Friday Devo
Scripture:
Romans 8:15-18
15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. 17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. 18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.
15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. 17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. 18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.
Commentary:
8:15 Christians are no longer slaves to sin but are adopted as sons into God’s family, as evidenced by the Spirit that cries out within them that God is their father. sons. Abba is the Aramaic word for Father. Paul’s use of the term likely stems from Jesus’ addressing God as Abba (Mark 14:36).
8:16 The witness of the Spirit gives the Christian’s spirit assurance that he or she is God’s child.
8:17 All who are God’s children are also heirs of his promises, but a willingness to follow Christ in suffering is another sign of being God’s children.
8:18 The ultimate glory that Christians will receive is so stupendous that the sufferings of this present time are insignificant in comparison (cf. 2 Cor. 4:17). They look forward both to the resurrection of the body (1 Thess. 4:13–18) and to the new heaven and new earth (Rev. 21:1–22:5; see Isa. 65:17).
8:16 The witness of the Spirit gives the Christian’s spirit assurance that he or she is God’s child.
8:17 All who are God’s children are also heirs of his promises, but a willingness to follow Christ in suffering is another sign of being God’s children.
8:18 The ultimate glory that Christians will receive is so stupendous that the sufferings of this present time are insignificant in comparison (cf. 2 Cor. 4:17). They look forward both to the resurrection of the body (1 Thess. 4:13–18) and to the new heaven and new earth (Rev. 21:1–22:5; see Isa. 65:17).
Questions:
- While there are many costs to following Jesus, there are also costs to NOT following; and they are far greater. There will be a great cost to yourself because you will only be living for yourself and for things that don't last or have any value. You will live your life unfulfilled. There will be a cost to your marriage because you can't change your spouse (but Jesus can). You won't be capable of loving your spouse the way Jesus loves his church. You won't be someone that loves Jesus more than your spouse. There will be a cost to your kids because you will prioritize sports, school, gymnastics, music or anything else over their relationship with Jesus. And there will be a cost to the world because there would be no one to build orphanages and hospitals, help restore marriages, equip parents, disciple kids, care for refugees, give food and water to those who need it, foster orphans, adopt children, or preach the Gospel to the lost. What is the most challenging or convicting part of this message? What in your life might need to be tweaked?
- The bottom line is that fans come and SEE, but followers come and DIE. And, yes, the cost is GREAT, but Jesus is GREATER. Do you think you are truly experiencing all of him, the BEST of him, in your life? If not, why not?
Pray:
- That you would count the cost, take up your cross and follow Jesus.
- That you would long to experience all of him in your life.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
1. Who is Jesus? I believe Jesus is God because Jesus said He is God and proved it by rising from the dead and appearing to His disciples, His brother James, 500 others at one time and Paul.
(Mark 3:21; John 8:58, 10:30-33, 14:9-11; Acts 9:1-6; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:2-3; James 1:1)
(Mark 3:21; John 8:58, 10:30-33, 14:9-11; Acts 9:1-6; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:2-3; James 1:1)
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