Indulgence

Thanks – Erin, Lindsay, Erin, Sarah. These are possibly the three most basic chapters of all Christianity, and you presented them all well. If you aren’t already still there, would you please turn to Romans 6 and mark it – we’ll be doing a lot of page turning today.

Romans 6:16 says something that is somewhat shocking to most Americans. We pride ourselves on being free, but Paul says we are slaves. Look with me at vs. 16 – “You are slaves of the one whom you obey.”

 We are all slaves to something.

Now, being a Christian, I believe that if its in the Bible that should be enough for me, but I am willing to bet that there is somebody saying “I’m not a slave to anything!” I am reminded of a movie from a few years back called “The Sixth Sense.” The premise of the movie is basically that dead people don’t always know they are dead, and frankly, slaves don’t always know they are slaves.

Fredrick Douglass grew up as a slave, and he wrote an interesting line in his autobiography. He said “I didn’t know I was a slave until I found out I co uldn’t do what I wanted to do.” He may not have known that he was echoing what Erin was just reading – look over at Romans 7 “I do I not do the thing that I want, but I do the very thing I hate.”

 I did a study on the word “Indulgence” and every single time it is used, the word “slavery” is in the same sentence. When we indulge in anything that is sin, we are slaves. So, Basically, what Paul is saying is that sin is slavery, and if you think about it, he is absolutely right.

 Addiction

Let’s start with the easy ones – the addictions. Being a good little youth leader, I have to say at least once a month that drugs are bad – and once you start, you can’t escape. Its too bad that it is a cliché, because it is such a clear picture. The problem is that people think that’s the only kind of slavery there is. Its really easy to point to the addiction, because it is so obvious – the compulsive gambler, the alcoholic. I’m going to be honest with you though – that’s not where I live.

Peter echoes this point – 2 Peter 2:19 “people are slaves to WHATEVER masters them.”

 Subtler Things:

- Sleep

- At work, I want to do what I want to do – Sometimes I don’t always do what my boss tells me.

- Eating.

Prop – Eating is really a great analogy. I was walking through Safeway when I found these - Tell me that food isn’t a taskmaster.

 Now, being a slave isn’t always bad –

Soldiers who enlist are slaves

When you join a soccer team – you are a slave

Your family

You are a slave to the laws of the United States.

 Here’s the point – you are always a slave to something, the question is, what?

Paul asks a really good question back in Romans 6:21 –

“So, what advantage did you get then from things of which you are now ashamed.” When you join the soccer team – you do get an advantage. In Kim’s place, that means getting the occasional trophy. The question you always have to ask yourself is, is the slavery worth it?

Now, I hope I’vwe been able to convey the link of Indlugence and Salvery, I want to move on to the next point which is self-control. After all, that’s why we’re all here.

You all know that famous first “Yeah, verily I say unto you, God helps them that first themselves dost help.” I want you to see that in context, Would you turn to Hezekiah 5:8?

What, you can’t find it?

That’s exactly right – that verse is not in the Bible. In fact, it is no where near what scripture teaches. It is a lie that comes straight out of hell.

- You know we often like to think of Satan as the Father of Evil, and that’s just not the case. Satan is called the father of lies – never the father of evil.

- He wants us to believe that Christianity is all about being good little boys and girls, because he wants to make us miserable.

In case you were wondering, that quote was from Ben Franklin – like I said you won’t find it anywhere in the Bible. Frankly, if you want to find that in religious literature, you should be reading the sacred texts of Buddhism or Islam cause that is the only place you will find that.