18 April 2010

Romans 5:1-11

1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

6You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

9Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! 10For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!11Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Joy - Dr. Timothy Keller

2nd Sermon in Series - The Real Signs of the Spirit

• The Morally Restrained Heart vs. the Supernaturally changed heart.
• Rejoice in hope, suffering, and God
• We rejoice in God's grace and this causes us to live our lives in a certain way.
• Superficial joy is transient which leads to detachment-Buddhism.
• Christian joy is unique because its not just based on favorable circumstances like money or relationships.
• Christian joy is unique because it is now, but also not yet.

We know things will get better for us because of what Jesus did; prayer is also the fore taste of what's to come.

• By knowing we are sinners and unworthy, we know we deserve wrath -- this allows us to know the size of our debt and how thankful we should be for the size of Jesus's sacrifice and pain.
• John 16

21A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. 22So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.

• Jesus relates to a woman giving birth - pain leads to joy from the new baby--women died in childbirth often--related to Jesus's death and sacrifice.