There is Liberty

2 Corinthians 3:17 KJV 1900

17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

Pre-Sermon Ice Breaker

A Hindu Priest, a Jewish Rabbi and a Televangelist are traveling together on a old Country Road. It is getting late and they need to find a place to stay for the evening. They come across an old farm and stop to ask if they can stay there. The Farmer says they can, but he only has room for two of them in the house. One of them will have to stay in the barn. The Hindu Priest, says no problem. After a few minutes there is a knock on the door. It is the Hindu Priest. He says, “There is a cow in the barn and cows are sacred in my country, so I can not stay in the barn.” The Rabbi says, “No Problem, I can stay in the barn.” Everyone is getting settled in, but a few minutes later, there is a knock at the door. It is the Rabbi. he says, “There is a pig in the barn, and that is not Kosher, I cannot stay in the barn.” The Televangelist says, “No Problem.” About 5 minutes later there is a knock at the door. They all answer the door and find the cow and the pig standing there.

Introduction

Today is the 4th of July, it is independence day. Today marks the day that our nation adopted the Declaration of Independence and announced their Freedom from England. Since that day Freedom has marked our nation and history. The Liberty Bell in Philadelphia reads, “Proclaim Liberty throughout all the land unto all the Inhabitants thereof.” It is a quote from Leviticus 25:10. The Statue of Liberty stands in New York Harbor and declares, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” And yet today many do not believe in the promise of freedom, and are willing to trade freedom and democracy for the lies of socialism. They embrace the rhetoric of their parents Generation singing, “Freedom’s just another word for nothin’ left to lose.”

But if we are honest real freedom is not found in a social or political movement. Real freedom can only come from God.

Throughout 2021 we have been memorizing a passage of Scripture each week and I have been preaching that verse on Sunday. Today we look at a verse of Scripture that faces the challenges of Freedom and Liberty head on. Our text today is 2 Corinthians 3:17. The Apostle Paul is writing his fourth and final letter to the church in Corinth. Chapters 1-7 highlight Paul’s reflections on his Apostolic Ministry and the reception that he has received from the Corinthians. It is in this context that the writes regarding the Holy Spirit and the Old Covenant veil, a reference to Moses in Exodus 34. Paul begins verse 17 with the theme word for the month of July, “NOW” Now connects the reference to the Lord in the previous verse to the Lord in the present verse. It is here that we discover 3 truths that will help us to grasp the depth of the Liberty we celebrate in Christ. Let us look at them together.

Body

The Person of Liberty

“Now the Lord is that Spirit.”

Verses 7-16 are a parenthesis in which Paul refers back to the Old Covenant and makes the argument that the Old Covenant is a type of veil that hides the truth of Gospel, and that New Covenant lifts this veil allowing us to see what God has done. “NOW, the Lord is THAT Spirit.” What Spirit?

2 Corinthians 3:6 KJV 1900

6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

Jesus is the Person of Liberty

Isaiah 61:1 KJV 1900

1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; Because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

It is interesting because there are 2 different Greek words that are translated Liberty in the New Testament. One found in Luke 4 and the other found in 2 Corinthians 3.

Luke 4:18 KJV 1900

18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

This word found in Luke 4:18 is the Word Aphesis, it is the act of liberating someone or something from slavery or imprisonment, or bondage. The key word her is liberating or release.

The second word found in 2 Corinthians 3:17 is the word Eleutheria (E-loo-theer-e-a) means personal freedom from servitude, confinement or oppression. The key word there is freedom.

These two words don’t contradict one another but rather complement one another.

Galatians 4:6–7 KJV 1900

6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

The Place of Liberty

“Where the Spirit of the Lord is”

Acts 1:8 KJV 1900

8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Romans 8:11 KJV 1900

11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

1 John 4:13 KJV 1900

13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

The ministry of the Holy Spirit is not to perform Parlor tricks. He is not here to get you to fall out, or laugh, or bark, or mumble in a tongue. He is not here to drop gold dust from the ceiling or make anointing oil pool in your hands. We do the miracle working, healing , spiritual gift giving power of the Holy Spirit a disservice when we turn him into some cheap nightclub magician. The Holy Spirit seals, fills, empowers, illuminates, and sets at liberty the Christian.

Where is the place of liberty? It is in you, in your heart, it is where ever you as a believer are.

The Presence of Liberty

“There is Liberty!”

Galatians 5:1 KJV 1900

1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Romans 6:18 KJV 1900

18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

Romans 8:21 KJV 1900

21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

Conclusion

Again and Again Paul warns us not to let this liberty be wasted or misused.

1 Corinthians 8:9 KJV 1900

9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.

Galatians 5:13 KJV 1900

13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

Are you free? Are you returning to the very bondage you were freed from? Are you allowing your freedom your liberty to be a stumblingblock to others and an occasion for the flesh?

Come and do business with God right now.