Living in Freedom: Love, Grace, and Surrender
Summary
The sermon began with the pastor acknowledging the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and leading the congregation in prayer for those affected. The pastor then emphasized the importance of freedom, cautioning against using it to satisfy sinful desires and instead encouraging the congregation to use it to serve one another in love. The pastor also warned against legalistic practices, reminding the congregation that they have been called to live in freedom and love their neighbors as themselves.
The pastor then stressed the importance of surrendering to God and allowing Him to fill us with His Spirit. He encouraged the congregation to let go of their own attempts at perfection and instead trust in God's forgiveness and grace. The pastor acknowledged that we may not always get it right, but with God's help, we can put to death the sinful nature within us. He also emphasized the importance of focusing on serving one another rather than obsessing over getting everything right.
The pastor addressed the issue of overconfidence and its negative consequences, using the Galatians as an example. He emphasized that when people become overly focused on their own expertise and adherence to rules, it can lead to a culture of legalism and a lack of grace. The pastor encouraged the congregation to shift their focus from meticulous obedience to displaying the personality of Jesus, which will result in a life aligned with the teachings of the Bible.
The pastor then discussed the destructive nature of sin, comparing it to a zombie that wants to eat our brains. He encouraged the congregation to resist sin and nail it to the cross, reminding them that the Fruit of the Spirit is meant to bring life and growth. The pastor also encouraged the congregation to remember Jesus as their corner man in the fight against sin, and to cooperate with Him in breaking forth into the world.
Finally, the pastor emphasized the importance of obeying the intention of the law rather than just focusing on the law itself. He encouraged the congregation to view the Bible not just as a rule book, but as a love book that teaches them how to love God and others. The pastor reminded the listeners that they are made right with God through the blood of Jesus Christ and that the purpose of the Resurrection is to command them to love by the power of the Spirit.
Key Takeaways:
- Freedom is a gift that should not be used to satisfy sinful desires but to serve one another in love. Legalistic practices can lead to a lack of grace and love for others. Instead, the focus should be on loving our neighbors as ourselves ([12:45]).
- Surrendering to God and allowing Him to fill us with His Spirit is crucial. Our attempts at perfection will always fall short, but with God's help, we can put to death the sinful nature within us ([22:30]).
- Overconfidence can lead to a culture of legalism and a lack of grace. Shifting our focus from meticulous obedience to displaying the personality of Jesus aligns our lives with the teachings of the Bible ([34:15]).
- Sin is destructive and must be resisted. The Fruit of the Spirit brings life and growth, and Jesus is our corner man in the fight against sin. Cooperation with Him is key to breaking forth into the world ([45:50]).
- The Bible should be viewed not just as a rule book, but as a love book. We are made right with God through the blood of Jesus Christ, and the purpose of the Resurrection is to command us to love by the power of the Spirit ([56:20]).
Study Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Galatians 5:13-26: "For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another! I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another."
2. Matthew 22:39: "And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’"
Observation Questions:
1. What does Galatians 5:13-26 say about the use of our freedom and how it relates to serving one another?
2. How does the passage from Matthew 22:39 connect to the concept of loving our neighbors as ourselves?
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does Galatians 5:13-26 define the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit? How do these definitions influence our understanding of freedom and service to others?
2. In Matthew 22:39, what does it mean to love your neighbor as yourself? How does this commandment relate to the fulfillment of the law?
Application Questions:
1. Can you identify a recent situation where you used your freedom to satisfy a sinful desire? How could you have used that freedom to serve someone else in love instead?
2. Think of a person in your life who you find difficult to love as yourself. What is one specific action you can take this week to show them love?
3. Reflect on a time when you focused on meticulous obedience to rules rather than displaying the personality of Jesus. How can you shift your focus in future situations?
4. What is one specific way you can resist the destructive nature of sin this week and instead cultivate the Fruit of the Spirit?
5. How can you view the Bible more as a love book than a rule book in your daily reading and study?
Devotional
Day 1: Embracing Freedom in Service and Love
Theme: Freedom: A Tool for Service and Love
Description: Freedom is a divine gift, not to be misused for indulging in sinful desires, but to serve one another in love. Legalistic practices can often lead to a lack of grace and love for others. Instead, the focus should be on loving our neighbors as ourselves ([12:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXeGrBk3SmY&t=750s)).
Bible Passage: Galatians 5:13 - "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."
Reflection: How can you use your freedom to serve others in love today? Can you think of a specific act of service you can perform for someone in your life?
Day 2: Surrendering to God's Spirit
Theme: Surrender: The Path to Spiritual Growth
Description: Surrendering to God and allowing Him to fill us with His Spirit is crucial. Our attempts at perfection will always fall short, but with God's help, we can put to death the sinful nature within us ([22:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXeGrBk3SmY&t=1335s)).
Bible Passage: Romans 8:13 - "For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live."
Reflection: What areas of your life do you need to surrender to God today? Can you identify a specific habit or attitude that you need to put to death?
Day 3: Overcoming Overconfidence
Theme: Overconfidence: A Barrier to Grace
Description: Overconfidence can lead to a culture of legalism and a lack of grace. Shifting our focus from meticulous obedience to displaying the personality of Jesus aligns our lives with the teachings of the Bible ([34:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXeGrBk3SmY&t=2040s)).
Bible Passage: Proverbs 16:18 - "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall."
Reflection: How has overconfidence affected your relationship with God and others? Can you think of a specific way to shift your focus from obedience to displaying the personality of Jesus?
Day 4: Resisting Sin
Theme: Sin: A Destructive Force to Resist
Description: Sin is destructive and must be resisted. The Fruit of the Spirit brings life and growth, and Jesus is our corner man in the fight against sin. Cooperation with Him is key to breaking forth into the world ([45:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXeGrBk3SmY&t=2735s)).
Bible Passage: Romans 6:12 - "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions."
Reflection: How can you resist sin in your life today? Can you identify a specific sin you need to nail to the cross?
Day 5: Obeying the Intention of the Law
Theme: The Law: A Guide to Love
Description: The Bible should be viewed not just as a rule book, but as a love book. We are made right with God through the blood of Jesus Christ, and the purpose of the Resurrection is to command us to love by the power of the Spirit ([56:20](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXeGrBk3SmY&t=3365s)).
Bible Passage: Romans 13:10 - "Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law."
Reflection: How can you obey the intention of the law by loving God and others today? Can you think of a specific way to show love to someone in your life?
Quotes
"You've been called to live in Freedom my brothers and sisters... He's been talking the whole book about you need to get free from your legalistic tendency to think that you're only right with God because you do the right things." [08:12]
"Jesus came to not only forgive your and my sin, but he came to overthrow the power of the sinful nature. He wants to overthrow it in everybody, and if we don't cooperate with God, it will tear apart our community." [11:44]
"We're in a fight between the sinful nature and the spirit of God, and giving over to the sinful nature is deadly. We've got to learn how to allow the fruit of the spirit of Jesus to break forth into the world through us." [19:00]
"I want to recognize that I've been trying to live according to either someone's rules for Perfection or mine or what I thought were yours and it just doesn't work and it's not what you want." #!!36:38!!#
"If you just focus on displaying the personality of Jesus, Jesus would break forth out of your life and you would end up doing most of what's written in that book anyway." #!!07:11!!#
"Instead of looking at this as your rule book, this is your love book. God tells you how he loves you and how he wants you to love others. This is your coaching book, it tells you here's how you do it right."
"Instead of focusing on just meticulously getting it right which is going to produce all kinds of Pride and jealousy and anger why don't you just focus on serving one another find the people to love because what am I teaching you in this teaching you how to love that's what we're doing teaching you how to love"
"We kill sin when we see it so you don't have to kill it permanently or perfectly you just have to kill it when you see it when you see that sinful nature when you see that nasty red poison spilling out of you oh there it is there it is kill it that's what you do you kill it for those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to the cross and crucified them there"
"A life empowered and led by the spirit obeys the intention of the law better than the actual law."
"As you touch it and stroke it and try to resist it while also holding it, no, I know the fights, nail it to the cross again. Get that attitude that is pitiless, nail it to the cross again because the Fruit of the Spirit Jesus plan for the fruit of the spirit is for it to enter life through us."
Chatbot
-
I'm an AI bot trained only on this specific sermon. Do you have any questions about it?