The Sufficiency of the Resurrection: "Newness of Life" Rom. 6:1-10

Intro:

He is Risen: “He is risen indeed”

Jesus is Alive! Turn to the person next to you and say, “Jesus is alive”!

Outline:

Our Response: “What Shall We Say Then?” (vs. 1-4)

Our Resurrection: “A Continual Reckoning” (vs. 5-11)

Summary: The sufficiency of Jesus’ resurrection provides the power for newness of life

Prayer:

Our Response: “What Shall We Say Then” (vs. 1-4)

What should we say? (v. 1)

What shall we say then?- What is your response to the life changing good news of the gospel of Jesus? Notice the plural “we”. What are we saying as a body of Christ to these things?

Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?- do we continue, in our thoughts, words, actions or emotions to live in defeat, in sin, shame, and distant suffering? Because, to quote Pastor Lars, “There is grace for that”, but is that where God wants us a church body to live today and this week?

By no means-

How should we live? (vs. 2-3)

How can we who died (to drown in water, to be apathetic) to sin still live in it?- you might say, “well I have not died for anything let alone sin, I am still alive”, what do you mean died to sin?

aorist, a specific time in the past when the action occured, at salvation. Those who have died have been separated from sins power. It is not that it no longer exists, it just doesn’t have the power.

The Epistle to the Romans A. Shall We Continue to Sin that Grace May Abound? 6:1–14

Knox has a striking translation: “We have died, once for all, to sin; can we breathe its air again?”

Do you not know that all of us

who have been baptized into Christ Jesus- notice, this is not a blanket statement, there is a qualifier here, only those who have been baptized into Christ!

were baptized into his death?

The Epistle to the Romans A. Shall We Continue to Sin that Grace May Abound? 6:1–14

But in the first century, while the verb could denote this ceremony and Paul certainly means that here, to “baptize” evoked associations of violence. It meant “immerse” rather than “dip”. It was used, for example, of people being drowned, or of ships being sunk (see LSJ).13 Josephus used it metaphorically of crowds who flooded into Jerusalem and “wrecked the city” (Bell. 4.137; Loeb translation).

The Epistle to the Romans A. Shall We Continue to Sin that Grace May Abound? 6:1–14

It is quite in keeping with this that Jesus referred to his death as baptism (Mk. 10:38; Lk. 12:50). When it is applied to Christian initiation we ought not to think in terms of gentleness and inspiration; it means death, death to a whole way of life.

Newness of life (v. 4)

We were buried therefore with him (not on your own, if you have confessed your sin to Jesus)

By baptism

into death- lay down on the stage, what am I able to do about my sin or other peoples sin at this moment? NOTHING! Sin leads to death. ther is no hope.

in order that (progressive sanctification)

just as Christ was raised from the dead

By the glory (synonym for God’s power) of the father- not the decision of the Son

We too might walk in newness (a kind not seen before) of life- HOPE, because we are buried with Jesus in baptism, because of the glory of the father. I can take credit for none of that! The only thing that I have to claim is my sin.

Have you claimed your sin before God and asked for forgiveness through Jesus?

So also in newness of life we should walk about. not just resuscitation.

Application/Implications:

What is your response? How does the resurrection make a difference in your life?

How are you walking in newness of life because you have been buried with Jesus in baptism unto death and have been raised by the glory of the Father? What does that look like or sound like in your life today as opposed to 2 months ago, 2 years ago?

Believer, dear Christian, have you been baptised? If not, why not? Baptism is an outward representation of the inner union you have with Christ.

Transitional phrase: All of us need to think about how we are responding to the resurrection of Jesus today. Everyone will give an account for how we are living in light of the glory of God the Father.

Our Resurrection: “A Continual Reckoning” (vs. 5-11)

United with Him (v. 5)

For if (since) we have been united with him

In a death like His

We shall certainly be united with him

In a resurrection like his- not only in this life, but also for all eternity!

In what ways do you continually remind yourself of your union with Jesus?

No longer enslaved to sin (vs. 6-7)

We know (experiencially) that our old self was crucified with him- crucified together, “A believer’s “old man” is the person as he was spiritually before he trusted Christ, when he was still under sin (3:9), powerless and ungodly (5:6), a sinner (5:8), and an enemy of God (5:10). (“Old self” or “old man” does not refer to the sin nature as such. The Bible does not teach that the sin nature was eradicated at salvation or is ever eradicated in this life.)

John A. Witmer, “Romans,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 462.

in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing

The Epistle to the Romans A. Shall We Continue to Sin that Grace May Abound? 6:1–14

on the whole it seems that Paul is here referring to the physical body which so easily responds to sinful impulses.

so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin

For one who has died has been set free from sin- UNPLUGGING or TAKING THE BATTERIES OUT OF something. It still exists, but it has not power. This is in the perfect tense, a past action with a continuing effect or force.

In what ways can you continually remind yourself that you are no longer enslaved to sin this week?

Alive to God (vs. 8-11)

Now if (since) we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him

So you also must

consider (pres. imperf, keep considering/calculating) yourselves dead to sin-

and alive to God in Christ Jesus- this is the first exhortation in the epistle!

“In Christ”- first use in the book of Romans

In what ways will you continually remind yourself that you are alive to God this week?

Application/Implications:

Sometimes our thoughts can overwhelmingly be: “I have to die to this sin, I have to die to this sin” and we never get to “I am alive in Jesus, I am alive in Jesus”! We are really good at punishing ourselves for the guilt of sin but not very good at reminding ourselves that we are alive to God

In what ways can you remind yourself or others of our union with Jesus this week? What songs will confirm this truth, what passage of scripture can renew your mind? who do you need to talk with this about?

In what ways can you remind yourself and others that in Christ, you are no longer enslaved to sin? It’s power over you has been cut off! What songs will confirm this truth, what passage of scripture can renew your mind? who do you need to talk with this about?

In what ways can you remind yourself and others that in Christ, you are alive to God? What songs will confirm this truth, what passage of scripture can renew your mind? who do you need to talk with this about?

Transitional phrase:

Summary:The sufficiency of Jesus’ resurrection provides the power for newness of life

Discussion questions

Worship- Renew the Mind (Scripture)

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

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Grow- Engage the Heart (Conversation)

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2. ?

3. ?

Serve- Enlist the Body (Action)

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