iMorph - The Key

Written by Ed Allen
Sunday, 23 March 2008 09:30

iMorph - Transformations

Sermon Notes

Three things we have to know:

1. The Depth
2. The Dynamics
3. The Dimension

Romans 6:1-14

Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ

 ¹What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? ²By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? ³Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

 ⁵If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. ⁶For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— ⁷because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

 ⁸Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. ⁹For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. ¹⁰The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

 ¹¹In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. ¹²Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. ¹³Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. ¹⁴For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.

1. The Depth of our spiritual connection to Christ

• Our identification with Christ is full, complete, and all-encompassing with him in his death.
  • Romans 6:2
• As a past action we are connected with him in his death
  • Romans 6:3-4a
• This is both figurative and literal
• In our present we are connected with him as his death is the source of a new life for us.
  • Romans 6:4b
• The power that raised him also raises us!
  • Romans 6:5
• In our future our fate is connected to his.

2. The Dynamics of our spiritual slavery without Christ

It limits our relational mobility

• The “old” self had a body ruled by sin!
  • Romans 6:6-7
• The cross is the key to freedom!
• This is active knowledge:
  • Romans 6:11-13
  • EPI-THUMIA translated as “evil desires” = controlling desires
  • Apart from Christ, we are controlled by things that are not in our best interests.

3. The Dimensions of our spiritual freedom in Christ

• Christ died, so we can live a different kind of life now, one no longer ruled by sin.
  • Romans 6:8-10
  • Romans 6:11, 14
  • Romans 6:16-18

The Cross is the Key!

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Small Group Study Questions

Icebreaker

The thing that drives me crazy is…

Worship

Sing worship songs or Read Revelation 5:9-14 and as a group reminder each other why Jesus is worthy of your worship.

Application Questions

1. What part of the sermon touches you? Or do you remember?
2. How could the cross be a key to freedom from (Mega-Desires)?
3. How do we consider ourselves dead to sin?
4. How has the cross been a key to freedom in Mega-desires and sin in your life? Be as specific as possible.
5. Is there an area that you are in the process of gaining freedom in?
6. Is there any area that you feel chained up in? (Issues not details)

Share the Vision

Pray for un-churched friends that will be drawn unto Christ sacrificial love!