Redemption- The Reality of Redemption.

Steve Gentry

[0:00] Good morning. I’m Steve, if you didn’t hear me. I’m pretty loud. I don’t really need a microphone, but I use one anyway [0:05] We’re in week two of our series core [0:08] Talking basically about the core values here at the village and what the Church of Jesus is all about this morning [0:15] We’re gonna do basically part two of what redemption in Jesus Christ is last week [0:21] If you were here with us, or if you weren’t here with us, let me just recap a little bit last week [0:25] We talked about the resurrection of Jesus

[0:27] Big surprise last week was Easter and we talked about the resurrection [0:30] But if you went to any church probably we talked about the resurrection, but maybe we did it a little differently [0:35] We showed that resurrection is the basis of any hope that we can possibly have in this life [0:41] That through the resurrection of Jesus what we actually see is that Jesus lives again [0:48] And through his death and his life we can have hope if Jesus had stayed dead if he had simply died on the cross [0:56] Which is what we focus on quite frequently if he had simply died and stayed dead

[1:00] Then we would still be without hope because then we really couldn’t have any trust that he actually is God [1:07] But through his resurrection he reveals to us [1:10] What was true and what has been true all along the fact that Jesus is the Son of God and that through him [1:16] We can have a new life through his death. He deals with our sin, but through his life [1:22] He gives us a new life. What I want to talk about today is what we kind of looked at in that video is [1:28] What is that gonna look like?

[1:30] How do we live that out in light that Jesus has given us a new life? [1:35] What is this new life based on is it simply a life where we look at sin and we say I’m dead to sin [1:42] so there’s this list of things that I don’t do and [1:47] If I avoid those things then God is pleased with me [1:50] God is happy with me the mission of Jesus is complete or is there something else? [1:56] Because if it’s one thing that we look at in this culture

[1:58] It’s that in our culture. We see that there is a great emphasis on redemption all around us [2:04] Through the news stories that we read or see on television to the movies that we watch in theaters [2:09] There’s this huge focus on being redeemed or being a redeemer [2:14] If you look at a film kind of like Saving Private Ryan you see two [2:18] focuses on redemption throughout that whole thing and I mentioned it because it was on TV yesterday and I watched a few minutes and [2:24] What we see is we see two people seeking redemption first

[2:27] You see the character and Captain Miller who is seeking to be redeemed from the war that he’s in and he makes such a great [2:34] statement that in obeying his orders and in fulfilling everything that the government is asking of him [2:39] He feels one step closer to returning home back to the life that he loves back to the family that he [2:47] Refuses to talk about because if he talks about it he feels even further away from redemption [2:52] So he’s seeking to be redeemed from a certain situation in his life [2:57] And then secondly we see a man who needs to be redeemed, but doesn’t even know it we see Private Ryan

[3:04] Who has an entire military unit going after him to attempt to redeem him back to his family as the only [3:11] surviving son of the Ryan family so in this movie we see this huge emphasis on [3:17] Redemption and that’s why we’re drawn to these types of films think about movies like the Shawshank [3:22] Redemption or the last samurai where Tom Cruise is seeking redemption from a life where he feels he has done great and terrible [3:30] Things to the whole Native American nation [3:34] And he seeks redemption and finds it through his relationship with these samurais

[3:38] And we’re drawn to these stories [3:40] And these are the the biggest stories that we have in our culture because in them we can put ourselves in the story [3:47] Because each and every one of us want to be redeemed from something or someone at some place in our lives [3:56] So we go through our lives seeking to redeem ourselves or seeking our redemption in something else [4:02] But quite often when we find that redemption we only find one more thing that we need to be redeemed from or redeemed for [4:11] And our expectations are never met in the redemption that we often find because everything that we find in this world is flawed

[4:20] But the question we’ve got to ask ourselves is why is redemption so flawed and why is everything that we seek to be redeemed from? [4:27] So flawed in this life [4:30] Well the Apostle Paul deals with that in Romans chapter 5 [4:33] And that’s where I want to take us today the book of Romans is 16 chapters of Paul [4:38] Basically explaining the basics and the main doctrines of what Christianity is all about to an [4:45] Irreligious culture I guess you could say in that day

[4:48] Where people didn’t know anything about Israel if you were in Jerusalem Christianity was just the next step in the story of God [4:55] But if you were in Rome it was completely countercultural if you were a Roman [4:59] They basically had basically ancestor worship and were quite animistic in their faith and oftentimes they simply worshiped the Caesar [5:07] So Christianity came in and offered them redemption from a life of death and a life of a religion that offered them no hope [5:15] They just hoped that in the afterlife they would be reunited with their family [5:18] And so Christianity comes in and it’s absolutely countercultural

[5:21] So Paul writes a letter to the church at Rome people that he had never met before in order to explain the whole story of God [5:28] And of Christianity from start to finish and in chapters 1 through 5 [5:34] Paul hones in on and focuses in on the absolute point of Christianity [5:39] And that is that God created man and then man rebelled against his creator [5:44] And then in chapter 5 he comes to a turning point where he then begins to tell the story of the hope [5:51] That God doesn’t simply condemn us

[5:54] But rather he offers us a new life where we can be reunited with him [5:59] And that’s kind of where we pick up today join me in Romans chapter 5 and verse 8 it’ll also be up on the screen [6:05] verse 18 excuse me [6:07] In verse 18 he says therefore as one trespass led to condemnation [6:13] For all men let’s stop right there [6:16] And let’s just unpack this because what he does right there and to spare you for me having to read through the entire chapter

[6:22] He summarizes the first 17 verses of Romans chapter 5 in that one half of a sentence right there [6:29] He says therefore anytime you see the word therefore in Scripture [6:32] He’s calling you to understand that he’s about to jump off of something that he just said what he spends the first [6:38] 18 verses in the book of Romans chapter 5 talking about is the fact that he sets up this story showing the difference between [6:46] life and death and [6:48] He showcases Adam as the first human being that ever lived who was created by the very hands and breath of God

[6:55] And he says Adam was created in order to be with God be in relationship with God worship God [7:02] But instead Adam chose a path to rebel against God [7:06] God you maybe you all know the story we’ve talked about it before [7:10] God creates Adam and Eve and he says there’s one thing that you cannot do [7:15] You can eat the fruit of every tree in the garden [7:18] But please stay away from this one tree the tree of that has the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil on it

[7:25] He says don’t eat of that fruit and of course [7:28] You know that Satan comes in through the form of a serpent [7:31] He looks at and Eve Adam wasn’t really there [7:33] I feel like Adam gets a bum deal in this chapter. He wasn’t the first one there was his wife [7:39] You know he was just trying to keep peace at home, so I went to sleep on the couch [7:43] But you know and the serpent comes to Adam and even says and says don’t you know

[7:51] And he’s as soon as he sets that up he’s about to disagree with God [7:55] He’s about to say that God’s a liar because that’s what Satan does Satan wants to convince us that the life that God has [8:01] For us is is mediocre and the life that we can have apart from God is great and magnificent [8:06] He says don’t you know that God doesn’t want you to eat of that tree because the fruit of that tree will make you [8:13] equal with God in knowledge

[8:17] and [8:18] Eve it appeals to the same pride that Satan had in his fall from grace and his fall away from God and Eve says [8:26] I wonder if that’s true [8:29] And in that moment she makes a choice that would change history and change the way life goes and [8:35] She eats of the tree and then immediately she turns to her husband and the thing that us guys we want to blame Eve [8:42] But the story doesn’t really tell us where Adam was throughout this and the story never says and then Eve had to seek Adam out

[8:50] in [8:50] order to get him to eat [8:53] Quite possibly Adam was just standing right there and just being quiet [8:57] And it says then Eve gives it to Adam and Adam eats of the tree and they both [9:03] Disobey God and they are both condemned because of their disobedience [9:08] They’re driven from the garden and God pronounces a judgment on them that all of us has faced ever since and that judgment is

[9:16] separation from God and number two the fact that we all die and [9:21] Romans chapter 5 sets it up and it says that once Adam had sinned [9:26] Everyone that was born to Adam was born with the disease and the inclination [9:32] towards sin that Adam now possesses [9:36] So all of his children were born sinful and then after that all of their children were born sinful [9:44] But God does not leave Adam and Eve hopeless

[9:48] We have to understand is that once sin entered the world [9:52] Redemption in some form was necessary or there is no hope [9:57] So the thing you have to understand redemption is necessary because of sin [10:04] In this great grand story that we have of Adam and Eve as soon as Adam and Eve sin they realize that their purity is [10:11] Gone and all of the sin that is ever possible falls directly on top of them and they immediately [10:18] notice one thing

[10:21] We are naked [10:23] Honey put some clothes on and [10:26] so they go and they get some fig leaves and they put these fig leaves on and [10:31] They aren’t naked anymore [10:32] And then God comes down from heaven and plays a little hide and go seek. He knows exactly where they are [10:36] He’s God after all and he says Adam Eve

[10:39] Where’d you guys go and meanwhile they’re behind a tree and they just kind of sneak out and God looks at them and says [10:44] Who told you you were naked? [10:47] And immediately the blame game starts relationships disunited God and us torn apart Adam and Eve torn apart and God immediately [10:56] Sacrifices a lamb that was spotless and he puts the clothes of that lamb on them and says get rid of the fig leaves [11:03] Now you will wear this pure wool

[11:07] God immediately gives us a picture of the penalty of sin in the death of the lamb [11:13] But then also gives a picture of redemption and that they wear [11:17] The skin of the lamb to cover their sin completely so that their clothes now pure white [11:25] And redemption is necessary because of sin [11:28] But here’s the big key that I think we miss out on often times when we’re looking at sin if through Adam comes sin [11:34] Because Adam in the garden basically represented all people for all time in the decision that he would make and you may look at

[11:42] That and say well, that’s absolutely unfair. The point is is any of us put in that situation would have made the exact same choice [11:49] That’s Paul’s point and he says through Adam condemnation came to all [11:55] People and here’s the misconception that we often have of sin [11:59] We often look at children and say at some point in that child’s life. He will face a decision [12:05] He will face a decision to live a life of sin or to live a life of holiness [12:11] And at some point in his life, he will choose a path

[12:15] In whatever path he chooses that will dictate what sin looks like in his life [12:21] And then we look basically it’s around adolescence or maybe the age of 18 when kids really have a lot of you know choices [12:27] To make they either choose this path of bad or they choose this path of good if they choose the path of bad [12:33] They need to be redeemed from it. If they choose the path of good [12:36] They don’t really need to be redemption because they’ve sought redemption on their own [12:40] And Paul’s point is that is bunk that is not true at all

[12:45] We do not have a choice of two paths to follow [12:49] Instead we have one path that we’re born on and we’re driving directly down the highway of bad [12:55] Evil sin, whatever you want to call it. All of us are driving down that highway in our lives from birth [13:03] There’s no choice in the matter. That’s just who we are [13:07] We are sinners and if some outside source does not come in to offer us redemption [13:12] We will drive down that path our entire lives and then we will face condemnation when we die

[13:17] And if you don’t believe that you are a sinner then offer an explanation as to why we will die

[13:24] That is the ultimate evidence of sin on our lives are the pains that we go through in life [13:30] and then ultimately the fact that life ends and [13:34] If it goes anywhere after that [13:37] Then we will be held accountable for our sin [13:39] And you may say but some people seem to act better in this life than others [13:45] Absolutely, some people are better at covering their sins than other people

[13:51] Some people put on nicer clothes than other people and some people act better out in public [13:56] But when we’re on our own our brains are all wired the exact same way [14:01] We’re sinners [14:02] The man sitting down in Chesterfield County jail is a sinner and so are you sitting here in this service right now [14:08] You’re both wired the same way you just happen to be better at covering your sin than he is

[14:14] He isn’t playing a huge masquerade game where he’ll be disappointed at the end of his life [14:19] He has more understanding of the theology of sin than you probably do [14:23] There’s no covering his sin [14:25] But you can go to Coles or Kmart or JC Penning buy a nice outfit come to church on Sunday morning and [14:31] Basically masquerade yourself and say well, I’m not a sinner. I went to church this morning [14:36] Paul writes in Romans chapter 5 verse 18. He says therefore

[14:41] Through one man sin condemnation came to not some men

[14:48] all [14:50] men [14:50] First day of Greek with dr. Finken seminary. He said the first lesson in Greek is this all means all and that’s all all means [15:00] So when you see this text and it says all men [15:05] Understand you’re included [15:08] Women as well. He said well he didn’t mention Eve. It’s just understood

[15:13] All right. We have a little bit of different culture [15:15] We draw distinctions in the culture that Paul’s writing in if he says men [15:20] He means all of us men and women they didn’t

[15:25] Put such differentials in their writings back then all of us. We’re all sinful [15:30] We’re all on the same path you may look at your children and say but I went to the daycare and he was good [15:36] And there were kids in timeout and so he’s not bad. Trust me. He’s bad [15:41] All right, I have a four-month-old he’s already bad [15:47] You say what do you mean? He’s so cute. He’s so good in public. You didn’t see him last night [15:52] All over himself

[15:56] Is his problem he cries a lot [16:01] Looked at my wife this week and in a moment of weakness. I just said can you take him somewhere?

[16:07] Thursday was not a good day in the gentry household all of us were just throwing sin everywhere relationships ruined

[16:17] This is what sin does to our lives [16:20] And if you can just gauge one thing from everything I’ve said up until this point here it is [16:27] You are a sinner [16:31] No better than anybody else all of us are equal. I’m no better than you and [16:36] Trust me. You’re no better than me. It may seem that way, but you’re not I’m just honest. You’re not all right [16:43] We’re all sinners

[16:45] So what does that mean about our lives where does redemption come in? [16:50] But see many of us we realize that we’re sinners so we spend our entire lives seeking redemption for ourselves [16:57] And we look at people that are obviously bad, and we say things like but I think there’s good in you still

[17:05] There is [17:07] There’s no good in us. I can’t redeem myself [17:10] All right, so here’s the big key when I attempt to redeem myself from the sin that I’ve willfully chosen [17:17] And that I was born into with an inclination towards I mean when I say born into sin [17:22] I mean from the minute that you are conceived you are going to be a sinner [17:27] There’s no hope

[17:29] All right, but when I’m born and then when I live my life, and I say, but I’ve got to redeem myself [17:34] I am still sinning in that thought you say why? [17:39] Because God did not create us to be self-dependent people [17:42] That’s the point of the story in Genesis of Adam and Eve sin [17:46] They were not born to be self-sufficient [17:49] We were not born to redeem ourselves so when we attempt to redeem ourselves guess what that’s just one more

[17:56] attempt to overthrow God’s rule in our lives [18:00] Even in my seeking of redemption through any avenue even if it’s the most moral looking Avenue in my life [18:06] It is still yet another attempt for me to overthrow God’s rule and be my own God [18:14] My attempts at self-redemption are a lot like a farmer taking a pig out of the the mud and [18:20] Hosing him down and then hoping he won’t run back into the mud

[18:26] There’s no hope of that [18:29] poor pigs [18:30] They were just wired that way and [18:33] I think God may have done this in order to give us the best picture of who we are without him [18:39] We are hogs returning time and time again into the mud of sin [18:45] Every choice we make just leads us further and further away from the life that God created us and designed us to have

[18:54] So, where is their hope look back in Romans chapter 5

[19:00] Thank God there’s another half to verse 18 [19:03] as [19:04] One trespass led to condemnation for all men so one act of righteousness [19:10] Leads to justification in life for all men for as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners [19:18] So by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous [19:21] Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increase

[19:27] Grace abounded all the more [19:31] God lays us this parallel analogy out [19:35] us [19:36] in him and [19:39] He shows us that redemption is the work of God [19:44] We cannot redeem ourselves and unless that outside force that creative force that ultimately

[19:53] Created us comes in and chooses to take us out of our sin [19:59] We are hopeless [20:01] But in Adam’s sin Paul basically says another type of Adam also came [20:09] to represent all mankind [20:11] But this new Adam [20:15] He tells us earlier in chapter 5 is different

[20:20] Because this new Adam is the Son of God God himself [20:24] Steps down out of heaven and offers himself as the ultimate penalty payer [20:29] For the sins that mankind has done against God [20:33] God is ultimately the most offended party against sin even in murder [20:38] We say well the person that’s murdered gonna be the most offended party [20:41] No, God’s the most offended party because God originally is the one that created us to not kill each other

[20:47] And so in killing and in lying and in cheating and in hating and in anything that we do in this life [20:54] That’s against God God’s the definer of truth God’s the definer of right and wrong therefore [20:59] God’s the most offended but God even though we deserved wrath what God did was said you do deserve my wrath [21:06] But instead of pouring it right down on you. I’ll get I’ll pour it down on myself and [21:11] God the Son comes down from heaven becomes a man lives a completely righteous life [21:16] and through his righteousness

[21:21] He becomes the pure lamb from the very beginning in Genesis [21:26] And he offers himself up and he dies a death on our behalf

[21:33] Not just simply dying but in that death that wrath of God is poured out on top of him [21:40] that’s the penalty of sin and [21:43] Even though he doesn’t deserve this penalty he pays it anyway, and that’s what it says look in verse 21

[21:52] So that as sin reigned in death [21:58] See Paul even puts forward that notion the greatest evidence of sin and its existence in your life [22:03] Is the fact that you will die and all through life we begin to look a little bit more like we’re gonna die every day [22:11] All right when I was 18 things were a lot better than they are at 29 [22:15] All right, you may not believe it. I know look pretty good [22:19] But things are starting to go downhill in my life all right

[22:22] There is some gray hairs, and I just have red hair so it kind of covers it up [22:26] It’s kind of the one good thing about being a redhead is that it covers the gray pretty well [22:30] But there’s gray in there, and what’s that gray showing me? It’s like you’re not getting any younger and [22:36] Unfortunately, they don’t make this color in a bottle. I don’t think I haven’t found it yet [22:40] So I’m in trouble guys [22:42] Look out all right, so as sin reigned in death

[22:47] Grace also might reign through righteousness [22:51] Right here’s what the point of what Paul’s saying right here [22:54] He’s saying sin came in and brought with it death [22:57] Then Jesus came in and brought with him righteousness into a world where righteousness did not [23:04] exist in human form [23:06] God came down became a man and walked this life and perfect righteousness and then went to the cross killed by us

[23:15] because of our sin and [23:18] Then in that death in the Gospels [23:21] It says the wrath of God is poured out on him [23:24] And then he gives up the ghost of scripture says and says it is [23:29] Finished or in the Roman and Arabic language that he’s using right there totalist I which means paid in full [23:37] All right the payments done. It’s over so Jesus pays this penalty and in his death

[23:45] He pays the price of sin [23:48] Doesn’t need to be dealt with anymore so in his death Jesus is our redemption [23:55] What do we need to be redeemed from? [23:58] Sin which brings what? [24:00] Death what does Jesus do lives a sinless life [24:04] But then in his death pays the penalty for sin itself

[24:10] Because he’s the only one that could all right you may ask yourself [24:14] What is significant about Jesus’s death versus anyone’s death before that why is his death so significant because everyone else deserved it?

[24:23] Everyone else was just dying because that’s what happens when you sin and everyone else sinned the significant thing about Jesus’s death [24:29] Is that he did not sin therefore he should not have died

[24:35] But because he’s God and because he’s the spotless lamb he’s the only one who could go into death and [24:46] Pay a penalty that wasn’t his he was basically our scapegoat [24:52] That’s where that term even came from [24:55] Is that it’s a sacrifice that didn’t deserve to be sacrificed [24:58] So in his death Jesus pays our penalty, but that’s not where it ends all right notice that in the end of verse 21 [25:06] It says as sin reigned in death grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through

[25:13] Jesus Christ our Lord so if Jesus is our redemption what exactly is he redeeming us from? [25:20] Here’s the big key the after saying here’s where I always got confused and Christianity was a really big struggle for me [25:27] Between the ages of 18 and 20 I had some really big issues with Christianity [25:31] Because this grace that he talks about in verse 20 [25:35] He says as the law came in to increase the trespass in verse 20, but where sin increased grace [25:42] Abounded all the more I was hung up on that verse, and you know you were dealing with that at 19 weird kid

[25:48] But here’s the key here’s what you got to understand [25:50] I was hung up on that verse because I did not understand the relationship between grace and sin [25:56] And I think that more people are hung up on this than you would really even admit to [26:00] Because what it creates in us sometimes especially if you were raised in this in the church like I was there comes with it a [26:07] Mentality that sin is big all right it kills us, so it’s huge. It’s our master scripture says grace is greater [26:16] God has dominion over sin and is gracious

[26:21] To forgive us of that sin through the hope that’s found in Jesus Christ [26:25] Where I would get hung up is I didn’t understand what that would do in my life [26:31] If sin is great, but grace is greater sin is necessary to get grace [26:38] So what I would do is is I had this understanding of Christianity that I could really live whatever life I chose [26:46] I [26:48] Didn’t really matter

[26:50] Because tonight when I’m laying my head down to sleep pray the Lord my soul to keep I [26:55] Can just say and forgive me once I think

[27:00] Sins dealt with wake up the next morning repeat [27:04] It’s like your nightly shower I [27:07] Know I’m gonna be bad anyway, so I’ll just go back and get grace, and there’s really no hope for my life [27:12] But there’s hope for the next life [27:15] There was kind of the understanding that I had of Christianity where it’s just a life of me sinning [27:20] It’s just a life of me disobeying God

[27:23] It’s just a life of me getting as much as I can out of this life, and then in the end [27:28] He’s going to forgive me anyway [27:30] Because that’s what Jesus is all about

[27:34] The problem with that is Paul ruins my whole theology with chapter 6 [27:40] Because he doesn’t stop there [27:42] All right go to chapter 6 verse 1

[27:48] He says what shall we say then all right because he’s offered this treatise on the role of sin in my life [27:55] And then Jesus comes and he conquers sin through his death [27:58] All right, and grace comes in my life alive through Christ Jesus [28:03] So am I even though I have Jesus Christ in his forgiveness am I to live a life of sin and just? [28:10] Continually get this grace from Jesus [28:14] Here’s what Paul says he says what shall we say then are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?

[28:22] In other words if sin brings an abundance of grace [28:26] Should I just continue in my path of sin because my sin makes God look more and more powerful [28:33] If God has dominion over sin and sin in my life is what he needs to conquer [28:38] Won’t it make God look better if I’m sinful because then he can be more gracious [28:43] It’s like man. We really have it figured out don’t we and Paul responds to that he says what shall we say then are we to? [28:50] Continue and send the grace may abound verse 2 he says by no means

[28:55] All right in the Greek this is actually a place where Greek is significant in the text that word is make a noito [29:02] All right, you don’t need to remember that but what you need to remember is what it means all right [29:07] It is the most negative phrase in the whole language [29:11] What Paul is saying when he says by no means it’s so much stronger than that [29:15] But we don’t really have a language strong enough it means God forbid or that couldn’t even possibly [29:23] Be a reality or if it was a reality the creation would end as we know it

[29:30] He’s saying that’s a lie [29:33] Almost like the original lie [29:37] Don’t you know that if you eat that fruit? [29:40] It’ll make you as great as God [29:42] Paul equates that here and says if you think you need to continue in your sin [29:48] Or you can continue in your sin once you’ve received the grace of Jesus Christ

[29:53] You don’t get it, and you’re believing a lie [29:56] All right, so what is the truth and gives us more he says by no means how can we who died to sin? [30:04] still live in it [30:07] All right his point here is that redemption is the death of sin [30:14] All right Paul basically says sins reign ended with the cross you have been through the death of Jesus [30:23] Completely redeemed from the rule of sin in your life

[30:27] And you’re like that sounds good, but it doesn’t look good in my life [30:34] Because that doesn’t even look like a possible reality, but it is [30:39] Here’s what I mean by that like Adam represented us in the Garden of Eden when he disobeyed God and then sin was passed to [30:46] all people [30:47] Jesus also [30:49] Represents us on the cross

[30:51] Figuratively and literally and just like the video said earlier today [30:55] When Jesus died on the cross consider yourself to have also [31:01] died on the cross [31:03] Just like in Galatians the book we just finished [31:06] Galatians 2 20 what does he say Paul? [31:09] Completely puts himself on the cross in 220 when he says I am crucified with

[31:14] Christ and I no longer live what Paul is saying [31:18] There is the man of sin or the body of sin that I possess was dealt with completely on the cross it is dead [31:26] So what are we then are we the walking dead? [31:31] No [31:32] Here’s the step that most of us never take because I think we’re okay that far [31:37] It’s like yes sin is dealt with all right

[31:41] Good I get to go to heaven [31:44] Alright Paul goes further [31:46] Keep reading he says [31:50] In verse 3 do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death [31:57] Verse 4 we were buried therefore with him by baptism into death in [32:03] Order that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father

[32:09] We too might walk in newness of life [32:15] All right [32:17] We see ourselves on the cross [32:20] The paw goes further and says also see yourself in the resurrection

[32:27] Just like Jesus’s death paid the penalty and the price for your sin and kills the reign of sin in your life [32:35] God ultimately proving his dominion over sin his reign over sin and that sin is not more powerful than him [32:42] But he can redeem us from sin so also in the resurrection Jesus shows another thing [32:48] It shows that he also desires to have reign in our lives right here and right now and Paul says don’t you [32:56] Understand and anytime in Paul’s writings when he says don’t you understand he’s been very sarcastic [33:02] All right the text here is very sarcastic what he’s basically saying is look. I know you don’t understand

[33:08] He said I know this is hard, but I’m trying to drive it in your head, so I’m gonna be really sarcastic [33:13] So you’ll remember this [33:15] Don’t you know that just like you were buried with him in death [33:18] You were also raised with him in new life, and you need to understand that in Jesus [33:25] There is new life to be had right here and right now and that redemption is a new life of transformation [33:35] Redemption is not just the death of sin

[33:39] Redemption is also a new life where we are resurrected with Jesus [33:44] We are transformed with Jesus as Jesus now rules and reigns at the right hand of the Father [33:50] Interceding on our behalf saying father don’t look at their sin look at my life [33:55] So also we need to consider ourselves [33:59] risen with Jesus to live a new life for a new purpose look at the language he uses at the end of verse 4 and [34:06] He takes this thought all the way down through verse 14

[34:09] But because of time I’ll stop at verse 4 and say go home read through verse 14 to understand the greatness because he [34:15] Continues with this thought says you have risen you have risen you have risen [34:19] He says at the end of verse 4 he says just as Christ was raised from the dead [34:25] By what the glory of the Father the dominion of God over sin over? [34:32] creation over life [34:33] God does not want us to have glory for redeeming ourselves

[34:38] Number one because we can’t and number two because it doesn’t belong to us it belongs to him [34:43] And he says he has risen Christ and through that we too [34:48] Might walk in what? [34:51] newness of life [34:54] This is the same idea that Paul puts forward in 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 when he says the old is gone [35:02] In other words on the cross Jesus died for us

[35:05] And we’re up there with him our old sinful body is dealt with

[35:12] It’s dead the old is gone, and if the old is gone what is left?

[35:22] the new [35:23] Whenever you get rid of something old you get something new very few of us just throw a TV away [35:32] What do we do you get a bigger one? [35:36] The old is gone the new has come all right [35:41] Whenever you get rid of the old something must still be [35:47] And Paul’s point is when the old is gone

[35:51] Something new is there and what’s new is now it’s the life of Jesus himself [36:00] Sin paid for penalty gone fear away [36:08] You don’t have to fear God you don’t be terrified of him anymore [36:12] Because now you have the life of Jesus the one who lived his life to please the father [36:20] Died on our behalf now. He says live my life [36:24] free of the reign of sin

[36:27] You say but sin still seems pretty powerful in my life

[36:33] It does [36:34] It does but understand this all right [36:38] Colossians chapter 3 verses 1 through 10 [36:40] He puts forward this idea that now that we have been crucified with Jesus, and we’ve been redeemed [36:46] He says now your life is hidden [36:50] With God in Christ Jesus in other words when God sees us. What does he see he sees his son

[36:55] He sees the righteousness of his son Jesus Christ and Paul says because of this put away all of those sinful [37:04] things those sinful habits that guilt that baggage that [37:08] Negativity those things that reigned in your life before [37:12] Jesus died on the cross and before you understood the greatness of his redemption put those things away [37:18] And he gives us a list of things that could be possible and none of us could get out of that and he says now live [37:24] with your mind towards God

[37:28] Now live with a realization that life is now to be lived towards God [37:35] And then in Romans chapter 12 just a few chapters on he says be [37:41] transformed [37:42] By the renewing of your mind in what in Christ Jesus [37:48] Christ is the basis for all hope Christ is the ultimate he is our redemption [37:53] He took sin to the cross killed it

[37:56] But then he gave us a brand new life to live and the question is what does that look like well it looks like this [38:04] It looks like a person that’s been redeemed [38:08] All right a realization and here’s the big thing that comes with Christianity is that once you trust in Jesus you have a realization [38:16] that you belong to him a [38:18] realization [38:19] That he’s killed your sin a realization that he’s given you a newness of life in a realization that you are

[38:26] Redeemed and that is static excuse me that is a static [38:30] That is a go on the wrong way up here. That is a step [38:35] That is a static [38:37] Maybe I’ll say it quieter that is a static reality all right [38:41] I don’t know how these things work it still amazes me that I talk into this thing and it comes out there [38:46] I don’t know how that works no wires no megaphones, but here’s the key. That’s a static reality all right

[38:52] That’s that there’s like this realization. I’m just gonna keep going here all right [38:56] Between what is true in the mind of God because in Colossians chapter 3 it says we’re our lives are hidden in Christ [39:04] All right God sees us he sees static he sees Jesus something that’s forever true no matter [39:10] What happens in this life? We have Jesus we can be absolutely sure of that we can be absolutely secure in that [39:15] He’s not going anywhere because he’s not gonna stop being risen [39:19] All right you realize that’s the security we have as believers is because Jesus doesn’t ever die again

[39:25] That’s what resurrection does see I’ve just been revived all right. I’m my body [39:31] Is still doomed all right in 70. I’m not gonna make any any statements here that I’m gonna stop aging I will [39:38] Don’t want to keep on I’m gonna die at some point had a conversation my wife about that yesterday [39:42] She said it wasn’t gonna happen I said oh trust me. I’m still sinful. I know it is probably before you are I’m already missing organs [39:48] That’s another story for another day [39:51] Here’s the big key all right

[39:54] We have been resurrected in Jesus, and he looks as that is a static reality [39:58] But what God wants to do is he wants to take us from redeemed?

[40:03] to redeeming [40:05] All right starts somewhere when you have that newness of life [40:10] Understand that newness doesn’t just come halfway through your journey, and if you’re 70 or 80 years old well dang it

[40:20] I’m at the end I [40:23] Can’t do anything or if you’re an adult you’re halfway through no when it says newness of life [40:28] What it’s saying is God has literally taken you out of his life put you in his life [40:32] And no matter what your age you’ve now got a brand new journey [40:36] It just started [40:38] All right

[40:39] So we go from this realization that we are redeemed and what that translates into is a life where we go through not simply [40:46] Redeeming our own lives going from disobedient to obedient [40:49] Filling our minds with the words of Christ Jesus from here because this is the Word of God and then spending time with God in [40:55] Prayer that what that does it fills us and it takes us to redeeming every aspect of our life [41:01] But also taking redemption into the lives of others [41:04] Because they’re gonna look at us, and they’re gonna say something’s different

[41:09] And I think that’s the big question you’ve got to ask yourself is is there anything different in your life [41:15] Do you want to know if you’re redeemed is there anything different?

[41:19] What does that look like right the whole core value series that we’re going through right now if we can get that up there [41:26] This is what it looks like [41:28] It’s a cycle it starts somewhere. Here’s where the journey starts, and here’s where it goes

[41:36] You’re redeemed [41:37] You experience redemption, and it’s an amazing redemption that you experience [41:41] But what happens is is that in that redemption Jesus himself has brought his mission to this world [41:48] And he has lived his mission he came to seek and to save that which was lost and guess what mission really was accomplished [41:56] Jesus did it he redeemed us he sought and he saved [42:00] He died and he rose again, and then he ascended up into the Father so Jesus has accomplished his mission

[42:07] But when you understand the mission of Jesus you understand that it’s completed in me [42:12] but that it goes forward into the lives of others and [42:16] When Jesus left when he ascended up into heaven that awesome significant point where he’s ascending up into heaven [42:22] He passes his mission on to us and the mission becomes ours [42:27] He gives it to us why are we Jesus not literally, but he gives us his life [42:35] The point of his life is not the point of our lives

[42:38] He came to seek and to save that which was lost guess what we now live to seek and to save that which was lost [42:44] in ourselves and in others [42:46] So he gives us his mission to take out into the world [42:50] That’s the mission of Jesus, and then we build a community around that mission [42:54] We build a community around the gospel of Jesus Christ [42:58] We’ve rally around the battle cry the gospel of Jesus Christ

[43:02] And we live for the gospel of Jesus Christ not alone as individuals lone gunmen out there in the world [43:08] But rather as a church [43:10] Together circled around the cross of Christ proclaiming the death of Jesus until he comes and we’re community

[43:20] Figuratively and literally [43:23] If you’re just coming here on Sunday mornings not experiencing community with a community group

[43:31] The missions not being all that it can be

[43:35] When I say join us in the mission means come into the community because mission leads the community [43:41] It does let me tell you some of the stuff is going on in our community groups right now [43:46] I’m just so happy that God is working in our lives God is working, but guess what that takes humility [43:52] Because guess what we are an individual nation [43:54] And we don’t like people getting involved in our lives because then they might see how dirty we are and we don’t want to [43:59] Be involved in their lives because guess what they might be dirty, and I don’t want to deal with that

[44:04] But who are you redeemed people alright, so your dirt

[44:10] Replace it with Jesus [44:13] That dirt you see in other people Jesus died for that dirt [44:17] So when you live in community it’s gonna be dirty [44:20] All right, but Jesus died for that dirt and some people just take a little longer to be redeemed from their dirt

[44:28] And you’re just hiding yours anyway, so all right, but then what does community lead to [44:34] Leads to a community rather than trying to go out as lone gunmen [44:37] We build an army of people who go out into the culture, and we don’t deny it [44:41] We don’t separate from it. I hate churches that say that we engage it we live in it [44:47] We live through it we talk to the sinners just like we talk to people who we think are saints [44:52] But are also sinners and we love them to death and we let them think they love us until they meet the real love

[45:00] Jesus [45:02] So do I have a motive for going out and being involved in the culture around me absolutely how can I not have a motive [45:09] If I’ve been redeemed guess what I’m gonna be a redeemed person seeking to redeem other people that’s my motive [45:14] That’ll be the motive till I die it better be [45:18] And then we go out into culture and we take redemption into the culture that we’re so afraid of because we’re afraid some of [45:23] Their dirt might get on us because what it won’t

[45:27] Because who replaces dirt Jesus

[45:33] We go out into culture and guess what happens [45:35] It just guess what starts when churches go out into the culture around them building relationships [45:39] Seeing lives redeemed through serving the community guess what happens the cycle starts all over again [45:45] Because the culture sees the hope that’s in us and [45:49] Experiences the same redemption we’ve experienced our core values don’t have a start and an end [45:55] Our core values have a start and then it starts all over again in life of someone else. It’s a cycle

[46:00] It’s a continuous cycle that will lead us to the second coming of our great God and King Jesus Christ

[46:07] That’s where this cycle goes and that’s where this cycle ends, but until that day [46:14] It just continues and that’s how we grow and [46:19] Over the next few weeks. We’re gonna keep fleshing this out. We’re gonna keep saying like next week [46:24] We’re gonna start talking about the mission of Jesus [46:25] We’re gonna flesh that out and then in a couple weeks after that we’re gonna get into community and say what does a biblical [46:30] community gather on the gospel look like and

[46:33] Then we’re gonna get really offensive and I’m gonna start talking about culture with you the biggest thing Christians have a problem with this [46:39] culture [46:39] But I’m not that afraid so I’m gonna get to that I’m gonna tell you exactly what I think about the culture you need [46:44] To be involved in all right and that you need to love this this does culture in Midlothian Richmond and beyond [46:50] But the question I want you to deal with right now [46:53] It’s just the beginning

[46:57] Redemption all right because you can’t go to mission till you’ve gotten past redemption [47:02] These are steps by the way, I just couldn’t avoid that

[47:06] Are you redeemed I [47:09] Just asked you that straight up to your face this morning have you experienced redemption in Christ Jesus

[47:16] Because if you have not

[47:20] You’re headed straight towards the wrath of God

[47:25] And you can’t save yourself from that you can’t redeem yourself from that

[47:30] But guess what because of Jesus there’s no shame in realizing that you haven’t been redeemed the reason there’s no shame in it [47:38] Because we’ve all been there [47:40] And we all need Jesus [47:43] Even to continue redemption in my life it has to be the power of Jesus Christ [47:48] If you haven’t been redeemed you can be redeemed this morning you can begin a new journey with Jesus Christ today

[47:59] You just have to believe you have to trust does it take repentance from your sin absolutely because you’re a sinner [48:07] You have to realize you’re a sinner, and you have to realize Jesus paid the price for that sin [48:11] And you don’t have to pay for it anymore [48:14] The second question I have this morning is for the Christian

[48:19] Are you experiencing redemption?

[48:22] Because you see redemption and being redeemed it happens. It’s a realization that we make one day that we need it [48:30] But then for those of you that have experienced that I want to know if you’re still experiencing it [48:35] Because you go from redeemed

[48:40] To redeeming [48:41] None of us are totally clean [48:44] We don’t won’t be until we go to heaven [48:48] But you should be experiencing redemption in different aspects of your life all the time [48:52] Because if it’s one thing I know is true [48:55] It’s that the closer I get to God the more sin I uncover in my life

[48:59] The more pride and the more places I don’t want God to be in my life I realize that the more I know about God [49:06] And if you’re experiencing a life of redemption [49:09] You will too [49:11] It’s what Paul says what shall we say then should we continue and sin so that grace may abound absolutely not

[49:19] Those of you that have died in Christ Jesus have also risen in him [49:24] Are you being redeemed continually because there’s this tension in Scripture [49:29] That places us in this lifestyle [49:33] Where we know we’ve been redeemed [49:36] But there are still struggles in our lives [49:38] Where we’re hidden with Christ Jesus in heaven, but we still have this mortal body that’s gonna die

[49:46] and [49:47] It still needs to experience redemption

[49:50] What we’re gonna do right now is we’re gonna we’re gonna take communion [49:55] It represents the death of Christ in his life entering ours in communion we see death and resurrection [50:01] We see it in the fact that he lost death through his broken body and his shed blood [50:07] But then we take it in and what it represents is his broken body and his shed blood [50:11] Coming into our lives and we experience his new life [50:15] If you’re a believer this tables wide open for you

[50:20] It’s wide open [50:21] if you’re not [50:24] Why don’t you become one today and [50:27] Then you can come forward and you can take communion [50:30] And you can really belong at this table not because you deserve it, but because Jesus did it for you

[50:39] I’m gonna be in the back if you’re not a believer [50:41] I’d love to talk to you or if you’re a Christian who’s really not experiencing redemption right now [50:46] I would love to talk to you as well. I just want to pray with you. I [50:49] Just want to love you. I just want to get in relationship with you [50:52] But Jesus died for you. Let’s pray God we come before you right now [51:00] To thank you and to praise you for the redemption for the old life that’s gone that you paid the price for

[51:08] For the new life that has come where you want us to continually experience the cycle of redemption forever [51:16] God may we be a church [51:19] Where we celebrate your death and your life where we have redemption mission community and culture [51:26] The name of Jesus I pray [51:28] Amen