Pressure Points: True Freedom

Introduction

Can we give it up for our worship team! What’s up LifeSpring! For those who may not know me my name is Nathan; I’m the Worship and Student Director here at LifeSpring. Before we get started everyone has joked about how if you have any questions about uncomfortable topics that you email me at [e-mail] and that’s true I have no problem with that. Feel free to email me and I will answer it the best way I can. For those of you who struggle with spelling nathan is spelt D-I-L-L-O-N. Anyways, we have been in a series called Pressure Points where we have been going through 1 Corinthians and talking about the things that may cause some tension and may even hurt a bit when it comes to what’s popular in the world and what God’s word actually says… Speaking of tension

Illustration

How many of you would admit that at one point of your life you have wanted to know what it feels like to be handcuffed? Maybe it’s just me but not gonna lie; I have never wanted to be arrested but have always wondered what it would feel like to not have the freedom to move my arms as I please. But there’s also a difference to being handcuffed behind your back or in the front. See, behind my back I can’t do anything with my hands in fact it is quite uncomfortable. But in front of me ; I get this false sense of freedom. I can wave at my gorgeous wife sitting on the front row (WAVE). I could even catch a football (okay, at least try to catch one.. there was a reason I played as a lineman). But If I tried to throw a football it wouldn’t go very far and if I tried to hug my wife, that would probably be a little awkward. But I would still try because I have this false sense of the actual freedom I have in front of me.

Transition

I think for us as humanity we have a similar false sense of freedom not just in our lives, but especially in our faith. Many of us want to make our own choices, but deep down, we struggle with finding meaning and purpose. We often think that freedom means doing whatever feels good or pursuing our own desires without restrictions. But when we live like this, it often leaves us feeling empty or even causes harm to ourselves or others. How can we experience real freedom that leads to life instead of emptiness? This isn’t a new thing that we struggle with; in fact I would say that is the whole reason that Paul wrote 1 Corinthians.

See the Corinthian church had a false understanding of the freedom they had in Christ. They were living lives that were divided with people who still wanted to follow the laws of the Old Testament and people who thought that because Jesus came and they received his grace that everything else could be thrown out with the bath water. However what Paul brings to them is so much different… One of the things that the Corinthians were dealing with was this idea of eating food that was sacrificed to idols. Some people were really convicted by this saying “we shouldn’t do this” and others probably thought what a waste of some perfectly good BBQ. Being from Texas I completely understand those people… But look at what Paul says

The New International Version 1 Corinthians 8:1–4

Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. But whoever loves God is known by God.

So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.”

The New International Version 1 Corinthians 8:7–8

But not everyone possesses this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.

What Paul is saying is “hey this doesn’t matter. It’s not an important enough issue to be fighting about. But what does matter is the love you have for these people who are saved by the same Jesus who saved you.”

True Freedom isn’t about knowing more; it’s about loving more.

That’s why he focuses on no matter if you eat this food or not that doesn’t save you but instead it is loving God (you have these guys over her who really enjoy a good BBQ and eating food sacrificed to fake gods saying “YES!”) but then he turns around and comes back with this…

1 Corinthians 8:9–10 NIV

Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols?

He’s like “BUT!..” All of you who eat this food just to eat cause you know there is only one true God. Y’all are wrong too cause you are setting an example to people who don’t know any better. So he says in verse 12…

The New International Version 1 Corinthians 8:12

When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.

Here’s the point… Our lives are not about doing what we want. It’s about leading others to Christ.

And that means that if we have to let go of the idea that we are free to do what we want.

One of the easiest ways I can explain this is like this. I have the belief that drinking alcohol recreationally isn’t a bad thing. The reason I believe that is simply because the Bible specifies that drinking with the intent to get drunk is a sin. Now have I sinned in that way.. Yes, but that isn’t the norm. I barely drink as it is but I love a beer with a good steak. A few years ago though, one of my brothers came out as being an alcoholic. Tradition was that we would all have some sort of alcoholic beverage during Christmas dinner, however when we found out he was an alcoholic we stopped that tradition. Now some of you are probably like why would you do that you’re not an alcoholic. You aren’t even struggling with that. That’s true but what I learned is exactly this. My job as a Christian; my job as a leader is not to be selfish and think about what I would like. My job is to lead others into a life that is honoring to Christ and that starts by being willing to sacrifice what I have and being Christ-like.

Jesus gave us true freedom when he died on the cross, but true freedom isn’t found in doing what we want. True Freedom is about sacrificing what we have. It’s not a right. It’s a responsibility. Look what it says in Romans 12:1-2 this is Paul talking again.. he says…

Romans 12:1–2 NIV

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Paul is calling us to live against what the world would say we are. To live fully for God. He didn’t just say it though he lived it. Look how Paul views his freedom in Chapter 9

The New International Version 1 Corinthians 9:19–23

Paul’s Use of His Freedom

Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

Paul was living out his words. He willingly gave up what he believed to be every person’s rights. What the world and his flesh told him he needed for the sake of getting the Gospel out. He became like Christ, becoming all things to all people in order to share the Gospel with them. The reason: True Freedom Points Others to Jesus.

See Paul, knew something. He knew that true freedom required the same love that Christ had. And that love requires pointing people to Christ. I’m going to call up my friend Ed to help me portray this. These handcuffs represent my selfishness. Me living for me; doing what I wanna do. But Ed here. He is living for Christ. He’s living in true freedom. And he has the key for me to live like him in true freedom. This key is the love and joy that only Jesus can give and when that love and joy overcome my selfishness I get to walk in true freedom… Y’all give it up for Ed being willing to help me out today!

Our Job as Christians is to point others to Jesus, because Jesus was the ultimate example of a man living in true freedom. Jesus talks about it in John 5 when he says that He only does what the Father is doing. Jesus then goes and willingly sacrifices His life for us. He had every right to stay in heaven; free from sin, free from pain, but he chose to become one of us and limit himself and experience the pressures of this world. He then sacrificed Himself to take on a burden that we should have to take, so that way we could live free from the cost of sin if we just simply believe in Him.

A life truly free points others to Jesus because he points us to the Father.

Now if you’re new to this church thing or just trying to figure stuff out I want to start off by saying, we are so glad you’re here because a life with Jesus is too good to miss and you are the reason this church exists. But I need to warn all of you Christianity does not mean you get an easy life free to do what you please. The Bible says that we can’t do anything to earn God’s love and that’s true. God loves us Unconditionally because we are his children. Just like you love your children hopefully unconditionally. But there’s something we need to understand.

The existence of Unconditional Love doesn’t equate to Unconditional Tolerance.

That’s what the Corinthian church struggled with. They had this mentality that because Jesus died and grace came into play, that sin was no longer a factor in their lives. That they could do anything and be hunky dory. But that’s not the case. God’s love for us led Jesus to the cross, not to condone sin and not even to nullify it’s impact on our lives; but instead to pay for it. That love makes it so what we have done does not define who we are, but instead transforms us into who Christ is in us. We still have a responsibility to live a life pleasing to God. Jesus calls us to follow Him, not just in our belief but also in our actions. That’s why when calling his disciples he didn’t just say. “Now do you believe that I’m the Messiah? Great see you when you die.” No. He said “follow me; for I will make you FISHERS OF MEN!!!” There has to be a turn; there has to be a change to go from being a slave to sin and being free in Christ.

What we have done doesn’t define who we are. Who we are should define what we do.

So here’s the question I want to leave you with today… How do you want to use your Freedom? Do you want to use your freedom for you or do you want to use your freedom For the One?

Each of you should have a card in your seat that looks like this.. It says For the One and has a blank on it. I want you to think of who could be the one that is in need of true freedom? We all have someone in our lives that could use the Love of Jesus. Maybe its a coworker, maybe a friend or family member, maybe it’s your angry neighbor across the street. Either way we all have a one I want you to write their name down on the card.

We’re about to sing one more song and I want all of us to do something I want us to pray over our one today and then there are two things we are going to do.

1. We are going to take the card and put it in one of these buckets on the side of the stage and we as a staff team are going to join you in praying for these people.

2. We are going to take these invite cards and we are going to trust God in working in our One by continuing to invite them to our Christmas Gathering.