Church Sermon - March 6, 2005

Rev. Bernt P. Tweit

Old Testament Lesson; Hosea 5:15-6:2
Gospel Lesson; Matthew 20:17-28
Sermon Text; Romans 8:1-10

The Ring-tailed Monkey is a cute little animal that lives in Africa. For many years, people would go to Africa in order to try to catch the Ring-tailed Monkey and place it in zoos throughout the world. But, those people found the Ring-tailed Monkey to be a very difficult animal to capture.

On the other hand, the local people found the Ring-tailed Monkey very easy to capture. This is how they would go about doing it. First of all, they would find a melon, because the local people knew that the seeds inside that melon were very desirable to the monkey. They then would cut a hole in the melon just large enough for the Ring-tailed Monkey’s hand to slide inside. The Ring-tailed Monkey would find the seeds inside the melon. He would grab as many as he possibly could. However, with his fist full of seeds, he couldn’t take his hand out of the melon! The monkey would then struggle and struggle, trying to get its hand outside of the melon, while still holding onto the seeds. In doing that, the Ring-tailed Monkey would forget about its surroundings, and the local people could walk up, right behind that monkey, and capture it. They knew what was desirable to the monkey. The monkey went for those seeds and was captured.

Like those captors, the devil knows what is desirable for us, and lays those things before us. He knows what our pet sins are. And, just like the Ring-tailed Monkey, who puts its hand into the melon and can’t take its hand out, because it does not want to let go of those seeds, we don’t want to let go of those pet sins that are so desirous to us. And then, the devil captures us. It is like we have been handcuffed by sin.

For each of us, those things that are desirous are different. For each of us, those pet sins are different. An example might be a juicy piece of gossip that is laid before us. It is so desirous to, not only hear that juicy piece of gossip, but also share it with other people. Maybe another thing that is desirous for us to do, is to take the things that God has given to us, our money, our talents, our treasures, our time, and to give God that which is left over, instead of giving to God that which is first. The devil knows that which is desirous for us. He lays those pet sins in front of us, and we become captured by him. We are handcuffed by sin.

Now, whenever that would happen to the Apostle Paul, he would stop, pause, and say, "What a wretched man I am." He knew that the devil knew what his pet sins were. He would say, "What a wretched man I am. Who will rescue me from this body of death?"

With that, we are led right into our sermon text for today, in which Paul explains how it is that we have been set free from our sin, how that handcuff of sin is opened, and released from us. In our text, this morning you will see three paragraphs. In those three paragraphs Paul is saying three things.

In our first paragraph it is very easy to say that Jesus certainly is the source by which we are set free from our sin. In our first verse it says,

"Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death."

Then it goes on to say that God sent His Son to be a sin offering for us.

During the Season of Lent this year, we are looking at the theme, "We see Jesus". We have been looking at examples or pictures from the Old Testament that get us to focus our minds on our Savior, Jesus. One of those things was the sin offering. The sin offering was an offering that people brought to the tabernacle before the LORD. They would bring that animal before the LORD, as a payment for sin. The priest would slaughter the animal, the blood would be shed, the animal would be consumed in fire, and the shedding of the blood made payment for the sin of that person.

It is Jesus, our Savior, who made a once and for all payment for our sin. It is the author of the book of Hebrews, who describes these two things. He says the shedding of the blood of animals could not pay for sin, but he says that Jesus is the source. It is through the shedding of His blood that we have been set free.

"The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming, not the reality themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeatedly, endlessly, year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For, the worshipers would have been cleansed once and for all. And, would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But, those sacrifices were an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins."

Then he goes on to say,

"We have been made holy, through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once and for all."

Jesus is the source of our being set free. We have been forgiven and we are set free from our sin,

Now that we have been set free from our sin, what is the scope, or what is the end, or what is the result? The second paragraph, in our text for today is talking to two groups of people. Those two groups of people are believers and unbelievers. Now, we know from scripture, that when Jesus died on the cross, He died for all people, for those people who have ever lived, who are living, and who are yet to come. But, why then is it that not everybody is going to be in Heaven, if their sins have been paid for? The reason is this. Not everybody believes that Jesus is the source for setting them free from their sin. That is why Paul, in our text says,

"Those who live according to the sinful nature, have their minds set on what that sinful nature desires."

Those who live according to the sinful nature live for the here and the now. The sinful nature lives for fame. The sinful nature lives for fortune. The sinful nature looks to be pleased. "What is it that other people can do for me?" Our scripture text for today says those who live according to the sinful nature will be condemned. That condemnation is eternal death in Hell.

On the other hand, Paul talks about those who live according to the Spirit. He says,

"Those who live in accordance with the Spirit,

have their minds set on what the Spirit desires."

Living according to the Spirit means

Today, in our text, it is Paul who is addressing you, who live according to the Spirit. But, you know what? As we live according to the Spirit, and as we have been set free, the devil continues to lay before us those things that are desirous to us. Every time we pick up one of those things that are desirable to us, and we pick up that sin, it is as if we are handcuffing ourselves once again, and we are captive. But, that is when the Spirit comes into play. That is when the Holy Spirit calls us to repentance. The Holy Spirit calls us to turn from our sinful desires, to look to the cross, and there to see the source of our salvation, the scope or the end and result of eternal life in Heaven that Jesus has won for us. When we do that, it would be just like that ring-tailed monkey releasing those seeds, inside of that melon, to be free, and not to be captive anymore.

As we know that Jesus is the source of setting us free from our sin, and as we know the scope, or the end, or the result of freedom of eternal life in Heaven, what is the sequel?

What is the sequel to our freedom? In the movie industry, when a sequel comes out, it means it is a movie that comes after one that has probably been popular and it picks up where the other movie leaves off. In our lives of living according to the Spirit, what is the sequel, as we have come to believe in Jesus, as our Savior? How is it that we are going to live?

In our lives as Christians, our sequel is that we are motivated to live according to the Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who dwells inside of us, and guides us. The Holy Spirit becomes like the rudder of a ship. Just as the rudder is able to steer a ship, wherever it wants it to go, so also the Holy Spirit guides us in our lives.

We are over half way through the Season of Lent, now. During the Season of Lent, while it is true that we do look at the suffering and death of our Savior, Jesus, and see what He has done for us, we also see it as an opportunity for us to see how the Holy Spirit wants us to live. As He guides us into all truth, it motivates us to not only live for our Savior Jesus, but to also look for opportunities in which we are able to serve Him and to serve others.

Thanks be to God that we have been set free from our sin. He is the source of our being set free. The scope, the end, the result of our being set free is eternal life in Heaven. And now, in our lives of sequel, may we look for opportunities in which we can serve Him and serve our brothers and sisters in Christ, for Jesus’ sake.

Amen.

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