God"s Slaves

As Americans we value freedom don't way freedom of worship of freedom of speech, and so on. We all want to be free and I can't imagine what it must've meant to have been a slave to be someone's slave but the New Testament times. Slavery was widespread is calculated that in the Roman empire. Approximately one third of the population under the control of Rome. The super part of the day were slaves, 20% of people were slaves, so the initial readers of this letter that would considering this letter by the apostle Paul to the Romans written in the first century other readers knew about slavery slave was a thing to be on was a thing was a channel of ignored rights slave was bought and sold as the master soffits slaves that the menial task that no one else wanted to do but some slaves in the Roman Empire had very important positions in the government and business, and admitted medicine, but whatever they did there were still slaves. All slaves had to do their masters will and they had to obey the master to the fullest extent even though they may have been smarter than the master better trains more experience, more capable than their masters. They had to carry out the wishes of the master. Here's the basic point of being a slave slave is totally under the control and under the authority of the master.

That's what it meant to be a slave, a slave has to obey the master totally and instantly, but without background. Think of the metaphor that Paul is going to use in the passage before us this morning in the New Testament. This word slave.

The Greek word do loss is a very common way to refer to the Christian, you realize that, in fact, in Romans one verse one is Paul picks up his pen to write to the Romans.

He describes himself as a slave. I do loss, a slave of Christ Jesus is interesting.

It sometimes translated bonsai rent but nothing would better keeping to the term slave and I were in Romans six, Paul is going to take this analogy well-known to the Romans. After all, some of the original readers on themselves slaves and is going to use this for the cause of Christ.

Paul has made some astonishing statements enroll one of them is that followers of Jesus are no longer slaves to sin was and what he says in Romans six, verse 14 that we thought of a three or four weeks ago for sin will have no dominion over you. Sin is saying to the Christians sin is no longer your master what you say. Well, sin was never my master well will think of that in a minute. Can I suggest that sin very much is your masterPaul for the Christian, you have not died to sin and Judah live to God.

This is so important that we must understand that as followers of Jesus. If we truly are that we have been freed from sin, but we have not been freed to sin. We are free, free from the prior of sin, but we are no longer free to send another in Romans six, verses 15 through 23.

If you have your Bible, you can turn their Paul declares the amazing truth that followers of Jesus are slaves of God slaves to righteousness. This time, do loss slave is used eight times in the verses before us this morning before we read the text of NASCO. I think of this on the answer to quickly.

Are you willing to be God's slave, are you willing for the Lord Jesus to be the master of your life. The absolute master. If you are saved by the grace of God. If you have been justified by faith is. Paul is been presenting enrollments you have. As I quoted at the beginning of the service you been bought with a price that is your brain retains the support retaining the redemption is a very biblical word of any theological work and what does it mean the Bible again uses this analogy of slavery tells us that all of us apart from the grace of God are slaves of sin within the slave market and when under the control of sin. Sin is our master and into our world is the wonder of the gospel into our world comes the Lord Jesus prayer for God said, let us he comes into our world dies for our sin pays the price for our sin is buried and rises again and now he comes as we trust him. He frees us from that slave market. We are redeemed we are not thoughts delivered from the prior of St. yes is Paul is wonderful but when you do understand this no human different master your mindset is no longer sin, you have been set free from sin.

But you know under the master of the Lord Jesus. We like the word Jesus, Jesus means Savior wonderful to know that Jesus comes to save me. But you know, it seems to me, and you can correctly from wrong is manipulative to do later but it seems to me that we hear less and less about the Lord Jesus and motor motorbike Jesus.

I just love Jesus. Yes, eulogy is but remember he's not just Savior. He's not just a friend.

He is the Lord Jesus.

One of our elders. As he was praying for the service I was interested to hear from praying he was praying that the Lord was our master exit.

He is our master.

This is what were going to learn today. We are no longer on we have bought with a price and in the first 14 verses of Romans six. By way of reminder, Paul is answering the question which he asks in Romans six, verse one what shall we say that. Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound member we thought of this wonderful abundant grace is grace which is overwhelming is grace which is greater than our sin, and so was I.

Someone well if grace is such a big thing and if grace is stronger than Satan, and however much sin.

That is, there's always more grace. Why don't we keep on sinning so that grace may abound Paul says absolutely no Dragon like that job and understood my points and so he sets a dog magnificently in the first 14 verses to understand know you have been set free from sin, but don't use that freedom to sin. And now, in verses 15 through 23 is going to answer the question. A similar question somewhat different constructed in verse 15 subject this morning is God's slave.

Romans six then, first of all let me read verse 15, Paul is saying in verses 15 and 16 that living under grace is not an excuse to sin living under grace is not an excuse to sin.

Verse 50.

Romans 650. What then will you love the way Paul argues what then are we to sin, because were not under law but under grace.

By no means no wisely saying that because in verse 14 is made a wonderful statement that we love Romans 614 for sin will have no dominion over your sin is no longer your master sin shall not under law but under grace while someone says this is really good get better and better now as a follower of Jesus. I'm not under law, and that means I can therefore sin.

I can disobey the law pulses.

No no no. Let me explain absolutely not. The point of the construction of the question and verb invest 50 visitors can it be the case that, as the Christian is no longer under the law is permissible to sin just once in a while not to live in sin but just to sin once in a while. Is that okay the answer is the same as in verse one. By no means we would say in today's vernacular. No way. Absolutely not rescue you were followers of Jesus you've attempted to sin and think I can go ahead and sin and then I can ask God for forgiveness, human reason like that. I'm sure you have she really that bad, why I know it's wrong, but I only do this a little known again, Paul is saying no way the grace of God is not a license to sin the grace of God is not an excuse to sin. Usually we do that we excuse sin by saying well God is forgiving God is forgiving that God is gracious, of course, is gracious. We excuse our sin by saying well everyone sends we excuse our sins by saying one is just human nature. We excuse our sin by saying well you're telling me I'm sending that you perfect. You know better than I am. We excuse our sin and all kinds of way and then we say well I really wrong. Usually when grace abounds as it does is that the case that with this abounding grace. Isn't there a temptation in your heart and mind that we presume on the grace of God was it mean you say to presume on the grace of God, you got a very good friends and your friend is very gracious. Your friend is very forgiving your friend is a kind of friend is always there, and that even when you don't think your friend very well this friends always forgives you, she's not Patty. She said in the difficult times of life, as well as on the mountaintops and here you are, you have this wonderful friend who is gracious who is forgiving and you take advantage of that. Sometimes you presume on her grace and you sometimes think that you can gossip about her or even lie about turning it doesn't matter because she is so gracious. You are presuming on her grace. You are presuming on her forgiveness that is not the characteristic of being a good friend, Paul is saying don't do that with God. God is great. We were seeking God is gracious, but God's doesn't like taken for granted to God for granted computer grace properly understood. Never promote sin is never an excuse for sin inside. Grace understood promotes holiness, notice what Paul says now in verse 16 know you're not a slave of singular sleep of God.

Verse 16 do you not know that if you present yourself to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey either of sin, which leads to death.

Automobile engines which leads to righteousness policy guesses to Masters.

There's the master of sin. And there's a master of the Lord Jesus was God was to Masters. Remember the sermon on the Mike Jesus said you can have two Masters, you can't love God and money. It's impossible. You can serve two masters. You know that you can to obey to Masters. Can you imagine Jeremiah here I am, as a as a teenager and I'm playing soccer and had I have two head coaches before the game. One says Monroe you're playing in goals and the other says Monroe you're playing striker what might you do well. The one that I obey is my Masters goals and humiliate myself know I'm going to be striker because if I missed the ball I can blame someone else but not go get better the court the master that I obey is in fact my master actions speak louder than words is no middle Giants. So who are you obeying in your life are you being the master of sin talking what you profess that you say what I love Jesus okay wonderful to say that we will Paul is very realistic, isn't it, how does this work out in your life this past week have you obeyed Satan or have you obeyed God can't serve two masters is the point. Who are you a big member. Jesus says in John eight, everyone who commits sin is a what slave to sin. Peter says in two Peter 219 for whatever overcomes a person said that he is and slave know if we are true slaves of God. We seek to please God is not true in the true if you love someone you seek to please the Paul says in Romans 15 for even Christ did not please himself. When I started working right out of university and an attorney's office. I entered into a contract and the contract referred to the partners in the law firm as my Masters. Would you like to they were my Masters. I had to learn from them that God's grace I had very good Masters, particularly the senior partner of the law firm. It was getting ready to retire and for some unknown reason took me under his wing. We didn't have court mentors in those days, but he was in fact my mentor a brilliant lawyer a strong believer in Jesus Christ taught me a lot about life taught me a lot about grace to handle clients as well as teaching the law.

He was my master, and then as a young attorney he would from time to time, give me some legal task to do it fact it was a privilege that this man is brilliant lawyer. We did trust me, this na�ve young inexperienced attorney with such important work and I greatly respected. In fact, I loved him as my court master and I wanted to please him. I wanted my work when I presented it to him for him to say John that as well.occasionally you take out his red pen and it wasn't well done but my motivation was to please him. Many of you been in that circumstance interview for the master.

Sadly, if you're married, you know that one of the characteristics of love is that you seek to please the person easy as needed to become a slave to it on ego a Paul refers to sinful passions in chapter 7 verse five just to be a slave to what we want to order another urges what the Bible we call our losses along with everyone else is the very opposite of being a follower of Christ, God's truth sets us free.

This is the freedom of grace properly understood and true freedom isn't doing what you want is for the devil tells you you're free to what you want follower of the enlightenment within you follow your lesson if you want to do something, go ahead. Live life sees it by the tail. You only go around worship once experience everything. Do what you want is not freedom that's irresponsible. That's license true freedom isn't doing what you want true freedom is doing what you know is right is different doesn't and then that sense is only the follower of Jesus's got the power to do that because the power of sin, the tyranny of sin, the dominion of sin has been broken in our life and I was ball is going to explain in Romans chapter 8 were filled with the Holy Spirit and yes they sin is still there. Yes, I'm still tempted to sin, but I have a greater father.

The power of Christ who indwells me through his Spirit.

So again I ask you to sleep. Are you who is your master doesn't work out in your life not in your lips, but in your actual actions. Paul is saying here wonderfully but slavery to God leads to righteousness and holiness you want. Be a person of integrity or you want to be sleazy know when back to my walk.

When we were in Moscow we would Le Grand at classmates and and wondered who are going to be the sleazy lawyer to lawyer Stevens, the cold sleazy not necessarily as sleazy as American lawyers but who are sleazy lawyers and for some reason population Severson flight lawyer, so the were the first people to call when in trouble, but their yard so we would Le Grand the thing who can be the sleazy lawyers and most of these were unbelievers with unbelievers. They don't want to be sleazy lawyer. But what happens little compromise to little compromise their little compromise there and after a few years as a kind of lawyer you are and they get up in the morning and look at themselves and think that's how I am not just lawyers, business people all of a sudden think how easy it is to live a life of sleazy compromise. The Christian is to say no to sin, slave of God, slave of righteousness no notice in verses 16 and 17.

Paul's emphasis on obedience. You convicted it ready with more conviction coming to this is the summer go easy on us.

Monroe. This verse 1706 and again, do you not know that if you present yourself to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey either of sin, which leads to death of the pigeons which leads to righteousness. But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become mothers.

This obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you are committed to convicting his use many of you say here that you love God you serve God you worship God you give generously to the Lord. You say God do you serve God of the VBS use of God in the music camp you were on one of the go trips you're going to be involved in the place of hope. You say God I think you're one of the pastors here. Yes you love God you serve God when is wonderful but there's something that God wants more than your sacrificial service. Should we serve and give sacrificially absolutely yes. But God wants something more than sacrificial service and what it is obedience pigeons. My dad would say to me John when you going to learn to do what you're told and our heavenly father perhaps is saying to you today with your name when you going to learn to do what you're told, Israel's first king is a very impressive individual his head and shoulders above everyone else is very handsome and capable strongman's name is Saul. He's the People's choice, but he has character flaws, deep character flaws.

I did one occasion a prophet Samuel gives him a very clear direction regarding the Amalekites, which were the enemies of Israel and Saul only partially obeys what he's told to do and he keeps back some of the flock. Some of the best of the sheep and the goats rather than destroying them.

And when these inch challenged by Samuel.

He says well I I presented these to God I meet become spiritually and Samuel says to them in first Samuel 15 obedience is better than sacrifice, and to hear the Harken that is to listen to Gordon to obey God is far more than all of the fact of Ron another one. So all of your sacrifices and all of the offerings that you're doing to God means little mean nothing to God.

If you're not of the stuff is, I find that difficult, but is true. But you, God's slave and then we establish that the characteristic reporting of being a slave is that you practice total obedience not selected for pigeons is easy to do things that way we want to the child to a parent an employee to the employer. Imagine the military that the soldiers only doing what they want to do when given other commands by the general doesn't work because it not selected for pigeons, but total and instant pigeons. Jesus says in John 14. If you love me you'll keep my commandments.

What's the depth of your love for God. Know what you saying about not what you say but whether you are Paul says here very convicting the inverse 17 obedience from the heart. Jerry Bridges writes it's time for us Christians to face up to a responsibility for holiness. Too often we say we are defeated by this or that said no were not defeated were simply disobedience might be well if we stop using the words victory and defeat to describe her progress and holiness. Rather, we should use the term obedience and disobedience geriatric fed victory and defeat. He says I know John, but it's obedience or disobedience when I say I'm defeated by something I'm consciously slipping out from under my responsibility.

I'm saying something outside of me has defeated me, but when I say I'm disobedient that places the responsibility for my sin squarely on me. Only as we accept our responsibility and appropriate God's provisions will we make any progress in our pursuit of holiness. Are you obedience from the heart. Are you truly a slave of the Lord Jesus Christ John Calvin said obedience is the mother of true knowledge of God.

I think about that. You can't really know God.

Unless you hear the word of God and is not just hearing as it Saul heard, but he did not obey you want to know God, you want to deepen your communion with God.

You want to be used by God. You want to draw near to God be God. I know you want to know God's one of the reasons why the vast majority of you are here you want to drop closer to God. You want to love God you want to serve God you want to do the right thing. I understand that but are you willing to be his slave servants or just hard for a task you go out for lunch after the service and there is a way that a waitress who comes to serve you. I'd like some more water please give me the catchup. The waitress is there for a particular task, but after the meal you got into the parking lot and you say to please bring me a couple water shall suggest that yourself.

No servant is therefore a particular task. The task is over and the servant lives his or her own life is never to sleep a slave is a fool time assignment I'm to be a slave of God 24 hours a day. Whatever he says to me I am will be in every aspect of life member nonselective obedience. That's too easy but total and instant obedience serving him from the heart. So who's calling the shots in your life, your ego, Jesus says of anyone follows me, he must deny self, take up his cross and follow me. A slave was only one thing to do.

I have only one thing to do really. And to be my Lord Jesus's simple really.

I am to do what he tells me grace is not an excuse to relicense the said no more quickly versus 17 through 2320 rated followers of Jesus that are no longer slaves to sin, but are slaves of God. Notice hi Paul now develops his arguments.

Verse 17 but thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become a Bijan from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you're committed and having been said, free from sin have become slaves of righteousness I'm speaking in human terms because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impunity and to lawlessness, leading to more lawlessness so present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification within the born-again permit for the sanctification.

The means holiness. Holiness when you are slaves of sin. Verse 20 you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit would you getting at that time from the things of which you and I was ashamed was different.

You print yours when you are pursuing said the end of these things is that, but now that you been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and is and eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Magnificent verse and chapters offensive followers of Jesus are freed from the slavery to sin.

Verse 18 at the end, having been set free from sin. Verse 22 but now that you have been set free from sin back to verse seven for the one who has died has been set free from sin as a follower of Jesus, you have been set free from sin, you have died to sin, not the person is dead. You don't expect them to obey you do remember in the last church saw in the previous church.

We served the deny I just been there a short time. The man in the congregation died, and his widow asked if I would do the service.

I just arrived to the church didn't know. Didn't know the man and of course I said I would and the visitation, the widow she was. What was were walking into the towards the casket with the open casket deceased lying there. She said the I want to introduce you to my husband can a strange thing to say put the sponsors. We had a lot of strange things in soap that okay sobering up to the casket and the issues she spoke and the setting husband's name. She said I want you to meet Pastor Monroe and his wife, and then she said, say hello to pastor Monroe and his wife usually sing.

He's dead and all dead people want to speak dead tree of the member.

My wife is laughing so it's a true story. You can check with all my stories are true sometimes but doesn't recognize the literal truth for this. With this, with his true meaning rule, know the person is dead, you can give the command when the command is not going to be a base but the point is, it was all about is the theological point. Don't forget the story is also the children. Remember, to the today's message Paul is saying you have been set free from sin, you have died to sin.

No, I understand were still tempted to sin, but sin is not my master sin does not command me.

I take my command I commands my agenda for life.

Everything in life from another master not sin.

I have died to that. And Paul has repeatedly said this wonderful truth that is a follower of Jesus Christ. I have died to sin. How is that possible because my Lord Jesus Christ died for my sins on the cross. He was buried, the was raised again and he's alive, and he conquered sin, he broke as we often saying he broke the chains of sin. The chains of sin, which ones Boonmee are gone and no longer do I obey sin. John Owen says grace changes the nature of man, but nothing can change the nature of sin. Sin is no longer your master your no longer a slave to sin why you continuing to sin, you say well it's a powerful force. It is a powerful force, but that power in your life has been broken. Think of the wonderful freedom the wonderful July set free from the power of sin. What the sender Paul tells us in verse 19 it leads to more lawlessness, slavery to send us. It leads to more increasing impunity and lawlessness and guilt and shame is true that one should begin a pattern of sin in your life becomes easier and easier to commit that sin and the devil tells you you could stop doing that anytime you want.

Know your current because the very nature of sin is very subtle is in the we think we can contain sin into little part of her life and so unholy 95% of my life, but there's this area of my life. He has no right when it should be. But I guess it's just a small part in the devil tells me that I can contain its and I'm really following Christ.

Sin is so invidious it spreads and spreads and it leads to more and more sin. That's why very wisely.

The alcohol ignores. I know many alcoholics and they say I am not going to take one drink of alcohol. Why because they know it would be one drink is the chocoholic you give them a box of chocolates. You may want to talk to some take one on the chocoholic animals are nonalcoholic in case you wondered either, but some people they can stop think of impunity. Think of sexual sin is the case that one act leads to another and another and another.

Think of the person at work. Think of the businessman who begins to lie to the clients. Think of the businesswoman who begins to find something that's a little bit of money little bit of money little bit money or payback appeared by company stop doing this was a guy with a simulation rarely happens is in the sin takes over and over and over, and the devil tells you you can stop doing it whenever you want know sin is like a commander wanting to enslave you.

That is a deterioration and where does it and says follow it and send that the wages of sin is death.

Verse 21 the end of these things is that sin once you once again under his power. Sin wants to take over your life that is in Britain, the cuckoo that it is when I was over in Scotland and in June this picture was in one of the newspapers and I took a picture of it.

This is the cook I'm not sure if you got them in the United States are not, and is gotten egg in its mouth. Because this part is a very aggressive part and it doesn't build its own nest. When is about to lay an egg. It often just lays the egg on top of the other eggs in the nest of the small birds a startling order thrush order it sometimes pushes the eggs out of the nest. In this case it actually takes the egg away rather rare photograph. As I read about this, but normally, more typically, the cuckoo bird's right to lay an egg here is a nest but before little thrush eggs mother cuckoo bird lays her egg and then she disappears just want to raise her own kid that the eggs in due course are hatched heretofore little precious. For example, and one rather large cuckoo baby mother thrush goes and get some worms to feed the little babies in the Nass and she comes back with a warm theirs for little using the little mugs open and this one big Mike open. Guess who gets the worm you got it cuckoo bird and eventually the cuckoo bird little baby fledgling is fed.

This is all fact checking out some of your we can be very skeptically, that it is and eventually the little bird pushes the other little bars out of the nest is taken over in the cuckoo bird has got an insatiable appetite and sin. Does that you know this, that sin has an insatiable appetite is never satisfied, always move and will you feeling sin in your life.

Stop feeding sin, you have returned to the slavery of sin. It stop allowing Satan to be your master. Stop being a slave to sin, but be a slave to righteousness. Verse 19 presents, says Paul halfway down the barriers as you once presented your members a slavery as slaves to impurity and lawlessness, leading to more lawlessness. So now do what present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification, masking to present your body. Every aspect of life to the Lord, that is your slave that you will be a sleeve to righteousness. Notice the difference in the fruits was the fruit of sin. More and more lawlessness in her morality and you'll go dialing then down, then down and eventually is that the broad road. Jesus S which leads to destruction.

The wages of sin ultimately is that I would think of the fruit of a righteous life. Paul says here, leading to sanctification on this and he turned little life. Think of the wonderful fruit of the spirit which God supernaturally produces in us as we daily.

Yes, this is a daily thing for the Christian to present yourself as a slave to God and others. Verse 23 the wages of sin is death is the wind say I'm saying if you don't know the grace of God. If you've never been saved by the grace of God. Yes, you will die physically, but much more seriously you will experience eternal not happen, but hell I wages what you desire, you will not be able to complain against God, you have chosen that over and over again. I wages what you desired your word for that, and the result of it.

The end result is that on the other hand, how can I receive eternal life. Work work work. No, no, no, no, says well absolutely no the wages of sin is death parts. The free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Wonderful that this salvation this eternal life is not something I've to work for.

I don't need to be a member of Calvary church. I don't need to go on some pilgrimage I don't need to starving and serving and serving in order to be saved. No, it's over to me as an active grace singing about that grace reigns eternally. This grace is so amazing it saves wretches like us.

We once were lost but now were filing women's work were dad that is dead spiritually, but I would align music does that come about only one way through.

As Paul says here in Christ Jesus our Lord. When regards incarnate Christ comes to seek and to save the lost. To save people like all of us who were under the power of sin. Paul has made it very very clear that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. There is not one person here who deserves the grace of God grace by definition is undeserved unmerited not something we work for what is to be received freely. I think God will ask you to receive salvation. You come to Christ and confess your sin and ask God to forgive you to cry out to Christ the calm and to forgive you and to save you and to indwell you and if you have can I ask you today. Once again, brothers and sisters to present yourself to got some of you go far away from God. Some of you profess Christ when you wandered far away. Today's a wonderful opportunity to ask God to clincher to a fresh present yourself as a slave to got to be a slave of God, and to practice instant and total obedience today say in your heart. Master the stands were going to sing a wonderful hymn which will underline what were saying, but I'm going to lead you in the little predator followed of Christ's. When you say that out loud, but if this reflects who you are. This is my prayer that I wrote for myself and I shared it with use of a small prayer but is powerful. I meant to say once and then I'm going to repeated and if you want to repeat it in your heart before God, the Lord, I am your slave and present myself not to sin but to my God and Savior Jesus Christ my Lord, we pray that with me in your heart if you agree with that. The spirit is moving your Lord, I am your slave and present myself not to sin but to my God and Savior Jesus Christ my Lord. Father, thank you for your grace, which is always greater than our sin.

Thank you for Savior who came to take away the sin of the world to take away our sin become sinful men and women in boys and girls, and turn from our sin, repent of our sin and cry out to Christ for cleansing for purity for salvation and forgiveness and his precious name. Amen