Summary: The prop you need - Cookies from Safeway - branded "Indulgence"

Thanks – Erin, Lindsay, Erin, Sarah. These are possibly the three most basic chapters of all Christianity, and you presented them all well. If you aren’t already still there, would you please turn to Romans 6 and mark it – we’ll be doing a lot of page turning today.

Romans 6:16 says something that is somewhat shocking to most Americans. We pride ourselves on being free, but Paul says we are slaves. Look with me at vs. 16 – “You are slaves of the one whom you obey.”

 We are all slaves to something.

Now, being a Christian, I believe that if its in the Bible that should be enough for me, but I am willing to bet that there is somebody saying “I’m not a slave to anything!” I am reminded of a movie from a few years back called “The Sixth Sense.” The premise of the movie is basically that dead people don’t always know they are dead, and frankly, slaves don’t always know they are slaves.

Fredrick Douglass grew up as a slave, and he wrote an interesting line in his autobiography. He said “I didn’t know I was a slave until I found out I co uldn’t do what I wanted to do.” He may not have known that he was echoing what Erin was just reading – look over at Romans 7 “I do I not do the thing that I want, but I do the very thing I hate.”

 I did a study on the word “Indulgence” and every single time it is used, the word “slavery” is in the same sentence. When we indulge in anything that is sin, we are slaves. So, Basically, what Paul is saying is that sin is slavery, and if you think about it, he is absolutely right.

 Addiction

Let’s start with the easy ones – the addictions. Being a good little youth leader, I have to say at least once a month that drugs are bad – and once you start, you can’t escape. Its too bad that it is a cliché, because it is such a clear picture. The problem is that people think that’s the only kind of slavery there is. Its really easy to point to the addiction, because it is so obvious – the compulsive gambler, the alcoholic. I’m going to be honest with you though – that’s not where I live.

Peter echoes this point – 2 Peter 2:19 “people are slaves to WHATEVER masters them.”

 Subtler Things:

- Sleep

- At work, I want to do what I want to do – Sometimes I don’t always do what my boss tells me.

- Eating.

Prop – Eating is really a great analogy. I was walking through Safeway when I found these - Tell me that food isn’t a taskmaster.

 Now, being a slave isn’t always bad –

Soldiers who enlist are slaves

When you join a soccer team – you are a slave

Your family

You are a slave to the laws of the United States.

 Here’s the point – you are always a slave to something, the question is, what?

Paul asks a really good question back in Romans 6:21 –

“So, what advantage did you get then from things of which you are now ashamed.” When you join the soccer team – you do get an advantage. In Kim’s place, that means getting the occasional trophy. The question you always have to ask yourself is, is the slavery worth it?

Now, I hope I’vwe been able to convey the link of Indlugence and Salvery, I want to move on to the next point which is self-control. After all, that’s why we’re all here.

You all know that famous first “Yeah, verily I say unto you, God helps them that first themselves dost help.” I want you to see that in context, Would you turn to Hezekiah 5:8?

What, you can’t find it?

That’s exactly right – that verse is not in the Bible. In fact, it is no where near what scripture teaches. It is a lie that comes straight out of hell.

- You know we often like to think of Satan as the Father of Evil, and that’s just not the case. Satan is called the father of lies – never the father of evil.

- He wants us to believe that Christianity is all about being good little boys and girls, because he wants to make us miserable.

In case you were wondering, that quote was from Ben Franklin – like I said you won’t find it anywhere in the Bible. Frankly, if you want to find that in religious literature, you should be reading the sacred texts of Buddhism or Islam cause that is the only place you will find that.

 Now, “Self-Control” is found in scripture – lets look there

 2 Peter 1: 5 – It is something we should strive for – but look what it says “Make every effor to add to your faith… If you are adding something, it isn’t the basic cause of it.

 Galatians 5:22 Self-Control is a fruit.

I want to go back to the Indulgence Cookies for a bit. If I eat too many, I will get fat. So, what is the self-controlled thing? It would probably be something like this

I have a question for you – do you eat broccoli in the hopes that it will give you the slef-control you need to get fit?

NO!! The broccoli is a manifestation of the motivation that you have to get fit. Self-control is not how we achieve Christianity – it is a result of it. This broccoli is the fruit of our decision. It is not the decision.

Now, here’s the question I have – why do we eat broccoli? Sure isn’t cause of the taste!

We do it because we have a motivation to do something good for our bodies? Because we love them.

 The real biblical basis for self-control can be found in John 14:15

If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

Here’s the point – if you have a problem with self-control, it isn’t a matter of will power, it’s a matter of heart power. Do you love Christ?

 I want to finish the cookie analogy by telling you about something called “Olestra”

It completely avoids the law – much in the way that Christ supercedes the law of sin.

 I want finish by talking about why we love Christ.

 Jesus starts by giving us life. Now, Erin read something earlier in Romans 7:17 – She said “But in fact, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells in me. That is our basic condition. Now, Paul wrote something in Galatians that is an interesting turn on this.

 David Wayne will read Galatians 2:20.

 See the contrast? One of two things is going to dwell in us. We start with Sin controlling us. When we give into that, we call it Indulgence.

 When we are crucified with Christ, however – he lives in us.

 Remember earlier when we talked about the good things we submit ourselves to? The army, our families, our country – the only way to get out of those things is to leave them entirely,

 If you enlist, you have to discharge.

 If you don’t want to practice soccer, you leave the team

 If you won’t be a servant to your husband or wife, you end up divorcing, whether or not you actually sign the papers.

 Here’s the deal – being a servant is a lifetime commitment.

 The glory of the resurrection is that Christ gives us another life to start over with.

 He starts a brand new life in us.

 That is what grace is all about

 Jesus moves us beyond slavery to friendship. (Look over at John 15:15 – I therefore no longer call you servants but slaves.

 Tell me, would you rather be a Son of God or a servant of sin.

 We often here “it is better to reign in hell than serve in heaven – but the truth of the matter is that no person in hell is reigning and everyone in heaven is potential heir to the throne.

 So, I come back to Paul’s question, what advantage is sin to you?

In a few minutes, Bill is going to lead us in an invitation. Here’s the deal – everyone of us has a part to play in this invitation. You are in one of three camps:

- This may have been the first time you have ever heard what Jesus Christ offers you. Remember – if you don’t want to be a slave to sin, you have to get out of that relationship. Its really simple – Paul tells us the story of a jailer who realized he needed Christ. He said “Believe on the name of Jesus, and you will be saved.” That’s all you need to do. You see, when you belong to someone, they are responsible for you. When you were a baby, you didn’t need change your own diaper – your parents cared for you. Jesus says, “Even our good works are as filthy rags to him.” Let him be in charge of that.

- You may know this message, but do you believe it? Is self-control something you strive for, or is it a fruit of what you have already attained? Jesus said, “Come to me all you who are weary, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Jesus wants you to be his friend not his his servant.

- Finally, if you are enjoying a friendship relationship with Christ, don’t you wish that everyone was? During this invitation, I would suggest that you be praying for the person in this very room who needs to come forward. The person who wants to give his life to Chirst, but is held back by the slavemaster of sin. We know that sin is a slavemaster that only wants to bring us death. But Romans 6:23 says, even though “the wages of sin is death, the gift of God is eternal life.”