Embracing Spiritual Freedom and Boldness in Christ
Summary
In today's gathering, we explored the concept of spiritual freedom and boldness in Christ, drawing parallels between our modern society and ancient Corinth. We began by reflecting on the chains that hold us back from experiencing true freedom in Christ, encouraging everyone to identify and surrender these burdens to God. The church in Corinth, much like our own, was a melting pot of diverse beliefs and strong personalities, yet they shared a common love for Jesus and a desire to follow Him wholeheartedly. This serves as a reminder that despite our differences, our shared faith in Christ unites us and calls us to be bold in our witness.
We delved into the transformative power of the Holy Spirit, emphasizing that boldness in Christ is not reserved for grand events but is essential for our everyday lives. This boldness should be reflected in how we present the gospel, with kindness and humility, rather than arrogance. We also discussed the metaphor of the veil, which represents the barriers we place between ourselves and God. These veils can be life circumstances or personal reservations that prevent us from fully surrendering to Christ. However, through the Spirit, these veils are removed, allowing us to see and experience God's glory more fully.
The journey of spiritual formation was highlighted as a process of becoming more like Christ, moving from mere sympathy to action. This transformation is not just about personal growth but also about impacting those around us by meeting their needs and pointing them to Christ. We were reminded that our actions, no matter how small, can be a powerful testimony of God's love.
As we concluded, we reflected on the importance of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, a significant aspect of our faith tradition. While we did not pray for this baptism today, we were encouraged to sit with this desire and allow God to prepare our hearts for a future encounter. We ended by partaking in communion, remembering Christ's sacrifice and the new covenant established through His blood, and prayed for the boldness to represent Him well in our world.
Key Takeaways:
- Identifying Chains: We all have chains that hold us back from experiencing true freedom in Christ. Identifying and surrendering these burdens to God is the first step towards liberation. In Christ, these chains are broken, allowing us to live freely and boldly. [00:00]
- Boldness in Everyday Life: Boldness in Christ is not just for grand events but is essential for our daily lives. It involves presenting the gospel with kindness and humility, rather than arrogance, and being a witness through our actions and words. [32:45]
- Removing the Veil: The metaphor of the veil represents the barriers we place between ourselves and God. Through the Spirit, these veils are removed, allowing us to see and experience God's glory more fully. This requires a willingness to surrender and be vulnerable with Christ. [36:40]
- Spiritual Formation: Becoming more like Christ involves moving from mere sympathy to action. This transformation impacts those around us by meeting their needs and pointing them to Christ. Our actions, no matter how small, can be a powerful testimony of God's love. [43:32]
- Baptism of the Holy Spirit: The baptism of the Holy Spirit is a significant aspect of our faith tradition. While we did not pray for this baptism today, we are encouraged to sit with this desire and allow God to prepare our hearts for a future encounter. [49:15]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:30] - Identifying Chains
- [03:00] - Corinthian Concerns
- [05:30] - Modern-Day Parallels
- [08:00] - Diversity in the Church
- [10:00] - Boldness in Christ
- [12:30] - Presenting the Gospel
- [15:00] - The Veil and Spiritual Barriers
- [18:00] - Spiritual Formation
- [20:30] - Moving from Sympathy to Action
- [23:00] - Baptism of the Holy Spirit
- [25:30] - Communion and New Covenant
- [28:00] - Closing Prayer and Benediction
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. 2 Corinthians 3:12-18 - This passage discusses the hope and boldness we have in Christ, the removal of the veil through the Spirit, and the transformation into Christ's image.
2. 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 - This passage recounts the institution of the Lord's Supper, emphasizing remembrance of Christ's sacrifice.
#### Observation Questions
1. What are some of the "chains" mentioned in the sermon that hold people back from experiencing true freedom in Christ? [27:24]
2. How does the sermon describe the church in Corinth, and what similarities are drawn between it and modern-day churches? [30:24]
3. What metaphor is used in the sermon to describe the barriers between us and God, and how are these barriers removed? [36:40]
4. According to the sermon, what is the difference between the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the baptism of the Holy Spirit? [45:55]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the concept of boldness in Christ, as discussed in the sermon, apply to everyday life rather than just grand events? [32:45]
2. In what ways does the removal of the veil, as described in 2 Corinthians 3:12-18, change a believer's relationship with God?
3. How does the sermon suggest that spiritual formation involves moving from sympathy to action, and what impact does this have on those around us? [43:32]
4. What significance does the sermon place on the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and why is it important to sit with this desire before acting on it? [49:15]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a personal "chain" that might be holding you back from experiencing freedom in Christ. What steps can you take this week to surrender this burden to God? [27:24]
2. The sermon highlights the importance of boldness in everyday life. How can you demonstrate this boldness in your interactions at work or in your community this week? [32:45]
3. Consider a "veil" you might have placed between yourself and God. What practical steps can you take to remove this barrier and deepen your relationship with Christ? [36:40]
4. The sermon encourages moving from sympathy to action. Identify a specific need in your community or church that you can address this week. How will you take action? [43:32]
5. How can you prepare your heart for a future encounter with the Holy Spirit, as suggested in the sermon? What practices or prayers might help you in this preparation? [49:15]
6. During communion, we remember Christ's sacrifice. How can this remembrance influence your daily decisions and interactions with others? [52:05]
7. The sermon concludes with a call to represent Christ well in the world. What is one specific way you can be a more effective witness for Christ in your daily life? [01:00:41]
Devotional
Day 1: Breaking Chains for True Freedom
In our journey towards spiritual freedom, we often find ourselves shackled by invisible chains that hinder our relationship with Christ. These chains can be fears, doubts, or past experiences that weigh us down. Identifying these burdens is the first step towards liberation. By surrendering them to God, we allow His power to break these chains, enabling us to live freely and boldly in His love. This process requires honesty and vulnerability, as we trust God to transform our lives and lead us into a deeper relationship with Him. [00:00]
Galatians 5:1 (ESV): "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery."
Reflection: What is one specific chain in your life that you need to surrender to God today? How can you take a step towards freedom in Christ by releasing this burden?
Day 2: Everyday Boldness in Christ
Boldness in Christ is not reserved for grand gestures or public declarations; it is a daily practice of living out our faith with kindness and humility. This boldness is reflected in how we present the gospel through our actions and words, choosing to be a witness of Christ's love in every interaction. It challenges us to step out of our comfort zones and engage with others in a way that reflects the heart of Jesus. By embracing this boldness, we become vessels of God's grace, impacting the world around us. [32:45]
2 Timothy 1:7-8 (ESV): "For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God."
Reflection: In what small way can you demonstrate boldness in your faith today, perhaps by sharing a kind word or offering help to someone in need?
Day 3: Removing the Veil to See God's Glory
The metaphor of the veil represents the barriers we place between ourselves and God, often due to life circumstances or personal reservations. These veils prevent us from fully experiencing God's presence and glory. Through the Holy Spirit, these barriers can be removed, allowing us to see and experience God more fully. This requires a willingness to surrender and be vulnerable with Christ, trusting Him to reveal His glory in our lives. As we remove these veils, we open ourselves to a deeper understanding of God's love and purpose for us. [36:40]
2 Corinthians 3:16-18 (ESV): "But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another."
Reflection: What is one barrier or "veil" in your life that you can ask God to help you remove today, so you can experience His presence more fully?
Day 4: From Sympathy to Action in Spiritual Formation
Spiritual formation is a journey of becoming more like Christ, moving beyond mere sympathy to taking action. This transformation is not just about personal growth but also about impacting those around us by meeting their needs and pointing them to Christ. Our actions, no matter how small, can be a powerful testimony of God's love. By actively seeking to serve others, we reflect the heart of Jesus and demonstrate the transformative power of His love in our lives. [43:32]
James 2:14-17 (ESV): "What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and filled,' without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."
Reflection: How can you move from sympathy to action today by meeting a specific need of someone in your community?
Day 5: Preparing for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit
The baptism of the Holy Spirit is a significant aspect of our faith tradition, representing a deeper encounter with God's presence and power. While we may not always pray for this baptism in a formal setting, we are encouraged to sit with this desire and allow God to prepare our hearts for a future encounter. This preparation involves seeking God's presence, being open to His leading, and cultivating a heart of expectancy for what He will do in our lives. As we prepare, we trust that God will meet us in His perfect timing. [49:15]
Acts 1:8 (ESV): "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
Reflection: What steps can you take today to prepare your heart for a deeper encounter with the Holy Spirit, perhaps through prayer, worship, or quiet reflection?
Quotes
"So in this moment right now, what chains in your life are holding you down? Because maybe, maybe this is your moment. Maybe this is a moment that God has ordained for you for today. I just invite you to close your eyes right now. What is that one thing that's holding you back from feeling free in Christ? We all have a something. Get it in your mind. Think about it. What is it? Because in the name of Jesus Christ, that is broken. We come to the cross, we come to our Savior, and we declare big things because we believe he's that good. Amen? Amen." [00:25:37] (61 seconds)
"In our society, I want you to think about the similarities between us and ancient Corinth, as we've been talking this through. So, ancient Corinth celebrated sin. Welcome to modern day life. They were arrogant. They were prideful of who they were. They had a really mushy theology. They tried to squeeze everything they could into Christianity. Because they just couldn't get it. We still kind of do that in society today. We've got so many different religions. And I'm not even talking about the major ones. Like, even just think, like, the flying spaghetti monster religion. Has anyone heard of this? Yeah. Google it. Because it's real. And hilarious." [00:28:07] (70 seconds)
"But let's look at the church of Corinth, not even just the society. Let's look at the church in Corinth. It was a complete mix of different types of Judaism, different types of thought, of religion, different cults even. It's a lot like modern-day churches. At one point in time, if you were Anglican, you were just Anglican. And you stayed Anglican forever. And if you were Catholic, you just stayed Catholic forever. And if you were a Baptist, well, you stayed Baptist forever. But in the modern-day world, like, let's just think about the background of the staff here. Okay?" [00:29:32] (43 seconds)
"Think about the issues Paul had with the church in Corinth. The congregation was heavily opinionated. I love you guys, but there's some strong personalities in this room. Mine included. Do you know the biggest thing about the church in Corinth, though? That I would say is a similarity between us at CT and them? They loved Jesus with their whole heart. They just wanted to do things right. They wanted to follow God. They wanted to figure it out, and they were willing to make mistakes. But the best part is, just like us, we're willing to be corrected." [00:31:25] (54 seconds)
"Let's look first at verse 12. Do you have... Okay, I was at all these different events this week, and poor Pastor Charles this morning said, Hey, where's your slides? It's like, slides, hey? Huh. So I actually don't know what we have for slides. Haven't got a clue, but this is fantastic. If we can just leave this up for the whole thing, I can work with this. Verse 12. Since then, we have such a hope. We act with great boldness. A few weeks ago, we talked about the difference between the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and Spirit baptism." [00:32:45] (52 seconds)
"There is a boldness available in the name of Jesus. We think of Moses. He went from stuttering to commanding people. We think of David, who was a little shepherd, but took on the boldness of the Spirit of God and stepped forward and killed a giant and led Israel. We think of the apostles, even. The ability to walk into tough situations and just speak health and all of a sudden people would receive it. Now, that boldness that we receive from the Spirit of God is not just for mass crusades and these biblical-level events." [00:33:58] (58 seconds)
"Boldness in the name of Jesus is for everyday life. The life that I live, the life that you live, the life where we feel like everything is just kind of boring in a muddle. But it can be extraordinary when we activate that boldness inside of our hearts and really walk that out. Boldness to be a Christian in a post-Christian world. Amen? Now, I'm going to be really honest with you. So, I hear a lot in the whole Twitter world where Christians complain that they're constantly being persecuted for their faith." [00:34:59] (55 seconds)
"Maybe a piece of the Holy Spirit's activation of boldness that we're supposed to tap into is how to be kind and not be a jerk in Jesus' name. Because I'm going to guarantee, more often than not, when people say, I don't want to hear about your religion, it's not your religion that they're saying no to. It's your approach. Maybe boldness has more to do with how we present the gospel. Just a thought. The next chunk of scripture looks at verses 13 to 16. Hey, Pastor Charles. Hi." [00:36:20] (66 seconds)
"Not like Moses who put a veil over his face to keep the people of Israel from gazing at the end of the glory that was being set aside. But their minds were hardened. Indeed, to this very day when they hear the reading of the Old Covenant that the veil is still there since only in Christ is it set aside. Indeed, to this very day when Moses is read a veil lies over their minds. But when one turns to the Lord the veil is removed. How many of you had that experience when you came to Jesus Christ something shifted and you just began to see things differently? Yeah." [00:37:41] (48 seconds)
"For Moses Paul wanted us to have this piece of imagery of the veil in Exodus because it pushes on what happened in Jerusalem when Christ was crucified. It pushes on this imagery of the veil that separated the holy of holies from the ordinary man and how it was ripped down. The thing that separated creator and creation in relationship. Through Jesus Christ the holy meets the ordinary. the Spirit of God removes the veil. The veil Here's a question for you, though. Do you find that maybe sometimes you purposely put a veil up?" [00:38:34] (64 seconds)
"The more we seek relationship with Christ through the Spirit of God, you will find that less veils go up, less things that guard us against being truly vulnerable with Jesus Christ. There's some things that, over time, we realize that we can't even pray. It's like, God, I'm willing to give you most of my heart, but please don't ask me to serve you in these five ways, because I just can't do it. I know you're asking me to tell my family that there's a big change in my heart, and that life is different now, but I can't do it." [00:40:06] (51 seconds)
"Becoming more like Christ through the power of the Spirit means that we are learning how to honor God in our everyday life. Becoming glorified is the spiritual formation in action. Sometimes we call that sanctification. So how does that affect the people around you? Maybe at work. If you are struggling to lift something, I could help you move boxes, or I could just cheer you on. Sometimes we see a problem, and we like to just sit there and help you point out that problem. Or we could fix that problem. It's easier to complain." [00:43:21] (53 seconds)
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