Diffusers 15: Freed From Slavery to Things

Intro

We waste what God has given us by not using his gifts to build his kingdom.

I. Jesus frees us from slavery to things so our hearts can go after God.

Identity focus: God made you to be immersed in Jesus rather than immersed in the world.

Jesus makes it clear that anything with any value in this world is subject to corruption.

If that which is corruptible is our treasure, our hearts too will be corruptible.

Jesus also makes it clear that heavenly treasure is incorruptible.

If our treasure is incorruptible, than neither shall we be corrupted with it,

We store up treasure in heaven not by rejecting the good gifts God gives us, but by using God’s gifts for the purpose he had in mind: to build his kingdom with him.

One key is to be sure we aren’t making our lives about God’s gifts, but about God and with a heart of gratitude for his gifts.

Some ways we store up treasure in heaven are...

Tithing/giving to the poor

By doing these we refuse to make life about the accumulation of money.

Dedicating time to prayer, scripture reading, and other spiritual disciplines

By doing these we refuse to make our time all about ourselves.

Regularly attending church gatherings so you can bless others

By doing this we also refuse to make life about us, and dedicate ourselves to the community of Christ.

Actively seeking to lead people to Christ

By doing this we make our lives about God’s mission of reconciliation.

Living simply

This will look different for each person/family, but by living well within our means and rejecting extravagance we refuse to make life about the here and now. We look forward to a better future in Christ.

The main thing to see here is that if our treasure is corruptible, than our hearts will be with that which is corruptible rather than with the incorruptible.

If we are enslaved to worldly things, our hearts cannot go after God. Jesus came to free us from this so we can live with the same sort of freedom and abandon he lived with.

II. Jesus frees us from slavery to things so our minds can focus on God.

Matthew Jesus Teaches About Money / 6:19–24 / 61

Proper spiritual vision requires us to see clearly what God wants us to do and to see the world from his point of view.

-LABC

God made you to become like Jesus instead of like the world.

Adam’s eye became obsessed with something he wanted to possess in this world and it utterly corrupted his soul. The fruit and what it could give his became his treasure.

It wasn’t so much the act of eating the fruit that corrupted Adam. It was that his heart desired it above all. It became his all consuming passion.

Jesus refused to get caught up in the pattern of Adam.

He could have been born in a palace, but he chose a barn.

He could have had it all, but chose a minimalistic life.

He could have been renowned but chose to remain anonymous.

He could have forcibly taken the kingship, but chose the cross.

Jesus was much freer than Adam. Because he chose to keep his eyes on the Father, he never became enslaved to this world. He lived within it without becoming overcome by it and assimilated into it.

Jesus had kingdom authority. His life made it apparent that he was focused on something much greater than what he could get out of life in the moment. His focus was eternal and because of that he was free from slavery to the moment.

People of darkness are focused on the world rather than on God and they are in bondage to the world.

It is no surprise when people who lack eternal vision end up ruining even the short lives they have.

They think all they have is the moment and so they live fast and hard, and lose everything doing it.

People of light are focused on God rather than the world.

You don’t need a bucket list when you know you have eternity in Christ.

We can live with steadiness, confidence, and patience because we know our future is tied up with Christ and he is forever.

III. Jesus frees us from slavery to things so we can do what God made us to do.

III. Upward oriented people are sold out to God.

We were made to what Jesus would do if he were us instead of doing what Adam would do if he were us.

Jesus saved us so that we could get back to what he originally designed us to be.

When we are serving anything besides God, we are out of sync with true reality and with the very heart of what we were created for.

Closing

Take some time this week to really consider what you treasure most in life. Is it Christ? If not, how is God leading you to practice repentance and belief in this area?

What do you focus on most throughout a typical day? How can you expand your active focus upon God?

What is one way you can intentionally practice serving God during this coming week?

God has given us many gifts. Let’s not waste them by using them for purposes less than building his kingdom. Christ has freed you so that you might join him in his work of redeeming this broken world, restoring it, and bringing his kingdom into every place where you and I are. So let’s go and do it!