Series A – Second Sunday After Pentecost – Sunday, June 22, 2014 | Pr. Chris Rosebrough
| Welcome to the Teaching Ministry of Kongsvinger Lutheran Church. Kongsvinger is a beacon for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and is located on the plains of Northwestern Minnesota. We proclaim Christ and Him crucified for our sins and salvation by grace through faith alone, and now, here’s a message from Pastor Chris Rosebrough: |
| Time Stamp | Transcript |
| 0:27 | grace mercy and |
| 0:29 | peace to you from God our heavenly |
| 0:30 | father and our Lord and Savior Jesus |
| 0:31 | Christ |
| 0:32 | amen I’m going to be preaching this |
| 0:35 | morning from our epistle text from The |
| 0:38 | Book of Romans chapter 6. if you |
| 0:40 | remember back in at the end of Easter I |
| 0:44 | preached on |
| 0:46 | Christian suffering and persecution the |
| 0:49 | week before Easter and thought it would |
| 0:51 | be better if we did not do that again at |
| 0:55 | least not so close and so what we’ll be |
| 0:58 | looking at is Romans chapter 6 and if |
| 1:00 | you have your Bibles you can follow |
| 1:02 | along it our text this morning begins in |
| 1:06 | verse 12 which is kind of a weird place |
| 1:07 | to start a text therefore do not let sin |
| 1:11 | reign in your body or Mortal body so |
| 1:13 | that you do not obey its evil desires |
| 1:15 | well whenever you see in the Bible the |
| 1:18 | word therefore it’s best if you stop |
| 1:21 | slow down and figure out what the |
| 1:22 | therefore is there for right I mean |
| 1:25 | because it’s like we’re starting in the |
| 1:26 | middle of a thought here and what I |
| 1:28 | thought I would do this morning |
| 1:30 | is take this occasion in of this text |
| 1:33 | because it ends so wonderfully with the |
| 1:35 | verse 23 that says for the wages of sin |
| 1:37 | is death but but the gift of God is |
| 1:40 | eternal life in Christ Jesus our lord |
| 1:42 | boy I can hear that every Sunday |
| 1:45 | man I can I need to hear that every |
| 1:47 | Sunday you know because over and over |
| 1:49 | again you know the trials and |
| 1:52 | temptations that we Face from the world |
| 1:54 | our sinful flesh |
| 1:56 | and it’s every week it just seems like |
| 1:58 | you know you go through the week you get |
| 2:00 | knocked around right and you come to |
| 2:03 | church thinking I am so not worthy |
| 2:07 | and of course that’s right because the |
| 2:10 | text says but the gift of God is eternal |
| 2:14 | life the gift of God is eternal life and |
| 2:17 | so verse 23 I I think has this wonderful |
| 2:21 | thing that it does it ends on the right |
| 2:22 | note but there’s this thing going on in |
| 2:26 | in the Book of Romans and in the |
| 2:28 | Christian faith in general when you |
| 2:29 | preach the real gospel |
| 2:31 | when you preach that we are saved by |
| 2:34 | grace alone through faith alone by what |
| 2:36 | Christ has done alone oftentimes people |
| 2:39 | hear that and go oh so what you’re |
| 2:42 | saying is I can go out and sin like |
| 2:45 | crazy |
| 2:46 | yeah yeah I like to send Jesus life to |
| 2:50 | forgive sins this is a this is a match |
| 2:52 | made in heaven right no that’s not how |
| 2:56 | that works and it’s kind of a category |
| 2:57 | error and so in order to figure out what |
| 3:00 | the therefore is therefore in verse 12 |
| 3:02 | we’re going to back up a little bit just |
| 3:04 | back up a little bit |
| 3:05 | and if you would take a look back at |
| 3:09 | Romans chapter 3 and we’ll look at verse |
| 3:12 | 9 and I’m going to read through a |
| 3:14 | portion of this here’s what it says so |
| 3:17 | what shall we conclude then are we any |
| 3:19 | better well no not at all |
| 3:22 | we’ve already made the charge that Jews |
| 3:24 | and Gentiles now when when the |
| 3:26 | scriptures talk in the New Testament |
| 3:28 | about Jews and Gentiles that’s just kind |
| 3:30 | of code talk for saying everybody |
| 3:32 | everywhere okay because keep in mind |
| 3:35 | Paul is a Jew right and in the church in |
| 3:38 | Rome at this time there are a lot of |
| 3:40 | Jewish converts to Christianity they |
| 3:42 | have these are Jews who believe that |
| 3:43 | Jesus Christ is the Son of God and so |
| 3:46 | he’s speaking to people who understand |
| 3:48 | Judaism okay and he’s speaking as one |
| 3:51 | Jew to another if you would he says so |
| 3:53 | what should we conclude then are we any |
| 3:55 | better well no not at all we’ve already |
| 3:57 | made the charge that Jews and Gentiles |
| 3:59 | alike are under sin |
| 4:01 | as it is written there is no one |
| 4:05 | righteous |
| 4:06 | not even one |
| 4:08 | there is no one who understands no one |
| 4:10 | who seeks God all have turned away they |
| 4:13 | have to cut together become worthless |
| 4:15 | there is no one who does good not even |
| 4:16 | one their throat are open Graves their |
| 4:19 | tongues practice to see the poison of |
| 4:21 | vipers is on their lips their mouths are |
| 4:23 | full of cursing and bitterness their |
| 4:24 | feet are Swift who shed blood rude and |
| 4:26 | misery mark their ways and the way of |
| 4:28 | peace they do not know there is no fear |
| 4:30 | of God before their eyes |
| 4:33 | and you’re saying does that really |
| 4:35 | describe me does anyone here think that |
| 4:37 | doesn’t describe them |
| 4:38 | if you don’t think this describes you |
| 4:40 | come see me afterwards we’ll work this |
| 4:42 | out okay right we’ll work this out |
| 4:44 | because this describes all of us this is |
| 4:46 | all of us okay because each and every |
| 4:49 | one of us was born dead in trespasses |
| 4:52 | and sins and so the law then it says now |
| 4:55 | we know that whatever the law says it |
| 4:57 | says to those who are under the law so |
| 4:59 | that every mouth may be silenced and the |
| 5:03 | whole world held accountable to God |
| 5:05 | therefore no one will be declared |
| 5:08 | righteous in God’s sight by observing |
| 5:10 | the law rather through the law comes the |
| 5:14 | consciousness of sin |
| 5:16 | all right so when we look in God’s word |
| 5:19 | and we see these passages like the Ten |
| 5:21 | Commandments Thou shalt not or you know |
| 5:24 | how you will have no other gods before |
| 5:26 | me honor your father and mother you will |
| 5:28 | not kill you will not covet you will not |
| 5:29 | steal commit adultery all these right |
| 5:31 | all right these are this is God |
| 5:33 | conveying his will for us but then you |
| 5:36 | look at God’s law and you sit there and |
| 5:38 | you look at your life and you do do the |
| 5:40 | little comparison thing and you sit |
| 5:41 | there and go uh oh |
| 5:45 | whoops |
| 5:46 | now what right |
| 5:48 | well see that’s the function of the law |
| 5:50 | God gave us his law so that we would |
| 5:53 | become conscious of our sin that’s its |
| 5:56 | purpose |
| 5:57 | that’s why he gave it he didn’t give it |
| 5:59 | to us so that we can do this kind of |
| 6:01 | business transaction where you sit there |
| 6:03 | and go okay God look at I um I really |
| 6:06 | liked my wife this week I didn’t quite |
| 6:08 | love her but I really liked her a lot |
| 6:09 | that’s close enough right |
| 6:11 | um I didn’t steal anything I didn’t |
| 6:12 | murder anybody and I really cut back on |
| 6:15 | the coveting thing aren’t I good |
| 6:18 | right you ever think this way I mean |
| 6:21 | maybe it’s just me okay |
| 6:23 | okay |
| 6:25 | and this is how we try to negotiate |
| 6:28 | things with God okay when you’re doing |
| 6:30 | that you don’t understand what the law |
| 6:32 | is saying okay the purpose of the law is |
| 6:35 | to make you understand you’re not |
| 6:37 | righteous and you sit there and go but I |
| 6:39 | don’t like to be told I’m not righteous |
| 6:41 | get over it |
| 6:43 | that’s all of us there was only one who |
| 6:45 | was righteous and that’s Christ and you |
| 6:48 | can’t understand the gospel until you |
| 6:50 | understand just how desperately sinful |
| 6:53 | you are |
| 6:54 | I mean you don’t need a life coach you |
| 6:57 | need a savior right |
| 6:59 | Jesus didn’t come to kind of give you |
| 7:01 | tips and tricks on how to keep the law |
| 7:03 | so that you can earn brownie points with |
| 7:06 | God that’s not what Jesus is about Jesus |
| 7:09 | came to save you and that salvation is a |
| 7:13 | gift and you don’t you’re not even |
| 7:15 | prepared to receive it as a gift until |
| 7:17 | you understand just how desperately |
| 7:21 | Wicked you are and that’s what Romans |
| 7:24 | does here okay so we’re still figuring |
| 7:26 | out what that therefore is there for now |
| 7:28 | we know that whatever the law says it |
| 7:30 | says to those who are under the law so |
| 7:31 | that every mouth may be silenced the |
| 7:33 | whole world held accountable to God |
| 7:34 | therefore no one will be declared |
| 7:36 | righteous how many people will be |
| 7:38 | declared righteous before God by keeping |
| 7:39 | the law |
| 7:41 | zero okay if you want to try go ahead |
| 7:45 | knock yourself out things will not go |
| 7:47 | well for you on the day of judgment |
| 7:48 | right okay yeah see this is the thing |
| 7:52 | Jesus came for Sinners and if you ain’t |
| 7:54 | one of them Jesus ain’t got nothing for |
| 7:55 | you I know that’s really bad English |
| 7:57 | okay but you get the point right |
| 8:00 | but now we read this but now a |
| 8:01 | righteousness from God apart from the |
| 8:03 | law has been made known to which the law |
| 8:05 | and the prophets testify this |
| 8:07 | righteousness from God comes through |
| 8:10 | faith in Jesus to all who believe there |
| 8:14 | is no difference all have sinned and |
| 8:16 | fall short of the glory of God that |
| 8:18 | would be all of us right and okay all of |
| 8:22 | sudden fall short of the glory of God |
| 8:23 | and are Justified that means to be |
| 8:25 | declared righteous freely by God’s grace |
| 8:29 | through the Redemption that came by |
| 8:32 | Christ Jesus |
| 8:35 | ah this is why Jesus can hang out with |
| 8:38 | tax collectors and prostitutes and |
| 8:40 | really Spirit big spiritual train wrecks |
| 8:43 | like me and like you right |
| 8:45 | because he suffered for us and the |
| 8:49 | gospel is this if you think of it it’s |
| 8:51 | often described as this Great Exchange |
| 8:53 | you remember Jesus on the cross remember |
| 8:55 | that okay |
| 8:57 | what was he doing on the cross again |
| 9:01 | he was suffering |
| 9:03 | for whose sins was Jesus suffering for |
| 9:08 | his own |
| 9:10 | he didn’t commit a single sin not one |
| 9:12 | sin did Jesus commit so why is he up |
| 9:14 | there suffering and dying because the |
| 9:16 | wages of sin is death right |
| 9:18 | well it’s real simple |
| 9:20 | there’s this exchange that takes place |
| 9:22 | when we read in Isaiah 53 he was pierced |
| 9:25 | for our transgressions he was bruised |
| 9:30 | for our iniquities the chastisement or |
| 9:34 | the punishment that brings us peace with |
| 9:36 | God was upon him |
| 9:38 | so the first half of the Great Exchange |
| 9:41 | goes like this all of our sin |
| 9:44 | is given imputed if you would this is |
| 9:47 | the great big theological term imputed |
| 9:49 | and put on Christ |
| 9:51 | right and what does God do with sin he |
| 9:55 | punishes it |
| 9:56 | so there’s Jesus on the cross suffering |
| 10:00 | as The Sinner |
| 10:04 | and you sit there and go wait a second |
| 10:07 | that’s |
| 10:08 | should be me |
| 10:10 | right now |
| 10:13 | when you are brought to faith in Christ |
| 10:16 | when God regenerates you and gives you |
| 10:19 | faith and you trust in Jesus for your |
| 10:22 | salvation here’s the other half of it |
| 10:24 | remember Jesus was sinless so he becomes |
| 10:27 | The Sinner |
| 10:29 | all of that sinless righteousness that |
| 10:31 | Jesus had |
| 10:34 | he gives that to you |
| 10:38 | by faith |
| 10:39 | that’s what scripture talks about |
| 10:41 | talking about the righteousness that |
| 10:43 | comes by faith not a righteousness that |
| 10:46 | comes by doing works or doing the law |
| 10:49 | a righteousness that is completely 100 a |
| 10:52 | free gift |
| 10:53 | so that that’s the two halves of the |
| 10:55 | exchange your sin on Jesus Jesus’s |
| 10:58 | perfect sinless righteousness on you |
| 11:00 | which then leads to this kind of |
| 11:02 | interesting thing are you saying Chris |
| 11:04 | that God sees me as righteous |
| 11:07 | yeah |
| 11:08 | it’s exactly what I’m saying |
| 11:11 | totally righteous now when we we just |
| 11:13 | prayed here right now I don’t know if |
| 11:15 | you’ve noticed but we have a little bit |
| 11:17 | of work to do on the prayer Department |
| 11:18 | we have some good humble prayers right |
| 11:21 | but as humble as they are keep this in |
| 11:24 | mind scripture says the prayer of a |
| 11:27 | righteous man availeth much now in that |
| 11:30 | sense man means mankind that includes |
| 11:33 | men and women right this is the old |
| 11:35 | school right so the prayer of a |
| 11:37 | righteous man a veileth much have you |
| 11:39 | ever stopped to think that is as humble |
| 11:42 | as the prayers here at Kong’s Winger are |
| 11:44 | because you are clothed in the |
| 11:46 | righteousness of Christ your prayers |
| 11:49 | Avail much |
| 11:52 | and he said they go really my prayers |
| 11:56 | well yeah |
| 11:58 | you’ve been made righteous by faith in |
| 12:01 | Christ |
| 12:02 | so when you pray |
| 12:05 | God is attentive to your prayers every |
| 12:08 | bit as much as he was attentive to the |
| 12:09 | prayers of Jesus Christ himself |
| 12:12 | because your clothed in his |
| 12:14 | righteousness |
| 12:16 | this is getting to be some good news |
| 12:18 | there’s something like major |
| 12:19 | implications here right okay |
| 12:22 | so this is what’s going on here |
| 12:25 | but now all righteousness from God whose |
| 12:28 | righteousness is it is Christ’s |
| 12:30 | righteousness it comes from God it’s |
| 12:32 | apart from the law it has been made |
| 12:34 | known to which the law and the prophets |
| 12:36 | they all testify about it and this |
| 12:38 | righteousness from God comes through |
| 12:39 | faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe |
| 12:41 | for there is no difference all have |
| 12:43 | sinned and fall short of the glory of |
| 12:44 | God and are Justified that means to be |
| 12:46 | declared righteous freely by his grace |
| 12:48 | through the Redemption that came by |
| 12:50 | Christ Jesus God presented him as a |
| 12:53 | sacrifice of atonement through faith in |
| 12:56 | his blood he did this to demonstrate his |
| 12:58 | Justice because in his forbearance he |
| 13:00 | had left the sins committed beforehand |
| 13:01 | unpunished he did this to demonstrate |
| 13:04 | his Justice at the present time so as to |
| 13:06 | be just and the one who justifies or |
| 13:09 | declares righteous Those Who Have Faith |
| 13:11 | In Jesus well then here comes the |
| 13:13 | question so where then is boasting |
| 13:16 | you ever been to a church where people |
| 13:19 | boast about how holy they are |
| 13:21 | I used to be like that |
| 13:24 | right |
| 13:25 | but if you understand that salvation is |
| 13:27 | a free gift for sinners |
| 13:30 | there’s no boasting there’s no room for |
| 13:32 | it |
| 13:32 | right and here’s what he says so where |
| 13:34 | then is boasting it’s excluded |
| 13:37 | there is no boasting on what principle |
| 13:39 | on that of observing the law no |
| 13:43 | but on that of faith for we maintain |
| 13:46 | that a man is Justified there’s that big |
| 13:48 | word again that means to be declared |
| 13:50 | righteous a man is justified by faith |
| 13:53 | apart from observing the law |
| 13:57 | ah |
| 13:59 | there’s hope there’s hope for me there’s |
| 14:01 | hope for you |
| 14:03 | here’s good news Jesus saves sinners |
| 14:05 | that’s all of us right and we’re here |
| 14:08 | today to hear his word and to be |
| 14:10 | comforted by these promises so now we |
| 14:13 | can kind of fast forward we got the |
| 14:14 | gospel worked out here we can fast |
| 14:16 | forward back to our text and we’ll look |
| 14:18 | at chapter 6 verse one to get a little |
| 14:20 | bit of the Fuller context because |
| 14:21 | remember we’re on this hunt to figure |
| 14:23 | out what the therefore is there for |
| 14:24 | right so let’s take a look |
| 14:27 | chapter 6 verse 1 well what shall we say |
| 14:30 | then shall we go on sinning so that |
| 14:32 | Grace may increase |
| 14:36 | no all right now let me tell you a |
| 14:39 | little bit uh we’ll do a little bit of a |
| 14:40 | Roseboro biography here I I’m very |
| 14:43 | hesitant to do this but I think it helps |
| 14:44 | illustrate the point of what’s going on |
| 14:46 | here I was raised in a church where the |
| 14:49 | gospel was never preached to Christians |
| 14:52 | what was preached to Christians was law |
| 14:54 | law and more law and it almost made an |
| 14:57 | atheist out of me okay and the central |
| 14:59 | passage in the church that I used to |
| 15:01 | attend was be ye perfect as your |
| 15:03 | heavenly father is perfect that’s the |
| 15:04 | central passage try that one for a few |
| 15:07 | days and see how depressed you get Okay |
| 15:10 | and like I said this nearly drove me to |
| 15:13 | atheism now through a long series of |
| 15:15 | events I found myself studying Theology |
| 15:17 | and apologetics at Christ College in |
| 15:19 | Irvine California which is a Lutheran |
| 15:21 | institution and I didn’t I knew nothing |
| 15:23 | about lutherans and I was very shocked |
| 15:25 | by lutherans their pastors wear dresses |
| 15:27 | although I’m not wearing a dress today |
| 15:29 | um you know and they they do this weird |
| 15:31 | stuff like bowing and people you know |
| 15:33 | there’s this back and forth in the |
| 15:34 | Liturgy and stuff like that I didn’t |
| 15:35 | understand them at all but one of my |
| 15:37 | professors his name was Dr rod rosenblad |
| 15:39 | and he kept preaching the gospel to me |
| 15:43 | tell me how what a miserable sinner he |
| 15:46 | was and how he pleads the blood of Jesus |
| 15:48 | and he keeps focusing on the gospel like |
| 15:51 | it’s something to be preached and heard |
| 15:53 | every day but when I was when I was in |
| 15:55 | this other Church the only time I would |
| 15:57 | hear the gospel was on evangelism Sunday |
| 15:59 | and the only time it was ever preached |
| 16:01 | to anybody was when they weren’t a |
| 16:02 | Christian once you made the decision to |
| 16:04 | follow Jesus you didn’t need to hear the |
| 16:06 | gospel anymore you need to get busy and |
| 16:08 | get to work right the problem was is |
| 16:10 | that as a teenager I had raging hormones |
| 16:12 | and and my sinful nature was quite |
| 16:14 | active right and you sit there going |
| 16:17 | your sinful nature was active well yours |
| 16:19 | was too you know and it still is right |
| 16:22 | let’s be honest |
| 16:24 | and um and when I heard the gospel over |
| 16:28 | and over and over again and how |
| 16:30 | salvation was free and not something I |
| 16:32 | had to earn I became very suspicious |
| 16:36 | could this really be really so I went up |
| 16:39 | to my professor and I said Dr Rosenblum |
| 16:41 | if I’m hearing you correctly |
| 16:44 | and I’m not sure if I am |
| 16:47 | if what you’re saying is true then we |
| 16:49 | can do whatever we want |
| 16:52 | right what am I accusing him of I’m |
| 16:55 | accusing him of teaching that Christians |
| 16:57 | can just go out and sin like crazy right |
| 16:58 | that’s really what I’m doing and he |
| 17:00 | looks at me says well of course Chris |
| 17:02 | now that you have been set free from sin |
| 17:07 | what do you want to do |
| 17:10 | oh |
| 17:11 | hadn’t thought of it that way |
| 17:13 | and that’s kind of the category we’re |
| 17:15 | going to get to in this getting to the |
| 17:16 | therefore why this therefore is |
| 17:18 | therefore there right |
| 17:19 | if you’ve been set free from sin what do |
| 17:21 | you want to do |
| 17:24 | and now that comes the major category so |
| 17:26 | let’s keep reading so what shall we say |
| 17:28 | then should we go on sinning so the |
| 17:29 | grace may increase by no means |
| 17:33 | we died to sin |
| 17:36 | how can we live in it any longer |
| 17:42 | okay here’s the important thing |
| 17:45 | sin in scripture it’s big typological |
| 17:49 | category is slavery |
| 17:52 | sin is not something that you’re free to |
| 17:55 | do |
| 17:56 | sin is something that enslaves you and |
| 18:00 | Christ has come to set you free from |
| 18:04 | slavery |
| 18:05 | big category difference you remember the |
| 18:07 | story of Israel in Egypt in slavery with |
| 18:11 | Pharaoh remember all that story okay |
| 18:13 | that’s typologically kind of the big |
| 18:17 | meta narrative that explains what’s what |
| 18:21 | sin really is sin is bondage sin is |
| 18:24 | slavery sin is not freedom |
| 18:28 | and sin ultimately dams |
| 18:33 | right |
| 18:34 | so if Christ sets you free he sets you |
| 18:37 | free indeed free from what |
| 18:41 | free from condemnation |
| 18:44 | free from hell |
| 18:46 | free from sin itself |
| 18:49 | so when we talk about the Gospel of |
| 18:51 | Jesus Christ it is this amazing good |
| 18:54 | news that God is forgiving Sinners and |
| 18:57 | setting them free from bondage to sin |
| 19:02 | believe it or not we keep reading now |
| 19:05 | or do you not know that all of us who |
| 19:06 | were baptized into Christ Jesus were |
| 19:08 | baptized into his death we were |
| 19:10 | therefore buried with him through |
| 19:12 | baptism into death and or that just as |
| 19:14 | Christ was raised from the dead through |
| 19:15 | the glory of the father we too may live |
| 19:18 | to New Life |
| 19:19 | when did we die to sin |
| 19:23 | says it right there |
| 19:25 | and we want to Hazard to guess |
| 19:27 | baptism right |
| 19:29 | right there |
| 19:31 | when you were baptized you were baptized |
| 19:33 | into Christ’s death you therefore have |
| 19:37 | already died and this isn’t symbol |
| 19:40 | this is the reality of this notice that |
| 19:43 | Paul here in writing about this isn’t |
| 19:44 | saying and when you were baptized it |
| 19:46 | symbolized that you died no |
| 19:49 | notice what he says |
| 19:51 | we died to sin how can we live in it any |
| 19:54 | longer he said when do we die do you not |
| 19:56 | know that all of us who were baptized |
| 19:58 | into Christ were baptized into his death |
| 20:01 | we were therefore buried with him |
| 20:03 | through baptism into death that just as |
| 20:05 | Christ was raised from the dead through |
| 20:06 | the glory of the father we too may live |
| 20:08 | a new life if we have been United with |
| 20:11 | him like this in his death we will |
| 20:13 | certainly also be United with him in his |
| 20:15 | resurrection for we know that our old |
| 20:18 | self was crucified with him so the body |
| 20:21 | of sin might be done away with that we |
| 20:23 | should no longer be slaves to sin |
| 20:25 | because anyone who has died has been |
| 20:28 | freed from sin |
| 20:33 | oh so you’re saying that at when I was |
| 20:36 | baptized I actually died |
| 20:39 | bingo |
| 20:41 | you were put into Christ’s death and |
| 20:44 | raised in his resurrection and this is |
| 20:46 | most certainly true now if we died with |
| 20:50 | Christ we believe that we will also live |
| 20:52 | with him for we know that since Christ |
| 20:54 | was raised from the dead he cannot die |
| 20:57 | again death no longer has Mastery over |
| 20:58 | him the death he died he died to sin |
| 21:01 | once for all but the life he lives he |
| 21:03 | lives to God so in the same way count |
| 21:06 | yourselves as dead to sin but alive to |
| 21:10 | God in Christ Jesus let me give you |
| 21:12 | another metaphor here okay everybody |
| 21:13 | knows that when you’re married you’re at |
| 21:15 | the altar and the priest or the father |
| 21:17 | or the pastor whoever does the ceremony |
| 21:19 | says till death do us part right you’re |
| 21:23 | married as long as you’re alive |
| 21:25 | okay as soon as one of your as soon as |
| 21:29 | one of the you know the the partners die |
| 21:31 | you’re no longer married |
| 21:33 | right |
| 21:36 | okay think of it this way |
| 21:39 | sin is kind of like that okay |
| 21:43 | you’re enslaved to sin until you’re dead |
| 21:48 | and now that you’ve been |
| 21:50 | killed if you would you’ve died in the |
| 21:53 | baptismal Waters with Christ |
| 21:55 | you’re no longer you no longer need to |
| 21:58 | obey that terrible awful spouse |
| 22:01 | okay because sin is not a good spouse |
| 22:04 | very abusive very demanding right and so |
| 22:08 | now because you have died you can say to |
| 22:12 | sin I don’t need to obey you go take a |
| 22:14 | hike I’m going to get a restraining |
| 22:16 | order against you you can talk like this |
| 22:18 | to sin I know it seems kind of weird and |
| 22:20 | you just say go away I’m baptized so |
| 22:23 | when sin comes knocking on your door you |
| 22:26 | can say no |
| 22:31 | is that wonderful |
| 22:33 | because all of us know that when we say |
| 22:36 | yes when sin comes knocking we feel |
| 22:39 | awful |
| 22:42 | and we should |
| 22:44 | because we know we sin against Christ |
| 22:47 | right |
| 22:48 | and he’s come to set us free from this |
| 22:52 | so now we say keep reading in the same |
| 22:55 | way verse 11 count yourselves dead to |
| 22:58 | sin but alive to God in Christ therefore |
| 23:00 | do not let sin reign in your mortal body |
| 23:02 | so that you obey its evil desires do not |
| 23:04 | offer the parts of your body to sin as |
| 23:06 | instruments of wickedness but rather |
| 23:07 | offer yourselves to God as those who |
| 23:09 | have been brought from Death to life and |
| 23:13 | offer the parts of your body to him as |
| 23:15 | instruments of righteousness for sin |
| 23:18 | shall not be your master because you are |
| 23:20 | not under the law but you are under |
| 23:23 | grace |
| 23:25 | So What then shall we sin because we are |
| 23:27 | not under the law but under grace |
| 23:31 | right and the reason why these questions |
| 23:33 | are in there is because Paul when he |
| 23:35 | would preach the gospel these were the |
| 23:37 | questions he would get from people so he |
| 23:38 | kind of anticipates him because he had |
| 23:40 | them okay so you’re saying that because |
| 23:43 | we’re not under the law but under grace |
| 23:45 | we can just sin right |
| 23:48 | no sin equals slavery |
| 23:51 | Christ has set us free |
| 23:54 | by no means don’t you know that when you |
| 23:57 | offer yourselves to someone to obey him |
| 23:58 | as slaves you are slaves to the one to |
| 24:00 | whom you obey whether you are slaves to |
| 24:02 | sin which leads to death or to obedience |
| 24:05 | which leads to righteousness but thanks |
| 24:06 | be to God that though you used to be |
| 24:09 | slaves to sin you wholeheartedly obey |
| 24:12 | the form of teaching to which you were |
| 24:14 | entrusted now what does it mean to |
| 24:15 | wholeheartedly obey the treat teaching |
| 24:17 | to which you’ve been entrusted what does |
| 24:18 | that mean you believe the gospel you |
| 24:21 | believe Jesus died for your sins that |
| 24:24 | you’re saved by grace through faith as a |
| 24:26 | gift when you believe that that’s what |
| 24:29 | it means to obey the gospel that’s what |
| 24:30 | he’s referring to here so you have been |
| 24:32 | set free from sin and have become slaves |
| 24:35 | to righteousness so I put this in human |
| 24:37 | terms because you are weak in your |
| 24:39 | natural selves just as you used to offer |
| 24:41 | the parts of your body in slavery to |
| 24:43 | impurity and to ever increasing |
| 24:44 | wickedness so now offer them in slavery |
| 24:47 | to righteousness which leads to Holiness |
| 24:49 | when you were slaves to sin you were |
| 24:52 | free from the control of righteousness |
| 24:53 | but what benefit did you reap from that |
| 24:56 | at that time from the things that you |
| 24:57 | are now ashamed of those things result |
| 25:00 | in death but now that you have been set |
| 25:03 | free from sin and have become slaves to |
| 25:07 | God the benefit you reap leads to |
| 25:09 | Holiness and the result is eternal life |
| 25:12 | for the wages of sin is death |
| 25:15 | but the free gift of God is eternal life |
| 25:17 | in Christ Jesus our lord |
| 25:20 | you see how that works |
| 25:23 | the gospel truly is good news it’s good |
| 25:26 | news because not only is our standing |
| 25:28 | before God secure because of everything |
| 25:30 | that Christ has done and our Salvation |
| 25:32 | is given to us as a gift but the |
| 25:34 | ramifications of that gift impact |
| 25:37 | everything because when we’re baptized |
| 25:39 | we’re we die with Christ and now |
| 25:43 | we can live in righteousness and tell |
| 25:47 | sin to go take a hike |
| 25:49 | and these things are encouraging to us |
| 25:52 | but keep this in mind |
| 25:54 | walking this out day by day will be a |
| 25:57 | challenge because you still have a |
| 25:58 | sinful nature that’s what Romans 7 is |
| 26:00 | all about if you want to read about that |
| 26:02 | it sounds kind of schizophrenic Paul |
| 26:03 | goes on to say that well the things I |
| 26:05 | want to do I don’t do but the things I |
| 26:06 | don’t want to do I keep doing them who’s |
| 26:08 | going to save me from this body of death |
| 26:09 | right but thanks be to God that there’s |
| 26:12 | no condemnation for those who are in |
| 26:14 | Christ Jesus so here and now we |
| 26:17 | Christians have two Natures warring with |
| 26:20 | each other the new regenerate nature |
| 26:22 | that has been given to us and made alive |
| 26:24 | in the waters of baptism and our old |
| 26:26 | sinful nature which clings to us in |
| 26:28 | battles against it which makes living |
| 26:30 | the Christian Life seem like |
| 26:31 | schizophrenia at times right |
| 26:34 | but thanks be to God there’s no |
| 26:35 | condemnation Christ has set us free from |
| 26:38 | that and he’s ultimately set us free |
| 26:40 | from bondage to sin and when he appears |
| 26:43 | in glory to judge the living and the |
| 26:45 | dead he will raise us up again in new |
| 26:48 | bodies and we will be with him forever |
| 26:51 | and ever and ever World Without End new |
| 26:54 | Heavens new Earth new bodies no sin the |
| 26:58 | way it should have been all along and |
| 27:00 | all of this is given to us as a gift and |
| 27:04 | received and held onto and clung to by |
| 27:07 | faith don’t let anyone take that away |
| 27:09 | from you or make you pay for the gift |
| 27:12 | that God has given you right it’s all |
| 27:15 | free that’s all in Jesus because the |
| 27:17 | wages of sin is death but the free gift |
| 27:19 | of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus |
| 27:21 | Is Our Lord in the name of Jesus Amen |
| 27:24 | [Music] |
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