LIFE & LIBERTY
Notes
Transcript
Introduction:
Introduction:
Yesterday 4th of July — Independance Day
Celebrating Freedom & Liberty as Americans
Meditating on what Life & Liberty are in Christ
Felt the need to give you more than a devotional this morning, but to dig deep and really preach as God has led me to.
LIFE & LIBERTY — as found in Roman’s 8 —
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
[PRAYER]
Three Bible Truths about our Freedom in Christ
Freed from Condemnation
Freed from Condemnation
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Christ came to set us free from Condemnation — because apart from Christ — all are condemned.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
ILLUSTRATION
Above the entrance to the concentration camp in Auschwitz, Germany were the words Arbeit Macht Frei. The words mean “Work makes free.” It was a boldfaced lie suggesting that if the prisoners worked hard, they would be given liberty. The promised freedom was a horrifying death.
Many people believe that if they do their best good works they will earn Heaven. This, however, is false. They will learn too late that good works do not earn freedom.
It is only the blood of Christ that liberates. He died to give us freedom from the penalty of our sin. And if you know Him, you are free from Sin’s penalty — you are free from an eternity in a literal place of torment called Hell.
Aren’t you glad Jesus set you free?
(Freed from Condemnation)
Freed from Captivity (We were in bondage to sin)
Freed from Captivity (We were in bondage to sin)
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
What is the Law of Sin and Death?
But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Sin was our Slave Master, Hell was our Penalty — Christ redeemed us — He purchase our freedom and made us God’s Children.
15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Do you live that truth in your own life?
ILLUSTRATION
President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862. The moment it went into effect on January 1, 1863, every slave living in the Confederacy was legally free. But until they knew of their freedom, the legal fact had no impact on their lives. In fact, Union soldiers carried hundreds of thousands of copies of the proclamation and passed them out as they made their way through the South during the war.
Do you realize that you have been freed from the captivity of Sin?
Have you read the proclamation of Scripture, that in Christ, you are ALREADY free?
(Freed from Condemnation)
(Freed from Captivity)
Free to Choose
Free to Choose
5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. 16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
America was founded on the principles of personal liberty.
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.
1st Amendment — Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
And all freedom-loving Americans rightly take pride in their liberty and defend their liberty
We should be free to worship our God without interruption and without governmental conditions
We should be free to speak our minds, and have open and honest discussions
We should be free to defend our own lives, loved ones, livelihoods, and properties
We should be free to pursue happiness, to improve our own lives
We bristle and our blood begins to boil as we see all the many attacks on our civil liberties, and we feel as Patrick Henry did in frustration with an unrelenting and unsympathetic tyrant, Britain’s King George the Third — GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME DEATH!
And as I meditated on these verses, on the fact that, as Christians, we have been set free from Condemnation, we have been liberated from our bondage to sin,
And we now have the freedom to choose the path of righteousness, to take full advantage of that glorious liberty we have been given;
But how often, do Christians instead choose to run back to the old slave master, run back to the bondage they’ve been liberated from, and squander their freedom in Christ by choosing, CHOOSING, the path of sin — the wages of which are DEATH.
ILLUSTRATION
Dr. Richard Halverson was the U.S. Senate chaplain from 1981 to 1995, and during that time he spoke before a group of evangelicals who had expressed their anger about Congress’ inactivity on the subject of school prayer. They were irritated that congress had not acted with a strong initiative to restore prayer in schools. To these who were seeking greater initiative from the government, Dr. Halverson asked, “How many of you have prayed with your children this month, outside of church?” Nobody raised their hand.
We expect more nobility and integrity from politicians, then we expect from ourselves.
We look around us, we see the corruption, the conflict, the crime and we wring our hands and we roll our eyes and we wish it weren’t so.
We watch daily as immorality is normalized, the Biblical family is demonized, and depravity is advertised and we think to ourselves, what has happened to our country?
ILLUSTRATION
French writer Alexis de Tocqueville, after visiting America in 1831, said “I sought for the greatness of the United States in her commodious harbors, her ample rivers, her fertile fields, and boundless forests—and it was not there. I sought for it in her rich mines, her vast world commerce, her public school system, and in her institutions of higher learning— and it was not there. I looked for it in her democratic Congress and her matchless Constitution—and it was not there. Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great!”
Our country is where it is today because we, God’s people, who were liberated from sin’s penalty, and sin’s captivity, have consented to sin’s company — not just within our culture, but within our churches — and not just within our churches, but within our homes — and not just within our homes, but within our personal, day to day lives.
The problems we face as a nation will not be solved by legislation. They will not be resolved through politicians. They will not be curtailed through winning elections. Every problem this nation faces could be solved if Christians would choose to pursue righteousness, if God’s people would boldly blanket their communities with the Liberating Gospel of Jesus Christ!
We stand and fight for our Civil Liberties. We boldly speak up in defense of our Freedoms as Citizens.
What this nation, and this church really needs is Christians that are just as passionate about their Spiritual Liberty as they are their Civil Liberties. Christians that would stare sin, and Satan in the face and say — I’d rather DIE then be enslaved again — I’d choose LIBERTY over DEATH every time!
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
Hey Christian, is God opening your eyes right now to some concessions, some compromises, some choices you’ve been making to obey that old, deadly master called sin?
Maybe there are some destructive habits you need to surrender to Jesus
Maybe there’s an unbiblical relationship you’re in that you need to surrender to Jesus
Maybe there’s some TV, or INTERNET, or SOCIAL MEDIA habits you need to surrender to Jesus
Maybe there’s some old wounds, some unforgiveness, some resentment, some bitterness, that you need to surrender to Jesus
Maybe there’s some attitudes you need to surrender to Jesus
Maybe there’s some pride you need to surrender to Jesus
Maybe there’s some spiritual apathy you need to surrender to Jesus
Whatever sin you’ve been choosing to allow in your life — you need to realize, you have freely and purposefully choosing that particular sin, and it’s time repent of that choice, and turn back and surrender your life to Jesus
And also, let me ask you, are you certain, that you have been set free by the Blood of Jesus?
Do you recall a time and a place where you called out to Jesus Christ for forgiveness and salvation?
Or have you been counting on something else to free you from the wrath of God to come?
Freedom from Condemnation can ONLY come through faith in Jesus Christ
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Are you certain, 100% positive, that you are not Condemned? Are could it be possible that you are yet condemned, and were your life to end today, you’d find yourself in Hell?
The Bible makes it clear, you can have Spiritual Liberty from Sin’s Penalty and Sin’s Power, but you have to receive that gift personally, through faith in Jesus Christ.
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
THE FREEDOM WE HAVE AS AMERICANS IS TO BE CHERISHED, DEFENDED, AND UPHELD IN COURAGE AND IN EARNEST
THE SPIRITUAL FREEDOM WE HAVE IN CHRIST SHOULD BE EVEN MORE SO — IN CHRIST WE HAVE LIFE AND LIBERTY — DO YOU? AND IF YOU DO, HOW ARE YOU LIVING IN LIGHT OF IT?