Live Different - Pastor Sam Simoes - June 28, 2026

Pastor Sam Simoes message for Sunday June 28, 2026. 

Welcome to the Northwest Church of the Nazarene podcast, where we share the heart of our church’s mission: discovering and engaging in a life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ through inspired worship and intentional ministry. Each episode brings you sermons, insights, and messages that challenge and encourage spiritual growth. Whether you are part of our diverse, multicultural church family, or listening in for the first time, you’ll find a community that loves Jesus and welcomes everyone with open arms. Join us online at nwnaz.org or in person in Columbus Ohio, as we journey together toward a deeper, more meaningful relationship with Jesus and each other. 

Transcript

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Every Sunday at Northwest Church of the Nazareth in Columbus, Ohio, our congregation is challenged to grow spiritually. This podcast shares the sermons, insights, and messages that encourage our congregation to mature spiritually.

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Today we're going to be talking about sin. And as we already heard from the songs, and we already heard from the movement of our service today, we're also going to be talking about grace and about how God has spoken to us. And the title for today's message is Live Differently. If you have ever rescued an animal and take it home, you found out something very interesting about animals and nature. Is that when they come in, they come in with different kinds of behaviors, behaviors they have acquired in other places. And sometimes they come in shy or they come in in a place where they don't know how to handle. But what we also witness is that they transform from a scared animal into one that belongs, into one that that enjoys being a part of our lives. I personally have a parrot that is 33 years old that uh I did not rescue, uh, but it was a part of Joanne's uh family and and Joanne's uh childhood, and and she grew up with him, and the first time I was um affectious to her, he didn't appreciate that, and that was uh 20 plus years ago, almost 30 years ago. And I st he still reminds me that I'm not his favorite people. And I have a parrot that I did rescue, and it was uh belonged to someone, another parrot that belonged to someone else who uh passed away with cancer and they had to give the parrot away. So we took it. Um I did not have much of a choice on that matter. Joanne said we are taking a parrot, and and in my mind, I always thought, oh, this is this is such a commitment, and and I'm not sure if I'm if I'm ready to have more intelligent animals that speak. And and this one does speak a lot. And uh when he first came, he was very shy, and we weren't sure if he liked men, and we later find out that not only he likes, he loves men, and he will fly all over the house looking for me and to be in my shoulder. And then once he gets into my shoulder, he loves to go through my glasses, and I have broken pieces in my glasses because of that parrot, but he adapted, and we also have a a uh bearded dragon, and and that bearded dragon we also rescued a few years back, and that bearded dragon not only adapted, but now every time he goes into our chest, he falls asleep. So we have seen how an animal adapts, and I've always wondered why it is so difficult for people to adapt. And I realize the reason the animals adapt is because of how well we have loved them, how patient we have been with them, how welcoming we have been with them, how caring we have been with them. And I'm not just talking about feeding, I'm talking about, you know, being gentle with them, caring for those pets because they may have come from difficult or different situations. And when we look into rescuing an animal, we look into a commitment to make them feel that they belong, and they do. But in church, we don't always do that. In our lives, we don't always do that because we don't treat people, especially those that come in from a broken place and those that have different behaviors, those that have different personalities, those that have different lifestyles, it's not very easy for us to say, I know I want to really embrace you and welcoming you. But that's what we are called to be as Christians, that's what we're called to do as Christians, and that's what we have been commissioned to do is to welcome them, to embrace them, and to make them feel that even though they may have a different kind of behavior, a different kind of of expectations in the world, they are with us, they get to see a caring, loving, and and an approach of welcome that they can experience nowhere else. And this is what we're gonna be talking about today's passage. It's a passage that the apostle Paul wrote to the church in Rome, and it's the book of Romans, which is the letter to the Rome, uh to the Romans, the book of Romans is one of the most theologically deep. And today's passage, yes, we're gonna be talking about slaves, but we're gonna be talking about also God's redemption. And if you have your uh Bibles with you, and uh if you do not, you can follow uh along with um uh with uh the words. We're gonna be looking into Romans chapter six. We're gonna read from verses twelve all the way to verse twenty three. If you stand with me in reverence for the word of the Lord as we consider what he has in store for us today. Romans six verses twelve. Thus said the word of the Lord. Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you're not under the law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law, but under the grace? By no means. Don't you know that when we offer ourselves 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. But thanks be to God that though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart a pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness, leading to holiness. When you were slaves to sin, you are free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap in that time from the things you are not ashamed of? Those things result in death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Father in heaven, we pray that you would speak to us today. And I personally pray that the words that I speak may not be mine but yours. So speak through me, Father. Touch our hearts, touch our souls, transform us, that we may leave this place, transformed by the renewing of your spirit. So descend upon us, Father, and speak to our hearts. And we pray these things in Jesus' name. Amen. Thank you. You may be seated. We find in this passage that the apostle Paul is writing about sin, but not in a way that is judgmental, not in a way that is just pointing out their sin, but is just writing in a way to say that sin it's something that God has taken care of for us. But every time we go back into sin, we will struggle with understanding how God's grace is to us, it's for us. It's not about all that we do, is about how God is in relationship with us. And what we see here, the first thing that we see in this passage is that God's salvation is transformation. He did not save us that we may have a happier life or a more fulfilling life. He did not save us from our sin that we may just be happier or wealthier or more comfortable. He saved us that we may be transformed. You know, so often we believe that we are good, that we're righteous because we we do the right things. You know, I followed the Bible. I am not out there doing all these wrong things, I'm not out there doing all these things that people look bad about. I'm I'm nice. Most of the time, as long as my windows are up in the car, and you don't hear what I tell other people while I'm driving. I'm nice. And the word of God is telling us that sin's not about what we do, but is about why we do it and how what is enslaving us to. Because when we become attached with sin, we tend to shy away from God because we are filled with darkness, and darkness and light cannot coexist. So we find that the word of God is telling us that the sin that's coming to our lives enslaves us, and we become slaves to sin. Two boys were at a summer camp and they were learning and how to do archery. And as they were pulling the bow and pointing the arrow, the instructor was saying, Okay, when you hold it, put it against your face. Okay, now you see the arrow, and you see the tip of the arrow, and you see the target. Now you look at the trajectory, and he's giving all the instructions. And one of the boys pulls it and just misses the target by a few inches. He goes, Oh, I missed. And the instructor said, Well, let's try again. Did you understand all the instructions I gave you? Okay, now you need to hold your breath before you release it. And he did it again and missed the target. The other one came about and said, Did you understand all that I said? He goes, Yes. And then he thought to be funny, and he went and he threw it over to the cabins and seeing if he could hit the cabins, you know, and scare someone. Now, when we're looking at sin, we're looking at sin as sometimes missing the mark, but not because we are wanting to miss the mark, it's just the things of the world sometimes lead us to miss the mark. But when we are willingfully doing something contrary to what we have taught, that is the sin that makes us slaves. Because when we're living each day, and yes, we may miss the mark, but we are trying each day, hearing the words of the instructor and following the words of the instruction. But when we completely ignore and just throw it to somewhere else, we are also missing the mark, but that is intentional sinning. And this is what Paul is talking about. This intentional sinning that we have is in is a kind of sin that makes us slaves to it. Because we are not free from it. Because when sin comes into our lives, it just takes over. So Paul is very clear that the grace does just not forgive. Even when we come before God and we ask forgiveness for our sins, he just not forgives. He will forgive, but he will also transform so we don't sin again. He'll also transform so we don't continue with his life of sin. And that's what holiness is that we read in verse 22. That holiness that we have is a separation from the world, is a separation from sin, and that we become a part of God's way, of God's spirit, of God's relationship. So the world is watching us, but the world is not convinced by our words. How often the word says the world says, well, we read in the scriptures that you should love your neighbor, but I've seen Christians not loving their neighbor. We've seen in Christian in scripture, or we have heard that Christians should act this way, but they're acting uh somewhere different. We hear that the scriptures that Jesus loved people, but the Christians are not loving people. The world is not looking at our words, the world is looking at our hearts and our gestures, at our love, at the way we approach others. So when we're looking into the slavery of sin, the world is holding us accountable for proclaiming that we are Christians. They're noticing, but Christianity is not behavior modification, it's not me trying to be a better person, it's not me trying to, well, now that I'm a Christian, I have to do this. Christianity is not behavior modification, is identity transformation. It changes who we are, it changes what we believe, it changes how we feel about things, it transforms us from the old self to the new self. And the world is watching our lives, and the world is is checking not for behavior, but for transformation. They're checking that there is something very different about them. I spoke with someone this week who was sharing with me about when their father was saved, and they're saying, he didn't tell anyone, but I noticed, Pastor, I noticed something was very different about my father. So I asked him, Dad, what is so different about you? He goes, Well, I don't know, but I just recently have come to a realization that I needed more of Jesus and I have been really in the word. So I noticed, Dad. That's the kind of transformation that this passage is talking about. It's not just saying, Well, I'm gonna try to be better, I'm gonna try to do better, it's saying, I am going to live a life that is worthy of the name son or daughter of God. So we find that a surgeon, when a surgeon has a uh an operation and he's preparing for his surgery, he has a set of tools. And he examines each tool before he or she begins the operation. And when they pick up each tool, they look and make sure that the tool is perfect for the job they need. So if they pick up a scalpel and they see a tiniest little blemish, the scalpel is rejected. The scalpel is put aside, and they ask for a different one in which they will inspect. Now, if they inspect a scalpel and it doesn't have a little blemish, but have a big blemish, would be equally as rejected. The size of the blemish is not the problem, it's inconsequential. It's not, it doesn't matter how big of a blemish is on the scalpel. If there is a blemish, that scalpel will be rejected. And God looks at sin the same way. It's not about the size of the sin, it's not about how big of a sin or how small of a sin is any kind of sin cannot be accepted by God, but can be forgiven, regardless of the size, regardless of the extent. And this is what we are looking into this word that the world is not looking at our behavior, is looking at who we are and why we do it. So when we approach others, when we love others, when we care for others, when we welcome others, the world is looking that we are genuine. But if we sin, regardless of our big or small of a sin we have, the world would also notice that and will reject us as hypocrites, will reject us as people who just speak but don't live it. And that's why it's so important that we understand that we do not have to be conformed by the world, but be transformed by the word of God. So God sent his son. We didn't ask for the the the you the human human kindness, the humans didn't ask God, hey, can you send us a son? Why did God send his own son? We didn't ask for it, we were very happy continuing sinning and in oblivion. But he sent his son just so we could see that there is a better way, there is hope. We can be transformed, we can be changed. So, what are we to do according to this passage? We see that God's salvation transforms, we see that the world is not convinced by our words, only by our lives, only by our relationships. So, what are we to do? Well, we begin by being a servant. Verse 15, we read that Paul says, What then shall we sin because we are not under the law, but under grace? By no means. Then he says, This don't you know when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves to the one you obey? Whether slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness. You know, I I like that Bob Dylan song, You gotta serve somebody. You're gonna serve somebody. You're gonna worship somebody, you're gonna get to pick. It's your choice. You can either worship God, or you can worship yourself or things of the world. But you're gonna have you're gonna worship somebody, you're gonna serve somebody. So what we do, we serve. And when we are a servant, when we become a servant, we are not saying that we are better than anyone else. We're not saying that we're superior to anyone else, we're saying that our heart is not bound by the things of this world, but is but is bound by righteousness, by what God has done. And because He has done so much for me, I want to serve others. And if we serve, if we serve others, we will become an embodiment of a serving Jesus that served, that cared, that loved. And we become more and more like Jesus. So today we find that in this passage, Paul asks this question. So should we sin? Because now we have grace. So the more grace, the more sin. He says, No. And he uses this rhetorical uh sentence, we call it diatribe, which which is anticipating and responding to a possible objection. So Paul's Paul knew exactly what we were thinking. And that's why I'm saying, well, am I saying that? No. Because if you sin, you become a slave to sin. But if you serve, if you care, if you have a relationship with God, you become a slave to God. But you're going to serve somebody. You're going to serve someone. But if we buy into the lie, if we buy into the lie, that we are righteous because we do the right things, that we are righteous because we have a lifestyle that's better than someone else. If we buy into the lie that just because we we know the word of God that we are fine, if we buy into that, we are becoming slaves of the law. And not slaves of God. And that's why Jesus said, Yeah, I come to fulfill the law. So it is me. It is my person. It is my relationship with you. It is my communion with you that transforms. It's not the law. It's not doing the right things, it's walking with me. It's being with me. It's connecting with me. Is being with me. In civil war, there was a man named George Wyatt. He had six kids, and he was drafted to go into war. And he did not want to go. He had young children at home, and he was afraid that if he would go, he would not be able to return and take care of his children. And a friend of his named Richard Pratt said, You know what? I'm a young man and single. I'll take your place. And they went to the army and said, I will take his place for the draft. And the army accepted, they signed the paperwork, and George Pratt ended up living his, let me sing the correct name. No, Richard Pratt. Richard Pratt ended up living the life of George Wyatt. And he went and fought, and unfortunately, he was killed in action. And they sent back information to the family. And George Wyatt was indebted. And he always felt a great sense of gratitude for this man that took his place. However, a few months later, he receives a letter drafting him again. So he went to the war secretary and said, Here's the thing. I already died in battle. You cannot draft someone who died in battle. But no, you are here in front of us. No, here's the paperwork. Richard Pratt has died for me. I do not need to return. And they said, You are right. And sent them back home. See, this is what Jesus has done for us with our sin. He has died for us. He already paid the price. He already paid the cost of our sin. He already took care of that. So all we have to do now is serve as He served, as He served us, as He cared for us, and as He loved us. And that is how God has called us to be transformed, not just to change behaviors, not just to be nice, but to be people that are continually being transformed. So we be a sermon, but we also remember who we are. Remember who we are, who we belong to. And remember, this is not me living, this is God living in me. This is not me trying to do something that is nice, but it's me just loving and serving because God has called me. Because God has done so much for me. It's not about what we do, it's about doing it because we have a life filled with his presence. A young boy kept falling off his bed all the time. And one day his uncle spent the night and he heard the thumb and the crying. And he went up to his to the boy the next morning and said, Hey, why'd you keep falling? He goes, Well, I don't know. Well just tell me why do you think that is? He goes, Well, maybe because I stay very close to him when I get in the bed. So you mean on the edge? Yeah. Have you thought about moving into the middle of the bed? Oh. How often have we done that, fallen off? Just because we just get comfortable and too close to where we are rather than just going into the middle of the will of God. And that is what God is calling us for us to do today. It's not for us to live in with one foot in the world and one foot in the faith. But it's for us to let the world be the world. Take our eyes from the world and put our eyes in Jesus. Because Jesus is going to transform us. He's going to save us. And he's not just going to forgive our sins and give us eternal life. He is going to forgive our sins, give us eternal life, but transform us in ways that our old self and our new self are not fighting with one another. Because I'm going to confess, every day I have to fight with my old self. Every day I have to, I have a struggle between the things that I desire to do and the things that God's leading me to do. And I have to fight that fight every day. Say, Lord, I know you are calling me to do this, but I really want to do that. And every time we fight between our old self and our new self, we will remember who do I belong to? Do I belong to myself and to my ideal, or do I belong to the to Jesus Christ? So I have a challenge for you this week. Now this is an interesting challenge. I am challenging you to interrupt the old you. You know, there's times in your life, I know there's times in my life that my old self comes out. So this week, I want you to interrupt it. When you notice this is your old self, interrupt it. And this is how we interrupt. If there is a time that we are angry, we're gonna choose patience over anger. Oh, I'm about to be angry about this. No, I'm gonna choose patience. If there's uh something that we need to forgive, and we forgive instead of having, you know, or or holding a grudge. We we tell the truth when the lie would be easier to say. We we serve when we expect to be served. We pray instead of complaining, we speak encouragement instead of criticism. And when we do that, when we begin to recognize our old self, when we interrupt our old self, we will see that God's going to fill us with his presence as we walk with him, away from the world, but with him, and that is the greatest witness we can have with the world. In the last few uh weeks, I have shared about us finding that one person that we want to invest in, pray for, and disciple. And we as a church are working on discipling people, on leading them into our lives, even before they become a Christian, even before they understand Jesus Christ. But if we embrace, if we disciple, if we teach, if we encourage, and we lift people up, they will recognize Jesus in us. The problem is that sometimes our old self comes up and creeps up and and and and that is when we're gonna have to interrupt our old selves, our our our old us. But this week, as you minister, as you disciple your one, I pray that God would use you, use your relationship with him to transform them because you will see that God is in a business of miracles. Amen. I'd like to ask the uh Shannon and the worship team to uh come up, or uh uh it's just you. All right, we should we have a team, we have a team. We usually have we have a whole worship team. So um, as we pray, I don't know where you are on your journey with Jesus, but today I'm gonna pray that when you leave, that God is starting a transformation in your life. There's an area in your life that needs transformed, an area in your life that is just stagnant, an area in your life that needs revived, that God will do that. And every time your old self comes up, you'll interrupt it and let God in in that in that situation. Father, we praise you, for you are faithful. And today, as we come before you, today as we pray, today as we hear your word, and today as we uh uh uh share with one another this time of fellowship, we pray that you would pour your spirit upon our lives. Lead us today as we encounter you and as we minister to others. And Father, today, as we go, may we be transformed and may we be changed. And we pray these things in your Son Jesus Christ's name. Amen.

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As it is known in our community, Northwest Church is committed to discovering and engaging in a life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ, with inspired worship and intentional ministry. People from all walks of life are welcome and received as family members. Our family is diverse, multicultural, and although not perfect, in love with Jesus. Join us online at nwnat.org or by visiting us in Columbus, Ohio. God bless you.