Friday Morning

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening (Collect for Purity)

Almighty God: to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid; cleanse the thoughts of my heart through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that I may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name, through Christ my Lord. Amen.
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Morning Reading – Romans 6:1-14 (NLT)

Sin’s Power Is Broken

Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.

Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.

Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.
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Morning Reflection:

How were you baptized – by immersion, by pouring, or by sprinkling? If you were baptized by immersion, you probably remember it as a significant moment in your life.

Paul uses baptism by immersion as a metaphor in today’s reading:

“For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism.
And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father,
now we also may live new lives.” – Romans 6:3-4

Our old life under the rule of sin has been buried with Christ under the waters of baptism – we were enslaved to the power of sin –

• we ceased being our own masters
• we lost our human dignity
• we lost our will-power
• we lost control of our character

Our new life under the rule of grace has been raised with Christ out of the waters of baptism – we live as servants of God, under the freedom of grace –

• we bind ourselves to the God of our own free will
• we bind ourselves to the God through faith in Christ
• we bind ourselves to the God and become children of God
• we bind ourselves to the God and become more like Christ

“Sin is no longer your master,
for you no longer live under the requirements of the law.
Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.”
– Romans 6:14

Questions for your consideration:

• Have you been baptized? Do you remember the details? Please explain.
• Do you remember a time in your life when you decided to turn away from sin and turn to Jesus Christ in faith? Please explain.
• Do you consider yourself a servant of God, or a child of God, or both? Please explain.
• What does living “under the freedom of God’s grace” mean to you? Please explain.

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Morning Prayer: – St Patrick (389-461)

I call on heaven and earth to witness today that I have put on Christ. I choose no other Lord than the Maker of heaven and earth. This day I walk with Him and He will walk with me.

• I fasten close to me this day that same Jesus who came to us in flesh and blood and was Himself baptized in the Jordan River.
• He died upon the cross to rescue me, broke free from death, its conqueror.
• He left us, to return the more certainly.

All these truths and their power I fasten close to me this day. Resisting my own selfishness and sin, refusing to live as a slave to riches, pleasure, or reputation, rejecting Satan and all his lies, I call on heaven to witness today that I have put on Christ.
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“Alive” – Big Daddy Weave

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Closing:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, and protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen