July 17, 2013 Peoria Rescue Mission

True Freedom
Introduction America Land of the Free; 4th of July American definition of freedom is the ability to do whatever you want to do so long as it doesnt hurt others. Is this true freedom? Is it really freedom to be able to drink yourself into a stupor? To destroy your marriage by infidelity? To ruin your reputation through lying? Read Romans 6:16-23. A Tale of Two Masters We like to think of ourselves as masters of our own choices, but the Bible tells us otherwise. Everyone is a slave of one or the other V. 16 Are you a slave of sin or a slave of God? The Master Sin If you are not a slave of God, you are a slave of sin, no matter what you think to the contrary. Do you feel powerless to stop a sinful habit in your life? You have no power on your own to. You are a slave because you are under the law think 10 Commandments You can do what you want to do, but you invariably cannot live up to the commands. We are like children who have been told not to eat of the fresh baked cookies as our mother steps out of the room. Our desires entice us to break the commands. Since you fail to keep the law, you face judgment under the law. Choosing to obey Gods commands from now on wont help you. You are still sins slave. What is Master Sin like?

V. 16 You are slave of the one whom you obey, either of sin which leads to death o V. 20-21 For when you were slaves of sinwhat fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. o V. 23 For the wages of sin is death The result of living life in our own way is not good.

The Master God The good news is that you dont have to remain a servant of sin, you can have a new master. What is Master God like? o V. 16 - If we are slaves to obedience, it leads to righteousness. o V. 19 present you members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. o V. 22 When we are set free from sin and become slaves of God the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. o V. 23 the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. How does one get set free from Master Sin and become a servant of Master God? V. 17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and being set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. It is possible to be set free from Master Sin, and escape the law that we stand under. V. 23 The free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Not earned like a wage, but a gift freely given. Gift is eternal life Comes through Jesus His atoning death and resurrection. How do you receive the gift? Trust Jesus.

July 17, 2013 Peoria Rescue Mission Eph 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works so that no one can boast. Be Truly Free True freedom is not doing what you want to do. True freedom is the ability to do to obey God (since after all His commands are wholly good for us) V. 19 For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present you members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. 6:1-4 - Does Gods grace set us free to sin all the more? No! We are transformed by it. The truest freedom we experience comes when we are set free in Christ to live for Him. It is our greatest joy and good. Will you accept this free gift today? Will you be set free from the Slave Master Sin? If you are set free, trusting God's promises to you is the power you need to resist the temptations that come and to live as the Lord has called you.