you Let us commence our service this
afternoon by singing together hymn number 515. The tune is
Carlisle Street, 451. Holy Ghost, we look to thee.
Raise the dead, the captive free. From the mighty take the prey.
Teach the weak to watch and pray. Hymn 515. tune carlisle street 451 to thee. Raise the dead, the
captive free. From the light they take the free. Teach the weak to walk and pray. Help me, Lord, ahead and stray. Makes the motive ever bend. I
am light and you take power. O come, let us adore Him, O come,
let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, ? Set me free ? ? Take their souls
? ? And make them cry ? ? Take me, Christ, from the house I
die ? O my darling, thanks for gift,
My sweet auction still. Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. As the prophet, king, and priest, That it is a chance to bless,
And to comfort in distress, Trembling helpless souls divine
Save their creatures through the sun Out of self to Jesus made, For
and in us intercede, Guide us down to death, And there shone a gilded flame There and then shall put them
on. They will be to every song. And with an almighty song Praised
to join the heav'nly song Let us read together from the
Holy Word of God in Paul's Epistle to the Romans, chapter eight. The Epistle to the Romans, chapter
eight. There is therefore now no condemnation
to them which are in Christ Jesus. who walk not after the flesh,
but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of
life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and
death. For what the law could not do,
in that it was weak through the flesh, God send in his own Son
in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in
the flesh. that the righteousness of the
law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh,
but after the spirit. For they that are after the flesh
do mind the things of the flesh, but they that are after the spirit
the things of the spirit. For to be carnally minded is
death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because
the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to
the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are
in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh,
but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit
of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the
body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is life because
of righteousness. But if the spirit of him that
raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised
up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies
by his spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, We
are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For
if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die. But if ye through
the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the
Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For if ye have For ye
have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but
ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba,
Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness
with our spirit that we are the children of God. And if children,
then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. If so
be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings
of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the
glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation
of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of
God. For the creature was made subject
to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected
the same in hope, because the creature itself also shall be
delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious
liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation
groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only
they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit,
even we ourselves grown within ourselves waiting for the adoption
to wit the redemption of our body for we are saved by hope
but hope that is seen is not hope for what a man seeth why
doth he yet hope for it but if we hope for that which that we
see not then do we with patience wait for it likewise the spirit
also helpeth our infirmities, for we know not what we should
pray for as we ought, but the Spirit itself maketh intercession
for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth
the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he
maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
And we know that all things work together for good, to them that
love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.
For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed
to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among
many brethren. Moreover, whom He did predestinate,
them He also called, and whom He called, them He also justified. and who we justified, then we
also glorified. What shall we say? We then say
to these things, if God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own son,
but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also
freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies. Who
is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea,
rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand
of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us
from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress,
or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
As it is written, for thy sake we are killed all the day long,
we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these
things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For
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. May the Lord bless that portion
of his most holy word and grant unto us a spirit of real prayer. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty,
which is an art, an art to come, We desire, as a company of poor
sinners, the fallen sons and daughters of Adam, born in sin
and shaped in iniquity, we desire to bow before thy glorious majesty. We pray for a spirit of true
confession of our sins, of our wanderings, of our backsliding,
We leave undone things that we should do. We do things that
we should not do. We find a law within our members
that when we would do good, then evil is present with us. And
there is a conflict goes on within our hearts, O Lord, between that
which is right and that which is wrong. And thy word declares
unto us that which is right and that which is wrong. We desire,
O Lord, to confess our sins and our wanderings. We thank Thee that we can come
unto Thee in the name of Jesus Christ. The spirit of life in
Christ Jesus has made me free from the spirit of sin and death. We pray that we may know that
liberty here this afternoon. For where the Spirit of the Lord
is, there is liberty. May thy Spirit dwell in our hearts,
thy grace in our souls. May the Lord Jesus be made exceedingly
precious unto us. May we be made more spiritually
minded, our heart and our affection set upon things above and not
on things of the earth. For Lord, by nature we are earthbound,
Deliver us from that spirit that is in our nature and give us
that Holy Spirit and guide us. O thou great Jehovah, we're pilgrims
in a barren land. We are weak, but thou art mighty.
Hold us with thy powerful hand. Bread of heaven, feed us now
and evermore. May we be fed with that living
bread that cometh down from heaven, that bread that a man shall eat
thereof and shall never die. May we drink of that living water
that if a man drink thereof he shall never die, but it shall
be in him a well of water springing up unto everlasting life. Gracious God, do hear us Do be
with us, do bless us, do grant the divine power, the heavenly
unction of the Holy Ghost, the unction of the Holy One, we do
humbly beseech thee. And open thy word to our heart
and to our understanding, that we may be like thy servant Jeremiah,
thy words were sweet and I did eat them. And they were the joy
and rejoicing of my heart. Lord, may it be so. We do humbly
beseech them. We pray thy blessing, dearest
Lord, that it may rest upon us as a church and as a congregation.
We pray for our brethren, the deacons, that all sufficient
grace may be given to them in all their responsibilities, not
only here but among the churches. Do graciously help them and strengthen
them. We do humbly beseech them. We
pray, most gracious Lord, for each one of our brethren and
sisters in church fellowship. Oh, for thy blessing to rest
upon us, that we may love each other, serve each other, bear
each other's burdens, thereby fulfilling the law of Christ.
We pray, most gracious Lord, that thou wouldst bless the little
ones and the children as they're brought into the sanctuary. Bless
them with the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom.
Dear young friends, bring them to living faith in Jesus Christ,
that they may become true followers of thee and of those who, through
faith and patience, inherit the promises. Bless and undertake
for each in the midst of life, especially parents. Give them
wisdom and help to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition
of the Lord. each in the midst of the journey
of life, Lord, undertake for each one. We do humbly beseech
them. Remember those of us who, in
the evening time of life's journey, graciously guide us, O thou great
Jehovah. Guide us safely unto thy heavenly
kingdom, that there may be an abundant entrance into that heavenly
kingdom at the appointed time. We do pray, most gracious Lord,
that the glory, light, and power of the gospel may shine forth
into this village and the surrounding villages and hamlets. And that
thou would remember the prodigals that have wandered away and cause
them to return as thou alone art able. We read, they shall
come with weeping and with supplication will I lead them. And we pray
that it may be so. Dearest Lord, we humbly beseech
Thee that the divine work of Thy Spirit may be seen among
us. And, O Lord, we do pray that Thou wouldst remember the Jemson
family at this time of great loss, remember them for good,
draw near to them, and graciously comfort their hearts with the
Holy Ghost with those spiritual blessings in the Lord Jesus.
Help them, Lord, we humbly beseech thee. And go before them in each
untrodden step, in all that lies before them now. Help them, Lord,
we humbly pray thee. Give them to feel he never takes
away our all. Himself he gives us still. Lord,
we pray that thou, in thy great mercy, Graciously remember thy servants
that labour in word and doctrine upon the walls of Zion. We pray
for thy servant at Tunbridge Wells today, and pray he may
be specially helped in the ministry of the word there. And we pray,
most gracious Lord, that thou would remember thy Zion, the
little hills of Zion up and down the land, wherever thy gospel
is preached, wherever thy servants stand, wherever thy people gather,
Gather with them, Lord, we humbly beseech thee, and richly bless
them. Instead of a falling away, may
we see a building up, a reviving, a renewing, a replenishing. Let
thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, the son of man, that
thou mayest strong for thyself. Hear us, Lord, we humbly beseech
thee and bless thy word. We thank thee for every mercy
and every faith. We thank thee for the profound
glories of our Lord Jesus Christ, the fullness of that salvation
that is in him. We think of those lovely words,
for you are complete in him, accepted in the beloved. Oh,
that we each may feel it. Oh, do hear us, Lord, we humbly
pray thee. Work mightily among us. We do
thank Thee for that precious truth of the Son of God manifest
in the flesh, and the law fulfilled, honoured and magnified in Him,
and everlasting righteousness brought in. We thank Thee for
that holy sacrifice of Calvary and the precious blood of the
Lamb. As far as the east is from the west, so far have I removed
Thy sins from Thee, O Israel, O the blood of Jesus Christ,
God's Son, that cleanseth us from all sin, we thank Thee for
that precious blood. We thank Thee for the resurrection
of Jesus Christ. He has swallowed up death in
victory. We thank Thee that He has bodily
ascended into heaven and sitteth at Thy right hand and advocating
a great High Priest fill our hearts with gratitude, with thanksgiving
for all thy tender mercies, we ask with the forgiveness of all
sin and pray that thou would touch one's lips with a live
coal from off the heavenly altar for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. Let us now sing together hymn
number 29. The tune is Astley Park, 705. Descend from heaven, Celestioda,
with flames of pure, seraphic love. Our ravished breasts inspire. Fountain of joy, bless Palaklete. Warm our cold hearts with heavenly
heat and set our souls on fire. Hymn number 29, tune Ashley Park,
705. She said, oh, when she gets to
work, I'm going to consider you, love, a right precious one. ? The ray of life eternally ? ?
O'er the ramparts we've been watching ? ? Were so gallantly
streaming ? ? In all these treasured garments
? ? The sweetest song is in question ? ? In all our treasured rooms
? O'er the ramparts we watched,
were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket's red glare, the
bombs bursting in air, O'er the ramparts we watched
were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket's red glare, the
bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag
was still there. ? Let us cry out with eager beat
? ? With all extensions rush and beat ? ? Can you raise her
dead soul? ? Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? O'er the ramparts we watched
were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket's red glare, the
bombs bursting in air, He just saw what she prayed on
earth, And she's coming home to his family there, But will not praise him
still. ? Pray Thou for us that we too
late ? ? May fill the veins of Jesus' head ? ? To think that
we're strong and free ? Oh, say does that star-spangled
banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the
brave O'er the ramparts we watched,
were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket's red glare, the
bombs bursting in air, Greatly feeling to need the Lord's
gracious help, I would direct your attention to the chapter
that we read, Paul's epistle to the Romans, chapter 8, and
read in verse 11 for our text. Romans chapter 8, verse 11. But if the spirit of him that
raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised
up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies
by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. The apostle dwells very extensively
in this chapter upon the divine person and work, power and grace
of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is co-equal and
co-eternal with the Father and with the Son. I love those beautiful
words in the second chapter of the Ephesians, speaking of our
Lord Jesus Christ. He says, for through Him we have
access by one Spirit unto the Father. The uniting together,
of those three divine persons in that one glorious God. Very sacred and precious and
fundamental truth. In Colossians chapter three,
or two I think it is, the apostle, he speaks there concerning the
mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ. God being the
divine person of the Holy Ghost. It merely lays an emphasis on
his divinity, who he is, the holy, eternal, divine spirit
of the living God. And just as the Father and Son
are infinite and eternal, so is the Holy Ghost. He's infinite
and eternal. Indeed, the divine person of
the Holy Ghost, there is attributed him the creation of this world. We read in Holy Scripture that
the Father created the world. We read in John's Gospel that
concerning our Lord Jesus Christ all things were made by him,
without him was anything made that was made. And we read in
Genesis chapter 1 that the Spirit of the Lord moved upon the face
of the waters and he brought order out of chaos in a moment. And surely that shows us who
he is, infinite, divine, almighty. He's the almighty spirit of the
living God. And so what the apostle here
is discoursing on, I love that expression in the second verse
for the law of the Spirit of Life. You notice the Spirit is
written with a capital S because it's the divine person of the
Holy Ghost. The law of the Spirit of Life
in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
The law of sin and death is the holy moral law of God. The Ten
Commandments. The reason it's called the law
of sin and death It's because the wages of sin is death. It
says so in the end of chapter 6 here in the Romans. For the
wages of sin is death. And then we are instructed in
the first epistle of John. Sin is any transgression of the
law of God. That's a definition of what sin
is. It's any transgression of the
holy law of God. And then the Word of God is abundantly
clear, we all have sinned. We go forth from the woods speaking
lies and hypocrisy. This is the testimony of the
Word of God. It's a very solemn thought, isn't
it? But here, what he reveals is,
is a freedom from that law. A deliverance from that law.
deliverance from its curse, from its power, from its dominion. And this freedom and this liberty
from the curse and condemnation of the law is only found in Christ
Jesus. For all those that are out of
Christ, in whom the Spirit of God does not dwell, they are still under its condemning
sentence. that definition of sin. I remember
a man writing to me on one occasion saying that the law is totally,
completely aggregated, it has nothing to do with it, it's all
finished in Christ Jesus and we can forget all about it. That's
not what my Bible tells me. My Bible tells me the words of Christ, I come not
to destroy the law, but to fulfill it. And Christ has fulfilled
that holy righteous law on the behalf of his people. He honored
and he magnified that holy righteous law. That is one of the fundamental
reasons why he became a man. The Bible tells us the law was
made for man. So when the Son of God Assumed
human nature in the womb of the Virgin Mary he came under the
law Because he became a man There's one God and one mediated
between God and man the man Christ Jesus Who gave his life a ransom
for all? He was a real man He had a real
body and soul He was holy That's what distinguishes
him from the sons and daughters of Adam. His birth was a miraculous birth. It was supernatural. The angel
Gabriel said that the Holy Ghost, notice there, the divine person
of the Spirit of God in the assumption of human nature by the Son of
God, The Holy Ghost shall overshadow thee. The power of the highest
shall come upon thee. That holy thing. See the Lord
Jesus, holy in his very birth. And if you stop to think of it,
he's the only holy child that has ever been born upon this
earth. He was without sin. He was without sin. and he lived under the law and
fulfilled and honoured and magnified that holy, righteous law on the
behalf of his people. What you couldn't do and I can't
do, Christ has done. Christ has fulfilled that holy
law on the behalf, in the room, in the place, in the stead, of
his people. In other words, his life was
what is known as vicarious, which means in the room and the place
and the stead of the life of Christ. And so we commence this
chapter, there is therefore now no condemnation to them which
are in Christ Jesus. But notice this, who walked If
you're in Christ Jesus, your life has changed. If your life
hasn't changed, you're not in Christ Jesus. That's very clear,
my beloved friends, from the Word of God. When the Spirit
of God quickens a poor sinner into life, when the Spirit of
God gives spiritual life to a man, a woman, a boy or a girl, it
changes them. you hath he quickened who were
dead in trespasses and in sins. But how do we walk? This is so
important that we look at this. Who walk? Your walk matters. The company you keep matters.
The things that you do matters. Your walk and your conduct matters.
To anyone looking on, they can see whether you have spiritual
life or not. By the way you walk, by the things
you do. There is therefore now no condemnation
to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh. The Apostle, he makes a big distinction
here in the Romans, especially in the seventh chapter. The distinction
between the flesh and the spirit. One hymn writer says, doesn't
he, in every believer two armies are seen, the new man of grace
and the old man of sin. The one is contrary to the other.
We read in Solomon's song, behold the Shulamite. What's he speaking
of? The child of God. in whom there
is, as it were, a company of two armies, battling together. Do you know this conflict? Do
you know this battle? You see, my beloved friends,
this is what the Apostle speaks of, for the law of the Spirit
of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of
sin and death. For what the law could not do,
that's something very important that we need to take notice of. For what the law could not do.
You might say, what cannot the law do? The law cannot give you
life. The law cannot reconcile you
unto God. That's what the law cannot do.
The law cannot bring you into union with Jesus Christ. The
law cannot do that. It wasn't given to do that. It is in fact a condemning sentence
upon all that have sinned. For all have sinned and come
short of the glory of God, every one of us. For what the law could
not do, in that it was weak through the flesh. Now, what do we need
to notice here? We need to notice that the problem
isn't with the law, The problem is with you and with me. It's weak through the flesh.
Our inability as being fallen sinners, our inability to fulfil,
to honour and to magnify the holy righteous law of God. And
because we cannot do that, we come under its condemning sentence. The soul that sinneth, This is
the Holy Law. The soul that sinneth, it shall
die. It shall die. We've had that solemn stroke
this past week. A young man of 19 years old dies
just like that. What a solemn speaking voice
that should be to us. We read in the Word of God in
the midst of life We are in death, how true that is. Gone, in a
moment, from time into eternity. May it be a speaking voice, especially
to you, dear young friends, that we too must die. And we don't
know how soon or how suddenly that will come. We know it's
divinely appointed. We started our service this morning
with that Him so well known, sovereign ruler of the skies,
ever gracious, ever wise. All my times are in thy hand.
All events at thy command. How true. Death hasn't come by
chance. It says in Ecclesiastes chapter
3, there is a time to be born and there is a time to die. And
that's known by God and by God only. And we're reading Hebrews
chapter 9. As it is appointed unto man once
to die, so after death the judgment. It's a divine appointment. And
that divine appointment is made by God. It's not made by you,
it's made by God. You see my beloved friends, it
is not in man, it says in Ecclesiastes. as to whether he dies or whether
he lives. It's in the hand of God. And
the reason that we die is because we have sinned. We've sinned
against God. Now, my beloved friends, the
only deliverance from that sinful condition is in Jesus
Christ. For what the law could not do
in that it was weak through the flesh, sending his own son in
the likeness of sinful flesh and forcing condemned sin in
the flesh. That's what Christ has done.
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us
who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. Oh my beloved
friends, do you have the Spirit of God in you? Has the Holy Ghost
quickened your soul These things highlight these vital things
that are so necessary. If we live and die, having never
been born again, the Spirit of God not dwelling in our hearts,
we're lost. We're condemned. We shall meet
the Holy God in the Day of Judgment. Depart from me, ye cursed, into
everlasting fire. prepared for the devil and his
angels. That is the sentence that will
come forth if we live and die in our sin. Oh how vital then are these truths
that are set before us here in the Word of God. But if the Spirit,
that's the Holy Ghost of Him that raised up Jesus from the
dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead, shall
also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in
you." In the Corinthians the Apostle says, Know ye not that
ye are the temple of the Holy Ghost? And he's speaking to Christian
believers. Know ye not that ye are the temple
of the Holy Ghost? If so be that the Spirit of God
dwelleth in you. You know, the Lord Jesus, he
speaks of how vital this divine work of the Spirit is in the
heart of a poor sinner. And he also gives us some very
clear instruction to ask for the Holy Spirit in Luke chapter
11. And he says, I say unto you,
ask and it shall be given you. Verse 9. seeking you shall find,
knock and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that
asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth, and him that
knocketh it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any
of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? Or if he
ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he
ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being
evil, know How to give good gifts unto your children? How much
more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them
that ask Him? Ask, and ye shall receive. You know the Gospel is something
that is exceedingly simple. Ask, and ye shall receive. Seek, and ye shall find. and
it shall be opened unto you. But if the Spirit of him that
raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised
up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies
by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. You know, just to emphasize
this point, firstly there's the carnally minded and spiritually
minded, verse 6 and 7, for to be carnally minded is death,
but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. We cannot
be spiritually minded and left the Holy Spirit dwells in our
hearts. The reason being is that we by
nature are dead, spiritually dead, in trespasses and in sins. solemn place to be, isn't it?
And totally unable to deliver ourselves from it. The dead know
not anything. For to be carnally minded is
death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because
the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it's not subject to
the law of God, neither indeed can be. Our heart, our spiritual,
our soul by nature is sinful and corrupt. Sinful and corrupt. It's not subject to the law of
God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the
flesh cannot please God. It doesn't matter how much religion
you've got, it doesn't matter how much you dress it up, You cannot please God in the
flesh. You can only please God in the
Spirit. And you need the Holy Spirit
to enter your heart, to give you spiritual life. But you are not in the flesh.
He's speaking now to Christian believers. But you are not in
the flesh, but in the Spirit. if so be that the Spirit of God
dwell in you. And then there's this solemn
word. Now, if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, that's
the Holy Ghost, he is none of his. He is none of his. So, doesn't it show us so clearly
how vital, how essential, is the divine gift of the Holy Ghost. It is. Christ himself said, when
he the spirit of truth is come, and I believe that he means,
of course there is a, what you might say, the coming on the
day of Pentecost. But I believe that he principally
means there, when he has come to a sinner's heart. When he
has quickened into life. when He has come. He will reprove
the world of sin. The Divine Person of the Spirit
will reprove the world of sin, of righteousness, of judgment.
He will reprove the alternative marginal reading is He will convince
of sin, of righteousness, that God is righteous and that God will judge the world.
That is what the Holy Ghost will teach in the heart of a poor
sinner. That God is righteous. God is
appointed today when he will judge the world in righteousness. All my beloved friends, I do
pray that these fundamental and simple truths may sink into our
hearts. And if Christ be in you, The
body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is life because
of righteousness. But if the spirit of him that
raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, see the divine
spirit raising Christ from the dead. We've already noticed that
it was the divine spirit that overshadowed the womb of the
Virgin Mary that when she conceived in her womb that holy thing,
the human nature of the Son of God, and immediately the Son
of God assumed that human nature. But it was a divine act of the
Spirit, and here in our text, but if the Spirit of Him that
raised up Jesus from the dead, He raised up Jesus from the dead,
and therefore what the apostle is arguing here is if he raised
up Jesus from the dead if he dwells in your heart he will
raise you up from the dead. You know it's in holy scripture
the grave of the believer is likened to sleep. I love that. I've quoted it often at a funeral.
Sleep, dear saint, sleep in Jesus. Why is it likened to sleep? Because
they're going to awake in Christ. Just as it says in
our text, if the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the
dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall
also quicken your mortal bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in
you. You know, we read in 1 Corinthians
and chapter 15 of the resurrection of the dead. And there were those
in the Corinthian church that troubled the brethren that said
that there was no resurrection of the dead. And that the resurrection
was already past. And the apostle says, then they
also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in
this life only we have hope in Christ, we're of all men most
miserable. Now listen to what he says. But now in Christ is
Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them
that slept. For since by man came death,
by man also came the resurrection of the dead. And he's referring
there to Adam, who fell into sin. By man came death. So by man, that is the holy God,
man, the man Christ Jesus, shall all be made alive. For as in
Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But
every man in his own order, Christ the firstfruits, and afterward
they that are Christ that is coming. Then cometh the end,
when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the
Father, when he shall have put down all rule and authority and
power. He must reign till He that put
all things, all enemies under His feet, the last enemy that
shall be destroyed is death. For He that hath put all things
under His feet, but when He saith all things are put under Him,
it is manifest that He has accepted which put all things under Him.
You see, He lays out here how vital the resurrection of the
dead was. The resurrection of Christ, the
firstfruits. He says in verse 37, and that
which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be,
but bare grain. It may chance of wheat or some
other grain, but God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him.
He's likening the believer's death now to sowing corn. All flesh is not the same flesh.
There is one kind of flesh of men, another of beasts, another
of fishes. But let us go on, look at verse 42. So also is the resurrection of
the dead. It's our body when we die. It is sown, that is in the grave,
in corruption. It is raised in incorruption.
It is sown in dishonor. It is raised in power. It is
sown a natural body. It is raised a spiritual body.
There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And
so it is written, the first Adam was made a living soul, the last
Adam, that's Christ, was made a quickening spirit. You see,
the first man is of the earth earthy, the second man is the
Lord from heaven. This I say, verse 15, Now this
I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom
of God. Neither doth corruption inherit
incorruption. Behold, I show you a mystery.
We shall not all sleep. We shall all be changed in a
moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump. For the
trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible. We shall be changed. For this
corruptible must put on incorruption. These are the people in whom
the Spirit of God dwells. This corruptible shall put on
incorruption. This mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall
have put on incorruption, this mortal shall have put on immortality. Then shall be brought to pass
the saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting?
O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin. The
strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth
us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. He giveth us the
victory. The saints shall enter heaven. They shall be raised incorrupt. You know there's a beautiful
word we've often drawn your attention to it in 1 Thessalonians and
chapter 4 and he says there from verse 13 but I would not have
you to be ignorant brethren concerning them which are asleep that ye
sorrow not even as others which have no hope for if we believe
that Jesus died and rose again Even so, them also which sleep
in Jesus, you see, the believer sleeps in Jesus, will God bring with him. For
this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are
alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent
them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend
from heaven with a shout, and the voice of the archangel with
the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain
shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the
Lord in the air. So shall we ever be with the
Lord. Wherefore, comfort one another
with these words. Comfort one another with these
words. But if the Spirit of Him that
raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised
up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies
by His Spirit that dwelleth in you. And we laid an emphasis
earlier on that, where it says, they that walk not after the
flesh. And it goes on here, to emphasize
it again in verse 12. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors
not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after
the flesh, ye shall die. But if ye through the Spirit
do mortify the deeds of the body, that means kill the deeds of
the body, mortify it. That's part of the divine work
of the Spirit in the heart, to sanctify. If ye through the Spirit
do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. Now, this is not
something that you and I can do. It's only the Holy Ghost,
by His divine power dwelling in the heart, can bring you to
walk, not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For as many
as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Are
you? Am I? being led by the Spirit
of God. For ye have not received the
spirit of bondage again to fear, but ye have received the spirit
of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father, the Spirit itself
beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. You know, friends, there's something
very sacred, very precious, when the Spirit, the Holy Ghost, bears
witness with our spirit that we are the children of God through
faith in Jesus Christ and that we have a Heavenly Father who
loved us with an everlasting love, who sent his Son to suffer,
bleed and die for our sins, who sent his Spirit into the heart
to quicken your soul, It's a very precious, sacred thing. For we
have not received the spirit of a bondage again to fear, but
we have received the spirit of adoption. In other words, we're
a child of God, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Abba is Greek for
Father. The spirit itself beareth witness
with our spirit that we are the children of God. And if children,
then heirs. Heirs of God, joint heirs with
Christ. If so be that we suffer with
Him, that we may be also glorified together. You see, glorified together. See what fundamentally is in
our text, isn't it? He goes through at the end of
this chapter so beautifully in that he speaks of divine sovereignty
and he says in verse 29, for whom he did foreknow. Well in
verse 28 of course, and we know that all things work together
for good to them that love God. To them who are the called according
to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow. that is chosen by God the Father.
He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his
Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren, Christ first,
and the Church afterwards, Christ the firstfruits, and the Church
to follow. Moreover, whom he did predestinate,
them he also called. It's the only evidence I can
find in the Word of God of being a child of God if you're called.
If the Holy Spirit enters your heart, quickens your soul, calls
you out of nature's darkness unto Jesus Christ. Whom he called, them he also
justified. Whom he justified, them he also
glorified. What shall we say? Then say to
these things, if God before us, who can be against us, he that
spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall
he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay
anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies. Who is he that condemneth? It
is Christ that died. Rather, that is risen again,
who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession
for us. Who shall separate us from the
love of Christ? Nothing, nothing, neither death
nor life. I am persuaded, he says in the
last two verses. One more thing, friends, if we're
given a true persuasion, For 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. But if the Spirit of Him that
raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you. He that raised
up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies
by his spirit that dwelleth in you. May the Lord have his blessing. Let us now sing together hymn
number 1078 and the tune is Stockport 419. Dear Lord, and shall thy spirit
rest in such a wretched heart as mine on worthy dwelling. Glorious guest, favour, astonishing,
divine. Hymn 1078 tune stockport 419. ? Spirit of grace ? ? Listen, cherished
heart, and sigh ? ? Remember each day with new delight ? And I was caught in shame day
and night ? Mercy prevails ? ? And who need
thee ? ? And who know thyself ? ? Shines in thine eyes ? ?
Who can not see ? ? Praise to the Father and the
Son ? ? Praise to the Father and the Son ? ? Praise to the
Father and the Son ? This peace of state I may take not, Else
with my cares I'll never die. And the free cheering reigning
loud. ? And some kind promise fends my
soul ? ? Do not I find His healing light? ? ? The tempest, O Lord,
? my fears come true, and bid my living as a choice. ? Then let me call my Savior nigh
? ? Great love and praise my Son has found ? ? Can it be less
? that the divine bridge that elevates
these strong visions. ? My almighty God ? ? Can raise
my hope ? ? Oh, when I'm lost ? ? And with me clean ? ? Stealthy
my Lord ? Now may the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, the sacred fellowship
of the Holy Spirit, rest and abide with us each both now and
forevermore. Amen.