Title: Slavery is Freedom

Focus: Even though we are freed from the lordship of sin under grace, we are not free to do anything because we do not have absolute freedom. Being freed means we have been transfered to the Lordship of Christ, which includes the benefit of sanctification resulting in eternal life. It is our choice to either be under the lordship of sin which results in death, or under the lordship of Christ, which results in eternal life

Function: To motivate us to walk with Christ by making his will our will Sermon proposition: Even though we are not under law, but under grace, we should not continue to sin.

Text: Romans 6:15 - 7:13


Intro:
1.  Fourth of July coming up when we celebrate our independence
	a.  As Americans, we prize freedom as much as life
	b.  Patrick Henry said - Give me liberty or give me death
	c.  Many misunderstand what freedom is all about
2.  Romans tells us how we can be free and live as free people
	a.  Begins with God’s grace
	b.  Grace overpowered sin and freed us from it
3.  Paul also says we not under law but grace
4.  However, we should not continue to sin.  Why?  3 Reasons.

I.  Because we have been sanctified (v.15-19)
	A.  The goal of conversion is sanctification (v.19)
		1.  It means to be made holy, set apart, or dedicated to 
		2.  ILL:  I wearing a “holy” suit.  I don’t wear it to mow the grass
		3.  But I thought we were freed!  Sanctification sounds like another
		     form a slavery
	B.  Sanctification is slavery.
		1.  Many people misunderstand freedom
			a.  No such thing as “human” absolute freedom
			b.  Only creator has absolute freedom, but we are creatures
			c.  We created to serve, we are not gods
		2.  Exodus helps us to understand freedom
			a.  Enslaved to oppressive Pharaoh
			b.  God freed them and brought them to himself
			c.  Set them apart to be his people
			d.  They exchanged one lord for another Lord
		3.  That is what Paul is talking about
			a.  We freed from slavemaster sin & enslaved to God
			b.  We exchanged the lordship of sin for Lordship of God
		4.  No such thing as absolute freedom
	C.  ILL:  Daren needed to learn this
		1.  Did whatever he pleased
			a.  Insatiable appetite for more
			b.  Got involved in wrong crowd
			c.  Life of crime, drugs, money, wine, women, song
		2.  Close associate was caught, turned him in for a deal
			a.  Daren spent 20 years in prison
			b.  Had to learn to obey rules in prison
			c.  Felt like a slave there
		3.  Was eventually released on parole
			a.  Still had rules
			b.  Began to realize what freedom really is
		4.  He exchanged one set of rules (prison) for another (society)
			-  If he continued to believe in illusion of absolute
			   freedom, he would go back into slavery
	D.  It is the nature of who we were created to be
		1.  We created to be servants, we not have absolute freedom
		2.  We will always by nature live under some sort of lordship
		3.  But God has given us the choice to choose

Then what good is freedom if it not absolute freedom?
Look at Exodus.  Traded an oppressive regime for benevolent one
There are benefits and consequences

II.  Because there are consequences to sin (v.20-23)
	A.  We explain rewards and consequences in raising children
		1.  ILL:  Got new bike, Dad told me to stay on our block or I would
		     get it taken away
			a.  Disobeyed.  Had a great time
			b.  But bully took my bike, and bent handle bars
			c.  Dad took my bike away
		2.  We have been given the bike (salvation) but can lose it (sin)
	B.  Paul reminds us of consequences of benefits
		1.  Before conversion, we were “free” in regards to righteousness
			a.  Under lordship of sin
			b.  For some of us, it meant wild life of partying, drugs, 
			     permissive life style, etc.
			c.  It meant a life where you were number one
			d.  You were “free” - didn’t have to submit to God’s rules
		2.  (v.21) What benefit was there from that life?
			a.  Good time, fun, more money, more freedom
			b.  But the outcome = death
			c.  May have “felt” free, but actually enslaved to sin & death
		3.  But now - You are enslaved to God
		4.  Result of enslavement to God = Sanctification
			a.  To be sanctified is to be a slave - Sanctification is Slavery
			b.  Need to get rid of idea of slavery as reprehensible
				- So reprehensible, some Bibles translate “servant”
				- Not whether slave or free, but slave to who?
			c.  Sanctified dedicated
				- You belong to God
				- You are his possession
				- He bought you
			d.  He is not just a “part” of your life, he “is” your life
	C.  Daren made God a “part” of his life
		1.  Invited jesus to come and live with him
			a.  Had trouble with all kinds of thugs robbing him
			b.  Enslaved to those who offered him “protection”
			c.  Realized the answer to his problem was Jesus
		2.  Gave Jesus his own room and a key to the room
		3.  Thugs came that night, robbed him beat him up
			a.  Went to Jesus’ room next morning
			b.  Jesus reading a paper, and smiled, “good morning”
			c.  Robbery happened night after night
			d.  Finally burst into Jesus room, “Why you let this happen?”
		4.  Jesus said, 
			a.  “You gave me this room, nothing happened here”
			b.  But you did not give me any of the rest of your house
	D.  If we truly declare Jesus as Lord, then we give ALL to him
		1.  We not give him a “room” or “part” of our life
		2.  Jesus determines all aspects of our life
			a.  Whether I take this job, go to this college, 
			b.  Wear these clothes, listen to this music
			c.  Hang out with these freinds, witness to them
			d.  Where I will be Sunday morning and evening
		3.  This is what it means to be “enslaved” to God
		4.  Not my will but thine - Sanctification is Slavery

Why?

III.  You have been re-married! (7:1-6)
	A.  Paul uses marriage as an illustration
		1.  Bound to spouse as long as you live - till death
		2.  If die, not bound any longer.  Can get married again
	B.  Marriage is a beautiful thing, unless married to an oppressive abuser
		1.  All of us at one point married to old man sin
			a.  He captured you, drug you to his house, locked you in
			b.  He was an oppressive, abusive slavemaster
			c.  Staying with him would have brought death
		2.  But Jesus caused 2 things to happen
			a.  Destruction of old man sin - He has no more power
			b.  Caused you to die - Now you freed from him
		3.  He brought you to him and now you married to Jesus
			a.  He is the exact opposite of old man sin
			b.  He is a good, loving, forgiving, ideal husband
			c.  You no longer belong to old man sin, but Christ
	C.  You may be a little puzzled - text says we free from LAW not SIN
		1.  Yet here I am talking about old man sin (lets read v.7-13)
			a.  (v.7, 12) - Paul speaks positively of the law
			b.  Law in itself is not oppressive
			c.  The real culprit is sin (v.8, 13)
		2.  Sin “used” the law to take us captive as its wife
		3.  However, Jesus “used” law to show us how to be good spouse
			a.  Jesus, Paul and Bible not speak negatively about law
			b.  Mt 5-7 - Sermon on mount a sermon on the law
		4.  So law can be used for good (Jesus) or bad (sin)
	D.  Paul’s point - We are now married to Christ
		1.  Being married to Christ is another way of saying we sanctified
			a.  We married/sanctified/dedicated to him only
			b.  We serve him, and him only
		2.  Once again, sanctification is slavery
		3.  This the only time slavery can be something 100% positive
		4.  Because of this, we are free from old man sin

Concl:
1.  So, we are no longer to sin because...
	a.  We have been sanctified (enslaved to God)
	b.  Because there is consequence to sin, and reward in faithful obedience
	c.  Because we married to Christ, not to old man sin
2.  In other words, we are sanctified.  Sanctification means slavery
3.  Problem - still hear voice of old man sin beckoning us to come back
4.  He is always going to be a reality in our memory (1 John 1:8 - 2:1)
	a.  However, through Jesus, his power is gone
	b.  You no longer belong to old man sin
	c.  He wants you to come back to his house, don’t go
5.  If you have sin in your life, confess it, and send old man sin running again
6.  Who do you want?  Old man sin, or Christ as your Lord?  Your choice.