Freedom in Christ - Leslie Benner

Introduction

Samuel Rutherford, while in prison, wrote these words…

True Freedom (Don’t give title now. Give it at the end)

I am now, every way, in good terms with Christ. He hath set a banished prisoner as a seal on His heart, and as a bracelet on His arm.

I love Christ's glooms better than the world's worm-eaten joys.

My loss is gain;

my sadness is joyful;

my bonds, liberty;

my tears, comfortable.

This world is not worth a drink of cold water.

Oh the sweet communion that hath been between Christ and His prisoner! He is the fairest sight I see in Aberdeen. He hath made me king over my losses, imprisonment, banishment. I dare not say one word; He hath done it, and I will lay my hand upon my mouth. If any other hand had done it, I could not have borne it. I am here the Lord's prisoner and patient, handled as softly by my Physician as a sick man under a cure.

I wish that your soul might be satisfied with Him. This clay idol, the world, would seem to you not worth a fig; time will eat you out of possession of it. When the eye strings break, and the breath groweth cold, and the im­prisoned soul looketh out of the windows of the clay house, ready to leap into eternity, what will you then give for a lamp of oil?

Samuel Rutherford (written in prison)

(Eph. 3. 1-3; 4. 1; 6. 20).

This writing is entitled, True Freedom

The title is intriguing because from outward appearance, this man was not free. He was a prisoner. And yet he experienced freedom in the highest degree.

Sermon Body

Freedom. Freedom is something we all cherish and desire to have.

We desire to be free of any restraint upon us whatsoever.

We want to be free to do as we please.

In reality, absolute freedom does not exist and, even it if did, it would not be good for us.

However, God does offer us freedom.

Jesus, when he walked this earth, said that He came to give us freedom

31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” [1](John 8:31)

God offers us freedom, but not absolute. By accepting the freedom he offers, we are still bound to Him, not totally free.

But the freedom He offers is so much better than anything we could achieve on our own.

Just a few verses later, Jesus speaks to the freedom that he offers.

The freedom of which He spoke was freedom from sin. Just a few verses later…

34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.[2] (John 8:34-36)

Scripture teaches…

· That which we submit ourselves to, we become slaves to

16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. [3](Romans 6:16-18)

· We are always slaves to something. However, being a slave to righteousness is ever so much better than being a slave to sin.

· Sin leads to death

· Righteousness leads to life

Gospel

· God is the loving ruler of the world

· He made the world

· He made us to rule the world under Him

· Rev 4:11

· But is this the way it is now?

· We reject the ruler God by trying to run life our own way without him. Be we fail to rule ourselves, or society, or the world.

· Romans 3:10-12

· What will God do about this rebellion?

· God won’t let us rebel forever. God’s punishment for rebellion is death and judgement.

· Hebrews 9:27

· God’s Justice sounds hard, but…

· Because of his love, God sent his son into the world; the man Jesus Christ.

· Jesus always lived under God’s rule.

· Yet by dying in our place, he took our punishment and brought forgiveness

· 1 Peter 3:18

1 Peter 3:18 (ESV): 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,

· But that’s not all.

· God raised Jesus to life again as the ruler of the world.

· Jesus has conquered death, now gives new life, and will return to judge.

· 1 Peter 1:3

· Well, where does that leave us?

· The two ways to live

· A. My Way:

o Reject the ruler God

o Try to run life our way

o Result: Condemned by God, facing death and judgement

· B. God’s New Way

o Submit to Jesus as our ruler

o Rely on Jesus’ death and resurrection

o Result: Forgiven by God, given eternal life

· John 3:36

John 3:36 (ESV): 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

If we choose B, God’s New Way, we experience freedom in Christ and all the benefits that come with it.

The Freedom that God offers is the freedom from

The power of Sin

The penalty of sin

ONEDAY the presence of sin.

THIS FREEDOM, ALL THREE PARTS OF IT, are being enjoyed today by Leslie as she is in the presence of God.

David Souther once posted an article sharing 16 freedoms that this life in Christ offers to us….Freedoms that Leslie enjoyed (and enjoys even more now that she is with her Savior) as a result.

I want to share just a few of those with you. (My own order – I changed them from the original)

16 Freedoms We Have in Christ

July 4, 2016 By David Souther

·

Because of Jesus and His death and resurrection on our behalf, we have:

1. Freedom from bondage to sin. “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace” (Rom. 6:14).

a. That which we present ourselves to, we become slaves to

b. Sin has addictive and binding power.

c. In Christ, He beaks the power of sin. We still fight and wrestle and contend with it, but we are no longer BOUND to it.

2. Freedom from God’s wrath “For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thess. 5:9).

a. God’s holiness demands justice.

b. His holiness is angered by wrong doing and sin.

3. Freedom from guilt. “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1).

a. Who doesn’t have guilt or regret?

b. In Christ, we have freedom from condemnation and punishment for those things which we have done wrong.

c. Jesus bore that condemnation and punishment for us.

d. It would be unjust and wrong of God to exact payment from us as well.

e. (This presupposed our repentance. Repentance is required to embrace this freedom)

4. Freedom from fear of death. “But has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Tim. 1:10).

a. Death for a child of God ushers us immediately into His presence for eternity.

b. It brings deliverance from, not just the power and penalty of sin, but also the presence of sin.

5. Freedom to walk with God throughout life. “For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ’I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people’” (2 Cor. 6:15–17).

a. We are never alone

b. We are never powerless

c. We are never wisdomless

d. We are never without all we need

e. Both comforting and convicting

6. Freedom to approach God. “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus” (Heb. 10:19).

a. God is never Unavailable

b. We have freedom from isolation

c. We never have to wait in line, God is always immediately available to hear us, to be with us.

d. We may not always walk away with an answer, but we are able to walk away having spent time with God.

7. Freedom to relate to God as His child and His heir. “Therefore, you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ” (Gal. 4:7).

a. Adopted into His family

b. Accepted. Embraced. Given full writes and privileges.

c. BY THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE

d. Profound!

8. Freedom to enter the gates of heaven. “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:2–3).

a. Home in heaven.

b. Greatest thing about heaven….God is there.

c. It could be a run down warehouse in the dirtiest section of town.

d. Heaven is heaven because God is there.

e. We have freedom from fear of what comes next because we have been told what comes next.

Conclusion:

Leslie today is experiencing freedom from the power, penalty, and presence of sin.

Her faith in God, her repentance of her sin has freed her. And she is free in the presence of her Savior today.

Her desire today would be that you too would know the freedom that Christ has to offer.

I pray that today, you would accept this freedom through repenting of your sin, trusting in Jesus alone to save you, and in submission to His righteous will.

Pray

Announcements

· All are invited to the graveside for a brief service.

o Dismiss family first and then guests.

· They do invite you to join them for a light lunch in the fellowship hall. While they are going to the grave, you may head there and wait for them. Once they return inside, prayer for the meal will be offered and the lunch will begin

· Thank you for being here to support and encourage the family today. Your support means the world to them.

· Continue to pray for and support them in the days ahead as they will need your continued support.

Graveside

Ps 116

Prayer

Put Urn in ground

Allow any to put some dirt on top.

[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Jn 8:31–32). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles. [2] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Jn 8:34–36). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles. [3] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ro 6:16–18). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.