Embracing Freedom and Surrender in Christ

What a beautiful day to gather under the open sky, joining all of creation in worship and praise to our God who is always near. As we shared communion together, we remembered not only Christ’s sacrifice but also the nearness of His presence—how, like Mary in the garden, we can encounter the risen Jesus in the ordinary moments of our lives. Communion is a tangible reminder that Christ has died, Christ is risen, and Christ will come again, and that God is not distant but walks closely with us.

Today marks the beginning of a new season as we explore what it means to be both cultivated and called—formed by Christ and sent by Christ. Just as a handcrafted mug is shaped with intention and purpose, so God forms us by His Spirit, cultivating within us the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, and more. But we are not crafted to sit on a shelf; we are made to be filled and poured out for the good of others and the glory of God.

Paul’s words in Galatians 5 remind us of three foundational truths for a Spirit-shaped life. First, God desires us to live in freedom—not the freedom to do as we please, but the freedom to live as we are called in Christ. Jesus came to set us free from every form of bondage, whether visible or hidden, and invites us to walk in hope and peace. Second, every day we must choose who leads us. The Spirit invites us to walk in step with Him, to let Jesus be the leader of our lives, not just a co-pilot. This means daily asking, “Holy Spirit, where are you leading me today?” and responding with openness and trust. Third, surrender is the soil in which the Spirit’s fruit grows. It is not our striving that produces love, joy, or peace, but our willingness to lay down our own desires and let God’s Spirit fill us. Surrender may feel like weakness, but it is the very thing that creates space for God’s power and life to flourish within us.

As we witness baptisms today, we see the outward sign of this inward surrender—the old life buried, the new life raised with Christ. May we each reflect on what we are holding onto, and be willing to surrender it, so that God can cultivate His life in us and through us.

Key Takeaways

• 1. God’s Nearness Is Our Daily Reality God is not a distant observer but a present companion, drawing near to us in every circumstance. Communion is a reminder that Christ’s presence is as real and close as it was to Mary in the garden. In every gathering, every act of remembrance, we are invited to experience the nearness of God, who walks with us through every season of life. [17:36]
• 2. True Freedom Is Found in Christ, Not in Self-Rule Freedom in Christ is not the liberty to indulge our desires, but the power to live as we are called—free from shame, addiction, and the strongholds that bind us. Jesus’ mission was to proclaim release to the captives and to break every chain, offering us a new way to live. This freedom is not theoretical; it is a lived reality for those who trust and surrender to Him. [44:42]
• 3. Daily Leadership Belongs to the Spirit Each day presents a choice: will we lead ourselves, or will we let the Holy Spirit guide us? Walking by the Spirit means cultivating a posture of responsiveness, asking in every moment, “Holy Spirit, what do you have for me today?” This is not passive living, but an active, intentional following that shapes our decisions, relationships, and responses to life’s challenges. [48:36]
• 4. Surrender Is the Soil for Spiritual Growth The fruit of the Spirit is not produced by our own effort, but by surrendering our will and desires to God. Just as Jesus surrendered His life for us, we are called to lay down our self-rule and allow God to cultivate His character within us. Our inadequacies and weaknesses become the very places where God’s Spirit can take root and bear fruit, if we are willing to surrender. [56:28]
• 5. Baptism and Surrender Mark the New Life Baptism is a public declaration of an inward surrender—a burial of the old self and a rising to new life in Christ. It is not a ritual that saves, but a testimony that God is doing something new within us. This act of surrender is not a one-time event, but an ongoing invitation to let go of what weighs us down and to embrace the life God is forming in us. [60:27]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [14:56] - Communion Reflections: The Nearness of God
• [15:46] - The Story Behind “In the Garden”
• [17:36] - Communion: Remembering Christ’s Presence
• [20:04] - The New Covenant and Prayer
• [28:12] - Opening the Word and Prayer
• [31:45] - Church in the Park: Anticipation and Baptism
• [32:51] - Vacation Stories and Thrifting Lessons
• [35:20] - The Mug Analogy: Crafted with Purpose
• [37:49] - Cultivated and Called: Series Introduction
• [39:34] - Formed to Be Filled and Used
• [40:50] - Living in Freedom: Galatians 5
• [44:42] - Jesus Sets Us Free from Bondage
• [47:07] - Application: What Weighs You Down?
• [47:50] - Choosing Who Leads: Walking by the Spirit
• [48:36] - Following the Leader: Spirit-Led Living
• [51:28] - Surrender: The Key to Spiritual Growth
• [56:28] - Our Inadequacies and God’s Capacity
• [58:17] - Baptism: Outward Sign of Inward Surrender
• [60:27] - The Meaning of Baptism
• [61:23] - Closing Prayer and Blessing
• [63:02] - Baptism Instructions and Celebration
• [78:51] - Final Announcements and Dismissal

Bible Reading

Galatians 5:1, 13-25 (ESV) — > For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
> ...
> For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
> ...
> But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
> ...
> But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
> And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
> If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

John 20:11-18 (ESV) — (Mary Magdalene encounters the risen Jesus in the garden.)

Romans 6:3-4 (ESV) — > Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
> We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

Observation Questions

1. According to Galatians 5, what is the difference between freedom in Christ and using freedom as an “opportunity for the flesh”?
2. In the story of Mary in the garden (John 20), how does Jesus make his presence known to her in an ordinary moment?
3. What does Paul say is the source of the fruit of the Spirit—our own effort, or something else? ([55:00])
4. In Romans 6, what does baptism symbolize about our old and new life?

Interpretation Questions

1. The sermon said, “God is not a distant observer but a present companion, drawing near to us in every circumstance.” What does it mean for God to be “near” in our everyday lives? ([17:36])
2. The pastor described freedom in Christ as not just “doing as we please,” but being set free from shame, addiction, and strongholds. How is this different from how our culture usually defines freedom? ([44:42])
3. The sermon emphasized that “surrender is the soil in which the Spirit’s fruit grows.” Why might surrender feel like weakness, and why is it actually the key to spiritual growth? ([56:28])
4. Baptism was described as an “outward sign of inward surrender.” How does this ongoing surrender show up in the life of a believer, beyond the moment of baptism? ([58:17])

Application Questions

1. The pastor invited us to ask daily, “Holy Spirit, where are you leading me today?” What would it look like for you to actually pause and ask this question before a decision or conversation this week? ([51:28])
2. Is there an area of your life where you feel “weighed down” or not free—maybe by shame, a habit, or a fear? What would it look like to bring that to Jesus and trust Him for freedom? ([47:07])
3. The sermon used the image of a handcrafted mug—formed with intention, not to sit on a shelf, but to be filled and poured out. Where in your life do you sense God wanting to “pour you out” for the good of others? ([39:34])
4. Surrender is described as laying down our own desires and letting God’s Spirit fill us. Is there something you are holding onto that you sense God is asking you to surrender? What is one step you could take toward letting go? ([59:17])
5. The fruit of the Spirit is not produced by striving, but by surrender. Choose one aspect of the fruit (love, joy, peace, patience, etc.). What is a specific way you could practice surrender in that area this week? ([55:00])
6. Baptism is a public declaration of an inward change. If you have been baptized, how does that moment continue to shape your daily walk with Jesus? If you haven’t, what questions or hesitations do you have about it? ([58:17])
7. The sermon said, “Our inadequacies create the capacity for God’s Spirit in our lives.” Where do you feel inadequate, and how might that be a place for God to work in you, rather than something to hide? ([56:28])