Introduction

Good morning, my dear brothers and sisters in Christ. What a joy it is to gather together in this sacred space, to lift our voices in praise, to share in fellowship, and to open our hearts and minds to the Word of God. As we come together today, we are drawn to a topic that is as old as humanity itself, yet as relevant as the very breath we draw - the struggle against sin and the pursuit of righteousness.

Our sermon today bears the title "More Than The Cry of a Desperate Man." It is a title that speaks to the heart of every believer, for who among us has not felt the desperation that comes from our human frailty, our propensity to sin, and our longing for righteousness? This is not a topic for the faint-hearted, but it is a topic that is essential for our spiritual growth and understanding.

The main idea that we will be focusing on today is the experience of anyone struggling against sin or trying to please God by keeping rules and laws without the Spirit's help. This is a struggle that each one of us can relate to, for it is a struggle that is inherent in our human condition. It is a struggle that the apostle Paul, a man of great faith and spiritual insight, knew all too well.

As we embark on this journey of understanding, let us turn to the book of Romans, specifically Romans 7:15-25. This passage provides us with a candid and deeply personal account of Paul's own battle with sin. It is a passage that resonates with our own experiences and struggles, and it is a passage that offers us hope and guidance.

[Read Romans 7:15-25]

As we reflect on these words, let us bow our heads in prayer.

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for this day, for the opportunity to gather together in Your name, and for Your Word that guides us and sustains us. As we delve into the complexities of our struggle against sin and our pursuit of righteousness, we ask for Your wisdom and understanding. Open our hearts and minds, Lord, so that we may gain a deeper understanding of Your will for us. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Now, imagine if you will, a man adrift at sea. He is alone, his boat is taking on water, and he is miles from shore. He has a bucket, and he is desperately trying to bail out the water, but it is a losing battle. The more he bails, the more water seems to rush in. This is a picture of our struggle against sin and our attempts to please God by keeping rules and laws without the Spirit's help. We can bail and bail, but without the Spirit's help, we are fighting a losing battle.

So, as we journey together through this sermon, let us keep this image in mind. Let it serve as a reminder of our human frailty, our need for God's grace, and the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Let it inspire us to seek not just to understand our struggle against sin, but to overcome it through the power of the Holy Spirit.

In the words of Max Lucado, "God loves us too much to leave us in our sin." So, let us open our hearts and minds to His love, His grace, and His transforming power as we delve into this important topic.

The Struggle Against Sin and the Need for God's Grace

Today, we're going to talk about a struggle that we all face. It's a struggle that the Apostle Paul himself faced. It's the struggle against sin and the futile attempt to please God by keeping rules and laws without the Spirit's help.

Paul, in his letter to the Romans, gives us a raw and honest account of this struggle. He says in Romans 7:15-25, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do." This is a man who is wrestling with sin, wrestling with his own nature. He's trying to do right, but he keeps falling short.

Now, let's break this down a bit.

Firstly, Paul acknowledges that he is in a battle. He's not just casually strolling through life, oblivious to his actions. No, he's in a fight. A fight against sin. A fight against his own flesh. He's trying to do what's right, but he keeps messing up. He keeps doing the things he knows are wrong.

This is something we can all relate to. We've all been there. We've all had those moments where we've done something we knew was wrong, even though we knew it was wrong. We've all had those moments where we've failed to do the right thing, even though we knew what the right thing was.

Secondly, Paul is not trying to justify his actions. He's not making excuses. He's not blaming others. He's taking responsibility for his actions. He's acknowledging his failures. He's admitting that he's not perfect.

This is a crucial step in our battle against sin. We need to acknowledge our failures. We need to admit our mistakes. We need to take responsibility for our actions.

Now, let's take a moment to look at the word "sin" in the original Greek language of the New Testament. The word used is "hamartia", which means "to miss the mark". It's like an archer aiming for a target but missing. That's what sin is. It's missing the mark. It's falling short of God's standard.

As the renowned Christian theologian, C.S. Lewis once said, "No man knows how bad he is till he has tried very hard to be good." This is exactly what Paul is expressing in this passage. He's tried very hard to be good, but he's realized just how bad he is. He's realized just how much he needs God's grace.

Thirdly, Paul recognizes that he can't win this battle on his own. He needs help. He needs the Spirit's help. He says in verse 24, "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?"

This is a cry for help. A cry for deliverance. A cry for salvation. And it's a cry that God answers. God doesn't leave us to fight this battle on our own. He gives us His Spirit to help us. He gives us His grace to cover us.

Lastly, Paul points us to the solution. He points us to Jesus. He says in verse 25, "Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

Jesus is the answer. Jesus is the solution. Jesus is the one who delivers us from sin. Jesus is the one who gives us victory.

So, if you're struggling with sin, if you're trying to please God by keeping rules and laws without the Spirit's help, remember this: You're not alone. You're not the first to struggle, and you won't be the last. But there is hope. There is help. There is victory in Jesus.

The Battle Within

Friends, let's talk about the struggle. The struggle that Paul, a man of God, faced. The struggle that each one of us faces. The struggle against sin. The struggle to please God. The struggle to keep His laws. The struggle to do it all without the help of the Spirit. It's a battle, my friends. A battle within.

Paul tells us in Romans 7:15-25, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do... For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out... Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it... I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me."

The Struggle is Real

Paul was a man of God. He was a man who wanted to do good. But he found himself doing the very things he hated. He found himself sinning. He found himself unable to carry out the good he desired to do. He found himself in a struggle. A struggle against sin. A struggle within.

Friends, we too are in this struggle. We too want to do good. We too find ourselves doing the very things we hate. We too find ourselves sinning. We too find ourselves unable to carry out the good we desire to do. We too are in a battle. A battle within.

The Law of Sin and Death

Paul talks about a law at work within him. A law that, despite his desire to do good, brings evil right there with him. This law, my friends, is the law of sin and death. It's a law that we too are under. It's a law that, despite our desire to do good, brings evil right there with us. It's a law that leads us into sin. It's a law that leads us into death. It's a law that we cannot escape on our own.

But there's good news, friends. There's good news in the midst of this struggle. There's good news in the midst of this battle. There's good news in the midst of this law of sin and death.

The Law of the Spirit of Life

In Romans 8:1-2, Paul tells us, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death."

Friends, we are not alone in this struggle. We are not alone in this battle. We are not alone under this law of sin and death. We have the Spirit. The Spirit who gives life. The Spirit who sets us free. The Spirit who helps us in our struggle. The Spirit who helps us in our battle. The Spirit who helps us under this law of sin and death.

The Struggle Continues

But the struggle is not over, friends. The battle is not won. The law of sin and death is still at work within us. We still find ourselves doing the very things we hate. We still find ourselves sinning. We still find ourselves unable to carry out the good we desire to do. We are still in a battle. A battle within.

But we are not alone, friends. We are not alone in this struggle. We are not alone in this battle. We are not alone under this law of sin and death. We have the Spirit. The Spirit who gives life. The Spirit who sets us free. The Spirit who helps us in our struggle. The Spirit who helps us in our battle. The Spirit who helps us under this law of sin and death.

The Victory is Sure

And the victory, friends, is sure. The victory over sin. The victory over death. The victory over the law of sin and death. The victory is sure because of Jesus. Because of His death. Because of His resurrection. Because of His Spirit who lives in us.

So let's keep fighting, friends. Let's keep struggling. Let's keep battling. Let's keep doing good. Let's keep resisting sin. Let's keep living under the law of the Spirit of life. Let's keep relying on the Spirit's help. And let's keep looking forward to the victory that is sure. The victory that is ours in Christ Jesus. The victory in the battle within.

The Cry for Deliverance

In the heart of every believer, there is a cry for deliverance. This cry is not a mere whimper, but a deep, guttural plea that echoes through the chambers of our souls. It is a cry that is born out of the struggle against sin, a struggle that is all too familiar to each one of us. It is a struggle that the apostle Paul, in his letter to the Romans, articulates so vividly and honestly.

The struggle against sin is not a solitary battle. It is a battle that we all face, regardless of our spiritual maturity or our walk with God. It is a battle that is waged not only in the physical realm but also in the spiritual realm. It is a battle that is fought not with swords and spears, but with the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit.

This struggle is not just about doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong. It is about the tension between our human nature and our divine calling. It is about the conflict between our fleshly desires and our spiritual aspirations. It is about the war between our old self and our new self, between the law of sin and the law of God.

In this struggle, we often find ourselves doing what we do not want to do and not doing what we want to do. We find ourselves breaking the very laws that we strive to keep and violating the very principles that we hold dear. We find ourselves falling short of the glory of God and failing to live up to our calling as His children.

In this struggle, we often feel like we are trapped in a body of death, a body that is subject to sin and death. We feel like we are enslaved to sin, bound by its chains and shackled by its power. We feel like we are in a prison, a prison of our own making, a prison from which we cannot escape.

In this struggle, we often cry out for deliverance, for rescue, for freedom. We cry out to God, pleading with Him to save us from this body of death, to deliver us from this bondage of sin, to set us free from this prison of our own making.

In this struggle, we often find ourselves relying on our own strength, our own wisdom, our own understanding. We try to fight this battle on our own, to conquer this enemy on our own, to overcome this obstacle on our own. But we soon realize that our own efforts are futile, that our own strength is insufficient, that our own wisdom is inadequate.

In this struggle, we often find ourselves turning to the law, to rules and regulations, to do's and don'ts. We try to please God by keeping His laws, by obeying His commands, by following His rules. But we soon realize that the law cannot save us, that rules and regulations cannot deliver us, that do's and don'ts cannot set us free.

In this struggle, we often find ourselves in need of the Spirit's help, of the Spirit's guidance, of the Spirit's power. We realize that it is only through the Spirit that we can overcome sin, that we can please God, that we can live a life that is pleasing to Him.

A.W. Tozer, a renowned Christian author and pastor, once said, "The Spirit-filled life is not a special, deluxe edition of Christianity. It is part and parcel of the total plan of God for His people." This quote underscores the importance of the Holy Spirit in our struggle against sin and our quest to please God. Without the Spirit's help, we are like a ship without a rudder, a car without an engine, a bird without wings. We are powerless, directionless, and helpless.

The Spirit's Role in Our Struggle

In our struggle against sin and our quest to please God, the role of the Holy Spirit cannot be overstated. The Spirit is not just a helper or a guide; He is our enabler, our empowerer, our transformer. He is the one who gives us the power to overcome sin, the wisdom to understand God's laws, and the courage to live a life that is pleasing to God.

The Spirit does not just help us in our struggle; He fights the battle for us. He does not just guide us in our quest; He leads the way for us. He does not just empower us to overcome sin; He gives us the victory over sin. He does not just enable us to understand God's laws; He writes those laws on our hearts. He does not just encourage us to live a life that is pleasing to God; He transforms us into the image of Christ, the perfect image of God.

In our struggle against sin and our quest to please God, the Spirit is our greatest ally, our strongest weapon, our surest defense. He is our comforter in times of distress, our counselor in times of confusion, our teacher in times of ignorance, our guide in times of darkness.

In our struggle against sin and our quest to please God, the Spirit is not just an optional extra; He is an absolute necessity. Without the Spirit, we are like a fish out of water, a plant without sunlight, a body without breath. We are lifeless, fruitless, and hopeless.

In our struggle against sin and our quest to please God, the Spirit is not just a resource; He is our source. He is the source of our power, the source of our wisdom, the source of our courage. He is the source of our victory, the source of our understanding, the source of our transformation.

In our struggle against sin and our quest to please God, the Spirit is not just a part of our lives; He is our life. He is the life that flows through us, the life that sustains us, the life that transforms us. He is the life that overcomes sin, the life that pleases God, the life that glorifies God.

In our struggle against sin and our quest to please God, let us not rely on our own strength, our own wisdom, our own understanding. Let us not rely on the law, on rules and regulations, on do's and don'ts. Let us rely on the Spirit, on His power, on His guidance, on His transformation. Let us cry out for deliverance, not from a place of despair, but from a place of hope, a hope that is anchored in the Spirit, a hope that is rooted in Christ, a hope that is grounded in God.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we've spent our time together today examining the words of the apostle Paul in Romans 7:15-25. We've looked at the struggle that Paul describes, a struggle that is all too familiar to each of us. It's the struggle against sin, the fight to do what is right in the eyes of God. It's a battle that we all face, every single day.

Paul's words are a mirror, reflecting our own experiences back to us. We see ourselves in his struggle. We see our own efforts to please God, to keep His laws and commandments. We see our own failures, our own shortcomings. We see our own desperate need for the Spirit's help.

But let's not forget the hope that Paul offers us. Despite his struggle, despite his failures, Paul knows that he is not alone. He knows that he has the Spirit's help. He knows that he is not defined by his failures, but by God's grace. And that same grace is available to each of us.

So, as we go into this coming week, let's remember Paul's words. Let's remember our own struggle against sin. Let's remember our own need for the Spirit's help. And let's remember the grace that is available to us.

But let's not just remember. Let's act. Let's strive to be more like Jesus in the coming week. Let's strive to live lives that are pleasing to God. Let's strive to keep His laws and commandments, not out of a sense of obligation, but out of a sense of love and gratitude for all that He has done for us.

Let's pray.

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your Word. We thank You for the truth that it reveals to us. We thank You for the hope that it offers us. We thank You for the grace that it reminds us of. We ask that You would help us to remember these truths in the coming week. Help us to be more like Jesus. Help us to live lives that are pleasing to You. Help us to keep Your laws and commandments, not out of a sense of obligation, but out of a sense of love and gratitude. We ask all of this in Jesus' name, Amen.

And now, as we prepare to leave this place, let's remember the words of the apostle Paul: "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen." (Galatians 6:18)

May that same grace be with each of us as we go into this coming week. May it guide us, strengthen us, and help us to be more like Jesus. And may it remind us of the hope that we have, the hope that comes from knowing that we are not alone in our struggle against sin, that we have the Spirit's help, and that we are defined not by our failures, but by God's grace.

Go in peace, brothers and sisters, and may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

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