Jesus Sprung Me Out... (Building Block 1)

Sept 7

Read: Romans 3:19-25, Hebrews 9:14, Heb. 6:1-2

Jesus Sprung Me Out of “Jail” (Building Block 1)

Sin is not the only thing that the bible has called us to “repentance from”. Did you know that Jesus has come to rescue us from “dead works” as much as to rescue us from sin? (cf. Heb. 6:1-2) Who would have thought that getting trapped in “dead works” was something we needed rescuing from!? Hebrews 9:14 says this:

“…how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.”

You cannot serve the “living God” when you are trapped in “dead works”. When we are forgiven by Jesus… washed clean by “the blood of Christ”… our “conscience is purified from dead works” as much as it is sin so that we can begin to serve “the living God”. Do you see the contrast? DEAD works vs. LIVING God. There is no life (hence being called “dead”) to be had in works of the law. Life in Christ is life spent communing with the LIVING. We have been forgiven and justified by Jesus. Now that we are forgiven and alive in Jesus, we “turn away from” a list of rules and turn towards the Triune God - Father, Son and Spirit - who are speaking to us, working in us and through us… who are alive. The living God speaks to us through his word, his Spirit, and his people. My Friend John in Oklahoma was talking with me about this last night! We are freed from a life of just “trying harder” to do a list of rules… we actually enter into a life of dependance on Christ…relationship. Look at how these “dead works” are described in the scriptures:

“But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.” (Romans 3:21-22)

“…yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.” (Gal. 2:16)

“…and by (Jesus) everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.” (Acts 13:39)

Our righteousness comes from Jesus. Our forgiveness comes from Jesus. You are righteous in God’s eyes through Jesus. Your believing in Jesus is what matters most. Jesus has “set you free” from everything that the law of Moses “could not free you from”. He has rescued you from trying to use the law + your own efforts to follow it = free yourself. Before Christ, we were trapped by both sin and the law… literally “slaves to sin” and “prisoners to the law”, BUT NOW IN CHRIST WE ARE FREE:

“But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.” (Romans 7:6)

This is one of the foundational teaching if Jesus. (cf. Heb. 6:1) We csn;t grow into maturity without this truth. What good news! God is not looking at you day in and day out telling you to “get your junk together” and “try harder”. He is lovingly telling you that you are righteous in Christ… you are forgiven… and he is communicating with you and leading you into the LIFE he has for you. You won’t find that by looking backwards at the “old way of the written code” (Romans 7) but rather by turning from the dead works to the living God.

Ask Jesus this morning - “Am I truly righteous in your site?” See what he says back to you. Seriously. Take a moment to pray and talk to Jesus. Set your eyes and heart towards him and then ask him. Then stop and listen. Tell the Lord what you TRULY are feeling this morning… what you are afraid of… what you feel like you are held “captive” by, then ask him if he would be willing to free you from it? See what he says. Read these verses today…turn to them in your bibles and read them in their context. Listen for the voice of God to speak to you as you read his word. You will hear words of freedom, hope, redemption, and life. This is Christ in you. This is building block 1: forgiven by Jesus and justified by Christ. Freedom from dead works and the law. Love you guys! - JDP