Unbound

Prayer, Passion, Pursuit, Purpose

Introduction

We all want to kick off this year doing what we think is the most important and possibly if your here, then you would love to have a closer relationship with God. We keep our first love by not “falling out of love”, right? I am sort of playing with this phrase because I don’t think this really happens. But it is the idea that we all have the opportunity to choose love. This is the case with our marriages, relationships with our kids and friends. We have to battle to choose love.

It seems like the new year always runs like some kind of infomercial. “New and improved” or “New packaging, same great flavor”

The environment we live in:

Sometimes we fall into the idea that the environment we live in is neutral. The truth is, we need to be reminded that we have a real adversary that will stop at nothing in his power to prevent you from being in a deep relationship with God. We also have God, our loving creator father, that allows hardships to refine and discipline us to make us more like Jesus. We often get caught in the notion that this life is designed to make us happy. It is hard not to get “ME” focused with all the talk of resolutions, which revolve around “US” making “US” better, more productive, and happy for this next year. Of course, we do not ever stick to these things because it is just a form of behavioral modification.

Don’t turn over a new leaf, but get a new heart.

- “History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new.”

If I hear “New Year, New You” I might throw up.

We get caught in the cycle. Have you been in that place where you have just done something, then you say “I will never do that again.” But then you find yourself doing it again and again.

In the New Testament timeframe, Jesus ran into people like this a lot too. Ironically, the people that were the most broken on the inside where the people who just adjusted things of their outward appearance.

NIV “See to it that no on takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.”

“21 Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? 22 These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings. 23 Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence. NIV

NIV “21 Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? 22 These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings. 23 Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

“21 Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? 22 These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings. 23 Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence. NIV

“1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your[a] life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. NIV

· The things the we need to watch out for are not simply things outside the church, but we also should watch out things inside.

“5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.[b] 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices NIV

5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.[b] 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices NIV

- “History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new.”

Mentally bound

The 1918 Influenza Pandemic. The influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 killed more people than the Great War, known today as World War I (WWI), at somewhere 50 million worldwide with about 675,000 occurring in the United States. It has been cited as the most devastating epidemic in recorded world history. 500 million people were infected, which was 1/3 of the world’s population at the time.

· The 1918 Influenza Pandemic. The influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 killed more people than the Great War, known today as World War I (WWI), at somewhere 50 million worldwide with about 675,000 occurring in the United States. It has been cited as the most devastating epidemic in recorded world history. 500 million people were infected, which was 1/3 of the world’s population at the time.

Viruses only have power when they pair with the host.

The lie also has no power until we believe it.

Invisible Chains

In 2002, 11-year old Shawn Hornbeck was kidnapped while riding his bike. Michael John Devlin ran into Hornbeck with his car, causing him to crash. Devlin went over to "help" Hornbeck, and shoved him into his vehicle. He later told Hornbeck that he was just "in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Hornbeck lived with Devlin for four years. He had a girlfriend, often went to the local shopping mall, and even spoke to police officers once about a missing bike. No one recognized him, and Hornbeck had been brainwashed to believe that Devlin would harm or kill him if he revealed his whereabouts.

When Devlin kidnapped Ben Ownby, police tracked him back to his home, where they found Hornbeck. Hornbeck was reunited with his parents. According to a followup interview conducted in 2013, he now has a full time job and lives with his family.

Devlin is currently serving three life sentences in prison for kidnapping and child sexual abuse in the cases of Hornbeck and Ownby. In 2011, Devlin was stabbed multiple times by another inmate who was disgusted and angered by Devlin's crimes.

I want you to ponder this Question: Is it possible you are more bound than you think, to something you think you can manage?

· The church at Ephesus started from nothing, overcame obstacles, had a thriving ministry, but then they ended losing their first love, who was Jesus. This likely began small but it infected everyone. We come from a place of victory and when we draw near to God he promises to draw near to us.

Ephesus overcame riots, persecution, and competing false outside ministry. The virus they did not overcome was when it come into the body. Just like the great Influenza, preventing the virus from entering and operating inside the church was the only way to prevent it.

What wants you Free

2. Wake up and Watch Out!

– “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

The current way of teaching leans so heavy to pragmatism that everything is about perspective. Of course, that has a roll but we have to recognize that there is a real enemy. God tells us to watch out for his schemes.

3. Listen for God’s voice and why you dont hear it

- “Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them."

– “I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock.”

ii. We are less likely to hear outright lies, but rather not hearing a full view of God’s word.

1. Timothy, the Ephesus campus pastor, was told in (ESV) - “For the time is coming when people will not endure nsound1 teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”

4. Know the truth

- 14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes”

The Righteous Shall Live by Faith

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

- “By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?”

- “And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.”

- “Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them."

b. – “I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock.”

– “I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock.”

ii. We are less likely to hear outright lies, but rather not hearing a full view of God’s word.

1. Timothy, the Ephesus campus pastor, was told in (ESV) - “For the time is coming when people will not endure nsound1 teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”

a. Conspiracy theories (hidden knowledge or Gnosticism)

b. Prosperity (health/wealth)

c. Social focus “Social Gospel”

5. Go to Freedom for Christ, not for comfort

- 16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

because he has anointed me

to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives

and recovering of sight to the blind,

to set at liberty those who are oppressed,

19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

6. Salvation Message

Have you realized that you are bound to something?

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

because he has anointed me

to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives

and recovering of sight to the blind,

to set at liberty those who are oppressed,

19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.