Opening Prayer
The Psalms of Ascent
Psalm 124
If it had not been the Lord who was on our side—
let Israel now say—
2 if it had not been the Lord who was on our
side
when people rose up against us,
3 then they would have swallowed us up alive,
when their anger was kindled against us;
4 then the flood would have swept us away,
the torrent would have gone over us;
5 then over us would have gone
the raging waters.
6 Blessed be the Lord,
who has not given us
as prey to their teeth!
7 We have escaped like a bird
from the snare of the fowlers;
the snare is broken,
and we have escaped!
8 Our help is in the name of
the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
A Beginning Thought
How important is it to see ourselves as creatures?
The Explanation to 2nd Article of the Apostles’
Creed
I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the virgin Mary, is my Lord, who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned person ….
In the originals homo or Menschen.
I learned this, “a lost and condemned creature ….”
Created – not accidents … and from the rest of Scripture we
know we are loved.
Created – therefore connected to a Creator.
Romans 8:22-24 (ESV)[1]
22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
8:23
And not only that (or “And not only the creation), but also we ourselves, having the first-fruits of the Spirit, we also ourselves groan in ourselves eagerly awaiting adoption - the redemption of our body.
1. Notice how emphatic this passage is. “We ourselves!” There is a sense of awe here.
a.
This is so emphatic that some refer to it as
“awkward repetition.”[2]
b.
There are a lot of commonalities between the
creation and ourselves as creatures.
c.
Now Paul is making a distinction between creation
and Christians.
d.
We both groan, but is the created human who has
faith in Jesus who has the first-fruits of the Spirit.
2. What does Paul mean by “the first-fruits of the Spirit”?
a.
Galatians 5:22-23 - love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
b.
Romans 6 – death and new life.
c.
Romans 1:16-17 – Gospel, salvation, righteousness
d.
These are delivered in the Word and Sacraments
i. Where
the Word and Sacraments are, there is the Church.
3. We groan in ourselves. Why?
a.
Romans 7 – the inner turmoil
b.
We have received a promise … but have not
received the final gift.
c.
Lord’s Supper – a foretaste of the
feast-to-come.
d.
We long for something better than this life in a
fallen world.
i. The
7th Petition – Deliver us from evil.
ii. WDTM?
We pray in this petition, in summary, that our Father in heaven would rescue us
from every evil of body and soul, possessions and reputation, and finally, when
our last hour comes, give us a blessed end, and graciously take us from this
valley of sorrow (vale of tears) to Himself in heaven.
4. Eagerly awaiting adoption.
a.
Haven’t we received adoption as sons?
b.
Adopted but waiting to be picked up.
5. The redemption of our bodies.
a.
This phrase is tagged onto the end of the
sentence to explain the full meaning of adoption.
b.
The word “redemption” is a compound word that
means (roughly) “a ransom from above.”
i. The
idea is of being set free – but bought at a price.
ii. How
does this compare to Exodus?
iii. Slavery
and Freedom are important images for Sin and Salvation.
c.
Our salvation is not complete until our bodies
are freed from sin.
i. There
is no thought of a spiritualized heaven.
ii. Resurrection
of the body – a physical body – is expected, longed for, groaned
for!
iii. We
have the first-fruits – we await the completion.
iv. We
live in an existence that is sometimes called The Now-Not-Yet.
1.
We have it all now.
2.
We don’t have it all yet.
3.
God’s promise is as good and certain as having
it.
4.
We have the Spirit as a down payment.
5.
Jesus paid the price in full.
6. We still sin and need forgiveness.
God’s salvation is very physical, but Christians often get wrapped up in the spiritual.
1. Mysticism – seeking a direct revelation/experience of God.
a.
Guigo’s Ladder of Monks.
b.
Often looks like a blending of Eastern Religion
and Christian faith.
i. Examples
– Richard Rohr, Jeff Mallinson
2. God works in the physical to deliver spiritual blessings.
a.
Incarnation
i. Crucifixion
–
ii. Michael
Card’s Flesh of His Flesh
You and me, we use so very many clumsy words
The noise of what we often say is not worth being heard
When the Father's wisdom wanted to communicate His love
He spoke it in one final perfect word
He spoke the incarnation and then so was born the Son
His final word was Jesus, He needed no other one
Spoke flesh and blood, so He could bleed and make a way
divine
And so was born the baby who would die to make it mine
And so the Father's fondest thought took on flesh and bone
He spoke the living luminous word, at once His will was done
And so the transformation that in man had been unheard
Took place in God the Father as He spoke that final word
He spoke the incarnation and then so was born the Son
His final word was Jesus, He needed no other one
Spoke flesh and blood, so He could bleed and make a way
divine
And so was born the baby who would die to make it mine
And so the light became alive
And manna became man
Eternity stepped into time
So we could understand
He spoke the incarnation and then so was born the Son
His final word was Jesus, He needed no other one
Spoke flesh and blood, so He could bleed and make a way
divine
And so was born the baby who would die to make it mine
And so was born the baby who would die to make it mine
b.
Sacraments
c.
Church
d.
Vocational living
e.
“Earthy faith.”
Verse of the Week - Hebrews 12:22–24 (ESV)
“22 But
you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the
heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and
to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and
to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made
perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new
covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than
the blood of Abel.”
[1]
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright
© 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a
publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
[2]
Middendorf, p. 675
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