The Spirit: The Greatest Chapter in the Bible, Part 4

Today on Summit life with Jamie Greer.

I can be absolutely certain. The government never turned his face away for me when I called Abba father because he was forsaken joy to have the assurance to be forgiven. I don't have to be afraid of bad circumstances, only good circumstances give me of security and joy, because I've got a heavenly father who watches over all things and promises use even bad circumstances for my good and for his glory.

Many scholars consider Romans eight, the greatest chapter in the Bible and many Christian suffering around the world would agree.

Greer continues teaching in Romans chapter 8 to show last how the Holy Spirit gives us assurance that God is with that he's working for our good. Even in the midst of our pain. That assurance brings great hope for every Christian who asks if following Jesus leads only to suffering in this life is he worth it. Let's get the resounding answer to that question from Pastor JD and Romans chapter 8 God is not just after obedience to Dr. kind of obedience spirit fueled obedience that comes from the spirit fighting set in your life. Just the necessity of a spirit familiar to the trajectory of the spirit which trajectory is taking first 14 problems led by God spirit are God's sons.

The question you should ask here is led by God where is he talking about people who get messages from the spirit spelled out in their Cheerios of their alphabet soup each day you have things whispered to them about other people.

Is he talking about when the spirit shows up, it gives you clarity about some decisions because some of you say I just don't know how much that happens to me and how do I know I must be led by God spirit don't look at the context contact you and that's always the rule of Bible interpretation is look at the context was a context.

When Paul says, led by God spirit he means led by the Spirit into Christ likeness led by the Spirit into works of life.

If the spirit. Paul says is moving in that direction. You can have the assurance that you are God's sons, not by the way ladies don't feel left out here by the fact that Paul said you are God's signs are not you are his sons and daughters. He intentionally uses only sons here because sons in those days, firstborn son got all the inheritance so that you better for you that he said sons and not sons and daughters.

Does he want you ladies to know that you got all the same amount of inheritance is coming to a firstborn son Jesus and so were all in Christ, the firstborn sons of God, nicer, just like men are included.

When Paul calls the church, the bride of Christ so daughters are included in the analogy of science. Okay point is, if the spirit is leading you toward Christ likeness. Then you have the assurance that you are God's signs. By the way, this is usually a gradual process, sometimes painfully slow. Don't get discouraged if it doesn't seem to be happening more dramatically and cooler quickly then you will you wanted to. Rarely does it happen in these big dramatic ecstasy filled moments. Spirit growth is usually gradual and slow.

It's also like watching your kids grow new parents know you can look at your kids one day you like.

When did they become adults right it seems like just yesterday.

They were toddling around the house you look at them day by day, and you'll notice anything. I don't say wow what a day you had yesterday but I will, over time, and they are dramatically different. So it is very slow and by the way, it's very painful. I can say that from personal experience is that I always want the spirit of God to grow me through ecstatic moments of worship and being on a spiritual mountaintop that's rarely been God does any of his best work in my life. He does his best work and those valleys where there's brokenness and there's pain in there. Sometimes humiliation anybody testified here with me on that as I would have Dziedzic that's what God does his best work in me. It is painful. It is slow but make no mistake if the spirit really is in you.

This is where he's taking you the spirit. One indispensable goal for US to make huge shots like Jesus, just like to love what he loves to seek what he seeks to hate what he hates to do what he does and at the spirit of God is really inside you is always moving that direction. By the way, is not what you signed up for you became a Christian. Is this where you thought you were going I asked that because some people are surprised even scandalized when I try to suggest to them that God's goal for them is to make them just like Jesus and satisfy another lesson I wait a minute, I came to God because I thought he could help make me a better person and I needed a fire escape from hell and I did some stability in my family and I needed some meaning in my life and how you semi-to fix my marriage but complete Christ likeness. Total devotion wholeheartedly to God that feels a little overboard. I read this poem the other day I thought perfectly captured the sentiment in church like this. I would like three dollars of God, please, not enough to explode.

My soul, or disturb my sleep, but just enough of him to equal a cup of warm milk or snooze in the sunshine. I don't want enough of him to make me love my political enemies are to open my home to the emigrant. I want ecstasy, not a transformation I want the warmth of the womb, not the trauma of the new birth.

I want a pound of the eternal. In a paper sack. Please I would like just three dollars worth of God, please forward say sorry but we don't sell that here the spirits goal for you is Christ likeness you satisfy with nothing less and if and only if he is moving you toward that you can be assured that he is at work within you. Which leads me to the third. The last thing number three the assurance from the spirit. Paul says for you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear said you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, Abba father now but there is not the name of a hokey man from the 70s.

Okay chance on me.

This is not I, this is the Aramaic word for father. Now here's something interesting about virtually every language has at least two words for father including Aramaic right so one word for father usually like father and then what the other words always like that daddy write in English � Spanish pop and Indonesian bop and Turkish Bob comes up with that second word is always the kid the toddler comes on the baby comes up with. Humans have a primordial desire to reach out for a parent and when we do that what we looking for your spirit first cries out that the Abba what you looking for you looking for somebody who will love you perfectly and was capable of taking care of your that's what our spirit is yearning for.

We cry out, but here's what we find our earthly fathers matter how good they are, cannot fully to fulfill that even good dads. Eventually, let us down. If for no other reason that they can't be with us forever. And so we go through life looking for that fulfillment and security that we were first yearning for when we cried out� So we search for in romance. This is going to be the missing pieces is going to be what makes you feel secure and have meaning only look forward in our reputation. If I can have this kind reputation off like I'm significant enough like I'm worthy of that love that always yearning for full important financial security. This is a safety have always wanted to attend this bank account in this 401(k) imposes no that Abba, Abba, father, that you always yearn for God answers that yearning in Christ when he dies that releases you from the spirit of slavery in the spirit of fear was fear, slavery, and spirit of fear means well, to be a slave of something means that you have to obey it all the time.

What happens is we are without Christ, you come up with something that you think will give you meaning and significance of security and you think if I can obtain that then I'll have their six and you become a slave to that and so you gotta get up and go to the job and you got to work overtime.

And you gotta just constantly stressed about it, because unless you get to this spot here while you're not going to have the meeting of security and maybe it's in romance and so you think well I gotta find the right person and I think I made maybe not the right person because they're not doing it for me anymore and so I'm a slave to finding that right person. Or maybe it's some other thing that you put in there that is just you are a slave to anything like I gotta do it to do to obtain this event always leads to fear because now you're obsessed with. What if I lose it. What if I can't get it. What if what what if things don't work out for me.

You start to look at your circumstances and you start to panic as you like and what the circumstances never quite work out what what what if life unravels and I do be forsaken.

Sometimes we look at your circumstances and just look at them.

Yes, it was how it always works out for me like never works out. You feel alone you feel fearful that is the spirit of slavery and fear, but you live under. Paul says the spirit of adoption by which you cry out daddy Abba father. That's what vanishes the spirit of fear in the spirit of slavery because the spirit of adoption assures you through the promises of Scripture, but you are fully love by an oddly competent father and you are fully protected him. Therefore, you are no longer slaves.

You need to be afraid you are sons to stand secure. If you have the blessing of having a good father and I know not everybody in here. Did I understand that but if you have the blessing of having a good father. Don't you remember how you looked at your dad when you're younger how awesome and powerful. He seemed how safe you felt around him noticing my my dad could fix anything with a pocket knife and not what we're doing hunt and fish and splinter the car broke down the TVs reception would come in and write out a metal case pocket knife into minutes later everything was fine even now is like my phone is not working on my first instinct ain't about that I can fix this in your pocket knife letting go to work on. It is like you can fix anything was on the competent as a kid I just felt safe when he was around and so one of my biggest fears with the thought of him or my mom going away that my dad's title story take me out camping one weekend when I was like five years old.

My first overnight camping trip just me and him and he said I slept all night in the tent with my hand on his belly rehashing the next morning. Why had slept with my hand on his belly and I told him I was afraid that I wake up in the middle the night and he'd be gone and not be left out there by myself in the woods now my dad asked me to point out here that he had not done anything that would justify that fear. Okay, just he had a son with a hyperactive imagination and that's it for the territory, but that was my greatest terror right hello Pennsylvania bear malls woman in her own. So what's Teddy doing on the woods in IE I don't know what's going on right so the fears to be stuck somewhere scary without him now I'm all grown up. You're all grown up most of you did not really a minute we met to be frayed the same ways within that time, the metaphor will still afraid of the wake up in the wilderness, alone and on taking care of Paul says good news. You'll never have to be afraid like that anymore because your beloved son, your beloved son, and God's promise never leave you or forsake you.

You.

You have to keep your hand on his belly all night because he's got a male start hand laying on you is always at hand is light on usually not keep her hands on him because he will never leave you or forsake you and his blood is the guarantee of that. That's why you're one of the other places in the New Testament we see that phrase Abba father is in the garden of Gethsemane right before Jesus goes across now is a point where Jesus calls out to his father. Daddy except for the one time in history that call is not returning but there's nothing but silence in the garden of Gethsemane God was turning his face away from Jesus and because God turned his face away from Jesus when he cried out all the father I can be absolutely certain.

The gobble never turned his face away for me when I caught Abba father because he was forsaken, so I can have the assurance of being forgiven. He was pushed away so that I would never have to fear being pushed away and that I would always be drawn close and that assurance changes my view of everything. I don't have to be afraid of bad circumstances, only good circumstances give me insecurity and joy, because I've got a heavenly father and on the competent, never, never stopping, never giving up father who watches over all things and promises use even bad circumstances for my good and for his glory. That means I don't have to define fulfillment in various things because I've got a heavenly father gives me those things hide the assurance that in everything I am being guided and directed by the Abba father, who is given me the spirit to help me pray in those moments will work all things out according to his plan because he is on the competent because he is all loving. I never has to be subject to the spirit of slavery or fear. Again the listen, this is everything in Christianity, reminds me this quote I love by JI Packer on my favorite theologians if you want to judge how well a person understands Christianity find out how much he makes the thought of being godchild and having God as his father how much you know about Christianity. I don't know tell me about all your Bible.I don't don't do your five points of Calvinism were this not in that the whole measure of is this find out how much you make of all being godchild having God is your father.

That's not the father prompts and controls his whole outlook on life is worship is prayer but he does not understand Christianity very well at all. Care how many degrees he has how spiritual he seems if he doesn't live in the security of having a heavenly father who is guiding and directing everything you understand Christianity at all for 16 the Spirit himself. You see, testifies together with our spirit that we are God's children. The spirit testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. So again, how does he testify how does he testify again in context to the evidence of a changed life, you start to possess the fruit of the spirit is our closest to God you would other people around you can see you changing by the way is little insight will approach it. It's usually other people that can see you changing before you know that your change. One of my favorite scenes in Pilgrim's progress progress. In other words, classic books and everybody's heard about nobody's red okay should read up in the summer. If you never read Pilgrim's progress.

Christian goes up and the interpreters house, which represents the Holy Spirit when he comes down.

The interpreters given him a new set of clothes. These traders ride for this bright sunny set of clothes but he looks in the mirror, he can't see him right you to see the old close but everybody else around and consilium and John Bunyan was trying to show you that when the spirit of God because of a virtue in your heart usually are the last person to see it and that's what you have to have other people in your life that are speaking in your life and calling out to say mass see this developing in you and that is the spirit of God in you is why we put small group so so so forcefully here so we gives you assurance to a changed life he gives you assurance the promises of the gospel. He whispers in your heart gospel promises even listen when everything in your heart doubt them, hear me, I'm not talking about a serene, peaceful easy feeling. It is comes over you like a warm cup of coffee. I'm not talking about that what the spirit is talking about here is when in the midst of a heart in turmoil. You start to believe the promises of the gospel, you may not have peace loving group revives, not your heart, you start to say I believe the gospel is true and I believe I got a heavenly father in the midst of a heart in turmoil. You believe the promises even when everything in your heart doubt some that for some of you might be saying that to you this weekend you come in here in the midst of financial difficulty.

He said never know you're my beloved son in whom I am well pleased, and I will take care all your need for Christ Jesus you come in the midst of marital difficulties. As yet, but there's no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus you come into the midst of an addiction. You will fall into for the 10,000 time and he says yeah but as far as the east is from the west and south are separated your sin from you. You just got a diagnosis of terminal illness cases yet, but as high as the heavens are above the earth. That's how great my love is for you. You coming this weekend.

You got a wandering child and he said surely he has borne our grief and carried our sorrows.

You don't walk through this alone.

You gotta believe those things right now and that is this evidence of the spirit of God. If you believe them testify to you. You are a child of God. Verse 17 might be the best part bursar. This whole thing last first and if were children were also heirs.

Heirs of God, heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ in adoption. Everything that belongs to the adoptive parent become the possession of the child who was adopted jotting intakes of parents name. I've got a friend who adopted a couple of children from another country did several years ago he had to take on substantial health risk in healthcare costs in order to take them into his family, but he gladly pay them not too long ago when the kids got accused of something, and it was his big leave met my friend my friend had to pay $200,000 in legal fees to help this this this kid get out of this of this probably doesn't readily have, or credit any of it is because I gladly took this on when I adopted this child into my family. This is what we get in Christ.

Even after we rejected him. He voluntarily took on all of our problems and gave to us the full abundance of his treasure. Even better, he says, coheirs with Christ coheirs with Christ. This means listen that whatever Christ has come in to him. You now have coming to you. Let that sink in for a minute. Whatever Christ has come in to him.

You now have coming to you because your co-air with him. Your serving in this role that I served Alice as president of the answers you get to be around some really interesting people I was at an event once. Not long ago I got to meet the sun whose question of one of America's wealthiest businessmen now admit to you again. Okay tell you straight up right here, wanted to be friends with this guy is about my family and friends learn a lot because I want to know what is like to eat just the crumbs that fall that dude stated right like hey I can use my Super Bowl tickets this year. Would you like yes I would say my family has an extra jet.

We can't fail to be with. Would you like to use it will yes I would write. That's what if I found out that not only by the way, he never returned my text messages so that's how we have, but what if I found out that not only was I going to be his friend. What if I down now that I was going to now be his co-air and that everything that was coming to him was gonna come to me.

Also, that would be a pitifully small dream. If you understood that you're actually a co-air with Christ. You get so much more Super Bowl tickets are going to the marriage supper of the Lamb. Forget the jet you can fly with the Angels forget his mountain chalet. You had a mansion prepared in heaven with streets of gold, it's all coming to you so that's going to change your perspective in the midst of suffering, which, if indeed we suffer with him so we may also be glorified with him pulling the kids here were he's about to turn next in Romans eight, you have to wait a few weeks to get to this, but the road ahead for Christians is one suffering.

Paul says that is always good to have a persecution unpopularity is always at really that in future weeks, but for now it is. When asked you this question because this is what I think Paul is asking you here is Jesus worth this to you. If all you get for following Jesus of all you get is not prosperity. What you get is suffering and persecution and even poverty adopts the price Jesus worth that to you as Paul would say 10,000 times yes 10 billion times. Yes, I'm a co-heir with Christ.

No amount of suffering. I could ever go through would not take away from the chance to be glorified with him. So I'll take temporary suffering.

If it means eternal glory right and and here's even the better part Paul says is one waiting for that eternal glory.

I get to do it in the presence of the spirit people involved are suffering always tell me like intense suffering. They cited the most sweetest thought best possible thing was that in the midst of my darkest days, knowing that the spirit of God was right there with me suffering alongside of me. I will suffer with him, and he was suffering with me he was crying every tear he was feeling every heart ache and repayment. He just stood with me the moment of my persecution, my trauma suffering is Jesus worth it but would say 10,000, 10,000 times yes 10,000 times yes. Are you willing to forsake all follow Jesus to let his spirit evidently wearing a life only to be released from the penalty of sin, except in the blood of Jesus as your is your payment for your sin is only one way to release from the power sin medicine of the spirit of God have complete way in your life you ever done that does not want to give you a chance to do it right now you a chance to forsake religion start pursuing relationship to the father for the Holy Spirit want to buy your heads. If you would all over campus by your head to make Romans is a very simple message friends like chapters 1. Simple message. You can save yourself you can save yourself the penalty of sin. So Jesus died in your place. You receive it as a gift that's all waiting. Take it as a gift. Part B event messages.

You can't save yourself the power sin knowing the spirit can do that never surrendered to him totally understood spirit have your way in my life. I'll follow you now.

If you never received Jesus to save your earliest you're not sure that you have never surrendered your life to the Holy Spirit.

You can do that right now saying something like this, Lord Jesus, I know that I can't save myself they do in your own words like I know that I can't save myself so I open my heart for you to save me your spirit to begin delete I surrender don't walk through suffering alone. Jesus let the Holy Spirit take over and begin to lead you you're listening to some that life JD were excited about the release of the second volume of our three-part box set of Bible studies through the book of Romans can get both the first and second volume right now get Millicent.

We really do we want to put this we know that some of you are new to this new summer life, were glad to have you. What we did is we created a Bible study through Romans were going to Romans in three different segments.

The first one in January and we provided a part one Bible study that goes along with it.

Well, not going to the second part.

There's a part two right now you get part one into you don't have those others also a beautiful display box. It will house all three of the studies what to do. It's gonna take you deeper into some of these passages will be to study it for yourself. Martin Luther said this is one of those books. He thought of like an apple tree you wanted to climb to the end of every single branch and shake every branch as part of the good until every last Apple had fallen off and that's what you can do with with a study like this one, so just go to jaybird.com and you can get yours while you're on the site. You can also see that of the new study in the box that will be able to add the third study that tear collection later this year.

We'd like to get you a copy today and it comes our way of saying thanks for your central partnership finishing when you give a suggested donation of $25 or more to send in my you are helping people around the world experience the gospel message.

Many of them for the very first time to be sure to Bible study the volume to get today, 866-335-2286 633-5220 easier you can get a request to study online anywhere.com I'm only thin events next week will keep checking through Romans chapter 8 that's right, only halfway through the greatest chapter in the Bible.

Be sure to come back Monday summit life with Jeannie by Katie Greer minutes