Is Freedom Really Free? - Dedication

Manuscript Template

Title:  Is Freedom Really Free?

Focus Statement:  

Function Statement:  

Tweetable Phrase:  

Main Text:  1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1

Supporting Text:  Ephesians 2:8-10

Redemptive Closure (point to Jesus): Matthew 16:21-23

Benediction:  Matthew 5:16

Questions to Review

Is the bottom line clear? Main point should be able to be said in a single sentence.

What’s the opening line? Not hello, start with a question or something to grab attention.

Is the transition from the introduction to main point clear?

What’s my main point? Make it short and memorable

Does it matter? Is the topic relevant to the congregation?

Where is the power in the text? What word or phrase highlights the tension?

How am I moving toward application?

What is my main to-do (application)? Be specific.

What does it matter? The WHY creates urgency.

How am I closing? Have a plan.

5 Things Each Sermon Must Do With the Biblical Text

Teach it: Cultural context, exegesis, what does it mean?

Illustrate it: Add emotion, illustrations, pictures, stories.

Apply it: How do we respond?

Distinguish it: How is this different? Invite the Holy Spirit in.

Portable-ize it: Make it RHYME (no WIN in COMPARISON), ALLITERATE it, make it ECHO (who are of infinite worth to the infinite God), use a METAPHORE (the Root of murder is anger...only God can uproot it from our hearts), or make it CONTRAST (a life devoted to self, leave you alone)

https://ideogram.ai/t/explore

Dedication

If I could ask Amber, Alex, and William to join me up on stage.

We, as a church have the honor of dedicating William this week.

Alex and Amber, you have brought William whom God has given you to be dedicated to God and to His service. By this act you testify to your faith in the Christian religion, and also your desire that your children shall receive the benefits of consecration to God, and of the prayers of the church, and may early learn to know and follow the will of God; and therefore may live a Christian life.

In order for this to happen, it will be your duty as parents to teach your children early the fear of the Lord; to watch over their education, that they may not be led astray by false teachings or doctrines, to direct their minds to the Holy Scriptures as expressing the will and authority of God for all people, and to direct their feet to the sanctuary, to restrain them from evil associates and habits; and, as much as you are able, to bring them up in the Lord’s discipline and instruction. Will you endeavor to do so, by the help of the Lord?

Then the parents or guardians shall answer: We will.

(Then the minister shall read the following Scripture lesson:)

Children are so important to God and to the life of the church. We’re reminded of this fact in Mark 10:13-16 which says.

Mark 10:13-16

“People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’ And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them” (Mark 10:13–16).

(Then the minister shall take each child in arms, lay a hand upon the child’s head, and say:)

William Fletcher, on behalf of your parents and of this congregation, I dedicate you unto the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Now to help you in the journey of raising your children to know, love, and follow God, the church wanted to give you a small gift. We have a book of prayers that you can pray over William as he grows and matures into the man God created him to be. I hope this blesses both of you.

Church, will you join me in prayer for the Fletchers?

WELCOME

Good morning!!! My name is Ryan Hanson, and I have the honor of serving here at The Light KC as the lead pastor. I’m so glad you’re here with us.

‌Welcome to those joining us online. We hope you're doing well and hope to see you in person in the coming weeks.

And a special welcome to those joining us for the first time. We’re so glad you chose to be here.

ME/INTRO - Tension

How great are family Sundays?

Being led by the students in worship is something I look forward to. They put a lot of work into leading and it shows. Great jobs students.

And...it is great to have the elementary, middle, and high school students in the sanctuary with us.

So, in honor of our widened demographic, I want to talk about something that affects us all, no matter what age we are.

Today I want to talk about Freedom.

Because at some level, FREEDOM is something we all want.

We don’t want people telling us what to do.

We don’t want people telling us that we can’t do something that we want to do.

As Americans we want the FREEDOM to do whatever we want.

It’s literally written into our founding documents.

Declaration of Independence

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Constitution

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Liberty here is defined as freedom from oppressive restrictions and the ability to act without unnecessary interference.

WE - Tension

But is that really what we want?

If we engage in whatever we want, are we really free?

Is engaging in every freedom we have the opportunity to engage in the life God created us to live?

Is engaging in every freedom we have the opportunity to engage in the best way to live?

We know that not all freedoms are good.

We voluntarily give up freedoms all the time.

We give up the freedom to randomly attack other people, steal, drive crazy, etc.

We choose follow to laws because we want to live in a safe society.

We give up our freedom to spend all the money we make the way that we want.

We choose pay our taxes (even if we complain about it) because we want to enjoy the infrastructure that we get from them.

We give up the freedom to act however we feel like acting around others.

We choose to abide by social norms because we want to live in a society where everyone gets along.

etc.

And I think we’re all okay with giving up these freedoms because we all want a functioning, safe society that people want to be a part of.

Without some general rules that we all agree to, society would be chaos and most likely a place none of us would want to live in.

BUT...

This raises the question, what freedoms should we voluntarily give up?

What freedoms should we fight to keep?

As Christians, how should our answers to these questions be different than non-Christians?

That’s what we’re going to talk about today.

If you missed the previous messages, please feel free go to our website, TheLightKC.org, to catch up.

As we begin, please turn with me to 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1

We’ll have the scripture on the screen, but if you have a Bible with you, or Bible app on your phone, I’d encourage you to turn to the passage and follow along. There is nothing that replaces having God’s word in your hand.

AND... if you don’t have a Bible, we have Bibles under the seats. If you don’t have a bible and would like one, please come see me after the service and I’ll get you one you can keep.

Let's dive in.

GOD - Text

To give you a little background, Paul is writing to the people of Corinth.

Corinth was a pretty crazy place. It would be similar to today’s Las Vegas.

And just like people in Las Vegas are proud of the moniker “sin city”, the people of Corinth did what they wanted. They sinned in almost every way we can imagine.

Yet, the church is Corinth had a unique challenge. They had to learn to live a life that honors God in the middle of a culture where anything was fair game, there wasn’t a concept for sin, and people had the ultimate freedom to engage in any and all of their desires.

The members of the church seemingly wanted to know where the line was, and how far they can go before what they’re doing is actually a sin.

And isn’t that something that we all ask?

How far is too far?

Where does an action transition from God honoring, to neutral, then into the area of a sin?

What desired actions are you wresting with right now?

So the passage we’re going to read today is Paul’s counsel on how to answer that question?

How do we balance our freedom to act according to our wants, and our desire to honor God and live a sin free life?

1 Corinthians 10:23 NIV

“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive.

Paul starts by asking the Corinthian church a question.

Is what you want to do beneficial?

Is what you’re about to do constructive.

Here the word constructive

Greek word Oikodomei

build, erect; build up, encourage, strengthen, edify; rebuild, restore

Paul is saying that anything we do should be for the good of others.

And Paul says it directly

1 Corinthians 10:24 NIV

No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.

Does everything you do help other become everything that God created them to be? Do your action...

...restore the broken?

...build up the depressed?

...encourage the scared?

Paul acknowledges that we have freedom in Christ.

1 Corinthians 10:25–31 NIV

Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.” If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience. But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, both for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience. I am referring to the other person’s conscience, not yours. For why is my freedom being judged by another’s conscience? If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for? So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

But we need to voluntarily limit our freedoms to only those things that bring glory to God.

What are you currently doing that doesn’t honor God?

What are you doing that the Holy Spirit has been convicting you to stop?

Paul ends with quite the statement.

1 Corinthians 10:32–11:1 NIV

Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God—even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

Paul ends by telling us WHY we need to limit our freedoms.

Our mission should be the same as Jesus’ mission in Luke 19:10, to “seek and save the lost”.

If we’re not, as Paul writes, following the example of Christ, doing everything we can so that everyone God places in our lives can be saved we’re missing the point.

The point of our lives, here on earth is to be a DISCIPLE of Jesus Christ, allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us to shape our CHARACTER to match that of Jesus, SO THAT everyone can SEE GOD reflected through our lives, AND BE SAVED.

Does your life currently follow the example of Jesus?

Are you praying for and allowing the Holy Spirit to shape your character?

Does your life reflect God’s love to non-believers?

YOU - Takeaway

I don’t know about you, but voluntarily limiting my freedom to act as I want, when culture won’t even judge me for it, is hard in today’s world.

Just as the Corinthians lived in a time when there really were no rules, we are pretty close to that now.

It feels like culture is normalizing more and more activities. Giving us freedom to engage in more and more behaviors that used to be frowned upon.

The way we dress: elementary school - finger tip rule - three finger rule - no mid drifts

Relationships: living together - pre-marital sex - divorce

the list goes on and on.

I once heard a phrase that stuck with me, “The Medium is the Message”.

It basically means that our beliefs are shaped by how we choose to engage with the world.

For example:

Light Bulb: extended the length of the day

We now have the FREEDOM to work late into the night

But by doing so, OUR VALUE became how long we work and how much we produce

Television: MTV in the 80s were the first to zoom in close to individual body parts and use quick cuts in their videos

We now have the FREEDOM to look at people differently, objectively

But by doing so, OUR VALUE comes from how we look

Mobile Phones: allowed us to be connected anywhere

We now have the FREEDOM to check our notifications as soon as they come in

But by doing so, OUR VALUE is determined by what we can do for others - relationships became transactional

Social Media: we can post anything and everything about our lives (typically only the highlight reels)

We now have the FREEDOM to death scroll the lives of everyone we know

But by doing so, OUR VALUE is based on what others think of us

But this isn’t new. Even in Jesus’ time, the Romans had this figured out.

Andrea and I had the opportunity to tour Turkey; see the churches of Revelation and walk Paul’s missionary journeys.

From that entire trip, one city stands out in my mind.

We visited the city of Aphrodisias.

Roman city

Near a marble quarry

Art school

City where all the great art, sculpture, buildings came from.

It’s patron god was Aphrodite, the Greek god of love and beauty

There was a temple to Aphrodite within the city, but what stood out to me was the road leading to the temple.

On the 300’ road leading to the temple of Aphrodite was what they called the Sabastian (now)

Sabastian (rendering)

This was a large 3 story monument on each side of the road.

It consisted of 180 5’x5’ reliefs (carvings) depending different things.

Top Level

Images of the Greek Gods and Emperors

Second Level

Images of the Rome’s history and battles

Ground Level

Nothing

The idea was that as you walked up to the temple of Aphrodite you had to look up, subconsciously telling yourself that you are below Rome (2nd level) and below the gods and emperors (3rd level)

Through architecture they forced people to give their attention to Rome’s history and the pantheon of gods and emperors that they were to worship.

The architects of the Sabastian even went as far as to use different styles of architecture to communicate the difference between the levels.

Ground Level: Doric - Simplest - the level of the common people

Second Level: Ionic - a bit more elegant - level of Rome

Third Level: Corinthian - most ornate - level of gods and emperors

Romans used architecture to get the people to engage in propaganda that got them to see their value as expendable members of the Roman society, less important than the overall success of Rome, and far less important than the pantheon of gods and emperors (who thought they were gods).

The truth is...

…we are the Sabastian of God.

Ephesians 2:8–10 NIV

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

We are God’s creation / God’s artwork.

We each are a 5’x5’ relief in the big comic strip that God is writing.

Our lives are looked at by non-believers and how we choose to use our FREEDOM communicates what WE VALUE and what God desires for them.

SO...

What messages are the choices you make and the way you use your CHRISTIAN FREEDOM communicating to the world?

Who are you letting sculpt the relief / image of your life?

What does your 5’x5’ relief look like?

How does the image of your life fit in God’s story?

Remember, one relief is interesting, but not compelling; God needs all His reliefs to tell His story in a compelling way.

Each and every one of our lives is needed to tell the complete story of what God is doing in the world.

The church is like a puzzle. Each one of us is a piece. It takes all of us, working together, using our CHRISTIAN FREEDOM to RESTORE the broken, BUILD UP the depressed, and ENCOURAGE the scared SO THAT, as Paul writes, ALL CAN BE SAVED

WE / JESUS - Redemptive Close - Call to Action

But I want to end with a hard reality.

We won’t always be able to exercise our freedoms perfectly.

There will be times when we overstep.

There will be times when we engage in things that seeks our own good at the expense of others.

We live in a fallen world and there are temptations to be selfish everywhere.

I think that is why I find Peter a very comforting example throughout the gospels. He screws up royally over and over.

During one particular instance, Jesus calls him out directly.

Matthew 16:21–23 NIV

From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

Yet, Peter didn’t just misunderstand Jesus mission, Peter selfishly wanted Jesus to remain alive and continue discipling the 12.

And sometimes isn’t that what we want?

Don’t we, at times, want Jesus just to make our lives better, and ignore what Jesus wants, or worse yet, what Jesus wants to do through us?

Later, Peter even denied he knew Jesus 3x because he was scared.

But, just as Jesus does for us when we fall short, acknowledge our failure, repent, doing everything we can to correct our failure and get back on the path God wants us to walk, Jesus forgives Peter.

Jesus forgave Peter

John 21:15–17 NIV

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.

Jesus not only forgives Peter, but re-commissions him to seek and save the lost.

No matter how you’ve used the freedoms God gives you in the past...

No matter how far you’ve strayed from the path God created you to walk...

You are an integral part of the picture God is painting to give hope to a lost world.

Don’t give up, if you’ve fallen short thus far...

Repent, turn from the selfish ways you’ve used your freedoms in the past...

And from now on use the freedoms you have in Christ to RESTORE the broken, BUILD UP the depressed, and ENCOURAGE the scared?

PRAYER 

Will you join me in prayer...

SONG 

As we enter into our final song, I want to open the steps up front as an altar to anyone who needs God this week. The steps are open for you to pray to the God who is with you, who loves you, you wants to give you His peace.

‌

You may feel a hand on your shoulder as I or one of the elders join you in prayer.

BENEDICTION 

Matthew 5:16 NIV

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

This week...

Let’s not use our freedoms in Christ to indulge in every selfish desire we have.

Let’s voluntarily give up some of our freedoms, SO THAT, everything we do aligns with God’s mission of saving the lost.

Let’s choose to let God work through us to RESTORE the broken, BUILD UP the depressed, and ENCOURAGE the scared.

This week, let’s go out and be the church, each living lives that tell a story of God’s love, grace, and mercy. And together let’s paint a picture of God’s love that will bring hope to a lost and hurting world.

Quick reminder...

Mission / Evangelism Night - October 16th at 6 PM - Please do what you can to come

If you’re new, please stop by our info desk, or see me. We’d love to say “hi” and get you know you a bit better.

I hope you have a great week.

Go in peace.

You are dismissed.

DISCIPLESHIP QUESTIONS (download into APP)

How do you currently exercise your freedom in Christ, and does it bring glory to God?

Have you ever felt conflicted between pursuing your own desires and considering the impact on your friends or family?

What are some freedoms you feel pressured to uphold in school or with friends that may not honor God?

In what ways can you voluntarily limit your freedoms to positively impact others in your community?

Reflecting on Paul’s example, how can you strive to ‘follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ’ in your daily life?

How as the church, can we collectively paint a better picture to non-believers of our God who loves, pursues, and wants to adopt them into His family?