Sermon Tone Analysis

! Freedom in the Spirit

Romans 8:1-4

Secular: *~*~* Dog Pile* – Imagine a warm sunny day, playing tag, or catch or on the playground equipment with friends, just enjoying yourself… then this picture perfect day is shattered by two of the most feared words in all the world… “Dog Pile!”

Suddenly you find yourself buried, in an ever-increasing pile of bodies.

The laughing and giggling turns into sobs as you feel crushed… you gasp for breath… oh the crushing weight… and you hope and pray that soon this “heap of misery” soon dissipates… ah, for the freedom… (PAUSE)

 

Sin crushes us like that… piling up on our soul… heavier, darker, harder to breathe – but for those who believe in Christ… ah the Freedom …, the Freedom in the Spirit, through Christ.

Biblical:

This morning the text we will be looking at in the book of Romans beginning at chapter 8.

Paul wrote Romans to a church he had yet to visit – this makes this masterpiece of theology and practice a generally applicable treatise…

Romans 8…

*v.1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus**, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.** 3 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, 4 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.*

-- Paul says we can have Freedom in the Spirit, through Christ.

Personal: Ah, freedom you know that sensation that overwhelms us on the 1st Day of Summer vacation: Your job has been taking its toll over the last year and you’ve been waiting to just take a break from the building pressure, deadlines, cutbacks, quotas….

Or you’ve been up to your eyeballs in homework… math, science, the projects, the assignments… ah-h-h-h-h

Paul addressed the needs of the Romans, so much government, so much sin, so much going on… oh the need for a Saviour.

It sounds very much like today… taxes, government, our jobs,… a sinful society….

You need to break free – you need Freedom in the Spirit, through Christ.

Bridge:

- -STATE SUBJECT CLEARLY- -

v.1 The Good News is –  You can have Freedom in the Spirit through Christ!

*1 Peter 3:18 For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.

He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,*

 

*John 8:33 They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone.

How can you say that we shall be set free?" 34 Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.

35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.

36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.*

*John 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

18 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.*

The evidence is clear… the price has been paid.

Christ took on our sins to set us free.

He wove us together… gives us new life in Him… in that we could be truly released from the penalty and burden of sin…

 

Our God is a Just and Holy God… a righteous God that demands perfection… perfection that we cannot achieve on our own.

It is perfection… justification before God that we can only gain by trusting Jesus Christ as our Saviour and Lord… accepting the Christ that hung between heaven and earth on the cross of Calvary to pay the price for our sins… the price is paid… paid in full.

The sentence of death for sins has been paid and we have Freedom in the Spirit, though Christ.

* *~*~* Charged twice… VISA – *most of us who carry a credit card in our wallet can share the experience of receiving bill with one stroking feature… two charges, on the same day, for the same amount, at the same store… basic logic tells us that we do accept being charged twice… no double payment.

The same is true with God… we do not spend time ‘paying in Purgatory’, our paying in a reincarnated life or in any other way… Christ paid the perfect price in full… PAID IN FULL.

!! REPEAT v. 1b – “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”

*Col 3:3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.*

Life in Christ… what does Paul mean “those who are in Christ?”

I think life in Christ has many components but I want to share with you 2 key ideas.

1) To be joined with Christ is to be joined in his death, burial, and resurrection… we have eternal hope because we are bound in an eternal relationship… We are partakers in the heavenly nature through Him who gives us eternal life… in Him who redeemed us.

 

1 Peter 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!

In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—(expand…partakers of the heavenly nature)… kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

2)

Jesus Christ is the very Word of God, a member of the Holy Trinity that is, was, and ever shall be… To be bound together with the God of the Universe is to be Eternally secure.

Romans 8:*38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.*

Freedom in the Spirit through Christ means that we are out of reach of this world, and out of the reach of Satan… does that mean we don’t sin… no… but it does mean the Spirit will give us the strength to overcome… and genuine believers know the forgiveness will be granted.

No one can pry us out of the loving grip of our Saviour!

*/John 10 (not snatched) /**/27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand./*

*/ 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.

30 I and the Father are one."/*

Because we have freedom in the Spirit through Christ –The Law Cannot Claim You

Because we have freedom in the Spirit through Christ –The Law Cannot Condemn You

Because we have freedom in the Spirit through Christ –The Law Cannot Control You

 

v.2

Because we have freedom in the Spirit through Christ –The Law Cannot Claim You* *

* *

*…because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.*

~*~* Lien – Having recently been in the housing market, and recognizing many of you have or will share in this experience at some time… I can tell you one of those */details /*that can hold up the sale of your home…or your car… is a title search… Finding out if anyone else has a claim to the property… there is no claim on us!

Christ has set us free…the Law of the Spirit is Grace…

* We have been Set free… Justified in the eyes of God.

The slate is clear and we can live an worship in freedom.

* The account is clear… balance paid… we cannot contribute to the act atonement by Christ.

It is not about morality…  is about eternal life or eternal darkness.

Set free by Grace through the Spirit through Christ.

We cannot be saved by mere obedience… the law (man works…vs.)

we can’t do it!

We are saved by faith… the better covenant

Failure to uphold the law means death no longer has its hooks in… we are not at risk- We are one in Christ

*1 Cor 15:22 **For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.*

-- Listen to the Apostle quoting the Psalmists taunt of Death and Sin…

1 Cor 55 "Where, O death, is your victory?

Where, O death, is your sting?" 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.

The Law Cannot Claim You… You have Freedom in the Spirit through Christ.

~*~* Doesn’t it do your soul good to know - Because we have freedom in the Spirit through Christ –The Law Cannot Claim You

 

v.3

The good news does not end there!! - Because we have freedom in the Spirit through Christ – Law Cannot Condemn You

*3 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,*

* The Mosaic law was a good law, it represented how righteous and holy our God is…it was a Good law – the problem is our sinful nature

*Matthew 5:17** 17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.*

*18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.*

*Matthew 22:** 37 Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment.

39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'

40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."*

*Acts 13:**38 "Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.

39 Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses.*

* Righteous God with a righteous law condemns… It highlights the complete awesomeness, holiness of God.

It puts the Creator ~/ created relationship into proper prospective.

We are unable to achieve the holiness God demands but…

* God provides the solution himself… God is the solution… born in a manger to bear our sins on across… Jesus Christ… God himself – the solution

*Hebrews 4:** 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-- yet was without sin.*

*John 12:** 31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out.*

* There is no condemnation because… remember the price has been paid in full!!

* Christ conquered Satan and Sin… it doesn’t mean we do not sin… but it does mean the penalty has been paid.

*2 Cor 5:** 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.*

*Isaiah 53:** 4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.*

* 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.*

* 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.*

* 7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.*