Dead Man Walking

In some of the Maximum-Security Prisons in the United States ... when a prisoner is taken to be executed ... the guard that is leading the procession continual shouts out, ... "Dead man walking".

It means, ...to clear the way ... to quiet down ... for this prisoner is on their last walk ... on this side of eternity.

They are truly ... A Dead Man Walking.

And When a Roman official in Biblical Times ...sentenced a man to be executed ... he too would shout a command, ... "Lay the cross ... on the man"!

Then a cross beam was strapped to his arms ...and the victim was required to carry it ... to the sight of the crucifixion.

When Jesus commands each of us ... to take up your cross, ... He is making it clear... that each human being is ... "A Dead Man Walking.

The scriptures share this spiritual truth BIBLE "Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, .......and in this way ......death came to all, ...because all sinned" END (Romans 5:21-22) (Pause)

Death came to all ... to all of humanity ... through sin.

Causing each human being to be a ... Dead man walking.

Ever since the dawn of time, ......the wall of death has hemmed us in ....... it has kept us captive, ......it has been ......our prison.

Many of you may be familiar with the statement:

"I am not afraid to die.

It's just that I don't have ... much enthusiasm for it." (Pause)

And since the fall in the Garden of Eden...... death has had a grip on us.

The writer of Hebrews tells us, "all their lives (mankind has been) held in slavery ....by their fear ...of death."

(Hebrews 2:15)

Several studies have revealed that one of the major fears ... that people have ... is the fear of death.

Not only do people Not have much enthusiasm for it...... they fear it.

Sin has brought death into the world... and with death ... fear.

The Apostle John states: BIBLE "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and ... the truth is not in us." END (1 John 1:8)

Paul's letter to the Romans sums it up by saying: "...all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) (Pause)

The Fall ...the sin of mankind ...is such a dominant doctrine in Scripture, ......that it is hard... to deny.

Beloved ... we are sick ... with sin.

You might ask ... "How then do I get well?"

Well .... I'm glad you asked. (PAUSE)

If I were deathly sick with cancer, ... A Doctor might recommend chemotherapy, radiation therapy, microwave therapy.

Or I may need radical surgery ...... to attack ...the disease.

The truth is ... I need Something ... to kill the disease ... that lives ... within me.

Beloved ... Something has to die!

And the Scriptures tell us that something had to die for you and for me ...... in order to be healed spiritually.

The letter To the Church in Rome informs us: BIBLE "...don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus .... were baptized into his death?" END (Romans 6:3)

We were therefore ......buried with him ......through baptism.

Why? So... that just as Christ was raised from the dead, ...we too ...... may be raised to a new life; ........ An eternal life.

If we have been united with Christ in his death, ....... Then we will also ......be united with him ...in his resurrection.

Beloved... we can have assurance ...that our old self was Crucified with Him.

(Point to Chest) So that this body of sin ...might be buried, ....... and we as followers of the Christ ... are no longer ... slaves to sin and death. (Pause)

When you were baptized into Christ...... your old sin-sick self ... died... and was forever buried.

The old self died ... and you and I became ... a new creation ... in Christ Jesus.

Hear God's Promise BIBLE "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." END (Romans 6:23)

And Beloved...It gets ...even better.

For when we accept Jesus as our Savior and Lord... .... When we are baptized ... into His death.

We receive the gift ...... "The gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38)

When you were baptized into Christ, ......God's Spirit came to dwell with in you. ...... Within your very being.

And we are told ... that God's Spirit ... begins a good work ... in us.

What a beautiful gift.

The Holy Spirit works inside us ... within us ... to heal us of the disease of sin and death ... that began with Adam.