“Reminders in Christ”- Romans 6:12-23

Friends, we live in a world that works really hard to program us to believe we don’t have to follow anyone. That we are the masters of our fate, and the captains of our souls. Friends, that is not freedom, it is a burden we were never meant to carry. May you be reminded of the gracious God give you grace and freedom  to live under the rule of Jesus this week! 

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Wonderful. But everybody rise. Please. Thank you, Wynn, for allowing me to read the scripture this month. I'm reading from the NIV. 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 are not under the law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law, but under grace? By no means. Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as an obedient slave, you are slaves of the one you obey. Rather you are slaves to sin who leads to death, or to obedience which leads to righteousness. But thanks be to God that though used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your alliance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. I am using example from everyday life because of 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 were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at the time from the things you are now 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 Jesus Christ our Lord. Word of God for the people of God. Praise be to God.

SPEAKER_00 3:05

Thank you, Brian. Yes, sir. Now, Lord, may the words of my mouth, meditation of my heart, be fully acceptable, graceful, and worthy in your sight. You are and forever shall be our strength and our redeemer. Amen. So today, on the week of the 250th anniversary of the United States. Well, that's a sentence, right? Big week, big moment for the country. I want to talk about reminders of who God is. As followers of Jesus, we appreciate his provision in our lives each Sunday. Each Sunday we recite for affirmation of the creeds. For our sake, Jesus was crucified on Apontius Pilate. We even believe that God is first in all that we do. Our Lord's prayer teaches us to seek the will of Jesus on earth as it is in heaven. We recite that every week also. Having said that, as important as our Sunday activities for Jesus are, those are important. But sometimes we need daily reminders of who God is, don't we? It's not just Sunday. Sunday's important, but we also need daily reminders of who God is. Sometimes, and I'll just tell you why, I'll just be blunt with you, we need daily reminders because we're forgetful people. We forget the role of God and who God is in your life and in my life. As a former history teacher, one of the most forgetful yet important moments I would teach kids in U.S. history was the year 1787. Former American colonies, now independent states, were struggling under the weak government created by the Articles of Confederation. The national government had little power to collect taxes, regulate trade, or maintain order, and many leaders felt like that the young nation was going to fall apart very early. So to address these problems, the delegates from the 12 states met at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. Leaders such as George Washington, James Madison, Ben Franklin debated how to create a stronger national government while at the same time protecting the rights of the people in each state. All new. Sound familiar? Okay? If you can do this kind of change, it's going to be a transition. But a change was needed to move the people and the states forward to be better. At the beginning of the gathering, there's a lot of talking and not a lot of compromise. A lot of people talking at one another, not to one another. If you've seen the film A Great Awakening, this is a side note, but there's a great scene in the beginning where they're debating and they're practically yelling at one another. The transition to something new was not looking very promising. Didn't look good. But then Ben Franklin gave one of the most famous speeches and important reminders of a nation's history, some of which are quoted that I'm about to tell you, and the entire speech is kept in the Library of Congress. In fact, you can type in American rhetoric, Ben Franklin, 1787, and look up the entire speech yourself. Addressing the chair of the convention, Ben Franklin says this. He says this. Franklin reminded the delegates that they had prayed for divine assistance before, 10, 11 years before that, in the American Revolution. Not far from where the Constitutional Convention met. He said, we prayed them, we went to God in prayer, we asked for God to bless our efforts and to be with us as we took on the king and the red coats. And he made the comment in the speech of how God really blessed them for their prayer life. That he was with them through that entire American revolutionary process. But then he says this, boy, this hits home. Have we forgotten that powerful friend? Have we forgotten, or maybe we imagine, now that we've won the war, that we no longer need God's assistance? Friends, these are Christians and theists. That love God theists were people, they weren't exactly Christian, they believed God was there, that He gave humanity reason and skills, and they just worked out their things on earth while God just sits back. But whether you were a theist or a Christian, these are folks that believed in God and Franklin charges them all. I haven't heard a single lick of prayer yet. Have you forgotten? If a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without God's notice, is it probable that an empire such as ours can rise without his aid? We have been assured, sir, in the sacred writings that except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that buildeth. I firmly believe, and I also believe, that without God's aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than when the builders of Babel were brought down by God in Genesis. That's a word. He just equated the building of the United States to Babel, that if you don't pray and go to the Lord in prayer, we won't last much longer than the Tower of Babel did. We should be divided by a little partial local interest. Our projects should be confounded, and we ourselves should become a reproach and a byword in the future age. And what is worse, mankind may hereafter, from this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing governments by human wisdom and leave it to chance, war, and conquest. I therefore, this is still Franklin talk, I therefore beg to leave to move that prayers imploring the assistance of heaven and its blessings on our discussions be held in this assembly every morning before we proceed to business. And that a clergy or a chaplain should be brought in to help us in these efforts. While the motion did not pass that day due to lack of funds, it changed the tone of the convention. And yes, the nation did later on, after it was established, it adopted the practice of prayer before meeting in Congress. They do it today. At Franklin's suggestion, he suggested a time of prayer and they prayed. And every day after that, they didn't have a chaplain, but it changed the conversation of the room. After months of discussion, debate, and compromise, the delegates finally produced the United States Constitution, September 19, 1787. The document then had to be ratified at least by nine states. This sparked intense debate between Federalists who favor the new Constitution and the anti-federalists who fear the government would be too powerful and threaten individual rights. This was a conversation about what kind of country will the United States become? Many states ultimately agreed to ratify the Constitution after promises were made that the United States Bill of Rights would be added. It's a great history lesson, but here's my question for our sermon today. Would the nation have made it if Franklin had not said, everybody stop? We're going to pray. We need to pray. Would the nation have made it if Franklin had not given that suggestion? These men believed that God governed the affairs of men, but they still needed a reminder, didn't they? They needed a reminder that they needed to seek God's assistance as the nation went through a season of transition. Do we need a reminder today? Bible says yes. We do. Shall we? What did you read a second ago? Shall we sin so that grace may abound? By no means. We need reminders too. So let's get to it today. Let's talk about the reminders of who God is so we can seek his assistance in the weeks ahead, not just on Sunday. Number one, God is a God of grace. Reminder number one, God is a God of grace. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ. Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. For sin shall no longer be your master. You are not under the law anymore. You're under grace. The grace of God, simply defined, is this. This is a great definition. God showing favor and blessings on sinners. You ever want a definition on grace? Write that down. God showing his favor and blessings on sinners. Sometimes, and as your pastor, I'll confess to this. Sometimes we take his favor too far, don't we? A lot of times you are not under the law, but under grace. It's used to, it's used sin, isn't it? Doesn't matter if I sin. God's gracious, he'll forgive me, right? That's what we say. That's what Christians say in society. Some of them do. And I say that because I've been guilty of saying it growing up. Here's the thing. Paul's writing a group of Christians. He is writing them to remind them just how fortunate they are to be friends with Jesus. We therefore, we were therefore buried with Jesus through baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead, through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. Romans 6.4. Friends, think how generous that verse is. Romans 6.4. In our worst moments, we are buried with somebody. We're not alone. In our worst moments, Jesus is with us. Christ is with us. In our worst moments, when we admit we can no longer live without help. Christ is with us and buried with us in death so we might be raised to new life. How fortunate indeed. Amen. Our lives and therefore should reflect just how fortunate we are in Jesus. Martin Luther put it this way: He said, Grace makes Christ and his commandments lovable. You don't mind being holy. You want to be holy. Because of what Jesus did to you, see? God is a God of grace where He doesn't excuse sin. He inspires us. He motivates us to say, do better. You have another gear in you. That's true for us, isn't it? I remember telling council a few weeks ago just how fortunate we were to be followers of Jesus. I could be in a nine-to-five job. Sit in the cubicle somewhere. I could still be in teaching, coaching kids. All of those things are good and very important. But friends, how fortunate am I to be able to lead God's church to encounter Jesus? As disciples in his church, we could be doing something else that depends on finances, that depends on the bottom line, that depends on anything but the Lord. But thanks be to God, that is not the case. This place could be in a surplus with money. We could have millions of dollars to spend in finances. We could have the best facilities, we could have the best people in the world, but if you don't have Jesus, you just have a mission. Amen. You might as well have the YMCA outside instead of God's church and leading others to encounter Christ. None of that stuff matters. To paraphrase a great song I heard the other day. Is this true for you? If all we saw was Jesus, we would have seen it all. Is that true for you? I mean, we say it is, but then when the metal meets the meat, right? When we rubber meets the road, do we live like that? If all we saw is God, we would have seen it all. If I only met Jesus under a tree, that would be all I need. If all I had to offer him was two cents, it would be enough because of who I gave it to. His presence is a blessing. See? Not just what his presence gives you. Yes, we have a great church, we have a great community, great people. But what gives all of that value? Jesus died. God is a God of grace. God is also a God of freedom. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm then, and don't be ever burdened again by a yoke of slavery. When Paul says that Christ died to set us free, he is saying that Jesus has given us a worth that no work can ever surpass. Biblically, freedom then is not a lack of rules. I would write this down, friends. Biblical freedom is not a lack of rules or doing whatever you want. Biblical freedom is living under the rules and the will of Jesus. Freedom is not doing whatever you want. Freedom is living under the rules and will of Jesus. Therefore, don't go back to a way of thinking that life is up to you and me. Don't let yourself be burdened again to a yoke of slavery. Friends, I'm just going to level with you today. That's what happened to me about the lead. A little bit more blood, right? We live in a world that works really hard to make us believe we don't have to follow anyone. Boy, what's hard at that. I'm not gonna do what you tell me to do. I'm not gonna go help others. I'm not gonna go serve them. I've got too many things in my own life. I get to do what I want. Dealt with that as a teacher for 12 years. We live in a world that works too hard to make us believe we don't have to follow anyone. That we are the masters of our faith, that we are the captain of our souls. Hear me clearly today. Friends, that's not freedom. It's not. Sorry, it's not freedom. What about pursuing happiness? Friends, I promise you, if you go talk to the original founding fathers, they did not mean when they said pursue happiness, do whatever the heck you want. No way they meant that. I would have a debate with that and I would win it. Freedom is not doing what you want, and that is a burden we were never meant to carry. Do you feel that burden to live up to a standard you'll never reach? Do you feel it? Your job has high expectations that you will never surpass. Your circle of friends and family, they love you. But you'll never do enough for them. Do you feel that? As a pastor, I confess I relapse into that line of thinking often. But I love what J.D. Waltz said. He said in his Exodus Devotional, he said this, and I didn't get into my slides today, I'm sorry. I'm gonna say it slowly. Our worth does not come from what we can do for God. Church leaders in here need to remember that. Band leaders need to remember that. Our worth does not come from what we can do for God. Our worth comes from who we are in Christ. Our worth does not come from what we can do for God. Our worth comes from who we are in Christ. Our worth in Christ is whispered throughout the New Testament. In particular in Colossians 1, verses 13 and 14. Listen to this word for he has rescued us from a dominion of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son that he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. I want to remind you briefly about three words of freedom in Christ that might. Help you this week. Real briefly. Number one, we have been rescued. That is what Colossians 1 says. We have been rescued. To be rescued is to be saved, dragged out of danger. Already, the believers should know how important you are to God. He saw you in the fire, he saw you in the danger, and considered you so much worth that he came in flesh in Jesus to live, die, and raise again so you might have life. Don't ever let somebody tell you how unimportant you are. You hear me? They may think that, and they gotta live with themselves when they say that kind of ugly thing to you. But in God's eyes, you are so important He died. That is your first word of freedom, that we have been rescued. Number two, our second word of freedom is that we have been transferred. What a reminder. We've been transferred into his kingdom. We were lost and wandering and wondering what our future might be like. Is that you today? We were wondering what the future might be like. And through Christ, our position and status have been changed. Our life now has purpose and fulfillment. Because Jesus came to the devil's desk and said, Set down my name, sir. I have authority in this person's life now. The prophet Isaiah tells God's posture beautifully. I have redeemed Israel. I have called them by name. I encourage you to write your own name in in the blank and pray that scripture over your life this week. He called you, Brian. He called you, Noah. He called you, Lizzie. All of you, you watch it online. You have been transferred. He has called you by name. You belong to him. We have been transferred. We have been rescued. We have also in Colossians been redeemed. I told this story a few weeks ago of how I wasn't ready to date. When my brother Chris and Paul moved out to get married. The other half of that story goes like this. I felt comparison syndrome very quickly. Well, comparison syndrome is this. I compared my life to Paul's and Chris's, and somehow I thought I was missing it. They're married. They're living life. They are doing great. What happened? What do I need to do? I compared my life to theirs, and I thought I was missing it. I am and will always be grateful for what mom and dad did for me in that time when I lived with them. It was very tempting to compare my life to what Paul was doing and what Chris was doing. But then I went to worship at the shelter of Jacob's ladder in the depot district in Lubbock. I don't remember what happened or why I went. I do remember the song that reminded me, I didn't need to compare to what Paul and Chris were doing anymore. It's a simple verse. But I remember hearing a song and it changed my mindset completely. What's that other church doing? What's that other Christian doing? What's that other pastor doing? I compare some, but the memory of knowing I was redeemed in Christ that night told me that comparison is wrong. It's wrong. To covet more of Christ is to live under his calling and purposes, not compare to what someone else is doing. What Pat Willingham is doing in her life is not the same as Martha's. It shouldn't be. Don't compare. I had to learn that in my own life. I would meet Rihanna in two years after that holy moment of training myself not to compare to other people. So let's get to it. What reminder of the goodness of God do you need in this season? For me, to get the reminder I need, I need to turn to Scripture and Benjamin Franklin. My grace is sufficient for you. My grace is made perfect in weakness. Friends, don't sweat your weaknesses. I'm not good at this. Our church isn't good at this, and so on and so forth. Did it ever occur to you that God puts you in this position because you're weak at it? Now you got to depend on him more. Alright? Don't sweat your weaknesses. God put you where you are for a reason, maybe because you're weak in that area. You and I are not alone, are we? Ben Stranklin Counsel to remember God is with us as noted. Remember to pray. Remember to pray. For centuries, he has taken care of this nation, he is taking care of his church worldwide. Christians don't just reside in America. Amen. He is taking care of the nation, he is taking care of his church, he is taking care of you and me, weaknesses and all. Keep seeking his will, his purposes. Keep praying to him. Scripture testifies that when you're reminded of that and when you do that, God hasn't given up on us. And because of Jesus, he never will. In the name of the Father, and of the Son and the Holy Spirit.