Day #159: Romans 6:8-10

BACKGROUND:

During slavery, freedom was rare except through death. Death brings about a release that cannot be reversed. In the same way, when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. We are not yet sinless, but sin no longer has control over us. With our death to sin, we are free to begin our new life in Christ. This new life in Christ (this side of physical death) is already the beginning of resurrected living. Getting used to this new life requires that believers exchange old habits and patterns for new ones. (Romans 12:1-2)

Jesus experienced physical death and rose from the dead, and he will never die again. His resurrection was a victory over death, so death no longer has any power over him. Paul concluded that dying with Christ, then, ends the power of death over us as well. Christ died once to defeat sin, emphasizing the finality and completeness of Christ’s work.

When Christ groaned from the cross, “It is finished!” (John 19:30), he knew that the sacrifice was complete, once for all (Hebrews 7:27). Unlike Christ, we will still fall into sin’s traps now and then; but like Christ who now lives for the glory of God, we can focus on living for God. God’s great plan was to liberate us from sin’s ruling power. Thus our perspectives, attitudes, relationships, and desires will change, in light of the incredible events that have taken place on our behalf—death to sin and the ability to come to God and live for him.


SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)


One of the names that God calls himself is El Shaddai - which means “I am your all powerful God.” I like that about God – He is a stud. He wants to give us His power to live our lives on.

1 Corinthians 4:20 says “The kingdom of God is not just fancy talk. It is living by God’s power." I love that verse – you know why? It says the Christian life isn’t just a bunch of talk. So many times, all we do in the church is talk. Talk, talk, talk, talk. God says the Christian life is more than that – it’s more than talk and wishful thinking, it is power – power to overcome – power for victory – power to overcome problems – power to deal with difficult people – power to deal with your past – power to cope with the present – power to prepare for the future -power to overcome addictions and sin.

Psalm 68:35 sums it by saying “God is awesome. He gives power and strength to His people. Praise the Lord” So, when can I count on God’s power? All the time, but especially…

#1. When I’m tired.

I can count on God’s power when I’m tired. I don’t even have to ask you if you are tired. I can see it in your faces -most of us who live here in the San Ramon Valley are tired.

Obviously there are some things that you and I can do to slow the pace of our lives down, but in the midst of this, God makes us a promise. Isaiah 40 “The Lord is the everlasting God. He never grows tired or weary. He strengthens those who are weak and tired. Those who trust the Lord for help will find their strength renewed. He gives power to those who are tired and worn out; He offers strength to the weak.”

I know some of you… you need to memorize this verse! Write it down and put it by your toothbrush, get a tattoo of it on your body, shave it on the side of your dog! I don’t care where you put it, just put it someplace where you can be reminded of it. It’s a great verse. God’s power is unlimited. He never gets tired. He never gets weary. He never goes to bed.

Would you like to tap into that kind of power? It’s available. When else can I count on God’s power?

#2. When I’ve got nothing to offer.

This can be in a relationship where you feel like, “I don’t have anything left to give.” It could be with one of your children: “I just don’t know what s/he wants from me!” It could be with your job: “I’m in over my head!” God says, “I’ll give you power when you don’t feel like you’ve got anything to offer.” In my notes I have written “inadequate”. When you feel inadequate.

When I feel inadequate, when I feel like I am useless, when I feel like I have got nothing to offer, God says, “My power will show up when you’re weak.” Paul said to God, “I’ve got this affliction. Will You take it away from me?” God said no. “My power shows up best in weak people.” God makes a promise. When you feel inadequate. When you feel like you’ve got nothing to offer, He will invade your life with His power. Do you need to tap into a power like that? It’s available.

When else can I count on God’s power?
#3. I can count On God’s power when I’m tempted.

One of the reasons that some of the pain is in our life is because we haven’t had the power to say no to temptation. Paul understood this. Romans 7 says this - “I often find that I have the will to do good, but no the power.” Can anybody relate to that one? “I want to do it but I don’t have the power!” Temptation is out there!

Bumper sticker: “Lead us not into temptation; I’m perfectly capable of finding it on my own.” I can relate to that. If you’re setting there saying, “I’m not tempted,” you’re what’s called… dead! Liar. Temptation is inevitable but the good news is God won’t let us be tempted beyond our own capacity to handle that. God is faithful and gives you the power to say no.

You name the temptation – chocolate cake, Internet pornography, gossip, lying for a job interview, cheating on your taxes – when you’re tempted, God gives you the power to say no. It says in the Bible, in 1 Corinthians 10:13 - “Every temptation that has come your way is the kind that normally comes to people. But God keeps His promise, and He will not allow you to be tempted beyond your power to resist. At the time you are tempted He will give you strength to endure it and so provide you with a way out.” The promise is this: there’s always a way out. God says, I want to give you the power for the way out. The power is there!

The bottom line to these promises is I feel like God’s saying, “When you are burned out and tired I want to give you My power. In the midst of your feeling inadequate wit life, I want to give you power. When you feel like you’re tempted beyond your control, I want to give you My power.” That’s the good news of today. We don’t have to live powerless, weak lives.

I know what some of you are thinking. “God may give you the power, preacher, but He doesn’t work like that with me. I’m just an average Christian. I love God and everything but frankly, I’m fatigued, I’m stressed. My kids are out of control. My heart’s been broken. My prayers aren’t answered. I don’t see God’s power in my life.”

Do you know how I’d respond to you? I would say that God’s power is not automatic. As a matter of fact, I’ve seen a lot of Christians who live their life with no more power than a non Christian. They may have salvation and experienced God’s presence, but they live life with no more power. WHY? They have failed to apply the ABC’S of the Christian life.

A – ADMIT YOU’RE WEAK
If you want God’s power, admit you’re weak. This is where I admit my lack of power, I admit that I don’t have it all together, I admit that I can’t solve everything on my own. For some of us in here, this is tough because… we think we’re God. We think we’ve got it all together and we can do this. If you’re thinking that, who are you kidding? You can’t control everything. You can’t reach every goal you’ve set. You’re not going to make as much money as you’ve dreamed up. You’re human, you’re weak, you’re getting older.

If you want to access God’s power, you start here. You drop to your knees and you admit that you’re weak. The Bible is filled with verses on pride. The Bible tells us that God doesn’t hate many things but one of the things He hates is pride. Pride says I don't need God. Pride says I’ve got it all together.

Proverbs 29:23 says “Pride ends in humiliation. While humility [admitting my weakness] brings honor.” If you want God’s power, at some point in your life, you’ve got to get rid of this steering wheel and say, “God, You take control. I’m going to sit shotgun. You get in the driver’s seat of my life.”

B – BE CONNECTED TO THE SOURCE OF POWER
You want power? Get connected. I have for years had this bottom line theory about life: things work best when they’re plugged in. It’s true of appliances, power tools – it’s true of us. You and I work best when we’re plugged in to the creator of the universe.

Some of you are saying, “I’m already a Christian. I’m already connected with God.” But you know why you don’t have power? Because you unplug yourself by ungodly choices and doing things on your own agenda then we have this arrogant expectation that God is going to bless what we’re doing. Think about it: it wouldn’t make sense for God to supernaturally renew our strength so we could pursue something outside of God’s design for our life – would it? So maybe this morning, God is saying quit doing life your way and start doing it mine again.

Jesus understood this connection theory and He gives us a word picture. I love the way Jesus taught because it was so visual. Jesus said in John 15 “I am the vine and you are the branches. Those who remain in Me [those who are connected with Me] and I in them, they will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.”

There may be some of you here that says, “It seems so hard to get plugged into a relationship with God.” No, it’s not hard! What’s hard is getting the cable guy to come out to your house. That’s hard. That’s harder than starting a relationship with God. As a matter of fact, the Bible tells us that God stands at the door and He knocks. He’s standing right there and He’s waiting for us to open the door. If you’re a seeker, you’re checking this whole thing out, He’s waiting for you just to say Yes, to open the door !

C – CHOOSE GOD’S WAY IN LIFE!
This is the toughest. The Bible makes it very, very clear that God’s power and my faith are connected. For me to get God’s power, I’ve got to step out in faith – I have to choose to do so.

What does “choose God’s way” mean? It means step out in obedience to what God calls us to do before the power shows up. That’s a key word – before. God wants us to take action before He supplies the power. Some of you may be thinking, “You mean I have to take action and act as if I have the power even before I have the power in order to get the power?” Yes!

Remember Moses and the Israelites? For years and years, the Jews were enslaved to the Egyptians. Then Moses shows up to lead them into freedom and a new life. Imagine being a slave for years and now you’re free. They’re dancing and they’re singing and having a good old time marching out of Egypt.

Back in Egypt, Pharaoh starts thinking about all the slaves and the free labor that was leaving his country –and he goes, “I must have been crazy to let them go! Who’s going to make bricks in the hot sun? Who’s going to clean the bathrooms? So he calls out the Egypt National Guard and says go bring them back.

Imagine you’re an Israelite and you’re kind of singing and dancing and marching to freedom and all of a sudden you look over your shoulder and you see the Egyptian army coming after you with obvious evil intent. In front of you is a sea. They’re chasing you into a sea. It’s a holocaust in the making.

In Exodus 14, the Bible says “Then they turned against Moses and complained, `Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren’t there enough graves for us in Egypt? Why did you make us leave? Our slavery was far better than us dying out here in the wilderness.’” I wonder if some of us say that sometimes. “Our powerless life was far better than stepping out in faith.” But Moses told the people “Don’t be afraid. Just wait and watch what God will do.”

Would you take that answer? Think about it: You’re thinking “I’m either going to get drowned or killed and Moses says, “Relax, pal! And watch what God will do.” Exodus 14 goes on to say in the NLT “The Lord Himself will fight for you. You won’t have to lift a finger in defense.” And we know what happens - God speaks and the ocean opens up.

God’s power arrives as they took that step in faith. God says to you today, “I will give you power to live, power to cope, power to love but first, you have to choose my life – step out in faith and choose my ways.”

Maybe you're reading this today and you would say “God, I feel really weak right now. I’m really tired. I can’t go on anymore without your power. Ephesians 3:20 (NCV) is for you. It says “With God's power working in us, God can do much, much more than anything we can ask or imagine.” The Mike Pedlowe version – “I can’t God but God can.” What can God do? Anything!!! Are these easy steps? No. But they’re good steps. And when you move in the direction that God wants you to take, His power will show up.

Lord, walk with the people of COV today. Give them power today Lord. Your power.

I love you guys. Stay faithful. Stay the course.