Twenty-one Reasons Not To Sin (Part 2)
I. Introduction (Recap of last week)
Praise the Lord!
Tonight I want to continue the series that we
started last week.
And for those of us who weren’t here I just want to
take a few moments to try to catch you up.
Last week we started a series called 21 reasons not to sin.
We only got through the first four last week
because I started preaching a little bit,
And when I was done I began to testify a little bit.
But it’s all good in the neighborhood. Amen?
That’s why we call this a series,
Because it can just go on and on and on.
Some of you like that because when I start to get
long winded you can just say save it for next week
Pastor. Amen?
Well if you haven’t figured it out yet, despite
popular opinion, I’ve been preaching on sin.
And last week my main focus was on what sin is
and what sin does!
And I ended up preaching on those two things for
so long that I only got to share about four of the
twenty one reasons not to sin.
But that’s okay because we’re going to get right into
it here in the next few minutes,
But first I want to go over what we covered last
week.
We read in scripture that....
1Jn 3:4 says...sin is the transgression of the law.
And that to transgress means to cross the line.
So everytime we sin against God we trespass
against His will. Amen?
We covered the fact that we’re all born into sin (Psa 51:5),
And initially that sin acts as a wedge separating us
from God (Isaiah 59:2).
And as we grow older that separation becomes a
canyon ever widening (Romans 3:23),
And that the canyon is symbolic of falling short.
And without Jesus we will continue to fall short
until our sin eventually brings about death
(Romans 6:23). Amen?
Now that was not the first four reasons not to sin,
but that was simply what sin is and what sin does
in a nut shell. Amen?
But before I get into the rest of the message tonight
let’s read what Paul had to say about sin.
II. The Law of Sin...
Romans 7:15-24 (New Living Translation)
15 I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do the very thing I hate. 6 I know perfectly well that what I am doing is wrong, and my bad conscience shows that I agree that the law is good. 17 But I can’t help myself, because it is sin inside me that makes me do these evil things.18 I know I am rotten through and through so far as my old sinful nature is concerned. No matter which way I turn, I can’t make myself do right. I want to, but I can’t. 19 When I want to do good, I don’t. And when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway. 20 But if I am doing what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing it; the sin within me is doing it.21 It seems to be a fact of life that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart. 23 But there is another law at work within me that is at war with my mind. This law wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin?
Paul said that there is a law of sin. Amen?
And that law is that so long as there is flesh there
will be sin.
Paul said that sin was within his flesh even though
he was a believer.
Even though he was an Apostle of the most high
God,
Even though he was God’s chosen instrument to
take the Gospel to the Gentiles he was still plagued
by sin. Amen?
There have been many opinions formed about sin
and the believer.
There are even denominations who’s theology says
that the true believer is incapable of sinning.
Well I’ll tell you that that is a lie straight from the
pits of Hell.
Though it’s intentions are good, this theology is
often used as a tool of the enemy.
The enemy will use this type of theology to
discourage those who are dealing with sin and
temptation in their lives.
He will make them question their salvation and
vocation. Amen?
Believe it or not he’ll even use this theology to make
those who believe in it,
Those who believe that they have been entirely
sanctified,
Those who believe that they are incapable of sin,
He will make them believe that since they are
incapable of sinning then when they are in sin it
must not really be sin at all. Amen?
You say well Pastor the Bible says that we are free
from sin, and that sin no longer has any dominion
over us,
And that the enemy is defeated.
Well I tell you that all of that’s true, Amen?
But even though the victory has been provided for
it doesn’t mean that we don’t have to work for it.
You say well Pastor you’re preaching works now.
No I’m not preaching works. Let me explain it to
you this way...
If I’ve got a million dollars in the bank that’s good.
Amen?
That could be the answer to alot of my financial
problems. Amen?
But having that money in the bank is not going to
take away my debt.
I have to go down to the bank and make a with
drawal to pay my debts off. Amen?
In the same way Jesus’ sacrifice provided all of us a
way out!
But if we don’t call upon His name sin can still
cause us to experience the second death.
In the same way, even though Satan is defeated He
is still very real, and if we don’t go to the spiritual
bank every now and then and with draw another
victory he can overcome you.
Paul said that even though he was a believer who
delights in the law of God,
The Law of sin is still within him.
Well I stand here before you tonight to tell you that
even though you’re saved and filled with the Holy
Ghost Sin is still within your members.
Your Spirit man is still at war with your carnality.
There is still enmity between the flesh and the
Spirit.
The Bible says that the Spirit is willing but the flesh
is still weak. Amen?
So knowing that I want to help you feed your Spirit
man that He might overcome the carnal man.
The first thing I want you to know tonight is the
fact that sin is very real.
And that the enemy is very real.
If you choose to remain blind to that fact you’re
headed for defeat. Amen?
Now the second thing is this...
Even though there is sin in your members.
Even though sin is real,
Even though temptation will come,
Even though your flesh will turn on you,
You do have dominion over it!
Simply put the law of sin is that so long as there is
flesh there will be sin,
But the law of the Spirit is that through Him you
can overcome sin before it overcomes you! Amen?
III. Reasons Not To Sin...
Last week I told you that There’s only one reason
that we sin and that’s because we don’t see sin as
God sees it.
We sin because we don’t have a proper perspective
on sin.
Most peoples view on sin is like the drug users view
on drugs.
They see the immediate enjoyment and the short-
term pleasure but cannot see the long-term damage
that they are doing.
The Jerusalem Talmud says that a sinner can be
compared to "ONE WHO BEHOLDS OPEN
HANDCUFFS AND PLACES HIS HANDS INTO
THEM."
When we step into that life style we see only it’s
pleasures.
The sinner sees two shiny silver bracelets, but the
end thereof is that those bracelets will snap shut
and leave you in bondage. Amen?
So the reason I went through the scriptures and
came up with these twenty-one reasons not to sin
is so that when the sin that is within our members
comes knocking we will be able to use these
scriptures to look past the temporary pleasures and
see the end result.
Last week we discussed the first four of these
reasons and I’m going to breeze over them real
quick before we get to number five.
1. Sin Does Not Satisfy
And we talked about how Sin can bring real
pleasure,
BUT THERE IS NO LASTING SATISFACTION IN
SIN!
We read in Heb 11:25 where Moses could have had
all the pleasures of this world but he chose...
Heb 11:25 ...rather to suffer affliction with the
people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for
a season;
1) Sin is pleasurable.
2) Sin’s pleasures are but for a season.
It’s pleasures are temporary.
2. Sin Leads to More Sin
Proverbs 5:22 - The evil deeds of a wicked man
ensnare him; the cords of his sin hold him fast.
When you sin, you tie yourself up and become the
bondservant of sin.
3. Sin Leads to Worse Sins
4. Sin Enslaves
No one wants to be a slave! Amen?
Yet we willingly place our hands in those
handcuffs. Amen?
And that brings us to number 5.
5. Sin Degrades and Humiliates
Think about any public figure who has worked for
years to gain respect and establish a solid
reputation.
What happens when they commit gross sin and are
found out?
Everything changes for that person!
You now look at that person differently - because
sin stains his life!!
My father and I were talking the other day about a
Gospel singer who came out of the closet and
revealed that he is a homosexual...
Think of the gifted author who is arrested for
beating his wife,
Or the anointed preacher who is addicted to
pornography...
What about the Nobel Prize winner caught
soliciting boys for sex...
And the President whose sordid affairs are aired
before the entire world.
The shame that sin caused in their lives is never
worth the temporary pleasures it brought!
Ecc 10:1 Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.
That says that sin places a stench on the life of
those who were once honored.
How many knows that Satan loves to mock the
human race?
He loves to see men and women, the pinnacle of
God’s creation, putting needles in their arms,
Committing sodomy, shooting and stabbing each
other,
begging for money for another drink,
Dressing as transvestites,
dying of sexually transmitted diseases,
tossing and turning in their guilt,
Wallowing in their shame,
drowning in their embarrassment.
The devil loves to humiliate us!
We give him pleasure when we allow sin to stink up
our reputation. Amen?
And in the eyes of the world when we fall short,
when the church suffers a blow like this from the
enemy,
And world renowned preachers are publicly
accused of gross sin,
It doesn’t just put a stink on that persons
reputation it puts a stench on the whole church in
the world’s eyes because after all we are one body. Amen?
Jesus is the exact opposite of the enemy.
Satan loves to humiliate us,
But Jesus loves to shower us with glory and honor!
God wants to make our name great just as he
promised Abraham, but we rob Him of His desire
when we let sin degrade our name. Amen?
I stand here in front of God and everybody tonight
to encourage you not to let Sin humiliate you,
But rather come humbly before Christ and let Him
exalt you. Amen?
6. Sin Steals Joy
Too many times in our walk with God we
underestimate the importance of joy.
Nehemiah 8:10 - For the joy of the LORD is your strength.
Psalm 16:11 - In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Proverbs 17:22, NLT - A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.
Proverbs 18:14, NLT - The human spirit can endure a sick body, but who can bear it if the spirit is crushed?
Sin bursts the bubble of joy and breaks
communion with God.
A wise man once said that...
"Joy is the most infallible sign of the presence of
God."
And I’ll tell you that it’s true. Amen?
I believe that shouting and dancing and praising
the lord are all a direct result of the joy of the Lord,
And that they are an outward manifestation of the
Holy Ghost. Amen?
They are an infallible sign of the presence of God
within you.
Now I’m not talking about just being emotional but
I’m talking about being spiritual.
When someone is walking around with the joy of
the Lord you can see that God is doing something
in that person. Amen?
And their joy becomes a witnessing tool because
others see what they’ve got and they want some of
it,
But if you let the devil steal your joy,
If you let sin rob you of your joy,
Now you’re ineffective in ministry.
You used to have a testimony for God and it made
people want what you had,
But now instead of a testimony all you’ve got is the
moanies.
And I’ll tell you don’t nobody want the moanies.
7. Sin Steals Our Confidence Before God
Sin steals all purity and innocence, making us
uneasy with people and uncomfortable with God.
We’re always worried about whether or not we’re
going to get found out or not.
Sin makes the once radical Christian become
reserved and low-profile because he knows the
enemy has something on him. Amen?
How many’s been there?
I remember as a baby Christian being on fire for
the Lord and going to a friends house to tell him
what Jesus done for me.
But there was alchohol there.
And that used to be one of the tools the enemy used
against me.
Notice I said used to be.
See I over came that temptation of alchohol.
The enemy can’t use that tool against me anymore,
But that doesn’t mean he quit tempting,
It just means he found a new tool. Amen?
But back to my testimony...
There was alchohol there and so rather than get my
friend saved I ended up drinking with him.
The next few months of my life were pure misery.
I asked the Lord to forgive me and I know that he
did,
But I had lost my confidence before Christ.
I thought that I was untouchable because I had so
much zeal to serve the Lord,
But when I fell down and skinned my knee I
realized I wasn’t untouchable.
So for months I didn’t witness to anyone.
I still read my word, and went to church, but I
wasn’t confident in ministry.
Sin had stolen that from me.
At the same time now the enemy had some dirt on
me and even though Jesus had forgiven me,
I knew that my friend knew that I had fallen short
and I was scared to witness because I was scared
that he would expose my hypocrisy.
I felt alot like Paul who was battling with the sin
within his members.
I was saying O wretched man that I am,
But then I thought what if Paul had given up
because of the sin in his members?
What if Peter would have given up because he
denied Jesus?
We can’t let sin steal our confidence before God!
The key word there is God!
See if you place your confidence in God you won’t
have to struggle like I did.
Because my struggle was that I had lost confidence
in my ability to live the Christian life,
when I should have never had confidence in myself
in the first place.
My confidence should have been in God.
Because in Him is saving power,
and in Him is keeping power, Not in me!
That’s what Paul was saying in our text tonight!
Romans 7:15-24 (New Living Translation)
15 I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do the very thing I hate. 6 I know perfectly well that what I am doing is wrong, and my bad conscience shows that I agree that the law is good. 17 But I can’t help myself, because it is sin inside me that makes me do these evil things.18 I know I am rotten through and through so far as my old sinful nature is concerned. No matter which way I turn, I can’t make myself do right. I want to, but I can’t. 19 When I want to do good, I don’t. And when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway. 20 But if I am doing what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing it; the sin within me is doing it.21 It seems to be a fact of life that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart. 23 But there is another law at work within me that is at war with my mind. This law wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin?
I...I...I..I...I but then he said who will free me?
Well that who is the soul saver himself!
He is the truth and the truth shall set you free!
He is the key to every door that sin has slammed in
your face!
He is the one who can break every yoke and pull
down every strong hold.
He is the one who can loose every cord that sin has
place in your life,
He is the one who can deliver you from the enemy,
He can break the chains of addiction,
And the yoke of poverty,
He can give you back what the enemy stole from
you and then some,
He is Jehovah Jireh...My provider!
When I’m sick He’s Jehovah Rophe....My Healer,
When I’m in need He’s El Shaddai...
The Almighty God who is more than enough!
When I’m lonely He is Jehovah Shammah...
The God who is always there.
He is Jehovah Nissi... My Banner!
He is Jehovah Shalom.... My Peace, My Comfort,
My security when I’m insecure!
He is Immanuel.... God with us!
He is Jehovah Rohi....
My Shepherd and My Companion,
When my righteousness is but a filthy rag He
becomes Jehovah Tsidkenu... My Righteousness.
When the god of this world comes against me He is
Elohim the God of gods who will deliver me from
my enemies.
He is Adonai... My Lord and master....
And He is Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior!
Paul said who... And I stand before you tonight to
tell you God that’s who. Amen?
And you can place your confidence in Him. Amen?
