 00:07:44.399 Uh the blood is blood, and God honors natural family. 00:07:44.560 --> 00:07:50.879 In fact, out of the Ten Commandments, to honor your mother and father is the only commandment that is backed by a promise as well. 00:07:51.120 --> 00:07:53.839 If you do this, you will live a long and prosperous life. 00:07:54.000 --> 00:07:55.199 That's what God's promise is. 00:07:55.360 --> 00:08:00.480 It's one of the only Ten Commandments that has a guarantee behind it if you honor them. 00:08:00.800 --> 00:08:02.560 Blood is blood, that means something. 00:08:02.720 --> 00:08:16.800 But in Christ, and because of the Spirit, there's a truer, eternal family of brothers and sisters who have been united to him by faith through grace and the working of the Spirit. 00:08:17.120 --> 00:08:21.439 And Paul cuts straight to the point in this opening chapter. 00:08:24.160 --> 00:08:25.839 That's what he's going to cut straight to. 00:08:25.920 --> 00:08:30.959 So then, brothers, if you're going to live according to the flesh, it's death. 00:08:32.000 --> 00:08:35.759 And he says, You're to put the works of the flesh to death. 00:08:35.919 --> 00:08:40.320 If we look at this in 13, for if you live according to the flesh, you will die. 00:08:40.480 --> 00:08:46.159 But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 00:08:46.480 --> 00:09:00.639 Colossians 3 5 says it this way put to death, therefore, what is earthly in you sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 00:09:01.120 --> 00:09:02.639 Put to death. 00:09:02.960 --> 00:09:08.879 This is an active, participating reality for the Christian, right? 00:09:09.200 --> 00:09:14.879 This isn't this isn't the Christian pleading for God to put to death these things in their body, right? 00:09:15.039 --> 00:09:25.039 Sometimes we we talk about, well, God, if you would just take this desire from me, or God, if you would just take this uh propensity toward this certain sin away from me, then I wouldn't do it anymore. 00:09:25.120 --> 00:09:32.399 And we look for God to sweep in and remove this out of our life rather than realizing we've been equipped for war. 00:09:32.559 --> 00:09:48.559 We've been given the most powerful force in all of existence through the Holy Spirit, God Himself, the third person of the Trinity, indwelling in us, we've been equipped for war to fight against the deeds of the flesh. 00:09:50.159 --> 00:09:55.679 So this is an active participatory reality for the life of a child of God. 00:09:56.000 --> 00:10:04.240 Discovering both where sin still resides in us, but also how the gospel has conquered over it. 00:10:04.639 --> 00:10:09.919 One of the greatest ways that we fight sin is by believing in the gospel more. 00:10:10.480 --> 00:10:19.120 In fact, I would present or submit that every sin we find ourselves into is rooted in an unbelief of the truth of the gospel. 00:10:19.600 --> 00:10:20.000 Right? 00:10:20.240 --> 00:10:27.279 When we covet, is it not because we actually believe that God doesn't have all of our needs met in him? 00:10:28.639 --> 00:10:32.720 Or that he isn't the greatest treasure to obtain even himself? 00:10:34.799 --> 00:10:46.159 When we lust, is it not that we feel like we're unsatisfied, but that God promises that he will fully satisfy us in all of our needs and desires? 00:10:47.759 --> 00:10:52.000 When we do anything, sin is rooted in disbelief. 00:10:52.240 --> 00:10:53.039 Disbelief in what? 00:10:53.200 --> 00:10:54.000 Disbelief in the gospel. 00:10:54.159 --> 00:11:00.000 So one of the greatest ways that we can fight sin is through gospel faith. 00:11:02.159 --> 00:11:10.559 You see, we are conformed to the image of Jesus through working with the Holy Spirit to see his very image restored in us. 00:11:10.879 --> 00:11:20.639 This takes reality of us discovering and being aware of where sin still resides within us, but also combating that sin with greater faith in the gospel. 00:11:20.960 --> 00:11:23.840 The call to action is you put to death. 00:11:24.000 --> 00:11:25.200 That's what Paul says. 00:11:33.679 --> 00:11:36.960 The means of which we're to do that is by the spirit. 00:11:37.120 --> 00:11:41.600 You see, it's not by your own discipline, it's not by your own strength or your own might. 00:11:41.679 --> 00:11:46.399 It's not, it's not that every time you think a bad thought, you like flog yourself in the back, right? 00:11:46.559 --> 00:11:48.879 Um, or wear some type of chain. 00:11:49.120 --> 00:11:52.000 I don't know if you've ever seen those monks that it's really weird. 00:11:52.080 --> 00:12:01.200 But anyway, um, right, it's not some type of self-discipline or bodily uh um uh uh pain of which we do this. 00:12:01.360 --> 00:12:03.200 It's by the spirit. 00:12:03.360 --> 00:12:05.440 And what is the spirit doing? 00:12:05.840 --> 00:12:10.720 Jesus said that he's gonna send the spirit, and when the spirit comes, it's gonna testify of himself. 00:12:11.120 --> 00:12:19.600 Jesus says, the spirit will testify of me and everything that I've accomplished and who I am and what is finished in my work through the gospel. 00:12:19.759 --> 00:12:22.639 That's the testimony of the spirit in us. 00:12:22.799 --> 00:12:37.600 And so, therefore, if we are going to combat sin, put it to death by the Spirit, then we're going to have the Spirit be made stronger in us, the awareness of it, the evidence of it, the presence of it in us. 00:12:40.639 --> 00:12:58.639 John Owen, who I stole the summary of, his famous line, uh, be killing sin, or it will be killing you, also in his book, Mortification of Sin says this Let not man think he makes any progress in holiness who walks not over the bellies of his lusts. 00:12:58.960 --> 00:13:01.360 I love that's such a manly statement, right? 00:13:01.600 --> 00:13:10.240 I just imagine like some action movie where you just you just killed a bunch of dudes and then you're just stepping over their bodies, like, yep, done. 00:13:10.399 --> 00:13:10.639 Right? 00:13:10.720 --> 00:13:11.759 That's what he's talking about. 00:13:11.919 --> 00:13:15.519 Who has not made war to put to death the lusts of his flesh? 00:13:15.600 --> 00:13:17.440 And I'm not talking about just sexual lust. 00:13:17.519 --> 00:13:21.120 I'm talking about the lust that we have for the things of this world. 00:13:21.360 --> 00:13:30.559 Who has not put to death and gone to war with them and steps over their dead bodies as he's pursuing holiness by the spirit. 00:13:32.159 --> 00:13:33.919 How are we to be killing sin? 00:13:34.240 --> 00:13:35.840 It's by the spirit. 00:13:36.159 --> 00:13:40.480 It's the indwelling presence and power of the spirit that we're able to even put sin to death. 00:13:40.639 --> 00:13:49.120 Without it, we wouldn't be able to even put sin to death because even our efforts of righteousness would be for self-righteous gain. 00:13:49.440 --> 00:13:51.279 I love uh Tim Keller. 00:13:51.360 --> 00:14:03.759 He wrote a book called Prodigal God, and in it he says that when we come to Jesus, we don't only have to repent of everything we've ever done wrong, but we have to repent of the very reasons we ever did anything good. 00:14:04.960 --> 00:14:12.879 Because in our own efforts and strivings, what we're doing is we're trying to gain merit and favor with God. 00:14:13.120 --> 00:14:15.120 God, if I'm good enough, you'll love me. 00:14:15.279 --> 00:14:16.960 If I'm good enough, you'll accept me. 00:14:17.120 --> 00:14:28.320 If I'm good enough, and what God says is your self-righteousness, your works to try and think that anything you could do could earn my affection is as filthy rags to me. 00:14:29.440 --> 00:14:32.559 It is by grace through faith. 00:14:33.200 --> 00:14:42.320 Spiritual disciplines that increase our trust and faith in the gospel, making war against the lusts and passions of our flesh. 00:14:43.440 --> 00:14:48.720 Many of us, we often wonder as believers, why we don't experience more of the spirit in our daily lives, right? 00:14:49.039 --> 00:14:50.240 How many of you wrestle with that? 00:14:51.279 --> 00:14:53.120 I just wish I had more of the spirit in my life. 00:14:53.279 --> 00:14:58.080 I wish I experienced more of the spirit's power and presence in my life. 00:14:58.639 --> 00:15:00.480 Let me submit this. 00:15:02.000 --> 00:15:08.399 We often wrestle with that question because we do more to quench him than we do to ignite him. 00:15:10.720 --> 00:15:16.320 We do more to quench him in our daily life than we do to ignite his presence and power in us. 00:15:16.799 --> 00:15:20.320 You want to see the Spirit working more in your life? 00:15:20.559 --> 00:15:31.600 Cry out to him, pursue him, put sin to death, walk in obedience, pray and seek that he might be more realized in yourself. 00:15:32.159 --> 00:15:42.159 You've been filled, but there's this reality that us as believers can quench his presence, can quench the effects of him in us. 00:15:43.200 --> 00:16:00.159 And so often we do more in our daily life, whether it be the media that we take in or the thoughts that we allow to entangle our minds or or the things that we uh uh see or do or even a misunderstanding of our work, right? 00:16:00.320 --> 00:16:06.879 If you think work is eight hours of your life that's just wasted, like you're you gotta reshape the way that you think. 00:16:07.039 --> 00:16:09.039 Your work is worship. 00:16:09.440 --> 00:16:13.919 Your work is worship, and it's not eight hours of unredemptive, cursed time. 00:16:14.080 --> 00:16:20.080 It's eight hours of glory-filled, spirit-empowered worship unto the Lord. 00:16:21.039 --> 00:16:24.960 We have to do more to ignite his presence in our lives. 00:16:25.039 --> 00:16:26.399 That's when we're gonna see the spirit. 00:16:26.480 --> 00:16:30.960 I mean, how many times in your prayer life do you address the Holy Spirit? 00:16:31.279 --> 00:16:33.679 You know he is God, right? 00:16:35.039 --> 00:16:40.000 He is equal in glory, majesty, and power, yet distinct in personhood. 00:16:40.480 --> 00:16:42.399 Holy Spirit, I want you in my life. 00:16:42.480 --> 00:16:43.919 Holy Spirit, I want to feel your presence. 00:16:44.080 --> 00:16:45.679 Holy Spirit, convict me of sin. 00:16:45.840 --> 00:16:47.679 Holy Spirit, fill me with your gifts. 00:16:47.919 --> 00:16:51.519 Holy Spirit, allow me to be used as a vessel this day. 00:16:51.679 --> 00:16:54.080 Holy Spirit, be in my life. 00:16:54.240 --> 00:17:01.759 Holy Spirit, when I'm thinking these things, help me to put this thought captive and to kill it by your power and presence. 00:17:04.559 --> 00:17:10.640 When we look at verses 14 through 15, we see that the Spirit is our agent of adoption. 00:17:11.200 --> 00:17:13.680 The Spirit is our agent of adoption. 00:17:13.839 --> 00:17:18.480 Uh, this is the great qualifier of those who are in the family of God. 00:17:18.720 --> 00:17:22.960 It's do you have the spirit or do you not? 00:17:24.079 --> 00:17:34.079 Those who are able to claim sonship and those who are not, does the spirit reside in you and lead you into righteous obedience? 00:17:35.119 --> 00:17:38.480 Does the spirit reside in you and lead you to righteous obedience? 00:17:38.640 --> 00:17:45.119 Now that the spirit dwells within us, Paul's saying he also leads us into obedience. 00:17:45.519 --> 00:17:45.839 Right? 00:17:45.920 --> 00:17:51.279 When we look at 14, for all who are led by the Spirit are sons of God. 00:17:51.519 --> 00:17:54.319 Not only does he fill us, but he leads us. 00:17:54.720 --> 00:17:59.279 This is an evidence of true faith, an evidence of sonship. 00:17:59.519 --> 00:18:02.400 Let's look at Ephesians 2, 8 through 10. 00:18:03.279 --> 00:18:07.440 He writes this, For by grace you have been saved through faith. 00:18:07.759 --> 00:18:14.720 And this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 00:18:14.960 --> 00:18:16.640 For we are his workmanship. 00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:18.240 This is this is key here. 00:18:18.400 --> 00:18:20.640 Created in Christ Jesus for what? 00:18:21.200 --> 00:18:22.240 Good works. 00:18:22.480 --> 00:18:24.720 Why were we created in Christ Jesus? 00:18:24.960 --> 00:18:31.279 For good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. 00:18:31.440 --> 00:18:33.759 You see, this is the reality of our salvation. 00:18:34.079 --> 00:18:42.880 God before the foundations of the world, he chose of whom he would save, and he placed them in his loving affection. 00:18:43.039 --> 00:18:52.559 And then Christ, the Lamb that was slain before the foundations of the world, right, had already guaranteed the ransom of their salvation, the purchasing of their souls. 00:18:52.720 --> 00:18:54.559 But God didn't just save you. 00:18:54.720 --> 00:19:04.720 God then said, before the same foundations were laid, I'm gonna have good works mapped out for each and every single person that I'm going to bring into my family that they may walk in them. 00:19:04.880 --> 00:19:07.119 Ezekiel says, You'll see my glory. 00:19:07.279 --> 00:19:14.240 You'll see my glory in that my spirit will fill you, and you'll walk in the very good works of which I have predestined for you. 00:19:14.400 --> 00:19:19.920 And I'm not gonna do this for your sake, says the Lord, but I'm gonna do this for the sake of my glory in my name. 00:19:20.160 --> 00:19:24.160 You see, God doesn't just save us for escapism that we might get out of hell. 00:19:24.319 --> 00:19:29.279 That's not that's a very shallow understanding of election, salvation, predestination. 00:19:29.519 --> 00:19:37.759 God saves us so that we might walk in the good works that he had predestined for us before the foundations of the world. 00:19:37.920 --> 00:19:48.319 So if we are filled with his spirit and brought into the eternal family of God, then we are also led by that same spirit into the works of which Christ had pre-ordered for us. 00:19:49.039 --> 00:19:52.240 The footsteps of the righteous are ordered. 00:19:54.079 --> 00:20:02.319 You see, the leading of the spirit is a distinguishing mark of God's children, but it doesn't make us God's children. 00:20:02.640 --> 00:20:08.640 In that we are led by the Spirit because we've been filled by the Spirit. 00:20:08.960 --> 00:20:19.440 But we often think that the good works that we do dictate whether we are God's children or not, and we put the cart before the horse too many times in our understanding of salvation. 00:20:19.680 --> 00:20:24.319 You see, we have ingrained in our theology that the fruit will make the tree. 00:20:25.119 --> 00:20:28.720 But the Bible shows us that the tree is what makes the fruit. 00:20:29.039 --> 00:20:34.079 Paul's not setting us up to believe that if we set our mind on the spirit, then we'll become children of God. 00:20:34.240 --> 00:20:39.680 No, he's revealing to us that those who have become children of God will set their minds on the spirit. 00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:45.519 This is about identity, which leads to action, not action that creates identity. 00:20:46.000 --> 00:20:50.960 You see, we think if we do certain things, we will become a certain person. 00:20:51.359 --> 00:20:53.680 This has been ingrained in the church. 00:20:53.920 --> 00:20:56.079 This is what we believe as a society. 00:20:56.319 --> 00:21:00.160 If I do certain things, like I want to be um fit. 00:21:00.319 --> 00:21:01.759 Well, what do fit people do? 00:21:01.920 --> 00:21:09.119 Well, fit people uh exercise and do uh uh fad diets and do all, you know, that's what fit people do. 00:21:09.279 --> 00:21:10.559 Uh okay, well, great. 00:21:10.640 --> 00:21:13.119 Well, I'm gonna do those things so I can become a fit person. 00:21:13.359 --> 00:21:15.119 And how how does that work? 00:21:15.279 --> 00:21:16.960 Not really well for a lot of us, right? 00:21:17.119 --> 00:21:23.680 But if we understand our identity as a fit person, we often then do things that fit people do. 00:21:24.480 --> 00:21:33.279 We think that what we do makes us who we are, rather than understanding specifically from the Bible that who we are dictates what we do. 00:21:34.079 --> 00:21:37.519 We cannot become good enough to be children of God. 00:21:37.680 --> 00:21:40.559 We cannot work hard enough to earn his affections. 00:21:40.720 --> 00:21:58.319 It is because we are filled by the Spirit and our identity has been completely transformed, that the old man has died, and behold, a new man has been presented before the Lord and brought into his family, united in Christ, that we are now able to do good works. 00:21:59.200 --> 00:21:59.599 Through the 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:08.640 Sovereign working of the Holy Spirit in us, we not only belong to God's family, but are now expected and equipped to act like it. 00:22:10.160 --> 00:22:18.799 You see, uh, we can't do enough to be brought into God's family. 00:22:19.680 --> 00:22:26.640 We, when we are brought into God's family by the Spirit, then those actions flow out of us. 00:22:26.799 --> 00:22:33.920 We are led by Him into good works, into the very good works that was preordered for us before the foundations of the world. 00:22:34.079 --> 00:22:39.119 This is what the sovereign leading of the Spirit guides us into. 00:22:39.440 --> 00:22:41.279 And we can't do that without the Spirit. 00:22:41.440 --> 00:22:45.119 Now we might see a world where people strive for good works. 00:22:45.279 --> 00:22:48.160 We might see a culture where people do good things, right? 00:22:48.240 --> 00:22:52.480 You uh every now and then the newspaper likes to put out a good story rather than a bad one. 00:22:52.559 --> 00:22:54.559 It's like, oh, look what this nice person did. 00:22:55.039 --> 00:23:00.880 The problem is that God says that all of my law can be summarized in two things. 00:23:01.119 --> 00:23:06.640 The first one is love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and the other is love your neighbor as yourself. 00:23:07.039 --> 00:23:15.599 We as unbelieving culture can at times work to love our neighbor as ourself, but we don't fulfill the first law. 00:23:15.759 --> 00:23:20.559 That's to do it for the glory of God and for this love that we have for Him. 00:23:20.799 --> 00:23:24.720 So we fail to do the first one, therefore we really don't even fulfill the second one. 00:23:25.039 --> 00:23:29.599 No man apart from the Spirit in him can say that they love God. 00:23:30.240 --> 00:23:37.680 They love God and what he's done for him, and that they can actually work to love God and to display it in their very life. 00:23:39.920 --> 00:23:43.839 You see, by the Spirit we're brought into a new relationship with God. 00:23:44.240 --> 00:23:48.720 We are able through adoption to call God our Father. 00:23:49.119 --> 00:23:51.839 This is a reality of our new relationship with Him. 00:23:52.000 --> 00:23:58.960 We no longer have to fall under fear, but get to come into the presence of God as our Father. 00:23:59.200 --> 00:24:09.920 Paul says in 15, for 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. 00:24:10.079 --> 00:24:14.319 This is this intimate cry of a babbling child. 00:24:14.559 --> 00:24:18.480 This isn't a license for you to pray and say, Daddy God, all the time. 00:24:19.599 --> 00:24:20.160 No one? 00:24:20.319 --> 00:24:21.200 Yeah, come on. 00:24:21.359 --> 00:24:22.240 We all know. 00:24:22.480 --> 00:24:23.359 We all know that. 00:24:23.440 --> 00:24:24.480 Like, yeah, okay. 00:24:24.640 --> 00:24:25.680 If you do that, great. 00:24:25.759 --> 00:24:26.960 I love your heart. 00:24:28.160 --> 00:24:34.880 But Abba Father is talking about this intimate relationship that we have with him. 00:24:35.440 --> 00:24:42.480 And notice that Paul says that we don't get to say we are sons of God, but we get to say that God is our father. 00:24:42.799 --> 00:24:46.079 It's this focus on him and not on self. 00:24:46.240 --> 00:24:52.000 That he is the one who has accomplished our ability to be brought in as his family. 00:24:52.480 --> 00:24:54.480 So we don't have to fear anymore. 00:24:54.799 --> 00:24:59.680 Because the maker and judge of the cosmos, we now get to call father. 00:25:00.640 --> 00:25:05.680 Because we are children and he is our father, we have been delivered from the slavery of fear. 00:25:06.160 --> 00:25:07.519 What kind of fear? 00:25:07.759 --> 00:25:09.279 We've talked about this a little bit. 00:25:09.440 --> 00:25:11.359 Nobody wants to go to hell. 00:25:13.119 --> 00:25:18.240 If we looked at the last year, we've seen how terrified people are to die. 00:25:19.279 --> 00:25:21.759 People are terrified to die. 00:25:21.920 --> 00:25:23.440 Why do you think that is? 00:25:24.160 --> 00:25:27.920 Deep down, there's something in them that just wonders what happens next. 00:25:28.799 --> 00:25:35.759 Deep down there's something that creates this fear, because if it's just nothing, well then hey, just go on into emptiness. 00:25:35.839 --> 00:25:37.200 What does it matter? 00:25:37.519 --> 00:25:44.720 But we love our lives so much, we love ourselves so much, and at the heart of this, we really don't know what happens next. 00:25:45.039 --> 00:25:46.640 We're terrified to die. 00:25:48.000 --> 00:25:54.400 Because under that spirit of fear lies the fear of, have I done enough? 00:25:56.079 --> 00:25:59.279 Lies the fear of is he going to punish me? 00:26:00.480 --> 00:26:06.319 Lies the fear of I don't know if I've made it. 00:26:08.400 --> 00:26:12.720 You see, under God as Father, those fears are eradicated. 00:26:13.039 --> 00:26:14.880 We don't have to fear, have we done enough? 00:26:15.039 --> 00:26:20.319 Because we have the confidence and assurance that he has completely done all that was required for us. 00:26:20.559 --> 00:26:26.400 We don't have to wonder, is he going to punish me because he punished his son in our place? 00:26:28.799 --> 00:26:32.559 You see, sometimes we mistake punishment in discipline. 00:26:32.720 --> 00:26:48.799 When we try to look at our relationship with God as our father, some of us think through to the lens of a father who punishes us because we've experienced that punishment for what we've done in our lives through the hand of a father or through the voice of an angry father. 00:26:49.119 --> 00:26:52.240 Punishment means penalty for sin. 00:26:53.279 --> 00:26:57.039 God will not punish you because he punished Jesus for you. 00:26:57.279 --> 00:27:06.640 When Jesus became sin on the tree and stood in our place as our substitute, the penalty for our sin, the punishment of God's wrath was poured out on him. 00:27:07.039 --> 00:27:12.079 But as a loving father, we can expect and rejoice in discipline. 00:27:12.720 --> 00:27:18.079 God will discipline us because discipline is training in righteousness. 00:27:18.319 --> 00:27:20.400 Punishment is penalty for sin. 00:27:20.960 --> 00:27:31.119 A good and loving father is not only one who disciplines us, training us in righteousness, but we can run to with unwavering confidence in his love for us. 00:27:31.599 --> 00:27:33.920 We don't have to fear God anymore. 00:27:34.480 --> 00:27:38.559 We don't have to be a child who runs and hides when they did something wrong. 00:27:38.880 --> 00:27:43.920 We get to go before him, and what God does is he says, Look, it's covered. 00:27:44.160 --> 00:27:45.839 It's covered by the blood of Jesus. 00:27:46.160 --> 00:27:49.119 He knew when he went on that cross that you were going to do this. 00:27:49.359 --> 00:27:51.680 He knew that this sin was gonna be in your life. 00:27:51.759 --> 00:27:53.519 And it didn't make him think twice. 00:27:53.920 --> 00:27:57.279 We don't have to put Jesus back up on the cross because you messed up. 00:28:00.960 --> 00:28:07.599 There's no past sin, present sin, or future sin that you have to worry about because it's covered by grace. 00:28:07.920 --> 00:28:09.359 And guess what, child? 00:28:09.599 --> 00:28:11.440 I've filled you with my spirit. 00:28:11.680 --> 00:28:12.640 I've empowered you. 00:28:12.720 --> 00:28:24.240 You're only able to feel this conviction because the spirit dwells within you and is showing you how you're not lining up to match your older brother Jesus, of whom he's working to conform you into the image of. 00:28:24.400 --> 00:28:25.519 But guess what, child? 00:28:25.680 --> 00:28:28.559 There's grace and there's love and there's affection. 00:28:28.640 --> 00:28:40.160 And I'm gonna train you up in righteousness and see discipline instilled in your life so that you might receive and live in the joy and flourishing of which I've called you to. 00:28:40.720 --> 00:28:45.680 So, with that kind of father, we can run to him when we make mistakes. 00:28:47.039 --> 00:28:52.640 When we look at verses 16 through 17, we see that the spirit assures us of our adopted state. 00:28:52.799 --> 00:28:55.680 So, 14 through 15, the spirit's our agent of adoption. 00:28:55.759 --> 00:29:00.240 It's him filling us that brings us into God's family, that we might be sons and daughters. 00:29:00.319 --> 00:29:04.720 But then the spirit also assures us that we have been adopted. 00:29:05.039 --> 00:29:12.799 It says the Spirit Himself bears witness, verse 16, the Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. 00:29:13.359 --> 00:29:18.079 Without the Spirit, we'll be left to wonder about our standing and relationship with Him. 00:29:18.319 --> 00:29:24.240 We'd always be left in fearful contemplation if our works were enough to earn his affection. 00:29:24.640 --> 00:29:32.160 What grace it is to not simply save us, but to cause the Spirit to affirm and assure us that we are his. 00:29:33.119 --> 00:29:35.599 This is a grace gift of God. 00:29:36.160 --> 00:29:39.279 I love this uh uh statement by Martin Luther. 00:29:39.359 --> 00:29:42.240 He was uh started the Reformation in 1517. 00:29:42.319 --> 00:29:46.160 He says it is truly only the elect who question if they are. 00:29:47.039 --> 00:29:57.759 It is this reality that the Spirit causes us to not just simply, our flesh might question, but the Spirit confirms. 00:29:58.799 --> 00:30:00.640 Yes, you are a child of God. 00:30:00.880 --> 00:30:02.480 Yes, you've been brought into the family. 00:30:02.559 --> 00:30:06.799 It's not by anything you've done, but it's by grace through faith. 00:30:08.640 --> 00:30:10.640 And how does he most confidently do this? 00:30:10.799 --> 00:30:14.720 How does the spirit show evidence tangibly to us that this is real? 00:30:14.960 --> 00:30:18.400 By leading us to act like the sons he's made us to be. 00:30:19.680 --> 00:30:25.839 You want to see the most evidential reality that you are filled with the Spirit, it's that you're living like a child of God. 00:30:26.720 --> 00:30:34.960 Because that same spirit who indwells you, who is the agent of your adoption, will lead you into the works of which God has pre-ordered for you. 00:30:35.039 --> 00:30:40.559 And in that, walking out your new identity, you will be assured you are his. 00:30:42.000 --> 00:30:46.480 Paul goes on to say, and if we are children, then we're heirs also. 00:30:47.039 --> 00:30:49.039 What good news for us is this? 00:30:49.279 --> 00:30:50.960 And notice this distinction. 00:30:51.440 --> 00:30:53.119 He says of and with. 00:30:53.359 --> 00:30:56.720 He says of God and with Christ Jesus. 00:30:56.960 --> 00:31:00.480 Heirs of God and with Christ Jesus. 00:31:00.799 --> 00:31:04.480 If we are heirs of God, then it is Him we get to obtain. 00:31:04.880 --> 00:31:07.200 He's the fullness of our possession. 00:31:07.359 --> 00:31:07.680 Right? 00:31:07.759 --> 00:31:16.799 Sometimes we, as Christians, can get this pie in the sky thing, and we hope that our possession is like no more suffering and pain or sorrow, all the tears are wiped away. 00:31:17.279 --> 00:31:25.279 Those are real truths of what glory brings to us, but the fullness of our possession is God Himself. 00:31:25.599 --> 00:31:36.640 When we are worshiping around his throne day and night for all eternity, casting those very crowns at his feet, saying, Worthy is the Lamb who was slain. 00:31:38.559 --> 00:31:40.640 We are heirs of God. 00:31:41.440 --> 00:31:43.599 It's him that we get to obtain. 00:31:44.079 --> 00:31:48.720 It is him that we get to call father and be brought into his family. 00:31:49.039 --> 00:31:50.640 It is his presence. 00:31:51.359 --> 00:32:08.160 You can ask any child that I've ever met, even any grown man that I've ever met that didn't have a father in his life, or that, or that had the father's stuff but never had the presence of the father, he would have traded everything in for just that time with dad. 00:32:08.640 --> 00:32:08.960 Right? 00:32:09.119 --> 00:32:16.880 Those workaholic dads who just cut checks and buy you stuff, but they're never emotionally or mentally or physically there with you. 00:32:18.319 --> 00:32:21.279 Send all that back to the store and dad, just come here. 00:32:22.880 --> 00:32:30.079 Ultimately, we'd rather have the father than have his stuff, but our sin causes us to cry out for the father's stuff. 00:32:30.160 --> 00:32:34.319 And the father says, No, I want to give you me, all of me. 00:32:35.920 --> 00:32:38.079 And then we're heirs with Christ also. 00:32:38.480 --> 00:32:42.480 We are seated with Christ, and all that he is is ours also. 00:32:43.440 --> 00:32:46.079 Though we can't understand the fullness of this statement, right? 00:32:46.480 --> 00:32:51.119 We can't really wrap our minds around the reality, right? 00:32:51.279 --> 00:32:57.200 Because he says that he is going to bless us, he's going to give us more than we can even think or imagine. 00:32:57.920 --> 00:33:06.400 So your mind literally cannot wrap itself around all that we have in Christ Jesus that we are co-heirs with. 00:33:06.799 --> 00:33:11.200 But we can have this assurance that we are seated with Christ. 00:33:11.519 --> 00:33:20.480 We are so united in him that all that is due to him through his victory will be ours to make claim for, because we share in them. 00:33:21.920 --> 00:33:28.799 We share in his possessions, we share in his spoils of war, we share in his position. 00:33:29.279 --> 00:33:35.680 I was talking with someone uh earlier about uh the this idea of God as judge, right? 00:33:36.000 --> 00:33:41.599 And the reality is this that we are so united in Christ that we become judges with him. 00:33:41.920 --> 00:33:47.519 Did you know that when Christ returns and he establishes the new heavens and new earth, that you will judge? 00:33:48.000 --> 00:33:50.240 You might say, now, well, uh who am I to judge? 00:33:50.400 --> 00:33:52.000 Well, you're in you're seated with Christ. 00:33:52.079 --> 00:33:52.960 That's who you are. 00:33:53.200 --> 00:33:55.279 And the Bible calls us to actually judge. 00:33:55.440 --> 00:33:59.759 Now it makes us humble and honest that we judge ourselves first, right? 00:34:00.160 --> 00:34:04.079 Take the plank out of your eye so that you can get the speck of dust out of your brother's. 00:34:04.319 --> 00:34:07.839 You don't, you don't not get the speck of dust out of your brother's eye. 00:34:08.000 --> 00:34:12.239 You just make sure the plank's taken out of your first so you can see that speck a little better. 00:34:12.559 --> 00:34:13.920 We're called to judge. 00:34:14.000 --> 00:34:18.079 And then God says, or Christ says that in his return, we will judge. 00:34:18.239 --> 00:34:21.519 Did you not know that even you will judge angels? 00:34:22.480 --> 00:34:31.760 You are so seated with him in his position that you become cosmic judges of spiritual beings for their condemnation. 00:34:33.599 --> 00:34:35.840 We are co-heirs with him. 00:34:36.079 --> 00:34:37.920 But here's this qualifier. 00:34:38.559 --> 00:34:40.320 Paul ain't gonna leave you hanging, right? 00:34:40.400 --> 00:34:42.719 He ain't gonna leave you there on the mountaintop. 00:34:42.880 --> 00:34:45.599 He's gonna knock you the mess down to the valley. 00:34:46.800 --> 00:34:55.599 Because he's gonna say, provided we suffer with him, in order that we may also be glorified. 00:34:55.760 --> 00:35:01.199 There's a strong connection to suffering with Christ and being glorified with him also. 00:35:01.679 --> 00:35:06.880 It is only the suffering servant who is exalted to be the king of all creation. 00:35:08.000 --> 00:35:13.119 We cannot expect to escape suffering when even our Savior was unable to do so. 00:35:13.280 --> 00:35:20.079 If we do so desire to be glorified with him, then we should find great joy when we suffer like him. 00:35:20.719 --> 00:35:25.679 Let's look at John 15, 18 and 19, as Jesus' words to some of his followers. 00:35:25.840 --> 00:35:30.239 If the world hates you, know that it's hated me before it hated you. 00:35:30.800 --> 00:35:34.639 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. 00:35:35.760 --> 00:35:41.039 That's a damning statement for the church today that seeks to be loved by the world. 00:35:41.760 --> 00:35:49.199 But because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 00:35:50.159 --> 00:35:53.760 If we're connected with Jesus, we have no place with this world. 00:35:54.159 --> 00:35:57.440 If we are in Christ, we have no home here. 00:35:57.679 --> 00:36:04.639 We should not look for its glories, we should not look for its fame, we should not look for its praises, we should not look for its acceptance. 00:36:04.800 --> 00:36:07.679 If it hated Jesus, it's gonna hate us too. 00:36:08.079 --> 00:36:10.239 We gotta be really okay with that. 00:36:11.679 --> 00:36:19.199 Our main idea this morning is this that the Spirit makes us sons and guides us into acts of sonship. 00:36:20.159 --> 00:36:23.119 It's key, identity before behavior. 00:36:23.920 --> 00:36:30.960 The Spirit makes us sons and then guides us into acts of sonship. 00:36:31.119 --> 00:36:37.760 There is no other means by which we are brought into the family of God, but through the power of the Holy Spirit in us. 00:36:38.400 --> 00:36:46.239