Sermon Tone Analysis

*The New Way of Spiritual Life*

*Romans 8:1-17    November 4, 2001*

* *

*Scripture Reading: *Romans 8:1-17 by Patricia Jones

 

*Introduction:*

 

Englishman John Bunyan is the well-known author of the classic work, The Pilgrim's Progress.

But many people don't know the circumstances surrounding its origin.

In 1651 Bunyan, the son of a poor tinker, came into contact with an independent congregation meeting at Bedford.

For several years Bunyan despaired over his spiritual state.

Finally he came to faith in Christ and experienced an amazing touch of God's grace.

He joined the Bedford congregation and soon began to preach -- but his bold proclamation of the gospel led to his imprisonment in the Bedford jail.

Bunyan spent much of the period from 1660 to 1672 as a prisoner and was jailed again around 1676.

It was during these years of imprisonment that his writings began to appear -- to the blessing of God's people for more than 300 years!

He exclaimed in discovery, /"I never knew all there was in the Bible until I spent those years in jail.

I was constantly finding new treasures."/

But no doubt his extended period of time in jail also led to intense introspection and conviction in his desire to serve God as he came upon this treasure of truth realized;

 

/He that is down needs fear no fall; /

/He that is low, no pride; /

/He that is humble, ever shall /

/Have God to be his guide./

In his spiritual autobiography John Bunyan modeled the repentant lifestyle with these comments:

 

I find to this day 7 abominations in my heart:

   1) tendencies toward unbelief;

   2) suddenly to forget the love and mercy that Christ manifests;

   3) a leaning to the works of the law;

   4) wanderings and coldness in prayer;

   5) to forget to watch for what I pray for;

   6) apt to murmur because I have no more, and yet ready to abuse what I have;

   7) I can do none of these things which God commands me, but my corruptions will thrust themselves in; when I do good, evil is present with me.

Sin and corruption would bubble up out of my heart as

      naturally as water bubbles up out of a fountain.

I thought

      now that everyone had a better heart than I had.

I would have

      changed hearts with anybody.

I thought none but the devil

      himself could equal me for inward wickedness and pollution

      of mind.

I fell, therefore, at the sight of my own vileness,

      deeply into despair, for I concluded that this condition

      which I was in could not stand with a life of grace.

Sure,

      thought I, I am forsaken of God; sure I am given up to the

      devil, and to a reprobate mind.

I believe that John Bunyan was finding his way toward the inner sanctuary of the Christian faith that enabled him to write The Pilgrims Progress.

Indeed, this is the same avenue toward an emboldened and confident faith that we find uttered in the words of Paul as he speaks to us from the agonizing and heartfelt words of Romans 7 on his way to the overwhelming realization and proclamation of Romans 8 (S.

7:14, 24).

Indeed, Romans 8 has often been called "the inner sanctuary within the cathedral of Christian faith."

Do you ever get down on yourself for the spiritual condition you find yourself in, even as a self-proclaimed person of God?

 

Do you really want personal change but have grown weary of ever seeing it to the degree that you would like?

Are you struggling for some ray of hope in the darkness of the godless depression that sometimes comes over you when circumstances weigh you down?

Have you questioned the walk you have chosen, thinking that your life has not made the difference you would like with those you love most, and you may have made a mistake in the direction you have gone.

Then you need to come, like Paul, to "the inner sanctuary within the cathedral of Christian faith" that we find in our passage this morning in Romans 8 for renewed hope as a "pilgrim in progress."

Perhaps we will discover like John Bunyan who also wrote these words, "/Let dissolution come when it will, it can do the Christian no harm, for it will be but a passage out of a prison into a palace; out of a sea of troubles into a haven of rest; out of a crowd of enemies into an innumerable company of true, loving and faithful friends; out of shame, reproach and contempt, into exceeding great and eternal glory/."

This happened to me a little over a week ago when it seemed to me that so many of our children were having problems.

It just seemed like everything converged and I was absolutely devastated by the situation, and it got to me, it got me down.

But then God graciously allowed me to be reaffirmed through you and other certain people and events, and I knew I had to take to heart my own messages from the Spirit of God about his grace.

I knew I had to seek the Holy Spirit once again and he still confirmed his presence with me, and I praise him to the utmost heights.

In today's passage we will find hope in the best news yet about how the good news of the gospel actually works.

The key word in Romans 8 is "Spirit" that occurs 21 times; all but 2 of those times refer to the Holy Spirit.

In this section, Paul reaffirms our new life in Christ and gives the Holy Spirit the key role in mediating to us the blessings of our new life.

Indeed, it is through the Holy Spirit that the greatest realization of truth comes.

John Bunyan wrote the immortal allegory of Pilgrim's Progress after mastering the Scriptures and sensing that God had spoken to him again and again through its pages.

He said, "/Although you may have no commentaries at hand, continue to read the Word and pray; for a little from God is better than a great deal received from a man.

Too many are content to listen to what comes from men's mouths, without searching and kneeling before God to know the real truth.

That which we receive directly from the Lord through the study of His Word is from the 'minting house' itself.

Even old truths are new if they come to us with the smell of heaven upon them/."

It is my prayer that the Holy Spirit will speak to you today in the inner sanctuary of your own soul to affirm your walk with God in the power of the Holy Spirit.

*Big Question:*

 

/How does God rescue us from our self-condemnation in being unable to follow his law in our own strength?/

*I.

Cycle One*

 

*          A.

Narrative *(vv.

1-4)

 

*          B.

Implication*

 

God saves us from self-condemnation by giving us a new law of life in the Spirit.

(new authority and power in Christ)

 

          Our new law of life in the Spirit becomes effective only by faith in Christ.

Our new law of life in the Spirit sets us free from the old law of sin and                       death.

Our new law of life in the Spirit validates the old law by meeting its                                      requirements.

*          C.

Illustration*

 

   In A Forgiving God in an Unforgiving World, Ron Lee Davis retells the true story of a priest in the Philippines, a much-loved man of God who carried the burden of a secret sin he had committed many years before.

He had repented but still had no peace, no sense of God's forgiveness.

In his parish was a woman who deeply loved God and who claimed to have visions in which she spoke with Christ and he with her.

The priest, however, was skeptical.

To test her he said, "The next time you speak with Christ, I want you to ask him what sin your priest committed while he was in seminary."

The woman agreed.

A few days later the priest asked, "Well, did Christ visit you in your dreams?"

   "Yes, he did," she replied.

"And did you ask him what sin I committed in seminary?"

"Yes."

"Well, what did he say?"

   "He said, 'I don't remember.'"

What God forgives, he forgets.

-- David H. Bolton, Anaheim, California.

Leadership, Vol. 6, no. 3.

See: *Ro 8:1*; Mic 7:18; Ps 103:12

 

(There is therefore now no condemnation from the old law of sin and death.)

Eating lunch at a small cafe, Mark Reed of Camarillo, California, saw a sparrow hop through the open door and peck at the crumbs near his table.

When the crumbs were gone, the sparrow hopped to the window ledge, spread its wings, and took flight.