Sermon Tone Analysis

What is the OBJECTIVE of this Sermon?

To help Christians see there is only one acceptable Boss in out lives - Jesus Christ.

What is the DESIRED RESPONSE for this Sermon?

A commitment to say no to sin and yes to following and obeying Christ.

TENSION - Where does the tension lie?

I am dead to sin, but sin still twitches!

Me - 80’s sitcom staring Tony Danza, Judith Light, and Alyssa Milano.

The premise is a single, professional mother was in need of a house keeper.

She hires a single dad to take care of her house.

The question becomes, who is really the boss in this arrangement?

I have the same thing going on in my heart.

Who’s the boss?

We - Honestly, we all wrestle with this problem of who is really in charge.

Paul addresses this in verses 12-14 and is pretty clear on who our “Boss” should be.

Remember what Paul is dealing with in this chapter

Sin is a reality, but believers are freed from sin.

It should not be our boss...

God - God wants us to come to terms with this, so...

Main Idea - Who’s the Boss in Your Life?

We all wrestle with this at some level.

Even as believers.

This is why Paul deals with it in these verses.

If we were perfect after salvation, Paul would not have needed to write this chapter or these verses.

While we are positionally considered perfect by God, we are still growing in our perfection/Christlikeness.

We need to learn what to do with this “Body of death.”

It is possible!

Believers can do it!

It involves our mind and our will - both of which have been redeemed.

1.

Is Sin Your Boss? (vs.

12-13a)

Two important ideas come from these verses...

A. Do not let sin be king in your life!

Paul’s command against sin is interesting because it uses the regal term, “Reign.”

Reign means literally “to be king.”

Mortal is a focus on the sinful flesh that we all still have.

The point - Even though we carry sin in this mortal body, we are not to let it be king, instead we are to be its king.

We are to master the sin in our lives as believers.

Sin is a compelling leader.

Left unchecked it can take over and ultimately devastate the Christian.

As Paul says in verse 12, we must not, we cannot obey the passions of our body that is enticed by sin.

How do we accomplish this?

Paul gives a practical answer...

B. Do not put yourself in sin’s path !

Romans 6:13 (ESV)

Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness...

“Present” = to offer up.

“Members” = body parts.

“Instruments” = tool for unrighteousness / weapons.

The fact is that to succumb to sin our Will must approve.

It is a conscious act on the part of the believer to choose sin.

We must give assent to sin.

This picture Paul paints of believers offering themselves to sin, is powerful and begs the question - Why would a believer ever find themselves bowing down to KING SIN and offering their body as a tool for anti God activities?

It’s really ludicrous when you think about it.

But it happens none the less.

Sin cannot be our master!

We cannot allow it to have any power over us!

We must go to war against this foe.

NEVER!!

Illustrate -

In the fourteenth century two brothers fought for the right to rule over a dukedom in what is now Belgium.

The elder brother’s name was Raynald, but he was commonly called “Crassus,” a Latin nickname meaning “fat,” for he was horribly obese.

After a heated battle, Raynald’s younger brother Edward led a successful revolt against him and assumed the title of Duke over his lands.

But instead of killing Raynald, Edward devised a curious imprisonment.

He had a room in the castle built around “Crassus,” a room with only one door.

The door was not locked, the windows were not barred, and Edward promised Raynald that he could regain his land and his title any time that he wanted to.

All he would have to do is leave the room.

The obstacle to freedom was not in the doors or the windows, but with Raynald himself.

Being grossly overweight, he could not fit through the door, even though it was of near-normal size.

All Raynald needed to do was diet down to a smaller size, then walk out a free man, with all he had before his fall.

However, his younger brother kept sending him an assortment of tasty foods, and Raynald’s desire to be free never won out over his desire to eat.

Some would accuse Duke Edward of being cruel to his older brother, but he would simply reply, “My brother is not a prisoner.

He may leave when he so wills.”

But Raynald stayed in that room for ten years, until Edward himself was killed in battle.

This accurately illustrates the experience of many Christians.

Jesus set them forever free legally, and they may walk in that freedom from sin whenever they choose.

But since they keep yielding their bodily appetites to the service of sin, they live a life of defeat, discouragement, and imprisonment.

Apply - Even as Christians, slave still enslaves.

Be careful when it comes to playing around with sin.

It bites and it bites hard eventually!

What can you do to avoid the sting of sin?

Good advice from the Psalmist!

Review - Who’s the Boss in Your Life?

Is Sin Your Boss?

2. Is God You Boss? (vs.

13b)

Okay, should sin be our boss?

As a follower of Christ the answer should be a resounding “no!”

But the fact that Paul brings it up speaks to the reality of the struggle.

Take a look at the last half of verse 13 and see where instead we are to focus our attention and devotion...

The contrast in verse 13 is obvious and the choice is clear for the follower of Jesus.

Jesus Christ is your Lord and King.

His Lordship is true before you were ever saved and it is true after you became saved.

You do not make Jesus your Lord - what an arrogant thought that is! No, He is Lord God over all things and over all time.

You are the creature!

He is the Creator!

Please notice the contrast Paul presents from the first question, “Is Sin Your Boss?”, to the second question, “Is God Your Boss?”

A. Do present yourself to God as a righteous servant!

Instead of the previous picture of presenting or offering one’s self to sin for unrighteous purposes, believers are to offer their bodies to God as instruments or tools for righteousness!

No longer slaves to sin, now we are slaves to Jesus!

It’s one or the other, folks!