Your July 9, Free Lectionary Resources

We utilize at least 3 of the Scripture Readings in our Resources for each week. 1 for the Sermon Text, 1 for the Opening Prayer, and 1 for the Call to Worship. Published weekly.

Lectionary Readings — Sixth Sunday after Pentecost, July 9, 2023

Gen. 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67; Psalm 45:10-17; Rom. 7:15-25a; Matt. 11:16-19, 25-30.

Call to Worship (based on Psalm 45:10-17)

L: Hear this, everyone: Leave your past, and turn your heart to the King!

C: Our hearts are inclined to the King, we lay aside our old ways!

L: Embrace His splendor, your praise shall make His deeds remembered!

C: His majesty captivates us, we will recount His glory through all generations!

L: His name shall endure forever, His fame will spread to all peoples!

C: His praise will perpetuate through us, from this day forward and forevermore!

All: Together, let's worship our enduring King!

Opening Prayer (based on Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30)

Let us pray.

Heavenly Father, we bow our heads in prayer, reminded of the wisdom in your teachings from Matthew 11.

Lord, you have told us that people can be quick to judge, just as they judged John the Baptist and Your Son, Jesus. We confess that, at times, we too are quick to judge and slow to understand. Forgive us, Lord. Help us to not conform to the patterns of this world but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

You revealed the truths of your Kingdom to little children, hiding them from the wise and learned. Teach us, Father, to approach You with the innocence and openness of a child, to receive Your wisdom with humility, and to trust You as a child trusts a loving parent.

We are weary, Lord, and burdened. We bring before You the heaviness in our hearts. You promised, Jesus, that all who are weary and burdened can come to You and find rest. Teach us to accept Your yoke, which is easy, and Your burden, which is light. Unburden us from our worries and fears, and replace them with Your peace.

As we come together in worship today, remind us of your gracious invitation to rest in You. Help us to lay down our burdens at Your feet, trusting in Your loving care.

This we pray in the mighty name of Jesus, our Savior, who promised rest for the weary and burdened. Amen.

Sermon Outline (based on Romans 7:15-25)

Purpose: In this sermon, we aim to bring out the raw struggle that Paul describes, facing the reality of sin's influence and our continual dependence on Christ. It's a reminder that even as believers, the fight against sin is ongoing, but victory comes through Christ. The Christian life is a battle, but it's a battle we don't fight alone.

Title: Struggling, Striving, and Salvation: A Journey through Romans 7:15-25

I. Perplexing Paradox of our Personhood (Romans 7:15-16)

A. Admitting the Anomaly (Romans 7:15)

• The Conflict within us (Galatians 5:17)

• The Reality of the fallen Human Nature (Jeremiah 17:9)

B. Acknowledging the Approval of God's Law (Romans 7:16)

• Confirming the Convictions of the Law (Psalm 19:7-8)

• Aligning our Will with God's Will (Matthew 6:10)

II. Sin's Sovereignty in our Self (Romans 7:17-20)

A. Identifying the Indwelling Sin (Romans 7:17-18)

• Acknowledging our Inherent Iniquity (Psalm 51:5)

• Understanding our Utter Dependence on God (John 15:5)

B. Recognizing the Rebellion of our Flesh (Romans 7:19-20)

• The Struggle of the Spirit and the Flesh (Galatians 5:19-21)

• Acknowledging our Need for a Savior (Isaiah 64:6)

III. Warring Within: The Struggle with Sin (Romans 7:21-23)

A. Understanding the Unchanging Law of Sin (Romans 7:21)

• The Wages of Sin (Romans 6:23)

• The Deception of Sin (Hebrews 3:13)

B. Illustrating the Inner Turmoil (Romans 7:22-23)

• The War within our Members (James 4:1)

• The Battle of the Mind (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

IV. Yearning for Deliverance and the Yoke of Christ (Romans 7:24-25)

A. Desiring Deliverance from Sin's Dominion (Romans 7:24)

• The Reality of our Wretchedness (Isaiah 64:6)

• The Hope in our Helplessness (Psalm 34:17-18)

B. Celebrating Christ as our Conqueror (Romans 7:25)

• The Victory through Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57)

• The Freedom from Sin in Christ (John 8:36)

Closing Thoughts: The Dilemma of our Dual Nature, the Solution in our Savior.

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