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Alright, let's get to uh Romans 12. And um, we're gonna continue our discussion today. Uh we're gonna go to Romans 12.2 on this topic that we are still on, call it still transforming. And um I know, well, let's maybe read this and then I'll tell you what I know and I think what's gonna happen here this morning. But I'm gonna read it to you in one translation, Romans 12. And as we read that one translation, we're gonna actually be reading another verse here in a few minutes that's a little bit longer. But do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. That's the part we're still highlighting in this conversation, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, changing the way you think, changing your thoughts, changing your perspectives that are within your mind. So be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. So I think we're in part 20 here, and um, so it's 20 way 20 weeks of transformation, of change of the teaching of we're still being developed, we're still being transformed, God's still working in our lives, God still has some correction to do in our lives, and God still has some work to do in our hearts and in the way we live. We've never arrived, but God is still helping us become more like Jesus Christ. Say amen to that. And uh today in part 20, I actually want to say that this is part 20, but I would say this is part one of part 20, if that makes sense. If this is like part one of part 20, uh part two, we'll get to next week, but I would call this part one of part 20, so like part 20 and a half, 20.5, or 20. whatever, 20. And um, I am going to mention a little, like just this maybe a thought or two, just a quick throw out a quick thought or mention of renewing the mind, of changing the way you think. But I I'd say today is like a it's like a buildup. It's a buildup towards something for next week. Uh and of course, next week we will dive a little deeper into this thought of a renewed mind and having that renewed mind and the need for that renewed mind, how we're helped and getting a renewed mind. Uh so today, if it sounds like I guess what I'm trying to say is today, if it sounds like we're a little off topic as we go through this, you're probably right. Uh, we're probably just a little off topic, but uh, it'll all come together, uh, especially next week. So that I think that leads us to the thought, well, then what are we what are we talking about if we're still in this topic of transformation, of renewing the mind, well then what are we talking about today? Well, I say it with a smile, we're actually talking about the good old topic of sin. That's what you're supposed to say. Yay! Yeah, yeah, yeah. Uh we're talking about the good old topic of sin. Wow, somebody's a little too excited. All right, uh talking about the little good old topic of sin. Uh, because here's here's that thought of the tidbit throwing out something regarding renewing the mind. Put it on the board. Here's what I want to tell you. One of the reasons, one of the reasons we desire a renewed mind is so we can win our battle with sin. And yes, there is a battle with sin. We'll talk about that more as we go through this. But one of the reasons we desire a renewed mind is so we can win our battle with sin. I got a quick question, and I hope everyone has the right answer to this. Um, how many want to win the battle with sin? Raise your hand if you want to win that battle. If you didn't raise your hand, we got a lot of praying to do. We want to win that battle with sin. Say amen to that. And that's one of the reasons, one of many reasons, why we want to have a renewed mind. Um, so before I go to the next passage, just go ahead and pray. Father, I thank you, Lord, that as we endeavor today on this thought of renewing the mind, uh, Father, Lord, even though we may shy away a little bit from it, Father, I thank you, it's still our focus. This transformation is still before us, Lord, as you are teaching us more about it. And I pray now, Father, we have an open heart to receive your word, that the seed of your word take root in the soil of our hearts, and we shall see it in our lives, producing the fruit, Father. And I thank you now, Father, that we have an ear to hear, a heart to receive, Father. And I pray now, Lord, that every person is open, Lord, to what you want to speak to us. So I pray, according to Acts 242, your word is received gladly, according to Acts 19.20, your word will prevail. I pray now, Father God, according to John 6.63, your words are spirit and life today, Father. And I ask you now that you use these lips of clay to speak your word without error and with excellence. For we've gathered to hear the truth of your word and not the opinion of man. And Father, I thank you now, Lord, that your anointing is here, Father, and it saturates this house, Father, that even, Father, the topic of sin, Father, my God, Lord, we were not discouraged by it today, Father. We are taught, we are growing, and we are even celebrating today, Father, as we move through this service. We give you thanks, Lord. And I pray, Father, for every Spurs fan today. I don't know what to pray for them, but Father, you be with them today. I'm really happy. In Jesus' name, pray. Amen. All right. Uh, anyways. I talk about winning the battle with sin. As I said a minute ago, one of the reasons we want to have a renewed mind is to win the battle with sin and so that we can we can we can win, be victorious in this battle. And I want to take you to a passage of scripture that there's a person talking about this battle with sin, and the person that is talking about it may catch you by surprise a little bit about what he's saying about his own battle, his own experience with sin. So I'm gonna take you to Romans 7. And the person that we're gonna kind of see what he has to say is actually the Apostle Paul as he talks about uh something going on with him. And let's go ahead and read Romans 7. And I'm gonna read the New Living Translation. I wanted to find it in kind of the most simple translation as possible because it gets a little back and forth, back and forth. So something that's kind of easy to follow when we hear Paul talking about this in Romans 7. So, it's on the screen. If you have your Bible, read along with your Bible. I'm I'm in the New Living Translation again. So here's what he's saying. This is Paul. So the trouble is not with the law. We'll talk about this as we go through the service. So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. I don't really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do what I hate. But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. So I am not the one doing wrong. It is sin living in me that does it, and I know that nothing good lives in me, that is in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can't. I want to do what is good, but I don't. I don't want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. So far, how many can relate to Paul? Raise their hand. Yeah. But if I do what I don't want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong. It is sin living in me that does it. I have discovered this principle of life: that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God's law with all my heart, but there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. And this power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am. Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Verse 25. Thank God, the answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is. In my mind, I really want to obey God's law. But because of my sinful nature, I am a slave to sin. A lot going on there. And this is Paul, I think, in a way, given his own PC time, his own pastor confession time. He's kind of telling you that I'm striving, I'm desiring to live holy, but here's Paul telling us that in his desire to live holy, that Paul has failures. Desiring to do what is right, but Paul struggles at times. Desiring not to do what is wrong, and Paul struggles with that at times. And I think I just want to hit on this. This is Paul. This is Paul having a confessional time. This is this is Paul speaking to us today. And Paul being honest with us. This is Paul. If you're a little unfamiliar with Paul, Paul wrote two-thirds of the New Testament. A lot of our doctrine is because of Paul, that we understand and we have clarity in it, and explanation of it and teaching of it. It's because of Paul. This is Paul who traveled 10,000 miles combined, over 10,000 miles in missionary, missionary miles, I'll call them. Missionary trips, 10,000 miles, and not by a lot of times by walking. They didn't have cars then. This is Paul. Paul who established over 14 churches that we know of, probably more. This is Paul. Paul. Having a battle here. This is this is I don't want to do it, I do it. The thing I shouldn't do, I do it. The thing I want to do, I'm not doing it. This is Paul. This is the 39 lashes on his back, five times Paul. This is uh incarcerated Paul. This was Paul who was stoned. This is Paul who was beaten. This is Paul who was imprisoned because of what? Because of his ministering of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is Paul. Paul admitting these things. This is shipwrecked, Paul, on his way to minister the gospel, shipwrecked three times. One of those times left adrift on sea the entire night. Just waiting, I guess, or just there, just in the middle of the water. That's Paul. This is Paul. This is this is Paul who who was left hungry, left cold, uh, left without clothes, who was left thirsty at times, all in an effort to minister the gospel. This is Paul. I struggle, I have a battle. I want, don't want to sin and I do the thing I want to do, I don't do that. This is Paul. This this is Paul. This is, and it sounds a little weird, but this is this is I can do all things through Christ, Paul. This is walk by faith and not by sight, Paul. This is for me to die but to live is Christ Paul. This is we are more than conquerors, Paul. This is this is mentor, Paul. This is a teacher, Paul, this is apostle Paul, this is martyr Paul. I have a battle going on right here. This is Paul. I want to do what is right, I don't. I don't want to do what's wrong, that's what I do. This is Paul confessing his struggle. And and you may not think this would be a struggle for someone like Paul, but it's a struggle. What exactly is the struggle? You know what the struggle is? Sin. That's the struggle. That's the battle. Sin. Don't want to do that, but I do it. Do you want to do this? I don't. It's sin. That's the battle. That's his fight. It is sin. The struggle. I want to do what is right. Having a hard time. Paul. That that's that's his battle. That's what he's talking about here. I'm blown away by that for a second. Like, first of all, I'm a little grateful, Paul, to hear it, and I'm not the only one. But I'm a little surprised, Paul, that you're willing to put it out there like that a little bit. Because what he's saying here is pretty intense. And I'll show it to you again. So let's go back to verse 14 and just slow this down a little bit. So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. First part, Paul's saying, listen, the problem is not the commandments of God. God's commandments are good. The problem is not God's instructions. God's instructions are good. God's not setting me up to fail. That's not the problem. The problem is not the law. It's not the commands. It's not what God told Moses in the wilderness. It's not what he gave him. It's not the commands we have today. That's not the issue. And church, by the way, whenever God gives a command, it's for our good. Say amen to that. Rules given from God are good. Instructions given from God are good. Commandments given from God, they are good. So whenever you read God's commandments, you may feel a little times a little burdened, but the truth is you should celebrate because God is helping you to do what is good. In fact, let's give the Lord a handcuff today and thank him for his help and his instruction today. So that's not the issue. Paul's making it clear. I'm not mad at God. The law, the commands, it's good. It's spiritual. What's the next verse? Or what's the next line? The trouble is with who? Me. It's not this, it's me. This, I'm the issue. I'm a human. I have, I have, I'm a slave to that, a slave to sin. That is, I have these desires. That is, my flesh still craves. That is, I have I have this fleshly this flesh that I will never get rid of. So the problem's not God's commands, the problem is me. So anyone shaking their fist at God today, stop shaking it. You're wasting your time. I say this with love to all of us, including me. Look in the mirror. That's the issue. It's me, it's you. I promise it gets better as we move forward, okay? So just look at your neighbor and say, just hold on, tell your neighbor today, hold on, okay? Just tell your neighbor, hold on, okay, hold on. It gets better. And then in verse 15, I don't really understand myself. Man, Paul, you're preaching to the choir. I don't get it. I don't, I don't really understand myself. I I just what's going on with me? Because I want to do what is right, but I don't do it instead. I do what I hate. So now he's now right here, Paul's admitting. He's just admitting it. I'm doing some things, I've done some things, I do some things, things happen that I know I hate them, I shouldn't do them, and it happens. I don't know what it is. Don't let your mind begin to wander. What kind of sin was Paul doing? You're just the gossiper then, okay? But he's having a battle here. There's something going on. But then he reiterates but I know that what I'm doing is wrong. This shows that I agree that the law is good. So what he's saying is simply this if what I'm doing is wrong, then I agree with what God says. I'm not pushing back on it. Like I shouldn't have done that. Yeah, you're agreeing with God in that moment. And that's not a bad thing. In fact, I'm grateful that at one point in my life I might have disagreed with God, but I'm getting better at agreeing with God. Does that make sense? Like, I want to agree with what God says. I don't want to push back on it. And then he goes on to say in verse 17, and now he gets into this part. So I'm not the one doing wrong. It is sin living in with me that does it. And verse 18, and I know that nothing good lives in me, that is in my sinful nature. Paul is here beginning to identify, I know what the issue is. And I didn't bring it out for you again, but I told you the big white board. Spirit, soul, and body. And in that body, you have this thing called a flesh. The thing that desires to do wrong. And look at me. I'll remind you again. I don't care if you're eight or eighty-eight, you still have a flesh. You could be on your deathbed and still cursing out God. You could be on your deathbed and still hating people. You could be on your deathbed and still doing wrong. The flesh will never die. And I tell you today, here's Paul saying, We'll get to this in a second, but hear me. He's not passing on the blame. He just knows there's something within me that desires to do wrong. And listen, that desire will always be present. I don't care how long you've been saved, how many times you've been baptized, how many times you've read the Word of God back and forth. I've read the Bible five times through. Great. You still have a flesh. And there's still a sinful nature inside of you. And Paul talks about it in the rest of verse 18. I want to do what is right, but I can't. So he he's he admits he's talking about in the first part, this is what I'm doing. But now here in the second part, in verse 19, I want to do what is good, but I don't, I don't want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. He's talking about my desire is to do what is good. Like the first part is like, man, this is what's going on. The second part now is like, but it is my desire. It's my desire to do good, it's my desire to do right. My desire is not to do wrong. Those are my desires. That's my longing, that's my hope, that's what I want. That that's that's that's my aim, that's my goal, that's that's what I'm striving for. But then he says, but if I do what I don't want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong. It is sin living in me that does it. He goes back to this thought that hear me, as much as I want to, I still have something in me that's pushing back against it. As much as I desire to, there's still something in me that says, no, let's not do that. Or let's do this instead. Question one last time. I'll ask this. Who here can relate to that thought? Raise your hands. And if you can't relate to that thought, you haven't been living long enough then. Like, I want to do it, but then something pushes back. I don't want to do it, something pushes back. It's Paul. See, this is what I'm going through. This is what's going on. Why? Because hear me. There's still something inside of me. There's something inside of Paul. There's something inside of all of us today that is just inherently, it's the sinful nature that says, I know God wants, but this is what I want instead. I know this is what God desires, but this is what I desire instead. And we hear Paul's confessional, what he's done, his desire to not, his desire of what to do and not to do, his recognition there's a sinful nature, that I'm that I'm in this battle of uh of what is inside of me that wants to go against God's word, and God's word is not bad, it's not the problem. I don't look at it, I don't look at his commands and think, God, how could you know? This is good, this is what I want, this is what I desire. So, what does he come to in verse 21? He admits there's a battle within him. It's like a battle between two people. I have discovered the principle of life that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God's will with all my heart. I love what he says. I got no problem with it. I I love it. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. Hear his words. There's a power within me that is at war with my mind. What is that power? He admits it's the power of sin, it's the power of the flesh. It's like a war, it's a battle within himself going on. My mind, hear me. There's that word, my mind. I know my mind, my mind is being renewed, my mind is being taught, hear me. You're here this morning, my mind is being renewed, my mind is being taught, my mind is being fed, I'm giving the instruction, so my mind is helping, uh, my mind is being helped, my mind is being taught, my mind is being fed. It's all here within my mind that is being renewed, but nonetheless, there's still a sinful nature, there's still a flesh that is now pushing back against the words that have been implanted within my mind, fed to my spirit. So there's this war going on with side of me, and here's Paul saying in verse 24 what a lot of us should have to say one time, sometimes. Oh, what a miserable person I am. But why does he say that? Go back to verse 23. Another power within me that is at war within my mind. So there's there's something happening within me, a power within me that is at war with my mind. I know my mind, I know what my mind is being taught, I know what is being fed, but that power of sin pushes back. This power makes me a slave to sin that is still within me, so I can't let go of that. It's present. I'm not gonna live this earth without that that power pushing back on what I know in my mind. I'm not gonna leave this earth uh because this earth is, I'm still here, so until the day I leave this earth, that power is still pushing back on my mind. Renewed mind being pushed back on, renewed mind being pushed back on, renewed mind being pushed back on. That's what leads him to say in verse 24 what a miserable person I am. I can't escape this, I can't get away from this. And hear me. I think there's some frustration in Paul's voice. I'm frustrated about this, and I have a side note question for you. Have you ever been frustrated about your sin? We ever think about it like that. Have we ever looked in the mirror and said, Man, what a miserable person I am? My desire to do what's right is present. And I fail. Man, I feel horrible about it. I'm frustrated about it. It's not right. And I think as Paul goes through this whole confessional, I think the thing that we need to pull from it is somebody who is telling us the desire of my life is to honor God, is to do what He says. That's my desire. And if I'm not fulfilling that desire, I'm not at peace. If I'm not fulfilling that call, I'm not at peace. If I'm not fulfilling God's will, I'm not at peace. I'm a miserable person. So it leads him to say, Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? I'll say like this what's the answer? Good news. The answer is Jesus Christ. That's the answer. And he recognizes that. And he knows that. And he's joyful about it because he says, Thank God. There's an answer to this. Thank God. I'm not left out wondering how are we going to get past this? How can I, how can I fix this? How can I continue walking? How can I continue going? How can I continue living? Thank God. There's an answer. And the answer is Jesus Christ. Can we give Jesus Christ a hand clap today and thank him for being the answer? So if we read this passage, I think now we with hopefully a little more understanding. Hey Paul, I'll say this in the end. Hey Paul, hey man, when I get to heaven one day, I'm gonna go give him a hug. I can relate, man. I'll see him in heaven one day and say, man, come here, man. I'm so glad I'm not the only one. I'm so glad it wasn't just me. I get it. And thank you, even Paul, thank you for being honest about it. But what else can we take from all this? What can this teach us other than I'm not the only one? What else can this teach us? And I want to throw out to you three quick things that I think this tells us. Three quick lessons we get from hearing Paul talk about his battle. One, put on the board. First, there must be an awareness of sin. I'll say it again. There must be an awareness of sin. Church, not once does Paul neglect the reality of sin. Not once does he say, uh, sin, I don't know, is that really a thing? No. Sin is real. And Paul not once neglects the reality of it. In fact, put on the board. I remind you today, sin does not stop existing when you get saved. You're saved. Awesome. Sin still exists. And hear me, the follower of Christ should become even more aware of sin after Christ comes into your hearts. And I'm grateful for that because how many here, and I'll smile with you when I say it, and we can laugh and thank God about it now. How many of you here there was a time in your life where you really, really weren't too aware of the sin you were committing? You were just kind of going about it, saying, This is life, this is how we do, you didn't give it a second thought. Well, thank the Lord, now you have a thing called conviction. Say amen to that. And I'm grateful that I am aware of sin now. You know why? Because sin was leading me to hell, and finally these eyes opened up and said, Man, sin is real. I'm on my way to hell. So thank God that I'm no longer some dummy just following along going to hell. No, I am made alive in Christ. I am aware of sin, and even the Christian, even the Christian is aware of sin, but not just aware of it, we're sensitive to it. We are, we cringe about it, we we become uh so like uh uh what's it called? Like like we, if it if it's in the if it's in our presence, if it's in our home, if we do something, we're just convicted by it. Why? Because I'm not some person ignoring it. I'm aware that sin is real, and that's not a bad thing, that's a good thing. Because when I am aware of it, hear me. When I am aware of it, I will be convicted by it. And I want to be convicted by it. I have to be convicted by it, and because it doesn't stop just when I got saved. So there's an awareness of sin, too. Hear me. There's an admittance of sin. We just have we just heard a whole confessional from Paul. Hey man, trying to do what's right, I don't do it. The thing I shouldn't do, that's what I did. He's admitting he's done wrong. And one thing I do like, God help us. He doesn't pass on the blame to others. Anyone know anybody who likes to pass on blame? Don't look at the person next to you. There's always that one person in the family that's like, well, if you would have. My wife's staring at me. Very funny right now, but that's fine. He doesn't pass it on. He's owning up to it. Listen, there's a difference between being aware and admitting. There's a difference between awareness and admittance. Awareness, awareness of sin specifically, hear me. It's recognizing or agreeing that sin exists. We just talked about that. Sin is real. That's the awareness. Sin is possible. I can commit a sin even as a Christian. That's awareness. But admitting the admittance specifically of sin, it means taking personal responsibility for it. I'll put it like this. You can acknowledge or you can have an awareness that stealing is a sin. But will you admit if you stole something? Awareness? Admittance. A difference. So I tell you again today, put this on the board now. The admittance of sin does not stop once saved. I'm gonna be honest with you, as I get older, I I I I'm gonna come, I'm coming across, I feel like I'm coming across more people that sometimes just have a hard time saying, my bad. My fault. Even when you try to correct people, it's like a pushback right away. Even when people are being told that's not right, they can't even admit anymore it was wrong what I did. And by the way, I think we're all guilty of it at times. And it blows me away. I'll say it like this. The saved person should be quicker to admit sin than even the unsaved person. The one who is saved, Christ is in you, Holy Spirit is in you. You should be, you and I should be even quicker to admit, that's me, that was my fault. I was wrong, God. We should be faster to it. And I think to myself, God, help us when pride exists in us. And pride grows in us to the point where we no longer want to admit when we are wrong. When I've done something that's not right. Wife comes up to you, I don't think that was right. Husband comes to you, I don't think that was right. Even kids coming up to you, mom, dad, I don't know if that was a good idea. Having an ear, having a heart, having a willingness to examine yourself and listen to God. And if even God, I I'll say this. I feel at times that even people don't want to even hear God correct them. It's like, can God even open your eyes to what you're doing sometimes? And that is why I tell you, that hurdle of pride, we have to be careful with it. And I give Paul credit because he like lowers his pride and he humbles himself and he is admitting, hey, I do some things I should do sometimes. So, church, once we get saved, awareness of sin, but be ready to admit our sin. Because, church, I don't want to leave this earth with unconfessed sin. I have to admit it. And I have to say, God, I was wrong. But thank the Lord, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin. Church, let us never be people who feel we've outgrown the admittance of sin. Let us be more sensitive to it and quicker to admit it and take responsibility for it. Why? Because of the last one. Because there shouldn't just be an admittance of sin, there shouldn't just be an awareness of sin, there should be an addressing of sin. There's an addressing of the sin that goes on in my life, in your life. There's an addressing that needs to take place. And again, there's a difference now between admitting and addressing. To address something is to simply put, hear me, to address something is to do something about it. I'll give you an example. You go to a restaurant, you order a steak, and that steak just comes out horrible. It's just bad. They didn't cook it right, they didn't season it right, it's just it's just a bad steak. Horrible. And there's 10 other tables in that restaurant, and everybody ordered steak. But you're the first one to call somebody over and say, hey man, I just gotta let you know this steak is bad. This is this is this steak's horrible. And the manager just says, I'm sorry. Well, I'm sorry about that. Uh you know, uh, my apologies. Uh, I'm sorry about that. Okay, fine. And then the next table, hey, how was your steak? It was horrible. And they tell the manager, hey man, this was not good. This is bad. And all the manager does is, oh, I'm sorry about that, you know. My our our bad. Sorry. Third table, hey, this is bad. I'm sorry about that, but you know, sorry, that's our fault. Fifth table, sixth table. Every table ends up telling the same guy, hey man, this isn't good. And all he tells every table, I'm sorry, you know, my our fault, you know, we just didn't do it right. Our fault. Question Does that fix anything? Homeboy needs to go back to the kitchen, find the cook, and say, hey, Toto, what are you doing? Put some seasoning on that. Watch the temperature, watch the grill. Let's fix this thing. I got 10 tables out there, no one likes their steak, no one likes their food, we gotta do something about it. That's addressing the issue. God willing, the guy they get fired, you know? But that's addressing the issue. That's addressing, that's doing something about it. And here's what I say, and I just said it, put it back on the board. You can admit your sin, thank God, and you could still not address your sin. You can admit, like Paul, I have an issue doing something I shouldn't do, the thing I want to do, I don't do. You can address it, but hear me. You can admit it, but hear me. That doesn't mean you're addressing it. Paul is admitting his shortcomings, but listen, he's longing to overcome his shortcomings. He's desiring to do something about it. And I'm learning more and more that sin, listen, sin would love to be unaddressed. Sin would love it if you did not really address it. Aware of it, sure. Admit it, okay. But don't worry about addressing it. Sin loves that. In fact, I think to myself that Satan celebrates it when sin is unaddressed. And you know what I mean by that. I think everyone here is at the point in age, not even, not even spiritual maturity. You're at the point in age to understand I have to do something about this. The same habit, I need to do something about it. The same failure, I need to do something about it. The same ungodliness that pops out, I need to do something about it. The same flawed character, I need to do something about it. The same thing God's convicted me of, I need to do something about it. I'm aware of it, I can admit it, but God help us to do something about it. To address it. Because here is sin celebrating the fact that it's not really addressed. Here is Satan happy that keep doing it over and over and over again. Let it be your pitfall, let it be your shortcoming, let it be the thing that leaves you unqualified, let it be the thing that never helps you advance, let it be the thing that's a thorn on your side, let it be that thing that you can never have true happiness, you can never have true peace, you're always gonna feel defeated. Let that sin stay unaddressed in your life and keep going that way. Man, he absolutely loves it. But I'm telling you, put it on the board, that the follower of Jesus should never even wait to address sin. That the follower of Jesus understands. If there's something not right, God, I don't want to address it today. Tomorrow, I want to address it today. God, if something's wrong, I don't want to put it off. God, no, I want to address it today, God. Help me learn today. Help help begin the cleaning of my mind, the cleaning of my thoughts, the cleaning of my life. Help me, the cleaning of my heart. Let it begin today, God. My dad has this saying that he loves, and when I worked with him, he would say it off to dad, I love you. I'm not getting funny, I'm just saying. He has a saying that he would love. Don't wait for tomorrow to do what you can do today. I was like, Dad, it's six o'clock, I'm going home. But he was right. When it comes to sin, don't wait for tomorrow, what you can do today. I want to address it today. And as we go through this and kind of pulling these lessons from Paul, here's where we kind of reach the moment of this sermon where we'll just start to. I want to encourage you. Because I hear his heart, I hear his battle, I can relate, I see what he's talking about. And I don't want to be somebody not addressing what needs to be addressed. I want to be somebody who's doing something about it. So, question. What is, put on the board, what is the first step to addressing sin? What's just the first step to addressing this this this this the sin that this this this wrongdoing, this battle within Paul, this struggle within Paul. Well, go back to verse 24 and 25. I'll remind you again. Oh, what a miserable person I am, who will free me from this life, there's the question, who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God the answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. Church, the first step to addressing sin, I give you good news that Paul gives us the answer. It's recognizing Jesus Christ as the answer to sin. Church, the only, the only, the only reason sin can even be addressed is because of Jesus Christ. The only reason sin can be addressed is because of Jesus Christ. Sin was taking us to hell. What was the answer? Jesus Christ. Sin was dominating our lives, you know what we need, we didn't need another teacher, we needed a savior, and his name is Jesus Christ. Sin was tearing us apart, and you know what we didn't need? We didn't need a doctor, we needed a savior, and his name was Jesus Christ. Sin was ruining our lives, and you know we did. We didn't need a counselor, we didn't need a therapist, we needed a savior, and the answer is Jesus Christ. Church, hear me today and rejoice with me today that we can address our sin. We can do something about sin, not because of how great you are, it's because of the work of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary, laying down his life for all of humanity, laying down himself, taking on the sin of the world. That's the reason we can even address sin today. Otherwise, sin is undefeated, otherwise, sin has victory. Otherwise, sin is walking all over us. But church, Jesus came down to earth, laid down his life, took on the sin of the world. And now, because of the power of Christ, because of his dying, because of his blood, church, we can have victory over the sin that is trying to defeat us every day. We can address this sin. We we don't have to feel like I'll never be perfect. I can never do what's right. Pause in that moment. I can't get it right. I'm frustrated with myself. This sinful nature is dominating me, but then he realizes there's an answer, there's hope, there is a way, there is a person, and it's Jesus Christ. You and I have no chance of overcoming sin apart from Jesus. Hear me? Without Jesus confession, pointless. Without Jesus, repentance, pointless. Because of Jesus, we have forgiveness, we are rescued, we have mercy, we have grace, we have compassion, we have love, we have peace extended towards us, we have relationship extended towards us, because of Jesus, we are no longer dead, but we can be alive. Because of Jesus, we have heaven to look forward to, because of Jesus, we can enjoy the blessings of God on this earth. Because of Jesus, we're no longer orphans, we have a father, we're no longer in darkness, we are now in the light. Because of Jesus, although we were lost and on our way to hell, church, you are now part of the kingdom of God, a soldier in the army of God, you are a son of God, a daughter of God. You are now within the kingdom of God, you are cherished and loved, you are protected and watched over, you are anointed and empowered, you are able to walk in victory, church. It's all because of Jesus Christ, it's all because of him. And I think to myself, thanks be to God, he gave us the answer. And although, as Paul would say, this power, this power that's trying to dominate, rule my life. Whoa church, there's a greater power. And it's not a thing, it's a person, and his name is Jesus Christ. Can we give Jesus Christ a handcuff today? In fact, listen. There was an old song that used to say, Jesus is the answer for the world today. Jesus is the answer for the world today. But the truth is this Jesus is the answer to the unsaved person. But he's still the answer to the saved person as well. Paul says there's an answer. And his name is Jesus Christ. But next week we'll catch up on this and kind of expand on this answer. But there is something I want you to understand that's vital for next week. And we'll just have a little fun to wrap this up. Hey, hey, buddy, can you help me out with that thing? I wanted to kind of show you kind of this picture I got in my head. It's a silly picture. Every now and then I think the youth pastor and me comes up a little bit. And I kind of just kind of get this little visual of like kind of where we were, but thanks God, thank God because of Jesus where we are now. And uh thanks, buddy, I appreciate you. Let's put it here because there's water on the base of it, and if that thing bursts open, we'll have mold instead of a fire. Um this is, right? It's just a you know, yeah. And um, if you're watching or listening, I'm sorry, listening on online or something, there's there's this punching bag in the middle of the altar right now. And um I see this punching bag, and then I kind of realized something about how Paul's talking about the struggle with sin and how the truth is in the in the in the beginning of the passage, he's not winning this battle. So I thought to myself, man, you know, Paul, I can really relate to you. No, we'll go that way. We're good, we're good. Still works. Illustration's still good. So we say in youth ministry, illustration is still good. That's me. Um and then I started to think, uh, hey Matthew, you're at home from college. You're always a good help to me. Will you help me, please? Appreciate you. But come on, give Matthew a hand clap, okay? All right. You a Spurs fan, Matthew? Oh, I'm sorry about that. All right, okay. I don't have a bigger name tag, but hello, my name is Sin Careful. Matthew's hypothetically today, sin. This is old Manual. The reason I have a punching back here is we'll see in a second. Get a little closer, Matt. Your sin, right? I mean hypothetically. Hit the bag. Just hit it over and over. Yeah. That's Manual trying to combat sin.

SPEAKER_01 44:49

That's Manual right there. Keep going.

SPEAKER_00 44:57

Is Manuel doing anything about it? Is Manuel fighting back in any way? Is Manuel winning this battle in any way? Stop. His face may be smiling, but he's hurting. He may look happy, but he knows this isn't going well. And isn't it funny? That can be life sometimes, isn't it? Deep down inside, there's a lot not going right. Sin just keeps punching away. Go ahead, buddy. Keep punching away. Just there it is. No hope, nothing. That's it. But here's the thing. Eventually, thanks be to God, kind of that marker. Eventually, old Manual. For those of you who need glasses, eventually Manuel got saved. And now, scoot up. Here's what I want you to know. Jesus is the answer. Say amen to that. But I need to let you know something. Jesus didn't pull us out of the battle. He didn't pull us out of the war. Go back to hitting the back. Does this look like much of a battle? Does this look like much of a war? Does it look like old Manual is doing anything to make this a competition? Absolutely not. Stop. Scoot up. But Manuel, save. Give the Lord a hand clap for saving Manuel. And here's what I need you to understand. Put it on the board. That Jesus did not move us past warfare. Jesus made warfare possible. And you'll understand this more next week. But to give Jesus thanks today, now look what happens. I'm saved. Hi, sin. Go ahead and hit me. No, no, me. Just an explanation, right? Yeah, Lee. Teaching you in college. There's a big difference there now, isn't there? Just now. Now man, it was not just boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. No. Go ahead. I'm in this thing now at least. But here's the even better news. Come on, Brother Camilo. Come on, Brother Paul. Come on, Brother Paul. Brother Camilo's a little too excited. Alright. Come on, Brother Paul. No, no, on my side. On my side. On my side. On my side. Come on. Oh, you're a big guy. Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on. Yeah, let me get some big fellas on my side here. Now come on, like, like, let's just act like we're gonna jump them. All right.

SPEAKER_01 48:12

Come on.

unknown 48:17

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 48:25

Last I heard, I got the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit on my side.

SPEAKER_00 48:31

And now hear me. You want to hit me? It's not just me now. You're gonna have to battle the entire kingdom of God now, Satan. It's all of us now. It's every single one of us now. Father, son, Holy Spirit are all on our side now. So go ahead and hit me.

SPEAKER_01 48:48

No, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 48:49

Yeah, yeah. Hit me again. Hit me, go, go, go, hit me, hit me, hit me again, hit me, hit me, hit me, hit me, hit me, hit me. And look, he'll get some taps in. Hit me, hit me a little bit. He'll get some taps again. He'll get some taps again. But church, what I'm simply trying to tell you is don't you ever forget because of the kingdom of God? This was once us. Come back, come back, come back. Go ahead, come back, go ahead, hit me, hit me, just hit me, hit me, hit me, man, hit me, hit me, hit me. That was one's of us. But thanks be to God, we're no longer dead. We are alive in Christ Jesus. And with this life comes the kingdom of God within us. So, church, there's good news. You're not even battling sin on your own. You have the kingdom of God on your side. You have the power of God on your side. You have the help of God on your side. You are a person of God of God hear me! And the columns have been defended! Or columns of heaven all over sin! Hold over the people that would save! I'm gonna kingdom of God! I'm another side now! Give the Lord some prize today! Thank you, Lord! Appreciate you guys, appreciate y'all, thank you! Appreciate you very much. Yeah. We don't want to keep that on him. Alright. And next week we're gonna build on that next week. Because again, put it back on the board, please. Jesus did not pull me, he didn't move me past warfare. But he made warfare possible. And that's the part I hope you take home and get ready for next week. You want more homework? Read all of Romans 7. Read it all. And read chapter 8 as well. Because next week, we're gonna change the page from chapter 7 to chapter 8, and we're gonna find out how Paul is no longer feeling defeated, but Paul is recognizing he's empowered. And I tell you today, look at me. For anybody feeling defeated today, you're not defeated. You have been empowered by the Lord God Almighty. You've been empowered by the Lord God Almighty. And today, can I just get keys for a moment? Hey, big man, can you can you get this out of here for go ahead? Look at me.

SPEAKER_01 51:18

That's why I've got a young back. No offense, Maria Milo. You're good. All right, thanks, buddy. Appreciate it.

SPEAKER_00 51:27

Can I ask you a question today? Look at me. And and and just hear my heart. And hear my heart. I hope and pray that we all, that we all have, let's call it, this awareness this morning, use that word again. That you know what, Lord, I do want to honor you. I do want to please you. Look at me, look at me, look at me, just hear me. And I hear some of you this morning. You're going through challenges, you're going through battles, you're going through family issues and medical concerns, through financial battles, you're going through so much. But hear me today. In the midst of all of that going on to every person here, what if no matter the season, we're still able to honor Christ with our lives? That no matter no matter what's going on, what's happening, Lord, I still want to honor you, Lord. Because you know what I learned a long time ago? Long time ago. That there can be so much going on in life, but if I learn truly to seek ye first the kingdom of God, if I learn truly to honor Him with my life, to obey Him, I've learned that God just has a way of taking care of the things that I am unable to take care of. So maybe hear me. Maybe our heart this morning just needs to have a little turn in posture. This example. God, I don't want to be just in a life that's just being beat up by sin. I want a life that's gonna honor you, and you're gonna help me to do that. Hear me? And if I live the life that honors you, Lord, I believe the blessings will follow. I believe the breakthrough will follow. I believe the healing will follow, the restoration will follow, the help will follow. And the enemy would want to lie to you even this morning and say it's not true. Say it's gonna be the same. Say there's no way. But my answer, my question to you is simply an old saying we had when I was growing up in church. Whose report will you believe? And I'll tell you the answer we had. We shall believe in the report of the Lord. The report of the Lord. So to every person here today, you may have thought, I guess Pastor's just giving us some gachatadas this morning. You know what that is? That's some slaps this morning. I wasn't trying to give you some slaps. I was trying to encourage you and let you know in the end, no matter what's going on, I truly believe if we honor the Lord, we're gonna see his hand at work in our lives. Quick story before I call you forth. I don't recommend this for you going to college, but just hear me for a second. I remember I was in this finance class, I think it was my junior year of college, and I was having going through a rough season. Just I had a lot going on at church. I was youth pastoring at the time, and just had a lot going on. So it wasn't that I wasn't applying myself, I just had a lot going on. And I just remember that we had a test coming up, and if you're not familiar with college, sometimes one test is like 30% of your grade for the whole semester, 25% of your grade. I was one of those classes, and I remember that I didn't really get a chance to study much for this exam, this test coming up. And I was having a I love math, but I was having a hard time in this class. And the test day came, and I was like, I said a prayer, and I was like, Lord, I'm trying to honor you with my life, answer your calling on my I just been I'll thank the Lord with the help of the Holy Spirit, just been practicing putting you first, Lord. Before I study, I gotta pray and read my word. Before waking up for class and going to class, I gotta go see God for a little while. I was just trying to honor you, Lord, above all. And I remember test day came, and I felt so unprepared for that class. That test. So the test came. There's only 20 questions on it. It gave us an hour, whatever it was, and started the test. And there was like 10 minutes left. I had like four questions answered on the whole exam. And I'm there, I kid you not, I thought I was gonna start crying because I was like, God, I was just so frustrated. I was going through just a lot of things going on, but Lord, putting you first, I'm trusting you, God. Like above all, Lord, my face in you. Five minutes left. I still had like 12 unanswered questions. And me and my friend used to have a joke. It came to my mind in that moment. They said, when in doubt, go with C. So I kid you not, with about eight unanswered questions, C, C, C, C, C, C. And I was like, Lord, it's in your hands, God. Like, I don't know. Like, I'm really there. Like, I and again, this wasn't because I was being, no, it's just, I just, I just happened, I just wasn't ready. Two days later, we go back to the class, and he's passing out the grades, and I'm like, I failed. I know I failed horribly. I ended up getting a B plus on the exam. And I was like, Lord, I kid you not, I put my head down and I said, Lord, I don't deserve this. I don't. I don't deserve this, God. Again, college kids don't do that. But I was like, Lord, I don't deserve this. And then I remember, Manuel, there's a lot you don't deserve, son. But I just remember these words. Honor me, and I will honor you. You put me first, I will lift you up in due time. I am with you, my son. So to this day, I don't know how it happened, but I am a testimony to you that somehow, even when we don't deserve it, you honor the Lord, and his grace is sufficient. He does things you never thought were possible. So, church, when we talk about sin, it's not para darunas cachetadas, it's not to slap you around. Ready? It's to prepare you to be successful and prosper in every season of life. Because yesterday, as I sat down with a group of men for breakfast, I was reminded that no matter the season, we're still called to honor God with our life. So, church, I pray today you take it to heart and you remember, my God, I honor you above all. Sin, you gotta go in the name of Jesus. And with the help of the kingdom of God, we're gonna have victory in Jesus' name. Give the Lord a hand clap. I'm done today.