ROM-56-141109 - length: 60:00 - taught on Nov, 9 2014
Class Outline:
Welcome To
BARAH MINISTRIES
a Christian Church
Rory Clark
Pastor-Teacher
Good Morning!
Welcome to Barah Ministries…a worldwide Christian Church based in Mesa, AZ…my name is Pastor Rory Clark. Ephesians, Chapter 6, Verses 1 to 3 say…
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right (it’s the proper course to follow). Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth.
I have been blessed, as a Pastor, to lead a congregation of people who honor their parents. This week I was reading a book about family by Brenda Hargrave, a woman who has attended lessons with us. The book is well written…I couldn’t put it down…and its subject matter made me reflect on relationships with parents…mine with my own and the relationships many of you have with your parents. I thought of Norbert and Maureen…I remember talking to Maureen when Norbert was about to go into surgery…how she rallied people to his side to care for him. I thought of Rick Stoddard who has been a part of this congregation since we were in my house…and how his mother Faye loved to come to lessons to hear the Word of God. She was wheelchair bound and Rick was always there for her. I think of Mike and Susie, and how wonderful they are with Dorothy…and how blessed I am to see Dorothy every week…always encouraging… smiling…listening…taking notes…always learning. I think of the relationship between Larry and Pat Collins and their daughter Debbie, and how blessed we are to have their families here with us. In the non-resident congregation…Heather Bayer, Deanna and Joel Perkosky, Tommy and Donna Chin, John and Monica Miller…just to name a few people who honor their parents. As I thought about the relationships between parents and children, and about taking time to notice those of you who honor your parents…it was very edifying for me.
What does it mean to honor someone? It means “to esteem someone as precious.”
HONOR
To esteem someone as precious
When you honor your parents, it is precious in the Lord’s sight. In gratitude for your obedience, He extends your life. Deuteronomy, Chapter 5, Verse 16…
‘Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, that your days may be prolonged and that it may go well with you on the land which the Lord your God gives you.’
You see, no matter how hard it is to care for your parents when they are elderly, when you esteem them as precious, the work is not work. When you esteem them, it’s special to God. As Brenda mentioned in her book…when you can see the hand of God in a matter like caring for your parents…when you can accept that God’s will is for you to honor them…when your will is obedient and faithful and trusting in the Lord in the matter of caring for your parents…He promises to give you the victory. I am certain that many of my blessings in this life have been a direct result of God rewarding me for honoring my parents. When caring for elderly parents gets hard, and it does, the Lord always delivers us to victory.
I am grateful to those of you who honor your parents, the ones of you I mentioned and the ones of you I didn’t, to those of you who esteem your parents as precious and who treat them well, and I encourage you to keep up the good work.
MUSIC AND REFLECTION
Be Occupied with the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ
Enjoy the Singing of His Praises
YOU RAN AFTER ME
Let’s begin our worship of the Lord in song. Enjoy the opening song… YOU RAN AFTER ME.
OPENING PRAYER
Let us pray...
We’re grateful to you, Heavenly Father, for the privilege of studying Your absolute truth...the Word of God…
Thank you for the congregation you have given me…thank you for sorting the wheat from the chaff…thank you for inspecting the thoughts and intents of the hearts of this congregation’s members, and thanks for leaving the ones after the sorting, with perseverance and with proven character…and thanks for leaving the ones who give me hope that my faith in some people is not misplaced…bless them and keep them and make your face to shine upon them…and as you put them through the tribulations which cause their growth, make them aware of the abundant provisions you have given them to endure, including the parts of the Word of God that are in this lesson...
We ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit...in Christ’s name...
Amen.
TODAY’S STUDY
If You are In Adam, How Do You Get Out?
Romans, Chapter 5, Verses 12 to 21…
<Read Romans, Chapter 5, Verses 12 to 21>
Romans Chapter 5, Verses 12 to 21 ask us a simple question, “Are you ‘In Adam’ or are you ‘In Christ?’” This passage is the tale of two men…Adam…and Christ.
THE TALE OF TWO MEN
In Adam? or In Christ?
THE FIRST ADAM THE LAST ADAM
They are the federal heads of a race of people. What does it mean to be the federal head of a race of people? It means that each man represents a group of people, much like a layer represents a group of people in a class action lawsuit. A “class” in a class action lawsuit is a group of people with a similar complaint who bring a lawsuit against the same person. For example, a class of people may sue AT&T for charging them for installation of phone lines when they realize that everyone does not pay for installation of phone lines. If the lawyer representing the class of people wins, everyone in the class wins. If the lawyer representing the class of people loses, everyone in the class loses. So it is with the federal heads in the spiritual realm, Adam and Christ. In Adam, everyone loses. In Christ, everyone who wants to, wins. First Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verse 22a says…
For as in Adam all are set to die the second death (in the Lake of Fire)…
What does it mean to be in Adam? What does it mean to be in Christ?
You’re in one or you’re in the other…it’s do or do not…no try. Just as you can’t be in Los Angeles and in New York City at the same time, you can’t be in Adam and in Christ at the same time. Once you are in Christ, you can never go back to being in Adam. If you are alive to Adam…you’re an unbeliever…you are dead to Christ. If you are alive to Christ…you’re a believer…as such, you are dead to Adam. God is absolute. God requires a definitive choice. You can’t be alive and dead at the same time. What’s your choice? Are you in Adam, or are you in Christ? If you are a believer in Christ you have made the choice. You are in the race of people who are in Christ. First Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verse 22 says…
For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.
Are you in Adam, or are you in Christ?
THE TALE OF TWO MEN
In Adam or In Christ
EN ADAM EN KRISTO IESUS
This passage, Romans Chapter 5, Verses 12 to 21, is the tale of two choices…
THE TALE OF TWO CHOICES
In Adam or In Christ
WRATH RIGHTEOUSNESS
We are born in Adam. We can choose to be in Christ. Sometimes we are afraid, as Christians, to tell unbelievers this truth. The truth is that we cannot meet unbelievers where they live, in the natural realm. They have to come to the spiritual realm if they want to be saved. First Corinthians, Chapter 2, Verse 14 says…
But a natural man (an unbeliever) does not accept the things of the Holy Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand the things of the Holy Spirit of God (spiritual things), because they are spiritually appraised (not naturally appraised).
You can’t get to unbelievers by moving the Word of God and yourself to the natural realm. It’s reducing the Lord Jesus Christ, the Sovereign of the Universe, to a sound bite. It can’t be done. The Lord cannot be contained. Instead we move the sound bite wanting unbeliever to spiritual ground. And when we do, they have no choice but to believe in Christ or to whine from their intellect. For example, here is an unbeliever’s explanation of evolution.
EVOLUTION EXPLAINED
Evolution is akin to a movie reel. In one minute of film, there are roughly 1700 frames. Each frame by itself is almost identical to the one before it. However, at the end of a minute, the picture can look very different than when you started 1700 frames ago.
EVOLUTION EXPLAINED
You yourself are evolution in progress. You are a transitional fossil. Every fossil you find, hold, observe, touch or study is a transitional fossil. You possess slightly different characteristics than both your parents, and I’m confident there is a mutation in there somewhere. You are a single frame away from your parents…similar, but slightly different.
Excuse me while I put my fingers in my throat. To ask for evidence of this
unbeliever’s assertion is to go to his delusional ground. As believers, we must invite this natural minded person to spiritual ground. We’ll see an example where Jesus does this in second half of this lesson.
This passage, Romans Chapter 5, Verses 12 to 21, is the tale of two realms…
THE TALE OF TWO REALMS
In Adam or In Christ
EARTHLY REALM HEAVENLY REALM
OF THE WORLD NOT OF THE WORLD
Philippians, Chapter 3, Verse 20…
(As believers in Christ)…our citizenship is in heaven, from which heaven also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ…
John, Chapter 15, Verse 19…
If you (my apostles) were of the world, and you are not, the world would love (you as) its own; but because you are not of the world, but I (the Lord Jesus Christ) chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.
Romans, Chapter 12, Verse 2…
And do not be conformed to this world, but keep on being transformed by
God in the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
First John, Chapter 3, Verse 1…
See how great an unconditional love God the Father has bestowed on us, that we believers in Christ would be called children of God; and we are children of God. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Christ.
John, Chapter 18, Verse 36…
Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.”
The two realms, the earthly and the heavenly, have nothing in common. The world is not the kingdom. Satan wants you to think that you, heavenly beings, are nothing more than earthly…nothing more than tadpoles… nothing more than a movie reel. Bull! You are of one realm, not the other. He wants you to desire what is here more than what is above.
This passage, Romans Chapter 5, Verses 12 to 21, is the tale of two spheres…
THE TALE OF TWO SPHERES
In Adam or In Christ
LAW GRACE
This passage, Romans Chapter 5, Verses 12 to 21, is the tale of two natures…
THE TALE OF TWO NATURES
In Adam or In Christ
IN THE FLESH IN THE SPIRIT
The greek works for “in the Spirit” sure resemble the words for “in Christ!”
IN THE SPIRIT
En Pneumati
This passage, Romans Chapter 5, Verses 12 to 21, is the tale of two heredities…
THE TALE OF TWO HEREDITIES
In Adam or In Christ
THE OLD MAN THE NEW MAN
This passage, Romans Chapter 5, Verses 12 to 21, is the tale of two births…
THE TALE OF TWO BIRTHS
In Adam or In Christ
PHYSICAL BIRTH SPIRITUAL BIRTH
This passage, Romans Chapter 5, Verses 12 to 21, is the tale of two results…
THE TALE OF TWO RESULTS (DESTINIES)
In Adam or In Christ
CONDEMNATION SALVATION
GUILT JUSTIFICATION
ETERNAL DEATH ETERNAL LIFE
Take a five-minute break, and we’ll see how the Lord handles unbelievers.
BREAK
Give Me Your Eyes
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Welcome back! Turn in your bibles to John, Chapter 3…how do we get out of Adam and into Christ? Let’s see the Lord Jesus Christ’s suggestion to a man named Nicodemus concerning how to get ‘out of Adam’ and ‘in Christ’ …let’s begin at Verse 1…
Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews…
Nicodemus was a teacher, a Pharisee, and a member of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council. The Sanhedrin had seventy members who were responsible for religious decisions and who were also under the Romans for matters of civil authority. The Sanhedrin are similar to the Synod of Bishops who are the advisors to the Roman Catholic Pope, whom we talked about last week. They are quite powerful. Nicodemus was an important man. Nicodemus was ‘in Adam.’ So now you get to see the Lord Jesus Christ’s handling of a man who is ‘in Adam.’ Verse 2…
…this man (Nicodemus) came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”
As smart as Nicodemus was, when he opened his mouth, he showed his ignorance. He did not realize he was talking to the Sovereign of the Universe. Nicodemus wanted to talk about the signs…Nicodemus wanted to invite the Lord to the earthly realm of rabbi and teacher…but the Lord, instead, invited Nicodemus to the spiritual realm with a punch, right between the eyes, from the Word of God...Verse 3…
Jesus answered and said to Nicodemus, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
The punch landed. The Lord told Nicodemus…you are earthly…you are ‘in Adam’ … I am heavenly…I am the Christ…the two of us have absolutely nothing in common. You have to change. Nicodemus was so uncomfortable with the suggestion that his only option was to laugh off the discomfort. Verse 4…
Nicodemus said to Jesus, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?”
The natural man does not understand spiritual things…so he tries to take the conversation to a place he can understand…the physical birth…the earthly birth. The Lord would have none of it. Verse 5…
Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again…(the spiritual birth by means) of water and (by God) the (Holy) Spirit…he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”
“Water” is a reference to the Word of God…the gospel message…the good news concerning what the Lord Jesus Christ did for all of us at the Cross… “the Spirit” is a reference to the baptism by God the Holy Spirit which is a key to salvation. Only God the Holy Spirit can make a man “born again.” Man cannot save himself. Verse 6…another gut punch that lands.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Said another way…that which is born of Adam is ‘in Adam’ … that which is born of Christ is ‘ in Christ.’ Physical birth and spiritual birth are different. Nicodemus was floored. His mouth must have been hanging open. In John, Chapter 3, Verse 7, the Lord briefly acknowledges Nicodemus’ shock…
“Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’”
What was the Lord saying to Nicodemus? You have a physical birth ‘in Adam’ … you need a spiritual birth ‘in THE Christ’ …the Messiah. You must be born spiritually…you must move from spiritual death to spiritual life. In Verse 8, he goes into the Old Testament scripture to help Nicodemus understand further…an ever bigger gut punch. Verse 8…
“The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
In other words, the work of the spirit is invisible like the wind…and every bit as real. Nicodemus wants to cry now…Verse 9…
Nicodemus said to Jesus, “How can these things be?”
I can relate. The Lord doesn’t let up. So for all of you legalist who think the Lord is so nice, here’s His comment after three very strategically placed gut punches…
Jesus answered and said to Nicodemus, “Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things?”
In other words…are you the head of a congregation and you are leading them astray by not knowing these things? What are you teaching them?
Nicodemus was a natural man and he was teaching natural things, not spiritual things. He was teaching those who were ‘in Adam’ to stay ‘in Adam.’ Now the Lord tells the unbeliever, Nicodemus, about his unbelief.
Verses 11 and 12…
“Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony.”
“If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?”
Next the Lord tells Nicodemus who He is…really…Verse 13…
“No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man.”
I came from heaven…I got this teaching from heaven…I am God.
“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up…”
Moses raised the serpent as a cure for the punishment for disobedience…so would Jesus be raised on a Cross to do the same thing…Verses 15 to 18…
“…so that whoever believes will in the Lord Jesus Christ would have eternal life.”
“For God the Father so loved the world so much, that the Father gave His uniquely born Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
“For God the Father did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.”
“He who believes in Christ is not judged; he who does not believe in Christ has been judged already (in Adam), because he has not believed in the Person of the uniquely born Son of God.
There is only one way out of Adam… ‘In Christ’ ... the Cross way how the Lord Jesus Christ provided our way out. The life ‘in Adam’ died at the Cross. We are resurrected from the dead life to the new life ‘in Christ.’ Romans, Chapter 6, Verse 4…
Therefore we believers in Christ have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
Out of Adam by death. In Christ by resurrection. Thanks be to God the Father for His magnificent gift…the gift of His Son…a Son who got us out of Adam if we want out.
The Promises of the Lord Jesus Christ
When God makes a promise…
it’s a guarantee!
“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and everyone in your household who also believes.”
Jesus said to doubting Thomas, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through believing in Me.
He who believes in the Son has eternal life (the ZOE life); but he who does not obey the (command to believe in the) Son will not see (the Zoe) life, but instead the wrath of God the Father abides on him.”
CLOSING SONG
He’s Been Faithful
CLOSING PRAYER
Let us pray...
THANKS- INTERCESSION- PETITION
And we pray that You continue to shape the messages from this pulpit that are an accurate reflection of Your unconditional love, Your Person, Your thinking, Your work, and Your essence...we ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit, in Christ’s name, Amen.
Thanks for coming…for watching…for listening!
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1220 S. Alma School Rd. Suite 201 Mesa, AZ 85210 |
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