Weekly Sermons from Spruce Creek Presbyterian Church - Port Orange, FL

Resurrection Sunday

Up through Easter we are doing a series of sermons on the cruciform life, that is a life that is shaped by the cross. In the gospels, Jesus tells us “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it” (Luke 9:23-24). There is probably nowhere where this is more necessary than in living a life of love. For biblical, as opposed to worldly love, involves laying down one’s life, agenda, goals, ambitions for the sake of the one you are loving. How are we able to do that? Paul, in this most practical section of his letter to the Romans instructs on a life shaped by love. We will explore this from three perspectives. First, what we are calling ordinary love. That is love in the ordinary relationships of life. Then, second, challenging love. That is loving people when they are not so nice to you, don’t necessarily give you your way. And third, impossible love. And Paul lays out his principle here in v.21 “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Of course, the only way that we can truly live a life of love is through the gospel. We must remember that the only way to truly defeat evil is through the cross. How did Jesus defeat evil? By surrendering to evil’s worst on the cross and defeating it through weakness. The only way we are going to be able to grow in love is if we are utterly in awe of the fact that through the cross Jesus has accomplished our forgiveness. We have to remember that all of this in the context of how the Apostle Paul began chapter 12. He began it with the words, “In view of God’s mercy” (Romans 12:1). Then he goes on to explore various ways to live out of God’s mercy. Only by appropriating personally God’s mercy for yourself can you begin to approach living a life of love.

Between now and Easter we are working our way through a series of sermons titled The Cruciform Life. That is, living a life that is shaped by the cross. This morning our theme is living a life that is shaped by the battle. What battle you might ask? The battle between the flesh and the Spirit, or another way of putting it, the battle between the old life and the new life. Paul has already laid the foundation in Col. 3:1-4 when he says that by virtue of our union with Christ we have already been raised with Christ. Now, in our walk with Christ we are to live out the new life in daily, practical ways. How do we do that? The sermon will tackle that from three perspectives. (1) The Reality of the Battle. First, you must reckon with the reality that you are in a battle. Life is a battle between the old life and the new. (2) The Extent of the Battle. Second is the extent of the battle. In verse 5 Paul commands us to put to death what is earthly in us. That is a command. This is what theologians call the doctrine of mortification. That may sound harsh but Paul is telling us not only that the battle is real but that sin is such a serious issue that it must be put to death. I wonder if we have grown too complacent about our sin. That is an issue that this text wrestles with. (3) The third point is Hope in the Battle. Again we need to remember that the new life in Christ is lived out in union with Christ. We are united to Him in His death and resurrection. Verse 10 states that part of the hope is that we have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. That is amazing news! The promise of the gospel is that we are being conformed to the image of Christ, that we are being made like Christ. Thus we are becoming a new humanity in Him.