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Collins & West Hartland United Methodist Churches |
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Sermon Notes—3/16/08 |
Message: Collins/WH March 16, 2008 SLIDESRomans 8:1-4 How Many Decisions Away? Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. Rom. 8:1
Intro. The political world was rocked this week by the scandal & subsequent … … … … resignation of NY Governor Eliot Spitzer.
Said the Governor as he addressed the media, In the past few days, I have begun to atone for my private failings … [an interesting word; a Bible word; a word used of Jesus & His accomplishments for us on the cross ie. 1Jn.2:2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.…
… with my wife Silda, my children & my entire family. I am deeply sorry that I did not live up to what was expected of me.
I In every culture on every continent; …in every race & in every religion, … there is … an intuitive need in every human being to measure up to some standard, some rule, … some code, some law … but there’s also the sense that we’ve failed to do so.
Question: How many decisions away are you from ruining the rest of your life? At some point, the governor had made this decision & that one … & he had it down to one (1) … one decision left to ruin the rest of his life. Like a game of Chess or Checkers … how many moves (how many decisions) are you away from checkmating yourself? Listen! You don’t have to die to go to Hell. Many live just inside the gates in this world.
OT prophet announced a day of decision Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. Joel 3:14 How many decisions away are you from ruining the rest of your life?
Illus. The AP announced the story out of Chicago: At least one in four teenage American girls has a sexually transmitted disease, suggests a first-of-its-kind federal study that startled some adolescent-health experts. (MJ 2008 03.12) cf. PP graph. How many decisions away are you from ruining the rest of your life, or someone else’s life?
II Faith that is authentically Christian knows that we’re no better than the Governor,… … or others … but that “There but for the grace of God go I” … Being a Christian doesn’t make you better than other people, but it definitely makes you better than the person you used to be. One of the things the renewing your repentance & faith in Jesus every day … … will do is add decisions to the number you’ll need before ruining the rest … of your life.
Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people came to the decision to put Jesus to death. They bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate, the governor. Matt. 27:1
Another Governor who was one decision away from ruining the rest of his life And yet, God in infinite wisdom & grace … used their decision, & the death of Jesus that it brought about … to atone for the sins of the whole world; ie. … my decisions & yours… & the Governor’s and the teen age girls.
IV Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. Rom. 8:1
Condemnation – is to be declared reprehensible, wrong, and evil, unfit for use or … … consumption. (Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary. 1973).
You know how many people have made some decisions & now feel condemnation? In every culture on every continent; …in every race & in every religion, … there is an intuitive need in every human being to measure up to some … standard, some rule, … some code, some law … but there’s also the … sense that we’ve failed to do so, & we feel real guilt & condemnation.
And for many a person in many a church, even faith in Jesus hasn’t freed … them from the emotional power of condemnation.
Scripture speaks to this powerful word: God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Jn.3:17-19
To the woman caught in sexual sin & being humiliated by the paparuitz of her day, …Jesus would live up to the truth of God’s intention: "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin." Jn.8:10-11 The teaching of Jesus to those who would be disciples: "Do not judge and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Lk.6:37
On this day which recognizes the arrival of Jesus in Jerusalem, Mark’s gospel says: They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, …he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. "We are going up to Jerusalem," he said, "and the Son of Man will be betrayed …They will condemn him to death …mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise." Mk.810:32-34
The theology of the Cross brings us to Rom. 8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. Rom. 8:1
For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. Rom.8:2-4
V Condemnation has been canceled for three reasons:
1st Jesus is the sin Offering - His whole life & death is seen in Scripture as an atoning sacrifice from the … things which separate us from God, ourselves, & others, & His resurrection is the proof. You don’t atone for your own sins Gov Spitzer of NY! You have to embrace Jesus as the sin offering. Embrace that truth with whole hearted trust in the intersection of faith & … condemnation is removed.
2nd The HS is the Overcoming power – The law of sin & death reflecting my failure to live up to the standards I … set for myself, the expectations of others, & the righteous requirements … of God … Becomes the law of the Spirit of life! … The HS of God is given in the … … intersection of faith for the purpose/power for living life/higher planes Where the righteous requirements of God are being met in living. How many decisions are you away from ruining the rest of your life? … You don’t need faith for failure, but you need it to access the power of the HS to overcome. Embrace that truth with whole hearted trust in the intersection of faith & … condemnation is removed.
3rd You Orbit a new position! ie. in Christ. Life is either lived in sin & in the world … or in Christ. The phrase references the new orientation & the spiritual reality of where … life is rooted Embrace that truth with whole hearted trust in the intersection of faith & … condemnation is removed.
Let me tell you what: Repentance & faith in Jesus that/renewed every day,... will add … decisions to the number you’ll need before ruining the rest of your life. Repentance and faith won’t make some decisions that would have, or might have, been made otherwise.
Closing: Perhaps you already know that Casey Knowles who is featured in the Hilary Clinton campaign ad asking the question about a phone call at 3am. … is now almost 18yrs. old & a big Barack Obama supporter who is working to be a delegate at the Democratic National Convention. There have even been some discussions about a counter ad featuring her and Barack Obama vs. Hilary.
To mix spiritual imagery with a political background … the young woman has public ally repented & declared where her true allegiance lies.
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. Rom. 8:1
How many decisions away are you? I invite you to meet truth and trust in the intersection of faith & experience the lifting of condemnation.
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