Choosing Authority: The Path to True Freedom
Summary
### Summary
Good morning, everyone. It's wonderful to see you all here in Cleveland and those joining us from Dahlonega. Today, we continue our series "Right in the Eye," which draws from the Old Testament book of Judges. As children, discerning right from wrong is straightforward because there's usually an adult guiding us. However, as we grow older, the lines blur, and making decisions becomes more complex. Adulting isn't just about choosing between right and wrong; it's about navigating between good, better, and best, or bad, worse, and worst. Our wants, desires, and conscience awaken, creating an internal battle influenced by external voices and our own moral compass.
We all eventually do something we know is wrong, not just because someone told us it was wrong, but because we violate our own conscience. This brings us to the central question: "Who rules and whose rules?" Is it our parents, society, the government, or ourselves? Ultimately, we all get to choose who rules our lives and by whose rules we live.
The book of Judges captures a period in Israel's history when they had no king, and everyone did what was right in their own eyes. This led to a cycle of disobedience, disaster, and deliverance. Despite having the law of Moses and judges to guide them, the Israelites repeatedly turned away from God, leading to moral decline and societal chaos. This cycle mirrors our own lives when we deviate from our initial devotion to God, leading to dysfunction and disaster.
Joshua, before his death, urged the Israelites to serve the Lord faithfully and throw away the gods of their ancestors. He emphasized the importance of consistent obedience as a true test of faithfulness. However, after Joshua and his generation passed, a new generation arose that did not know the Lord or His works, leading to further decline.
Rejecting God's authority leads us to be ruled by our emotions, appetites, or the culture around us, which are less caring, less merciful, and less forgiving. However, when we cry out to the Lord, He raises a deliverer. Ultimate freedom is found under the authority of King Jesus, who offers us freedom, not control. Jesus requires unconditional surrender because He understands the power of these little gods in our lives.
As we reflect on our lives, we must ask ourselves: Are we distressed? Have we deviated from our devotion to Jesus? The path to freedom begins with surrendering to His rule and His rules, even when it seems undesirable. Trusting and obeying Jesus leads to true freedom.
### Key Takeaways
1. The Complexity of Adulting: As we grow older, making decisions becomes more nuanced and complex. It's not just about choosing between right and wrong but navigating between good, better, and best. Our wants, desires, and conscience create an internal battle influenced by external voices and our own moral compass. [30:03]
2. The Cycle of Disobedience: The book of Judges illustrates a cycle of disobedience, disaster, and deliverance. Despite having the law and judges, the Israelites repeatedly turned away from God, leading to moral decline and societal chaos. This cycle mirrors our own lives when we deviate from our initial devotion to God. [39:52]
3. Choosing Who Rules: We all get to choose who rules our lives and by whose rules we live. Joshua urged the Israelites to serve the Lord faithfully and throw away the gods of their ancestors. Consistent obedience is the true test of faithfulness. [50:30]
4. The Consequences of Rejecting God's Authority: Rejecting God's authority leads us to be ruled by our emotions, appetites, or the culture around us, which are less caring, less merciful, and less forgiving. This often results in us becoming someone we never thought we would be and doing things we thought we were incapable of. [52:51]
5. The Path to Freedom: Ultimate freedom is found under the authority of King Jesus, who offers us freedom, not control. Jesus requires unconditional surrender because He understands the power of these little gods in our lives. Trusting and obeying Jesus, even when it seems undesirable, leads to true freedom. [01:17:52]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[29:16] - The Simplicity of Childhood
[30:03] - The Complexity of Adulting
[30:50] - The Awakening of Desires and Conscience
[31:44] - Knowingly Doing Wrong
[32:52] - Who Rules and Whose Rules?
[33:45] - The Period of the Judges
[34:48] - From Moses to Joshua
[35:39] - The Theocratic Commonwealth
[36:32] - The Role of Judges
[37:30] - Everyone Did What Was Right in Their Own Eyes
[39:06] - The Cycle of Disobedience
[42:03] - Devotion and Deviation
[45:25] - Joshua's Final Instructions
[50:30] - Choosing Who to Serve
[52:51] - The Consequences of Rejecting God's Authority
[01:17:52] - The Path to Freedom
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Judges 21:25 (NIV) - "In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit."
2. Joshua 24:14-15 (NIV) - "Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."
#### Observation Questions
1. What does the phrase "everyone did as they saw fit" in Judges 21:25 imply about the state of Israel during the time of the Judges? [37:30]
2. According to Joshua 24:14-15, what choice does Joshua present to the Israelites, and what is his personal decision? [50:30]
3. How does the sermon describe the cycle of disobedience, disaster, and deliverance in the book of Judges? [39:52]
4. What are some of the consequences mentioned in the sermon of rejecting God's authority? [52:51]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the cycle of disobedience, disaster, and deliverance in Judges reflect the struggles in our own lives when we deviate from our devotion to God? [39:52]
2. In what ways does Joshua's challenge to the Israelites in Joshua 24:14-15 apply to our modern-day decisions about who or what we serve? [50:30]
3. The sermon mentions that rejecting God's authority leads to being ruled by our emotions, appetites, or culture. How can this manifest in our daily lives? [52:51]
4. What does the sermon suggest is the path to true freedom, and how does this contrast with the freedom offered by the world? [01:17:52]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you knowingly did something wrong despite your conscience. What influenced your decision, and how did it affect you? [31:44]
2. Joshua urged the Israelites to throw away the gods of their ancestors. Are there "little gods" in your life that you need to let go of? What steps can you take to do this? [50:30]
3. The sermon discusses the complexity of adulting and making decisions between good, better, and best. How do you navigate these choices in your own life? What tools or practices help you make wise decisions? [30:03]
4. Have you ever experienced the cycle of disobedience, disaster, and deliverance in your own life? How did you find your way back to God, and what did you learn from the experience? [39:52]
5. The sermon emphasizes the importance of consistent obedience as a true test of faithfulness. What areas of your life require more consistent obedience to God, and how can you work on this? [47:50]
6. When faced with undesirable tasks or commands from God, how do you usually respond? What can you do to trust and obey God more fully, even when it seems difficult? [50:30]
7. The sermon concludes with the idea that ultimate freedom is found under the authority of King Jesus. How can you surrender more fully to Jesus' rule in your life, and what changes might this bring about? [01:17:52]
Devotional
Day 1: Navigating the Complexity of Adulting
As we transition from childhood to adulthood, the simplicity of discerning right from wrong becomes increasingly complex. In childhood, decisions are often guided by clear instructions from parents or guardians. However, adulthood introduces a myriad of choices that are not always black and white. We find ourselves navigating between good, better, and best, or bad, worse, and worst. Our internal desires and conscience awaken, creating an internal battle influenced by external voices and our own moral compass. This complexity requires us to be more intentional and discerning in our decision-making process. [30:03]
Bible Passage:
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:2, ESV)
Reflection:
Think about a recent decision you had to make that wasn't clearly right or wrong. How did you navigate the complexity of that decision? What role did your conscience and external influences play in your choice?
Day 2: Understanding the Cycle of Disobedience
The book of Judges illustrates a recurring cycle of disobedience, disaster, and deliverance among the Israelites. Despite having the law and judges to guide them, the Israelites repeatedly turned away from God, leading to moral decline and societal chaos. This cycle mirrors our own lives when we deviate from our initial devotion to God. When we stray from His guidance, we often find ourselves in a downward spiral of poor choices and their consequences. Recognizing this pattern in our lives can help us seek God's deliverance and return to a path of righteousness. [39:52]
Bible Passage:
"And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals. And they abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt." (Judges 2:11-12, ESV)
Reflection:
Reflect on a time when you experienced a cycle of disobedience in your life. What were the consequences, and how did you find your way back to God? What steps can you take to avoid repeating this cycle?
Day 3: Choosing Who Rules Your Life
We all have the autonomy to choose who rules our lives and by whose rules we live. Joshua urged the Israelites to serve the Lord faithfully and throw away the gods of their ancestors. Consistent obedience to God is the true test of faithfulness. In our lives, we must decide whether we will follow God's guidance or be swayed by other influences. This choice impacts every aspect of our lives, from our daily decisions to our long-term goals. By choosing to serve God, we align ourselves with His will and purpose for our lives. [50:30]
Bible Passage:
"And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15, ESV)
Reflection:
Consider who or what currently rules your life. Is it God, or are there other influences that take precedence? What changes can you make to ensure that God is the primary ruler of your life?
Day 4: The Consequences of Rejecting God's Authority
Rejecting God's authority often leads us to be ruled by our emotions, appetites, or the culture around us. These influences are less caring, less merciful, and less forgiving than God. When we allow them to rule our lives, we may become someone we never thought we would be and do things we thought we were incapable of. Recognizing the consequences of rejecting God's authority can help us understand the importance of submitting to His guidance and avoiding the pitfalls of following our own desires. [52:51]
Bible Passage:
"For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened." (Romans 1:21, ESV)
Reflection:
Think about a time when you rejected God's authority and followed your own desires. What were the consequences, and how did it affect your relationship with God and others? How can you realign yourself with God's authority today?
Day 5: The Path to True Freedom
Ultimate freedom is found under the authority of King Jesus, who offers us freedom, not control. Jesus requires unconditional surrender because He understands the power of the little gods in our lives. Trusting and obeying Jesus, even when it seems undesirable, leads to true freedom. This freedom is not about doing whatever we want but about living in alignment with God's will and experiencing the peace and joy that comes from a surrendered life. By submitting to Jesus' rule, we find the true freedom that our hearts long for. [01:17:52]
Bible Passage:
"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:36, ESV)
Reflection:
Identify an area of your life where you struggle to surrender to Jesus. What steps can you take to trust and obey Him in this area? How might this surrender lead to greater freedom and peace in your life?
Quotes
1. "Adulting is not making like decisions between what is right and wrong. All right. That's childhood. Adulting. We're making decisions between what is good, better and best or what's bad. Bad and worse. Right. And it all becomes so complicated, again, because there's these little things that, you know, you have to have all the facts, have to have all the implications of, you know, what's going to be the chain reaction of the decisions we make." [30:03] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Eventually. Eventually. We all knowingly do something wrong. I don't mean do something wrong because our parents told us it was wrong, though that happens. They told us don't do that. We did it anyway. I don't mean we do it and it's wrong because a coach, a teacher or somebody else or a boss told us it was wrong or or even because the government, a police officer and society at large. I'm saying knowingly do something that is wrong to us. Like with our conscience and with our own kind of sense of morality. We violate our own conscience. We violate our own convictions because we want something, desire something, have strong feelings about something, and we knowingly do something wrong." [31:44] (46 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Who rules and whose rules like who rules, who gets to be in charge, whose rule do we submit ourselves to and come under? And by whose rules are we willing to abide and order our lives by? I mean, is it is it? Parents, because we moved out of that. Right. A lot of us in here, we moved away from the parents. Right. Or maybe some other person, some other authority is the boss, the police officer, you know, the probation officer. Maybe it's the government, right? The government dictates because there's laws, right? We got laws. And where do they come from? Well, they come from society because, you know, in our country, at least society gets together and determines what's right, what's wrong, what's acceptable, what's not, what's good, what's bad. We vote on it, put somebody in place to police it. And there we go off to the races." [32:52] (47 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "You get to choose who rules and by whose rules will follow. You get to choose. All of us. I don't care if you believe in predestination and predetermination and all that kind of stuff. At some point, the choice is given to you and you get to choose who rules and by whose rules will I live by. Somebody said, well, well, then I choose me. I'm going to rule and I'm going to live by my rules. But you know, the people of Israel weren't quick. They weren't quick to go there. And the reason being is because they knew the story Moses had told them it had been recorded." [52:10] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "You see, ultimate freedom is found under the authority of King Jesus. And if he's not King, he's just Jesus. And the world is pretty impressed with Jesus. They just don't submit to him. He's inspiring. They just won't follow him. You see, they rejected. They rejected and killed Jesus for calling himself a king. Because those who were in power with that title saw king as a totally different thing. In other words, we're in control. We're not going to give him control. And he's like, I didn't come to take control. I don't know. I came to set you free." [01:17:52] (51 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "When you reject God's authority, you will eventually find yourself under a less caring, less merciful, and less forgiving authority. You. Because I cannot tell you how many times I've dealt with this. I've dealt with this. I've dealt with this. I've dealt with it myself, but I can't tell you how many times I've met with people who have said, I know that God forgives me, but I can't forgive myself. A less caring, less merciful, less forgiving authority. Right? If it's not that, you'll find yourself under the authority of an addiction that has no mercy and does not care." [01:11:09] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "If you reject God's authority and you just give into your emotions, you will be controlled by your fear, your insecurity, your anger, your envy, your guilt, or even your loneliness. Listen, you'll be controlled by your appetites, your lust, your greed, materialism of wanting more and wanting better and wanting bigger. Of just the substance that can somehow alter your mood and your outlook and your thinking, or even hedonism, just the pleasure of everything. If it's not going to be your emotions or your appetites, you will be ruled by the merciless, unforgiving, unrelenting culture." [01:12:56] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "You see, in John, in the Gospel of John, when Jesus is standing before Pilate in his own trial and facing his execution. Pilate says, They're calling you a king. They say that you're a king. In fact, that's why they brought these charges. Because you're a threat to the Roman Empire and Caesar if you're a king. You're definitely a threat to the Jewish Empire if you're supposed to be their king. And they don't want you as their king. And we don't need you as our king. Are you a king? And Jesus responds, You've called me a king. You're right. For this reason I was born and I came into the world. But then he says, not to take control. I came. I came to reveal the truth, truth about God, truth about you, truth about life and the world, the truth about what's right, what's wrong, what's up, what's down, what's good, what's bad. And anybody who's really looking for the truth is going to come and follow me." [01:19:24] (58 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "You see, he's a king like no other because he's not here to take control. He's here to give freedom. In fact, when he started out his ministry. He's in the synagogue. He opens the scrolls. He reads the Old Testament prophet. And he says, And what is that good news? To proclaim liberty for the captive. Freedom for the oppressed. He rolls it up and he says, Why? Because I'm a king. And I'm not a king to come take control. I'm a king. Who wants to give you freedom? You choose who rules and by whose rules you live by." [01:20:15] (53 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "Because Jesus knows the power of these little guys, he knows the power of your emotions. He knows the power of your appetites. He knows the power of the culture and the influences around us because he knows how powerful they are. He requires unconditional surrender. Yeah, this morning. In Dahlonega, in our early service, we had a baptism. And that baptism is symbolic of surrendering ourselves fully to Jesus. Of dying to ourselves, being raised to life. That baptism is a demonstration of placing our hands fully into his and immersing ourselves in the claims and the teachings and the instructions and everything about Jesus." [01:21:12] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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