Gonna Serve Somebody

Gonna Serve Somebody. Romans 6:15-23

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? Romans 6:15-16 (NKJV)

The music artist, Bob Dylan, wrote, produced, and sang a song titled, "Gotta Serve Somebody." In that song, Bob touches on an important truth based upon the very scriptures we study today. The human condition is that we will always serve somebody.

"You may be a state trooper, you might be a young Turk,
You may be the head of some big TV network,
You may be rich or poor, you may be blind or lame,
You may be living in another country under another name
But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You're gonna have to serve somebody,"

This is a wonderful song, with a staggering truth that many need to wake up to. In our lives, we serve more than somebody, we serve this body and its cravings. It craves to be thought of as good, yet it can want things that separated us from God. It is how we direct ourselves that will make the difference on judgment day.

Innocently, people do things because they feel an urge; life's experiences influence our emotions. Deep inside we harbor hurts, pains, and anxieties, along with joys, pleasure, hopes, and dreams. Yet we rarely examine why we would turn to urges to do what is wrong.

The urge to please people can come from a past influence in your life; it may have been an abusive person that you could not please and now you search for ways to be liked. Though it may not be a problem for some, it can be motivation that hurts the emotional health and can lead to physical problems and addictions.

Some people were ignored by their parental units and therefore, at an early age had to fend for themselves. Now as an adult, their survival instincts causes them tension, stress, and anguish; they work too much, try too hard, and worry about failure for to fail is to admit defeat. For some this pressure leads to high blood pressure, heart disease, and possible heart failure.

Throughout life there are forces, pressures, commitments, and duties that make us to things that we would not choose to do. Basically, we are servants and like Bob writes, "Your gonna have to serve somebody."

But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. Romans 6:17-19 (NKJV)

Paul was speaking in the terms of slavery because they understood what being a slave was. It was common place for a person with influence to have people in their debt and working for them. Slave labor is what built many cities and made countries in to great nations. The slave was a common job.

Much like today's job markets the workplace becomes a place where people work like slaves. Their job can manipulate them to do things that they would not do on their own. Workers are the modern slaves; therefore, we can relate to what Paul is saying by the alarm clock going off every morning.

Employment is not the only slavery we know; that is what Paul was driving to in his message designed to set people free. The other form of slavery we have is to our human appetites.

Our appetites are internal motivating forces; some good and some bad. Each of us is filled with desires, passions, and the needs for experiences. These produce actions from our life that we hope will produce good results; however, the largest problem is that many times they create less than perfect results.

It is when our sinful nature influences our desires that we have difficulties, problems, and often go down a road that we were not meant to travel. This can cause the wonderful holiday vacation to turn into a dreadful experience or the family union into a heated argument that divides. The problem is that sinful nature can ruin life and turn our desires into regrets.

Though we hate sin, people are drawn to it. They know that their actions may cause complications, yet they still go forward and many into the same traps that enslaved them before.

Paul tells us that the problem is that sin is the master and people are the slaves. Yet he wants them to know that they can be delivered from the enslavement of sin and they can walk in newness of life. Problems with alcohol, drugs, abuse, and overindulgence can be eliminated if we turn to Jesus Christ.

For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:18-23 (NKJV)

Bob Dylan's song goes on to say "It may be the Devil, or it may be the Lord, but you're gonna serve somebody." With amazing simplicity, Bob is on target, agreeing with Paul, Bob paints a picture of life that is important for us to accept. We will serve our sinful lusts or serve God to defeat sinful lusts and there is no in between.

Quickly people turn away from this truth; yet ignorance becomes a motive to choose to walk away from God and will not fix the problem that the punishment for sin will be paid for.

To help people walk away, the devil has built conceptions of holiness to resemble the life of a monk in a monastery; yet that could not be further from the truth. The pursuit of righteousness brings abundant life and abundant life must spread to every aspect of life on the planet.

In every desire conceived there is a right way or a wrong way to do it. Everything we do can honor God or be turned into sinfulness. No matter what sport, what passion, what places that interest you, you can honor God in it. That is the good news of Jesus Christ.

Jesus is for today's youth, yesterday's heroes, and for all who have fallen on their way. He can lift you up, restore what is wrong, and fix the problems that have enslaved you. Jesus Christ will turn no person away and nothing will cause Him to be surprised. No matter how bad, horrific, or terrible your sin was or is, Jesus Christ can erase the penalty and restore your joy. You can live a righteous life and it can start today. Find a Christian and tell them that you want to surrender yourself to serve God and you too can have abundant life.