True Freedom: From Constraints to Purposeful Living

 

Summary

Freedom is a concept that resonates deeply with us, especially during times of national reflection like the Fourth of July. However, the true essence of freedom is often misunderstood. In the Civil War era, Abraham Lincoln observed that Americans had different definitions of freedom. For some, it meant the absence of slavery, while for others, it meant the ability to maintain it. Today, we often think of freedom as the absence of constraints, the ability to do whatever we want without interference. This "freedom from" is appealing, especially if we've been hurt by legalistic forms of religion or authority. Yet, this perspective can lead us to become enslaved by our own desires, as Augustine noted with his concept of the "chain of slavery."

True freedom, however, is not just about being free from constraints but also about being free for something greater. It is the freedom to live a life of purpose and love, to become the person we are meant to be. This kind of freedom requires discipline and grace. Norman Maclean, in his book "A River Runs Through It," illustrates this beautifully by comparing the art of fly fishing to the art of living. Just as a fly fisherman must practice to cast perfectly, we must practice disciplines to live freely. Grace, which is often misunderstood as mere forgiveness, is actually the power that enables us to live rightly. It comes through art, and art does not come easy.

The Apostle Paul reminds us that we are set free for freedom's sake, but warns against using this freedom to indulge the flesh. Instead, we are called to serve one another in love. This service, which may seem like the opposite of freedom, is actually the path to true freedom—the freedom to live rightly and love deeply. As we celebrate freedom, let us pursue the freedom that is worth having, the freedom that comes by grace and leads to a life of love and service.

Key Takeaways:

- Freedom is often misunderstood as merely the absence of constraints. True freedom, however, is not just "freedom from" but "freedom for"—the ability to live a life of purpose and love. This requires discipline and grace, as illustrated by the art of fly fishing. [03:25]

- Augustine's "chain of slavery" highlights how our distorted wills can lead us to become enslaved by our desires. True freedom involves breaking these chains through spiritual awakening and discipline. [04:21]

- Grace is not just about forgiveness; it is the power that enables us to live rightly. It comes through art, and art requires discipline and effort. This is the path to true freedom. [07:46]

- The Apostle Paul teaches that we are set free for freedom's sake, but warns against using this freedom to indulge the flesh. True freedom is found in serving one another in love, which leads to a life of purpose. [09:19]

- As we celebrate freedom, let us pursue the freedom that is worth having—the freedom that comes by grace and leads to a life of love and service. This is the freedom to live rightly and become the person we are meant to be. [10:01]

Youtube Chapters:

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:10] - Introduction and Personal Update
[00:54] - Reflecting on Freedom
[01:16] - Lincoln's Observations on Freedom
[01:50] - Freedom from Constraints
[02:33] - The Notion of Self-Determination
[03:25] - The Problem with "Freedom From"
[03:55] - Augustine's Chain of Slavery
[04:36] - The Paradox of Addiction
[05:02] - The Story of Carl Jung and Alcoholics Anonymous
[06:12] - Freedom for Purpose
[06:30] - Norman Maclean's Insight on Grace
[07:46] - Grace and Discipline
[08:38] - Paul's Teaching on Freedom
[09:19] - Serving in Love
[10:01] - Pursuing True Freedom

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. Galatians 5:1, 13-14 (NIV): "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery... You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

2. Romans 6:18 (NIV): "You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness."

3. John 8:36 (NIV): "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."

#### Observation Questions
1. According to Galatians 5:1, what is the purpose of the freedom that Christ has given us?
2. How does the sermon describe the difference between "freedom from" and "freedom for"? [03:25]
3. What does Augustine's "chain of slavery" refer to, and how does it relate to our desires? [04:21]
4. How does Norman Maclean's view of grace and art relate to the concept of freedom in the sermon? [07:46]

#### Interpretation Questions
1. What does it mean to be "set free for freedom's sake" according to the Apostle Paul, and how does this relate to serving one another in love? [09:19]
2. How might Augustine's idea of the "chain of slavery" be relevant to modern-day struggles with addiction or habitual sin? [04:21]
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that grace is more than just forgiveness? How does this understanding of grace impact our daily lives? [07:46]
4. How does the analogy of fly fishing illustrate the relationship between discipline and freedom in the Christian life? [06:30]

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you pursued "freedom from" constraints. Did it lead to true freedom or a different kind of bondage? How might you pursue "freedom for" something greater in your life? [03:25]
2. Augustine speaks of the "chain of slavery" that comes from distorted desires. Identify one desire in your life that might be leading you away from true freedom. What steps can you take to address it? [04:21]
3. Grace is described as coming through art, which requires discipline. What spiritual discipline could you practice more intentionally to experience the grace of living rightly? [07:46]
4. Paul warns against using freedom to indulge the flesh. What are some practical ways you can serve others in love this week, fulfilling the law of loving your neighbor? [09:19]
5. The sermon mentions the importance of living a life of purpose and love. What is one area of your life where you feel called to serve others more deeply? How can you take a step towards that this week? [10:01]
6. Consider the analogy of fly fishing and the discipline it requires. What is one skill or habit you want to develop that will help you live more freely and purposefully? [06:30]
7. As you celebrate freedom, what is one specific way you can pursue the freedom that comes by grace and leads to a life of love and service? [10:01]

Devotional

Day 1: True Freedom is Living with Purpose and Love
True freedom is often misunderstood as merely the absence of constraints, a "freedom from" that allows us to do whatever we want without interference. However, this perspective can lead to enslavement by our own desires, as Augustine noted with his concept of the "chain of slavery." True freedom is not just about being free from constraints but also about being free for something greater. It is the freedom to live a life of purpose and love, to become the person we are meant to be. This kind of freedom requires discipline and grace, much like the art of fly fishing, where practice is essential to cast perfectly. Grace, often misunderstood as mere forgiveness, is actually the power that enables us to live rightly. It comes through art, and art does not come easy. [03:25]

Galatians 5:13-14 (ESV): "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. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"

Reflection: In what ways can you practice discipline and grace in your daily life to live a life of purpose and love?


Day 2: Breaking the Chains of Our Desires
Augustine's "chain of slavery" highlights how our distorted wills can lead us to become enslaved by our desires. This enslavement occurs when we pursue "freedom from" constraints without understanding the true essence of freedom. True freedom involves breaking these chains through spiritual awakening and discipline. It requires us to recognize the ways in which our desires can control us and to seek liberation through a deeper understanding of our purpose. By aligning our will with a higher calling, we can break free from the chains that bind us and experience the true freedom that comes from living a life of purpose and love. [04:21]

Romans 6:16-18 (ESV): "Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness."

Reflection: Identify one desire or habit that has been controlling you. How can you begin to break free from it through spiritual discipline and awakening?


Day 3: Grace as the Power to Live Rightly
Grace is not just about forgiveness; it is the power that enables us to live rightly. It comes through art, and art requires discipline and effort. This is the path to true freedom. Grace empowers us to live a life that aligns with our true purpose and calling. It is the divine assistance that helps us overcome our weaknesses and live in accordance with our values and beliefs. By embracing grace, we can find the strength to pursue a life of love and service, breaking free from the chains of our desires and living in true freedom. [07:46]

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (ESV): "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Reflection: How can you rely on grace to overcome a specific weakness or challenge in your life today?


Day 4: Serving in Love as the Path to True Freedom
The Apostle Paul teaches that we are set free for freedom's sake, but warns against using this freedom to indulge the flesh. Instead, we are called to serve one another in love. This service, which may seem like the opposite of freedom, is actually the path to true freedom—the freedom to live rightly and love deeply. By serving others, we align ourselves with our true purpose and experience the joy and fulfillment that comes from living a life of love and service. This is the freedom that is worth having, the freedom that leads to a life of purpose and meaning. [09:19]

1 Peter 4:10-11 (ESV): "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."

Reflection: Think of one way you can serve someone in love today. How can this act of service lead you to experience true freedom?


Day 5: Pursuing the Freedom Worth Having
As we celebrate freedom, let us pursue the freedom that is worth having—the freedom that comes by grace and leads to a life of love and service. This is the freedom to live rightly and become the person we are meant to be. It requires us to move beyond the superficial understanding of freedom as the absence of constraints and to embrace the deeper freedom that comes from living a life of purpose and love. By pursuing this freedom, we can experience the joy and fulfillment that comes from aligning our lives with our true calling and serving others in love. [10:01]

Ephesians 4:1-3 (ESV): "I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

Reflection: What steps can you take today to pursue the freedom that is worth having, the freedom that leads to a life of love and service?

Quotes


In the Civil War era, when Lincoln was running for president, one of the observations he made was that Americans tended to have different definitions for the same word. He was thinking particularly about freedom or liberty, and he said the North believed that they were champions of that because they wanted there not to be slavery. [00:01:11]

Most often, when we think about freedom, particularly in the West, particularly in America, we think about freedom from. I want to be free from restraints. I want to be free from anybody who's trying to tell me what it is that I can or cannot do. If you have been damaged by legalistic forms of religion, that might be a great source of freedom. [00:01:49]

Freedom by this definition is freedom from any kind of constraint, any kind of authority. But there is a problem. I am not God. I am a creature. I am an embodied creature. I am a creature who has desires. I am a creature who is molded around habits, and so eventually, I'm the kind of person who can become enslaved by the very desires that I think that I'm choosing. [00:03:22]

Augustine talked about what he called the chain of slavery, that part of our difficulty is we have distorted wills. All of us go after the wrong things, and the consequence of distorted will is passion, emotion unchecked. And then passion, when it is served, leads to habit, and habit, when it is no longer met with resistance, leads to necessity. [00:03:55]

A young man who was so in bondage to alcohol went to spend a year with Carl Jung in Switzerland so that he could be analyzed and healed, and he was. He left Jung, but before he got on the boat to go back to the States, he found himself drunk again. He went back to Jung and told him what had happened and said, "Can you help me?" [00:05:05]

Freedom is not just freedom from a constraint. Freedom is also freedom for the freedom to be able to. One of my favorite books is written by an author named Norman Maclean, and it's called "A River Runs Through It." Maclean was quite a remarkable guy. He was the son of a Protestant minister father, and he went off to the University of Chicago. [00:06:15]

He writes about how in our family growing up, there was no line between religion and fly fishing. He knew that the disciples were fishermen and believed that James and John, the favorites, were fly fishermen. And he said my father, a Presbyterian minister, was certain about some truths in the universe. He believed that all good things, from trout to eternal salvation, come by grace. [00:07:08]

Grace comes by art, and art does not come easy. Now, this is something that is often misunderstood. We often think of grace as nothing other than the legal forgiveness of sins that comes to us apart from any effort. But actually, all good things come by grace, and grace comes by art, and art does not come easy. [00:07:52]

Being a disciple, entering into disciplines, is always, always, always about freedom. A fly fisherman is someone who is able to cast a fly at just the right time into just the right place in just the right way, and that freedom has been acquired by discipline. Grace comes through art, and art does not come easy. [00:08:06]

Paul said these amazing words, that it is for freedom that you have been set free. This is in Galatians chapter five, but then in verse 13, he says, "But do not use your freedom as an occasion to indulge the flesh. I can do whatever I want whenever I want, but the ultimate road that that leads you to is bondage." [00:08:44]

Serve one another in love. To serve or to be a slave, as the expression Paul often would use, seems to us like the opposite of freedom. Paul, what are you smoking? But it is actually a life in the service of the good, in the service of love, that leads to the only freedom that is worth having, which is the freedom to live the right kind of life. [00:09:19]

Celebrate freedom and pursue the freedom that is worth having, that comes by grace, because God created the world as a gift of grace and put a garden in the middle of that world, and in the garden, there flows a river whose streams may glad the city of God, and a river runs through it. All good things come by grace, and grace comes by art. [00:09:50]

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Transcript
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