Choosing Resurrection Positives

Romans 6:11-14

Calvin Coolidge was president of the US in the 1920s and was known for being a man of few words. A man once came up to him and said, “I didn’t vote for you.” Coolidge replied, “Somebody did.” A female visitor to the White House once told him, “Mr. President, I bet you I can make you say more than three words.” “You lose,” he responded.

There is a story that Mrs. Coolidge stayed home from church one Sunday and asked her husband when he came back to the White House what the preacher had talked about. “Sin,” he answered. When she asked him what the preacher had to say about sin he told her, “He was against it.” Coolidge heard the story and remarked that it would have been funnier if it had been true.

I feel a bit like the preacher in this story because I am focusing so much on our addiction to sin. But I would not be spending the time if it were not such a struggle for us. And Paul would not have spent so much time in his letter talking about this struggle if it had not been such a struggle then.

Today is the fourth sermon taken from Romans 6 (two were from last year) and we will continue in Romans 6 and 7 for the next three or four weeks. In this chapter and the next, Paul’s focus is on the process of sanctification, the process in which the Holy Spirit works with us to help us be transformed into holy men and women.

This is such a difficult process because we have in us a battle that takes place between our human nature and God’s work to make us holy. A part of us wants to be holy and another part fights against that process.

As a consequence, we struggle and find ourselves trapped in sinful behavior. I want to help us, in these sermons from Romans 6&7, to find how we can escape the traps in which we find ourselves.

The key verse in this chapter is verse 2
We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?

Christ died and took upon himself the sin of the world. When he rose from the dead, he broke the power of sin.

When we come to Christ and accept his gift of salvation, we die to sin and are raised to new life in Jesus. This is well symbolized in baptism by immersion when we are lowered under the water, dying to sin and then come up out of the water, raised to new life with Christ.

The tension is that we have died to sin, but continue to live in it, even though we struggle not to do so.

There are many of us who are trapped in sinful patterns of behavior and I tried to offer some ways to help us in that struggle last week. I want to continue by looking at a different aspect of the struggle this morning. I want to offer a way of struggling against sin that will help you be victorious.

Romans 6:11-14
In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.  12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.  13 Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.  14 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.

What I want for you to notice this morning is verse 13
Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.

What this verse illustrates is that we do not simply say no to sin. Our struggle with sin is not merely saying no to the desires of the flesh, no to the temptations of the devil, no to the offerings of the world.

The fundamentalist church in the US had a popular slogan, “I don’t dance or drink or chew and don’t go out with women who do.” Christian faith for some is defined by the things we say no to. We don’t dance. We don’t drink alcohol. We don’t play cards. We don’t smoke or chew tobacco. We don’t, we don’t, we don’t. The truth is that if all Christians do is say no to things, it becomes a lifeless, dull, unattractive and ineffective faith.

Saying no to temptation is a good thing, but by itself, it is not very effective and it does not produce living faith. Verse 13 points out that we say no to sin and we also say yes to God.

We do not offer the parts of our body to sin but we do offer ourselves to God.

Christ’s death revealed the depth of God’s love for us but when we talk about the good news of Jesus we do not say simply that Christ died. We say Christ died and then rose from the dead. Our hope as Christians comes from the fact that Christ rose. Christ died and Christ rose.

As with Christ, so it is with us. We died to sin but we also rose to new life with Jesus.

So we say no to sin but we say yes to Jesus. A friend of mine preached from this passage and said that we replace the sin negative with the resurrection positive. We take the behavior that we do not want and replace it with behavior that is helpful and good for us.

Hebrews 4 says that Jesus was tempted in every way, just as we are. In looking at the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness we can learn from his example how to resist temptation.
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.  2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.  3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

The devil tempted Jesus to satisfy his hunger by using his miraculous powers for himself. Jesus had the power to change stones into bread. What would be the harm in this? Jesus was hungry and what is wrong with satisfying hunger? But Jesus said no to the devil and he said yes by quoting the positive from Deuteronomy. The power to resist came not just from saying no but affirming a yes.

Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple.  6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
”‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

There was a rabbinical tradition that the Messiah would reveal himself by standing on the roof of the Temple. At the corner where the Royal Porch and Solomon’s Porch met, there was a drop of 150 meters into the valley of the brook Kidron. If Jesus had appeared from above on the corner of the roof and jumped off, landing safely, unharmed, he would be revealed as the great wonder-worker who would save Israel.

God had his plan for revealing Jesus to be the Messiah and Jesus did not need to take any shortcuts. Jesus said no to the devil’s temptation and yes to God who is faithful and does not want to be manipulated by being tested.

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.  9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

This last temptation was a huge shortcut, to be ruler of the world without having to go to the cross and suffer. All Jesus had to do was to worship Satan and all the world would be given to him. But Jesus resisted Satan with a no and said yes to God who is faithful and will give us all good things in his time.

Notice that what the devil tempted Jesus with was not bad. Jesus changed water into wine and this was a good miracle that demonstrated who Jesus was to the people at the wedding at Canaan. A wedding banquet awaits us in heaven. Satisfying hunger with food is a good thing.

When Jesus returns, he will appear from above in power and glory and will be revealed to the world as the Savior. When Jesus healed the sick and cast out demons, he was revealed by God to be the wonder-worker who had come to save the world. This is a good thing.

When we gather together in heaven at the end of time, Jesus will be on the throne as ruler of all that is visible or invisible. At the name of Jesus, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that he is lord of all. This is a good thing.

Sin is not terribly creative. Sin is simply the twisting of something good to make it evil. Making food for hungry people is a good but the devil twisted it around to make it evil by tempting Jesus to use his power for selfish gain.

Jesus was born into this world to be the one who would bring the kingdom of God with healing and victory over demons but the devil twisted this around by encouraging Jesus to put on a glamourous spectacle, a show that would make him popular. Do you see the twist here? Jesus was revealed to be the wonder-worker, but he did this at the initiative of God the Father in a way that reflected glory to God. To jump off the Temple as the devil tempted was to put on an extravaganza that would dazzle people and put the spotlight squarely on Jesus.

Jesus was the Messiah, born into this world to save it and then rule over it but the devil twisted this around to offer a special bargain, without the cost of suffering on the cross.

This is what sin does. It tempts us by offering something that is good but in a twisted form that makes it evil. We pursue sin and discover that what it promises it does not deliver.

What would have happened if Jesus had not resisted the devil in the wilderness. What would have happened if Jesus had changed the stones into bread, had jumped from the Temple 150 meters to the valley and had bowed down and worshiped Satan so he could be ruler of the world?

Compare what Jesus would have had with what he has because he choose the good God intended rather than the twisted version Satan offered.

Jesus is now the exalted king, waiting for the time when he will come to call an end to time and judge the world. Anything that Satan had to offer would have paled in comparison.

Think of sexual temptation. In our teenage years the hormones begin to kick in and sexual urges become intense. The temptation is to satisfy these urges. The world says, “Come on in, the water’s fine.” And the truth is that satisfying these urges does seem to be fine. Most of the world’s population has a relaxed sexual morality that does not restrict sex to marriage and sexual freedom is fiercely defended.

But what is it that sex offers? There is physical stimulation but what sex is intended to lead to is intimacy. Sex is a gift God has given for our enjoyment but it is meant for the marriage bed as a tool to draw a couple closer together into a holy intimacy.

Hollywood is not know for sexual morality and yet in movie after movie the pain of relationships where sex is not confined to marriage is clearly portrayed. A couple live together and then the man has an affair with someone else or leaves and the woman sits on her bed in tears because her heart has just been broken. She has to harden her heart and then move on.

People who pursue multiple sexual relationships end up life with a handful of nothing. Couples who have been faithful to each other through their long years of marriage end up with an intimacy that is what everyone wants.

A few years ago when Blackhawk Down was being filmed here in Rabat, a woman who worked with the actors and actresses came to church. She knew many famous movie stars and she got to know a couple from our church who were in their 70s. She told me that everyone looks to the movie stars and envies them, but who should really be envied was this older couple who had a trust and intimacy in their relationship that was what really satisfying. This couple had what the world longs for but cannot have because they go for the twisted good the devil offers rather than the good it is meant to be.

When we resist sin, we are able to enjoy what God intends to give to us. The short-term gain is given up for the long-term benefit.

Resist sin and seek the positive that will fulfill. Don’t settle for sin that will not satisfy.

What is the sin to which you are addicted? In what way is sin your master? Is it food, drink, sex, some pleasure of the flesh? Is it anger, bitterness or revenge? Is it computer games or video games? What is it that has power over you, that you are unable to resist?

The first step is to admit your hidden addiction. Acknowledge that you have a problem. Then analyze the problem and figure out why it happens and how it happens. What is it that the temptation offers? What is the good that has been twisted in the temptation? There is a chain of behavior that leads to you being a slave to sin. Insert into that chain the truth that you have died to sin and risen with Christ into new life. What is the positive that can help you to step out of the sin addiction? Break the chain and find release from your captivity.

Let me be more specific.

Is your sin addiction to food? Analyze what it is that makes you want to eat. Eating is not bad. Meals are associated with most of the important events of the Bible. The Exodus from Egypt is celebrated with a meal at Passover. Jesus’s first miracle in the Gospel of John was at a wedding feast. When Jesus appeared to the disciples after his resurrection, he cooked breakfast for them.

Eating is not bad, but when food begins to control us and we are unable to stop eating, then the good has been twisted and food has become our master.

So why is it you feel compelled to eat? Is it because you are depressed? bored? nervous? What is the pattern associated with eating? There are things you do that trigger the need to eat. When you watch a movie do you eat food while you watch? Make a list of the occasions when you feel the need to eat. And then insert into the pattern a resurrection positive. How can you remind yourself that you are not a slave to sin? That you have died to sin and risen with Christ?

My own experience is that I struggle week after week with my inability to say no to food. Eating for me is all about enjoyment. I love food. I love the taste of good food. But the problem is that I eat too much and then the pleasure begins to diminish.

I start out the day with such good intentions and then when I pull out the container of food, I decide to empty the container and end up with more than I need to eat and I feel bloated afterwards. I decide to have one cookie and end up eating five.

I find for myself that I need to fast for a day or two or three and then I am able to control for a period of time my eating habits. I discover the pleasure of feeling hungry. And then when I am hungry, I can again enjoy the pleasure of eating good food.

God gave us food to sustain us, for the pleasure of taste and to develop community. Eat for the pleasure of taste. Eat with others in community. Say no to eating when you are not hungry. Say no to eating more than you need to satisfy your hunger. Say yes to cooking delicious food. Say yes to eating small quantities of good food. Say yes to eating with friends and family.

Are you addicted to internet pornography? Analyze your addiction. When is it that you are most tempted? What is the process that leads you to begin clicking the mouse in inappropriate places? Perhaps it is when you have worked very hard and you feel you deserve a reward. You are tired and need a break so you sit down and begin clicking on pictures because you deserve this pleasure.

You can say no by signing up for accountability software that forwards your internet activity to friends who will receive reports of what sites you visit. You can say no by walking away from the computer. But what is the resurrection positive that will reward you for all the hard work you have been doing? You have been working hard so you do deserve a reward. Pick a reward that will build rather than destroy.

Is there a good book you like reading? Keep it by the computer so when you feel tempted, you can say no to the temptation and yes to a book you enjoy and will help you relax. Read a couple chapters and then get back to work.

If you are married, keep a picture of your wife by your computer and when you feel tempted, put work aside, go home and have a leisurely evening with your wife.

If you are feeling lonely, call a friend and go out and enjoy doing something together.

Say no to what will never satisfy and say yes to what will build you and draw you into intimate relationships.

Are you addicted to video games or computer games? You can exercise discipline and say no to the temptation to waste time you should be using to doing something constructive, but what do you say yes to?

Do you have some exercise equipment? Get up, take a break and lift some weights. Get a pile of papers on your desk and organize them. Read a chapter of a good book.

Are you consumed with anger toward someone? Has someone offended you? You can say no to the anger but you can also say yes to forgiveness. And in this case you can do something positive to counter the negative. If you feel the need for revenge then you can say no to that and choose to love. You can do something gracious for the person who has offended you.

Try bringing a plate of cookies to give to the person who has offended you and see what happens. (Make sure you don’t put poison in the cookies.) Say no to bitterness and yes to harmonious relationships and you will be blessed.

Do you notice that I have not used as a resurrection positive that you pick up your Bible and read a chapter. The reason I have not suggested that is because I think reading the Bible needs to be protected and valued.

I said last week the greatest weapon in your arsenal to resist sin is to have a living relationship with Jesus. When you are aware of the presence of Jesus with you and you are feeling loved, valued and cared for by him, then you will be able to resist the sin that so easily entangles.

In your struggle against sin, the first step is always to have a rich devotional life. Start your day with the Bible and prayer. As I have said, do this not out of duty but out of desperation. When we are slaves to sin it is a clear sign that we are distanced from Jesus. We have pushed him away from us.

If reading the Bible is a helpful way for you to resist sin throughout the day, by all means pick up the Bible and read it. But be creative and find other ways you can take a positive step to resist sin.

You are not alone in your struggle to be holy, to resist sin and choose Christ. Pull some friends into your struggle. Share with them your struggle. Encourage them to pray with you and for you.

You are never without hope. The Holy Spirit is working with you to help you move toward holiness. Work in cooperation with the Holy Spirit by making good choices. Say no to sin and yes to Christ.