Series: Sinners
Message: Fruit
Preacher: Japhet De Oliveira
Reflection: Mark Witas
Live Wonder: Zan Long
Live Adventure: Zan Long
Live Purpose: Kyle Smith
Editor: Becky De Oliveira
Refresh: Begin with prayer. Ask for the Holy Spirit to open your heart to new understanding and for God’s character to be revealed.
Read: Romans 7:1-12 in the English Standard Version (ESV). Note 1–3 insights or questions.
Reflect: “For when we were in the realm of the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death” (Romans 7:5).
We are born with the tendency to be rebellious. It’s in our DNA. It starts young. We hear the word “no!” and we just want to ignore it and do whatever it is that we are not supposed to do.
My son was two years old the first time I saw the wheels of rebellion turning in his head. We were in the basement family room. I was working on my computer, and my son, Cole, was running around and playing with some of his toys. The gas fireplace was on with an ottoman blocking the front so that my son couldn’t get too close and wouldn’t get burned. But somehow I’d left the screen to the fireplace open. And suddenly I saw a big disaster waiting to happen.
My son had the TV remote in his hand and he was toddling toward the fire. I could clearly see that he was planning to throw the remote into the fire. In my most “Mount Sinai” thunderous voice, I said, “Cole! No!”
He turned around and looked at me. I could see the struggle, the temptation. I repeated myself. “No! Don’t do it.”
He stood there and looked at me. I expected him to drop the remote and go on with his life, but he didn’t. He just stared at me, wheels turning. What would happen if I broke the law of “No!” and threw this remote into the fire?
I tried again. “Cole! No!”
No luck. He quickly turned and threw the remote into the fire. Three things resulted: stinky melted plastic, an ugly burn spot on the carpet, and a sore bottom. Also I learned something about the human condition.
We are all rebellious by nature. When we hear the command to go right, we instinctively want to turn left.
In the Bible, there are many stories where characters rebel, often with dire consequences. Don’t eat the fruit—Adam and Eve brought sin into the world. Don’t turn look at the burning city—Lot's wife turned into a pillar of salt. Don’t take anything from the conquered foe—Achan and his family pay the ultimate price. Be honest and give from your heart—Ananias and Sapphira are buried next to each other. It’s in our nature to rebel.
A lot of Christians think that the definition of sin is “breaking God’s law.” Actually, a better definition of the biblical teaching on sin is rebelliousness. We all sin and fall short and are forgiven at our request. What can’t be forgiven is a rebellious heart. A rebellious heart doesn’t seek forgiveness and change because it doesn’t want them. A rebellious heart doesn’t want to obey. When it’s embraced without shame, rebellion is the unpardonable sin.
The only antidote to our inbred rebellion is the Holy Spirit making our stoney hearts malleable. Letting Jesus turn our rebellion into humble obedience is the key to a great life on this earth and forever.
Recalibrate: Are there any parts of your life that rebellion has kept off limits to the touch of Jesus?
Respond: Take a moment of self-inventory and ask Jesus to take any rebellion you may have in your life and turn it into obedience.
Research: A good read about rebellion and its effect is found in Patriarchs and Prophets in the chapter titled, “The Rebellion of Korah.”
Remember: “Still, the Law and its commands are holy and correct and good” (Romans 7:12, CEV).
Mark Witas is the lead pastor at Pacific Union College Church in Angwin, CA. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Mark has served as a youth pastor, Bible teacher, college and academy chaplain, and lead pastor in the United States and Canada for the last 33 years. He has also authored four books: Born Chosen, Live Out Loud, Portals, and Just Jesus.
Experiment with rolling balls and falling toys. Line up some toys and roll a ball to knock the toys over. See if your little one discovers that in order for the toys to fall over, the ball must be rolled and must connect with the toys. Your child will learn how just one action causes a reaction. This is why God gave us the law to guide our actions. God’s law is holy, correct, and good.
Try out the law of gravity—what goes up must come down. Jump up and see if you come down. Throw a ball and see where it lands. What can you do to extend the time that the object is in the air? Sometimes we forget about all the laws that keep our planet spinning and all the stuff from floating away. Gravity does that. God’s laws have purpose. They are holy, correct, and good. Can you think of any other laws of nature that God has made?
I have an amazing wife. Her name is Annie, and she is such a kind, humble, and happy person. What few people know, however, is that Annie hates seeing “pointless” rules enforced. One summer, we worked with a youth program called Youth Alive. It had very strict rules about dating (and, well, everything, for that matter). In fact, when we arrived at the site, they told us we had to “break up” for the summer. This was hard because we had been dating for two years at this point. Also, we were already sophomores in college. We both thought it was a crazy rule, but Annie could not stand it. She would sit and stew about how ridiculous this rule was. She just wanted more than anything to prove to the leaders that the rules were wrong. Have you ever wanted to break the rules because you thought you knew better? Were you right or did you learn that those rules were needed? What are some rules that you may be breaking right now that you know you would be better off keeping? How has life shown you that none of God’s rules are pointless but are actually life giving?