Series: The Cure [#10]
HEALTH CHECK
Romans 6:1-23
Introduction:
I have been to so many Doctors that when I hear that I have an appointment, all I can do is just shake my head. I don’t think that anyone likes to go to the Doctor; but it is necessary for us to be checked periodically by our Doctor. We need to know if something needs to be changed in order for us to be at our best.
This very principle applies to our spiritual life as well. Jesus is the Great Physician and we need our spiritual health checked by Him often. Many times we don’t want to go to a Doctor because we know that there are some issues and we would rather act like there is no problem. This morning I’m going to ask you some questions as we allow Jesus to check our spiritual health.
Romans 6:1-2 (NIV)
“What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?”
1. How is your mobility?
Often times, my Doctor will ask me how I am getting around- How is your mobility. Are you falling? Can you get out of bed? Can you walk straight? Trust me, I get all of these questions every time I see a Doctor.
Spiritually speaking, “How is your mobility”? Are you stuck in your old ways and it seems like you can’t move spiritually? You know that you are saved; but you just keep sinning over and over again.
Romans 6:3-4 (NIV)
“Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”
Remember your baptism.
Your baptism symbols that the old you was buried and you were given new life through Jesus Christ; and when you walked out of the baptistery, you were showing that you were going to walk in a new life with Jesus. Christians, you need to start walking with Jesus. Let Him pick you up and start walking with Him each day.
Romans 6:5-7 (NIV)
“If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin- because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.”
2. How is your mental status?
When I go to my neurologist, he always concerned about my mental state. He wants to know how my memory is. He wants to know if I’m down or depressed about something. He wants to know if I am sleeping well. He wants to make sure that mentally I’m alright.
What is it that you know about your salvation? Did you just memorize a few Scriptures when you were saved and now you have forgotten all of God’s Word? What do you think about during the day? Do you worry a lot? Do you gossip? What is on your mind?
Romans 6:8-14 (NIV)
“Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.”
Remember that Jesus Christ has had victory over sin and death for you.
You need to remember that you died to the old you; but even more, you need to remember that you are to live through Christ. Never forget what Jesus did for you is permanent. Do not allow evil to dwell in your mind. Be careful with what you allow into your mind. Fill your mind with things of the Living Christ. You are no longer a slave to sin because through the grace of God you have been given new life.
Romans 6:15-16 (NIV)
“What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey--whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?”
3. How is your heart?
As you all know, I also go to a Cardiologist. I have a pace maker so that my heart will beat at the right speed. When I go to my Cardiologist, he wants to know if I’m exercising. He wants to know how fast my heart rate is. He wants to know what my blood pressure is. He knows that if my heart is not beating properly that I will not be able to do things that I should be doing.
Spiritually, how is your heart? Are you drawn to sin or obedience to God? Do you sin because you can? Where is the focus of your love? What is it that keeps you going spiritually? What gets your blood pumping?
Romans 6:17-22 (NIV)
“But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.”
Remember the teachings of the Word of God.
Have you hidden the Word of God in your heart like that Word says? Not only do you need to remember the teachings of the Word of God; but you need to give allegiance to the Word of God.
Conclusion:
Romans 6:23 (NIV)
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
This is one of the most quoted verses in the Bible. I want you to see it a bit differently today than you might have seen it at other times. As you consider your health as a believer, I want you to ask yourself this question- “Do I live my life stuck and not moving forward for Christ, or am I a walking example of Christ living in me”? If your answer is, “I’m stuck”; then follow the prescriptions given in this sermon- Remember your baptism. Remember that Jesus has given us victory. Remember the teachings of the Word of God. If your answer is, “I’m a walking example of Christ in me”, then keep walking with Jesus and pray and help those who are stuck.
Maybe you are here today and realize that you are spiritually dead and you need Christ to resurrect your life; then today can be the day that you are no longer a slave to sin and death; but a child of God.
