“Choose or Lose”
Romans 6:15-23
Introduction
Everyday each one of us are confronted with choices that somehow affect our lives in a larger way:
The Speed Limit - when we drive we choose whether or not to go the prescribed speed limit or choose to take our chances and go over the limit and risk an accident or injury or the pronouncement of the law
We Choose – to listen or not to listen to the advice given to us by our parents or preachers, family or friends. Often when given the advice of others we weigh it and determine if it’s the course of action we want to take.
The words of Eleanor Roosevelt ring true: One’s philosophy is not best expressed in words. It is expressed in the choices one makes. In the long run, we shape our lives and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our responsibility.
In our text this morning Paul calls us to decide. Paul calls for ……choices.
Romans 6:15-23
(Prepositional Statement – one of duty)
As Christians it is essential that our choices reflect our obedience to God.
Why? Is it Essential?
I. Because Who We Obey We End Up Serving. (v 15-19a)
A. Paul opens up the text with a question in verse 15. “ Since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does this mean we can go on sinning?”
1.He answers his own rhetorical question with a resolute “ Of course not!”
2. Then Paul proceeds with an everyday analogy that a 1st Century Christian would understand…Slavery. (16-19)
· Why use the analogy of a master/slave relationship in conjunction with the everyday choices we make?
· In verse 19 Paul tells them why, “ I speak this way using the illustration of slaves and masters, because it is easy for you to understand.”
· But today this may not be easy for us to understand because slavery no longer exists in America. So we have to look at the scripture through the eyes of a 1st Century Roman Christian.
· When a slave was passed in ownership from one master to another – the old Masters authority came to an end.
Once says Paul – you were slaves to sin. Sin was your old master and you were forced to do all the evil desires your heart ordered you to do – you had no power to say No.
· Think on your own life today. What has God liberated you from that you were powerless to change in your best efforts:
Anger? Rage? Fear? Control? Substances?
· Did you find yourself in a lifestyle that repeated itself in destructive mistakes and bad influences – on a path of self-destruction?
· That lifestyle and those patterns should be completely broken – no longer embraced or lived now because you have come to Christ. You have been free from sins power
· When slaves were transferred to the new owner – there is a new set of rules. So Paul goes on to say:
But now you have passed from the service of sin into the service of God; your business now is to do what pleases God, not what sin dictates.
B. So the true disciple of Jesus has a daily choice: We can choose to serve the old master of our lives – Sin, and reap the wages Sin will eventually give us. Or we can choose to serve Jesus as our Master – and live a life of holiness and Christ-like character.
1. What if we choose our old master above our new?
2. What if our own desires to do what we want to do are more important to us?
3. What if the pull of the world is more important to us then the pull of God on our hearts?
4. What if we choose to keep those habits and not submit them to the control of the Holy Spirit?
Well, we don’t have to look far for an illustration to give us the answer. Bondage to Sin only leads deeper into slavery so it becomes harder and harder to do what is right. Soon – one might even give up trying.
The Prodigal Son is an example of this (Luke 15). When he was at home, he decided he wanted his freedom, so he left home to find himself and enjoy himself. But his rebellion only led him deeper into slavery.
He became a slave of wrong desires, and then He became a salve to wrong deeds.
Finally he became a literal slave when he took care of the pigs.
What he thought was freedom turned out to be the worst kind of slavery. It was only when he returned home and yielded to his father that he found true freedom.
· A Christian can be like the Prodigal. When we want to serve ourselves more then when we want to serve God – We are setting ourselves up for slavery. We have just become blinded to a simple fact that Jesus told us and we may have forgotten
· “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other.”
· Jesus was in fact telling us what Paul is calling us to choose…who we obey we end up serving.
· There is a warning to pastors about Christians in the last days. Paul wrote to a young pastor by the name of Timothy and he told him how Christians would choose to become self-serving rather then obedient to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
· You should also know this, Timothy that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control; they will be cruel and have no interest in what is good. 4They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 _ They will act as if they are religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly.
· Paul would go on to tell Timothy that these Christians faith – is counterfeit because they are making daily choices that reflect the old master of self rather then the Lordship of Jesus Christ in their lives.
C. The choices made of whom we will serve will determine our eternal destiny our reward. We either choose to serve God or we lose!
1. If we choose to live for and serve our own selves – we choose to live independently of God in our choices and that is called Sin.
2. Paul said in verse 16 that we do have that choice to choose living for ourselves – to chose sin. But sin leads to death.
3. Moses – upon his death assembled all of Israel together and in essence told them to Choose or Lose! This is what he said:
Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, that you and your descendants might live! 20Choose to love the LORD your God and to obey him and commit yourself to him, for he is your life. Then you will live long in the land the LORD swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
4. Joshua at the age of 95 after leading the next generation after Moses, again gave Israel the same choice
But if you are unwilling to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.”
As Christians it is essential that our choices reflect our obedience to God.
If we obey ourselves we serve ourselves – Not God!
Our doing nothing for God is something God holds us accountable for.
D. Bob Dylan once sang a song – You’ve Got To Serve Somebody – It may be the devil or it may be the Lord but you got to serve somebody!
Who we obey we end up serving.
t.s. But what is the second reason why it is essential that our choices reflect our obedience to God?
II. Because who we obey we end up reflecting in our character (v 19)
A. Now – we must choose to be slaves of righteousness.
1. A slave was one who was a servant to another – bound in duty and service.
2. I find it interesting that the Bible tells us that to serve God is completely our choice. We must choose to serve God everyday.
3. Some Christians are great “choosers” today: They choose their service to God like one chooses food at a buffet.
· Sunday Morning? I choose it!
· Christian Education before Sunday Morning? I don’t choose that!
· Sunday Potlucks? I choose that! Discipleship in a small group during the week? I don’t choose that!
· Sunday Evenings? – Well you’ve got to be kidding. I was just there in the morning that should be enough!
4. But Paul tells us we have the choice to serve God by learning righteousness.
Why?
He tells us – “Now you must choose to be servants of righteousness so that you will become holy.
· Its simple. To be a true disciple of Jesus takes effort!
· I fear that some put more effort into jobs, hobbies, entertainment and even family then they do in their fellowship with the church or their commitment to maturity.
· The result today is a pattern in the church that directly reflects the passage in Timothy that I just read.
To have Christ-Like Character is a matter of choice for each one of us.
To live a life of righteousness requires us to make a daily choice.
B. (v20 -22) Paul then paints a Contrast between the choices we make as Christians.
1. The Old way of Life w/o Christ
2. Our New Life and Freedom in Christ.
Our Old Life w/o Christ
Resulted in a life in which we are now filled with: Shame and regret.
Just think about some of the consequences of serving sin – some consequences stay with you even now that you’re a Christian!
Our New Freedom in Christ
Results in a life free from the power of sin. Now our lives should reflect doing things that please God and lead to holiness
“ Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now I’m found. Was blind but now I see.”
C. If we choose to reflect and obey our former master of Sin – We will reflect a lifestyle of sin and selfishness.
Our choices will not reflect who we are in Christ.
1.But the way we make our choices, as disciples will always reflect someone.
2.Our lives are a portrait – Often others only look upon the portrait at the time of our funerals.
People will gaze and examine the portrait to see how much beauty has been painted.
In attending and conducting funerals some of the most beautiful portraits of people were never painted by their own hands – they gave the paintbrush to God. He painted the portrait of their life and they allowed Him to by their obedience to live a holy life.
Others at their deaths insisted on holding the brush and painting their lives the way they wanted to live. The result? The portrait never showed the brush strokes of the Master Artist but that of an ambitious amateur whose life wanted for excellence.
On a wall near the main entrance to the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, is a portrait with the following inscription: "James Butler Bonham--no picture of him exists. This portrait is of his nephew, Major James Bonham, deceased, who greatly resembled his uncle. It is placed here by the family that people may know the appearance of the man who died for freedom." No literal portrait of Jesus exists either. But the likeness of the Son who makes us free can be seen in the lives of His true followers
Who we Obey we end up Reflecting
Conclusion
A. In Paul’s conclusion of chapter six, he gives one final contrast of the slave / master relationship.
Verse 23 “ For the wages of Sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
1. We often quote this scripture when sharing the gospel to the one who does not know Christ.
2. However we forget that the context is geared toward the Christian.
3. In echoing his thought from verse 16 he closes the chapter and calls us to choose.
V16 – You can choose sin, which leads to death.
V23 – For the wages of Sin is death
V16 Again – You can choose to Obey God and receive His approval.
V23 – The Gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord
(Proposition + Transitional Word + Aim)
As Christians it is essential that our choices reflect our obedience to God
Choose wrong – and you lose!
[Action – Rosie to the piano]
Whenever the Word of God is preached it always calls for action on our part.
Otherwise I have just given you a monologue when God wants to create a dialogue with your heart.
The Lord challenges you with a choice this morning
“Choose this day who you will serve!”
· Will it continue to be yourself?
· Will it continue to be Sin – your old Master?
· Or will it be Jesus – the author and finisher of your faith.
If you have been choosing wrong lately then in this New Year I’m going to ask you to leave the pew and come forward and re-dedicate your life to live in obedience to God
Recommit your dedication to follow Jesus.
Recommit to Serve the Lord the way you once have.
In Prayer
In His Word Daily
In the fellowship of His Church
Come now – all who would make that choice to serve the Lord!
Exhortation
22 _ But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 _ gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law.
24 _ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 _ If we are living now by the Holy Spirit, let us follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.
Now as your pastor – I’ll be looking for the fruit of your decision. Sunday School, Sunday Nights – I’ll be looking for commitment.
