• rocket-power essential to overcome gravity’s pull
• temptation’s draw can seem overpowering
STUCK ON THE ROAD TO A DEAD END
• used to be slaves to sin, under its mastery
• earned ‘wages’ of death, impurity, shame; damaged
relationships
GRACE PROFERRED: WHAT CHRIST ACCOMPLISHED
• Christ died for our sins once for all, was raised
to live to God
• grace overflows to many as gift; blocks sin’s
mastery
MAKING IT YOUR OWN: DONNING THE SUIT
• parallel between Christ’s death / resurrection and
our death to sin / being alive to God
• ACTION of baptism a picture of union with Jesus in
His death
• ATTITUDE of counting/reckoning ourselves dead to
sin: choice not to let sin reign
• clothe ourselves with Christ; put on the new self
• space-suit analogy of believer ‘in Christ’
protected from inhospitable environment
THE GRACE-REAPER AND THE GRIM REAPER
• benefits that may be reaped: righteousness,
holiness, eternal life
• sow to flesh or Spirit, reap destruction or eternal
life
DON’T SHORT-CIRCUIT THE STILL, SMALL VOICE
• when tempted, lay hold of Bible text (Luther)
• beware over-riding voice of conscience