Living Dead

Flood Zone Recap
December 10, 2006

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word "death"? Is it a tombstone? A coffin? A knife, sword, or gun? What about a cross?

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word "life"? Is it a baby? Aliens? An empty tomb? A flower?

Whatever you thought of, those things were probably opposites. Why? Because life and death are opposites.

How would you define "death"? Here is a short definition: without life. Ok, duh! How about, no longer able to participate or be active in life.

Romans 6:1-9 talks about our death...our death to sin...and the impact that has on our life. When you die to something, or something or someone is dead to you, then that means that it no longer exists to you. It is not longer something that you will be active in or participate in.

Those who are followers of Christ claim to have died to sin. But we so often revisit that sin, are active in it, and participate in that sin that we actually haven't truly died to it. Why not? Why should we really die to it.

Because life is on the other side. What type of life? That's what Romans 6 is going to tell us.

V4-New Life-If we don't get rid of the sin, then there will be no room for new growth of anything beneficial. Just like the trees lose their leaves to provide a place for new growth, and bushes are pruned to provide for a more healthy plant, the removal of sin from our lives provides room for God to work something new.

V5-Assured life-This is life along the same order as Christ's ressurection: amazing, miraculous, glorious, shocking, joyful, complete, and the list can go on and on.

V6-7-Free life-When we are slaves to sin, we are giving oursleves over to being beaten by the devil every day. Christ has FREED us from that bondage, but we still choose to return to the beatings! How stupid are we? Live FREE!

V8-9-Eternal life-Forever, and ever, and ever, and ever, forever, and ever, and ever, and ever, forever, and ever, and ever and ever, forever, and ever, and ever, and ever...you get the idea!

We cannot worship God with all we are and all we have if we are still living to sin! We have to be dead to sin…no longer revisiting it, participating in it and active in it.

This week, every day, spend time thinking about when and how you have been alive to sin. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you how and when you have been alive to sin, and then repent, die to it again and again and again, knowing that what’s on the other side is so much better-New, Assured, Free, and Eternal life!