Released!

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The new morning series which picks up where we left off in Romans

I chose this deliberately because the word pursuit suggests several ideas.

Firstly that a chase is involved. <ppt>

When cyclists compete in the pursuit at a velodrome they are constantly chasing a target (the other team) that requires them to move faster and put in every ounce of effort they can muster.

Secondly pursuit implies that a worthwhile goal can be achieved at then end of our chase. <ppt>

• Pursuing Christ-likeness or holiness is not a walk in the park or a idle stroll, it needs some personal effort to be expended.
• But the goal is infinitely worth it! >>>

Thirdly when I’m in pursuit of something I’m highly focused! <ppt>

• That means – if I pursue one thing, that I’m choosing not to pursue others.
• And the goal of Paul’s writing tot he Romans was to see that God’s purpose for human life is to pursue Christ-likeness, life ‘in the Spirit’, life free from condemnation and life at peace with God.

It stands to reason then, that is I’m pursuing Christ-likeness there are other things I may not pursue.

• Although we need to be known and loved by people, I may not pursue fame or personal aggrandisement.
• Although we all need a few creature comforts, I may not pursue luxury
• Although we all need money, I may not pursue wealth as my highest goal
• Although I like things to look nice I may not pursue perfection.

Jesus said “Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness (pursue Christ-likeness) and all these other things will be added to you as well” And that’s rather a paradox. Pursue one thing as a priority, and the others you may have pursued will flow in its wake.

So our pursuit is the pursuit of Holiness and Christ-likeness.

First episode is highly appropriate for the new year:

Romans 7:1-6

What Paul is doing here is using marriage as an illustration. So let’s be careful not to get this the wrong way round.

• He is taking some marriage principles and applying them to our walk with God, not the other way round (he does that elsewhere). So the thrust of this passage is asking the question – what happens in a marriage, and how does that parallel into our walk with God.

<ppt> “Pursue holiness – for without holiness no-one will see the Lord” Hebrews 12:14

The law

When Paul talks about the law here, he is talking about a very specific concept. Rather than just a collection of acts of parliament (as we use the phrase today) he’s talking about the written law that God gave to the children of Israel, coupled with the whole moral code that the written rules were intended to show.

• They defined where the limits of our behaviour should be in order to be holy.
• In fact in Leviticus God repeatedly gives the message “be holy, because I am holy”

So here in Romans ‘the law’ means the law-that-condemn-us. – that sense that I’m a guilty sinner who deserves condemnation from God (and, frankly, from anyone else who looks closely at my life).

Now Paul is going to say soon that this state of condemnation is something we can be released from – and that it astonishingly good news!

• you’re not under law (facing God’s condemnation) – you’re under grace! (God has cut you some slack! Forgiven your transgressions! AND paid the price for your freedom!)

We’ve all been appalled by the revelations about Jimmy Saville and his repeated abuse of young girls and women. The trouble is, he’s dead. So the Law can no longer catch him.

And in the same way that law cannot prosecute Jimmy Saville, neither can the law of Moses prosecute us if we are in Christ. (of course the illustration breaks down a bit because we want to uphold the law that would have found him guilty, whereas the law Paul is describing is the system of rules that kept us bound in guilt.

Marriage “till death us do part”

Paul is not arguing that marriage should be ’till death us do part’ he is assuming that to be the case and alerting us to a parallel.

OK, we know that marriage (in the ideal) is only broken by death, But what happens then?

Rosi and I know that one of us will die first. I have no idea which!

So if I die first Rosi is, in law and in Christ, free to marry someone else. She is released from her obligation to be one with me. When I die, she dies to the law of being my wife. She can now belong to another.

When a death takes place, that tie is broken – completely broken.

Now Paul is saying that the law, the written code of commandments and regulations, the thing that just makes us feel so guilty because we know we cant’ keep it all, that’s like a rigid husband and we are like a burdened bride. So to get out of this marriage, one partner has to die.

Just in your mind’s eye, have some pity on the poor bride who is married to the law. The law is inflexible and perfect.

She is confronted every day by a husband who has a list of things which must be done thoroughly and completely. She must not just think about doing them she’s actually got to achieve them. No failure will be tolerated. There is no concession to her weakness, no excuses are allowed, and if (or when) she fails the husband will point out her ineptitude and incompetence.

And as if to add insult to injury, the husband (Mr Perfection) will actually succeed in living up to his own gold standard of perfection. It’s not a nice place to be for the poor wife! His perfection shows up her imperfection.

That’s what it’s like being married to the law. What you thought would be holy wedlock turns out to be unholy deadlock!

I’m sure there were some Christians then, as there are today, who tried to keep the demands of the law and earn their worth with God through doing good works, coming to church and just being a nice person

But this illustration shows how completely futile that is.

And if that’s you this morning, and you’ve been assuming you’re OK with God because you’re a reasonably decent person and you come to church (or whatever) just hang in there for a moment and I’ll share with you what to do about it.

The punchline – we are released! <ppt>

And we are released in order to bear fruit.

Now see v4

Romans 7:4 “So, my brothers, you died to the law through the body of Christ, in order that you might belong to another – to him who was raised from the dead, in order that you might bear fruit to God.

Can you see the parallels! This is the punchline of the illustration <ppt>

• (What happened to you?) You died to the law
• (How did that happen?) through the body of Christ
• (Why did it happen?) that you might belong to another
• (Who is that?) him who was raised from the dead
• (For what purpose?) so that we might bear fruit to God. (=to be Christ-like!)

“so that we will bear fruit to God”

I want to illustrate this

A farmer ploughs his field, sows the seed, he fertilises and cultivates it. But he knows that when the harvest approaches he is utterly dependent on forces outside of himself.

• What can he do to get the seed to germinate? Virtually nothing.
• What can he do to produce rain or sunshine? Not a bean.

For a successful harvest, he is totally dependent on these things from God.

However, at the same time the farmer knows that unless he diligently pursues his responsibilities to plough, plant, fertilize, and cultivate, he cannot expect a harvest at the end of the season.

• In a sense he is in a partnership with God, and he will reap its benefits only when he has fulfilled his own responsibilities. Farming is a joint venture between God and the farmer.
• The farmer cannot do what God must do, and God will not do what the farmer should do.

Now in just the same way our pursuit of Christ-likeness is a joint venture between us and God. No one can attain any degree of holiness without God working in his life, but just as surely no one will attain it without effort on his own part.

• God has made it possible for us to enjoy the freedom of life walking in his Spirit, a life of Christ-likeness. And He has handed to us the responsibility of doing the walking; He does not do that for us.

Fruit?

Here we see two very contrasting types of fruit. In v6 we’ve got fruit to death

“For when we were controlled by the sinful nature, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death.”

The inevitable consequence of giving in to our sinful side and our passions for self-centeredness, laziness and duplicity, was a deadening of our spirits! A dulling of our awareness of the Lord!

Not under law but under grace – rather like rugby – we’re not under the Rugby League rules, we’re under the Rugby Union rules. The aim of the game is the same – holiness, but the rules are totally different!

Motto card . Words from John 15: This is Jesus speaking

“You did not choose me, but I chose you to bear fruit that will last”

What does that mean for us?

• There are acts of service yet to be done in his name – and we’re going to do them this year
• There are people whose minds and hearts are going to be turned towards Christ this year – and we are going to turn them
• There are people who will find faith in Christ this year – and we are the people who will help them find it
• There are Christians who will discover a new area of service or ministry this year – and we’re going to help them find it
• There are people who will give more sacrificially this year because they want to glorify God with their treasure – and we will see that the treasure is put to god-glorifying use.
• There are Christians who have had a so-so relationship with God up to this year and we are going to be the church that takes them into an entirely new arena of love and joy and peace in God – they’re going to have a new experience of the Holy Spirit – and we will provide the atmosphere where God can work.

But it won’t happen by chance.

I’m going to lead you in an act of re-commitment at communion. >>>