Grace is for Freedom
Sermon Summary
Mick Murray continues a sermon series on grace, preaching from Romans 6:1-4 and 11-14. Mick explains that grace does not give believers a license to keep sinning freely, but ushers them into an entirely new identity. Drawing on Paul's use of baptism as a picture of dying and rising with Christ, and the exodus story of Israel walking through the Red Sea out of slavery in Egypt, Mick shows that everyone who trusts in Jesus has been moved out of sin's dominion and into a new life under grace.
Mick unpacks three practices from Romans 6:11-14: considering ourselves dead to sin, resisting sin from that renewed identity rather than to earn God's favor and presenting ourselves to God as instruments of righteousness. Mick shares his own story of addiction to pornography, reminding us that we do not need to acquire more grace or freedom, but sin no longer has dominion over those who are under grace.
Key Scriptures
Romans 6:1-4 (NIV)
"What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life."
Romans 6:11-14 (NIV)
"In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace."
2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV)
"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
Philippians 2:12-13 (NIV)
"Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence but now much more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose."
1 John 4:18 (NIV)
"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."
Discussion Questions
Choose a few of these questions from the various categories to go deeper in the sermon and put the truths of Scripture into practice. You don't need to answer every question. Select the ones that will best help your group engage with God's Word and apply it to your lives.
Scripture Study & Deeper Understanding
Paul begins Romans 6 responding to a question he expects from his readers: "Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?" What has he just said in Romans 5:20-21 that would provoke that question, and how does he answer it in verses 1-2?
In Romans 6:3-4, Paul describes baptism as being buried with Christ and raised to new life. What does he say actually happened to believers in this passage, and how does this connect to Israel's exodus through the Red Sea out of slavery in Egypt?
Verse 11 tells us to "consider" ourselves dead to sin rather than to "make" ourselves dead to sin. What is the difference between these two ideas, and what does Paul reveal about our identity in verses 11-14?
Encouragement, Challenge & Personal Testimony
Mick tells the story of Ira Yates, who owned oil-rich land for over a decade without knowing the wealth was already his. In what ways have you experienced a truth about who you are in Christ that took time to sink in, even though it was already true?
Mick shared how years of praying "God, set me free" shifted to praying "empower me to walk in the freedom I already possess." How does this shift in mentality challenge or encourage the way you currently pray about a struggle in your own life?
Romans 6:14 promises that sin will no longer be our master. What would change in your daily thoughts, habits or relationships if you fully believed this was true of you right now?
Putting It Into Practice
Mick outlines a three-part daily practice from Romans 6:11-13: consider, resist and present. Which of these three feels most difficult for you right now, and what would practicing it look like this week in one specific area?
Mick describes a daily prayer of surrender, offering specific parts of his life such as his mind, his eyes, his hands and his resources back to God. What is one area the Holy Spirit is inviting you to surrender to Him this week, and what would that look like practically?
Prayer
Listening to the Holy Spirit. We're going to take focused time to listen to the Holy Spirit and what He wants to speak to us personally based on our time in Scripture and discussion.
Let's sit in silence for 60 seconds and ask the Spirit to speak to each one of us. After the minute of silence, what do you sense the Holy Spirit highlighting or speaking to you as we prayed?
Prayer Requests: What prayer requests come up for you based on our Scripture study and discussion?