Dying to Your Dark Side
Romans Series
CCCAG March 15th, 2020
Scripture- Romans 7:1-20 (Gen Reading)
Introduction- “Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” by Robert Louis Stevenson
Anyone ever read that book in high school, or seen one of the many movies portraying these characters?
A brief summary, there is a man named doctor Jekyll. Doctor Jekyll struggles with wants and desires that are not healthy, nor socially acceptable, or even moral. For years he struggles with trying to keep these desires at bay but is unable to completely suppress his evil desires.
So, he develops a formula that allows him to transform into another man Named Mr Hyde who can act out all these horrible impulses that he has.
This book is a case study on the dual nature of every human being.
With the exception of Jesus every single person that has ever lived has a dark side. It's like a caged wolf like animal that lives in the darkest parts of your soul. For some this animal is always scratching at the door and searching for ways to get out and cause havoc. For others, you've put triple chains on it and play the stereo so you can't hear it barking, growling, and yelping to get out.
Everyone has this to some extent or another. Even the most gentle and loving people have this buried deep within them- an animal that wants to break down the doors and let itself run free.
We see this when we read the bible- time and time again men and woman have dealt with their dark side. David is a key example of a man incredibly blessed by God, but also had a passionate side of him that was not kept in check and caused havoc not only in his own life, but in his family and in his kingdom.
I would see this truth as I read and studied the bible- how men and woman could be so used of God but still have glaring character faults.
I would read about them, but never really personally applied it to me. . I knew the bible had these lessons in it, and that they should speak to me, but never really did so until about 10 years ago
Two moments come to mind about confronting my dark side.
The first one came about in kind of a strange way.
When we were still living in Kenosha , my daughter started babysitting for a family who were very involved with the Christian rock band Skillet.
I had never heard of them before- my daughters reminded me at that time, and still to this day remind me that I’m just not that cool. They started to play Skillet in their room, and one of their new songs really struck a cord with me when I heard the lyrics.
At that time, it was one of their new songs off their latest album. The song is called “Monster”.
The lyrics start out like this
“The secret side of me, I never let you see
I keep it caged but I can't control it
So stay away from me, the beast is ugly
I feel the rage and I just can't hold it
It's scratching on the walls, in the closet, in the halls
It comes awake and I can't control it
Hiding under the bed, in my body, in my head
Why won't somebody come and save me from this, make it end?
I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin
I must confess that I feel like a monster
I hate what I've become, the nightmare's just begun
I must confess that I feel like a monster”
As strange as it sounds, this song started me on a journey to confront some of the dark sides of my soul. God used it to hold a mirror up to me, and I didn’t necessarily like everything that was looking back. I saw Selfishness, pride, ego, desire for recognition, need of other people’s praise and admiration were just a few things that I saw needed Jesus’ healing touch.
Another step on this journey (that continues and will continue for life) was a book recommended to me called, Overcoming the Dark Side of Leadership. In it, the author states that most leaders unconsciously lead from their dark impulses- that the desire for leadership itself is a symptom of a dark side that is rising up and trying to exert it’s influence by creating a desire to control others.
Very eye opening book, and it exposed a lot of what was in my life and I also took a look at some of the failed leaders I served under in the past and realized there was some truth in that book- it was their dark side coming to the surface- that they needed to feel fulfilled through being the person in charge.
That’s a lot of background this morning to introduce you to Romans chapter 7. If I were to summarize it in 1 sentence to a contemporary audience, it’s Paul’s version of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Paul is teaching us that we all have a fallen nature that we contend with all of the time.
Most people suppress it.
No good church person wants to talk about it or confront it in their own life.
But it’s always there, lurking in the darkness, waiting for a moment of weakness to come screaming out and cause destructions in our lives and the lives of others.
Let’s see what the bible has to say about it this morning, as Genevieve reads it to us how the bible describes our dual nature this morning-
Gen Reading
Rom 7:1-20
Do you not know, brothers — for I am speaking to men who know the law — that the law has authority over a man only as long as he lives? 2 For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage. 3 So then, if she marries another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress, even though she marries another man.
4 So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God. 5 For when we were controlled by the sinful nature, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death. 6 But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.
7 What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "Do not covet." 8 But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from law, sin is dead. 9 Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. 10 I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. 11 For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. 12 So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.
13 Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.
14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do — this I keep on doing.
20 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.
NIV
Prayer
I. Paul starts with Example from marriage- I want to address something really quick before we get to far into this-
People who may be reading this for the first time can misunderstand what Paul is trying to teach here, because it seems to be targeting woman unfairly.
Note that Paul is speaking to Jewish people steeped in the law. When I saw steeped in the law- it was their whole world. Men started Torah lessons at very young ages, and woman would teach their children the Word throughout the day.
Within these laws there appear to be edicts that seem to be very sexist to our eyes in the year 2020- that men got a different set of rules than the woman.
I want to point out that in the first century, the idea that woman had any rights, or any say in anything was revolutionary. Christianity was the first major religion ever to elevate woman to be equal with men. In fact, Jesus made it a point to elevate woman to leadership.
A woman was probably his first convert- Mary Magdalene.
Who did he use to be an evangelist to the Samaritans? The woman at the well. And I’ll note not only a woman, but a woman with a past so bad that she was an outcast in her society.
Who did he first appear to after his resurrection- making her the first Christian evangelist in history? Mary Magdalene.
So don’t take verses 1-3 as only focusing on the woman.
The point Paul is starting to make here, using this illustration that might not make a ton of sense to us today is this-
Before a person comes to Christ, we start life in a spiritually dead state because of the sin of Adam and Eve. When Adam and Eve sinned, they “infected us” with a terminal illness that causes sin to be our nature tendency, and since the wages of sin is death- we are essentially born spiritually dead.
This is the source of our dark side. Our dark side gets it’s power from sin and rebellion, and seeks to govern our thoughts, our emotions and our actions throughout our lives. I would say the vast majority of the people I have ever met exist there.
Some might be what we would consider “good people”. They pay their taxes, mow their lawns, maybe help a person once in a while, but they do it from selfish motives- either for their own gratification or to be recognized by others, or just to support their reputation
So that’s everyone’s starting point- living in Adam’s sin which causes us to be spiritually dead.
Verses 4-6 make that plain, particularly verse 5
5 For when we were controlled by the sinful nature, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death. (Wages of sin is death)
Wait a second, did Paul say that the law of God causes sin?
Yes, but let me explain.
I saw a social media meme this week that had a picture of a mirror and to the left of the mirror it said, “Look here to see the face of a person who doesn’t care about anyone but themselves so they don’t wear a mask”
This blatant attempt at internet bullying does have one use for us this morning, and that is it’s a great example of what the law of God is meant to do.
The law has two functions-
1. Reveal the moral character of God
Because it shows us God’s perfection-
2. Show us how we fall short of God. It’s a mirror we look into.
If we look into that law mirror, and see anything other than Jesus Christ staring back at us, then we know we have fallen short of the Glory of God.
That’s the laws function- to be our mirror so we can see exactly why we need Jesus.
Paul Explains that in Verse 7
7 What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed, I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "Do not covet." 8 But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire.
I'm going to illustrate -
How many people hear a sermon in church, and it seems within 24 hours you are placed in a situation That points right back to that sermon.
Maybe the pastor talked about gossip and you walk into work Monday morning and immediately are confronted with people gossiping about something and they want your opinion.
Or maybe the pastor said something about sexual sin And later that day or that night you're flipping through the channels or sitting in front of your computer and the thought comes up of searching for something that you wouldn't want any of us to know about.
Have you ever asked yourself why that seems to happen?
Paul gives that explanation for us-
10 I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. 11 For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. 12 So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.
13 Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.
At the beginning of today's message we talk a little bit about that monster that seems to live within each one of us. That sneaky crawling dark part of ourselves that we keep hidden from everyone.
Paul names the monsters- sin
Paul was very honest with us about his own struggles with sin, doubt, and unbelief.
This about it- Aside from Jesus Himself no one could argue that Paul had the greatest impact of anyone ever in the church. Paul formed our theology, showed us what true life looked like, and showed us the importance of the Holy Spirit’s presence and power. Paul’s writings are so influential that Peter- the rock of the church said that Paul’s writings were to be considered scripture.
Paul was a spiritual giant- we all sit in his shadow today. You would expect Paul to be 1000% holy and righteous, not having any spiritual wavering at all.
But this is how Paul described himself in his struggles with his inner dark side-
14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do — this I keep on doing.
20 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.
A few verses later - Rom 7:24-25
24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?
Is it any wonder why Paul said in Romans 3 that, “There is NO ONE righteous, no not one. No one who understands and no one who seeks God”
I can almost envision and hear Paul crying out loud as he wrote these words- Who will save me from the monster lurking within the deepest, darkest parts of my spirit and soul? Who will save me from this body of death?
Who can stop the merry-go-round of sin, repentance, sin, repentance and still wanting to sin?
Jesus has the answer- you need to be born again.
That’s how we get off the performance merry-go-round and experience the true life that Jesus gives those who earnestly seek him.
Stop the cycle of condemnation, and learn to live in Christ.
John 3:16-19
16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.
Dealing with your dark side- surrender to Jesus.
Three quick steps to dying to your dark side-
1. Be honest- we all deal with it.
2. Resist the impulse to hide from it. Darkness can only thrive in darkness. Light destroys it- and your dark side can only thrive in the darkness. Drag it kicking and screaming into the light and let Jesus slay it moment by moment, hour by hour, day by day.
3. Surrender to Jesus in everything. No darkness allowed! The devil will take a grain of sand and turn it into a island of sin if you allow him any access into your life.
Prayer/Altar Call
