Dead to Sin

Intro: Good morning church! I'm so excited to be here with you all this morning! My name is pastor Will im the high school youth pastor here and Renovation Church! I love my job and our youth group here, shout out to them, come join us if you haven't, theres a place in our community for you and believe God wants to meet you there! But you know what I really love about our church? It is that people who come here are ready to receive! When I see a swarm of people come into our church every weekend, its a spiritually hungry swarm. Its a people that are looking for the real thing, looking for the truth, looking for Jesus! And I believe that this morning, weather its your first time or 100th time, that if you come in here ready to receive, if you come in spiritually hungry, you’re going to leave this place spiritually full IF you allow yourself to FULLY digest the word of God and what it could mean for your life this morning.

Image: Before we jump into the word of God theres something you should know about me. I used to have a really bad fear of dogs. I was bit by a dog when I was 4 years old as was terrified up until 13. I couldn't be in the same room as a dog, couldnt be on the same sidewalk as a dog, couldnt go anywhere near a dog. So instead of a dog growing up I had this 20 pound, mountain of a cat, named Moose, and his stomach was so big that when it would walk his stomach would sweep the ground. So I enjoyed my pet cat growing up and I wasnt to fond of dogs. You know I'd go to peoples houses and have these crazy dogs jumping all over me, scratching me. Maybe this happened to some of you. You go over to the person's house and the first thing someone says “oh they dont bite usually”, and you’re going USUALLY?? And you’re looking at the dog and its eyes are bugging out its face, just sitting there twitching, tongue hanging out, just runs into everything and you’re asking yourself how is thing even still alive?? That dog might be better suited for doggy heaven at this point….. I believe thats a word for some of you families, nah im kidding.

Need

I know that’s funny, but hear me when I say this – because the way that dog looks and acts, it is a picture of what it’s like when someone claims to be alive in Christ but is still attached to sin. Just like that dog— theres this part of you thats still uncontrollable, irrational, all over the place—some of us have areas in our lives that feel the same way. If you’re honest, there have been moments where you’ve struggled to make the right decisions, where your walk with God has been inconsistent, up and down, feeling torn between what you know whats best and what feels good now… And if you looked at the core of these issues, it isn’t just circumstances—it’s that sin has taken such a hold on you that it’s controlling your choices. It’s keeping you from living the life you truly desire to live in Christ.

And although that may be your life story to this point, and maybe you came here this morning and had just given up on defeating sin your life, maybe you’ve been coming to this church building for a long time but you havent been coming to jesus….. But My hope for us coming out of this morning, is gaining new perspective of the freedom that you have in Christ. That because of what he did, he has brought us into a new way of living. Lets open up our bibles. We’re going to be taking a break from 1 Timothy this week but actually jumping into Romans 6:15-23…. Is anyone else thankful for the word of God? Its the perfect instruction, the perfect guider. You can find the page number on the screen.

Scripture

Context: In this scripture Paul continues his discussion on the relationship between sin, grace, and righteousness. This passage follows his earlier teaching that believers are united with Christ in His death and resurrection (Romans 6:1-14). Now, he addresses a a misunderstanding of grace:

Main point 1: Dont have a license to sin

The first thing Paul does here is ask the age old question in v15, essentially asking “can we keep sinning since God is full of grace?”. This question is asked by many and maybe you’ve even asked it at some point. The problem with this question is that it is missing a clear understanding of sin …

I remember this one conversation I had with a friend and we were talking about salvation. And they asked me almost in sense of a bit of frustration, “ Why is it that I could live my whole life faithful to the Lord, abstaining from sin, but then someone could be laying on their deathbed, have lived an entire life of sin, but then truly repent at the end of their life and still be saved the same way I am saved? That doesn't seem fair!”

And I ask, we’ll what makes it not fair? What are you implying? Are you implying thats its not fair because they got to live in an indulgence of sin and you didn't? It seems to me that when someone aks this questions it shows a lacking of understanding of sin.

And I truly believe that is massive, glaring problem, in the broader church. We dont understand the disgusting evil of sin. That for some because you’ve grown up hearing dont sin dont sin dont sin, and you never heard the true reasoning behind we we dont sin. And so what we do is we start to ask the question of v15 and start to ponder, how much can I get away with? How can I have the best of both worlds? How I can have a little bit of Jesus and as much sin as I can without losing the part where I know Jesus loves me and will always forgive me….And what we do is now have turned this unfathomable gift of everlasting, never failing, unbreakable grace of God and have turned into a license to sin. And where does that leave us, right dead middle of God and stan and that area is the common area, the most comfortable area, and the area is called lukewarm….

And my hope for us to be able to look at our life and go is this me? What areas do I give a license for sin? And not so that you would feel condemned, but to point this out so that you actually know the significance of sin. So that you have a deeper desire to never give a license to sin in any area of your life again.

Main point 2: enslaved to something

What we need to know about sin is found in v16. It says "Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?”

The scripture is saying that we’re all enslaved to something…. Is it sin or righteousness?....Sin is not something to have romantic feelings over. Sin is not something you daydream about. Sin is not something you meditate on. Sin it what it says in v16 and v23 that sin is DEATH. Why is it death? Because what always starts out as little always leads to worse. James 1:15 says “Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” This a continued pattern we see in the scriptures as we see in matthew 5:28 where it says everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

It starts with the desire. Thats why matthew 5:28 just say its starts with Lust. The reason why it compares Lust to adultery because the slope of sin is a slippery one…. Thats why we cant ask the question of v15 ““can we keep sinning if God is full of grace”.

Thats why when you go oh well its just this its not that big of a deal or I can just check out of my faith for this period of the day, no one besides me knows so what does it really matter, or oh I only act this way once in a while….. we need to know this, what you tolerate is what you let dominate. We need to be hyper aware in addressing the small sin our life…. Because one angry conversation undressed can lead to hatred. That gossip will lead to trust issues, that comparison will lead to resentment, that selfishness will lead to loneliness, that love of money will lead to greed, that caring of status will lead no one wanting be around you because of pride, that lust will lead sexual addiction…. If you dont address it you will be enslaved to it.

Main point 3: No longer sin but righteousness

And I think the question you all might be asking is well how do I address it? The answer by knowing your position as a follower of Christ. Let me re-read v17-18…

”But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. 18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.”

In these 2 verses of 17 and 18 Paul says but thank GOD that you WERE once a slave to sin, NOW you are a slave to RIGHTEOUSNESS….. Did we catch this? If you dont remember anything else from this morning you have to remember this. You USED to be slaves to sin. Now you are slaves to righetouness…. The scripture we just read said you USED to be slaves to sin, you WERE a slave to sin…. Our position as believers in Christ is not someone who sins, but someone who is a slave to righteousness. Meaning that when you gave your life to Jesus for the first time, you stepped into a new identity.

What do you start do after so many times of hearing something about yourself? You start to believe it! Its like being gaslit by someone like dang did I actually do that am I actually like that?.... And I believe that for many of you the reason you have been stuck in sin or in and out of sin in your life is because you have not taken on your new identity. Instead of bearing the fruit of righteousness you’ve been told that you’re still weak, you’re still going to sin, and that'll never change, even though Christ is in your life it dosent matter….. And the aftermath of hearing this over and over and over again is that many believers become deer in headlights. And they never move forward in their faith. They never find freedom because of a wrong identity…..

If you’re a believer of Jesus, meaning your heart longs for and desires to follow Jesus, and you’ve confessed Him to be Lord over your life. If or when you sin, we should pause and remember, I know that happened, but I dont have to continue do that because im a new creation. After what Jesus did for me and the Holy spirit coming inside of me and making me a new creation, im not enslaved to my fleshly desires! I know who God is, I know that his mercies are new every morning! Even if its after the 100th, 1000th time freedom is still in reach! In fact, its not only in reach but its who you are! You’re free from sin in CHRIST…. Just read the bible and you’ll find people in the bible and the israelites have done way worst things than you and did them for way longer than you have…. But believing you’re empowered through the Holy Spirit sounds a lot different than what I believe most Christians are taught to do which is give a shoulder shrug and go yeah makes sense I am a slave to sin…. I wouldn't be surprised if I did it again. Yeah I bet I actually will struggle with this area of sin the rest of my life because I just have a license to sin because God knows im not perfect….. Hear me when I say this, Jesus didnt go to the cross and take on a crucifixion for shoulder shrugs.

Main point 4: Our new identity is holiness.

But what He did go to the cross for was freedom. We need to catch this. Jesus dying and rising from the grave wasn't just meant for you to be covered from the penalty of sin but for you to be empowered over sin…. That the Holy spirit, GOD, would then come inside of, and start to lead, direct, and empower you into a life of freedom. That you would start to live a life or righteousness leading to a life of holiness. Holy means to be set apart. That means that being Christian is not to live in fear of sin but to bodly overcome it. We’re not called to hide, but to know the authority we have through the alive God that lives in us through the holy spirit….To a live a life for Christ is to live a life of holiness, to live a life set apart from sin. Are we starting to see why the identity of sinner is a wrong one. How can we identity as a sinner yet be called to be set a apart….

And this call to holiness comes through sharing in the same act as Jesus—His death and resurrection. As He took on all of sin, then leaves it in the grave, we too are to leave our sin behind. And the next step, to come out of the grave alive…. His death, killed sin. His death, took on the penalty of sin for you. His resurrection, set you free from sin and any guilt or shame from it. As a believer you ARE free from sin. And hear me closely, IF you fall into sin, theres no penalty for you to pay….. Its already been dealth with.

BUT freedom can not exist without transformation. Transformation is the modeling into holiness. Holiness is what ultimately brings you back into your original design with God. Your original design meaning to be close to God, to share everyday life with God, to be healed physically, emotionally, spiritually…. But If you never make the decision to change, if you never decide to put on the available identity of holiness, you still be enslaved…..

It would be like being arrested but the cop is taking off handcuffs and says your free to go and then you walk to the prison…. To repent isnt going well I can do what I want and say a half heart apology. But repent meaning to change and not go back to your sin and pursue a life of holiness, being set apart…. And IF you fall into sin, dont run away from God, run to God. Run to repentance.

Gospel

I want to end on this tonight, Hebrews 4:14-16

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven,[f] Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

Lets all stand….This is the Gospel. A perfect man, God in the flesh, comes down and faces everything you’ve been tempted with, but lives a sinless perfect life. And because of this as we are now called to be reflections of Christ, we too, by his death and resurrection can now overcome sin in our life.

For some of you, this message has been a needed reminder of the power you have over sin as a believer. But I believe some in this room, have yet to make that first, essential decision to reject sin and say Yes to Christ. And I want you to hear this:

That pain you’ve been feeling from sin, whether you did the sin or it was done to you, the effects no longer has to enslave you. You can overcome, you can be set apart from that sin… And I just believe for many in this room this morning, that there is a hebrews 4:16 call for you. That because of what Jesus did for you, now your response is to come with CONFIDENCE, or as other translations say BOLDNESS, to the throne of grace! Its time to stop hiding and starting knowing that you’re free to come with boldness and confidence to God. No matter how long the sin has been going on, no matter how many times you’ve stepped away from God, its your time to come with confidence to God knowing where you stand before Him, as a free and empowered son and daughter of God.

And if you’re feeling bold and confident, theres one final step. Jesus' death and bearing our sin was a public death. As we are to be like him, our old way of life and sin it be seen put to death in public. This isn't something to be ashamed of but confident in knowing that this is your day of freedom from that shame thats so desperately trying to keep you from living a life for Jesus. So i'm going to make a bold call, for whoever the Lord has been speaking to, and you’re ready enter into Gods kingdom with confidence. What im going to ask you to do is on the count of 3 raise your hand. That this is the moment you are fully surrendering your life to Jesus and never turning back. Its gonna be an amazing thing this room is going to clap for you and celebrate you and we’re going to get you connected to the follow up team. On the count of the 1,2,3 I want to follow jesus for the rest of my life