Pastor’s Pen Pulpit Resurrection Sunday

March 29, 2002

“RAMIFICATIONS OF THE RESURRECTION

IN YOUR DAILY LIFE”

Romans 8:11

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 dwells in you.

HE IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN, INDEED!! None of us would be sitting here in church this morning were it not for the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Today we are going to skip down to Romans 8:11. In 8:9, Paul tells us:

However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.

We belong to Christ if His Spirit dwells in us. Paul goes on to say that even though the body is dead because of sin (it isn’t glorified yet), the spirit (our spirit) is alive because of righteousness. (It is the Spirit who gives life - John 6:63, II Corinthians 3:6)

Then if the Spirit of the One who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

But wait! Do I have the Holy Spirit living in me? How do I know?

In Him (Jesus), you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation – having also believed, (John 3:16, Acts 16:31) you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise. Ephesians 1:13.

The truth is this: If God the Holy Spirit raised Jesus Christ from the dead, that same Holy Spirit is also in us and will give us life. What a promise! There is a two-pronged truth in this great verse. (1) The Holy Spirit will one day bring our mortal bodies back from the dead. We look forward to that glorious truth. (2) The Holy Spirit will impart the resurrection life of the risen Saviour to our bodies. Right now. Day by day!

What a challenge that is to God’s people today to know that right now, in our mortal weakness, we can depend on the Holy Spirit in times of the greatest stress. Beloved, look to Him. Depend on Him. Christ’s resurrection is so very relevant to each one of us today. Take advantage of that glorious reality.

The wonderful thing is that this work of the Spirit is as relative to us today as it was to Paul 2,000 years ago. God bless and have a great Resurrection Sunday!

Love to you all,