Come Alive

Redemption, Regeneration, Reconciliation, Resurrection

 

Meaning of Resurrection: The restoration of our bodies because of the resurrection of Christ as a completion of His redemption, regeneration and reconciliation of our souls to God

 

An exposition of Romans 8:1-2 and 9-11

1. Redemption, Romans 8:1-2

• Set free from the law of sin and of death by Christ

1. Reconciliation, Romans 8:9

• Belonging to Christ

1. Regeneration, Romans 8:10

• Alive in Christ

1. Resurrection, Romans 8:11

• Physically restored with Christ

 

 

 

Come Alive

Redemption, Regeneration, Reconciliation, Resurrection

1. Scripture Reading and Prayer

• Read Romans 8:1-2, 9-11 (Slides)
• Life even though there is death
• Pray
• Video: David Nassar (Video)

1. Introduction (Header Slide – Come Alive – Reconciliation, Slide 1)

• Redemption: freeing us from the power of sin through the payment of a ransom
• Reconciliation: The restoration of our relationship with God, initiated by God through Christ
• Regeneration: giving us life while we were in a state of spiritual death through the resurrection of Jesus Christ

·         Jean Valjean from Le Miserables

·         If you’ve read Victor Hugo’s classic work Les Miserables, or if you’ve seen the stage production, you’ll recall the scene where the bitter criminal Jean Valjean has been released from prison and finds safe harbor at the bishop’s home

·         Instead of returning the bishop’s kindness, Valjean steals his silver, strikes him and flees in the night.

·         After Valjean is caught by the arresting officer, who represents the law, he brings Valjean before the bruised bishop to press charges.

·         The bishop, representing God, affirms not only that he knows Valjean but alleges he gave Valjean the silver and asks Valjean why he didn’t take the candlesticks as well.

·         Though Valjean is clearly guilty, the authorities release him upon hearing the bishop’s trusted declaration.

·         The bishop then utters the unforgettable words: “Jean Valjean, my brother, you no longer belong to evil, but to good. It is your soul that I buy from you; I withdraw it from the dark thoughts and the spirit of prediction, and I give it to God.”

·         Though I do not endorse every aspect of philosophy or theology in this work, we see Redemption, regeneration, reconciliation all portrayed in this poetic moment in Hugo’s classic work

·         That leads us to the final of the four in this series, Resurrection

·         You might say, redemption, regeneration, reconciliation, what else matters, but there is a vital missing piece and that is the restoration of our physical bodies

·         Still remaining is the making whole of our mind and body

1. Resurrection as a biblical doctrine

• Life and meaning – impossible if there is no God, there is no moral law, there is no life after death
• Old Testament view of this doctrine
• In Ecclesiastes where the writer is dealing with the troubles of life, he notes…
• Read Ecclesiastes 3:11 (Slide 2)
• In Job’s work, where despair is normative, we here this word of hope from Job
• Read Job 19:25-27 (Slide 3)
• In the book of Daniel, as the prophet sees the uncertainty of the future, God reveals…
• Read Daniel 12:1-2 (Slide 4)
• These promises, these hopes, translate to the New Testament
• The New Testament is filled with affirmation of this resurrection doctrine, especially in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ
• At the grave of His friend Lazarus Jesus says to Martha …
• Read John 11:23-26 (Slide 5)
• If there is no life after death, then life cannot have meaning
• If you cease to exist after you die, then this life is completely meaningless
• Thus comes Paul’s affirmation in Romans 8

1. An exposition of Romans 8:1-2 and 9-11

• Read Romans 8:1-2 (Slide 6)
• I.  Redemption, Romans 8:1-2

o   Set free from the law of sin and of death by Christ

o   The law of sin and death meaning the divine consequence that rightly falls on all individuals who have ever broken the law of God

o   If you break the law, you die

o   Christ set us free from that law by dying in our place

o   He fulfilled the law and also took the punishment

o   This redemption, purchase price, set us free

• Read Romans 8:9 (Slide 7)
• II.Reconciliation, Romans 8:9

o   Belonging to Christ

o   In addition to the bondage the comes from sin, there is alienation

o   Just as relationships between people can and are broken, a much greater alienation occurs between us and God – enmity and estrangement

o   In Christ, we go from being estranged and alienated and enemies to being set in right relationship to God because we belong to Christ

• Read Romans 8:10 (Slide 8)
• III.         Regeneration, Romans 8:10

o   Alive in Christ

o   The moment an individual believes, they come alive spiritually

• Read Romans 8:11 (Slide 9)
• IV.         Resurrection, Romans 8:11

o   Physically restored with Christ

o   We have been made alive in Christ, but we know there is still something missing, something is still not right

o   Christians attend funerals just like everyone else

• The destruction and decay of our physical bodies as the greatest parable of our life separated from God
• From the beginning, this was the mark of human sin
• Adam and Eve’s fall from divine presents induced the death process
• Death, illness, difficulties, trials, broken relationships, all of these hard things are God’s calling card to remind us of that initial rebellion and to mark all rebellion since

1. Conclusion about resurrection

• This life, apart from the resurrection of Jesus Christ, is hopeless
• There is no amount of invention of purpose or meaning or hope that can change that
• However, the resurrection of Christ gives us hope, purpose, and meaning
• God’s sovereign plan from the beginning was to take our rebellion and set all things right through His Son

 

 

 

 ¹Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

 ²For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

 ⁹However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you but if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.

 ¹⁰If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.

 ¹¹But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.