Sin Zombies
The Road Less Travelled • Sermon • Submitted
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· 2 viewsWe don't expect the dead to walk amongst the living, but what if we were really the living walking amongst the dead? Or what if Christians have elements that are both dead and alive? You know, like... zombies?
Notes
Transcript
Announcements
Announcements
Kids starts 11th
LG's start Sept. 18th
Baptisms on Sept. 18
Food Pantry
9:15am for prep
3:15pm for volunteers to get ready for distribution
Introduction
Introduction
In 1954, Richard Matheson wrote a novel
A disease struck mankind and turned humans into vampires - but two kinds
Some became vampires while they were alive, and some when they were dead
1968, George Romero released a movie based on the novel
People who have recently died, start walking around
But they’re different - they want to eat flesh
Of course, the movie is “Night of the Living Dead”
And the novel is “I Am Legend.”
These were the origins of creatures that today we call, “zombies.”
There’s something to an idea of having a dead body that still moves around
But today, I’m talking about Christians
Not the saints who were raised and walked around Jerusalem in Matthew 27:52
Although that’s a fun conversation...
I’m talking about something else...
YouVersion: Sin Zombies
Romans 7:13-25
Just as a reminder so this is all in our heads...
Why do we need salvation?
We all have sin, and sin brings death
How did God provide salvation?
Christ’s substitutionary death on the cross
He lived a perfect life which created our righteousness (last week)
Then he was sacrificed to atone for our sin with His blood
It had nothing to do with us!
How can we receive salvation?
It’s completely trusting in the Lord to provide your salvation
By believing and confessing
It’s not works, but works prove that you have been changed
What are the results of salvation?
Our relationship with God is restored
Our eternal death is cancelled
And nothing can ever get in the way of that again
Today we’re looking at questions 1 and 4
Why do we need salvation?
What are the results of salvation?
First part of Romans 7: the Law makes us want to sin in a way
Don’t eat my donut
I wasn’t going to eat your donut!
But now that you said something...
The Law - no coveting, no adultery, no stealing
I wan’t going to
But now that you said something...
That’s makes Paul ask this question:
13 Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin.
He says that knowing the Law does make us want to sin more...
BUT it’s not the Law’s fault
It’s our fault!
You know what defense 13% of rapists give?
“She was asking for it with how she was dressed!”
Now, I think Christian women should dress appropriately
I think tempting guys into lust is unkind
I think it’s wrong to encourage your brother to stumble
But many scantily clad lasses aren’t Christians!
Guys there are going to be women dressed provocatively!
Does that make it their fault if you rape them?
Absolutely not!
I’m not fat because McDonald’s is too good at advertising!
It’s my own dang fault!
Paul is saying that you don’t get to remove personal responsibility
Instead, Paul ends up pointing this out:
1. A spiritual law cannot help a carnal person
1. A spiritual law cannot help a carnal person
Carnal means “of the flesh”
Think of it this way:
You’re mowing your grass, sweating to death, pulling weeds
Police bust in your backyard and arrest you for being lazy
Is the law going to help you?
YES! Because you’re innocent
First, you were in the middle of working, not being lazy
Second, being lazy isn’t a crime!
But then think of it this way:
You hold up a liquor store - police bust in and arrest you
Is the law going to help you?
NO! Because you’re guilty
First, you were in the middle of robbery - they saw you
Second, robbery is a crime!
The law is good for innocent people, bad for guilty ones
God’s law works the same way
In the flesh, God’s spiritual law can’t help you
It only convicts you because you are, in fact, guilty
Then Paul says this:
15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
What is Paul saying here?
He knows what’s right
He wants what’s right
But he cannot do what’s right
2. Our problem is a lack of power, not knowledge or desire
2. Our problem is a lack of power, not knowledge or desire
The law spells out requirements
Even tells us why we should want to
Doesn’t do anything to help us accomplish it
Leaves it to us to do it
But we are flesh - we CAN’T do it!
Notice what Paul isn’t saying
He isn’t saying he’s not responsible
He’s saying what his flesh does goes against his newness in Christ
As a Christian, you must own up to your sin
AND acknowledge that the impulse doesn’t come from who you are in Christ
Remember, spirit and flesh are at odds with each other
Jack Hyles: "Practically every false doctrine comes from getting things out of order. God's divine order is salvation, then change; not change and then salvation! If one has to be changed to be saved, that's salvation by works. It is also salvation by the flesh. The truth is, one is cleansed from the sins of the flesh just as he is saved; by yielding to the Holy Spirit and letting Him do His work."
Your flesh won’t save you
Your spirit won’t lead you to sin
Yet, you have both of those things working in you
21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.
33% less people made New Year’s resolutions this year - why?
Going into 2022 people were discouraged
And only 9% of people feel successful anyway
C.S. Lewis: “No man knows how bad he is until he has tried to be good.”
And Paul is showing just how hard this is
His mind is in one place
But his body keeps forcing him to return to that old man
3. Sin will always be a struggle while we’re in the flesh
3. Sin will always be a struggle while we’re in the flesh
Some people even speculate whether Paul is even a Christian at the time of writing
Later, I believe he makes it clear that he is
But at this point, it’s a good question
Do we have to do good things to be saved? No, and I think that’s the wrong question...
Part of our responsibility is repentance - Here’s what Jesus says:
Mark 1:15 (ESV)
15 “...The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
It all comes down to repentance
Repentance in Greek is metanoia
You may know it’s a military term - means “about face” or “turn around”
It makes us think about behavior
As in, I was doing this, now I’m going to do this
That is true, BUT it can be a little misleading
It’s an assembly of 3 Greek words - meaning “after,” “perception,” and “mind”
Essentially, it means “to change your mind after you know”
So Jesus is saying, “The Kingdom of God is here! Now you know, so change your mind.”
So am I saying repentance doesn’t mean a behavior change?
Not at all!
I’m saying it’s not JUST a behavior change!
C. H. E. Sadaphal: “So will a person who has genuine faith be transformed? Of course they will! But that transformation is never a personal makeover or tweaking of externalities based on self-help or being the best “me” one can be. It is a deep-rooted transformation that begins with God as a function of what Christ has done. The application of His work by the Holy Spirit thus transforms the person from the inside out.
So it’s not about you doing better things...
It’s about accepting the truth of God, and letting that dictate what you do
When a person says, “Can I believe but just keep on sinning…”
Not really - because if your mind makes your sin acceptable
You clearly have not accepted what Jesus said
You clearly having repented with a mind change
It’s not just your behavior - it’s changing your mind first
And then you will live out that change
So when you look at someone who is continually living in sin...
You have to wonder, have they actually every changed their mind about Christ?
If so, why haven’t their actions changed as a result?
Again, you will never be perfect in this flesh
The flesh constantly be sending it’s attacks against you
It’s so constant it may feel hopeless!
Look at what Paul says:
24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
That’s how you know Paul is a Christian!
He’s certainly not sinless
But do you see the mind change there?
His mind truly, desperately yearns for that change
A lot of us think this way
When you’re stuck in sin, all you want is to perform better
I’ll change, I’ll try harder, I’ll focus more intently...
And it’s good to condition yourself and build up endurance
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
Colossians 1:10b–11 (ESV)
10b ...walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy...
13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
Working to be better is a good thing
You can do it, and you should do it!
But, if you put pressure on yourself to earn your salvation, you’re doing the wrong thing
4. Legalism will leave you feeling wretched!
4. Legalism will leave you feeling wretched!
The bible makes it pretty clear that we’re horrible
It makes it pretty clear that we should work hard to improve
But don’t forget it makes it clear we can never work hard enough to not be horrible
If you forget that, you’ll find yourself working yourself into misery
And never reaching that goal of perfection
If you’re trying to earn God’s favor, stop. You can’t do it...
So as Paul is drowning - I’m wretched! Who will save me!
He answers the question:
25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.
And there it is - the solution
5. The only answer is Jesus
5. The only answer is Jesus
Paul recaps everything right there
Christ has saved me
My mind serves God
My flesh holds me back
There’s a strange mix there
Part of you is alive, and part is death
That’s why Christians are sin zombies!
Closing
Closing
You are a new creation - given new life
But the sinful flesh that leads to death is still pulling you back
Are you going to mess up? Yes...
But if God has created that new life in you, it will shine through
Let the truth of Christ shape your mind
Let God be the driver of your soul
And fight the flesh that’s already dead anyway
Present New Members
Today, we have some people who will be taking special part in that process
One of the ways God helps us battle, is He’s given us the Church
As members of our church, we encourage each other, love each other, hold each other accountable
Today, I have the elders and I have the honor of presenting to you 15 new members of our church
As I call your name, go ahead and come on up and line up
Afterwards, they’ll be around for you to fellowship with
Judi Considine
Roy deBolt
Larry and Becky Drake
Hope and Joel Hamm
George and Lola Johnston
Jessica Kilgallin
Jeremiah Morrell
Ron and Rhonda Naples
Also Renee Groom who is out of state right now
And Ward and Nikki Miner were members, and they reestablished their membership with us
Guys, welcome to our CrossPoint family!
Church, will you join me in welcoming our newest members
Let’s pray for them and us...
Pray
That concludes our final outdoor service for the Summer
Feel free to hang around and greet our new members!
Be blessed and have a great Sunday!