7-11-21 Sermon Notes “Freedom from Sin”
Have you heard the old “good news/bad news” joke? The doctor comes in and tells the patient, “I have some good news and I have some bad news.” The patient replies, “What’s the good news?” The doctor says, “The good news is that the tests you took showed that you have 24 hours to live.” “That’s the good news?” the man cried. “What’s the bad news?” And the doctor replied, “The bad news is that I forgot to call you yesterday!” I know…it’s an old, corny joke. But seriously, I’ve got some good news and some bad news.
First the bad news: We are sinners. I don’t just mean we make bad choices sometimes. As Bishop Kenneth Carder wrote, “Sin has deeper roots than personal choices. This disease of the soul – sin – infects all human beings. It invades every aspect of life. Its power exceeds human strength and cannot be defeated by will power.” (Living Our Own Beliefs, Kenneth Carder)
So, it’s like we are imprisoned in a place that we can’t break free from on our own. Really…chained to our addictive, compulsive, and dysfunctional existence. Bad new indeed!
But now the good news: Christ has set us free! All month long we will be celebrating the freedom that is ours through Jesus Christ! Even last Sunday, as we celebrated our freedom as a nation, we were reminded that through Christ, we can be free on the inside. Not by our own works…but by the redeeming work of our Lord.
Our Scripture this Sunday is Romans 8: 1-2.
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.
We will celebrate our freedom this Sunday by sharing the Lord’s Supper together. One of the most important parts of the liturgy of Holy Communion is when the Leader says to the People, “Hear the good news: Christ died for us while we were yet sinners; that proves God’s love towards us. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!” The People then reply to the Leader: “In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.” Then, the Leader and the people both say together, “Glory to God. Amen.” Good news indeed!
See you Sunday,
Pastor Sam