Title: Hear Me Today
In this passage Paul builds on and expands the truths that we looked at two weeks ago in Matthew 9. (Offer refresher and read Matthew 9:14-17) And this morning, what I’d like to do is zero in on three statements found in Romans, and look at Paul’s parallel teaching. and their implications and applications for our lives.
Read v.5-7 (focus on verse 6 phrase):
v6 “our old man was crucified with Him…”
The Greek here appears in the past tense. This is a done deal, brothers and sisters. The implications of this fact grow the deeper we look into this mystery. If our “old self” has died to sin, it’s over, it’s done, then think of this : When you, as a born again saved believer chose to sin, you are literally acting contrary to your new nature, contrary to your new self.
If you are saved and a slave to sin it is because after God freed your shackles, opened your cell door, led you out of the prison, put you on a bus which took you to an airport, and then He gave you an airline ticket to anywhere in the world, and you cashed it in for an island paradise in the Bahamas, took the flight to the Bahamas, got off the plane and took a cab to a four star hotel, walked down to the beach in your bare feet, and let the crystal clear water wash up over your feet and legs you suddenly stopped….
And checked out of the hotel, took a cab back to the airport, got on a plane from the city you left, got on a bus which took you back to the prison, walked in the front door, walked back to your same sell, opened the door, walked in, closed the door behind you, put your own hands into the shackles, clamped the shackles down upon your own wrists and yelled at the top of your lungs, “Thank you Jesus! I do so appreciate your grace and understanding!”
Read v. 8-11 focus on verse 9:
v9 “…knowing the Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more…”
What Christ did on the cross was a one time thing. When he gave over his life it was such a powerful event in history that all of mankind’s sin, spanning thousands of years, would be able to be forgiven from that one amazing act.
And Christ rose. He conquered death. He proved it had no dominion over him, no power over him. Christ has now no need nor obligation whatsoever to prove his power over death, to prove his immortality, that has been done.
But the mystery, the beauty and the inspiration for us comes not in that one minute he conquered death, but that in every minute since he rose he lives for the Glory of his father. It is his life, his living that we are to focus on. Some believers spend so much time wrapped up in who they were, what they were delivered from, that they never fully become the believers God wants them to be.
Acknowledge your salvation, yes. Give praise to Jesus for his sacrifice, His blood spilt for you, yes! But live today for him. Live tomorrow for him. Emulate and bring Him joy and glory based on what you will do for him tomorrow, not only what he did for you yesterday.
A 16 year old girl once said it to me like this: What you are is God’s gift to you. What you make of yourself is your gift to God.”
Read 12-14 focus on verse 13:
“…present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead…”
Make yourself your offering to God. Look at what you came from, the filth, the sin which so ensnared you, the fact that God’s grace delivered you from that and look at yourself now, free from such sin, free to honor God, able to bring him glory and present yourself, your entire self, your life to God.
Honor God in the morning when you pour cold, refrigerated milk on your Raisin Bran, honor God when you are blessed with the honor, the privilege of paying $3.76 to fill up your $20,000 car to drive to work, praise his name when you are laughed at, kicked around, shunned for that which you believe in.
Look at your life, and turn it over to Him who wants more for you that you could possibly comprehend for yourself. Recognize who you were, recognize who you now are, and say, “Lord you’ve made me, now what would you have me to do today?”