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Aug 13, 2023

Fight to Follow from a Filial Affection

Fight to Follow from a Filial Affection

Passage: Romans 8:12-17

Speaker: Patrick Lafferty

Series: That’s the Spirit: Learning to keep in step with Him who indwells

Keywords: children, spirit, flesh, deeds, abba

During–let’s call it what it was–her trespass into the domicile of a family of bears, Goldilocks found one bed too hard, another too soft, and a third just right. In the law of God there’s a way of going too hard on sin. In the grace of God there’s a way of going too soft on sin. But in the Spirit there’s a way of viewing, avoiding, and repenting of sin that’s “just right.”

Readings & Scriptures

PREPARATION: Jeremiah 9:23-24
LEADER: Thus says the LORD:

ALL: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches,

LEADER: but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth.

ALL: For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.”

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH/SCRIPTURE READING/CORPORATE PRAYER: Mark 14:26-36
LEADER: And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 27 And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ 28 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” 29 Peter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” 30 And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” 31 But he said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same. Mark 14:32 And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. 34 And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.” 35 And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36 And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” 37 And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? 38 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

CENTRAL TEXT: Romans 8:12-17
So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

BENEDICTION: Numbers 6:24-26
LEADER: The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace

RELATED SCRIPTURES:

  • Psalm 3:4 
  • Mark 10:39
  • Mark 14:36
  • Galatians 4:6
  • Philippians 3:10

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

  1. Porridge too hot or too cold. Chairs too big or too small. Beds too hard or too soft. A series of tests until she found the one “just right.” What is the children’s tale of Goldilocks trying to say? (Your guess is as good as ours) 
  2. As a Christian how would you know if you were facing sin–what Paul calls in this text “deeds of the body”--in a manner too hard or harshly? Flip it around–how would you know if you were facing sin in a manner too “soft”--that is, without proper seriousness? To put the questions more succinctly, what is a graceless view of sin, and what is a presumptuous view of grace with respect to sin?
  3. If deeds of the body are what we do that both steal life from us and offend God’s holiness, what would it look like to put them to death? If you slowed the tape down on seeing you or someone put such deeds to death, what would be part of the sequence?
  4. Why is that putting to death dependent on the Spirit? Why is it critical to be persuaded of your identity as a child of God for the struggle against sin?
  5. An emotion isn’t always tied to an idea, but an affection is an idea deeply felt. The “knowing” of it involves a sense of being moved by the understanding of it. What affections might follow (or for you have may have followed) from a sense–a belief–of your being beloved of God as a child adopted into the family through the love and sacrifice of the Son?
  6. What part, if any, has a friend in the faith been of encouragement–literally a renewed affection for a truth to which you’d become blunted? 
  7. Maybe it’s too personal a question in the moment, but what might be a deed of the body that needs to be put to death for you? What’s taking the life from you (or others around you) by letting it live in you?

ILLUSTRATIONS:

QUOTES: 

  • There is a living that is death and there is a putting to death that is life. Leon Morris
  • Unaided, we cannot testify to the reality of our standing before God. But we are not unaided; the Spirit of God testifies to our spirit and gives us the assurance of our membership in the heavenly family. Leon Morris
  • Servile fear, such as the slave has for his master, which consists in fleeing punishment without faith and without a desire and purpose of changing the life, being accompanied with despair, flight and separation from God—such a servile fear differs greatly from that which is filial. 1. Filial fear arises from confidence and love to God; that which is servile arises from a knowledge and conviction of sin, and from a sense of the judgment and displeasure of God. 2. Filial fear does not turn away from God, but hates sin above every thing else, and fears to offend God: servile fear is a flight and hatred, not of sin, but of punishment and of the divine judgment, and so of God himself. 3. Filial fear is connected with the certainty of salvation and of eternal life: servile fear is a fear and expectation of eternal condemnation and rejection of God, and is great in proportion to the doubt and despair which it entertains of the grace and mercy of God. This is the fear of devils and wicked men, and is the commencement of eternal death, which the ungodly experience already in this life. “I heard thy voice in the garden and I was afraid.” “The devils believe and tremble. Zacharias Ursinus
  • Be killing sin, or sin will be killing you. John Owen
  • Half the harm that is done in this world is due to people who want to feel important. They don't mean to do harm; but the harm does not interest them. Or they do not see it, or they justify it because they are absorbed in the endless struggle to think well of themselves. T.S. Eliot
  • This life demands more of us than we can imagine, but not more than we can bear. Because we don’t bear it alone. True conscience is not a hyper-individual inner experience, but a knowing with others, a cleaving to the wisdom of God’s Word and the witness of his body here on earth, the church. Conscience, understood this way, demands not that we follow every whim of our fallen minds, but that we collectively trust in the grace and goodness of the Father. Alan Noble

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