Third Sunday After Pentecost A

The bondage of man

Presentation to sin

v 13a. To make ourselves available.

παρίστημι - place at ones disposal or stand by

Choosing teams in grade school - (try to look good for one team) you stand by the team you’re on.

Both persons ‘woo’ the other.

Pause and consider what is wooing you now- Children, desire for spouse, the mundane?

We are all enslaved to something- maybe at this point its anxiety or boredom.

As resurrection people why would we even bother running back to the thing that steals life from us?

Presentation to righteousness

v 13b. present yourselves to God - invokes the idea of sacrifice (Romans 12)

2 Cor 4:14 (Paul likely wrote to Rome from Corinth)

2 Corinthians 4:14 ESV

knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence.

Jesus is the God who came to stand beside us.

He is the team captain that selected you, gave you worth and said stand here.

Segue - No power over self v.16 is transitional

We are captive to one of two kingdoms, righteousness or sin.

Luke 16:13

Luke 16:13 ESV

No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

What Paul makes abundantly clear here is that no one is in total control of themselves.

Jonathan Haidt - Moral Psychologist Rider(reason) & Elephant (emotions)

Paul picks up a ball and HE MUST toss it. It is not within him.

We are the same way with the things or persons we are enslaved to

Instruments of sin (slaves to sin)

ὅπλον - weapons or tools.

v. 19 expounds on the things we were once enslaved to, and indeed may be enslaved to again:

Impurity - typically sexual sins (Gal 5:19)

Galatians 5:19 ESV

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,

lawlessness - general sins that lead to more sins

1/3 of roman society was enslaved. This is about the same ratio of the S. in early to mid 1800s. Slaves were utility to acquire something. Brand identity - trying to acquire something from you. Stihl chainsaws (shirts, coffee cups, earrings) We wait to become what they tell us to be.

v. 20&21 asks us to look at the end result, what fruit is being borne out.

What is the end goal of this?

Is it sustainable?

Is it life giving?

Instruments of righteousness (slaves to righteousness)

v.22 & 23 The old slave master pays his wages in death and despair. The new master gives eternal life, more than that a promotion- you are now enveloped in the presence and action of the owners son.

This is reminiscent of Isaiah 2:4

Isaiah 2:4 ESV

He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.

We have a moral duty, a Christian obligation to serve. Gen 1:28 is the purpose for the creation of the world be fruitful! v. 22. points us towards using every aspect of our station in life as an opportunity to manifest the good life of Christ.

It is not enough for Christians to simply acknowledge our new master. We must serve him.

Piety is no substitute for technique - Gilson

Become familiar with someone that is enslaved to something and share the freedom you have in your bondage to Christ.

English Standard Version Chapter 7

A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.

Jesus bears good fruit! He stand beside you, he presents you as Good and patient, full of grace and truth before the father.

Go and do likewise.