…those who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

3 words that need defining…

A. LIVE

1. The Christian life is a LIFE

2. The Christian life is a REAL life lived out in the REAL world

a. Romans 12 – 16

b. Ephesians 4 – 6

B. FLESH

1. What is the “flesh”?

2. What does the “flesh” look like?

Galatians 5.19 – 21

3. Who are those who “live according to the flesh”?

C. SPIRIT

1. What is meant by “the Spirit”?

2. What does it look like to “live according to the Spirit”?

Galatians 5.22-25

What about ME?

John Olson

For what the law was powerless to do
because it was weakened by the flesh,
God did
by sending his own Son
in the likeness of sinful flesh
to be a sin offering.
And so he condemned sin in the flesh,
in order that
the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us,
who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. [NIV]

A. PROBLEM

1. Powerless law

2. Weakened flesh

B. ANSWER

1. GOD did something

a. The Triune God

b. The Sovereign God

c. The Grace of God

d. The Love of God

e. The Power of God

2. He sent His own Son

3. In the likeness of sinful flesh

4. To be a sin offering

C. RESULT

1. God dealt with our sin in the flesh

2. God fulfilled in us all the righteous requirements of the law

3. God turns us around to live according to the Spirit

John Olson

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,
because through Christ Jesus
the law of the Spirit who gives life
has set you free
from the law of sin and death.

A. THE PROBLEM: the law of sin and death

1. Sin Romans 3.23

…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…

2. Law Romans 7.7

What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not!
Indeed I would not have known what sin was
except through the law.

1 Corinthians 15:56

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.

3. Death Romans 6.23

For the wages of sin is death,
but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

B. WHERE TO FIND THE ANSWER: Christ Jesus

Ephesians 1:3

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us
in the heavenly realms with EVERY spiritual blessing IN CHRIST.

C. THE ANSWER: the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free

1. Freedom

2. Fullness of Life

3. Law [power]

4. The Spirit

a. At work in us to change us [5-13]

b. Assurance that we are children of God [14-25]

c. Help when we pray [26-27]

John Olson

The following Adult Sunday School classes are being offered this quarter -

• Galatians - Ray Scott
• Women’s Bible Memory Class - Margaret Locklair

The Grand Tour: The blessings that belong to us IN CHRIST

A. THE BEGINNING POINT: Election In Christ [Eph 1:3-4]

B. THE FOUNDATION: Redemption in Christ [Eph 1.7]

C. THE ACTUAL EXPERIENCE: Union with Christ

1. Effectual Calling [1 Cor 1.9]

2. Regeneration [Eph 2.4-5, 10]

3. Faith [Gal 2.20]

4. Justification [1 Cor 1.30]

5. Adoption [Eph 1.5]

6. Sanctification [Rom 6.5-6]

7. Perseverance [Rom 8.39]

8. Death [1 Thess 4.16]

9. Resurrection [1 Cor 15.22]

10. Glorification [Col 3.4]

John Olson

Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In ev’ry change he faithful will remain.

How Paul describes himself:

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live,
but Christ lives IN ME.
The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God,
who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

Therefore, if anyone is IN CHRIST, he is a new creation;
the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17

A. DON’T SETTLE FOR LESS THAN TRUE CHRISTIANITY

1. What falls short

a. Just being part of a church

b. Just receiving the sacraments

c. Just following the example of Jesus

2. True Christianity involves a spiritual union with Christ

a. Spiritual: internal, not just external

b. Spiritual: produced by the Spirit of God

Ephesians 3.14-17

Titus 3.5-7

B. DON’T MISS OUT ON THE MYSTERY OF TRUE CHRISTIANITY

1. Like marriage Ephesians 5.25-32

2. Like the human body Ephesians 5.22-23

C. DON’T FAIL TO ENTER INTO THE FULLNESS
OF TRUE CHRISTIANITY

1. The “way in” is the “way of faith”

2. The fullness that God has for us

a. Blessed assurance

b. Spiritual blessings

c. Blessed presence and power of Christ

John Olson

2.Turn to God
A.But You, O Lord – v.3
i.Yes – I’ve got a serious problem – But You, O Lord
ii.Stops and turns toward God
iii.Focuses away from the ‘manyness’ of the problem,
away from the self, to God

3.Focus on who God is – for you – v.3
Not looking to others (men), nor having an empty
optimism
Psalm 40.1-4 “Blessed is the one who makes the Lord
his trust”
A.Knowing who God is – God helps the helpless
“a shield” – protector
Dependence is the only requirement
B.Knowing who God is – God honors the humiliated
C.Knowing who God is – God gives hope to the
hopeless
D.Knowing who God is – God hears the prayers of
those who are distressed

4.Put your trust in the Lord
A.Actively put your faith in God
Circumstances have not changed; problems are still
there
V.5 – knowing the Lord sustains me

5.Go in the strength of the Lord
A.v.7 - Prayer
B.v.7,8 – Affirmation of faith
Romans 8.28-30
God’s character
The absolute sovereignty of God

WHO AM I when I have a really bad day?
What does GOD think of me?
What should I think about of myself?

A. FOUR GREAT WORDS

1. Condemnation
Romans 1.18; 2.5; 3.10-12; 3.23; 5.12, 18

2. No
Westminster Shorter Catechism Q.33:

…the righteousness of Christ imputed to us,
and received by faith alone.

Heidelberg Catechism Q60:

God grants and credits to me
the perfect righteousness and holiness of Christ,
as if I had never sinned nor been a sinner,
as if I had been as perfectly obedient
as Christ was obedient for me.

3. Therefore
a. Since Christ died for me 3.22-25

b. Since I am free from wrath 5.1

c. Since I am dead to sin 6.3-4

d. Since I am dead to the law 7.4

e. THEREFORE…no condemnation 8.1

4. Now
a. Not: “once upon a time”

b. Not: “will be”

c. Not: an ideal

d. Not: only on good days

e. RIGHT NOW!

B. ONE GREAT NAME

1. The Name that brings God’s grace into my life 5.21

2. The Name that brings God’s gift of life to me 6.23

3. The Name that delivers me from the law 7.25

4. The Name that delivers me from all evil 8.39

1. Anna

2. Someone’s daughter

3. Someone’s wife

4. A widow

5. Very old

6. Of the tribe of Asher

7. A prophetess

A. SHE KNEW SORROW, BUT HAS NOT GROWN BITTER

1. The joy and energy of youth

2. Something terrible happened

B. SHE HAS GROWN OLD, BUT NOT LOST HOPE

1. Don’t look back

2. Keep looking forward

C. SHE WAS LEFT BEHIND IN LIFE, BUT NOT ALONE

1. Left alone

2. But never alone

D. SHE’S USED UP HER STRENGTH, BUT NOT BECOME USELESS

1. Great joy in a priestly role: speaking to God about people

2. Great joy in a prophetic role: speaking to people about God

Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.
May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us;
establish the work of our hands for us—
yes, establish the work of our hands.

Prayer Chain - http://www.church-creek.org/mailman/listinfo/ccpprayerchain_church-creek.org

Church Creek Life - http://www.church-creek.org/mailman/listinfo/churchcreeklife_church-creek.org