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Scripture Text (NRSV)
Romans 8:12-25
8:12 So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according
to the flesh--
8:13 for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put
to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
8:14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
8:15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have
received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, "Abba! Father!"
8:16 it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of
God,
8:17 and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ--if, in
fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.
8:18 I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with
the glory about to be revealed to us.
8:19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of
God;
8:20 for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of
the one who subjected it, in hope
8:21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will
obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
8:22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now;
8:23 and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the
Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.
8:24 For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for
what is seen?
8:25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
Comments:
This week, I'm thinking of talking about spirit vs flesh as God's Eyes vs Commercial's Eyes. In God's eyes, we're good enough for what God needs us to do. In commercials eyes, we're never good enough (You need to look better! You need to smell better! You need to drive a better car!).
When we get so innundated with comercial's messages to us, we forget that we are good enough for all that God needs for us to do. God will help "fill in the gaps" (see Isaiah), but when God calls us to something, we should be confident that we've got what is necessary to do what needs to be done.
Momma Helen
Being that this is also Father's Day, I think it is a great passage to talk address the fact that many have not had a very good experience with their dads, kind of the difference between being a Father, and being a daddy, There is a big difference. Because of what Jesus Christ has done on the cross, we can have a relationship with our Father that is like "Daddy," a closeness, an intimacy, knowing that our daddy will always be there to look out for our best, to protect and provide, to love and cherish. And yet balance it with the Isaiah passage of Holy, Holy, Holy, that the Lord God Almighty, Holy God is now also for us, Daddy. Pretty awesome.
Susan in Wa.
At the Ginghamsburg church in ohio, they talk about finding their "God - desiny." the idea is, once we find security knowing God has created each person uniqely qualified to be a certain person, doing a unique ministry, pressure is taken off the individual and distributed among the body of Christ.
makes sense to me. Well, I am hoping to preache about this in light of two vital aspects of relating to god: first, we must fear (revere) god, like isaiah. Second, we must have that close intimate relationsip, knwoing we can call god our abba, father (daddy). Let s see wehre it goes on fathers day.
Jeff in NY
Verses 12 and 13 portray the spiritual life as a kill or be killed battle against the flesh. What is to prevent us from interpreting this passage as a call to asceticsm?
Verse 17: How do Western suburbanites suffer with Christ?
I don't feel like I am suffering with Christ. Do you? The more I consider this passage's implications, the more I realize how dependent upon grace I am. Maybe, by grace, I can be a child of God without suffering right now.
DSS
Hello, all. I've been absent from discussions for a few weeks celebrating my graduation from seminary and commissioning as a probationary elder. No longer StudentPastor in Kansas!
I'm currently trying to work on sermons whenever I can find a moment(and a place among the packing boxes!) of peace. I'm planning to use the epistle as my primary text this Sunday, working from the point of God's adoption of ME (and all other believers, as well!) -- that we belong to God and God belongs to us because God cares enough about us to claim us (God's own creation) as God's children.
Continuing to think it out...
Robbie --soon of Central KS
May be this will help. At our community Thanksgiving service this year I was explaining the difference between a step child and an adopted child. A step child has no legal standing in the family where as an Adopted child has all the legal rights of a natural child. Thats why Paul could say we are joint airs with Christ. At the close of the service I presented the Bible I had used for the service to a little girl who was not old enough to read yet. Everyone was amazed that I chose her. I found out later that this child had been rescued from an abusive situation and had just been adopted.
When I presented the Bible I told her mother that God thinks she is special. I never knew anything about the child until the next day when folks in the community began to tell me about her. They all thought I knew she was adopted. It kind of helped us all to see how God loves His children.
Harold in Alabama
Congratulations, Robbie,
You may often (from now on) find yourself working on sermons in between all the other demands, but God will be with you!
Michelle
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