By design our musical Celebration of Christ's
Resurrection is a bit extended this morning but
we do want to take a few moments to focus on
a passage from God's Word. I invite you to turn
to Romans chapter 8 where we'll look at verses
11 and then 16 and 17. Romans chapter 8 beginning
in verse 11. But if the Spirit of him who raised
Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised
Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life
to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who
indwells you." Now verse 16, the Spirit himself
bears witness with our spirits that we are the
children of God and if children, heirs also.
heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ if
indeed we suffer with him in order that we may
also be glorified together. The glorious event
of the resurrection of Jesus Christ happened
2 ,000 years ago. That's a long time. But it's
not an occurrence that is isolated or disconnected
from us in 1994. On the first Sunday of Easter,
Jesus Christ rose from the dead and began a parade
of the redeemed following him into heaven. He
is the forerunner who has entered heaven for
us. And so for the last 2 ,000 years the vast
army of the redeemed has marched victoriously
behind him from this world into the next under
the banner of his cross. Today, we follow in
the train of millions of people who have lived
before us, who have believed on Jesus Christ,
fought the good fight of faith, kept the holy
faith, and then filed onward to join the captain
of our salvation in His heavenly glory. Jesus
Christ is leading a grand procession of His people,
the children of God. He and they are united in
every experience in life. As we look at our text
we notice three experiences in particular that
are shared by Jesus Christ and his people. The
first is that Christ suffered. Verse 11 says
that he died, he suffered unto death. Christ
suffered, God's children, likewise will suffer
for him. The suffering I'm talking about is not
having a bad day, coming down with some disease,
or having a flat tire on vacation. The suffering
I'm talking about here from Romans chapter 8
is not the cancellation of your favorite TV show.
The suffering that is mentioned in Romans chapter
8 is the suffering that comes to us because of
our faith in Christ and the life values which
that faith entails. This persecution or harassment
of God's children is to be expected in this world.
Jesus said, if you were of the world, the world
would love its own. But because you are not of
the world, But I chose you out of the world,
therefore the world hates you. If they persecuted
me, they will also persecute you." In light of
this, Peter wrote, If you are reviled for the
name of Christ, you are blessed. If anyone suffers
as a Christian, let him not feel ashamed, but
in that name let him glorify God. Christ suffered,
God's children suffer also for Him in this world.
That oppression of suffering comes in many different
ways. It can come in a physical sense with beatings,
jail, death, or as we see in the case of our
missionary, being held captive, kidnapped. The
suffering can come in a social way. as most of
us have experienced at some time or another with
a look of disdain toward us, or words of ridicule
or rejection by our peers. This oppression can
come in an economic way, as one who is faithful
to Jesus Christ is not promoted, or he has refused
consideration of a job because of his faith.
You say that doesn't happen. It does happen and
it's happened to people in our congregation in
the last year The Apostle Paul said for to you
it has been granted for Christ's sake Not only
to believe on him But also to suffer for his
sake Just as we have been given the gracious
gift of salvation through our faith in Christ,
we have been graciously given by God the privilege
of suffering, shame in this world for Christ's
sake. He suffered in our place on the cross in
a way that could never be repeated. And yet there
is a sense in which we also suffer in His place
in the world every day. because we belong to
Him and are united with Him. Jesus Christ suffered
in this world and those who are the children
of God will suffer for Him as well. And may I
say that never are believers closer to Christ
than when we suffer for His sake. There's a second
experience that we share with Him. Christ was
glorified. and God's children will be glorified
with him. Jesus said, was it not necessary, was
it not essential for the Christ to suffer these
things and to enter into his glory? You see,
there was a divine order. It is an order that
extends till this day. It is Suffering first,
glory later. We would like to dispense with the
suffering and get on with the glory, but that
isn't God's plan. Suffering comes now, glory
comes later. And just as surely as Christ was
glorified, so will God's children be glorified
with Him. Peter said the Spirit of Christ predicted
the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.
Yes, we may suffer for Christ in this world,
but the fact is that we're leaving this world
one day to be glorified with Christ in heaven.
Jesus' glory began with his resurrection. Twice
in verse 11, the fact that he was raised from
the dead is said. As surely as He was raised
from the dead, so will we be raised from the
dead. He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead
will also give life to your mortal bodies, He
says. These are the mortal bodies, the ones that
we live in. They are subject to death. Our bodies
decay. They become sick. eventually they die,
they are mortal. But the one who raised Jesus
Christ from the dead, that is the Father, will
also raise us from the dead in a different kind
of body, recognizable but fundamentally different,
a glorified body, one that will never be subject
to decay, disease, or death. Christ was glorified
and we who know Jesus Christ will one day be
resurrected with a glorified body just like his.
For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all shall
be made alive. But each in his own order, Christ
the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's
at his coming. Just as it was impossible for
the grave to hold Jesus, so it is impossible
that the grave can hold the body of those who
have been redeemed by Jesus. Christ was glorified
and God's children will be glorified with him
one day in heaven. On this Easter, if you are
thinking of someone who worshipped here with
you last year, whom you knew or loved, or someone
in your more distant past who has died and gone
on to be with Christ, rejoice this Easter in
the hope that is ours. In that Jesus Christ has
risen from the dead and because He lives, we
too shall live. And your own mortal body will
one day be changed to be like His. That is your
hope in Christ. Not a hope in the sense of it's
something you wish would happen. but a hope in
the sense of something you know will happen.
There's a third experience that arises in our
text that we share with Christ. Christ suffered,
we suffer. He was glorified, we shall be glorified.
Third, Christ is heir and God's children are
heirs with Him. Jesus Christ is the heir of everything.
Everything. All that is in creation belongs to
Him by right of inheritance. He is the heir of
all things. And we who are in Christ, we who
have believed and received Him as Lord and Savior,
are said to be, in verse 17, not only children
because of our faith, but heirs also. Yes, he
says, even fellow heirs with Jesus Christ. Now
you stop to think about that for a moment. With
Jesus Christ, we too will inherit all things.
Everything. When it says that we are co -heirs
with Christ, it suggests the fact that He will
receive His inheritance when all of His co -heirs
are present with Him. We all have to be there
together when the will is opened and the inheritance
is distributed. That's a lot to look forward
to. There was a headline in the newspaper some
time ago that said winners only hope a long life.
The story went on to tell about a man who had
won $1 ,250 ,000 in some contest. The winnings
would be paid to him in annual payments of $62
,500 for 20 years. His only problem was that
he was 68 years old. The bottom line of the article
stated, I just hope I live long enough to get
all of them. You can understand his hopes and
his dilemma. Let me tell you something. We who
are the heirs of God and who are joint heirs
with Jesus Christ have all of eternity to enjoy
our spiritual inheritance. It will just keep
coming and coming. coming forever and forever.
What guarantee do we have that we are God's children?
What assurance do we as God's children have that
our suffering in this world will lead to glory?
Well, he tells us that it's the Holy Spirit in
both cases. In the first place, it is the Holy
Spirit who bears witness with our spirit that
we are the children of God. Do you have that
witness of the Spirit of God within this morning?
Or is there a question mark in your life? God
doesn't want us to live with question marks,
especially this one. You see, we can have an
exclamation point in our lives knowing that we
are the children of God. Earlier in this chapter
it says that if a person does not have the Holy
Spirit, he is not God's child. You say, how can
I have the Holy Spirit? How can I have the assurance
that I'm God's child? The answer is very simple.
It is to turn from your sin in repentance and
to come to Jesus Christ in simple faith. It means
more than just knowing about Jesus or even singing
Easter songs, it means to open the heart and
to give one's life to Him and at the same point
receive Him as Lord and Savior of the life. That's
how we become the children of God. And when we
receive Him, the Holy Spirit begins His work
inside of us, witnessing to us, you're a child
of God. You're a child of God. I hope that that's
an assurance that you possess, and that if you
don't possess it this morning, you would trust
Jesus Christ as your own Lord and Savior, that
you may have that assurance from the God Spirit.
What guarantee do we have that we are going to
receive glory for our suffering? Well if you
have the Holy Spirit residing in you as a child
of God, the Holy Spirit is a down payment of
all of the inheritance that is to come. He Himself
is the guarantee from God that you will receive
the glory. of God with Jesus Christ as his co
-heir. And there is nothing on earth or in hell
that can keep you from that inheritance, because
the Spirit of God is the seal within you, guaranteeing
that one day you will arrive there. And because
you are already named as a co -heir with Jesus
Christ, you must be there. So that he then can
receive all things as part of his inheritance
No wonder we sing hallelujah No wonder we sing
of him who is the king of kings and the Lord
of lords on This day we celebrate the cross we
lift it high the cross is empty. He has paid
the price for our sin at the cross He has been
buried in the grave. He has resided there for
three days and three nights. But now on this
first day of the week we celebrate that he is
alive. He has been raised from the dead. And
the Holy Spirit who dwells in our hearts says,
yes. Amen. He is yours. You are his. And all
of the experiences of life and all of the experiences
of eternity. You as a child of God share with
Him who is the resurrected King. Let's pray.
In the quietness of this moment, if you do not
know Jesus Christ as your Savior, would you as
an act of faith just pray silently within your
own heart, Lord Jesus Christ, I need you, I want
you. cleanse me of my sin and my guilt. I believe
that you died for me and rose again from the
dead and I receive you right now into my life.
The Spirit of God will begin witnessing with
your spirit that you're God's child. And those
of us this morning who are the children of God,
let us rejoice. Let our hearts be lifted high
on this day. that Jesus lives and we live in
him. God, we give praise and thanks to you for
him who is our King and who is the King of kings
and the Lord of lords. Hallelujah. Amen.