WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.045 --> 00:00:02.878 So. 2 00:01:54.615 --> 00:01:55.615 I love this truth, right? 3 00:02:50.525 --> 00:02:52.805 We all need rescue. Let's sing this next part. 4 00:03:02.965 --> 00:03:04.685 Glory I needed. 5 00:03:07.044 --> 00:03:07.877 In. 6 00:04:13.805 --> 00:04:14.005 On. 7 00:04:14.005 --> 00:04:15.125 Let give God some praise. 8 00:04:15.725 --> 00:04:16.558 Today. 9 00:04:17.205 --> 00:04:21.445 Welcome to Hope Community Church. We are so glad that you are here with us. 10 00:04:21.805 --> 00:04:25.245 We're gonna continue to worship our faithful Father. 11 00:06:58.775 --> 00:06:59.608 Let 12 00:07:12.745 --> 00:07:13.578 let you, 13 00:07:19.925 --> 00:07:20.758 let you. 14 00:07:33.685 --> 00:07:34.518 Gonna. 15 00:09:34.855 --> 00:09:36.735 Is such a faithful father 16 00:09:38.975 --> 00:09:40.095 who say thank you. 17 00:09:40.495 --> 00:09:41.328 Today. 18 00:09:45.054 --> 00:09:46.535 We're gonna continue to worship today. 19 00:09:47.615 --> 00:09:47.615 But. 20 00:09:47.615 --> 00:09:50.575 I just wanted to read this verse over. 21 00:09:51.255 --> 00:09:53.934 Its Psalms 23 6 and it just says, 22 00:09:54.195 --> 00:09:58.975 surely his goodness and his mercy will follow us for 23 00:09:59.035 --> 00:10:00.215 all of the days of our lives. 24 00:10:00.835 --> 00:10:04.335 And that we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever, 25 00:10:05.695 --> 00:10:07.215 until wherever you may find yourself today. 26 00:10:08.505 --> 00:10:13.175 Let's stand in confidence together that surely his goodness 27 00:10:13.475 --> 00:10:16.695 and his mercy will follow us no matter where we may find ourselves. 28 00:10:17.434 --> 00:10:18.934 And so as we continue to sing, 29 00:10:19.145 --> 00:10:23.975 we're gonna believe that truth and that promise together that he won't fail. 30 00:10:24.635 --> 00:10:25.934 He will never give up on you. 31 00:10:27.295 --> 00:10:27.575 We. 32 00:10:27.575 --> 00:10:30.655 Had declare that together. Lord, we love you. 33 00:11:06.815 --> 00:11:11.535 He, he's faithful through. 34 00:11:16.335 --> 00:11:20.735 So why would he fail? He 35 00:11:23.175 --> 00:11:24.008 that. 36 00:11:25.295 --> 00:11:26.128 He. 37 00:11:39.255 --> 00:11:40.088 So I won't. 38 00:14:52.405 --> 00:14:53.238 On you. 39 00:17:34.705 --> 00:17:35.538 And 40 00:18:18.055 --> 00:18:18.888 I. 41 00:18:30.015 --> 00:18:32.015 You. So. 42 00:19:13.045 --> 00:19:15.605 Everything we have today, he's worthy 43 00:19:17.525 --> 00:19:18.445 of all of our 44 00:19:29.205 --> 00:19:33.845 soul. Oh don't Soul. 45 00:19:46.244 --> 00:19:49.484 Oh Soul. Oh, don't you get 46 00:19:52.325 --> 00:19:53.158 Soul. 47 00:21:14.244 --> 00:21:16.285 Hall, hall. 48 00:21:18.585 --> 00:21:21.545 Come on, let's keep giving God some praise. Come on, let's give God some praise. 49 00:21:22.984 --> 00:21:26.955 Thank you Lord. I love that song. 50 00:21:27.975 --> 00:21:32.425 Sometimes regardless of your situation, you have to tell your soul, come on, 51 00:21:33.484 --> 00:21:36.425 get up. Don't be discouraged. Praise the Lord. 52 00:21:37.744 --> 00:21:41.545 'cause surely his goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life and 53 00:21:41.546 --> 00:21:44.425 I will dwell in the house of Lord. It's good to be together. 54 00:21:44.426 --> 00:21:47.585 Hope Community Church. It's good to have the family gathered together. 55 00:21:47.905 --> 00:21:50.865 Lift up the name of Jesus, the king of kings and the Lord of Lords, 56 00:21:51.365 --> 00:21:53.705 who right now is seated at the right hand of God, 57 00:21:54.665 --> 00:21:58.744 reigning and ruling and in control of the entire universe. Yes, 58 00:21:58.775 --> 00:22:02.425 even in an election year, he's in control of the entire universe. 59 00:22:02.595 --> 00:22:07.484 Jesus is king and he is already one man. It's so good to be together. 60 00:22:07.505 --> 00:22:10.325 If it's your first time here, welcome. My name is Rob. Uh, 61 00:22:10.515 --> 00:22:13.965 we'd love to meet you. We have an area that we call next steps. 62 00:22:14.465 --> 00:22:16.845 And it's a place where you get to kind of come here about the family here, 63 00:22:16.846 --> 00:22:18.605 about what's going on here. You can, uh, 64 00:22:18.606 --> 00:22:19.965 learn how to take some of your next steps. 65 00:22:20.145 --> 00:22:24.645 Get plugged in to the life and rhythm here at Hope Community Church. 66 00:22:24.915 --> 00:22:28.565 It's an powerful weekend at Hope. We are celebrating baptisms, 67 00:22:28.925 --> 00:22:30.765 baptisms across all of our campuses, 68 00:22:30.766 --> 00:22:35.125 people who have chosen to be obedient to Christ through the act of water 69 00:22:35.155 --> 00:22:38.484 baptism. And it's so awesome to see that our mobile campuses, 70 00:22:38.485 --> 00:22:42.605 they have like a special gathering on Saturday and obviously all across our 71 00:22:42.765 --> 00:22:44.325 campuses on Sunday will have baptisms. 72 00:22:44.326 --> 00:22:49.205 And we encourage you to celebrate with those who take that step of faith 73 00:22:49.305 --> 00:22:53.045 by being baptized. Now, one more thing before you take your seat. 74 00:22:53.585 --> 00:22:56.484 We here at Hope partner with something called Homework Club. 75 00:22:56.855 --> 00:23:00.445 Three of our campuses participate in this thing called Homework Club. 76 00:23:00.645 --> 00:23:01.366 And if you don't know what that is, 77 00:23:01.366 --> 00:23:06.045 what that is is it's free tutoring for students all across the triangle. 78 00:23:06.505 --> 00:23:09.285 And this year already on a weekly basis, 79 00:23:10.365 --> 00:23:14.925 homework Club helps a hundred students a week. We are, yes, 80 00:23:15.445 --> 00:23:16.278 you can celebrate. We, 81 00:23:16.465 --> 00:23:21.244 we help a hundred students a week through giving free tutoring. 82 00:23:21.585 --> 00:23:24.805 And we have some pretty powerful stories that are coming out of this thing 83 00:23:24.984 --> 00:23:25.925 called Homer Club. 84 00:23:26.085 --> 00:23:28.845 So what I want you to do is I want you to take a seat and check out this story 85 00:23:28.846 --> 00:23:30.925 about Homer Club. Welcome to Hope Community Church. 86 00:23:37.244 --> 00:23:40.565 Homework Club has helped my son by giving him additional support with some of 87 00:23:40.566 --> 00:23:45.365 the homework tasks and it has given him additional friends. Um, 88 00:23:45.825 --> 00:23:48.365 and it also provides him with community. 89 00:23:48.705 --> 00:23:53.685 My parents usually watched my son while I worked and so it wasn't very 90 00:23:53.686 --> 00:23:58.484 effective for them to be his, uh, online teachers, per se. 91 00:23:59.285 --> 00:23:59.545 Um, 92 00:23:59.545 --> 00:24:04.445 so I got linked up with them and we have been here ever since and love it. 93 00:24:04.635 --> 00:24:08.645 This is the place that she wants to go versus school . She loves it. 94 00:24:08.705 --> 00:24:12.725 She loves everybody here and she loves the fact that she can pray and stuff 95 00:24:12.726 --> 00:24:16.765 because I've bought her up to pray and she just loves the fact of her coming 96 00:24:16.766 --> 00:24:18.765 here. She skips coming in the door. . 97 00:24:19.185 --> 00:24:21.925 My favorite part about Homework Club is seeing how the kids grow, 98 00:24:22.705 --> 00:24:24.325 not just in homework, 99 00:24:24.385 --> 00:24:28.605 but with Jesus and with relationships with other adults that they see someone 100 00:24:28.606 --> 00:24:31.365 else pouring love into them and that they see, um, 101 00:24:31.366 --> 00:24:33.085 someone else they can count on in their lives. 102 00:24:33.605 --> 00:24:38.565 I'm watching them be able to be encouraged that they're superstars and that 103 00:24:38.566 --> 00:24:40.765 they are really, um, special. And, 104 00:24:41.125 --> 00:24:43.805 and they said that they were accomplishing a lot, even though it may seem just, 105 00:24:43.915 --> 00:24:45.165 just something very simple. 106 00:24:45.625 --> 00:24:49.125 And when they learn something or they get to know you, they, in the beginning, 107 00:24:49.126 --> 00:24:52.845 they're very standoffish, then they get to know you. They feel involved. 108 00:24:53.525 --> 00:24:57.845 Homework club and serving is different because it's here are the people 109 00:24:59.135 --> 00:25:02.285 being the hands and feet of Jesus showing up every week. 110 00:25:02.705 --> 00:25:07.565 Middle schoolers and high schoolers who are failing courses will 111 00:25:07.566 --> 00:25:11.805 pass everything, you know, at the end. It's just incredible. Their confidence, 112 00:25:12.645 --> 00:25:17.645 um, their hope. Uh, it's just like night and day. So yeah, 113 00:25:17.785 --> 00:25:19.645 that's definitely my favorite thing. 114 00:25:20.145 --> 00:25:21.405 If you have the knowledge in, 115 00:25:21.805 --> 00:25:25.005 in your time and your offering and your caring and your support, come on. 116 00:25:25.395 --> 00:25:27.285 It's a place where they can use your support. 117 00:25:27.965 --> 00:25:32.045 I was raised that you don't just go to church. You go to church and serve. 118 00:25:32.955 --> 00:25:37.765 I've enjoyed the math and I, I'm pretty good at explaining it to people. 119 00:25:38.505 --> 00:25:43.445 So that's helped me use the talent that God gave me. Now, 120 00:25:43.446 --> 00:25:44.325 don't ask me to spell. 121 00:25:45.005 --> 00:25:48.845 A waiting list of kids that want to come and be a part of what we're doing and 122 00:25:48.846 --> 00:25:50.445 they're begging to get in and, and, 123 00:25:50.645 --> 00:25:55.045 and we are short of what we need to be able to staff and be able to support 124 00:25:55.046 --> 00:25:58.925 those kids. So I said that's, that's our biggest need is, 125 00:25:59.205 --> 00:26:01.685 is to be able to just have people that are willing to say, yes, I will. 126 00:26:02.225 --> 00:26:03.058 Me as a mom, 127 00:26:03.205 --> 00:26:06.165 I know that there are some things that I can do and I know that there are some 128 00:26:06.166 --> 00:26:07.325 things that I can't do, 129 00:26:07.345 --> 00:26:11.885 but knowing that I can find support outside of myself to help my kid was the 130 00:26:11.886 --> 00:26:12.845 best decision I ever made. 131 00:26:19.695 --> 00:26:24.505 Awesome. Hey, hope. How we doing? We good? Good. 132 00:26:24.525 --> 00:26:26.505 Oh, you're great. Awesome. Hey, uh, 133 00:26:26.506 --> 00:26:29.425 hopefully I'm a familiar face to some of you at this point. If not, 134 00:26:29.565 --> 00:26:33.105 my name is Ben. I'm a pastor based out of Colorado. 135 00:26:33.705 --> 00:26:37.105 I've had the awesome opportunity to spend a bunch of weekends here at Hope 136 00:26:37.106 --> 00:26:40.185 Community Church. And as always, I'm very honored to be here. 137 00:26:40.455 --> 00:26:43.645 Very thankful to be here. So thanks for having me. Um, 138 00:26:43.744 --> 00:26:46.845 I'd love to meet you after this too. I'll be wandering around aimlessly, 139 00:26:46.984 --> 00:26:51.125 so just come find me and say, Hey, um, but let's get started. 140 00:26:51.175 --> 00:26:54.965 We're in this series right now where you're studying through Romans chapter 141 00:26:55.015 --> 00:26:58.244 eight, like literally verse by verse. Okay? 142 00:26:58.245 --> 00:27:01.445 And that might sound like a little bit random to some of us, like, 143 00:27:01.505 --> 00:27:04.325 but I promise your teaching team didn't like, you know, 144 00:27:04.326 --> 00:27:07.565 close their eyes and flip to a random page and then put their finger down and go 145 00:27:07.566 --> 00:27:11.484 like Romans eight. It's not random. Instead Romans eight is a very big deal, 146 00:27:12.565 --> 00:27:14.205 okay? Out outside of the gospels, 147 00:27:14.206 --> 00:27:18.165 like the four biographies of Jesus' life in the New Testament, 148 00:27:18.166 --> 00:27:22.365 the book of Romans is like, it's like the high point of the New Testament. 149 00:27:22.984 --> 00:27:26.365 And then within the book of Romans, Romans chapter eight is right in the middle. 150 00:27:26.425 --> 00:27:30.965 And it's the high point of the book of Romans. Romans eight is a very big deal, 151 00:27:31.845 --> 00:27:34.525 right? And it's a letter that Paul's writing. And, and in Romans eight, 152 00:27:34.526 --> 00:27:39.125 Paul is writing with authority and conviction and he's driving home the 153 00:27:39.126 --> 00:27:42.885 promises that you and I can count on after we've put our faith in Jesus. 154 00:27:43.315 --> 00:27:47.244 He's writing with passion, it's written with a sense of freedom and victory. 155 00:27:48.305 --> 00:27:50.125 Romans chapter eight, on a good day, 156 00:27:50.195 --> 00:27:54.045 it's like you can go to it to find the words you were looking for in order to 157 00:27:54.046 --> 00:27:57.805 thank Jesus for your good day. And then on your worst days, 158 00:27:58.185 --> 00:28:02.965 Romans eight reminds you that you're no longer condemned or defined by your 159 00:28:02.966 --> 00:28:03.799 worst days. 160 00:28:03.865 --> 00:28:08.725 Romans eight is simply one of the greatest pieces of literature ever written 161 00:28:09.025 --> 00:28:13.285 and it's very much worth a read. And so we're gonna continue today, 162 00:28:13.415 --> 00:28:16.085 verse by verse studying through Romans chapter eight. 163 00:28:16.086 --> 00:28:19.525 Today we're gonna cover Romans, uh, eight 12 through 17. 164 00:28:19.905 --> 00:28:21.805 And in this section of Romans, 165 00:28:21.806 --> 00:28:26.445 Paul is trying to assure us of a promise that you'll see all throughout the 166 00:28:26.446 --> 00:28:27.845 Bible. It's a, 167 00:28:27.965 --> 00:28:32.645 a promise of a new reality that should fundamentally reshape the way we approach 168 00:28:32.905 --> 00:28:35.765 God and approach ourselves and approach other people. 169 00:28:35.915 --> 00:28:39.685 It's one of the greatest aspects of what we call the good news, the gospel. 170 00:28:40.705 --> 00:28:42.205 I'm gonna kind of spoiler alert, 171 00:28:42.305 --> 00:28:46.765 I'm just gonna tell you the promise that Paul's trying to assure us of right off 172 00:28:46.766 --> 00:28:51.005 the bat. He, he sums it up pretty succinctly in a different letter in Galatians. 173 00:28:51.065 --> 00:28:54.525 Here's the promise. Paul says, you are all sons, 174 00:28:54.585 --> 00:28:59.405 or in this case sons or daughters of God through faith in Christ 175 00:28:59.575 --> 00:29:01.165 Jesus. That's the promise. 176 00:29:01.785 --> 00:29:04.405 The promise is that when you've put your faith in Jesus, 177 00:29:04.905 --> 00:29:09.405 you become a literal son or daughter of the literal God. 178 00:29:10.185 --> 00:29:14.565 And it's incredible and it's like the goodest of good news, right? 179 00:29:14.625 --> 00:29:17.325 And then at the same time, here's my hunch. 180 00:29:17.945 --> 00:29:20.605 My hunch is that most of us don't believe that. 181 00:29:21.635 --> 00:29:23.975 Or maybe this is a better way of saying it. 182 00:29:23.976 --> 00:29:27.775 This is how it feels in my life at least. It's like I think maybe I believe it, 183 00:29:27.835 --> 00:29:30.535 but I struggle to truly grasp it. 184 00:29:30.805 --> 00:29:35.655 Like to truly completely grasp it. It's almost something theoretical for me. 185 00:29:35.725 --> 00:29:37.735 It's like I think I understand it with my mind, 186 00:29:37.795 --> 00:29:42.605 but my heart hasn't truly captured the idea that I'm a literal 187 00:29:42.945 --> 00:29:47.045 son of the living God. Why? Well, 188 00:29:47.115 --> 00:29:49.005 I'll speak for just myself. 189 00:29:49.006 --> 00:29:52.925 There's a bunch of reasons why I struggle to believe this and and to grasp it. 190 00:29:52.945 --> 00:29:56.365 One of them is because it just seems like almost too good to be true. 191 00:29:56.505 --> 00:30:01.245 But then more than that, more often it's more just 'cause I know myself, 192 00:30:02.365 --> 00:30:06.765 I know all of my own failures and all of my shortcomings, right? 193 00:30:06.865 --> 00:30:11.725 And I know the dark recesses of my heart that I'm trying to keep hidden and 194 00:30:11.726 --> 00:30:16.125 secret and I know all of my doubts, I know all my weaknesses on top of this. 195 00:30:16.325 --> 00:30:20.685 I know that God knows about all of these parts of my life. 196 00:30:21.675 --> 00:30:25.775 And so for me it's like there's just a lot of days where I think that okay, 197 00:30:25.915 --> 00:30:30.855 if I truly am a son of God, then I'm a bad son, right? 198 00:30:30.856 --> 00:30:32.575 Like I picture in God's family, 199 00:30:32.795 --> 00:30:36.375 I'm like the one relative at Thanksgiving dinner who showed up and everyone was 200 00:30:36.376 --> 00:30:38.695 like kind of hoping I wouldn't show up, right? 201 00:30:38.695 --> 00:30:42.815 Like I'm like the disheveled guy at the family reunion who doesn't get any of 202 00:30:42.816 --> 00:30:45.495 the inside jokes. And then if God is my father, 203 00:30:45.525 --> 00:30:49.215 then sometimes I picture like he's sitting at the head of the table trying to 204 00:30:49.225 --> 00:30:53.175 avoid eye contact with me. 'cause it's like, yeah, I'm one of his sons, 205 00:30:53.176 --> 00:30:57.655 but like I'm nowhere near his favorite, right? I'm like a problem child. 206 00:30:58.675 --> 00:31:01.195 I don't struggle to believe that God loves me. 207 00:31:01.315 --> 00:31:05.915 I struggle to believe that God likes me because a good father likes 208 00:31:06.135 --> 00:31:08.275 his sons and daughters. And if I'm being honest, 209 00:31:08.585 --> 00:31:10.995 most days I don't really even enjoy my own company. 210 00:31:11.375 --> 00:31:15.275 And so it's hard for me to picture that a good and perfect God could look at 211 00:31:15.276 --> 00:31:19.115 someone like me and say, with pride that's my son. 212 00:31:19.825 --> 00:31:23.115 It's just hard for my heart to grasp that reality. 213 00:31:24.075 --> 00:31:28.295 And I don't think that I'm alone in this. If you're being honest with yourself, 214 00:31:28.296 --> 00:31:31.055 and it's okay to be honest with yourself right now, 215 00:31:31.056 --> 00:31:35.855 like this hour every week that we call church is the place to get 216 00:31:35.856 --> 00:31:38.855 honest with your soul. And I think that if we're being honest, 217 00:31:39.285 --> 00:31:44.175 many of us struggle to truly grasp that you are a son or a daughter of 218 00:31:44.176 --> 00:31:48.215 the living God. It's just hard to wrap your mind around to, 219 00:31:48.275 --> 00:31:52.935 it doesn't help that we live in a world and culture that loves rejection, 220 00:31:53.655 --> 00:31:56.855 okay? Rejection is very commonplace in in our culture. 221 00:31:57.045 --> 00:32:00.695 Like think about it from the big societal level. You got like social media, 222 00:32:00.825 --> 00:32:04.535 which is a roller coaster of feeling accepted one minute and then you feel 223 00:32:04.775 --> 00:32:08.375 rejected the next, if you're a junior or senior in high school, 224 00:32:08.515 --> 00:32:11.735 you're starting the process of sifting colleges, right? 225 00:32:11.736 --> 00:32:15.495 Like the ones that you think might accept you and you're separating 'em from the 226 00:32:15.496 --> 00:32:17.415 ones that you're pretty sure will reject you. 227 00:32:18.455 --> 00:32:22.395 Anyone who's gone through the soul numbing season of job hunting, 228 00:32:22.815 --> 00:32:24.755 you know that being rejected from a job, 229 00:32:24.865 --> 00:32:28.475 even if it's one you weren't really even excited about in the first place, 230 00:32:28.725 --> 00:32:32.195 being rejected from it like hurts for weeks and weeks. 231 00:32:32.905 --> 00:32:37.675 Just a lot of rejection in our culture. In fact, we love rejection so much. 232 00:32:37.775 --> 00:32:41.365 We made it a hobby, we gave it a cute nickname and we called it cancel culture. 233 00:32:42.405 --> 00:32:46.325 All right? On top of this, that's just society at large. On top of this, 234 00:32:46.485 --> 00:32:48.605 a lot of us have struggled through rejection. 235 00:32:48.606 --> 00:32:51.965 Most of us have on a very intimate level, right? 236 00:32:51.966 --> 00:32:55.965 Maybe you were rejected by your husband or your wife when you got divorced or 237 00:32:56.265 --> 00:32:59.925 you've been rejected by your son or daughter, they don't call anymore. 238 00:33:00.465 --> 00:33:04.525 Or maybe you were the kid who was rejected by your parents and you still 239 00:33:04.765 --> 00:33:08.565 struggle with a sense of abandonment or you were rejected by your friends and 240 00:33:08.566 --> 00:33:10.605 you still feel lonely all of the time. 241 00:33:10.605 --> 00:33:15.445 Like there's not a single one of us on this planet who hasn't struggled 242 00:33:15.645 --> 00:33:19.685 through rejection. I don't care who you are. In fact, to, 243 00:33:19.785 --> 00:33:23.965 to prove this point, like if we can just for just like two seconds, 244 00:33:24.215 --> 00:33:27.085 treat politicians not like cartoon characters, 245 00:33:27.145 --> 00:33:30.365 but instead like human beings who flawed though they are, 246 00:33:30.625 --> 00:33:34.045 are made in the image of God. Well then to prove this point, 247 00:33:34.665 --> 00:33:38.365 one of the most powerful people in the entire world, 248 00:33:39.025 --> 00:33:43.005 the current president of the United States of America is sitting in a room with 249 00:33:43.006 --> 00:33:46.645 his family wrestling through feelings of rejection. 250 00:33:47.715 --> 00:33:52.385 Every one of us just has struggled with rejection deep down in our bones. 251 00:33:53.205 --> 00:33:56.745 That's because every relationship that you and I have in this life, 252 00:33:56.795 --> 00:34:00.025 every relationship has a line. And if you cross that line, 253 00:34:00.055 --> 00:34:01.665 then the relationship is over. 254 00:34:02.405 --> 00:34:06.665 And so then we start to assume that probably a relationship with God functions 255 00:34:07.085 --> 00:34:08.545 in the same way, right? 256 00:34:08.565 --> 00:34:13.465 And then we go on to assume that probably I've crossed that line at some 257 00:34:13.466 --> 00:34:14.425 point in my life. 258 00:34:15.495 --> 00:34:20.395 And this assumption leads to like terminal shame and fear, 259 00:34:21.275 --> 00:34:21.445 okay? 260 00:34:21.445 --> 00:34:25.675 Shame over who you are and what you've done and then fear that God is going to 261 00:34:25.735 --> 00:34:30.205 reject you because of who you are and what you've done. It's a, 262 00:34:30.206 --> 00:34:34.885 it's a very big deal that you and I grasp the reality 263 00:34:35.315 --> 00:34:38.085 that we are sons and daughters of the living God. 264 00:34:38.195 --> 00:34:41.525 It's a big deal when we do grasp it. Well then, 265 00:34:41.526 --> 00:34:45.245 like Leon talked about last week, that's when we're free to live in freedom. 266 00:34:45.505 --> 00:34:47.725 But whenever we don't grasp that reality, 267 00:34:48.114 --> 00:34:52.525 it's always a path to shame and fear of rejection. 268 00:34:53.035 --> 00:34:57.885 Just a, it's a very big deal. And in Romans eight 12 through 17, 269 00:34:58.075 --> 00:35:00.885 Paul understands how big a deal it is. 270 00:35:01.145 --> 00:35:05.725 And so he just spends some time trying to fight off our fear of rejection 271 00:35:06.065 --> 00:35:11.005 by trying to assure us of our new identities in Jesus Christ. 272 00:35:11.145 --> 00:35:13.205 And that's what we're gonna cover today, Paul, 273 00:35:13.206 --> 00:35:16.405 trying to assure us of our new identities. 274 00:35:17.145 --> 00:35:21.445 So let's dig into Romans eight, 12 through 17. We're gonna go verse by verse. 275 00:35:21.446 --> 00:35:25.445 We'll start in verse 12 and just like do an old school Bible study together. 276 00:35:25.625 --> 00:35:29.205 So Romans eight 12, Paul writes this. He says, 277 00:35:29.315 --> 00:35:32.965 therefore brothers, we have an obligation, 278 00:35:33.505 --> 00:35:37.364 but it's not to the sinful nature, to live according to the sinful nature. 279 00:35:38.455 --> 00:35:41.555 That's our first verse. Uh, again, what is the therefore, 280 00:35:42.395 --> 00:35:45.955 therefore well remember the very first verse of Romans eight. 281 00:35:45.975 --> 00:35:48.995 You talked about it last weekend. This is the, 282 00:35:49.015 --> 00:35:53.155 the first verse is like the thesis of all of Romans chapter eight. 283 00:35:53.425 --> 00:35:56.275 I'll remind you what it is. Romans eight, one, Paul says, 284 00:35:56.276 --> 00:36:01.075 therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 285 00:36:01.745 --> 00:36:06.075 It's like the thesis of Romans chapter eight, okay Paul. Paul says, 286 00:36:06.135 --> 00:36:07.635 if you've put your faith in Jesus, 287 00:36:08.105 --> 00:36:12.955 then condemnation or rejection from God is now no longer 288 00:36:13.715 --> 00:36:17.905 possible for your life. That's the thesis. And so then in verse 12, 289 00:36:18.425 --> 00:36:22.705 what that we just read together, Paul says, because of that wonderful truth, 290 00:36:23.125 --> 00:36:26.065 you and I now have an obligation. 291 00:36:26.575 --> 00:36:28.344 There's something you and I have to do. 292 00:36:29.114 --> 00:36:32.225 We're not doing it to earn a relationship with God. 293 00:36:32.235 --> 00:36:35.465 We're doing it in response to our relationship with God. 294 00:36:36.255 --> 00:36:41.065 What is our obligation when Paul says it's not an obligation to the sinful 295 00:36:41.066 --> 00:36:42.545 nature to live according to that, 296 00:36:42.546 --> 00:36:46.825 instead we have an obligation to something different. Here it is again. He says, 297 00:36:46.826 --> 00:36:48.745 therefore brothers, we have an obligation. 298 00:36:49.085 --> 00:36:52.465 But it's not to the sinful nature to live according to the sinful nature. 299 00:36:52.825 --> 00:36:56.705 'cause if you do that, if you live according to the sinful nature, you'll die. 300 00:36:57.525 --> 00:36:58.358 But if, 301 00:36:58.405 --> 00:37:03.015 if by the Spirit you will put to death the misdeeds of the body, 302 00:37:03.235 --> 00:37:04.005 if you do that, 303 00:37:04.005 --> 00:37:08.135 then you will live because those who are led by the spirit of God are 304 00:37:08.925 --> 00:37:09.775 sons of God. 305 00:37:10.875 --> 00:37:15.535 And we're gonna just basically park here for most of our time together 306 00:37:15.555 --> 00:37:18.775 before we continue reading our verses in Romans eight. 307 00:37:18.776 --> 00:37:22.055 Because if we misunderstand these verses right here, 308 00:37:22.205 --> 00:37:27.055 then our fear of rejection is gonna wind up feeling a lot worse instead of 309 00:37:27.056 --> 00:37:31.945 feeling better. And so what is Paul saying here? Well, 310 00:37:32.085 --> 00:37:34.585 for us to start to understand what he's saying, 311 00:37:34.935 --> 00:37:39.025 it's helpful to kinda work through the verses backwards. Okay? 312 00:37:39.045 --> 00:37:41.945 So remember the last verse that we just read? Paul said, 313 00:37:41.946 --> 00:37:46.765 those who are led by the spirit of God are sons of God. Okay? 314 00:37:47.085 --> 00:37:51.005 What? What does Paul mean? Well, Paul's basically going, he's going, okay, 315 00:37:51.065 --> 00:37:52.565 how can you know how, 316 00:37:52.665 --> 00:37:56.844 how can you have assurance that you're truly a son or daughter of the living 317 00:37:56.985 --> 00:37:58.005 God? Paul says, 318 00:37:58.006 --> 00:38:02.844 you can be assured that you're a child of God if you are being led by the spirit 319 00:38:02.845 --> 00:38:03.678 of God. 320 00:38:04.364 --> 00:38:07.935 Well now the follow-up question if you're anything like me at least is 321 00:38:07.936 --> 00:38:12.495 immediately like, well, how can I be sure if I'm being led by the spirit of God? 322 00:38:12.715 --> 00:38:16.094 And that's a question that Paul answered in the verse right before that one. 323 00:38:16.645 --> 00:38:20.575 Paul says that one of the ways that you and I can be sure that we're being led 324 00:38:20.576 --> 00:38:25.255 by the spirit of God is if by the spirit you put to death the 325 00:38:25.415 --> 00:38:29.655 misdeeds of the body. And this is where I want to be very clear, 326 00:38:30.275 --> 00:38:33.855 try to be very careful in how I explain these verses. 327 00:38:34.525 --> 00:38:38.005 Part of it is because, you know, it's just the language is a little bit older. 328 00:38:38.105 --> 00:38:41.364 So sometimes stuff like this goes in one ear and out the other. 329 00:38:41.385 --> 00:38:44.525 But the bigger deal is that this is where for thousands of years, 330 00:38:44.614 --> 00:38:48.765 Christians typically put the cart before the horse, right? 331 00:38:48.765 --> 00:38:51.685 This is when we hear verses like that, we start freaking out. 332 00:38:51.945 --> 00:38:54.045 We start telling ourselves like, okay, wait a minute. 333 00:38:54.225 --> 00:38:58.125 Is is Paul saying that for me to become a child of God, 334 00:38:58.364 --> 00:39:02.245 I first have to put to death every aspect of sin in my life? 335 00:39:02.545 --> 00:39:07.245 Is that what Paul is saying? Listen, if that's what Paul was saying, 336 00:39:07.795 --> 00:39:08.885 then outside of Jesus, 337 00:39:08.935 --> 00:39:13.364 there wouldn't be one child of God to have ever walked this planet because 338 00:39:13.675 --> 00:39:18.045 outside of Jesus, there has been no perfect person to walk on this planet. 339 00:39:18.225 --> 00:39:21.285 So they can't be what Paul is saying. And so, 340 00:39:21.545 --> 00:39:25.725 but what is Paul saying? And to figure that out, 341 00:39:26.025 --> 00:39:29.765 we have to be word nerds for like 30 seconds and be like ripping a bandaid off. 342 00:39:30.005 --> 00:39:30.838 I'll be really quick. 343 00:39:31.105 --> 00:39:35.364 But we have to understand that in the verses that we just read in the original 344 00:39:35.375 --> 00:39:39.885 Greek, every single verb is present tense. You're like, 345 00:39:40.344 --> 00:39:42.525 so what? Right? Here's why it's important. 346 00:39:42.695 --> 00:39:47.245 Every verb is relating to ongoing continuous action. 347 00:39:48.305 --> 00:39:50.005 In other words, maybe a, 348 00:39:50.125 --> 00:39:54.364 a better way of understanding that those verses for our modern ears would be to 349 00:39:54.365 --> 00:39:56.045 say it something like this. Paul says, 350 00:39:56.344 --> 00:40:01.205 if you're continually just like routinely living according to the 351 00:40:01.206 --> 00:40:04.565 sinful nature, you'll die. But if on the other hand, 352 00:40:04.665 --> 00:40:09.645 by the spirit you are continually putting to death the misdeeds of the 353 00:40:09.646 --> 00:40:13.685 body, you'll live. In other words, Paul's saying, 354 00:40:13.815 --> 00:40:17.165 we're not finished works, we are works in progress. 355 00:40:17.985 --> 00:40:19.605 And what Paul's saying is he goes, 356 00:40:19.665 --> 00:40:23.725 if you just kind of continually allow yourself to settle into sin, 357 00:40:23.905 --> 00:40:28.645 you just routinely choose to make peace with the dark parts of yourself. 358 00:40:29.565 --> 00:40:33.705 If you just choose to disobey God and go like, this is who, who I am, 359 00:40:33.844 --> 00:40:37.745 and I don't care what God has to say. If that's like the more, uh, 360 00:40:38.344 --> 00:40:40.905 constant action, the routine action in your life, 361 00:40:40.906 --> 00:40:44.565 you're choosing a life of death. But then Paul says, on the other hand, 362 00:40:44.785 --> 00:40:49.765 if you're continually at least trying to put up 363 00:40:49.844 --> 00:40:51.965 a good fight against your sinful nature, 364 00:40:53.245 --> 00:40:56.705 if your heart of hearts hates when you screw it all up, 365 00:40:57.445 --> 00:41:01.825 and if your heart of hearts truly desires to try to walk like Jesus walked, 366 00:41:02.005 --> 00:41:03.105 he says, if that's you, 367 00:41:03.335 --> 00:41:07.864 then you can rest assured that you're being led by the spirit of God, 368 00:41:08.035 --> 00:41:10.225 which means you are one of his kids. 369 00:41:11.335 --> 00:41:14.835 And so to sum all of that up, according to Paul, 370 00:41:15.465 --> 00:41:20.315 putting up a good fight against sin in your life is one of 371 00:41:20.316 --> 00:41:24.555 the hallmarks of the sons and daughters of God. 372 00:41:25.625 --> 00:41:27.805 And to quote one of my favorite teachers, 373 00:41:27.825 --> 00:41:30.125 his name is John Piper in Romans eight, 374 00:41:30.265 --> 00:41:34.445 Paul's not even saying that you and I have to have any particular level of 375 00:41:34.594 --> 00:41:37.785 success in this fight. So Paul, 376 00:41:37.844 --> 00:41:42.265 Paul's not saying you become a child of God as soon as you KO 377 00:41:42.685 --> 00:41:44.705 the three biggest sins in life, right? 378 00:41:44.925 --> 00:41:47.465 You become a child of God as soon as you're, you know, like sex, 379 00:41:47.475 --> 00:41:51.305 drugs and rock and roll or whatever. He's not saying that. Instead, 380 00:41:51.306 --> 00:41:56.065 what Paul is saying is that you are a child of God if you are in the 381 00:41:56.066 --> 00:41:57.344 fight period. 382 00:41:58.635 --> 00:42:02.364 Even if you lose most of the rounds in this fight, 383 00:42:02.705 --> 00:42:05.844 you are a child of God. He's saying that a, 384 00:42:05.925 --> 00:42:10.525 a child of God is not marked by undefeated success in the 385 00:42:10.725 --> 00:42:12.485 fight against sin. Instead, 386 00:42:12.525 --> 00:42:17.205 a child of God is marked by at least an undefeated desire for 387 00:42:17.206 --> 00:42:19.325 success in the fight against sin. 388 00:42:20.645 --> 00:42:24.625 And this is where some of us you might be going like, well, 389 00:42:24.935 --> 00:42:27.425 this is starting to sound like heresy, right? This is, 390 00:42:27.426 --> 00:42:30.505 this doesn't sound like the version of the Bible that I grew up with. Um, 391 00:42:30.655 --> 00:42:34.145 it's like, yeah, that's because for thousands of years, 392 00:42:34.165 --> 00:42:37.105 people who do the job that I'm doing right now, 393 00:42:37.155 --> 00:42:42.065 we've just made it a habit of like royally screwing up Jesus's 394 00:42:42.175 --> 00:42:46.625 message of grace and forgiveness. And more importantly, 395 00:42:47.285 --> 00:42:52.145 I'm not saying anything right now that is inconsistent with 396 00:42:52.146 --> 00:42:56.545 what Paul has already said in the first seven chapters of Roman 397 00:42:57.085 --> 00:43:00.785 Romans. Uh, I'll prove it to you now. Okay? Romans chapter seven, 398 00:43:01.125 --> 00:43:03.985 the one right before what we're studying through verse by verse, 399 00:43:04.645 --> 00:43:05.825 here's what Paul, he, 400 00:43:05.826 --> 00:43:10.625 he describes what his own life looks like on a daily basis as a 401 00:43:10.685 --> 00:43:13.605 son of God. Look at this. This is Paul. He says, 402 00:43:14.205 --> 00:43:17.614 I know nothing good lives in me, nothing good lives in me. 403 00:43:17.615 --> 00:43:22.455 That is in my sinful nature. I have the desire to do what is good, 404 00:43:22.456 --> 00:43:25.175 but it's like I just, I can't, I cannot carry it out. 405 00:43:26.295 --> 00:43:28.575 And what I do is not the good that I wanna do. 406 00:43:28.576 --> 00:43:30.614 Instead the evil that I don't want to do, 407 00:43:30.965 --> 00:43:33.175 this is what I keep on doing for some reason. 408 00:43:33.475 --> 00:43:38.255 And so I find this law at work in my life. It's like whenever I want to do good, 409 00:43:38.485 --> 00:43:42.135 evil is right there with me. And in my inner being, 410 00:43:42.155 --> 00:43:46.175 in my heart of hearts, I delight in God's law. I wanna live that way, 411 00:43:46.435 --> 00:43:50.575 but I see another law at work in the members of my body and it's waging war 412 00:43:50.645 --> 00:43:52.135 against the law of my mind. 413 00:43:52.155 --> 00:43:55.695 And it's making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 414 00:43:56.205 --> 00:44:00.895 What a wretched man I am who will rescue me from this body of death. 415 00:44:01.155 --> 00:44:04.695 Thanks speed of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. 416 00:44:05.844 --> 00:44:09.215 Paul says, you want to know what a day in the life of a son of God looks like? 417 00:44:09.235 --> 00:44:12.335 It looks about like this. And then that's what he says. 418 00:44:13.565 --> 00:44:17.065 And doesn't that immediately sound more like your real life? 419 00:44:18.165 --> 00:44:21.055 More than the story of like ever since I started following Jesus, 420 00:44:21.315 --> 00:44:25.255 my greatest sin is that I only pray for seven hours a day instead of eight. 421 00:44:26.094 --> 00:44:26.805 Right? Like, 422 00:44:26.805 --> 00:44:31.805 I know I can't be the only one in this room who hears those words from 423 00:44:31.806 --> 00:44:33.685 Paul and feels relieved. 424 00:44:35.055 --> 00:44:38.625 It's like finally someone gets what my real life is like. 425 00:44:40.495 --> 00:44:45.265 Paul never presented his own life as a happily ever after 426 00:44:45.395 --> 00:44:47.864 story. He, he didn't sanitize it. 427 00:44:48.445 --> 00:44:52.825 He never presented his life as a story of I met Jesus and then I was 428 00:44:53.065 --> 00:44:57.825 miraculously healed of all sin and struggle and doubt and darkness. Instead, 429 00:44:58.045 --> 00:45:01.945 his story is more like your story. It's more like my story. 430 00:45:02.085 --> 00:45:06.985 Paul's story is a story about a man who was a mess and then he met Jesus and 431 00:45:06.986 --> 00:45:11.805 then he mostly stayed a mess except now he was a mess 432 00:45:11.864 --> 00:45:16.525 who was loved and forgiven and befriended and fruitfully 433 00:45:16.555 --> 00:45:17.765 leveraged by Jesus. 434 00:45:19.415 --> 00:45:24.065 Paul realized that Jesus' grace in the midst of his own brokenness 435 00:45:24.445 --> 00:45:29.405 was the good news that he had to share with the world. And again, 436 00:45:29.406 --> 00:45:32.885 some of us like we just struggle with it. And so we hear that and, 437 00:45:33.125 --> 00:45:36.325 and we're going, wait, so is Paul saying that we can be Christians, 438 00:45:36.326 --> 00:45:41.205 like we can even be like you can be a Paul level Christian and have that daily 439 00:45:41.645 --> 00:45:44.525 struggle of good and evil in your heart. Uh, and wait is, 440 00:45:44.625 --> 00:45:49.285 is Paul saying that you can even lose that struggle on most days 441 00:45:49.755 --> 00:45:51.364 like Paul said he does. 442 00:45:51.745 --> 00:45:55.955 And you can still be a Christian and it's like, guys, yes. 443 00:45:57.864 --> 00:46:01.995 What did you think the gospel was? That is the gospel. 444 00:46:03.344 --> 00:46:06.485 The gospel is not that you need to be perfect on your own power. 445 00:46:06.545 --> 00:46:11.165 The gospel is that you need to be forgiven by someone else's power and you have 446 00:46:11.166 --> 00:46:13.245 been, that is the gospel. 447 00:46:13.425 --> 00:46:17.005 The gospel is that Jesus loves us just like he loves Paul, 448 00:46:17.015 --> 00:46:21.405 which is to say he loves us in the midst of and in spite of our 449 00:46:21.406 --> 00:46:25.275 brokenness. The gospel is not a story that goes like this. 450 00:46:25.915 --> 00:46:30.515 I met Jesus and then my whole life became spiffy clean and perfect. No, 451 00:46:30.585 --> 00:46:34.515 instead the gospel is a story that goes like this. I am a total mess, 452 00:46:34.614 --> 00:46:38.155 but I have met the one who is not and his name is Jesus. 453 00:46:38.495 --> 00:46:40.355 And I don't know how he's gonna do it, 454 00:46:40.535 --> 00:46:44.515 but I do believe that he's going to finish a good work that he started in me. 455 00:46:44.935 --> 00:46:45.768 That's the gospel. 456 00:46:47.085 --> 00:46:51.525 And and that's the hope that you can clap for the gospel. Yeah, 457 00:46:53.465 --> 00:46:54.298 that's the gospel. 458 00:46:54.305 --> 00:46:59.005 That's the hope that that Paul's trying to like shout from the rooftops in our 459 00:46:59.006 --> 00:47:02.325 section of Romans eight today. Paul's going, Paul, he's he's going, 460 00:47:02.344 --> 00:47:05.045 how can you be sure that you're a son or daughter of the living God? 461 00:47:05.225 --> 00:47:06.525 If you're being led by the spirit, 462 00:47:06.864 --> 00:47:09.165 how can you be sure that you're being led by the spirit? 463 00:47:09.505 --> 00:47:13.685 If you have the desire at least to put up a good fight 464 00:47:14.114 --> 00:47:15.965 against the sin in your life? He goes, 465 00:47:15.966 --> 00:47:20.965 that's the sign that you are a child of God. If you're just putting up a fight, 466 00:47:22.185 --> 00:47:25.395 even if it's a sloppy uncoordinated fight, 467 00:47:26.245 --> 00:47:30.205 even if you mostly wind up kind of bloodied and beat up, 468 00:47:30.395 --> 00:47:33.325 even if when the bell rings at the end of every single day, 469 00:47:33.326 --> 00:47:35.685 you're just barely making it back to your corner. 470 00:47:35.875 --> 00:47:39.805 Putting up a fight is a hallmark of God's children. 471 00:47:39.985 --> 00:47:42.844 We don't run from the fight, we don't cave to the fight. 472 00:47:43.114 --> 00:47:48.045 Instead we show up and and some days you're gonna win the battle 473 00:47:48.046 --> 00:47:52.565 against your sinful nature. And those are great days. Those are uplifting days. 474 00:47:52.864 --> 00:47:55.645 You should be thankful for those days. It's just that many days, 475 00:47:55.655 --> 00:47:59.045 maybe even most days, you are just gonna get whooped. 476 00:48:00.195 --> 00:48:04.415 And on those days, the spirit gives you the power to pray and say to God, 477 00:48:04.935 --> 00:48:08.895 I lost that round. I'm sorry, forgive me. And he does. 478 00:48:10.455 --> 00:48:13.415 Uh, on most days you're just gonna get laid out flat. 479 00:48:13.715 --> 00:48:16.455 But through the power of the Holy Spirit, God's children, 480 00:48:16.855 --> 00:48:18.175 whenever they get knocked out flat, 481 00:48:18.315 --> 00:48:21.575 we always get back up and we always keep swinging. 482 00:48:23.715 --> 00:48:27.875 Greatest compliment I have ever received in my life hands down came in second 483 00:48:27.876 --> 00:48:31.955 grade, okay? I, my two best friends were Brady and Bracken. They were twins. 484 00:48:32.415 --> 00:48:36.555 And one day Brady was gonna get in a fight with the school bully Preston at 485 00:48:36.614 --> 00:48:39.995 recess, like old school, second grade, like, I'll see you at recess. 486 00:48:40.335 --> 00:48:44.835 And Brady chose for his backup. He chose his brother Bracken and he chose me. 487 00:48:45.755 --> 00:48:48.715 All right. Later that night, Brady's mom asks him and she goes, 488 00:48:49.035 --> 00:48:51.195 why did you choose Ben to come to this fight with you? 489 00:48:51.305 --> 00:48:55.195 He's one of the smallest of all of your friends. And Brady replied, yeah, 490 00:48:55.495 --> 00:48:59.675 but Ben has big heart . It's the greatest compliment I've ever received. 491 00:49:00.355 --> 00:49:01.435 All right? I'm still, honestly, 492 00:49:01.436 --> 00:49:05.835 I'm still trying to live my life to live up to Brady's , uh, view of me. 493 00:49:06.055 --> 00:49:08.995 But in the same way the sons and daughters of God, 494 00:49:09.295 --> 00:49:14.155 all we need are just big hearts in this fight, in the fight against sin, 495 00:49:14.156 --> 00:49:17.315 in the fight against returning to the chains that enslave us. 496 00:49:17.315 --> 00:49:22.155 We just have big hearts in the fight even if we lose a lot of the rounds. 497 00:49:23.145 --> 00:49:26.045 And so in Romans eight 12 through 14, 498 00:49:26.475 --> 00:49:31.005 Paul says that you can be assured that you're a child of God if you're putting 499 00:49:31.145 --> 00:49:33.625 up a fight. And again, 500 00:49:33.626 --> 00:49:37.145 you don't even need a particular level of success in the fight. 501 00:49:37.146 --> 00:49:40.864 You just need to be in the ring with your Dukes up. 502 00:49:42.075 --> 00:49:45.575 And so Paul says that, and then after having said that, 503 00:49:45.675 --> 00:49:48.215 the next few verses in this section of Romans eight, 504 00:49:48.565 --> 00:49:52.614 he's just gonna encourage those of us who are in the ring with our dukes up, 505 00:49:52.635 --> 00:49:55.415 but we feel like we're getting the tar kicked out of us most days. 506 00:49:55.635 --> 00:49:58.815 And so here's what he says next. Picking up in verse 15. He says, 507 00:49:59.375 --> 00:50:03.655 for you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear. 508 00:50:04.575 --> 00:50:09.385 Instead, you received the spirit of sonship. And by him we cry Abba, 509 00:50:09.605 --> 00:50:13.665 father. So like we talked about at the beginning of this thing, 510 00:50:14.125 --> 00:50:18.385 if you feel like you are living mostly in a spirit of shame 511 00:50:19.245 --> 00:50:23.344 or if you feel like you're living in a spirit of the fear of rejection all the 512 00:50:23.345 --> 00:50:25.305 time, like God, God's gonna reject me. 513 00:50:25.725 --> 00:50:30.685 Paul's saying You can rest assured that that's not the voice of the Holy Spirit. 514 00:50:31.505 --> 00:50:36.005 That's not the spirit convicting you, okay? The Spirit convicts you. 515 00:50:36.105 --> 00:50:40.945 He just never does it by lying about your identity because the Holy 516 00:50:40.946 --> 00:50:45.145 Spirit doesn't grant fear. He grants sonship, he grants adoption. 517 00:50:45.405 --> 00:50:48.745 The Holy Spirit never leans and whispers into your ear and says, 518 00:50:48.885 --> 00:50:53.425 you went too far this time, you crossed the line and now God has to reject you. 519 00:50:53.645 --> 00:50:57.145 He doesn't ever say that The Spirit is always the one whispering in your ear 520 00:50:57.325 --> 00:51:01.505 trying to tell you even after a day like today, God is your father. 521 00:51:02.795 --> 00:51:05.735 That's what Paul says in the next verse. He says, 522 00:51:05.755 --> 00:51:10.415 the Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. 523 00:51:11.515 --> 00:51:15.935 And I love this picture because Paul says that's one of the Holy Spirit's jobs. 524 00:51:16.315 --> 00:51:19.895 And then we know from other verses in the Bible that one of Jesus's jobs right 525 00:51:19.896 --> 00:51:24.895 now is he sits at the right hand of the throne of God and he advocates 526 00:51:24.896 --> 00:51:27.735 for us. So he points out God's children to him. 527 00:51:28.594 --> 00:51:33.495 And so Paul gives us this beautiful picture of like two things happening at 528 00:51:33.496 --> 00:51:35.575 the same time all of the time. 529 00:51:36.395 --> 00:51:40.175 The first thing is Jesus sitting next to the throne of God and saying, Hey God, 530 00:51:40.275 --> 00:51:44.895 do you see Ben down there? Ben is one of your sons. Isn't that awesome? 531 00:51:45.795 --> 00:51:46.895 And then at the same time, 532 00:51:46.955 --> 00:51:50.855 the Holy Spirit is sitting on the throne of my heart trying to crack through the 533 00:51:50.856 --> 00:51:55.735 hard outer shell and tell me, Hey Ben, God is your dad. Isn't that awesome? 534 00:51:56.905 --> 00:52:00.755 Paul says, those two things are happening at the same time all of the time. 535 00:52:00.785 --> 00:52:01.795 It's a beautiful picture. 536 00:52:02.895 --> 00:52:07.235 So Paul gives us that picture and then he wraps up this encouragement to us with 537 00:52:07.236 --> 00:52:10.955 the final verse of this section. He goes, if we are children, which you are, 538 00:52:11.145 --> 00:52:15.995 then you're also heirs. You're heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, 539 00:52:16.175 --> 00:52:20.915 if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his 540 00:52:20.925 --> 00:52:24.035 glory. So Paul ends with this encouragement by saying, 541 00:52:24.215 --> 00:52:29.155 not only are we children of God, but we are heirs to the kingdom of God. 542 00:52:30.035 --> 00:52:34.535 You and I are co-heirs with Christ even, which is mind blowing. 543 00:52:34.645 --> 00:52:38.255 He's saying that we're gonna inherit everything that Christ has already 544 00:52:38.256 --> 00:52:43.015 inherited the Holy Spirit and access to God and the chance to call him 545 00:52:43.016 --> 00:52:43.755 Father. 546 00:52:43.755 --> 00:52:47.575 And the the hope that one day Jesus is gonna come back here and kind of sweep 547 00:52:47.576 --> 00:52:50.295 out the floorboards and clean this place up. And when he does, 548 00:52:50.475 --> 00:52:54.495 we have the hope of a redeemed body living in a redeemed world for all of 549 00:52:54.496 --> 00:52:57.935 eternity. We get to inherit all of that. You and I, 550 00:52:58.045 --> 00:52:59.655 like I said at the beginning of this thing, 551 00:52:59.825 --> 00:53:04.775 we're not the kids at the end of the table with whom God is trying to avoid eye 552 00:53:04.776 --> 00:53:07.614 contact. That's not us. Instead, 553 00:53:07.675 --> 00:53:11.775 you and I are beloved sons and daughters of the living God. 554 00:53:13.065 --> 00:53:17.705 And so Paul wraps his section up with that. He's basically like, boom, mic drop. 555 00:53:17.965 --> 00:53:21.505 And then that's the end of our section of Romans eight for today. 556 00:53:24.715 --> 00:53:28.015 Listen, we, we started this thing by talking about the, 557 00:53:28.035 --> 00:53:32.965 the fact that a lot of us live in the fear of rejection, right? 558 00:53:32.966 --> 00:53:33.844 Just that many of us, 559 00:53:33.864 --> 00:53:37.685 we we're worried about like that somehow we're gonna do something that crosses 560 00:53:37.686 --> 00:53:40.565 the line and then after we do that, God's gonna be like, that's it. 561 00:53:40.965 --> 00:53:45.325 I don't wanna be your dad anymore. Or at the very least, a lot of us think like, 562 00:53:45.355 --> 00:53:48.805 sure I'm maybe I'm one of God's kids, but I'm not his favorite, 563 00:53:48.915 --> 00:53:50.445 like I'm on the naughty list. 564 00:53:51.315 --> 00:53:56.255 But then Paul in Romans eight is he's like trying to shake us and wake us up and 565 00:53:56.256 --> 00:54:00.935 he's trying to assure us beyond the shadow of a doubt and beyond the dark 566 00:54:01.085 --> 00:54:03.935 shadows of of fear and rejection, 567 00:54:04.005 --> 00:54:07.455 he's trying to assure us that if we've placed our faith in Jesus, 568 00:54:07.885 --> 00:54:10.335 then we are sons and daughters of the living God. 569 00:54:10.395 --> 00:54:13.455 And you can stop worrying about it all the time. 570 00:54:15.475 --> 00:54:20.094 And so let me leave you by trying to remind us of who we are. 571 00:54:21.505 --> 00:54:24.165 We are God's sons and daughters. 572 00:54:25.215 --> 00:54:27.195 He knows you by name. 573 00:54:28.395 --> 00:54:32.995 So like since you were in your mother's womb, he's been close with you. 574 00:54:33.225 --> 00:54:37.114 He's been the one whispering grace into your ear through your whole life. 575 00:54:37.145 --> 00:54:40.155 He's been the one drawing you back into his arms. 576 00:54:40.305 --> 00:54:44.235 He's been shepherding you and making all of your path straight like since day 577 00:54:44.335 --> 00:54:48.875 one. He's been a good father to you. And this is the gospel of grace. 578 00:54:50.335 --> 00:54:54.625 Like the deep and profound mystery of the gospel of grace 579 00:54:55.445 --> 00:55:00.265 is that God introduces you and he even introduces a mess like me 580 00:55:01.005 --> 00:55:05.665 in the same way that he introduced Jesus to the world after Jesus was 581 00:55:05.985 --> 00:55:10.285 baptized. He says, this is my son Ben, 582 00:55:10.785 --> 00:55:14.085 who I love. And with him I am well pleased, 583 00:55:15.675 --> 00:55:19.935 he looks at my wife and says, this is my daughter Allison, 584 00:55:20.515 --> 00:55:23.535 who I love. And with her I am well pleased. 585 00:55:23.915 --> 00:55:25.815 And he says the same thing about you. 586 00:55:28.065 --> 00:55:30.165 God paid a very, uh, 587 00:55:30.315 --> 00:55:34.364 dear price to adopt you as his kids. 588 00:55:34.365 --> 00:55:36.885 Like he paid the price of his first son Jesus. 589 00:55:36.985 --> 00:55:41.485 And staggering grace was purchased at a staggering price. 590 00:55:41.745 --> 00:55:46.565 And so maybe it's just time that you and I kind of stagger and fall into 591 00:55:46.566 --> 00:55:47.399 it. 592 00:55:47.955 --> 00:55:51.975 And what I mean by that is like maybe it's just time to stop fighting against 593 00:55:52.075 --> 00:55:53.215 his grace all the time. 594 00:55:54.344 --> 00:55:58.215 Maybe it's time to stop trying to tell him like we can earn it on our own by 595 00:55:58.455 --> 00:56:00.614 being perfectionists. Or on the other hand, 596 00:56:00.615 --> 00:56:05.255 maybe it's time to stop believing that you're the first person in the history of 597 00:56:05.405 --> 00:56:09.535 existence to outdo God's grace with your own brokenness. 598 00:56:10.864 --> 00:56:15.405 And instead, maybe it's just time to agree with God's definition of who we are. 599 00:56:16.614 --> 00:56:21.325 Maybe it's time you look in the mirror and with bewildered confidence say, 600 00:56:22.045 --> 00:56:26.925 I am God's daughter or I am God's son who he loves. 601 00:56:27.925 --> 00:56:29.905 And with me he's well pleased. 602 00:56:31.435 --> 00:56:33.975 It sounds almost like we're not allowed to say that at first. 603 00:56:33.976 --> 00:56:35.375 It sounds almost scandalous. 604 00:56:35.594 --> 00:56:39.455 That's only because in a world where getting what you deserve is the cardinal 605 00:56:39.485 --> 00:56:43.735 rule. In a world like that, God's grace is a scandal. 606 00:56:46.435 --> 00:56:51.015 One of the the greatest books that I've ever read on grace in, 607 00:56:51.075 --> 00:56:54.935 in my opinion is it's called the Ragamuffin Gospel by a guy named Brennan 608 00:56:54.936 --> 00:56:56.815 Manning. And in that book, 609 00:56:57.114 --> 00:57:00.015 he gives an instruction for a devotional that you can do. 610 00:57:00.114 --> 00:57:01.094 It brought me to tears. 611 00:57:01.675 --> 00:57:05.055 The first time I've read it brings me to tears almost every time I read it. 612 00:57:05.635 --> 00:57:07.775 He says, here's the instructions. He says, 613 00:57:07.776 --> 00:57:10.655 you take some verses out of Hosea chapter 11, 614 00:57:10.755 --> 00:57:14.375 that's like a prophet book in, in the Old Testament says, 615 00:57:14.376 --> 00:57:15.895 take these verses and read through them, 616 00:57:16.075 --> 00:57:19.695 but then anytime you see the name Israel, like the nation of Israel, 617 00:57:19.845 --> 00:57:23.335 replace that name with your own name. And then he says, 618 00:57:23.336 --> 00:57:28.215 just read through it and reflect on and try to grasp the reality that 619 00:57:28.285 --> 00:57:30.775 this is what God says about you today. 620 00:57:31.075 --> 00:57:36.015 And they're healing words for any of us who sit in the fear 621 00:57:36.035 --> 00:57:40.135 of rejection all the time. We're we're always afraid that God's gonna reject us. 622 00:57:41.335 --> 00:57:43.775 And so here it is, this is Hosea 11. 623 00:57:43.835 --> 00:57:47.375 You fill in the blank with your name and this is what God says about you. 624 00:57:47.795 --> 00:57:49.815 He says, how could I give you up? 625 00:57:51.915 --> 00:57:56.735 How could I give you up? My heart turns from it when you were a child, 626 00:57:57.295 --> 00:58:02.195 I loved you and I myself taught you to walk and I 627 00:58:02.196 --> 00:58:03.715 took you in my arms. 628 00:58:03.775 --> 00:58:07.115 And yet you've not understood that I was the one looking after you. 629 00:58:07.215 --> 00:58:11.995 And I led you with reigns of kindness, with leading strings of love. 630 00:58:12.395 --> 00:58:16.235 I was like someone that lifts an infant close against his cheek, 631 00:58:16.675 --> 00:58:19.795 stooping down. I was the one who gave you your food. 632 00:58:21.135 --> 00:58:24.595 And so how could I treat you or deal with you like an enemy? 633 00:58:24.935 --> 00:58:29.515 My heart recoils from it my whole being trembles at the thought, 634 00:58:29.855 --> 00:58:32.035 why? Because I'm God not man. 635 00:58:33.475 --> 00:58:37.955 I am the holy one in your midst. And I have no wish to destroy 636 00:58:40.385 --> 00:58:43.035 hope. Community Church, if you're gonna put up a fight, 637 00:58:43.905 --> 00:58:45.595 stop fighting against God's grace. 638 00:58:46.705 --> 00:58:50.915 Stop fighting against your new identity as a son or daughter of the living God. 639 00:58:50.915 --> 00:58:54.235 If you're gonna put up a fight, fight the good fight, 640 00:58:55.515 --> 00:59:00.225 fight against your fear of rejection, fight against the chains of shame. 641 00:59:00.645 --> 00:59:02.985 And even if you lose a lot of battles, 642 00:59:02.995 --> 00:59:07.225 fight against the sinful nature that's at war and your heart and your soul and 643 00:59:07.226 --> 00:59:10.545 your mind and just get in the ring and put your Dukes up. 644 00:59:11.525 --> 00:59:13.505 And even when you get knocked out flat, 645 00:59:13.685 --> 00:59:17.985 get back up in full confidence that you are a beloved son or daughter of the 646 00:59:17.986 --> 00:59:21.365 living God. And Dad is in your corner 647 00:59:22.995 --> 00:59:24.125 Hope Community Church. 648 00:59:24.355 --> 00:59:28.085 It's with great wonder and amazement that I remind you, 649 00:59:29.225 --> 00:59:32.845 you are sons and daughters of the living God, who he loves. 650 00:59:33.825 --> 00:59:38.815 And with you, he's well pleased. Let's pray. 651 00:59:41.875 --> 00:59:44.695 God, I thank you for this truth. 652 00:59:45.205 --> 00:59:49.415 It's so beautiful and yet my heart still has trouble grasping it. God, 653 00:59:49.416 --> 00:59:53.095 could you help our hearts to grasp it, that we, 654 00:59:53.535 --> 00:59:57.535 our sons and daughters like that You are our Father, that we can call you dad, 655 00:59:58.005 --> 01:00:00.615 even God, help us to, 656 01:00:00.715 --> 01:00:04.415 to truly grasp that truth in our hearts. God set us free. 657 01:00:05.315 --> 01:00:06.035 Set us please, 658 01:00:06.035 --> 01:00:09.855 set us free from the battles of sin that we wage day in and day out. 659 01:00:09.875 --> 01:00:12.215 But the truth is, in a lot of areas of our lives, 660 01:00:12.216 --> 01:00:15.335 that battle's gonna be a lifelong battle. And so in the meantime, 661 01:00:15.345 --> 01:00:17.095 could you free us from shame? 662 01:00:18.265 --> 01:00:22.015 Could you free us from the constant fear of rejection that one day we're just 663 01:00:22.016 --> 01:00:25.095 gonna go too far and then you're gonna look at us and say, no more, 664 01:00:26.075 --> 01:00:29.415 God set us free from that God, for anyone in the room, 665 01:00:29.835 --> 01:00:34.175 and I'm one of 'em whose heart still struggles to fully grasp this God, 666 01:00:34.176 --> 01:00:37.535 could you help us? Could you do what only your spirit does? 667 01:00:37.536 --> 01:00:39.895 Could you do what the job of your spirit is? 668 01:00:40.065 --> 01:00:44.415 Could you testify to our spirits that we are truly your sons and daughters and 669 01:00:44.416 --> 01:00:48.335 that you are truly our Father? God, please do that in our hearts. 670 01:00:48.375 --> 01:00:51.655 A sermon can't do that. A song can't do that. Only you can do that. 671 01:00:51.715 --> 01:00:55.455 So please teach us something new about yourself. God, 672 01:00:55.535 --> 01:00:58.735 I love you very much and I pray this in the name of Jesus. 673 01:00:59.075 --> 01:01:02.295 He was your first son. He was our is our Lord, 674 01:01:02.355 --> 01:01:06.895 and he's our savior and in a way that I can't even totally grasp yet, 675 01:01:06.955 --> 01:01:11.495 he is our co-heir and our brother, and it's in his holy name that I pray. 676 01:01:12.525 --> 01:01:13.358 Amen. 677 01:01:22.055 --> 01:01:25.775 You hear it said around here often that the church is a family of families. 678 01:01:26.955 --> 01:01:28.015 And if you heard tonight, 679 01:01:28.295 --> 01:01:31.575 the little tug on your heart that you know I wanna be a part of this kingdom, 680 01:01:31.675 --> 01:01:36.055 family of God and seeing myself as a son, seeing myself as a daughter, 681 01:01:36.375 --> 01:01:40.255 would I encourage you that today is the day to give your life to Christ. 682 01:01:40.315 --> 01:01:42.375 And we would love to talk to you about that decision. 683 01:01:42.435 --> 01:01:44.775 You can come to next steps and we could talk to you. 684 01:01:44.995 --> 01:01:48.655 You can drop a chat there online no matter where you are. 685 01:01:48.745 --> 01:01:52.655 Jesus is the answer to come and be a part of the family of God. 686 01:01:53.005 --> 01:01:55.695 Hope Community Church has been so good to gather together with you. 687 01:01:55.696 --> 01:01:56.495 Before we part, 688 01:01:56.495 --> 01:02:00.735 I wanna remind you that you can participate in what God is doing here and 689 01:02:00.736 --> 01:02:04.135 through Hope Community Church, through the act of Giving. 690 01:02:04.425 --> 01:02:09.375 There are multiple ways that you can give and participate in everything that God 691 01:02:09.475 --> 01:02:10.308 is up to. 692 01:02:10.515 --> 01:02:14.975 It is a wonderful gift to see you today and to be together today as a family. 693 01:02:15.325 --> 01:02:17.415 Hope Community Church. We love you and we'll see you next week.