Embracing Freedom: Jesus Overcomes Shame and Fear
Summary
In today's message, we explored the profound truth that Jesus silences fear and shame, offering us a path to freedom and redemption. We began by acknowledging the universal human experience of shame, which often stems from sin. This shame compels us to hide, to wear masks, and to present a false image to the world. We see this first in the story of Adam and Eve, who, after disobeying God, felt immediate shame and attempted to cover themselves. This act of hiding is something we all relate to, as we often fear that if others knew our true selves, they would reject us.
However, the good news is that God loves us too much to let us hide forever. He seeks us out, just as He did with Adam and Eve, calling us to step out from behind our masks and be honest about where we are. God’s questions are not for His information but for our revelation, helping us to see our true condition and our need for Him. Despite our sin, God still comes to us, offering love and redemption through Jesus Christ.
The message of the gospel is that we don't have to clean ourselves up before coming to God. Jesus has already done the work on the cross, covering our sin and shame with His righteousness. We are invited to come as we are, to stop hiding, and to receive His forgiveness and healing. In Christ, there is no condemnation, and we are set free from the power of sin. The challenge is to believe this truth and to live in the freedom that Jesus offers.
Key Takeaways:
- The Nature of Shame: Shame is a powerful force that often follows sin, leading us to hide and wear masks. It convinces us that if others knew our true selves, they would reject us. This is a tactic of the enemy, who uses shame to keep us from experiencing God's love and acceptance. [19:36]
- God's Pursuit of Us: Despite our attempts to hide, God seeks us out. His love is relentless, and He desires for us to come out of hiding and be honest about our condition. God's questions are meant to reveal our need for Him and to draw us back to His heart. [23:27]
- Identity in Christ: Our past sins and failures do not define us. In Christ, we are forgiven and set free. The enemy may try to convince us otherwise, but the truth is that we are loved and accepted by God. Our identity is found in Jesus, not in our past mistakes. [21:05]
- The Power of the Gospel: The gospel message is that we don't have to fix ourselves before coming to God. Jesus has already done the work on the cross, and we are invited to come as we are, receive His forgiveness, and be transformed by His love. [32:27]
- Living in Freedom: Believing in the truth of the gospel allows us to live in freedom. We can put down our masks and embrace the identity that God has given us in Christ. There is no condemnation for those who belong to Jesus, and we are free to live as He intended. [36:49]
Youtube Chapters:
- [0:00] - Welcome
- [06:32] - Jesus Silences Fear
- [17:07] - The Origin of Shame
- [18:16] - The First Cover-Up
- [19:36] - The Enemy's Deception
- [20:31] - Shame Becomes Identity
- [23:27] - God's Relentless Love
- [25:02] - The Futility of Hiding
- [27:01] - God's Questions for Revelation
- [28:34] - Assessing Our Relationship with God
- [32:27] - The Gospel's Invitation
- [33:59] - The Great Exchange
- [35:13] - Freedom in Christ
- [36:49] - The Language of the Spirit
- [37:21] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Genesis 3:7-10
2. Romans 5:8
3. Romans 8:1-2
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Observation Questions:
1. What was the immediate reaction of Adam and Eve after they sinned, according to Genesis 3:7-10? How does this relate to the concept of shame discussed in the sermon? [18:16]
2. How does Romans 5:8 illustrate God's love for us despite our sinful nature? How was this concept explained in the sermon? [26:02]
3. According to Romans 8:1-2, what is the result of being in Christ Jesus? How does this passage connect to the sermon’s message about freedom from condemnation? [35:13]
4. In the sermon, what examples were given to illustrate how shame can become part of our identity? [21:05]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the story of Adam and Eve's hiding in Genesis 3 reflect our own tendencies to hide from God and others? What does this reveal about human nature? [23:02]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that shame can distort our identity? How does this compare to the identity we have in Christ? [21:05]
3. How does the sermon explain the role of Jesus' sacrifice in freeing us from shame and sin? What does this mean for our relationship with God? [33:34]
4. What does the sermon suggest about the importance of being honest with ourselves and God about our spiritual condition? How does this honesty lead to transformation? [28:34]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt the need to hide your true self from others. What steps can you take to embrace vulnerability and authenticity in your relationships? [19:36]
2. The sermon emphasizes that God seeks us out despite our attempts to hide. How can you be more open to God's pursuit in your life this week? [23:27]
3. Consider the areas in your life where shame has influenced your identity. How can you begin to see yourself through the lens of your identity in Christ rather than past mistakes? [21:05]
4. The sermon challenges us to believe in the truth of the gospel and live in freedom. What practical steps can you take to live out this freedom in your daily life? [36:49]
5. How can you remind yourself of the truth that there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, especially when faced with feelings of guilt or shame? [35:13]
6. Identify one area in your life where you feel distant from God. What specific actions can you take to draw closer to Him and assess your spiritual condition honestly? [28:34]
7. The sermon encourages us to stop hiding and come as we are to God. What is one thing you can do this week to step out from behind your "mask" and seek God's forgiveness and healing? [32:27]
Devotional
Day 1: The Deceptive Power of Shame
Shame is a powerful emotion that often follows sin, leading individuals to hide and wear masks. It convinces people that if others knew their true selves, they would be rejected. This is a tactic of the enemy, who uses shame to keep individuals from experiencing God's love and acceptance. The story of Adam and Eve illustrates this, as they felt immediate shame after disobeying God and attempted to cover themselves. This act of hiding is something many can relate to, as there is often a fear that revealing one's true self will lead to rejection. However, understanding the nature of shame is the first step in overcoming it and embracing the love and acceptance that God offers. [19:36]
"For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7b, ESV)
Reflection: What masks are you wearing today to hide your true self from others, and how can you begin to let go of them in the presence of God's love?
Day 2: God's Relentless Pursuit
Despite attempts to hide, God seeks individuals out with relentless love. He desires for people to come out of hiding and be honest about their condition. God's questions are not for His information but for personal revelation, helping individuals to see their true condition and their need for Him. This pursuit is evident in the story of Adam and Eve, where God calls out to them despite their disobedience. God's love is relentless, and He desires to draw people back to His heart, offering love and redemption through Jesus Christ. [23:27]
"Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?" (Psalm 139:7, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways have you been hiding from God, and how can you respond to His call to step out into the open and be honest about your condition?
Day 3: Identity in Christ
Past sins and failures do not define a person. In Christ, individuals are forgiven and set free. The enemy may try to convince them otherwise, but the truth is that they are loved and accepted by God. Identity is found in Jesus, not in past mistakes. This truth is liberating, as it allows individuals to embrace their true identity in Christ and live in the freedom that He offers. Understanding and accepting this identity is crucial for living a life free from the power of sin and shame. [21:05]
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." (2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV)
Reflection: How does knowing your identity in Christ change the way you view your past mistakes, and how can you live out this new identity today?
Day 4: The Transformative Power of the Gospel
The gospel message is that individuals don't have to fix themselves before coming to God. Jesus has already done the work on the cross, and people are invited to come as they are, receive His forgiveness, and be transformed by His love. This transformative power of the gospel is available to all, offering a path to freedom and redemption. Embracing this truth allows individuals to stop hiding and to live in the freedom that Jesus offers, knowing that they are loved and accepted by God. [32:27]
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God." (Ephesians 2:8, ESV)
Reflection: What areas of your life are you trying to fix on your own, and how can you surrender them to God and trust in His transformative power?
Day 5: Embracing Freedom in Christ
Believing in the truth of the gospel allows individuals to live in freedom. They can put down their masks and embrace the identity that God has given them in Christ. There is no condemnation for those who belong to Jesus, and they are free to live as He intended. This freedom is not just a concept but a reality that can be experienced daily. Embracing this freedom involves trusting in God's love and acceptance and living out the identity that He has given in Christ. [36:49]
"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." (Galatians 5:1, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are not living in the freedom that Christ offers, and what steps can you take today to embrace that freedom fully?
Quotes
1) "But see, it's sin. It's sin that actually produces shame. Sin doesn't come by itself. Sin produces shame. The Scripture says that the enemy of God came as a serpent, tempted Eve to disobey God, eat from the one tree that God had instructed them not to. Adam and Eve rebel against the instruction of God, and watch what happens immediately when sin comes into their life. At that moment, not later, not a day later, not a few hours later, not next month. At the very moment, sin came into their life." [18:16] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2) "Their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness, so they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. There it is, ladies and gentlemen, the first cover-up in all of human history, the first masquerade in all of human history. Now they felt like they could not be honest before God. Now they felt like they could not be themselves. It's the first attempt to man, to paint a picture he wanted others to see instead of what really was. All at once, he could not just be how God had made him to be. He felt the need to hide. He felt the need to present himself in a different light. He felt the need to shroud the truth about himself." [18:56] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3) "And the enemy convinces us that if people knew the real us, they wouldn't love us. That if they really knew what we've done, if they really knew what we said, if they really knew just how sinful we really were, they would think, they would think less of us. And so the only way to be safe, the only way to be accepted, the only way to be loved is to hide. And he's been playing us since the beginning of time. He sucks us into the shame game, and too often he wins." [19:36] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4) "But here's how it graduates. It doesn't just bring shame into our lives. If it goes unrepented, if we don't transform it and get honest before God, it turns into something and graduates into something bigger. See, that shame becomes our identity. It becomes the very thing we live out of. The most damaging, indestructive part of this is when we start connecting what happened with actually who we are. The enemy begins to tell us that what happened in the past is a sure sign of what we are, and because it's truly what we are, we'll never be able to experience anything different in the future." [21:05] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5) "God loves us way too much to allow us to hide forever. He won't let you run into the corner and stay away from him forever. His spirit will seek you out. David wrote about it, that the spirit of God searches for us and seeks for us and longs for us and convicts us. And draws us back to his heart. I'm thankful for that, that God won't let us run and hide forever." [23:27] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6) "Despite our best efforts, it's impossible to actually hide from God. Again, tragically hilarious. He's the creator of the universe. He is sovereign in all of his glory. He is omniscient and omnipotent. There is, there is nothing that he cannot do or doesn't know. And here's man behind a tree like God can't see. What are you doing? He created the atoms. He created the molecule. He created everything that makes that tree what it is. Bro, you think you're hiding from God? He saw everything. God saw everything and he still came anyway." [25:02] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7) "God has a plan for your life. God has a purpose for our life. God has something bigger and more beautiful than we could ever possibly imagine, but we can never get to where God really wants us to be until we get honest about where we are and who we are. I want you to, I want you to do something with me this morning. I prayed all week about this. I really have. I prayed, oh God, would you do something in me? Would you do something in me today and something in all of us that would come to worship at Canvas today?" [29:06] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8) "Here's the third thing. God has already provided and is just waiting for us to come home and be healed. He already provided. See, you don't have to do anything. Here's my point. You don't have, because here's how we think. We think, yeah man, there's a lot of work I gotta do in my own life. And if I can get this cleaned up and I can get this straightened out and I can rectify this and I can make this better, then I'm ready to come home and God will accept me. And that is not the question. That is the gospel." [32:27] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9) "There is no message in the world like the gospel message. There is no other news that you will ever hear in your life as good, as the good news. Because that's the truth. You get to come. And when you come to Christ, you remember all that shame we talked about? All that guilt you talked about? All that stuff that the enemy speaks to us and tries to make us feel like we're not good enough and we'll never be good enough and we're nothing but big failures?" [35:13] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10) "The language of the Spirit is liberty and freedom. The language of the Spirit is consecration to God. And when you are in Christ, again, he doesn't see you as you are, he sees you as Jesus is. There is now for no condemnation those that are in Christ. You can put the mask down. You can put the fig leaves down. And you can just say, God in you, I am free. And I receive the word and the report of the Lord in my life today." [37:21] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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