New Life Belonging IN Jesus Christ (Romans 6:1-10)
Gary McManus, 05/03/2015Part of the New Life series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
The Fourth Sunday After Easter
Romans 6:1-10
New life in Jesus Christ. Easter means new life for us.
New life may not be obvious to us.
It is much more than stopping wrong-doing.
We not only turn away from doing wrong but we
continue on a path of living to please God.
(1 Thessalonians 4:1)
Many congregations had problems in understanding
“living a new life” :in Thessalonica, Corinth and
Colossae. So DO WE think we have this all figured out?
In Thessalonica the pagans and former pagans thought
they knew what new life would look like (they didn’t).
Living to please God is instructed from the Apostles/
the disciples of Jesus
In Corinth there were some questions about money.
That is odd since most of them had none.
In the town of Colossae. . . there was some confusion
Paul then says, don’t be deceived by HUMAN
TRADITION. (Col 2:8)
Paul re-emphasizes. . .you died with Christ,
you are raised with Christ to NEW life. . .live in Christ
Col. (2:6-7) (Don’t live by rules. Live by Christ)
Romans is a letter of “introduction” –they had not met.
(Romans 1:9-15, esp vs.15)
Two groups of Christians in ONE church NOT getting along?
Paul got to the root of the issue. . .
where we belong--to whom we belong and
where is our identity? (See also 1 Corinthians 1, esp 10-17)
The word “belong” occurs throughout the New Testament.
(Romans 1:6, 7:4, 8:9, 12:5, 14:8)
The beginning of the letter to the Romans is six verses but
ALL ONE sentence. . . .
It isn’t about following rules or doing right. .
.it is about BEARING fruit for God. (7:4)
Paul starts Chapter 8: “there is now no condemnation for
those who are in Christ Jesus. . .”
ONE BODY (Romans 12:5, 1 Corinthians 12)
Jesus the builder (the carpenter) has ONLY ONE
building project.. .his church. (Matthew 16:18)
Live your new life rooted in Jesus Christ. Amen
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