Sermon Central
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Our Change Of Masters
Contributed by Grant Adams on Apr 15, 2023 (message contributor)
Summary: Man was made to rule. When God created man, he gave him priority over all things. Yet it is equally true that man was made to serve.
In the beginning, man was placed in the garden to keep it and to address it. He was to serve his maker. We find within man a war, two great forces seeking the mastery of his life. Galatians 5:17. Evil and good, sin and righteousness. If evil seeks to rule man, so also the good spirit. That spirit does not come neutral, wishing to dwell quietly within men and to share his heart with the prince of darkness. But the spirit enters with the intention of reigning. So, there is a war. It cannot end in a truce, but in the driving of our evil or expelling of good. One or the other, sin or righteousness will rule over man. Man must have a master and he will have only one, Matthew 6:24.
Now the question is, “Who will our master be?” Man passes from one master to another, but he is always in subjection. I have heard a lot about free will, but I've never seen it. I have seen the will of men, but it has either been led captive by sin or held in blessings of the bonds of grace. The will is always subjected to either good or evil. I want to call your attention to three things this morning: our change of masters, the reason for that change, and the consequence of that change.
I. Our Change of Masters
1. We must have a master, but some of us by divine grace have made a change of masters to our advantage and good.
2. In verse 17, we who believe are now free from sin, but at one time we were all the servants of sin.
3. Did you ever see a person dressed in the full garments of sin? Sin clothes it’s sales in rags, shame and often with disease.
4. When fully dressed in Satan’s uniform, the sinner is abominable, even to other sinners.
5. If you want to see sin’s servants dressed in their best, or their worst, go to the night spots. They will be seen at the adult bookstores, the prisons, skid row. You will see their end.
6. All sinners do not wear Satan’s robes. We were not all open sinners before salvation, though we were all servants of sin.
7. There are many people who are slaves of evil that you wouldn't recognize by just looking at the surface.
a. They don't steal or commit adultery.
b. They are very moral in their conduct.
8. They are servants of sin, but secretly. They are non-professing sinners.
a. They sang the hymns this morning.
b. They bowed their heads in prayer.
c. They are listening to this sermon.
d. No one knows the difference by just looking.
9. In their heart they reject the son of God. They refused to believe in him. They love the pleasure of sin.
10. They do not openly commit acts of sin, but their heart does not love God. God's ways are not their ways, they are hypocrites.
11. Every hypocrite is a fool and a coward. He doesn’t have the will to serve the Lord, and no the courage to serve the Devil out and out. They are enmity of God.
12. Some of us will admit we used to be this way, Ephesians 2:2-3
13. In verse 18, notice, “Being made free from sin.” Not shall be, but you are.” In what sense is this true?
a. Free from the condemnation of sin, Romans 8:1.
b. Free from the guilt of sin. You can’t even be accused anymore. Psalm 103:12, Romans 8:33-34.
c. Free from the penalty of sin, Hell!
14. In verse 12, you're free! Sin still hides in the corners of your nature and seeks control, but it can't have it. It is cast off the throne and the Holy Spirit reigns.
15. How did we come to be free? Three ways:
a. by purchase,1 Corinthians 6:19-20, 1 Peter 1:18-19
b. by power, Ephesians 1:19-20.
c. By privilege, John 1:12.
16. In verses 1-2, 7; we are also free because we have died. If a slave dies, his master no longer possesses him.
17. Sin comes and says, “Why don't you desire to obey me?” Because I died 13 years ago, and I don't belong to you now.
18. Some of us have made a public declaration of our freedom by death, we have been buried, verses 3-7. We are now new creatures in Christ Jesus.
19. In verse 18, this is a change of masters. Unfortunately, some of you still know nothing about it.
II. The Reason for Our Change
1. Why should sin have dominion over us? Sin did not create us. It does not feed us. It has no right on us. Romans 8.
2. Sin is worse than the devil himself. Sin made the devil the devil. He would still be the most beautiful Angel in heaven had it not been for sin.
