The New Life

Introduction:

London businessman Lindsay Clegg told the story of a warehouse property he was selling. The building had been empty for months and needed repairs. Vandals had damaged the doors, smashed the windows, and strewn trash around the interior.

As he showed a prospective buyer the property, Clegg took pains to say that he would replace the broken windows, bring in a crew to correct any structural damage, and clean out the garbage.

"Forget about the repairs," the buyer said. "When I buy this place, I'm going to build something completely different. I don't want the building; I want the site."

Compared with the renovation God has in mind, our efforts to improve our own lives are as trivial as sweeping a warehouse slated for the wrecking ball. When we become God's, the old life is over (2 Cor. 5:17). He makes all things new. All he wants is the site and the permission to build.

Ian L. Wilson.

This permission encompass so much so much that in this verse we learn about living this new life.

This new life we may have through Christ and what He has done. We live by faith. Today we will look concerning what this newness of life through Christ and how it frees us. We are no longer bound by the enslavement of sin. We are free, yet today we will see we have been made free to serve freely!

VS 1-4

1. The weakness of the Law because of death (VS 1-3)

Marriage to law:

This passage is very clear that there is no escaping the rulership in life- only death can separate such a jurisdiction

Marriage is used as the relative point. The marriage was sealed until death.

We understand that today.

This is our first marriage to the Law- that we can do nothing good, the law was sent to again reveal that we are in need of salvation- we can never escape it- Some of you are running from this truth today.

No good that you can do pleases God

it is only faith

Many of the Christians in Rome had been Jews and so they were familiar with the Law

Many of you in here today, are familiar with Christianity and maybe a false notion of Christianity- that though we have been forgiven we are still under some obligation to please God out of our own works. Christ died for us to be free from obligation or some sense of doing to be made right- rather through Christ we are free from the Law.

This is the first marriage all of humanity:

We are married to our sin:

We place ourselves under the authority of Sin

When we were in the flesh, that is, in a carnal state, under the reigning power of sin and corruption-in the flesh as in our element-then the motions of sins which were by the law did work in our members, we were carried down the stream of sin, and the law was but as an imperfect dam, which made the stream to swell the higher, and rage the more.- Matthew Henry

This is where all of humanity is apart from the receiving of the newness of life that Christ offers.

Romans has shown all of us what life is like apart from Christ- devastating.

1 Corinthians 15:56 “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law;”

Devastating for the unbeliever

They never reconcile their sin to God who is forgiving and offers forgiveness- Please do not get lost in the lies that the world tells us about God- He is forgiving in His Nature and He is just in His nature- because He is just and forgiving He has made the only way to Him.

James 1:15 “Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.”

Devastating for those who only accept what God has for them on a minimal scale.

Continually doing without the power of God.

Where have we not given over a apart of our lives over to God in faith.

What are we afraid to loose cause we don’t trust God with it

You are not married to your flesh anymore- your are in union with God to not serve your self but to be Married with God and go where He would send you- do what He wants us to do and Stay where He wants you to stay!

2. The Power of Grace because of Death (VS 4)

This is our second marriage- for those who live by faith in the work of the cross

as one was terminated by death this marriage is sealed by death

We are dead to the law, and joined with Christ because of what He has done for us

God has made the way for us to be joined with Christ through His death and suffering, we are made new

Galatians 3:13 “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”—”

it has lost its power; and this (v. 4) by the body of Christ, that is, by the sufferings of Christ in his body, by his crucified body, which abrogated the law, answered the demands of it, made satisfaction for our violation of it, purchased for us a covenant of grace, in which righteousness and strength are laid up for us, such as were not, nor could be, by the law.

We have nothing to do with it anymore- we are dead to it. It has no power over us. There are times that we live as if it does don’t we.

You of little faith… I am joined with you in this statement, this may be the very reason we are hearing this text this morning. God as he always has is asking calling you to ask for increased faith, why cause it draws you closer to Him. This is what He desires far beyond than we can imagine. You know I am convinced that there are some things God doesn't want us to share- that for us to experience our times with the Lord are between us and Him. He desires others to have such a time but because of their faith not because they heard someone else.

Are you Married to Christ this morning- when you make this commitment on this day of believing you are stating you are completly placing your trust and confidence in Him.

You see life comes at us fast for each of us we look to solve its problems so many ways

This fruit that is described in verse four comes from our union with Christ. This is the power of grace- we are close to God and because of this grace given to us- He produces this fruit within us.

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”

This is the distinction between those of hypocrisy and those of the Lord

Time is the greatest determination of knowing the purpose behind good works let us be careful to be discerners.

Those who understand the power of grace - are very careful not to point to themselves for any part of the good works that God is producing in their lives.

3. The Freedom of Servanthood (VS 5-6)

This final verses continue in the theme of that we serve something

We have been freed from the rulership of Sin

Serving sin is drudergy- it is out of control

I also guess this is where we must begin-

John 4:24 “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.””

to know there is a new way found to be a servant-

Know you were called to serve God! Can you wrap your mind around this- He has a plan for you and me it is to serve Him.

Luke 1:74–75 “To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.”

Where He is calling you? Ask Him- seek Him. I know that this is where it begins and also it can begin here in the church.

I love what Pastor AL used to tell me, we say we are ok being the servant until we are treated like one!

Where do we learn this well in life- but specifically in the home and i would say more scarcely in the church

You learn this in the church, there are needs that are in this church that will lead you and me to be treated like the servant because God is calling us to.

It is from the Lord that we learn to serve Him

2 Corinthians 3:3 “being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.”

2 Corinthians 3:6 “who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”

Application:

The New Life is Dead to Sin

The New Life Produces Fruit

The New Life Serves Freely