The Beast That Lives Within Me

Two men ... who lived in a small village ... got into a terrible dispute that they could not ... resolve.

So, they decided ... to talk to ... the town sage.

The first man went to the sage's home ... and told his version ... of what happened.

When he finished, ... the sage said, ... "You're absolutely right."

The next night, ... the second man called on the sage ......and told his side ......of the story.

The sage responded, ... "You're absolutely right."

Afterward, ... the sage's wife scolded her husband.

"Those men told you two different stories ......and you told both of them ... they were absolutely right.

That's impossible ... they Can't Both be absolutely right."

The sage turned to his wife and said, ...... "You're absolutely right." (Long Pause)

Beloved ... We have ... this same type of conflict ... This same type of battle ...... within ourselves.

The flesh ... when it speaks to us... is trying to convince us ...... that it is absolutely right.

Trying to convince us ... to follow ...... it's yearning ... it's wants.

Tommy Lasorda ... the former Los Angeles Dodgers manager described his battle ... with the inner self:

He said ... "I took a pack of cigarettes from my pocket, ... stared at it and said, ...... "Who's stronger, ......you or me?"

The answer was me. ...... I stopped smoking.

Then I took a vodka martini and said to it, ... "Who's stronger, you or me?"

Again, the answer was me.

I quit drinking martinis.

Then I decided to go on a diet.

I looked at a big plate of linguine with clam sauce and said, "Who's stronger, you or me?"

And a little clam looked up at me and answered, "I am."

Lasorda said ... I just cannot beat ... linguine with clam sauce. (Long Pause)

The writer and theologian C.S. Lewis put it this way ... "No man knows how bad he is ... until he has tried ... to be good."

Beloved ... God's Spirit ... is drawing us to do what we know is right ... yet we often ... do not do it.

In our text, today ... Paul shares these words of truth:

BIBLE "I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. 17 But in fact it is no longer I that do it, ... but sin ... that dwells within me." END (Romans 7:15-17)

In our text, Paul is describing his own personal struggle ... with his battle within ... He is describing his struggle with the old nature ...... sin.

Paul's struggle ... is A deep personal struggle ...with sin ... with his flesh.

It is a war ......within us.

It is a war ...... which results from conversion, ......a war ......which does not exist with all its force and furry......until we accepted Christ ......as our Savior and Lord. (Long Pause)

Many of us are familiar with the book by Robert Louis Stephenson......... that was made into several movies ... Titled ...... "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde".

The story is all about the good Dr. Jekyll ......who is working on a potion ... that will allow him to actually become another person ... to become the man ... Edward Hyde.

The two men could not be more different, ......Dr. Jekyll is a nice and well-respected person ...... whereas Edward Hyde is malicious ... He is a cold-blooded killer.

At first Dr. Jekyll can control...... the Hyde ... within him ... but after a while ......Hyde begins to emerge on his own ......taking control ... of the Doctors life.

The two men within ... fight for control of the body...... in which ... they both live. (Pause)

It is a classic novel about "Right and Wrong" ......"Joy and Despair" ... "The struggle of Good and Evil."

The struggle of the Natural man ... vs. the Spiritual man.

Mr. Stephenson ... was once asked, ... "Where did you find the model for your character ...... Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde."

He said, ......"I found it...... in my nature."

Beloved ... Stephenson was a Christian ......and had come to the realization...... that there is indeed ... inside every child of God ......a Beast.

Every blood bought Christian...... is a new creation in Christ Jesus ......and has received ... a New Nature.

Yet ... the old Nature yearns to be in charge ......and battles ......for supremacy.

Stephenson went on to say......" I find that there is always a struggle with ...... The "Beast That Lives Within Me."

The sage's wife was insightful... they both cannot be right.

Be assured ... the old nature ... The beast within (Slow) "Is never removed ... and is ... never improved."