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Romans 6:15-23 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Let's read God's Word.
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What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace?
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! By no means!
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Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves,
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you are slaves of the one whom you obey,
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! Either of sin which leads to death,
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or of obedience which leads to righteousness.
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But thanks be to God that you who were once slaves of sin
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have become obedient from the heart,
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to the standard of teaching to which you were committed.
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And, having been set free from sin,
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have become slaves of righteousness.
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I am speaking in human terms because of your natural limitations.
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For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity,
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and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness,
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so now present your members as slaves to righteousness,
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leading to sanctification.
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For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.
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But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed?
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For the end of those things is death.
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For now that you have been set free from sin and become slaves of God,
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the fruit you get leads to sanctification,
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and it's in eternal life.
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For the wages of sin is death,
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but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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Let's pray together.
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Thank you.
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Gracious Heavenly Father,
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I ask that you would be gracious to us here this morning.
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That you would reveal yourself to us.
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That you would show us who we are in Jesus.
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And show us how to live because of who we are.
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Because of Jesus.
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I thank You for the love that You've shown us.
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I thank You for Your Spirit that is moving and working even now.
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And we ask that You would continue to work.
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I don't know the situations in this room.
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Nobody knows every situation in this room, God.
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But I know You do.
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And we trust that what is spoken will speak to each person
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because there's power in Your Word.
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And I pray that the words that come from my mouth
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will be Your words, not my opinions,
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but Your words this morning.
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Show us how we should live because of Christ.
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And we thank You for Him. In Jesus' name, Amen.
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The Constitution, the U.S. Constitution,
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was designed to defend and protect the freedoms
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of each individual person.
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The U.S., freedom is celebrated.
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We have Independence Day.
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We have people protesting because they have the freedom to do so.
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If we strip freedom down,
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if we take those layers off and we strip it back,
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and we look at the real meaning and the effect of freedom,
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we really come to the realization that none of us are free at all.
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We are enslaved to something.
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And for us, in the middle of the day,
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that might be several things.
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Example, you have a desire to eat.
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You're hungry.
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Well, you're now enslaved to that desire.
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Temporary enslavement, nonetheless, but still enslavement.
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You have a desire for companionship because you're lonely.
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You are enslaved to that desire.
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You want chocolate milk.
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You're enslaved to that silly desire.
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We are all enslaved and not really free.
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Scripture reduces it even further for us.
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That we are either enslaved to sin or enslaved to righteousness.
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The hard truth about this is that's it.
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There is no middle ground.
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There is no neutral stance.
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We are either enslaved to sin or enslaved to righteousness.
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It's like Joshua in Joshua 24, chapter 24, verse 15.
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At the end of his life, he says,
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Choose this day whom you will serve.
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And then the famous,
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As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
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It's not a choice on us,
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but it's either one or the other.
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In reality, there's no such thing as freedom from outside power.
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There's no such thing as being autonomous and just floating by yourself,
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answering to no one,
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being affected by nothing.
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The truth is, we are a slave.
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And we have a master.
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So, I want to ask you,
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as I preach this morning,
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as I proclaim what I feel like God is wanting to say to us,
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I want you to come up with a conclusion on your life.
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Who is your master?
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Is it sin or is it righteousness?
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Who do you bow to?
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Who do you worship?
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In the end, I hope that you come to a clear conclusion
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who that is and what that is.
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Three points, really two big points.
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We're going to look at what it looks like for a person who is enslaved to sin.
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And we're going to look at what it looks like for a person who is enslaved to righteousness.
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Each having evidence of both.
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So, let's look at what it is to be enslaved to sin.
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What does this look like?
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Verse 16 says,
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Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves,
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you are slaves of the one whom you obey,
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either of sin, which leads to death,
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or of obedience, which leads to righteousness.
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The result of being enslaved to sin is death.
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Later on in verse 19, it says,
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Lawlessness.
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More lawlessness.
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The result is death.
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It doesn't mean anything else.
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Sin is very powerful.
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John MacArthur said this about sin,
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and he's got alliteration,
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and I try not to do that,
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so forgive me.
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Sin is very powerful.
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It is the most devastating,
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debilitating,
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degenerating power
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that ever entered the human stream.
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The most devastating,
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debilitating,
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and degenerating power.
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The evilness of sin
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corrupted all of mankind.
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So let's look at a few descriptions of sin
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from Scripture real quick.
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Sin is defiling.
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It is a pollution of the soul.
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It's like a corrosion on a beautiful piece of metal,
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or smog in a beautiful sky.
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Pollution.
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Isaiah 30, verse 22 says,
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Sin is called an impure thing.
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Deuteronomy 32 says,
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Sin is the poison of serpents,
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and the cruel venom of asps.
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Even though we could consider to be righteous
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the things that we think are good,
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Isaiah 64, verse 6 says that they are filthy garments,
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or menstrual cloths.
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2 Corinthians 7, verse 1 says that sin is the defilement of flesh and spirit.
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Titus 1 says that sinners are those whose minds,
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minds and consciences are defiled.
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Sin is pollution of the soul.
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Sin is also rebellious.
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It is the acting out and the ignoring of God's word.
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It is rebellious.
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Somebody called,
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and I don't know who this is,
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called sin,
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God's would-be murderer.
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Because if sin had its way,
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it would destroy God Himself
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along with His righteousness.
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We see this in Romans chapter 7,
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the next chapter we're headed to,
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where Paul says,
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I do what I don't want to do,
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and I don't do what I want to do.
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Sin is rebellious.
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Sin is also ungrateful.
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Every person indulges in God's gracious provisions,
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but we fail,
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or mankind fails to give credit to God,
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much less to thank Him.
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We take God's blessings
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and use them to serve ourselves for,
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and Satan.
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Every sinner is like Absalom.
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You know who Absalom is?
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David.
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It's one of David's sons.
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In 2 Samuel chapter 14 and 15,
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this son of David
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kisses his father
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at the same time
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plotting to take his throne.
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This is what sin does.
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It is ungrateful.
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Sin is incurable.
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No matter how hard man tries to fix the problem,
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no matter how creative we be
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to come up with a solution,
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it's impossible to fix our situation.
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Jeremiah 13 talks about the Ethiopian
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changing his skin.
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It's impossible.
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Or a leopard,
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his thoughts,
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cannot change who we are.
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It is a helpless state.
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Ephesians 2,
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Colossians 2,
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it is a dead state.
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Sin is overpowering.
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In Romans chapter 1,
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verse 21,
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it says that sin dominates the mind.
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In John 3,
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it dominates the affections.
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In Jeremiah 44,
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it dominates the will.
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It says darkness hovers overnight,
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sin hovers over all mankind.
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Sin is overpowering.
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And lastly,
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and the scariest of all,
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sin damns the unreneeed soul to hell.
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In Revelation chapter 20,
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John is given a vision of this throne,
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the judgment.
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And he writes,
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And I saw the dead,
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great and small,
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standing before the throne,
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and books were opened.
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Then another book was opened,
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which is the book of life.
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And the dead were judged
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by what was written in the books,
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according to what they had done.
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And the sea gave up the dead
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who were in it.
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Death and Hades gave up the dead
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who were in them,
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according to what they had done.
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Then death and Hades
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were thrown into the lake of fire.
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This is the second death,
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the lake of fire.
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And if anyone's name
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was not found written
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in the book of life,
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he or she was thrown
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into the lake of fire.
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Sin damns the unredeemed soul.
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John 8.34,
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Jesus' word says
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that everyone who commits sin
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is a slave to sin.
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As we have seen what sin is,
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the power and control that it has,
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we all have been
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or are currently slaves to sin.
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It's one or the other.
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If you are a slave to sin,
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then death and lawlessness
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are the fruit of your labor.
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The fact is
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that you're going to do
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what your master
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asks of you.
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There's no,
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I don't know,
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maybe, maybe not.
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If your master is sin,
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you are going to sin.
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If your master is
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obedient to righteousness,
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you're going to do
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righteous things.
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Act pure.
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Act perfect.
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Live sinless.
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And if we're going to do
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what our master does,
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then we're reflecting
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that master.
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We represent him.
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We portray his attributes.
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And eventually,
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eventually,
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we become like him
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or it.
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So the question for you
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just this far,
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what do you portray?
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What are you reflecting
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to the world?
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Who is your master?
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Now the sad part
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of this situation,
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the sad part
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about all mankind,
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is that most of the world
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doesn't even know it.
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They don't even know
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the situation
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that they're in.
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Let's just look at
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Georgia for a minute.
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Smaller picture.
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2010,
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the projected number
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of lost people
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in Georgia
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is 6.8 million.
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2020,
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they said,
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it's going to raise
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to over 8 million.
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That is astronomical.
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That is 8 million people
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who do not know
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that they are enslaved
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to sin.
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There are 900,000 people
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who live inside
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the perimeter
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in Atlanta.
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800,000
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are lost.
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Are not affiliated
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with a church
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or Jesus.
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So,
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70%
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in our state
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and 90%
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inside the perimeter.
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in the Bible belt.
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Some would say
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the buckle
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of the Bible belt
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don't know Jesus.
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They don't know
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that they are
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enslaved
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to sin.
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So,
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no matter
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how good they are,
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how religious
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they are,
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and some of us
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in this room,
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how good we are,
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how religious we are,
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we're still
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enslaved
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to sin.
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Here is something
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else.
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Did you,
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did you know
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that in the Civil War
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that slaves
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would fight
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for their masters
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for the,
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for the Confederate
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Army?
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They would fight
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for the guys
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who were their
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masters.
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They'd fight
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against the very
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people who were
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trying to emancipate
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them,
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who were trying
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to free them
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from this
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slavery.
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They fought
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the very ones
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who were fighting
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for them.
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Now,
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I bring that up
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because,
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isn't that what
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we do as
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Christians?
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Don't we fight
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the one who
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fought for us
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when we sin,
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when we become
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enslaved to sin
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voluntarily?
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Isn't that what
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we do?
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We do the exact
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same thing.
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We fight
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against the one
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who has fought
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for us.
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Are you
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fighting against
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Jesus?
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This is what
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sin does.
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It gets us
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to fight.
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It gets us
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to hate
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the one
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who died
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for the very
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sin that we're
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committing.
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So whether
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you have been
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a slave to sin
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or you are
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a slave to sin,
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there is hope
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from this bondage.
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There is a way
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out.
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There is no
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reason for you
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to stay
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in your situation
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being ruled
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by sin.
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And I say
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ruled because
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sin is
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your master
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if you do not
15:42
know Jesus
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Christ.
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So let's talk
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about those
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who are enslaved
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to righteousness
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because this
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maybe is better
15:51
news for us.
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Maybe not.
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So if
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you're not
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enslaved to sin
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and you're
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enslaved to
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righteousness,
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which when I
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say righteousness,
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I mean
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holy,
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perfect,
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sinless life.
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I mean
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pursuing good
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deeds,
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trying to live
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for God,
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following His
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laws,
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honoring Him
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with your
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life.
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Now we
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become part
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of this group.
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We become
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enslaved to
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righteousness,
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not by anything
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that we have
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done.
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We have to be
16:28
clear about this.
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not by any
16:30
good merit,
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not by any
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prayer that we
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pray.
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There was
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nothing in us
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that earned
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this transfer
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and master
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that is all
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by the grace
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of God.
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Verse 18
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says,
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it does not
16:47
say,
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I'm sorry,
16:47
verse 18,
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does not say
16:49
that you set
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yourself free.
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It says that
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having been set
16:55
free from sin
16:56
have become
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slaves to
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righteousness.
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It is an
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act done
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to you,
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not by you.
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God,
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through Jesus
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Christ,
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has set you
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free.
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These are
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chains that
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we cannot
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break ourselves.
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He sets you
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free from the
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bondage of
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sin,
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from the
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control and
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dominance of
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sin.
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You're now
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slaves to
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righteousness,
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which is a
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good thing,
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not a
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negative thing.
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God didn't
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have to do
17:26
this.
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He didn't
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have to.
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He wanted
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to,
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and he's
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the only
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one who
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could do
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it.
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So if
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you have a
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desire to
17:37
do good,
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a desire to
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honor and
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please God,
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if you
17:41
treasure Jesus,
17:44
then your
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master is
17:45
righteousness,
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your master is
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obedience.
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there's been
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a dramatic
17:52
change in
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your life.
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You are
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dead to
17:57
sin now,
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no longer
17:59
dead in
17:59
sin.
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You are
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dead to
18:02
sin.
18:02
It no
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longer has
18:03
power over
18:04
you,
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no longer
18:05
has control
18:06
over you.
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So,
18:09
when you're
18:09
in the
18:10
hardest of
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times,
18:11
the most
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ferocious
18:12
fights,
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the most
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vulnerable
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moments of
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temptation,
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you don't
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have to
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give in.
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You can
18:20
have victory
18:21
over that
18:21
temptation
18:22
because Jesus
18:23
Christ has
18:24
freed you
18:24
from that
18:25
power.
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Jesus has
18:27
defeated death
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and sin so
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that you can
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grow in
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God's grace,
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so that you
18:33
can grow in
18:33
His love for
18:34
you and
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His love for
18:36
others,
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so you can
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grow in
18:38
knowledge of
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Him.
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And the
18:41
best part,
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I think,
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is that you
18:43
can grow in
18:43
your vulnerability
18:44
to sin.
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You no
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longer give
18:46
in to sin
18:48
as often
18:48
because you've
18:49
been set
18:50
free.
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You can
18:53
live sinless
18:55
life.
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The result
18:58
of being a
18:59
slave to
18:59
righteousness
19:00
is sanctification.
19:03
Verse 19.
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Last part,
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so now
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present your
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members as
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slaves to
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righteousness
19:12
leading to
19:14
sanctification.
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Whenever you
19:17
see this
19:18
word in
19:18
scripture,
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whenever you
19:20
see it,
19:20
the idea is
19:21
there's a
19:21
person being
19:22
set apart
19:23
for God's
19:24
glory,
19:24
a person
19:25
being perfected
19:26
and set
19:26
apart.
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I know
19:28
analogies
19:29
fall short.
19:30
They never
19:31
always work,
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but I'm
19:32
going to try
19:32
to give you
19:33
this one.
19:34
When I was
19:35
a kid,
19:35
I had a
19:36
baseball card
19:36
collection.
19:37
I would
19:39
buy a
19:40
pack of
19:40
cards and
19:40
you got
19:41
six or
19:42
seven or
19:42
ten cards
19:43
and the
19:44
top,
19:44
you got
19:44
the little
19:45
piece of
19:45
bubble gum
19:45
that was
19:46
horrible,
19:46
but you
19:47
liked it
19:47
because you
19:47
were a
19:47
kid.
19:49
And the
19:50
high percentage
19:50
of the
19:51
time,
19:51
you got
19:51
nothing good.
19:54
A lot of
19:54
times,
19:55
you got a
19:55
whole pack
19:56
and there
19:56
was not a
19:57
good card
19:57
in it.
19:58
You're a
19:58
little
19:58
disappointed,
19:59
but you
19:59
did get
19:59
the gum.
20:01
Now,
20:02
when I did,
20:02
when I did
20:04
get a good
20:04
card,
20:05
I would
20:05
take that
20:05
card and
20:06
I would
20:06
set it
20:06
off to
20:07
the side.
20:07
I would
20:08
set it
20:08
off to
20:08
the side
20:09
because I
20:09
knew that
20:09
this is a
20:10
good card.
20:11
This may
20:11
not be worth
20:12
15 cents,
20:14
5 cents,
20:15
but it was a
20:15
good card.
20:16
It was just
20:16
somebody's rookie
20:17
card,
20:17
some good
20:18
player.
20:20
And I
20:20
would set
20:20
it apart
20:21
and I
20:21
would put
20:21
it in my
20:22
folder with
20:23
the individual
20:24
slots for
20:25
cards.
20:27
And I
20:27
would set
20:29
it aside so
20:29
that I knew
20:30
that I could
20:30
go to that
20:31
card,
20:31
I could go
20:32
to those
20:32
good cards
20:33
and I could
20:33
enjoy them
20:34
and I could
20:35
look at
20:36
them.
20:37
It's the same
20:38
for us.
20:38
We have been
20:39
set apart.
20:40
We've been put
20:41
aside for the
20:42
rest of mankind
20:43
for the purpose
20:44
of bringing God
20:45
great joy and
20:46
glory.
20:47
We have been
20:48
set apart for a
20:49
purpose.
20:51
And my
20:51
baseball cards,
20:52
they weren't
20:53
going to make
20:53
me rich,
20:54
but I sure
20:55
did enjoy
20:55
looking at the
20:56
good players
20:57
and their
20:57
stats.
20:58
God has
21:01
chosen to
21:03
use you
21:03
to get the
21:04
gospel to
21:04
those who
21:05
need to
21:05
hear it.
21:07
We were
21:08
not set
21:08
apart to
21:09
sit and
21:11
stay protected
21:11
from the
21:12
evil world.
21:14
We were
21:14
set apart to
21:15
look different,
21:17
to live
21:17
different,
21:18
and to love
21:18
different in a
21:19
dark and evil
21:20
world.
21:22
And the
21:23
whole time
21:23
pointing to
21:24
Jesus and
21:26
not to
21:26
ourselves.
21:26
another word
21:30
to keep in
21:30
mind when
21:30
seeing
21:31
sanctification
21:32
is holiness.
21:34
We are
21:34
being made
21:35
holy as
21:37
God continues
21:37
to mold us
21:38
into the
21:38
men and
21:39
women of
21:39
God He
21:39
wants us
21:40
to be.
21:41
As the
21:41
clay in
21:42
the potter's
21:43
hands
21:43
molds His
21:45
creation,
21:47
God is
21:47
molding us
21:48
and perfecting
21:49
us.
21:52
So being
21:53
enslaved to
21:53
righteousness
21:54
is not
21:54
a bad
21:55
thing.
21:55
It is
21:56
not a
21:56
negative
21:56
thing.
21:57
It is
21:57
a glorious
21:58
thing.
22:01
So here's
22:01
some
22:02
evidences
22:03
of being
22:05
enslaved or
22:06
being slaves
22:06
of righteousness.
22:08
Evidences
22:08
from our
22:09
text.
22:10
Evidence
22:11
number one,
22:12
you are
22:13
thankful for
22:14
the proper
22:14
things.
22:16
Verse 17
22:17
says,
22:17
But thanks
22:18
be to
22:18
God that
22:19
you who
22:20
were once
22:20
slaves of
22:21
sin have
22:21
become
22:21
obedient from
22:22
the heart
22:22
of the
22:23
standard
22:23
teaching to
22:24
which you
22:24
were committed.
22:25
thanks be
22:27
to God
22:28
for the
22:28
lives that
22:29
have been
22:29
radically
22:29
changed by
22:30
God's
22:31
grace.
22:33
This
22:34
Thanksgiving,
22:35
did you
22:35
thank God?
22:36
Did you
22:37
thank God
22:37
physically for
22:38
the physical
22:39
things?
22:39
Did you
22:40
thank God
22:40
for the
22:40
spiritual
22:41
things?
22:43
Are you
22:43
thankful for
22:44
the brothers
22:44
and sisters
22:45
you have in
22:46
Christ in
22:46
this room?
22:48
Are you
22:48
thankful for
22:49
those who
22:49
are coming
22:50
from their
22:53
enslavement
22:54
to sin
22:54
over the
22:55
enslavement
22:56
of righteousness?
22:56
Are you
22:57
rejoicing?
22:57
Are you
22:57
thankful for
22:58
those?
23:01
There's a
23:01
lot of
23:01
things that
23:02
we can
23:02
be thankful
23:02
for.
23:03
We can
23:03
be thankful
23:04
for the
23:04
places we
23:04
live,
23:05
the cars
23:06
we drive,
23:06
the clothes
23:07
we wear.
23:07
We can
23:08
be thankful
23:08
for the
23:10
food we
23:10
eat.
23:11
But there's
23:11
only one
23:12
that we
23:12
can be
23:12
thankful
23:13
for that
23:13
is
23:13
eternal.
23:14
One
23:14
thing.
23:16
And that
23:17
is the
23:18
salvation
23:18
that we
23:19
have
23:20
through
23:20
Christ.
23:21
And so
23:22
often,
23:23
so often
23:23
we take
23:24
this very
23:24
thing,
23:26
take it
23:27
for granted.
23:29
We have
23:30
this ho-hum
23:31
attitude.
23:32
You know,
23:32
it becomes
23:33
just,
23:34
you know,
23:35
just something
23:35
we do,
23:36
something we
23:36
are.
23:37
No big
23:37
deal.
23:38
It's like
23:38
a hat
23:39
to put on
23:39
and take
23:39
off.
23:43
This
23:43
salvation
23:44
that you
23:45
and I
23:45
have,
23:45
it should
23:45
be that
23:46
new car
23:46
we drive
23:47
around in
23:47
slow,
23:48
down the
23:48
road so
23:49
that everybody
23:49
sees it.
23:50
It should
23:51
be that
23:51
new necklace
23:52
we wear
23:52
on the
23:53
outside of
23:53
our clothes
23:54
so that
23:55
everybody
23:55
can see
23:56
it.
23:56
That
23:56
driveway
23:57
filled with
23:58
cars so
23:58
people know
24:00
something is
24:01
happening.
24:03
That
24:04
billboard
24:04
that grabs
24:05
everyone's
24:06
attention,
24:07
that should
24:07
be our
24:07
salvation,
24:08
not something
24:09
we hide
24:10
and pick up
24:10
Sunday
24:10
morning,
24:11
not something
24:12
we don't
24:12
do,
24:13
something
24:14
we don't
24:14
live out.
24:17
We hide
24:18
it way
24:19
too often.
24:19
And Jesus
24:20
spoke about
24:21
this in
24:21
the Sermon
24:22
on the
24:22
Mount.
24:23
He says,
24:24
you are
24:24
the light
24:24
of the
24:24
world.
24:26
Because of
24:26
your salvation,
24:27
you are
24:27
the light
24:27
of the
24:28
world.
24:28
A city
24:28
set on
24:29
a hill
24:29
cannot
24:30
be hidden,
24:32
nor do
24:32
people light
24:33
a lamp
24:33
and put
24:34
it under
24:34
a basket,
24:35
but on
24:35
a stand
24:35
and it
24:36
gives
24:36
light all
24:37
in the
24:37
house.
24:38
So
24:38
question
24:39
then,
24:40
are you
24:43
a city
24:43
on a
24:44
hill?
24:46
A city
24:47
on a
24:47
hill
24:47
cannot
24:48
be
24:49
hidden.
24:51
Are you
24:52
enslaved
24:53
to
24:53
righteousness?
24:58
Our
24:59
thankfulness
25:00
is a
25:01
good
25:01
thermometer
25:02
of the
25:02
temperature
25:03
of our
25:04
salvation,
25:05
what we
25:06
really think
25:07
and feel
25:08
about it.
25:10
So what
25:11
are you
25:11
thankful
25:11
for?
25:12
See,
25:13
this salvation
25:14
is supernatural.
25:16
It's an
25:16
act of
25:17
God,
25:18
making the
25:18
dead alive.
25:20
The
25:20
sinner a
25:21
saint,
25:21
the slave
25:22
of sin
25:22
into a
25:23
slave of
25:24
righteousness.
25:26
So
25:26
evidence
25:26
number one
25:27
is you
25:27
are thankful
25:28
for the
25:28
proper
25:29
things.
25:30
Evidence
25:30
number two,
25:32
your
25:33
obedience
25:33
to God
25:34
has
25:35
action.
25:37
We have
25:37
said this
25:37
time and
25:38
time again.
25:39
Scripture
25:40
says it
25:40
time and
25:41
time again.
25:41
but your
25:42
obedience to
25:43
God has
25:44
action.
25:44
Verse 17.
25:47
But thanks
25:47
be to God
25:48
that you
25:48
who were
25:49
once slaves
25:49
of sin
25:50
have become
25:50
obedient from
25:52
the heart
25:52
to the standard
25:53
of teaching
25:53
to which
25:54
you were
25:55
committed.
25:57
Obedient
25:57
from the
25:58
heart.
26:00
Whenever the
26:00
Bible talks
26:01
about the
26:01
heart,
26:02
it's not
26:02
the organ.
26:03
It's not
26:03
the organ
26:04
pumping
26:04
blood for
26:05
your body.
26:06
It's also
26:06
not the
26:07
central hub
26:08
of emotions
26:09
and feelings.
26:09
You know,
26:10
I love
26:10
you from
26:10
the bottom
26:11
of my
26:11
heart.
26:12
That's not
26:12
what it's
26:13
talking about.
26:14
From the
26:15
heart here
26:15
is from
26:17
the entire
26:19
being,
26:19
from the
26:19
soul.
26:20
It's the
26:20
seat of
26:21
physical,
26:22
spiritual,
26:22
and mental
26:23
life.
26:23
It's what
26:24
makes you
26:24
who you
26:25
are.
26:27
When he
26:28
says from
26:28
the heart,
26:30
he's saying
26:30
that you
26:31
were obedient
26:32
with every
26:33
fiber of
26:34
your being.
26:35
That there
26:36
was sincerity,
26:37
sincerity to
26:39
your
26:40
obedience.
26:42
Meaning,
26:43
that there
26:43
was action
26:44
that followed
26:45
that
26:45
obedience.
26:48
My question
26:49
is,
26:49
is your
26:50
obedience
26:50
just
26:51
mouth
26:51
service?
26:52
Is it
26:53
just something
26:53
you say
26:53
and nothing
26:54
you do?
26:55
Because,
26:56
my friends,
26:56
that is not
26:57
obedience.
26:59
Is there
27:00
action that
27:01
reflects what
27:01
you believe?
27:02
this is one
27:06
of the reasons
27:07
why the
27:07
Christian
27:08
suffers.
27:09
This is one
27:10
of the reasons
27:10
why Scripture
27:11
over and
27:11
over and
27:12
over tells
27:13
the Christians
27:15
that we're
27:16
going to
27:16
suffer.
27:17
Because God
27:18
in His
27:19
sovereignty
27:19
puts the
27:21
Christian in
27:21
a position
27:22
where they
27:22
have to live
27:22
out what
27:23
they say
27:23
they believe.
27:25
You can't
27:26
just say
27:26
you're a
27:26
Christian and
27:27
not act
27:27
like one.
27:28
It doesn't
27:28
work that
27:29
way.
27:30
You can't
27:31
just say
27:31
you believe
27:32
something and
27:32
not be
27:32
forced to
27:33
live it
27:33
out.
27:34
It doesn't
27:34
work that
27:35
way.
27:35
God is
27:36
not like
27:39
that.
27:39
It doesn't
27:44
work.
27:50
We are
27:51
we suffer
27:53
and we
27:53
are forced
27:54
to believe
27:55
what we
27:55
believe so
27:56
that people
27:56
around us
27:57
can see
27:57
Jesus.
27:58
We put
27:59
action to
28:00
what we
28:00
say we
28:00
believe.
28:01
suffering
28:02
also puts
28:03
the
28:03
Christian
28:03
in a
28:04
complete
28:04
dependence
28:05
upon
28:06
Jesus.
28:08
Not
28:08
on our
28:09
abilities or
28:11
our
28:11
possessions or
28:12
our comforts
28:13
but on
28:13
Jesus
28:13
alone.
28:16
So just
28:17
like there's
28:17
no neutral
28:18
stance in
28:19
being enslaved
28:20
to sin or
28:22
enslaved to
28:22
righteousness,
28:23
there's no
28:23
middle ground,
28:24
there's no
28:24
Switzerland here,
28:25
there is no
28:27
passive or
28:28
neutral Christian.
28:31
Okay?
28:31
There's no
28:32
passive or
28:33
neutral Christian.
28:34
If your life
28:35
has been
28:35
changed,
28:36
it cannot
28:37
be and is
28:38
not a
28:39
whole long
28:39
life change.
28:41
It isn't.
28:44
And if
28:45
somebody is
28:45
telling you
28:46
it is,
28:46
then they're
28:47
lying to
28:47
you.
28:50
Passiveness
28:50
is for the
28:51
unbeliever.
28:52
We must
28:54
be men
28:55
and women
28:55
of action
28:56
and fight.
29:00
You want
29:01
to see
29:01
Jesus glorified?
29:03
Get off
29:04
your rear end
29:04
and do
29:05
something for
29:05
Him.
29:07
You want
29:08
to see your
29:08
workplace
29:09
changed?
29:10
Stop being
29:10
passive and
29:11
silent and
29:12
speak up.
29:13
You want
29:14
to be in a
29:14
healthy
29:15
relationship,
29:15
a God-honoring
29:16
relationship?
29:17
Stop talking
29:18
and work
29:19
towards it.
29:22
Trust Jesus
29:23
in all areas
29:25
of your
29:25
life.
29:28
He knows
29:29
what's best.
29:30
And He has
29:31
the power to
29:32
enable us to
29:32
do it and
29:33
the strength
29:33
to sustain
29:35
us.
29:39
Jesus defeated
29:39
death.
29:40
He can surely
29:41
help us through
29:42
the fight
29:42
that we're
29:45
in.
29:46
Defeat the
29:46
fear that we
29:47
have.
29:50
Obedience
29:50
has action.
29:52
evidence
29:53
number three
29:53
is that you
29:55
reflect the
29:57
master,
29:58
capital M.
29:59
Verse 16.
30:01
Do you
30:01
not know
30:02
that if you
30:02
present yourselves
30:03
to anyone
30:04
as obedient
30:04
slaves,
30:05
you are
30:05
slaves of
30:06
the one
30:06
whom you
30:06
obey,
30:07
either of
30:08
sin,
30:09
which leads
30:09
to death,
30:10
or of
30:11
obedience,
30:11
which leads
30:12
to righteousness.
30:14
And as I
30:14
have said
30:14
already,
30:15
we are
30:15
going to
30:15
be mastered
30:16
by one.
30:18
It's not
30:21
who you
30:23
decide you
30:24
master by.
30:24
You're
30:25
going to
30:25
be mastered
30:25
by one
30:26
or the
30:26
other.
30:29
If you
30:29
are a
30:29
slave to
30:30
sin,
30:30
then you
30:30
are going
30:31
to act
30:31
as your
30:34
master act,
30:34
which is
30:35
sin.
30:36
If you
30:37
are a
30:37
slave to
30:38
righteousness,
30:39
slave to
30:39
living,
30:40
perfect,
30:40
holy lives,
30:42
honoring God,
30:44
then you're
30:44
going to
30:44
act as your
30:45
master act and
30:46
do those
30:47
things.
30:49
So let's
30:49
say,
30:50
for an
30:50
example,
30:51
that you
30:51
own a
30:51
restaurant.
30:53
Now your
30:54
employees
30:54
represent you
30:56
and the
30:56
company.
30:57
Now I'm
30:58
pretty certain
30:58
that if you
30:59
own a
30:59
family
31:00
restaurant,
31:02
whatever it
31:03
is,
31:03
a family
31:04
restaurant,
31:04
you're
31:04
probably not
31:05
going to
31:06
hire somebody
31:06
who has
31:08
spikes coming
31:09
out their
31:09
head and
31:10
out their
31:10
cheeks and
31:12
tattoos all
31:13
the way up
31:13
on their
31:13
necks and
31:14
every other
31:15
word is a
31:16
curse word.
31:16
You're just
31:17
not going
31:17
to do
31:17
it.
31:18
Why?
31:19
Because that
31:19
person,
31:20
as your
31:20
employee,
31:21
represents
31:21
you.
31:23
And you're
31:23
trying to
31:24
portray a
31:25
certain
31:25
environment.
31:29
They
31:29
represent
31:30
you.
31:31
And so
31:32
you hire
31:32
somebody who
31:33
right or
31:35
wrong,
31:35
who looks
31:36
like you,
31:36
who cares
31:37
like you,
31:38
and who
31:38
can represent
31:39
you the
31:40
way you
31:41
want to
31:41
be
31:41
represented.
31:43
And so
31:44
as their
31:44
employee,
31:45
you enforce
31:46
certain
31:46
guidelines and
31:47
rules.
31:48
You dress a
31:49
certain way,
31:49
you act a
31:50
certain way,
31:51
customers always
31:52
write,
31:52
you do these
31:53
types of
31:53
things so
31:55
that they
31:56
properly
31:56
represent you
31:57
and the
31:57
restaurant.
31:59
When we are
32:00
slaves to sin
32:01
or to
32:02
righteousness,
32:02
we represent
32:03
that master.
32:05
So on this
32:06
level,
32:08
for us,
32:09
the illustration
32:10
breaks down a
32:10
little bit,
32:11
for us,
32:11
there's no
32:12
rules to
32:13
follow.
32:14
There's no
32:14
things that
32:17
we should
32:18
do.
32:18
We're just
32:18
going to
32:19
do it.
32:19
We're going
32:19
to obey
32:20
that master.
32:22
That's
32:22
just the
32:23
way it
32:23
is.
32:25
So if
32:25
our master
32:26
is sin,
32:26
we're going
32:27
to sin.
32:30
And what
32:30
Paul is
32:31
trying to
32:31
say is
32:31
that if
32:32
your master
32:33
is righteousness,
32:35
then you're
32:35
going to do
32:36
righteousness.
32:38
And you're
32:38
going to be
32:39
subjected to
32:41
Jesus and
32:42
honoring him.
32:44
This is how
32:45
we were
32:45
created.
32:48
This is how
32:49
we were
32:50
created.
32:51
We have a
32:52
master.
32:53
We're born
32:54
into being
32:54
a master,
32:55
being mastered
32:56
by sin.
33:01
And Jesus
33:02
comes and
33:02
changes that.
33:04
See, we
33:05
were created,
33:06
originally man
33:07
was created to
33:08
reflect,
33:08
one master.
33:10
We were
33:11
created to
33:11
be created
33:12
in his
33:13
image,
33:13
Genesis
33:13
127.
33:15
We were
33:15
created to
33:16
reflect him,
33:17
to be image
33:18
bearers,
33:18
the creator
33:19
of the
33:19
universe.
33:21
We were
33:22
created to
33:23
bring glory
33:24
to him,
33:25
to him
33:25
alone.
33:26
We were
33:27
created to
33:28
worship him
33:31
and to
33:31
bring honor
33:32
and praise
33:33
to him,
33:34
to prove
33:35
that he is
33:35
worthy of
33:36
all praise.
33:36
That's what
33:37
we were
33:37
created for.
33:39
Genesis
33:40
3,
33:40
all that
33:40
changed.
33:42
Because of
33:43
sin,
33:44
we have
33:44
been corrupted.
33:46
Because of
33:46
sin,
33:46
we no longer
33:47
are image
33:48
bearers of
33:48
God.
33:49
We no
33:49
longer can
33:50
worship God.
33:53
But we're
33:53
now image
33:54
bearers of
33:54
ourselves.
33:56
We now
33:56
worship
33:57
ourselves and
33:58
sin is our
33:59
master.
33:59
sin.
34:00
We have
34:03
a worship
34:03
issue.
34:09
We worship
34:10
ourselves,
34:11
which is
34:12
sin.
34:13
We are
34:14
held captive
34:15
by that
34:15
sin.
34:17
Instead of
34:17
worshiping the
34:18
creator,
34:19
we worship
34:20
the creation
34:21
and become
34:23
enslaved by it.
34:24
you guys
34:27
have been
34:27
there.
34:29
Can't
34:29
think of
34:30
anything else.
34:32
Can't do
34:33
anything else
34:34
without giving
34:35
in.
34:36
It just
34:37
happens.
34:38
It just
34:38
comes out of
34:41
your mouth.
34:41
It just
34:41
whatever.
34:46
Then
34:46
it's
34:46
slaved to
34:47
sin.
34:48
This is a
34:48
worship issue.
34:50
You're not
34:51
reflecting the
34:51
master.
34:52
you're
34:53
reflecting
34:53
your
34:53
master.
34:55
There's
34:56
good news.
34:58
There's
34:59
good news.
35:00
Instead of
35:01
being enslaved
35:02
to sin,
35:02
instead of
35:03
being controlled
35:04
by sin,
35:06
if you're a
35:07
Christian,
35:07
you've been
35:08
set free
35:08
from that
35:09
sin.
35:10
You've
35:10
been set
35:10
free.
35:14
Sin no
35:14
longer has
35:15
power over
35:16
you.
35:20
We can
35:20
live for
35:21
him.
35:22
because of
35:23
him.
35:24
Turn to
35:25
Colossians.
35:41
Now if we
35:42
are enslaved
35:43
to
35:43
righteousness,
35:44
and we
35:45
are enslaved
35:45
to Christ,
35:46
to Jesus'
35:47
righteousness,
35:48
his righteousness
35:49
that we
35:49
have,
35:53
it has
35:54
power over
35:54
it.
35:55
Still,
35:55
again,
35:56
nothing that
35:56
we do.
35:58
Colossians
35:59
chapter 1,
36:01
second part
36:04
of verse
36:05
16.
36:07
Because all
36:08
things were
36:08
created through
36:09
him and for
36:11
him.
36:12
And he is
36:12
before all
36:13
things,
36:13
and in him
36:14
all things
36:15
hold together.
36:15
he is the
36:17
head of the
36:17
body of
36:18
the church,
36:19
and he is
36:19
the beginning,
36:20
the first
36:20
war from
36:21
the dead,
36:22
that in
36:22
everything he
36:23
might be
36:23
preeminent.
36:25
For in
36:25
him all the
36:26
fullness of
36:27
God was
36:28
pleased to
36:28
dwell,
36:30
and through
36:31
him to
36:31
reconcile to
36:32
himself all
36:33
things,
36:34
whether on
36:34
earth or in
36:35
heaven,
36:36
making peace
36:36
by the
36:37
blood of
36:38
his cross.
36:39
we can
36:43
live for
36:44
him because
36:44
of him.
36:45
We can
36:46
live for
36:46
Jesus because
36:47
of Jesus.
36:50
We can be
36:51
set free
36:52
because of
36:53
Jesus.
36:55
Romans
36:56
chapter 6,
36:57
verse 18,
36:58
our text this
36:59
morning, it
36:59
says,
37:00
and having
37:00
been set
37:01
free from
37:01
sin,
37:04
having been
37:04
set free
37:05
from sin,
37:06
you have
37:06
become slaves
37:07
of righteousness.
37:09
You have
37:10
been set
37:10
free to
37:11
worship and
37:12
treasure Jesus.
37:14
He is
37:15
worth it.
37:16
You have
37:17
been set
37:17
free to
37:18
love those
37:19
whom you
37:20
cannot.
37:22
You have
37:23
been set
37:23
free to
37:24
no longer
37:24
fall for
37:25
the lies
37:26
of the
37:26
enemy.
37:29
You have
37:30
been set
37:30
free to
37:31
forgive the
37:32
most awful
37:32
things done
37:33
to you
37:34
because Jesus
37:36
died for
37:37
you and
37:38
for them,
37:38
and he
37:39
has forgiven
37:39
us.
37:41
You have
37:41
been set
37:42
free to
37:42
let go
37:43
of the
37:44
grudge
37:44
that you
37:45
keep holding
37:45
on to
37:46
that has
37:47
stunted
37:47
your spiritual
37:48
growth.
37:49
You have
37:50
been set
37:50
free to
37:51
accept the
37:52
leadership of
37:52
your husband
37:53
no matter
37:54
how hard
37:54
it may be.
37:56
You have
37:56
been set
37:57
free to
37:58
just let
37:59
go.
38:00
Let go
38:01
of the
38:01
things that
38:02
you think
38:02
God doesn't
38:03
know,
38:04
or the
38:04
things that
38:05
you think
38:05
are too
38:06
heinous and
38:06
awful.
38:07
you have
38:08
been set
38:09
free to
38:09
be different,
38:11
to not
38:12
buy the
38:12
car or
38:13
the house
38:13
or the
38:14
$300 jeans.
38:16
You have
38:17
been set
38:17
free to
38:17
not care
38:18
what others
38:19
think.
38:21
You have
38:21
been set
38:22
free to
38:22
love God
38:23
and hate
38:24
sin.
38:27
This is
38:28
who we
38:28
are.
38:30
You're
38:31
a Christian,
38:31
this is
38:31
who you
38:32
are.
38:34
Christian,
38:35
you have
38:35
been set
38:35
free.
38:37
Jesus has
38:39
done what
38:39
we could
38:40
not do
38:41
so that
38:42
we can
38:43
live like
38:43
he did.
38:46
Let's
38:47
live for
38:47
his glory,
38:49
for his
38:49
renown,
38:51
and prove
38:52
to the
38:52
world that
38:52
he is
38:53
all we
38:53
need.
38:54
Because
38:55
that's what
38:55
scripture
38:55
says.
38:58
We have
38:58
been set
38:59
free.
39:02
Real
39:02
quickly,
39:02
at the
39:03
end of
39:03
verse 17,
39:04
there's a
39:04
peculiar
39:05
statement.
39:05
ESV
39:07
says,
39:08
the standard
39:08
of teaching
39:09
to which
39:10
you were
39:10
committed.
39:12
Other
39:12
versions say,
39:13
hand it
39:13
over.
39:15
I bring
39:16
this up
39:16
because this
39:17
is not
39:18
evidence of
39:18
your
39:19
commitment or
39:20
my commitment
39:21
to the
39:21
teaching.
39:22
What he
39:23
is saying
39:23
here is
39:24
this word
39:25
is more
39:25
like being
39:26
committed to
39:26
a mental
39:27
facility.
39:27
more like
39:32
somebody
39:32
acting on
39:33
your behalf
39:34
for your
39:34
good.
39:36
God
39:36
committed
39:37
us to
39:37
his
39:38
teaching.
39:40
It is
39:40
his action
39:41
on our
39:41
lives,
39:42
but our
39:42
good and
39:43
his glory.
39:45
Praise
39:46
me to
39:46
God.
39:49
He has
39:49
committed
39:49
us to
39:51
his
39:52
teaching.
39:52
So this
39:55
morning,
39:56
my prayer is
39:56
that God
39:57
has spoken
39:57
you,
40:00
that he's
40:01
made it
40:02
clear to
40:02
you who
40:03
your
40:03
master is,
40:08
that you
40:09
know
40:09
if it's
40:12
him,
40:13
if your
40:13
master is
40:14
righteousness,
40:15
if your
40:15
master is
40:16
him,
40:19
praise God,
40:20
thank him
40:20
for his
40:20
grace and
40:21
his goodness.
40:22
If it's
40:24
sin,
40:26
that's
40:27
okay,
40:29
because you
40:29
know where
40:30
you stand
40:30
at.
40:33
Because
40:34
God has
40:35
made a
40:36
way where
40:36
you can
40:37
no longer
40:37
play the
40:39
sin.
40:40
You can
40:41
no longer
40:42
live a
40:42
hopeless and
40:43
helpless
40:43
life.
40:46
Jesus
40:46
died on
40:47
the cross
40:47
for your
40:48
sins.
40:49
He died.
40:50
He died
40:51
so that you
40:51
can be set
40:52
free.
40:52
from the
40:52
power and
40:53
control of
40:54
sin.
40:56
Let's
40:56
repent and
40:57
believe.
40:59
Turn from
40:59
your sins.
41:00
Accept,
41:01
admit your
41:01
situation,
41:03
and ask
41:04
God to
41:04
change you.
41:07
Joshua 24,
41:09
15.
41:10
Choose this
41:11
day whom
41:12
you will
41:12
serve.
41:14
As for me
41:14
and my
41:15
house,
41:16
we will
41:16
serve the
41:17
Lord.
41:17
and
41:18
have
41:18
to
41:19
have
41:19
!