Introduction to The Godhead: The Love of The Holy Spirit | Steve Benson

Chapter 4. And this is the love of the

Holy Spirit.

And God's love is a great love, isn't

it?

It's uh without that we we have nothing.

With that, God has given us everything

in his son. God's love is is

unconditional love. It's not human love.

He God doesn't love like we love.

His love is much greater and far greater

and it extends to all members of the

Trinity.

And this morning we are going to look at

the love of the spirit of God.

We're going to start in first John

in chapter 4

verse 8 and and we're going to see from

uh some verses that it God's love is

sacrificial and John talks about that

here

a little bit in these verses that the

other verses that we're going to look

look at. God is long-suffering. God is

faithful. He's unwavering. unwavering.

His love is without hypocrisy.

There's no respector of men with God.

Nobody gets,

as we call him at work, nobody gets any

brownie points with God.

He sees everything for what it is. And

God is love. And the Holy Spirit himself

has given to us to help us with that

love. And that's what John says here.

You know, that's

that's how we fix uh that's how things

get fixed in ourselves and in the church

is through the love of God and the

spirit of God. And here in 1 John 4:8,

1 John 4:8

he that loves not knows not God, for God

is love. Pretty blunt verse, but right

to the point this morning as we begin.

So, you know, the Holy Spirit himself is

given to us by God. Uh he is God to help

us with this love.

If you will look down at verse 13 and

you're all familiar with this whole

chapter, this whole area given over to

this in this in the word of God here.

But he says here in verse 13, by this

know we that we dwell in him and he in

us because he has given unto us his

spirit. So the Holy Spirit has been

given to us that that we might know the

love of God and that we might be able to

love um like God. That's what he wants.

He wants us to love like he does and to

walk in the spirit and not fulfill the

lust of the flesh as Paul says over in

Galatians. But look if down if you would

in verse 15, he says, "Whosoever shall

confess that Jesus

is the son of God, God dwells in him and

him and God." So there it is. That's the

love of God.

We're in God's love and God's spirit is

in us and we are received and we stand

before God in the merit of his son and

in the love of God. And if you will look

over in chapter 3 and verse 19,

he said, "By this we know that we are of

the truth that we are sure our hearts

before him. For if our hearts condemn

us, God is greater than our hearts and

he knows all things. So God, the spirit

that's in us is greater than our hearts.

So he can help us with this. He can help

us love when we when we need to love and

and help us to uh to love God back, you

know, and to be able to do these kinds

of things. So, you know, God, the Holy

Spirit in us and the love of God in us

is greater than our hearts. It's greater

than our conscience. Paul says, or

excuse me, John says as we begin here.

And then, if you will, back over in

verse six of chapter 4,

he says, "We are of God."

So, we're of God because of the love of

God, the spirit of God, the things that

God has given to us. We are now of God.

and that he that knoweth God hears us,

and he that does not know God hears not

us.

But this we know, the spirit of truth

and the spirit of error. So the love of

God has become ours through what God has

done and through the gift

of the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit

and the love of God are greater than our

conscience. are greater than our you

know than than anything in us to help us

uh live in this life. So you know we we

need to love God back then because of

this. That was Peter's test. Remember

you know when he failed and went through

all his trials and tribulations and so

the love of God restores us. The love of

God is is longsuffering and sacrificial

and unconditional and all those

wonderful things. So turn over to Romans

Romans 5 · chapter mention

chapter 5.

Romans chapter 5.

Romans 5 · chapter mention

You know, that's one of the Holy

Spirit's duties is to take this great

love of God

and and you know, who's he's greater

than our mind. He's greater than our

heart. He's greater than our conscience.

and to help us understand this great

love of God that we have been given.

And in Romans chapter 5 in verse 5, he

Romans 5 · chapter mention

says, "And hope makes not ashamed

because the love of God is shed abroad

in our hearts by the Holy Spirit

who was given unto us." We didn't earn

this. We didn't earn the Holy Spirit. We

didn't ask for this. We have been given

this by God. So the Holy Spirit is on a

mission

in every Christian to help us understand

and know uh what the love of God is and

what has been done done for us. So you

know if if this is not a part of who we

are then you know God God must be

shaking his head if we don't know he

loves us. If we don't know about the

spirit of God, if we don't know about

the love of God and how much God loves

us, you know, the spirit is on that

mission to make those things known to

us.

And you know, we're totally dependent on

God here. You know, that's, you know,

his love is unmmerited love. It's an

unconditional love. It's a sacrificial

love. We're so we're totally dependent

on God here. This is not any merit at

all in us. We can't do anything to merit

this. So the spirit comes and when the

spirit comes, that's what he does. When

when we were unbelievers, when we were

unsaved,

you know, that was what we didn't know.

I didn't know about the love of God. I

didn't know about, you know, what God

had done for me. And it was a revelation

from God's word. I was like, "Wow, God,

here's the love. God loves me. I'm a

sinner. He, you know, God surely doesn't

love me. Yes, he does,

you know, and and he loved us so much as

to send his son so to die for us. And

then, you know, that's what happens when

the spirit comes to us. He convicts us

of sin. We've seen those verses in in

John where, you know, John said that

about when when the spirit comes, he's

going to convict us of sin.

So you know we have this great spirit in

us. We have the great love of God in us

and it's shed abroad in our hearts

um to know that we have been loved by

God and unconditionally and and without

merit

and uh he will help us then

with the gifts of the church church the

teachers and the preachers of the church

should you know that's what we do. We we

preach the love of God. We preach this.

We preach regeneration by faith. We we

tell people about God loving and dying

for sinners. I mean, that's the that's

the hallmark of the word of God. So, we

we better get that. We better understand

that. We better know that for our own

selves and for other.

So, without the spirit of God, there is

no conviction. You know, I was quite

happy living my life, you know, and men

are, you know, and you try to get them

exposed to the word of God and and they

resist, don't they? And and I did as

well. But it takes the spirit of God to

come and to to convict us and show us

what the love of God is. And without the

spirit, we have no conversion.

You know, I would have never been

converted had it not been for the spirit

of God. you would have never been

converted

without the spirit of God, you know. So,

he comes and he does these things and

convicts us. And you know, that's that's

John 3:16.

John 3:16

We know that well enough. We don't have

to turn there.

But, you know, it's like the love of the

father and the love of the son. For God

so loved the world

that he gave his only begotten son. So

there we see the love of God on display

and we typically

you know relate that to the father and

to the son. We see Jesus love on the

cross when we read the gospels and we

see what he did for us and how he loved

us. So we see his love that's uh

displayed

for us. That's the love of God. And and

that's what Paul does down through

Romans chapter 5 here. You know, as he

Romans 5 · chapter mention

he says in verse 8, God commanded his

love toward us that while we were yet

sinners, Christ died for us. So God

didn't wait on us to get better. We

couldn't.

He didn't even wait on us to to under to

acknowledge our need. He just uh sent

his son to die for us and and to wake us

up to the fact that we're sinners and

that Christ died for us. You know,

that's what we need woken up to.

So God has a great compassion to see

souls saved. You know, that's why he

sent his son. You know, that's why he's

given us the Holy Spirit. That's why we

have like Romans chapter 5 here says so

Romans 5 · chapter mention

we'll know that while we were yet

sinners Christ died for us and God

commended his love toward us. That's

what this this verse says.

Now you remember

let's turn there to 1 Timothy chapter 4.

1 Timothy 4 · chapter mention

1 Timothy chapter 4.

1 Timothy 4 · chapter mention

you know, as wicked as this world is,

you know, why doesn't God just, you

know, strike everybody dead for our sin

and we'll just, you know, go on with

life? That's the love of God. A part of

the love of God is his longsuffering

and his patience. He knows we're in

need. He knows that we can't do anything

to save ourselves, but we need his son,

you know. So, God's longsuffering. 1

1 Timothy 4:10

Timothy 4:10.

We saw this verse when we went through

Timothy, but it helped set the table

for, you know, just how broad we should

think of God's love, you know, for for

everyone. He's He understands we're

sinners. He understands we're lost. He

understands we need uh the word of God.

And and we need the Holy Spirit to come

and bring conviction.

And here Timothy

1 Timothy 4:10 he says for therefore we

1 Timothy 4:10

both labor and suffer reproach.

So those are the two things that

Christians do. We labor and we suffer

reproach

because we are trust in the living God

who is the savior of all men especially

of those that believe. You know he's not

saying that everybody's saved. He's just

saying that, you know, Jesus, the work

that Jesus did on the cross allows God

to be longsuffering and allow people uh

to come to him. Turn to Luke 12.

Luke 12.

And so God is longsuffering toward us

and towards sinners that we might come

to know him. And

and here in Luke 12

in verse 32, he says, "Fear not, little

flock,

for it is your father's good pleasure to

give you the kingdom." So,

you know, God is not some giant ogre

sitting in in heaven waiting on us to

step out of line so he can zap us. I

mean, that was my theology before I got

saved. I thought everything's going bad.

God just must hate me. You know, I you

know, I couldn't blame him. You know,

it's my own fault, right?

But Jesus comes along and and he tells

us the truth that the love of God, the

grace of God is longsuffering and it's

God's pleasure.

Fear not, little flock. You know, it's

uh it's for all of us. That's who we

are. We're we're God's flock. We're

God's children. And the Bible says it's

God's good pleasure to give us his

kingdom. You know, he we don't have to

twist his arm at all. So, he's willing

to do this. And you know, we need to be

willing to receive it. That's what men

are having a hard time with. But that's

what the gospel does. It it sheds light

on our need. It sheds light on our

darkness. It sheds light on our on our

sin, you know. So, God is, you know,

more eager to give than we are to

receive.

And, uh, turn over to Matthew 25.

And sort of this is at the end.

Matthew 25

and verse 34.

There's not one person saved that didn't

come through the love of God and the

grace of God and the conviction of the

Holy Spirit. Not one.

And here in Matthew 25, where Jesus

divides the flock,

and look in verse 34,

then shall the king say unto them on his

right hand, come.

What are we? Did we We merit it. We

earned it. We're good. We're the good

boys and they're the bad boys. No, not

by any means.

Come you blessed of my father, inherit

the kingdom prepared for you from the

foundation of the world. So it's God's

good pleasure to give us his kingdom. So

you know we can just, you know, get over

our anxiety of whatever, you know,

whatever reservations we have about

this. It's God's good pleasure to love

us and and to give us his kingdom. And

you know, Jesus said uh about his father

and how great his father was and and uh

he's willing and waiting to receive

people that will come

to um Christ through him. God takes

great pleasure in giving. And that's

what these verses indicate. That's what

these verses help us with, you know, and

and God doesn't have an ulterior motive.

You know that some people say, "What?

You know, God's kind of selferving,

isn't he?" No, God's not self- serving

at all. He's demonstrated his love. He's

rescuing us uh who have been influenced

by sin. And uh you know, God's ways, as

pastor

had the verse last night at the retreat,

God's ways are way above our ways. So,

we just need to listen to him. and he's

made us hes through his son Jesus

Christ. Turn to Galatians chapter 4.

Galatians 4 · chapter mention

There's a couple examples

in the word of God

where

you know the the the love what God has

told us to do will resolve the issues

and the conflicts that we have. You know

this is God's way of doing it. He's you

know God knows I need cleaned up. So he

gave me his spirit

you know and he gave me his word. And

those are the two things that

um that God has provided.

So those are the things that we need to

yield to and the things that we that we

need to listen to. And here in in

chapter 4 of Galatians, this is the

section here about us being sons and not

being servants. You know, so you know,

God didn't make us a slave. He made us

his a son.

That's what this section says. uh verses

1-7 here. Now I say that the heir as

long as he a child differs nothing from

a servant though he be lord of all. He's

under the tutors and the governors until

the time appointed of the father.

Even so when we were children we were in

bondage unto the elements of the world.

But when the fullness of time was come,

God sent forth his son made of a woman,

made under the law, to redeem them that

were under the law, that we we might

receive the adoption of sons. So, we've

been adopted. And in this adoption, then

God can give us his spirit. That's what

it says in verse six. Because you're

sons, God has sent forth the spirit of

his son into your hearts crying, "Aba,

Father." So now God's my father. You

know the Jews that that was that was a

sinful thought to think God was your

father. You know to to think God in that

way. Well here comes Jesus along and he

says that you know not only is can we

call God our father. He is our father

and he cares for us like a parent and

you're no longer a servant but a son and

a son and an heir through Christ. Wow.

What a deal from the love of God, the

grace of God, and the mercy of God. We

need these things. And then, you know,

he he says over there, and we need to

birth for this to happen. You know,

that's the part that people struggle

with and don't want to humble themselves

and come to God on his terms. But when

we humble ourselves and come to God on

his terms and we say, "I'm a sinner and

I need saved." You know, and God does

this for us. He sends his spirit into

our hearts and we're crying, "Aba,

Father," and we've been made a son. But

we start out by being born again. And

that's over in chapter 4

and verse 19

there. He says, "My little children." So

that's we got to become children.

Remember Jesus said about the flock, we

got a bird banging the window.

And that's what he said, a little flock.

And here Paul says, "Little children."

So that's that's who we are. We're we're

in the kingdom of God because of

redemption. Turn back to chapter 3 of

Galatians.

Here's here's how we became. There was a

great price paid.

You know, there's none good, know not

one. Well, how are we getting into

heaven if there's none good, know not

one? Well, here's the answer to that

question.

Chapter 3:13. Christ has redeemed us

from the curse of the law being made a

curse for us. As it is written, cursed

is everyone that hangs on a tree that

the blessing of Abraham might come to

the Gentiles through Christ. So we we go

from curse to blessing. We go from dead

to life. And it's through what God has

done that we receive the promise of the

spirit through faith. That's how God did

it. Uh and all these things are

wonderful. And and Paul applied all this

to his own life. Look at look in chapter

2 verse 20.

Chapter 2 verse 20. You say what

what would uh what would Paul tell us?

Well, here it is. He does tell us, "I am

crucified with Christ. Nevertheless, I

live, yet not I, but Christ in me and

the life I now live in the flesh. I live

by the faith of the son of God who loved

me and gave himself for me." No greater

love. You know, there's and and Paul,

you know, that's what he saw. You know,

God didn't think Paul is was anything

but a sinner. God doesn't think any of

us are anything but sinners.

And Paul sees this and and then he's

looking at the love of God as as as what

transformed him. Um turn over to Romans

Romans 4 · chapter mention

chapter 4.

So God blesses us. We go from being a

curse in Adam to being blessed in

Christ.

You know, Romans chapter 4.

Romans 4 · chapter mention

You guys are familiar with this.

That's Paul's argument about

being justified by faith. You know,

Abraham went, that's what happened to

Abraham. He was justified by faith.

That's where it starts. That's where it

begins. That's where the love of God and

the spirit of God become ours when we

are born again.

and verse three

of chapter 4.

For what does the Bible say? Abraham

believed God and it was counted unto him

for righteousness. For to him that works

is a reward not reckoned of grace but of

debt. But to him that workketh not, but

re believes on him that justifies the

ungodly, his faith is counted for

righteousness. So that's what happens.

We we believe and we're justified and

then we have the spirit of God come to

us because of the new birth and

receiving the righteousness of Christ.

So we we go from being cursed in Adam to

being blessed in Christ.

How it happens. He says the blessing uh

are on those iniquities are forgiven and

whose sins are covered. Well, how does

that happen? Well, through the blood of

Christ. That's what chapter 3 is all

about here. So through redemption, um,

these things become ours in a great way.

Turn over to chapter 5 of Romans

and verse 20.

There's more grace. That's that's that's

what's here in in the love of God.

That's what's amazing is that, you know,

God says, "Okay, I'll save you." and I

my son I'll pay for all your sins. So

now you you've left Adam and now you're

in my son. What a you know what a

transfer we've made and now the

blessings of God rest on us and then

when we sin God gives us more grace

because we're in his son. Say well if

you tell people that they're just going

to go out and sin. Well, God says, the

Bible says, "God forbid that you would

go and do that

knowing that,

but that's the truth." And that's what

verse 20 says. Moreover, the law entered

that the offense might abound. where sin

abounded, grace did much more abound.

That as sin has reigned unto death, even

so grace might reign unto righteousness

and to eternal life through Jesus Christ

our Lord. So if you live as long as

Methuselah,

you know, Jesus, he's died for all our

sin. He paid the the sin debt for us and

uh that's what we need. So remember what

he said up there in chapter 5 of Romans

in in verse 5 he says hope makes not

ashamed because the love of God is shed

abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit

who is given to us. The Holy Spirit's on

a mission to help us see understand the

love of God and the grace of God, the

mercy of God, all these great and

wonderful things that have been given to

us. Remember Paul said that to the

Corinthians.

You know, people want to argue about,

you know, is it by grace or is it by

works. Well, Paul over there says the

deep things of God are freely given to

us. So there's no merit in this. This is

God's love and God's grace and God's

mercy.

I'll turn over to chapter 15 of Romans,

a verse that we stopped by in an earlier

message. But now let's see it again

here. He says in chapter 15 and verse

30,

"Now I beseech you, brethren, for the

Lord Jesus Christ's sake and for the

love of the spirit." That's what we're

talking about, the love of the Holy

Spirit.

That you strive together with me in your

prayers and to God for me. So, it's

that's a collective thing that we do.

Um, you know, we're we're praying

to God in the love of the Holy Spirit

for each other and and Paul needed

deliverance and and you know rightly so

that man was

sold out for the Lord and everywhere he

went he preached the gospel and got in

lots of trouble didn't he and that's

what he says

look in verse 20 of chapter 15 Romans

Romans 15:20

15:20

yay so have I strived to preach preached

the gospel, not where Christ was named,

lest I should build on another man's

foundation. So that's what Paul says.

The love of the spirit, the prayers of

the saints going to help me to go preach

the gospel and and that's what we should

be doing as a church. You know, it's

preaching the gospel and going forth and

doing these things for our Lord. This is

his church. This is as much his church.

When Paul wrote this is 2,000 years

later, this church belongs to the Lord

and we should be striving together. We

should be striving with each other to

get the gospel out.

I'll turn over to Galatians 5. Got a

couple examples where Paul used

the love of the spirit to resolve issues

in the church.

And the first one that we're going to

notice is over here in Galatians. I know

we've been there already, but chapter 5,

if you will, in verse 7.

Galatians 5:7,

Galatians 5:7

you know the backstory. He says, "You

did run well. Who did hinder you that

you're not obeying the truth? You guys

got off. You you were listening to these

false teachers."

Um he says this persuasion came not of

him that called you. That holy spirit is

not doing this. The one who brought you

the gospel. The one who brought you and

regenerated you. It's not of the spirit.

It's uh it's somewhere else. A little

lev leavenvens the whole lump. I have

confidence in you through the Lord,

that you will be be none otherwise

minded,

that he that trouble you shall bear his

judgment whosoever

he be. And I, brethren, if I yet preach

circumcision, why do I yet suffer

persecution?

Then as the offense of the cross ceased,

I would there were even cut off among

you trouble you. There's a bit of

sarcasm.

For brethren, you have not been called

unto liberty. Only use not your liberty

for the occasion of the flesh, but by

love serve one another. The love of the

spirit, the Holy Spirit that is in us,

the love of God that is in us. You know,

we should be doing what he told the

Romans, striving together for the

advancement of the gospel, united, not

not in troubling each other.

And he says, "You've been called to

liberty. Serve one another." The law is

filled in one word. Love your neighbor

as yourself, but you bite and devour one

another. They weren't loving. They were

eating each other. Cannibals.

And this I say, "Walk in the spirit. You

won't fulfill the lust of the flesh." So

there's God, the Holy Spirit. and and

the love

of the spirit is up there in verse 22 or

excuse me the fruit of the spirit is

love the very first one joy peace

longsuffering

and he goes on so pride had caused a

problem here they you know they were you

know wandered away from the truth and

Paul calls them back to the truth and he

calls them back uh to fellowship with

one another by listening to the spirit

and walking in the spirit. And then over

in chapter 6 and verse 8,

for he that sws to the flesh shall the

flesh reap corruption, but he that sws

to the spirit shall the spirit reap life

everlasting. So the flesh and the spirit

are going in opposite direction. And

those who are in the spirit then should

be, you know, helping those who have

struggled. That's what chapter 6 is all

about here. So, a good example for us to

see walking in the spirit and

understanding these things.

Turn over to John chapter 3. Back to the

John 3 · chapter mention

gospel.

John chapter 3.

John 3 · chapter mention

These two go together.

the Holy Spirit

and the word of God

together.

And

there's

every every every church that was

started, every, you know, everything in

the New Testament,

there were two things that started it.

There was the spirit of God and the word

of God.

And that hasn't changed. And that's what

Jesus told Nicodemus here in chapter 3.

And this is a good place for us to see

this. I know you're familiar with it.

But God's provision for us in the church

is his word and his spirit.

That's the two. That's the word is our

weapon. You know, Paul said that to the

Corinthians. I I don't need I don't need

anything else. I don't need any other

weapons. You know, the the world's

weapons are carnal. The devil's weapons

are carnal, but not Paul.

He said, "My weapon is the word of God

and the spirit of God."

And here the two go together. And here

Jesus told Nicodemus

a very similar thing. In fact, he tells

him the exact same thing.

He says here in verse 5, "Verily,

verily, I say unto you, except a man be

born of water," and that's not H2O.

That's the word of God

and of the spirit. These are both

provided by God. God doesn't need water

on this earth to save us.

You know, that's that's another subject

for another day.

But he does need the word of God, the

water of the word

and and the preaching of the word so

that the spirit can do his job.

And that's what he says in verse six.

That which is born of the flesh is

flesh.

So that's you know earthly anything is

is not heavenly word the word the water.

And he says here and that which is born

of the spirit is spirit.

Marvel not that I said unto you, you

must be born again. So those are the two

ways to bring it about. The only two is

through the word of God and through the

spirit of God. Nicodemus was amazed.

Jesus said, "What? You you're a teacher

in Israel and you don't know about the

new birth?

It's in the Old Testament. It's not just

something that was in the New

Testament."

And then he says, "The wind blows."

Here's the hard part for us because we,

you know, we can only see,

you know, with our eyes, we can only see

these temporal things. But, you know,

God's at work.

When his word goes forth

and when his spirit goes forth,

God is working.

The wind blows where it wills, and now

hearth the sound of it, but you can't

tell from where it come from and where

it goes. So is everyone that is born of

the spirit.

So that's what the new birth is. We're

born of the spirit. So all the way back

to the love of God. All the way back to

what John told us back there in 1 John

1 John 4 · chapter mention

chapter 4. God is love and they that are

of God love. So the Holy Spirit is the

member of the Trinity that comes and

does these things and brings these

things to us and for us and and he says

you're a teacher of Israel and you don't

know these things.

So you know he couldn't Nicodemus

couldn't have used the word for a weapon

about the new birth and the spirit. He

was he was like the rest of them. You

know, I'm going to be born again for

born, go back and be born for my mother.

No, no, Nicodemus,

it's something far greater.

And then Jesus,

there's our Did Jesus say this or did

John say this in verse 16?

I don't know. I never solved that

mystery.

who made

for God so loved the world that he gave

his only begotten son that whosoever

believeth in him will not perish but

have everlasting life. So here we see

God the father, God the spirit, God the

son and the demonstration

of their love. But we don't want to

neglect the truth when we try to to help

people and show people what the truth

is.

And you remember the woman at the well

in verse 10, John 4:10,

John 4:10

he talks about the gift and the living

water. Here it is. That's why this

isn't, you know, water baptism. This is

the living water of the word of God. If

you knew the gift of God and who it is

that said to thee, give me to drink. You

would have asked him and he would give

thee living water. There's our living

water that he told Nicodemus about.

And then he says in verse 14, "Whosoever

drinks of the water that I give him

shall never thirst again. But he um but

the water that I give him shall be in

him a well of water springing up to

everlasting life." That's what happens

when we're born again.

God gives us a regenerated

heart, regenerated man. and he gives us

the Holy Spirit and and we went from

being, you know, thirsty

um to having a well of water springing

up in us and it's the Holy Spirit.

If you will look in verse 42,

John 4:42, he said to the woman, the

John 4:42

same woman, this is sometime later over

in the town.

And he said to the woman, "Now, now we

believe,

not because of thy sayings,

but we have heard him ourselves and know

this indeed is the Christ, the savior of

the world." So, we need to hear the

gospel. We need to have the spirit come

and and lead us and direct us and bring

us to Christ.

Now, John chapter 5

John 5 · chapter mention

and verse 24. This one we've talked

about a couple times, but

you know, here's the spiritual

resurrection from the spirit.

You know, when the Holy Spirit comes and

and and we are regenerated, we are born

again like he told Nicodemus to be born

again. Here's how that happens. In verse

24, he says, "Verily, verily, I say unto

you, he that hears my word,

just like you're hearing it now, hearing

the word of God and believes on him that

sent me has everlasting life and shall

not come into judgment, but is passed

from death and into life." There's that

regeneration. And then here's the the

spiritual resurrection. And this is

parallel with what the books, the Bible

says in Romans chapter 6 when it says

Romans 6 · chapter mention

that we were made alive. Well, here's

how and when we were made alive

spiritually.

The hour is coming and now is when the

dead shall hear the voice of the son of

God and they that hear it shall live.

You know, that's the regeneration part

when when the spirit and the and the

word uh bring us the new birth and

regenerate us and bring us new life.

Father has life in himself and he's

given son to have life in himself.

That's the difference between us and

God. God has life and we don't.

We need it. Marvel not at this. The hour

is coming and those in their grave will

hear his voice and they will come forth.

Those that have done good to the

resurrection of life, they that have

done bad to the resurrection of

damnation.

Turn over to chapter 8. John chapter 8

John 8 · chapter mention

and verse 45.

And Jesus tells the Pharisees, "And

because I tell you the truth,

you believe me not."

There are people that resist the gospel.

There are people that hear the gospel

and say, "Nope, not for me. Not today."

You know, some some some say, "Not

ever."

And uh you know, they they never come.

So, as well, Stephen talked about the

Jews resisting the Holy Spirit in Acts

Acts 7 · chapter mention

chapter 7.

So people resist, people put up a fight,

people uh they they don't want to do

what the spirit is trying to lead them

uh to do, you know, and

many of them become

they make themselves God, you know, they

just I I don't need God. I'm I think I'm

doing a pretty good job myself,

you know, in their pride.

But we had similar things with the

Pharisees and the scribes.

And if you will turn over to John 2

10:23,

John chapter 10

John 10:23

verse 23.

And Jesus walked out in the temple onto

Solomon's porch. And the Jews around him

heard him. How long do you make us

doubt? If you be the Christ, tell us

plainly. So this is getting cro close

to the crucifixion

and the conversation that Jesus has with

them here is an example of those who

resist the spirit, those who won't

believe, those who, you know, they they

won't um trust Christ. They won't come

to him.

And he says similar things, you won't

come to me that you might have life.

And here in verse 25, I told you and you

believe not. So there you can see even

Jesus had

uh people who didn't believe him.

He's the son of God. So if he had people

that didn't believe him, we can expect a

similar thing. And then he says, "The

works that I do are my father's name.

They bear witness of me." So, not only

was, you know, Jesus a good preacher, he

was pretty good at living out his life

and fulfilling all the Old Testament

verses about himself. And still they

believe not. And he says, "You are not

of my sheep as I have said unto you. My

sheep hear my voice and I know them and

they follow me." That's us. That's the

elect. We, you know, we look at Jesus

differently than the world does. The

world wants nothing to do with them.

don't think he's worthy of our time, but

we see that we He is worthy of our

times. He's given to us eternal life.

They shall never perish, neither shall

any pluck them out of my hand. My father

who gave them to me is greater than all,

and no man is able to pluck them out of

my father's hand. I and my father are

one. They took up the stones, and he

said, "Many good works that I have done

to you from my father. Which of those

are you going to stone me? Why are you

going to kill me? said Jesus. What I do

wrong?

He answers nothing.

And they said unto him, for a good work

we stone thee not, but for blasphemy

because you being a man make yourself

God.

So we see the rejection of Jesus. We see

the resistance

that people put up about Jesus. We can

expect the same and is not written in

your law. I said you are gods and if he

called him gods uh who the word of God

came and scriptures cannot be broken.

Say ye of him whom the father has

sanctified and sent into the world. You

blasphe because I am the son of God. And

if I do not the works of my father, you

believe me not. But if I do those works

um

uh believe the works that you may know

and believe that the father is in me and

I in him. So that's Jesus wrapping up

his ministry and the the rejection and

the resistance that many people gave him

because of these things that we're

reading about here. So again, that's a

part of the love of God is is like Paul

said is preaching the gospel and telling

others about about Christ, who he is and

what he's done.

So, you know, we've been delivered from

sin's dominion through the work of

Christ. That's what the book of Romans

says about, you know, there in chapter 7

and 8. If you would go to Romans chapter

Romans 8 · chapter mention

8,

Romans 8,

back to the, you know, the work of

Christ making us sons of God, giving us

the Holy Spirit and the love of the

spirit.

And as well, we've been removed from the

condemnation

of God because of what Christ has done.

That's what this whole chapter

is about here.

In verse three, he says, "For the law

could not do and that was weak through

the flesh. God sending his own son in

the likeness of flesh and for sin

condemns him in sin in the flesh." So

you know Jesus has advanced us beyond

what we were in Adam as the sinners. We

now we have his righteousness. Now you

know the heaven the gavvel in heaven has

dropped. And God he's made us righteous.

And that's what verse four says that the

righteousness of the law might be

fulfilled in us who walk not after the

flesh but after the spirit. So, we're,

you know, we've left our flesh and and

we're walking in the spirit of God,

not fulfilling the lust of the flesh.

And that's what verse 5 says, they that

are of the flesh

um minded things of the flesh. They that

are spirit minded things of the spirit.

So, you know, the spirit is in us, you

know, to teach us and to help us and to

guide us into these things. We're not,

you know, that's why we're not under the

law. That's, you know, we needed to be

born again. Once that has happened,

we've been, we've been freed from the

dominion of the law. We've been freed

from the dominion of sin. And we've been

put in God's presence

because of the work of Christ.

And that's what this is all about down

through here.

and and we become hes.

Um

verse 14,

for as many are led by the spirit of

God, they're the sons of God. So the

spirit of God's the one who leads us.

You know, God knows what we need and we

need the spirit and we need the word of

God. The two things that brought about

our new birth.

And we keep right on going. We keep

right on walking. for you have not

received the spirit of bondage again to

fear.

We shouldn't, you know, go back to like

we were. We can't operate in fear.

Although we do fear God,

but you know, we have a relationship

with God now

because of his son and through his son.

And you know, God did a very gracious

thing when he gave us his spirit.

And as Romans 5:5 says that the love of

Romans 5:5

God is shed abroad in our hearts because

of that spirit.

And and we're adopted by God. We, you

know, he's become our father.

And then the spirit that we have

bears witness with our spirit. So, you

know, they're they're these two are side

by side. You know, many times we have

verses that that talk about the spirit

of man, the spirit of God, them being

side by side. You know, that's the great

fight that that's going on within us.

That's the war that's going on within

us.

But the spirit's going to win out

because we're going to leave everything

in the grave.

you know, our our flesh

and our sin nature is going to remain in

the grave and we're going to be

resurrected with a glorified body.

Paul tells the Corinthians as the word

of God tells everyone.

So, we're children, we're hes of God,

we're joint hes with Christ.

If so be that we suffer with him, we'll

be glorified

together. So suffering is a part of a

Christian's our life.

You know, it doesn't mean, you know,

that we're not children of God. Well,

I'm not a child of God. I had a flat

tire. I'm not a child of God. My car

wouldn't start. I not a child of God. I,

you know, I bounced a check, you know.

I'm not a child of God for fill in the

blank,

you know. No, we are are children of

God. And those things are going to

happen.

And uh we can we can suffer here

and know that all of our suffering here

is for a greater cause. And that's what

Paul goes on to say.

There's there's nothing um he says here,

I recognize the sufferings of this

present time are not worthy to be

compared to the glory that's going to be

revealed in us. The Holy Spirit's in

them. You know, the new birth, we we've

been transferred. We've been

transported. We've been transformed.

We've been made a child of God.

You know, we're a part of God's program.

We're a part of God's will.

And you know, nobody suffered like Paul

did. So, if Paul didn't complain, who

are we?

And um

he said, "The earnest expectation of the

creation for the manifestation of the

sons of God." What's this? Well, God has

creation on hold while he saves sinners.

You know, that's uh what these verses

are saying. And then he goes on to talk

about the the wrestling going on in us

there in verse 26. And then guess what?

Over to chapter 8,

verse 35.

You know, God didn't give us God didn't

give us the new birth. and make us his

children. Give us his spirit. Give us

the fruit of the spirit. Give us all the

gifts of the church. And and and we can

go on and on and on. God didn't do all

this for us to live like pulpers or fill

in the blank.

No, God did all these things. We we

would live as his children and get this

gospel out, bring others in.

And then he says over here in

chapter 35,

I'm sorry, there aren't 35 chapters in

Romans. How about verse 35?

>> Yeah, chapter 8.

And you know,

this is how Paul closes out the love of

God.

What shall separate us from the love of

Christ? tribulation, distress,

persecution, famine, nakedness, peril or

sword. For it is written, for thy sake

we are killed all the day long as

accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

You sometimes life doesn't look very

good for us. We look like we we are

sheep headed for a slaughter.

But nay, in all these things, we're more

than conquerors to him that loved us.

And we're saved because he loved us.

That's the only reason we're saved.

There's no other reason uh that could

be. We're not worthy. And I am persuaded

that neither death nor life, nor angels,

nor principalities, nor powers, nor

things present, nor things to come, nor

height, nor depth, nor any other

creature shall be able to separate us

from the love of God, which is in Christ

Jesus our Lord. That'll get you into

heaven. Why am I here? we get to heaven,

if you're beaten on the door and they

want to know why you should be let in,

just tell them this.

Um, the love of Christ

was shed abroad for me, I'm a I'm a

filthy sinner and he died for me and

he's given me eternal life and and I

have a right to be here, not in anything

that I've done, but in everything that

he's done.

God had a wonderful plan when he sent

his son.

So, I'm glad God just doesn't leave us

in our sin

and, you know, hope for more when we get

to heaven. No, we can hope for more now.

And that's what the Lord wants us to do,

to walk in his spirit and in his love.

Let's pray.

We do thank you, Holy Spirit, for

dwelling within us. We thank you for the

word of God and we thank you for the

love of the spirit

that is here to be a part of our lives

now and to work on us and to help us to

become more like Jesus.

And uh we thank you for these things and

pray your blessings upon our day today.

Thank you for the good week that we've

had and this day of rest. We thank you

for the rest that you've given us in

your son. And we pray in Jesus name.

Amen.

Lord, as we go from this place

loving you more,

trusting you more.

May the power of your love and the light

of your word shine to a sin darkened

world as we go from this place.