Living in Freedom: Embracing Grace and the Spirit

Summary

In every season of life, it’s easy to feel weighed down by discouragement, shame, or the sense that we’re not measuring up. Yet, the invitation is to lift our hands, our voices, and our hearts—not because we feel worthy, but because God is always worthy. Our praise is not a response to our circumstances, but a declaration of God’s unchanging faithfulness. We gather not out of religious obligation, but to encounter the living God who meets us with new mercy and grace every day. In a world searching for meaning, we are called to be generous with our lives, our resources, and our love, making room for others to discover the hope found in Jesus.

Romans 7 reveals a profound tension: the law, given by God, is holy and good, but it cannot make us holy. Instead, it exposes our sin and our inability to save ourselves. The law is like a map—detailed, instructive, but ultimately external and cumbersome. It points out where we’ve missed the mark, but it cannot empower us to live differently. Jesus, however, is the living model, the one who not only shows us the way but becomes the way. Through His sacrifice, we are united with Him, released from the old way of striving to keep the law, and invited into a new way of living by the Spirit.

The struggle with sin is real. Even as believers, we find ourselves doing what we hate and failing to do what we desire. But the dynamic of sin is not our identity. In Christ, the desire for sin is dead and gone, even if the temptation remains. The Holy Spirit now dwells within us, guiding, empowering, and reminding us of who we truly are—holy, set apart, and beloved. The answer is not in perfect behavior or box-checking, but in daily surrender to Jesus, allowing His Spirit to lead us into true freedom and transformation.

God’s boundaries are not about restriction, but about rescue and purpose. The law was part of God’s rescue plan, but it was always meant to point us to Jesus, who fulfills its purpose and calls us into new life. The invitation is to stop striving, to crucify the old nature daily, and to walk in the Spirit, anchored to Christ. In Him, we find rest, hope, and the power to live as God’s holy people.

Key Takeaways

- Praise and Surrender Are Antidotes to Discouragement
When discouragement, shame, or condemnation weigh heavy, the act of passionate praise—spirit, soul, and body—realigns our hearts with the truth of who God is. Lifting our hands and voices is not about religious performance, but about reminding ourselves of God’s unchanging worthiness and faithfulness, regardless of our circumstances. This physical act of surrender helps us step out from under the weight of our feelings and into the reality of God’s presence and love. [31:54]

- The Law Reveals Sin, But Only Christ Makes Us Holy
God’s law is holy, good, and right, but it was never meant to be the means of our holiness. The law exposes the depth of our sin and our inability to save ourselves, creating a longing for a Savior. Jesus fulfills the law’s purpose, not by abolishing it, but by embodying holiness and offering us a new identity—one that is not based on external rule-keeping, but on the transformation of our hearts by His Spirit. [01:12:16]

- There Is a New Way to Live: Life in the Spirit
Trying to serve God by merely obeying the letter of the law leads to frustration and spiritual exhaustion. The new way is to live by the Spirit, who empowers us from within to desire and do what pleases God. This is not a license for lawlessness, but an invitation to a wide-open, expansive life where the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in us, guiding us daily. [01:02:23]

- The Dynamic of Sin Remains, But Its Power Is Broken
Even after coming to Christ, the struggle with sin persists—not because we are still slaves to sin, but because the old nature must be crucified daily. The presence of temptation does not define us; rather, the Holy Spirit gives us a new appetite for holiness and the ability to hear His voice above the noise of our old desires. The battle is in the mind, and victory comes as we renew our minds in Christ and listen for the Spirit’s leading. [01:19:21]

- God’s Rescue Plan Is About Relationship, Not Rule-Keeping
The law was never God’s final answer; it was always meant to point us to Jesus and our need for redemption. God’s boundaries are not about limiting us, but about drawing us into a life of purpose, freedom, and intimacy with Him. The answer to our struggle is not in getting it all right, but in staying anchored to Jesus, daily surrendering to His Lordship, and allowing the Holy Spirit to transform us from the inside out. [01:23:57]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[31:54] - Passionate Praise and Surrender
[34:59] - Centering Our Hearts on God’s Presence
[39:09] - Community Life and Generosity
[42:55] - Living Generously and Outward Focused
[45:51] - Praying for the World and the Church
[47:50] - Introduction to Discipleship Essentials
[49:19] - Reading Romans 7: No Longer Bound to the Law
[51:01] - The Law’s Purpose and Our Old Nature
[53:06] - The Law, Sin, and God’s Perspective
[56:01] - Modeling Christ vs. Rule-Keeping
[58:18] - Jesus: The Fulfillment of the Law
[01:02:23] - The Old Way vs. The New Way
[01:11:34] - The Law Was Holy, But Jesus Makes Us Holy
[01:16:43] - The Dynamic of Sin and the Desire for Holiness
[01:23:57] - God’s Rescue Plan: From Law to Spirit
[01:27:08] - Responding to the Invitation of New Life
[01:32:09] - Prayer of Surrender and Commitment
[01:33:50] - Next Steps and Blessing

Study Guide

Small Group Bible Study Guide

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### Bible Reading

- Romans 7 (entire chapter)
*(This was the main text for the sermon. If possible, read the whole chapter together.)*

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### Observation Questions

1. In Romans 7, Paul uses the example of marriage to explain our relationship to the law. What point is he making with this analogy?
[[49:19]]

2. According to Romans 7, what is the purpose of the law? How does Paul describe the law’s effect on our awareness of sin?
[[52:11]]

3. The sermon compared the law to a map and Jesus to a living guide. What are some differences between following a map and following a person who knows the way?
[[01:08:30]]

4. Paul describes a struggle between wanting to do good and actually doing it. What words or phrases does he use to describe this inner conflict?
[[54:55]]

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### Interpretation Questions

1. The sermon says, “The law exposes our hearts and the sin within. It shows us where we miss the mark, where we fall short. But the law cannot make you holy.” Why is it important to understand the difference between exposing sin and empowering change?
[[01:12:16]]

2. The pastor said, “Jesus isn’t after your conduct. He’s after your heart.” What does it mean for Jesus to care more about your heart than your behavior? How does this change the way someone approaches their faith?
[[01:13:33]]

3. The sermon talks about the “dynamic of sin” still being present, but the “desire for sin is dead and gone” for those in Christ. How can someone tell the difference between temptation and their true identity in Christ?
[[01:17:25]]

4. The pastor described God’s boundaries as “not about restriction, but about rescue and purpose.” How does this perspective change the way someone might view God’s commands?
[[01:23:57]]

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### Application Questions

1. The sermon encouraged passionate praise and physical acts of surrender (like lifting hands) as an antidote to discouragement and shame. When was the last time you used worship to realign your heart with God’s truth? What holds you back from expressing praise physically or vocally?
[[31:54]]

2. The message said, “Stop striving, crucify the old nature daily, and walk in the Spirit.” What does “crucifying the old nature” look like in your daily life? Is there a specific habit or thought pattern you need to surrender to Jesus this week?
[[01:20:52]]

3. The pastor compared living by the law to following a cumbersome map, and living by the Spirit to following a guide who knows the way. Are there areas in your life where you’re still trying to “check all the boxes” instead of listening to the Holy Spirit? What would it look like to let the Spirit lead in those areas?
[[01:08:30]]

4. The sermon said, “The presence of temptation does not define us; rather, the Holy Spirit gives us a new appetite for holiness.” How do you respond when you feel tempted or discouraged by your failures? What would it look like to listen for the Spirit’s voice in those moments?
[[01:19:21]]

5. The message challenged us to be generous with our lives, resources, and love, making room for others to discover hope in Jesus. What is one practical way you can be more generous or outward-focused this week?
[[42:55]]

6. The pastor asked, “Do you want Christ more than you want right behavior?” How would you answer that question honestly? What steps can you take to make your relationship with Jesus the center, rather than just trying to “get it all right”?
[[01:27:08]]

7. The sermon ended with a prayer of surrender and commitment. Is there an area of your life where you need to freshly surrender to Jesus’ Lordship? What would it look like to invite the Holy Spirit to empower you for new life this week?
[[01:32:09]]

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Close in prayer, inviting the Holy Spirit to help each person walk in the freedom and new life Jesus offers.

Devotional

Day 1: There is a New Way to Serve God

There is an old way of striving to obey every letter of the law, and a new way of living empowered by the Holy Spirit. The old way is like trying to navigate life with a cumbersome map, always pointing out where you’ve missed the mark, while the new way is like having a guide in the passenger seat, leading you step by step. In Christ, you are released from the exhausting demands of the law and invited into a wide open, expansive, and free life in the Spirit. This new way is not about earning God’s favor by checking boxes, but about living in daily relationship with Jesus, letting His Spirit guide your choices and actions. [01:02:23]

Romans 7:4-6 (ESV)
"Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code."

Reflection: Where in your life are you still trying to “get it all right” by your own effort, and how can you invite the Holy Spirit to guide you in freedom today?


Day 2: The Law Reveals Sin, but Only Jesus Makes Us Holy

The law is holy and good, but it cannot make you holy—it only exposes where you fall short. Jesus, on the other hand, is holy for a holy people; He is after your heart, not just your behavior. The law points out your need for a Savior, but only Christ can transform your nature, give you a new identity, and make you truly holy from the inside out. Instead of striving for outward perfection, let your heart be surrendered to Jesus, who alone can redeem and renew you. [01:13:33]

Romans 7:12 (ESV)
"So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good."

Reflection: What is one area where you’ve been focused on outward behavior instead of letting Jesus transform your heart? How can you surrender that to Him today?


Day 3: The Dynamic for Sin Remains, but the Desire Is Dead

Even as a follower of Jesus, the dynamic of sin is still present in your life, but the desire for sin is dead and gone because of the Holy Spirit within you. There is a battle in your mind, but you are no longer a slave to your old nature. The Spirit reminds you of who you really are—redeemed, holy, and set apart. When you face temptation, listen for the voice of the Holy Spirit, who empowers you to choose holiness over sin. [01:19:21]

Romans 7:21-25 (ESV)
"So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin."

Reflection: When you are tempted today, what would it look like to pause and listen for the Holy Spirit’s voice reminding you of your true identity in Christ?


Day 4: Jesus Is Enough—Not Just Right Behavior

The answer to your struggle with sin and shame is not in getting everything right, but in staying anchored to Jesus. God’s boundaries are not about punishment, but about filling your life with purpose and freedom. The law was only part of God’s rescue plan; Jesus and the Holy Spirit complete it, offering you redemption, forgiveness, and wholeness. The real question is: Do you want Christ more than you want to simply “do the right thing”? Let your life be rooted in relationship with Him, not in religious performance. [01:27:08]

John 15:4-5 (ESV)
"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."

Reflection: In what ways are you tempted to measure your faith by your performance, and how can you shift your focus to simply abiding in Jesus today?


Day 5: Live Each Day Empowered by the Holy Spirit

You are invited to live a new life, not by your own strength, but by the power of the Holy Spirit. Each day is a fresh opportunity to surrender to Jesus, receive His forgiveness, and be empowered for new life. The Spirit is not just a helper but the very presence of God, guiding, comforting, and transforming you from the inside out. Don’t settle for captivity to shame or the pressure to perform—step into the freedom and fullness that comes from letting the Holy Spirit lead you every day. [01:33:50]

2 Corinthians 3:6 (ESV)
"Who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life."

Reflection: What is one practical way you can invite the Holy Spirit to lead you in a specific area of your life today?

Quotes

It's way better to have the same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead live inside of us and be like, hey, let's do this. Hey, this is what Jesus did. Let's try that. Hey, this is how Christ wants you to live. Let's do that. Rather than some external rule book slapping our hand every time we miss the mark. [01:01:07] (19 seconds) Edit Clip

``The law was holy for a sinful people, but Jesus is holy for a holy people. See, the law itself is holy. It's good. Its commands are holy. They're right. They're good. The law exposes our hearts and the sin within. It shows us where we miss the mark, where we fall short. But the law cannot make you holy. [01:11:40] (25 seconds) Edit Clip

The transformation, church, of your entire life, starting on the inside and working its way out, is why Christ sacrificed his life. Not for the sinful behavior to conform to the letter of the law, but for the sin nature to make you holy, set apart, bit by bit, transformed into his image. [01:15:19] (24 seconds) Edit Clip

Christ isn't about restoring behavior. He's about redeeming your nature, giving you a new identity, a new value, a new name, a new worth. He cancels the first covenant in order to put the second into effect, Hebrews 10. For God's will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Christ once for all time. [01:15:43] (23 seconds) Edit Clip

The law revealed how sinful you are. But a holy Savior makes us holy. Giddy up. What are you going to pick? Right? The map or the navigation system? I choose Holy Spirit. God's united you with Christ. For our benefit, God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God. He made us pure. He made us holy. He freed us from sin. [01:16:06] (31 seconds) Edit Clip

The dynamic for sin is still there. How many of you would be like, uh, yeah. The dynamic for sin still at work in my life. However, the desire to sin is dead and gone. And that's where the Holy Spirit steps in. There's a dynamic of sin in the life of the believer but not a desire for it because the Holy Spirit is like, oh, I know who you really are. I know that Christ redeemed you. I know that Christ makes you holy. [01:17:16] (32 seconds) Edit Clip

God's boundaries aren't about slapping your hand. They're about filling your life with purpose. These purposes were not simply about teaching the world a better standard of morality. They were about rescuing the world from sin and death. That was always God's M .O. [01:23:51] (17 seconds) Edit Clip