Would You Be Free?

A reality is something that exists or is true in the world, regardless of whether or not it is pleasant or desirable.

For example, the fact that we all age and eventually die is a reality of life, even though it may not be something we enjoy thinking about.

An annoyance, on the other hand, is something that causes irritation, frustration, or inconvenience, but is not necessarily a fundamental truth about the world.

For example, traffic jams are an annoyance that can cause stress and delay, but they are not an inherent part of the natural world.

In short, a reality is an aspect of the world that cannot be changed, while an annoyance is a temporary and changeable inconvenience.

Sin is a reality in our world…No matter how much we want to believe Sin is not part of our world We see the evidence of sin all around us in the form of greed, violence, and all kinds of turmoil just to name a few.

In fact the idea that sin exist is not really in dispute. One need not look to far to point to how someone’s sin has affected the lives of people close to us...

In fact many of us don’t have to think very hard to remember where someone else’s sin has affected our lives in some negative way.

The Sin we struggle to see is our own….The sin in our lives that has affected our lives or the lives of others.

It’s not that we think we are perfect…its not even that we do not acknowledge we screw up from time to time.

It’s almost as if we believe that if we acknowledge our Sin God will somehow disown us or give us some sort of punishment or a penance that is almost impossible to complete.

So instead of dealing with the reality of sin in our own lives we often label it an annoyance.

However when we treat Sin as an annoyance we allow Satan to keep us in a state of shame, guilt and loneliness.

When we ignore our sin we continue to be a slave to it.

When we confront sin and confess it we give permission to Holy Spirit to deepen our relationship with God and we allow Holy Spirit to break the chains of fear, shame, Guilt and loneliness.

When we confront Sin in our own lives we invite an awakening or revival in us and the world around us.

The starting point of any revival or awakening is the admission of the hold that sin has had on our lives.

This first week of Lent we are called to deal with the reality of our Sin and there is no better place to begin than in Genesis.

Gen 2: 15-17

“15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.

16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden;

17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.””

In the begining we were created to be caretakers of the world. Everything was for us to enjoy. Then enters the second act.. the serpent.

Gen 3:1-7

“1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

See what he did here? He lied right of the bat.

2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,

3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ”

4 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman.

5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

In this moment Satan introduces the idea that God is hiding or keeping something from them.

6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.”

The story of Adam and Eve is a story about humanity choosing our desires over the desires of God for us.

God provided abundantly for humanity, yet a boundary had been established for their well-being.

God did not place this boundary to control their lives he put the boundary into place to protect us from what Adam and Eve ultimately chose…Certain Death!

The fall of humankind is not so much about being disobedient to God as much as it is about a lack of trust in God’s goodness to us.

The serpent, or Satan, tempts Adam and Eve to violate the boundary set up for their own good by transforming the boundary established by God, to make it seem like God is trying to keep something from them.

This is still the biggest tool of the enemy…so much of our disobedience comes from us thinking we are missing out on something. Instead or realizing everything has its place if put in the right priority.

Whenever we chose the opposite of what God wants we trade our peace and give control of our emotions and thoughts to a world that does not have our best interest at heart.

Another outcome of this bad choice is…..

When Adam and Eve’s sin is revealed they begin to blame one another instead of deal with their sin which fractures their relationship with each other and ultimately their relationships with God.

The guilt over their sin turns into shame, Guilt causing them to hide from God.

This same scenario plays out in our world every day with people all over the world…all with the same outcome…

Sin is a Reality to be dealt with not an Annoyance to Ignore.

Imagine a student who is caught cheating on an exam. Despite clear evidence against them, the student adamantly denies any wrongdoing and refuses to admit their mistake.

As a result, the student not only receives a failing grade on the exam but also faces further consequences, such as probation or even expulsion from the school.

In this situation, the student's refusal to admit their wrongdoing ultimately leads to more severe consequences than if they had simply owned up to their mistake.

The inability to deal with Sin is the root of every personal, political and cultural conflict on earth.

It fills our lives with more pain, and our hearts with anguish…not only for ourselves but for those around us.

Just like Adam and Eve...Un-dealt with Sin keeps us from paradise on earth.

You see where I am going today? I am not painting a picture of a dirty sinner that is destined to the fires of hell.

I hope I am making an argument for you and I to admit our sin with the full knowledge that’s in doing so God’s presence is not diminished but enhanced in our lives.

The problem with all of this is in order to receive this glory we need to trust that God is in fact interested in our good.

The Key to Freedom from your Sin is to Confess your Sin.

1 John 1:9 “9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

God does not want to Punish you or others for sin…God wants to Free you and the world from sin.

What if true strength lies in our ability to admit weakness instead of hide it?

What if the beginning of renewal or greatness lies in honestly embracing our faults and turning them over to a God who loves us?

What if confession leads to freedom?

Let us begin this season of Lent by confronting our own sin, trusting in God's provision, and deepening our relationship with him.

Will you Be free from the burden of Sin today?

The old hymn asks:

Would you be free from your burden of sin?  There’s power in the blood, power in the blood; Would you o’er evil a victory win? There’s wonderful power in the blood.

Would you be free from your passion and pride? Would you be whiter, much whiter than snow? There’s power in the blood, power in the blood;

Sin-stains are lost in its life-giving flow, There’s wonderful power in the blood.

Communication Card:

"Dear God, I come before you to confess my sins. (Take time and be as specific with God as you can here naming the sin is not because God does know it…it helps you to let go of it)

I acknowledge that I have not always acted in accordance with your will, and that I have fallen short of your expectations. I am sorry for the times I have hurt others, and for the times I have neglected to do what is right. Please forgive me, and help me to turn away from my sins and towards your love and grace. Thank you for your mercy and forgiveness. Amen."

Communion: