Beloved .... the scriptures are clear. Hear God's Word from Romans BIBLE ... "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" END (Romans 3:23)
And we are all aware that the "wages of sin is ......... death" (Romans 6:23).
The angel announced to Joseph that the Child in Mary's womb should be called "Jesus, ... because He will save His people ... from their sins" (Matthew 1:21).
When John the Baptist saw Jesus coming to be baptized, he exclaimed, ... "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29).
The Scriptures mention sin so frequently ... for a very good reason ... it is sin, ... our sin, ... that separates us ... from God.
And, if not dealt with through faith and repentance, ... it brings forth ... death ... eternal separation.
The biblical definition of sin is found in 1 John 3:4 Hear God's Word BIBLE "Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.". END
And the Holy Spirit ... that abides in the very being of every believer ... instructs us and convict us of sin.
All sin ... all sin separates us ... from the love of God.
There are not degrees of sin ... All sin separates us from God ...for God is Holy.
Beloved God hates sin, ... Yet ... He does not ... hate the sinner.
God is holy and cannot tolerate sin in his presence.
That's why the Scripture spends so much time speaking of sin.
However, ... as much emphasis as God's Word places on the reality and peril of sin, ... it puts an even greater weight ... on the cure ... for sin.
And that cure for sin ... is salvation through personal faith ... in the atoning work ... of Jesus Christ.
Beloved ... Sin has been dealt with ... completely.
There is deliverance ... because we have a Deliverer.
There is salvation ... because we have a Savior.
There is redemption ... because we have a Redeemer.
The Good News is ... (Slow) God forgives sin.
God poured out His divine wrath against it ... by sacrificing His own Son ... on the cross.
"He was pierced through ... for our transgressions, ...He was crushed ... for our iniquities" (Isaiah 53:5).
Sin's penalty... eternal death ... was paid in full by ... the perfect Sacrifice.
When we turn from our sin... acknowledge our rebellion against God ... and our utter inability to save ourselves ... and turn to God in faith, ... we receive the unmerited gift ... of salvation.
We did not earn it ... as it is something ... that cannot be earned.
Amazingly, ... God not only took away our sins, ... but He also credited ... His righteousness ... to us.
"He made Him who knew no sin ... to be sin on our behalf, ... so that we might become the (Slow) righteousness of God ... in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Martin Luther called this the "great exchange," ... Our sin ... for His ... righteousness.
So ... If I'm a Christian and keep sinning, will God turn away from me?
Beloved ... His promise is clear ... "I will never leave you or forsake you."
Yet as we all are aware ... there is a continual battle.
Remember Paul's words ... BIBLE For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. END (Romans 7:15)
Beloved ... There is an unending battle ... for our soul.
Two men who lived in a small village got into a terrible dispute ... that they could not ...resolve.
So, they decided to talk to ...the town sage.
The first man went to the sage's home ...and told his version of ... what happened.
When he finished, ... the sage said... "You're absolutely right."
The next night, ... the second man called on the sage ......and told his side ... of the story.
The sage responded... "You're absolutely right."
Afterward, ... the sage's wife scolded her husband.
"Those men told you two different stories ......and you told both of them ... they were absolutely right.
That's impossible ... they can't both be absolutely right."
The sage turned to his wife and said... "You're absolutely right." (Long Pause)
Beloved ... We have ......this same type of conflict ... This same type of battle ...... within ourselves.
The flesh when it speaks to us ... is trying to convince us ...... that it is ... absolutely right.
Trying to convince us to follow ... it's yearning ... it's feelings ... it's wants.
Tommy Lasorda ... the former Los Angeles Dodgers manager describes his battle ... with the inner self:
"I took a pack of cigarettes from my pocket, stared at it and said, ... "Who's stronger, ......you or me?"
The answer was me. ...... I stopped smoking.
Then I took a vodka martini and said to it, "Who's stronger, you or me?"
Again, the answer was me. I quit drinking martinis.
Then I decided to go on a diet.
I looked at a big plate of linguine with clam sauce and said, ... "Who's stronger, ... you or me?"
And a little clam looked up at me and answered, "I am."
Lasorda said......I just cannot beat linguine with clam sauce. (Long Pause)
The writer and theologian C.S. Lewis put it this way ... "No man knows how bad he is ......until he has tried to be good."
Beloved ... God's Spirit is drawing us to do what we know is right....... Yet we often find ourselves in sin ... not doing ... what is right.
In our text today...Paul put it this way: BIBLE "I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. 17 But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me." END (Romans 7:15-17)
In our text, Paul is describing his own personal struggle ... with his battle within ... He is describing the struggle we have with the old nature ... sin.
Paul's struggle is a deep personal struggle with sin ...... with his own flesh.
It is a war ......within his very being.
It is a war ......which does not exist ... with all its force and furry......until we have accepted Christ ......as our Savior and Lord. (Long Pause)
Many of us are familiar with the book by Robert Louis Stevenson... that was made into several movies... Titled ...... "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde".
The story is all about the good Dr. Jekyll ... who is working on a potion ... that will allow him to actually become another person ... to become the man ... Edward Hyde.
The two men could not be more different, ......Dr. Jekyll is a kind and well-respected person ...... whereas Edward Hyde is malicious ... a cold-blooded killer.
At first Dr. Jekyll can control...... the Hyde ...within him ... but after a while ... Hyde begins to emerge on his own ... taking control ...of the Doctors life.
The two men within ... fight for control over the body... in which ... they both live.
It is a classic novel about "Right and Wrong" ......"Joy and Despair" ... "The struggle of Good and Evil."
The struggle of the Natural man vs. the Spiritual man.
Mr. Stevenson ... was once asked, ......"Where did you find the model for your character ... Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde."
He said, ......"I found it...... in my nature."
Beloved ... Stevenson was a Christian ......and had learned ...... that there is indeed ... inside every child of God ... a BEAST.
Every blood bought Christian... is a new creation in Christ Jesus ... and has received a New Nature.
Yet the old Nature yearns to be in charge ... and battles within ... for supremacy.
Stevenson went on to say..." I find that there is always a struggle with ...... "THE BEAST THAT LIVES WITHIN ME."
The sage's wife was insightful... they both cannot be right.
Only The Lord Jesus will lead us into paths of righteousness.
Beloved ... The old nature... The beast within ...... (Slow) "Is never removed ... and is never improved."
Now we know from our text today in Romans that...... the Apostle Paul had this same fight.
He fought... THE BEAST THAT LIVES WITHIN." (Pause)
Now......Most of us who call ourselves followers of the Christ ... want to please God.
We want to walk ... and live ......in his will.
We want to be a light to the world ... And make a difference in the lives of others.
Yet, a battle rages within us.
And the Beast ......The Mr. Hyde ......often shows his face and we yield to the allurement ... which in the end...... crushes relationships, ... and veers us off the path...... of righteousness.
The Beast within ...... seeks to fulfill ... its own desires.
This battle with our old sinful nature ... rages within us ... even ... even after we have accepted Jesus as our Lord ...and our Savior.
Listen to how Paul described the battle with his own flesh:
* " I do not understand my own action"
* "I do the very thing I hate"
* "I do not do the good ... I want to do."
Many times, when we encounter The Beast ...we yield to its desires... and after we do ... we feel great remorse ... for what we have done.
We may feel that we are hypocrites ... we may convince ourselves ... that something must be spiritually wrong with us.
You may begin to doubt your own salvation.
For most ... this battle of Natures ... is waged in secret.
For most ... the Beast ... is hidden from view.
Few if any know about the terrible fight that goes on within our hearts ... within our minds.
And this leads some to feeling unworthy.
Paul's words also speak to this and he very strong when he proclaims: BIBLE "Wretched man that I am! Who will recue me from this body of death?" END (Romans 7:24)
There is a power struggle going on inside of you ... and you are caught ... in between.
We often get hold of something in our minds ......and we cannot let go of it.
It may be due to anger ... It may be due to pride, ...... but we just cannot seem ... to let it go.
Yes......The Spirit is willing ... but the flesh is weak.
You may have a hold of something ... That in reality has a hold on you.
Do not yield to the beast ... Let Go ... Let Go ... of the temptation. (Long Pause)
Ring-tailed monkeys in Africa ......are a delicacy to the Zulus, ... but they are extremely difficult to catch ... because they are ......so agile.
Yet......The Zulus found a way ... to catch them.
They get a gourd ... or a coconut ... and drill a little hole in it, ... just big enough for the monkey to get their hand in it.
They hollow it out ... and put melon or cooked rice into it.
Then they tie a rope to the gourd ... and to the base of a tree.
The monkeys climb down the tree ... because they smell the food.
They stick their hand in the gourd or coconut ... and grab the food inside.
But when they make a fist, ...... they cannot get their hand out.
They run up the tree ... with their hand in the gourd ...until they come to the end of the rope.
Bam!... They fall from the tree!
Yet they still do not let go of the food inside the gourd.
Again and again, ... they run up the tree ......and fall to the ground!
They continue to hold on to the delectable food inside the gourd.
When the Zulus come along, ... they hit the monkeys. Kaboom!
And... They then have monkey stew ... with rice! (Pause)
Isn't that just like we are ... at times?
We get a hold of something in our minds ......and we just will not let it go, ...... even though ... it may be killing us.
We love God and we want God's best.
Yet, we yield to... The Beast.
Do not give in ... to the beast within.
Yes ... "The Spirit is willing, ... but the flesh is weak."
Beloved ... remember God's words to us: BIBLE If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. END (1 John 1:8-9)
The answer to this battle ... is in confessing our sins ...to Jesus ... to the one we call ... our Lord and our Savior.
But...In order for us to confess our sins ...we must first acknowledge our sins.
We must call them what they are ... then ask for forgiveness.
God's is so gracious...... so very gracious ... Not only does he forgive our sins ......but he separates them as far as the east is from the west ......and then into the sea of forgetfulness.
Beloved ...If you have lived the Christian life ... If you have fought the Beast ... Then you can truly identify with the Apostle Paul words:
BIBLE Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Then Paul Goes on to proclaim the answer: Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! END (Romans 7:24)
Indeed......Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Beloved ... We are broken ... and we cannot fix ourselves.
Rely on God ... Rely on the Holy Spirit to mend what we are unable to fix. (Long Pause)
If you hired a plumber to come in and rework the plumbing in your house, ... and when they were done ... all the joints leaked, ......would you hire that same plumber again?
Of course not!
When we convince ourselves ... that we can fix our lives.
We are simply hiring the same person ... who (Point to Chest) messed up this house ... to begin with.
Call on the one who is the creator of life...
Call on the one who died for you.
Call on the one who loves you like no other.
And His name ... is Jesus.
O' Beloved ... get your hand out of the gourd......let go of the beast...
Yield to Jesus... Turn to Jesus.
For he alone...is the author and He finisher ...of your faith.
(Sing)
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace
.
Amen and Amen!
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