Control: Salvation Message "Walk This Way" Romans 8:1-8

Intro:

What are some songs written about walking? “Walking on sunshine, Staying alive, Walk this way, I walked the line, walk like an Egyptian, I’m gonna be (500 miles) WALKING WITH THE LORD, WALKING WITH THE L-O-R-D.

Fit bit, smart watches

What do you want control of? Why do you want control?

Something with a controller for a video game

Our world has been devestated by control lately, residential schools, people dying at the hand of police officers, people killing police officers, freedom convoys, protests, mandatory restrictions by government, war in Ukraine, etc.- your generation has seen some of the greatest contests of control since the turn of the 21 century

Control: fear/worry/anxiety, anger, mix these emotions together and what do you get? something that is way out of control! Vinegar and baking soda

Jesus covers my sin and absorbs the mess of it before God. If not, you and I are left to clean up our own mess, which we cannot.

The Flesh vs. the Spirit

Law of the Spirit of life and peace vs. the law of the flesh sin and death

Joseph in the pit, Joseph in Jail

How you walk away from this meeting will affect the rest of your life

Outline:

Holy Purpose: “In Christ Jesus” (vs. 1-4)

How You Live: “Set the Minds” (vs. 5-6)

How Do I Know: “Hostile, Rebellious, Unpleasant” (vs. 7-8)

Summary:

Prayer:

Purpose: “In Christ Jesus” (vs. 1-4)

Who (v. 1)

There is therefore now

No condemnation (punishment)

for those who are in Christ Jesus

What (v. 2)

For the law of the Spirit of life

has set you free

in Christ Jesus

from the law of sin and death

This is our default

This is like Joseph from last night, in a jail cell, we are all in the Jail cell of sin and death, condemed to punishment because of our sin

Sin is anything we think, do, say, or feel that disobeys God. Sin is ignoring God and living like He doesn’t exist. We break God’s law by not living according to them.

There is punishment for sin- right there in the text, death!

How (vs. 3-4)

For God has done

what the law

weakened by the flesh- in and of ourselves we cannot do it

could not do

By sending His own son

in the likeness of sinful flesh- Jesus was perfect, he never ignored God in his decision making, in the words he said, and the emotions he felt. He was the perfect human being

and for sin

He condemned sin in the flesh

In order that

the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us

who walk not according to the flesh

but according to the Spirit

Application/Implications:

Renew the Mind (the Scriptures):

God has created you to walk according to His path, not your path.

There is a law of the Spirit that gives you life and sets you free from the law of death

Engage the Heart (humiity vs. pride):

Enlist the Body (Words, actions, emotions):

Transitional phrase:

How You Live: “Setting Their Minds” (vs. 5-6)

According to the Flesh (v. 5)

For those who live according to the flesh

set their minds on the things of the flesh

According to the Spirit (v. 5)

But those who live according to the Spirit

set their minds on the things of the Spirit

The Outcome (v. 6)

For to set the mind

on the flesh is death

But to set the mind on the spirit is life and peace

Application/Implications:

Renew the Mind (the Scriptures):

The purpose you live for (according to the flesh or the Spirit) will determine what you set your mind on

To set the mind on the flesh is death, to set the mind on the spirit is life and peace

Engage the Heart (humiity vs. pride):

Which one are you presently living according to, the flesh or the Spirit?

How much time to do spend thinking about your own desires? How much time do you spend thinking about pleasing God?

Enlist the Body (Words, actions, emotions):

Transitional phrase:

How Do I know: “Hostile, Rebellious, Unpleasing” (vs. 7-8)

p1 (vs. -)

For the mind that is set on the flesh

Is hostile to God

For it does not submit to God’s Law

Indeed it cannot

Those who are in the flesh cannot please God

Application/Implications:

Renew the Mind (the Scriptures):

Engage the Heart (humiity vs. pride):

Enlist the Body (Words, actions, emotions):

All of us by default will leave out this set of doors, just like all of us will follow the law of sin and death. Here is what I want you to do, before you leave here today, if you are following Chist, go sign the “law of the spirit” page

Transitional phrase:

Summary

Song:

Discussion questions

Worship- Renew the Mind (Scripture)

1. What passage of Scripture did we look at? Summarize it in your own words.

2. According to verse 1, what is available to those who are “in Christ Jesus”?

3. What are the two laws mentioned in verse 2? What are the two mindsets according to 5-6?

4. According to 7-8, how is the mind set on the flesh described? Whad did God do about this by sending His son (verse 3-4)?

Grow- Engage the Heart (Conversation)

1. Which law are you living by today, the Spirit of life that sets you free in Jesus or the law of sin and death? How do you know?

2. What do you set you mind on the most in a given day? What do you find yourself thinking or daydreaming about?

3. How does someone get from a mind set on hostility towards God, rebellion against His law, and unable to please Him to being set free from the law of Sin and death?

Serve- Enlist the Body (Action)

What song was most helpful that we have sung so far this weekend?

What questions do you have about what is being discussed?

What would it sound/look like to set your mind on the things of the Spirit today?