Empowered by the Spirit: Living in Eternal Hope

### Summary

Good morning, Menlo Church. Today, we continue our series "Beyond the Basics" as we delve into Romans chapter 8, one of the most profound chapters in the Bible. Before diving into the scripture, I provided an update on our restorative justice process, emphasizing our commitment to making Menlo a safe place for everyone.

As we explore Romans 8, we are reminded that Jesus offers eternal hope to everyone, regardless of their past. Following Jesus is not just about a future destination but about what God wants to do in our lives today. We also discussed the dangers of following our impulses, which often lead us away from God's best for us.

Paul's letter to the Romans emphasizes the power that resides within us through the Holy Spirit. This power is not just for a select few but for all who follow Jesus. The Spirit of God dwells in us, empowering us to live differently and to face life's challenges with divine strength. This indwelling of the Holy Spirit is a mark of our belonging to Christ, a belonging that is both relational and possessive in a divine sense.

We also touched on the inevitability of death and the hope we have in Christ. Even though our bodies are decaying, the Spirit gives us life because of righteousness. This righteousness is not our own but Christ's, and it empowers us to live in a way that glorifies God.

Paul's message is clear: God's power is bigger than our problems and closer than we think. This power, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead, lives in us. It enables us to face life's challenges not with our strength but with God's. We are called to live in light of this power, to trust in God's plan, and to seek His direction in our lives.

In conclusion, the invitation is to live in the power we've been given, to trust the Holy Spirit, and to walk closely with God. Whether you've been following Jesus for moments or decades, this power is available to you. Let's embrace it and live differently because of it.

### Key Takeaways

1. **Jesus Offers Eternal Hope**: Jesus' offer of eternal hope is available to everyone, regardless of their past. This hope is not just about a future destination but about what God wants to do in our lives today. Embracing this hope transforms our present and future. [24:14]

2. **Indwelling of the Holy Spirit**: The Holy Spirit dwells in every believer, empowering us to live differently. This indwelling is not for a select few but for all who follow Jesus. It marks our belonging to Christ and enables us to face life's challenges with divine strength. [31:13]

3. **Life in the Spirit**: Living according to the Spirit means being empowered by the Holy Spirit in our daily choices. This is not about achieving moral perfection but about surrendering to God's power within us. It transforms our actions and decisions, aligning them with God's will. [38:19]

4. **God's Power in Us**: The same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in us. This power is bigger than our problems and closer than we think. It enables us to face life's challenges with confidence, knowing that God is working in and through us. [47:52]

5. **Belonging to Christ**: Our belonging to Christ is both relational and possessive in a divine sense. We are His, and this belonging comes with the promise of His power and presence in our lives. It calls us to live in light of this truth, trusting in God's plan and direction. [52:43]

### YouTube Chapters

[0:00] - Welcome
[22:52] - Restorative Justice Update
[24:14] - Eternal Hope in Jesus
[25:32] - Recap of Previous Weeks
[26:50] - Power Beyond Our Use
[28:21] - Belonging Before Belief
[29:43] - Living in the Spirit
[31:13] - Indwelling of the Holy Spirit
[32:32] - Possessive Belonging
[34:04] - Destroying Self-Righteousness
[35:27] - Reframing Our Identity
[36:49] - Finding Life in Death
[38:19] - Life in the Spirit
[39:35] - Divine Desire for Eternity
[40:55] - Ambassadors of a Different Kingdom
[42:20] - Glorifying God with Our Bodies
[43:49] - Facing Challenges with God's Power
[45:03] - Realizing the Power Within
[46:16] - Power of the Resurrection
[47:52] - Living in the Power of the Spirit
[49:21] - Divine Power for Life and Godliness
[51:20] - Following the Holy Spirit's Steps
[52:43] - Inheritance of God's Presence
[54:23] - Closing Prayer

### Bible Reading
1. Romans 8:9-11 (ESV): "You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 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 dwells in you."

### Observation Questions
1. According to Romans 8:9, what is the condition for not being "in the flesh" but "in the Spirit"?
2. What does Paul say about the body and the Spirit in Romans 8:10?
3. How does Paul describe the power of the Spirit in Romans 8:11?

### Interpretation Questions
1. What does it mean to have the Spirit of God dwelling in you, as mentioned in Romans 8:9? How does this affect a believer's identity? [31:13]
2. How does Paul’s statement in Romans 8:10 about the body being dead because of sin but the Spirit being life because of righteousness shape our understanding of Christian living? [36:49]
3. In Romans 8:11, Paul talks about the Spirit giving life to our mortal bodies. How does this promise impact our view of physical and spiritual life? [47:52]

### Application Questions
1. Reflect on the idea that Jesus offers eternal hope to everyone, regardless of their past. How does this truth affect your view of your own past and your future? [24:14]
2. The sermon emphasized the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in every believer. How can you become more aware of the Holy Spirit's presence and power in your daily life? [31:13]
3. Paul warns against following our impulses, which can lead us away from God's best. Can you identify a recent situation where following your impulses led to a negative outcome? How might you handle it differently in the future? [25:32]
4. The sermon mentioned that God's power is bigger than our problems and closer than we think. Think of a current challenge you are facing. How can you rely on God's power rather than your own strength to overcome it? [43:49]
5. The concept of belonging to Christ was described as both relational and possessive. How does this understanding of belonging change the way you view your relationship with God and others in the church? [32:32]
6. The sermon discussed the inevitability of death and the hope we have in Christ. How does this perspective influence the way you live your life today? [36:49]
7. The invitation was to live in the power we've been given and to trust the Holy Spirit. What practical steps can you take this week to walk more closely with God and live in the power of the Holy Spirit? [54:23]

### Day 1: Jesus Offers Eternal Hope
**Theme:** Eternal hope transforms our present and future.

**Description:** Jesus' offer of eternal hope is available to everyone, regardless of their past. This hope is not just about a future destination but about what God wants to do in our lives today. Embracing this hope transforms our present and future. Jesus' message is clear: no matter where you come from or what you have done, His hope is for you. This hope is not merely a distant promise but a present reality that can change how we live each day. It invites us to see our lives through the lens of God's eternal plan, giving us purpose and direction.

When we accept this hope, we begin to see our circumstances differently. We understand that our struggles and challenges are temporary and that God is working in and through them for our good. This perspective allows us to live with confidence and joy, knowing that our future is secure in Christ. Embracing this hope means trusting that God is actively involved in our lives, guiding us, and providing for us every step of the way. [24:14]

**Bible Passage:** "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." - Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV)

**Reflection:** Think about a situation in your life where you feel hopeless. How can you invite Jesus' eternal hope into that situation today?


### Day 2: Indwelling of the Holy Spirit
**Theme:** The Holy Spirit empowers us to live differently.

**Description:** The Holy Spirit dwells in every believer, empowering us to live differently. This indwelling is not for a select few but for all who follow Jesus. It marks our belonging to Christ and enables us to face life's challenges with divine strength. The presence of the Holy Spirit within us is a constant reminder that we are never alone. He guides us, comforts us, and gives us the strength to overcome obstacles that we could not face on our own.

Living with the Holy Spirit means allowing Him to influence our thoughts, actions, and decisions. It means being open to His leading and trusting that He knows what is best for us. This divine empowerment is not about achieving perfection but about surrendering to God's power within us. As we do this, we begin to see the fruit of the Spirit in our lives—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. [31:13]

**Bible Passage:** "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you." - John 14:16-17 (ESV)

**Reflection:** In what areas of your life do you need the Holy Spirit's empowerment? How can you invite Him to guide you today?


### Day 3: Life in the Spirit
**Theme:** Surrendering to God's power transforms our daily choices.

**Description:** Living according to the Spirit means being empowered by the Holy Spirit in our daily choices. This is not about achieving moral perfection but about surrendering to God's power within us. It transforms our actions and decisions, aligning them with God's will. When we live in the Spirit, we are no longer driven by our selfish desires or impulses. Instead, we seek to honor God in everything we do, trusting that His ways are higher and better than our own.

This transformation is a daily process of choosing to follow the Spirit's leading rather than our own inclinations. It requires humility and a willingness to admit that we need God's help. As we make these choices, we begin to see the impact of the Spirit's work in our lives. Our relationships improve, our attitudes change, and we experience a deeper sense of peace and fulfillment. Living in the Spirit is about allowing God's power to shape us into the people He created us to be. [38:19]

**Bible Passage:** "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do." - Galatians 5:16-17 (ESV)

**Reflection:** What is one specific area of your life where you struggle to follow the Spirit's leading? How can you surrender this area to God today?


### Day 4: God's Power in Us
**Theme:** God's power within us is greater than our challenges.

**Description:** The same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in us. This power is bigger than our problems and closer than we think. It enables us to face life's challenges with confidence, knowing that God is working in and through us. This divine power is not something we have to earn or strive for; it is a gift given to us through our relationship with Christ. It is a constant source of strength and encouragement, reminding us that we are not alone in our struggles.

When we tap into this power, we can face even the most difficult situations with hope and courage. We can trust that God is in control and that He is using our circumstances to shape us and grow us. This power is not just for overcoming external challenges but also for transforming our inner lives. It helps us to break free from negative patterns, to heal from past wounds, and to become more like Christ in our character and actions. [47:52]

**Bible Passage:** "Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen." - Ephesians 3:20-21 (ESV)

**Reflection:** What is one challenge you are currently facing? How can you rely on God's power within you to overcome it?


### Day 5: Belonging to Christ
**Theme:** Our divine belonging calls us to trust in God's plan.

**Description:** Our belonging to Christ is both relational and possessive in a divine sense. We are His, and this belonging comes with the promise of His power and presence in our lives. It calls us to live in light of this truth, trusting in God's plan and direction. Being in a relationship with Christ means that we are not just followers but also beloved children of God. This identity shapes how we see ourselves and how we live our lives.

Knowing that we belong to Christ gives us a sense of security and purpose. It reminds us that we are part of a larger story, one that God is writing for His glory and our good. This belonging is not based on our performance or worthiness but on God's grace and love. It invites us to trust Him fully, to seek His guidance, and to rest in His promises. As we embrace our identity in Christ, we find the strength to live out our faith with boldness and joy. [52:43]

**Bible Passage:** "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." - 1 Peter 2:9 (ESV)

**Reflection:** How does knowing that you belong to Christ change the way you view your current circumstances? What steps can you take to trust in God's plan for your life today?

This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Please be seated.

Well, good morning, Menlo Church, and welcome back to our series called Beyond the Basics as we study through Romans chapter 8 this summer, one of the most profound chapters in the entire Bible. Welcome to all of our Bay Area campuses in Saratoga, Mountain View, Menlo Park, San Mateo, and those of you joining us online. We're so glad that you are here.

Now, before we begin our message today, I wanted to update you on the restorative justice process related to the conversation about reports of abuse from decades ago that we actually started talking about as a community about 18 months ago and have sort of been updating you along the way in partnership with a restorative justice organization.

We have had six listening sessions to better understand the feedback from those within and beyond Menlo to inform our education and the steps to improve moving forward. As a part of this process, from these listening sessions with staff, elders, congregants, as well as primary and secondary survivors, a public report has been compiled.

While the report does not include specifics in relation to those who caused harm nor specific incidents of harm, it does provide a general understanding of the importance of the specific perspective from those in the listening sessions and direction for the next steps and the type of training that staff and key leaders will begin to receive this fall to better equip us in the event of any future survivors coming forward and to help us make Menlo the safest place possible in the communities that we serve.

That report is available to anyone. If you would like to review it or any of the updates in the last 18 months, you can go to menlo.church/rj for all of that information.

Now, as we return to the book of Romans today, I would wonder, would you pray with me for the survivors, the work ahead, as well as the inner work that God may want to do in each one of us through the process together? Would you pray with me?

God, thank you so much. Thank you that even when we look back and see things that we would want to reverse if we could, that there is learning, that there is healing, that there is hope available. And so I pray that as we continue to navigate difficult conversations with openness and honesty, trying to provide a space for survivors to come forward, that God, your hand of healing would be present in that, that we would learn and continue to get better as a community as a result.

I pray, God, that even personally, as we return to the words of the Apostle Paul, inspired by your Holy Spirit, that you would help shape us today for the challenges that we know are coming and the ones we don't yet know. God, be with us now. It's in Jesus' name. Amen.

So over the past couple of weeks, we've been digging into this chapter of Romans 8, and we've been discovering a couple of really important aspects of pursuing Jesus that will help us understand the verses that we're going to study today.

First, Jesus offers eternal hope to everyone. Even if you're not a follower of Jesus, you feel like, man, I walked away years ago. It's still available to you today. That's really good news.

Jesus is a direction and a destination. It's not just about where we go someday. It's about what God wants to do in our life today. And then third, choosing to follow our impulses is deadly. The things that we're sort of naturally wanting to do are often not good for us at all.

Obviously, that's a pretty simple overview, but without it, the next few verses may feel extra confusing. And if you're coming back, maybe into town and you've been away on vacation, or maybe somebody invited you today and you haven't been to church before or haven't been to church in a long time, I would say welcome or welcome back to you. We're so glad that you're here. You can catch up with us from these first couple weeks online.

And if this is interesting to you, I would highly encourage you to do that because these concepts build on each other and the context, the circumstances from within which this letter was written, is really important to add an even deeper level of understanding to the verses that we're studying.

Last week, I talked about cars a little bit as a parallel to how we think about the fuel that we put into our minds. And I mentioned that I drive a car that doesn't take gas. Some of you noticed that reference and emailed me about it. I have been driving an electric or hybrid car of some variety for almost 20 years. There are lots of reasons for it.

When we lived in Colorado, I was driving a Tesla Model Y, which is what I drove then. I know what you're thinking, you know, it's cool. It's fine. It's great. In Colorado, that was like a statement. People are like, whoa, a Tesla. Here, Model Y is like, I've heard Silicon Valley's Corolla, right? Like just they're kind of everywhere. It's a funny distinction.

But I actually have a little bit of a bone to pick if you are a Silicon Valley Tesla driver. I'm not going to ask you to raise hands. I'm just going to assume it's about three quarters of you. You have one of the fastest accelerating cars ever made. But you'd never know it.

I'm joking a little, but like it's a funny contrast when I drive around Silicon Valley. I'll sit next to someone at a red light and when it turns green, I don't know that I could make my car move as slow as you go. So seriously, drive however you want. God is definitely growing my patience on California roads as a result. I don't know about you.

Now, this idea of something having more power than we use, it isn't just limited to our cars. The Apostle Paul is writing to the church at Rome and he wants them to understand the types of choices that they make are not just sort of natural expressions of their worldview with natural consequences from their choices, but that these choices reveal the power that we are under and the power that is within us.

That's what we've been looking at together. And over the next three years, we will discover that God's power is bigger than your problems and closer than you think. And look, I know for you that may feel flippant and you go, you feel you don't know what I'm facing right now. You don't know what I'm going through. And that's true. I don't, but God does.

And I'm more confident of this truth, regardless of your personal circumstances, than I have ever been in my life before. One of the things that we say a lot at Menlo is that we want to be a place where people can belong before they believe. And I love seeing so many of you make space in your life as followers of Jesus for men and women, for students, for boys and girls who are not followers of Jesus yet, to be in relationship and connected to you.

I love seeing some of you who are not sure about following Jesus yet really experience this place and some of the weirdness of what church can be. It's beautiful. Paul's going to talk about something related to belonging that's a little bit different though. He's going to talk about the unique way of belonging within belief. And it's different than you think.

Paul introduces the idea this way. And if you weren't here last week and you're like, what is this? It's just a big iPad. Don't worry about it. It's totally fine. And he breaks it down this way. He says, you, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if in fact, the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

Last week, we talked about a few principles of the way we study the Bible. And so if you just drop into chapter eight, verse nine, you're going to look at this and go, whoa, what is this pointing back to? However, from what? What is he talking about?

And last week, we looked at this passage right here. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law. Indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. And so as we looked at this, we talked about the way that Paul kind of creates these building elements throughout the pages and the verses that he writes, particularly in the book of Romans, where because of this, this is true, that we're not one level of effort away, that if we're not followers of Jesus, it's actually impossible for us to live a life that pleases God.

And so as he's writing that, you can kind of hear people go, whoa, what does this mean for me? And that's how we get to where we just were. That's when he says, you, however, are not in the flesh, like good, but in the Spirit. And then he uses something that we look at here, and it's really important that we identify it.

He says, if, like, you're not in the flesh if, in fact, the Spirit of God dwells in you. This is not varsity Christianity. This is not for the super select. This is if you're a follower of Jesus, the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

And we're going to talk about why this is different here in just a second. So as we look at this and we think about it, this might feel confusing, but remember the circumstances that we find ourselves in. The Apostle Paul is writing to a group of people in the church at Rome that is likely a network of house churches of maybe a few hundred people that he has never personally met.

And so he's writing these ideas of trying to give a positive assumption of Christianity. And he's writing these ideas of trying to give a positive assumption but also trying to be clear about the conditions that happen when we're Christians. Paul makes this quick connection that would be easy for us to miss, but I think it's really important for us to highlight.

Scholar N.T. Wright, he sort of communicates it this way, that for you and me, when we choose to follow Jesus, we are indwelled by the Holy Spirit. That's not like a certain group, that's not a certain percentage, that when you choose to follow Jesus, the Spirit of God lives in you.

And then beyond that, the sort of this choice, when I live according to the Spirit, I'm not just indwelled by the Holy Spirit, but I'm choosing to be empowered by the Holy Spirit. That's such an important distinction for us, that we don't just call ourselves Christians, but we say, God, I'm going to live empowered by your Spirit.

These are all aspects of belonging to Christ. And this isn't about a relational connection. This isn't about being a part of community. We really do want Menlo to be a place that you can belong before you ever believe, even if you never believe. I'd love for this to be a place that you can belong relationally.

This is about actually something bigger than just relational. This type of belonging is possessive in a divine sense, that we are actually Jesus' possession, and we want to be that. This is what it means to be in Christ, where we started in Romans 8, where he'll finish at the end of Romans 8, that we would be found in Christ, that there are key benefits to not being ourselves, to not being owned by ourselves, but being owned, being found in Jesus.

Some of this gets mapped out throughout the rest of the letter to the church at Rome, but just what we've already studied in just a handful of verses, we know that when we belong to Christ, we glorify God, that actually God gets credit for our life. We're made to do that, that we no longer need to be ruled by passions, that we have, because of the Spirit living in us, to live differently, that we are heirs of eternity.

We actually have this amazing eternal inheritance available, and that we have been raised and will be raised to new life. So if we never get to any other verses, if all we know is what we've been through so far, we already know those really good things. And if you don't know that, if you're not a follower of Jesus yet, all those could be true of you today if you made a choice to believe and follow him.

There's a reassuring sense of belonging without belief, for sure, but there's an even greater sense of belonging within belief. And I've been praying that you don't miss that, especially if you're a follower of Jesus who's trying to figure out what this series means for you.

In his book on Martin Luther, scholar Carl Truman makes a strong case that the task of the preacher, therefore, is to take the Bible and to do two things in every sermon. One, destroy self-righteousness, and two, point hearers toward the alien external righteousness of Christ. That's the job every time we show up together.

This concept of being found in Jesus and seeking more than anything else a righteousness that comes from and flows from his righteousness is core to Paul's words for you and me here and throughout the entire letter. Surrendering whatever self-constructed view of your own identity to Jesus, and seeking more than anything else to surrender it to who we are in Jesus is the path towards life for all of us.

A few years ago, I found out that my last name, Eubank, is made up. Seriously, my grandmother, she didn't know or want to reveal who my grandfather was, so she made up the last name on my dad's birth certificate. I wasn't putting a lot of stock in my last name anyway, if you know a lot about my story, but it still makes you think, right? You're like, well, who am I really? Like, well, what is all that connected to?

Maybe for you, it's not your last name, it's your workplace, it's a school that you graduated from, it's some sort of status that you've achieved. And God is asking you, he's not saying, would you remove that part of who you are? Would you erase it? He's saying, would you let me reframe it? Would you let me inform it underneath my leadership, underneath my lordship of your life?

That he would inform every part of who we are because we are his. And it's so much better that way. See, Paul continues in verse 10 by focusing on something that may not feel particularly good initially, but it's really helpful, and that is finding life in death.

There's an inevitability of death that we can feel unless Christ were to return beforehand. But in life, we all have moments that remind us of just how temporary this life and our reality in it really is. In just the last few years, I've lost my dad, my grandmother, my mom, and my brother.

And the timing may have been unexpected, but not the fact that we live in bodies that are fading and failing. Even though we say something like, we're all mortal, really what it means is we're all human. That word mortal comes from the word mortality, which communicates the inevitability of death.

And with that cheery reminder, let's look at Paul's next words for us right here. He says it this way, but if Christ is in you, there's that language again. And when we see these words right here, if you're a nerd, this one is called an adversative conjunction. So he's saying, instead of what we just read, here's a new thing.

This one is called an inferential conjunction, which could be translated since. So, but since Christ is in you, he's making a positive assumption about you. He's saying, because you're a follower of Jesus, Christ is in you. Although your body is dead, it doesn't mean that it's instantly dead. It means it's decaying as a result of sin, because of sin, not just your personal choices, but the condition of the world.

The Spirit, God's Spirit in you, is life. It's pure life because of righteousness. Not our righteousness, but Jesus' righteousness, right? When we see this, that's what Paul's trying to awaken in us. And even though we are in this body, we're not just in this body, we're in this body that can feel the aches and pains of every different part of our life, that the Spirit also lives in us if we're followers of Jesus.

And it's pure life, no matter your age, no matter your stage, no matter how long you've been following Jesus, not because of your righteousness. Thank God that this is not dependent on our moment-by-moment moral perfection. Thank God. But rather, belonging to Christ, and therefore, his righteousness on our behalf.

I turned 40 last year, and I know at Menlo, making that disclosure, some of you think that makes me old enough to maybe retire. You're like, why are you still working? And others of you are surprised that I'm old enough to drive. That's like the context that we live in. I've come to grips with it.

But I found some funny posts from social media this week that point to the inevitability that Paul is talking about that I feel as a 40-year-old now. It's this thing called welcome to your 40s. So here are just a few of them.

Welcome to your 40s. Your back now hurts from sleeping. That's a fun new experience, for sure. Welcome to your 40s. You now think every car has its brights on. That's 100% true. Welcome to your 40s. You now calculate property damage during action movies. Like 20 years ago, I'm like, hit that car. And I'm like, come on, that guy's got a deductible. Just swerve a little, you know?

And then finally, welcome to your 40s. Your childhood soundtrack can now be found on the oldies station, right? Maybe for you, you have some connections like that. You feel that way.

We've talked about how we're not going to be able to do that. We're going to in Silicon Valley, there is an obsession with aging billionaires who are trying to achieve immortality because they get to a certain place where the last thing that they feel like they can't control is the inevitability of their own death.

And so they spend tons of money trying to extend their life and capacity. And actually, that desire is a divine desire. You are made to live forever, but it cannot be satisfied by your own self-constructed identity or achievement. Like Paul is saying here, Paul, by the way, is so strong about this idea as he's writing about it, that our flesh is broken and the spirit is what fuels us, that an ancient heresy called Gnosticism became a prominent lie that was being accepted in parts of the early church that taught the simple and damaging idea that anything physical was bad and anything spiritual was good.

Now, there are still places where this false teaching creeps up today. One of the easiest places to spot it is the idea that becoming a Christian means very little about the kind of choices that I make in my life. That's about securing something someday, not what God wants to do in my life today.

That what I want to do in my life, the choices that I want to make, that what I do with my body, that how I care for the world around me, it doesn't matter because after all, this world is going to get vaporized and I'll be in heaven. That is, I believe, an expression of Gnosticism.

The problem is that we're ambassadors of a different kingdom. That we're working for the good of this world right now. As a matter of fact, God doesn't promise to vaporize this world. He promises to perfectly and permanently restore it forever. And it will be that you and I live in the new heavens and the new earth forever. We should want to be good stewards of the world around us today.

Another way that we struggle with Gnosticism today is shared with the church in Corinth in the first century where Paul writes several letters. We have this phrase in America, where we will say, it's a free... That was good. That's better than 8:30. Don't tell them.

We live in a free country. In Corinth, they had their own version of that phrase. Their version was, all things are lawful for me. And Paul, in writing in the letter to the church at Corinth in 1 Corinthians, he is referring back to that argument. And he says, or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?

And then he says this phrase that's slightly countercultural. He says, you are not your own, which feels very strange to us. You were bought with a price. Therefore, glorify God with your body. This idea that we can do whatever we want, that it doesn't matter and that God doesn't care what we do with our body because spirit is good and flesh, body, physical is evil. That's just not true.

And so this idea that like God purchased you. He purchased me from the weight and consequences of our sin is central to the idea of the gospel. And as a result, if you follow Jesus, you belong to him forever. He bought you.

As a result, the temple, once a place where people went, is now the place where God sent his spirit directly to live and empower each and every one of us. And we live in light of it. Some of you have the Holy Spirit living inside of you, but you'd never know. No one's ever told your face. No one's ever told the way you live your life.

But Paul is saying we should live in light of the gratitude for the weight that Jesus has taken for us. Every problem that you have right now can remind you of a promise of renewal, that your failing body will be restored, that the world you feel abandoned by will be made right, and your inability to live fully and faithfully under God's influence will find its full and final place of rest in God.

That's the good news. Paul is setting the stage for later on in the chapter, but I'll give you a little bit of a hint. Your problems don't surprise God. None of them have caught him off guard, even if they've caught you off guard. And even though he longs for you and me to live in a world without problems, without pain, without suffering, in the meantime, he has a plan to bring glory to himself and others into relationship with himself because of the way you face pain, not pleasure.

Because of the way you and I interact with each other, because of the way you and I interact with each other, we face challenges, not comfort. That actually God is using these things on purpose that, empowered by the Spirit, you might live differently. Remember where we started. God's power is bigger than your problems and closer than you think.

No matter how big the challenges are in front of you, God's power is within you. And his power is working even beyond your capacity to comprehend it. Aren't you glad for that? Finally, verse 11 is going to show us that power isn't your problem.

It's easy to ask God for the power to get through your day or to face the obstacles that are getting in your way. And that's okay. You can do that. But I told you already, what would it mean if in your life you really believed that you had all the power you ever needed?

That if instead of saying, God, would you give me the power to do this? We said, God, would you help me to realize the power you've already given me? As I've gotten older, my travel routine has gotten a little bit more particular. And I've gotten a little bit more familiar with the power of God. And I've gotten a little bit more finicky. My wife might say more curmudgeonly.

And one of the things about that for me is chargers, like how I charge my phone and stuff when I travel. Those of you who bring your one and only phone charger or laptop charger with you on the road, and you just have such personal and supreme confidence that you will use, not lose, and remember to bring back those things into your regular life, you are a superhero. Incredible. I am not one of you.

And so for me, years ago, I purchased a phone charger and a laptop charger that just live in my travel bag. So I don't have to undo my normal setup. So I don't worry that if I leave it behind in a hotel or Airbnb, that I'm going to be without this charger in my life when I get back.

And it's a small thing, but it makes a big difference. I say all that because I think for some of us, we feel like we have this kind of spiritual power that's connected to these very specific daily routines. And without them, kind of like without these little spiritual chargers in our life, we are left without spiritual power.

But our connection to God is a lot different than that. You can't forget to bring it with you. You don't have to worry about leaving it behind. Now, don't get me wrong. Spiritual practices are profoundly important. They're important for all of us who are choosing to follow Jesus, but they're not things that we do so that God's power will come into us.

No, no, no, no. They are things that we do that we would be reminded that we are in Christ and that we already have all the power to do that. And that's what we're that we ever need.

See, Paul describes this nuance this way in the next verse in Romans 8. He says, remember this word here, if, is an inferential conjunction. He's saying, since the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead, Heavenly Father, dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies, through His Spirit that dwells in you.

And so we see this very unique promise in the midst of these verses that the God of the universe put the power to raise the Son of God from the dead inside of each and every one of us. This phrase, in Christ, in Christ, in Christ, or some sort of makeup of that shows up so many times throughout Romans 8.

But this phrasing for Jesus in the original language, this is the one and only time that Paul uses it in the entire chapter. It's as though he's saying, like, God the Father took God the Son, fully God and fully man, and brought Him back from the dead. That takes a lot of power.

And not only does that same God love you, but the same power He did that with, He placed in you. Even if you aren't a Christian or a Bible person, this verse jumps off the page. The foundation of our faith is that Jesus Christ didn't stay dead. He really came back from the dead, literally raised from the dead.

And here Paul is clarifying that that same power that raised Him from the dead lives in you and me. He's been building this argument over the first 11 verses of the chapter, and we choose where we live from, right? From the impulses of our sinful flesh with the consequences that come from that, or within the identity of Christ, shaping our decisions, and the Holy Spirit empowering those choices in our everyday life.

If you look at this, and you've been with us, you go, Phil, this way of living, according to the Spirit, it's really difficult. Oh, it's actually worse than that. It's impossible. Apart from the Holy Spirit of God living inside of you, it is impossible.

But because of this power, this power that runs through your veins, what difference might it make? What would change if you believed these words in your life? That even with your diagnosis, even with the things you wish you could change about yourself, even with the limitations as you compare yourself to others, the resurrection power of the Creator of the universe is pulsing through your veins right now.

When we understand the power that runs through us and the God that has our back, it brings us to an even deeper level of appreciation for what it is God promises to deliver in you and me. One of the most famous passages about this is actually written by the Apostle Peter in 1st Corinthians.

When he says this, he says, you can see this way that Peter is building on the argument. This divine power, the same power that Paul's talking about, allows all of this to happen. You already have all that you need to experience these realities. What would happen if we really believed that? What would happen if we really lived like that?

This isn't talking about someone you know. It's not just about the first-century church. This is about you too. The Holy Spirit has been granted to specific people for only certain periods of time at this point, including King David. And what we see is it looks very conditional. It looks very temporary.

But it's all different because of Jesus. That now it's offered to you and me permanently. Not because you've done something, but because Jesus did everything.

I remember walking through the snow when our oldest, who's now 14, was four years old. And I didn't realize it, but when I looked back, he was waiting for me to step because he was stepping into my footprints. Because his legs were short. Now he's taller than me.

As someone who experienced a challenging childhood, it was a really hopeful picture of what fatherhood could look like in my life. If you're looking for them, we will find the steps of the Holy Spirit in front of us, showing us how to walk.

We're going to walk in steps this week. What it looks like to trust him for direction and power and enablement. You don't have to know where he's leading you. You don't have to know the destination. You don't have to know how he's going to use the circumstances, but you can trust that he will.

Author Ann Voskamp puts it this way. She says, God's purposes are not for me to understand his plans. His plan is for me to understand who he is. What Jesus is doing to shape you and how you learn more of who he is, really that is what's underneath all the questions we have about why and what's next and can you give me the full picture.

You are heirs of this divine power and people of a greater plan because of Jesus. You can live differently. You can love differently. You can leave a different impact because God's power is bigger than your problems and closer than you think.

A couple of years ago when my grandmother died, I got a call from my aunt and my dad had already died and now what was designated for him would pass on to be divided between my siblings and myself. I never really knew my grandmother. She didn't raise my dad, but there was an inheritance that we would receive as a result of her passing.

For some of you today, it's kind of like you got a call from the Holy Spirit and you were notified that you have inherited the presence of God himself, the power of God living inside of you if you've chosen to follow Jesus. And if you haven't yet, this is what really it means, that you and I would choose to set aside what we can do to turn and accept and experience God forever, that we would acknowledge our own shortcomings and we would believe that Jesus really is who he says he is, fully God and fully man.

That he really did live the perfect life on our behalf, die in our place and come back from the grave. That if I choose to follow him, I'll experience a different and abundant life today, even when challenges come, and an eternal life waiting.

That's the good news that Jesus offers to each and every one of us. That's the good news that we see over and over and over again in Romans 8. See, God, who would empower kings to lead armies with the power of the Holy Spirit, has placed that spirit in each and every follower of Jesus today, whether you've been following him for moments, days, or decades.

And the invitation of studies like this one is to ask ourselves, are we living in light of the power we've been given? Can I pray for you?

God, we face choices and challenges today and this week that, if we're honest, we just know that there are going to be things about it that become pain points and challenges. And they really quickly show us whether we're depending on our flesh or we're trusting your spirit.

And I pray, God, that more and more we would trust your spirit, that the people that come to mind right now, the people that come to mind right now, the people that come to mind now as men and women who are so faithful to follow you while imperfect, that, God, we would think about their example as examples of what it means to trust you more.

And as we're reminded through the act of communion, your incredible sacrifice for us, would you help those of us who know you to walk with you more closely because of it? And, God, would you help those who have walked away to be welcomed back? And for those, God, who have never chosen to follow you, God, would you just woo them?

By the power of your love into this incredible life with you. God, we give all this to you. It's in Jesus' name. Amen.

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "First, Jesus offers eternal hope to everyone. Even if you're not a follower of Jesus, you feel like, man, I walked away years ago. It's still available to you today. That's really good news. Jesus is a direction and a destination. It's not just about where we go someday. It's about what God wants to do in our life today." [24:14] (19 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


2. "One of the things that we say a lot at Menlo is that we want to be a place where people can belong before they believe. And I love seeing so many of you, make space in your life as followers of Jesus for men and women, for students, for boys and girls who are not followers of Jesus yet, to be in relationship and connected to you." [28:21] (18 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


3. "If you don't know that, if you're not a follower of Jesus yet, all those could be true of you today, if you made a choice to believe. Follow him. There's a reassuring sense of belonging without belief, for sure, but there's an even greater sense of belonging within belief." [34:04] (16 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


4. "Even if you aren't a Christian or a Bible person, this verse jumps off the page. The foundation of our faith, is that Jesus Christ didn't stay dead. He really came back from the dead, literally raised from the dead. And here Paul is clarifying that that same power that raised Him from the dead lives in you and me." [47:52] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


5. "That's the good news that Jesus offers to each and every one of us. That's the good news that we see over and over and over again in Romans 8. See, God, who would empower kings to lead armies with the power of the Holy Spirit, has placed that spirit in each and every follower of Jesus today, whether you've been following him for moments, days, or decades." [52:43] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


### Quotes for Members

1. "The Apostle Paul is writing to the church at Rome and he wants them to understand the types of choices that they make are not just sort of natural expressions of their worldview with natural consequences from their choices, but that these choices reveal the power that we are under and the power that is within us." [26:50] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


2. "Surrendering whatever self-constructed view of your own identity to Jesus, and surrendering it to who we are in Jesus is the path towards life for all of us." [35:27] (12 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


3. "Every problem that you have right now can remind you of a promise of renewal, that your failing body will be restored, that the world you feel abandoned by will be made right, and your inability to live fully and faithfully under God's influence will find its full and final place of rest in God. That's the good news." [43:49] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


4. "Remember where we started. God's power is bigger than your problems and closer than you think. No matter how big the challenges are in front of you, God's power is within you. And his power is working even beyond your capacity to comprehend it. Aren't you glad for that?" [43:49] (17 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


5. "You are heirs of this divine power and people of a greater plan because of Jesus. You can live differently. You can love differently. You can leave a different impact because God's power is bigger than your problems and closer than you think." [51:20] (-1445 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)