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Romans 6:1-14

Men and Women are like turbines

A turbine is a rotary engine that spins by the force of water, air or steam. Women seem to spin by the force of their anxiety. There are so many challenges, problems and calamities that need to be averted. This is why a woman cannot have a restful holiday at home. Why? Because there is always something that needs doing, the voice is strongest where she lives because that is the place of her work. That is why, my fellow men, if you want to rest then you must take her away from home. It’s hard for a woman to slow the turbine of her life down.

Where is your life heading?

Men on the other hand ignore the turbine. It can spin like mad; responsibilities may loom but a man will not even glance in its direction. Escape and ignore is the man’s favourite strategy. As long as he is good at one or two things a man can ignore the world falling down around him. Work hard at work, rest hard at home is a man’s motto. Home is a place away from work. That is why a man gets up to go into his ‘cave’ when a woman asks him to do something (work).

Would you be interested in learning something that would mean that you didn’t have anxiety to manage or cope with? I am coming to realise that 90% of my anxiety is my desires gone mad (lust of the flesh). What I need is what’s wrong with me. I need a friend, a loving wife, behaved kids, easy to write sermons, a healthy church. All of this has taken a hold of me and spins my turbine so fast I never rest, I’m never at peace.

Jesus says “he who seeks to save his life will lose it.” Mark 8:35. There are many voices that have deceived me into thinking that if I’m buffed, funny, popular I will have saved my life from being alone and rejected. I’ve worked so hard and I’m never saved.

Romans is about helping me understand I’ve been trying to save myself from the wrong things/people. God isn’t here to fulfill my desires gone mad, he is here to free me from my desires/needs/wants.

For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.  Romans 6:14          

the Rev

Romans: Live under Grace

Bible Reading:Romans 6:1-14

Sermon Rom 6:1-14 Live under Grace

• Review Rom 1-5

• Question Rom 6:1-4

• Think Rom 6:5-11

• Do Rom 6:12-14

Exercises

• Pick one lust of the flesh and personally share a specific example (Rom 1:28-31).

• Share how what you picked has impacted on other people and your church?

• How might your life group support and encourage you in your struggle?

• To what degree have you expected God to meet your needs gone mad?

• How might you begin to unravel your thinking so that you can live under grace?

Prayer: Dear Lord forgive me for not realising that what I need is in fact my problem, that many of my desires have gone mad and taken over my life. They have made me think that I can save my life when in reality I’ve been losing it. Help me to reckon myself dead to my want/needs and alive to Christ’s will. Teach me to live not under law/sin but under grace.