The Great Gift of God

Introduction

Welcome

Topic/Message Introduction:

Main passages:

Romans 6:20–23 NLT

When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right. And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom. But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Mark 5:1–20 NLT

So they arrived at the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gerasenes. When Jesus climbed out of the boat, a man possessed by an evil spirit came out from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in the burial caves and could no longer be restrained, even with a chain. Whenever he was put into chains and shackles—as he often was—he snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Day and night he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and cutting himself with sharp stones. When Jesus was still some distance away, the man saw him, ran to meet him, and bowed low before him. With a shriek, he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In the name of God, I beg you, don’t torture me!” For Jesus had already said to the spirit, “Come out of the man, you evil spirit.” Then Jesus demanded, “What is your name?” And he replied, “My name is Legion, because there are many of us inside this man.” Then the evil spirits begged him again and again not to send them to some distant place. There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby. “Send us into those pigs,” the spirits begged. “Let us enter them.” So Jesus gave them permission. The evil spirits came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd of about 2,000 pigs plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water. The herdsmen fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran. People rushed out to see what had happened. A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons. He was sitting there fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid. Then those who had seen what happened told the others about the demon-possessed man and the pigs. And the crowd began pleading with Jesus to go away and leave them alone. As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go with him. But Jesus said, “No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been.” So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them.

Title:

The Great Gift of God.

Prayer:

In Jesus name, amen!

_____________________________________________

Story:

Anybody that knows me knows that I love fruits. They are usually my go to snack. I love a good cluster of grapes. I love blue berries, strawberries, watermelons, apples and oranges.

Fruits taste good, looks good and does good for my body. It makes me feel good from the inside and out.

Explanation:

Spiritually and metaphorically speaking, Christ is like fruit. He’s the evidence of a flourishing life, the taste of heaven, and the nourishment that sustains us daily.

Illustration:

Hosea 14:8 NLT

“O Israel, stay away from idols! I am the one who answers your prayers and cares for you. I am like a tree that is always green; all your fruit comes from me.”

Isaiah 11:1 NLT

Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot— yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root.

Application:

He is the perfect gift from God—both showing us what it means to live a fruitful life and producing everlasting fruit in us.

A life that is abundant and flourishing—where those who encounter you and me experience the peace and joy of Jesus, and are nourished by our words and inspired by our actions.

Body

Bible

Context

As we conclude Romans 6, we have learned what it means to have freedom in Christ.

In the beginning of our Freedom series, we understood that biblical freedom is not doing whatever we want but being/doing as we should/ought (William Barclay). It’s being who God originally intended or created us to be.

And if we want to discover who God created us to be, we don’t have to look far: Christ is the archetype (the pattern, example or the ideal).

In the same way Christ displayed submission to God and lived a free and fruitful life, our true freedom can only be found when we are devoted, surrendered, and obedient to Christ; or as Paul the apostle would say, become slaves to God and righteousness (right living according to the scriptures).

This is who we are now as believers in Christ: Free when surrendered to God.

Our last passage of the series is in Romans 6:20-23.

Main Passage:

Romans 6:20–23 NLT

When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right. And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom. But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Transitional sentence:

In this passage there are five powerful outcomes that unfold when we live surrendered to God.

Points

First outcome: Obligation — to do right.

Explanation:

When we surrender to God, we receive the Holy Spirit and are now responsive to the God’s leading.

Illustration:

Romans 6:20 NLT

When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right.

Ezekiel 36:26–27 NLT

And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.

Application:

When there was no obligation to do right because we were enslaved to sin, now we have a desire to follow God because we have the Holy Spirit in us.

Second outcome: Holy Shame

Explanation:

When we live surrendered to God, we begin to feel a holy sorrow and shame when we look back on our old life.

Illustration:

Illustration 1

Romans 6:21 NLT

And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom.

Illustration 2

When Paul says they’re “now ashamed,” he doesn’t mean the kind of guilt that leaves people feeling stuck and helpless in their sin. Instead, he’s talking about the sincere and heartfelt sorrow that God’s people feel when they look back at their old way of life. They realize how much their past dishonored God, showed ungratefulness toward Him, went against their own conscience, dulled their hearts, and dragged them toward spiritual death—until God’s grace stepped in and saved them — Commentary Critical Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Robert Jamieson

Application:

Illustration 3

2 Corinthians 7:10 NLT

For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.

This kind of holy shame is about us hurting and grieving God’s heart for the way we lived as opposed to worldly shame that’s all about us, what we might lose and etc.

Third outcome: Freedom

Explanation:

When we surrender to God, we are free from the power of sin.

Illustration:

Romans 6:22 NLT

But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God.

Application

We are free when we surrender to God.

Fourth outcome: Holiness

Explanation:

When we live surrendered to God, we have the wonderful reward of being made holy and living holy.

Illustration:

Illustration 1

Romans 6:22 NLT

Now you do those things that lead to holiness

Romans 6:22 (Weymouth New Testament Translation), “But now that you have been set free from the tyranny of Sin, and have become the bondservants of God, you have your reward in being made holy, and you have the life of the ages as the final result.”

Illustration 2

He is now set free from sin and has been enslaved to God with the result that he has the benefit of holiness. The sinful life gives no benefit… (except for shame—v.21) — BKC commentary

Application:

Have we thought of holiness as a reward?

The bible doesn’t communicate holiness as rule keeping but becoming who we are designed and created to be. Holiness is described as something beneficial and beautiful.

When we live holy: we live right, we are clear about who we are, we are sober of negativity and anxiety, we live free of shame and guilt, and have an impact on peoples lives.

Fifth outcome: Eternal Life

Explanation:

When we live surrendered to God, we receive an abundant and satisfying life in Jesus.

Illustration:

Romans 6:22 NLT

Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life.

Application:

Eternal life speaks of experiencing the abundant life found in Jesus in the here and then.

Conclusion

Summary:

Obligation

Holy Shame

Freedom

Holiness

Eternal Life

So what:

So Paul concludes Romans 6 with this last statement.

Romans 6:23 NLT

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Mark 5:18–20 NLT

As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go with him. But Jesus said, “No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been.” So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them.

*Fruit is connected to the Great Gift of God (eternal life, mercy, and all of who Jesus is and has done for us*

Now what:

Abide and we will be fruitful:

Remember the Gift-giver.

Remember the Gift.

Prayer:

In Jesus name, amen!

__________________________________________________________________________

Notes:

Words such as fruit, leading, and wages are key words in verse 19-23 (4 verses).: They imply results, reward, or outcome of something. The words are written 6 times within 4 verses.

Verse 19 says we are slaves to righteousness that leads to sanctification — verse 22 is similar, it says, “slaves to God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and it’s end, eternal life.

How does fruit lead to sanctification or holiness? No, it’s interpretation is holiness or sanctification is the fruit.

“But now that you have been set free from the tyranny of Sin, and have become the bondservants of God, you have your reward in being made holy, and you have the life of the ages as the final result.” — Weymouth New Testament Translation.

*Seeing Holiness as a reward is beautiful. What a paradigm shift.*

CAUSE: SLAVE to God or Righteousness.

RESULT: Holiness

END: Eternal Life

Scripture cross-references:

Galatians 5:19-23

I noticed that there is a difference between flesh and spirit. Flesh is works. Spirit is fruit.’

Genesis 1:22;28

Psalms 1:3.

Jeremiah 11:16.

Hosea 14:8.

Hebrews 6:9.

Matthew 7:20.

Matthew 13:23.

John 15:1-8.

Word studies:

V.20

“Free from the obligation”

Free: eleutheros

unrestrained, go, not a slave, freeborn, exempt, at liberty — Sense: not under compulsion or restraint; able to act at all

You were: Eimi

I exist, It is I, was, be

Sense: to have the quality of being

to do right: dikaiosyne

root: justice, righteousness, equity

Sense: adherence to what is required according to a standard; for example, a moral standard, though not always.

Commentary

As slaves of God, believers produce fruit. This is the work of sanctification or holiness in their lives, and the final product is eternal life. Lest the figure be misunderstood as a payment for merits earned, eternal life is a gift of God through Christ. One master (sin) pays an earned wage of death; and the other master (God) pays in unearned grace, resulting in eternal life. — CSB Study Bible: Notes

Freedom from sin, Paul asserts, means not that Christians are not autonomous, living with no master or any obligations. It means rather a new slavery: But to righteousness (18-19) and to God (22). Like Jesus, Paul insists that true ‘freedom’ is to be found only in a relationship to the God who created us. Only by bowing the knee to God can a person become what God originally intended that person to be: Righteous (conforming to God’s standard of behaviour), and ‘holy’ (living in a way that is God centered and world renouncing). And the outcome of these is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord — NBC commentary

He is now set free from sin and has been enslaved to God with the result that he has the benefit of holiness. The sinful life gives no benefit… (except for shame—v.21) — BKC commentary

By saying they were “now ashamed,” he makes it plain that he is not referring to that disgust at themselves, and remorse of conscience by which those who are the most helplessly “sold under sin” are often stung to the quick; but that ingenuous feeling of self-reproach, which pierces and weighs down the children of God, as they think of the dishonor which their past life did to His name, the ingratitude it displayed, the violence it did to their own conscience, its deadening and degrading effects, and the death—“the second death”—to which it was dragging them down, when mere Grace arrested them. — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Quotes/Illustration:

Title options:

Fruitful Lives

Manadate 1:28

The Gift of God

Transitional sentence options:

Three reasons for obeying and surrendering to God:

Three results we observe when we live surrendered to God

There are three powerful outcomes that unfold when we live surrendered to God.