True Freedom: Love, Service, and the Spirit

Devotional

Day 1: Freedom in Christ Is Not Self-Indulgence, But Service

True freedom in Christ is not the license to do whatever we please, but the call to serve one another humbly in love. This freedom is a gift, not something we possess for our own advantage, but a responsibility to care for others, especially those who are marginalized or oppressed. When we use our freedom to love and serve, we fulfill the law of Christ and reflect His heart to the world. Consider how your actions today can be an expression of this freedom, not for self, but for the good of your neighbor. [30:32]

Galatians 5:1, 13-14 (ESV)
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. 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 specific way can you use your freedom today to serve someone else humbly in love, especially someone who may be overlooked or marginalized?

Day 2: Remembering God’s Faithfulness Sustains Us in Struggle

When facing times of trouble or uncertainty, remembering God’s past deeds and mercies can sustain us and give us hope for the future. Like the psalmist, when we recall how God has acted before—His miracles, His presence, His faithfulness—we find strength to endure present hardships. Take time today to meditate on the ways God has shown up in your life, and let that remembrance anchor your trust in Him now. [09:37]

Psalm 77:5-14 (ESV)
I consider the days of old, the years long ago. I said, “Let me remember my song in the night; let me meditate in my heart.” Then my spirit made a diligent search: “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable? Has his steadfast love forever ceased? Are his promises at an end for all time? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Then I said, “I will appeal to this, to the years of the right hand of the Most High.” I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds. Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God? You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples.

Reflection: What is one specific way God has shown His faithfulness to you in the past, and how can remembering that help you trust Him with a current struggle?

Day 3: The Fruit of the Spirit Is the Evidence of a Life Rooted in Christ

The evidence of living by the Spirit is not found in outward rule-keeping, but in the inward transformation that produces the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These qualities are not separate fruits to pick and choose, but one fruit that grows as we remain rooted in Christ. Rather than striving to force these traits, give space for the Spirit to cultivate them in you, and let your life be a place where God’s character can flourish. [44:49]

Galatians 5:22-25 (ESV)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

Reflection: Which aspect of the fruit of the Spirit do you sense needs more space to grow in your life right now, and what is one practical way you can nurture that today?

Day 4: Loving Your Neighbor Is the Central Command of Christian Life

Loving your neighbor as yourself is not just a suggestion, but the central command that fulfills the entire law and reflects the very nature of God. This love is not limited by boundaries of race, nationality, or status, but extends to every person as a child of God. When we fail to love, we risk biting and devouring one another, but when we choose love, we build up the body of Christ and witness to the world. Let your words and actions today be shaped by this radical, inclusive love. [39:27]

Leviticus 19:18 (ESV)
You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

Reflection: Who is someone in your life or community that you find difficult to love, and what is one step you can take today to show them Christlike love?

Day 5: Justice, Mercy, and Humility Are the Outworking of the Spirit’s Fruit

Living by the Spirit means not only personal transformation, but also standing with the oppressed, the poor, and the marginalized. The Spirit’s fruit empowers us to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God, echoing the call to be agents of justice and compassion in the world. Ask God to open your eyes to those who need an advocate, and to give you the courage to act in love and justice, so that the world may know we are Christians by our love. [52:02]

Micah 6:8 (ESV)
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Reflection: Who in your community or world is experiencing injustice or marginalization, and what is one concrete action you can take this week to stand with them in love and justice?

Sermon Summary

This morning, we gathered as a community to celebrate both the freedom we enjoy as citizens and, more importantly, the freedom we have in Christ. We began by remembering the importance of practical acts of service—like our new “one can on the first Sunday” initiative—reminding ourselves that spiritual nourishment and caring for others go hand in hand. As we reflected on the 4th of July, we gave thanks for our national freedoms, but also recognized that the truest freedom is found in Christ Jesus, who liberates us from the burdens of the law and calls us to a life of love.

Drawing from Psalm 77, we acknowledged that there are seasons when God feels distant, and our hearts are heavy with grief or confusion. In those moments, we are sustained by remembering God’s past faithfulness and miracles, which give us hope for the present and future. We lifted up prayers for those in need, for families experiencing loss, and for those quietly carrying burdens, trusting that God’s presence and grace are always with us.

Turning to Galatians 5, we explored what it means to be truly free in Christ. Paul’s message to the Galatians was clear: our salvation is not based on external rules or rituals, but on faith in Christ alone. Yet, this freedom is not a license for self-indulgence; rather, it is a call to serve one another humbly in love. The command to “love your neighbor as yourself” is not just a suggestion, but the very heart of the Christian life, repeated throughout Scripture and embodied in the life of Jesus.

We considered the story of Bryan Stevenson and Walter McMillan as a modern parable of justice, dignity, and the cost of failing to love our neighbor. Their story reminds us that when we forget our shared humanity and the image of God in every person, we risk devouring one another and perpetuating injustice. Paul’s warning is as relevant today as it was then: if we do not walk by the Spirit, we will destroy each other.

The fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—are not just ideals, but the evidence of a life rooted in Christ. We cannot force this fruit to grow; we simply create space for the Spirit to work in us, staying rooted in Christ and attentive to the needs of the oppressed and marginalized. In doing so, we become living witnesses to God’s love, so that the world will know we are Christians by our love.

Key Takeaways

1. Remembering God’s Faithfulness Sustains Us In times of trouble or grief, it is not always the immediate presence of God that brings comfort, but the act of remembering God’s past deeds and mercies. Recalling how God has worked in our lives and in the lives of others gives us hope and strength to endure present challenges. This spiritual discipline of remembrance anchors us in faith when answers are hard to find. [09:37]
2. Freedom in Christ Is Not Self-Indulgence True freedom in Christ is not the ability to do whatever we please, but the liberation from the burdens of legalism and self-centeredness. This freedom is a gift, rooted in Christ’s sacrifice, and it calls us to serve others in humility and love. When we use our freedom to elevate ourselves over others, we betray the very heart of the gospel. [41:07]
3. Love Your Neighbor: The Central Command The command to “love your neighbor as yourself” is not a peripheral teaching, but the core of Christian life, repeated throughout Scripture. This love is not abstract; it is practical, sacrificial, and extends to all people, regardless of background or circumstance. When we fail to love, we risk devouring one another and undermining the witness of Christ in the world. [39:27]
4. The Fruit of the Spirit Is Singular and Holistic Paul describes the fruit of the Spirit as a singular reality, not a collection of separate virtues. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control are all facets of a Spirit-filled life. We do not pick and choose which to cultivate; instead, we create space for the Spirit to grow all these qualities in us as we remain rooted in Christ. [48:15]
5. Justice and Mercy Flow from a Spirit-Led Life Standing up for the oppressed, the marginalized, and the wronged is not optional for followers of Jesus—it is a natural outflow of walking by the Spirit. The story of Bryan Stevenson and Walter McMillan challenges us to confront injustice and embody the fruit of the Spirit in real, tangible ways. Our calling is to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly, so that the world may taste the fruit of grace through us. [52:02]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[02:08] - Announcements and Mission Giving
[04:04] - Call to Worship: Apostles’ Creed
[09:37] - Psalm 77: Remembering God’s Deeds
[10:44] - Prayer Requests and Community Involvement
[13:09] - Pastoral Prayer and Thanksgiving
[15:13] - Giving and Connectional Ministry
[17:06] - Children’s Message: Freedom in Christ
[23:20] - Galatians Reading and Context
[30:32] - Freedom in Christ: Not Legalism
[33:27] - Bryan Stevenson’s Story: Faith and Justice
[36:48] - Walter McMillan’s Story: Injustice and Hope
[39:27] - Love Your Neighbor: The Central Command
[41:07] - Freedom’s Purpose: Serving Others
[44:49] - The Fruit of the Spirit Explained
[48:15] - Cultivating the Fruit: Patience and Kindness
[49:45] - Gentleness, Self-Control, and Justice
[52:02] - Living by the Spirit: Justice and Mercy
[55:29] - Benediction: Go in the Freedom of the Spirit

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Galatians 5:1, 13-25 (NIV) — > 1 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.
> 13 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.
> 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
> 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
> 16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
> ...
> 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
> 23 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
> 24 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
> 25 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Observation Questions

According to Paul in Galatians 5, what is the purpose of the freedom we have in Christ? ([30:32])
What does Paul say will happen if we “bite and devour each other”? ([39:27])
List the qualities Paul calls the “fruit of the Spirit.” How does he describe them—as separate fruits or as one? ([44:49])
In the sermon, what practical act of service was introduced to help the church care for others? ([02:08])

Interpretation Questions

Why does Paul warn the Galatians not to use their freedom to indulge the flesh, but instead to serve one another in love? What does this say about the nature of Christian freedom? ([41:07])
The sermon shared the story of Bryan Stevenson and Walter McMillan. How does their story illustrate the danger of forgetting to “love your neighbor as yourself”? ([36:48])
The fruit of the Spirit is described as singular and holistic. Why is it important that these qualities grow together, rather than picking and choosing which ones to focus on? ([48:15])
The psalmist in Psalm 77 finds hope by remembering God’s past faithfulness. Why might remembering God’s deeds be especially important during times when God feels distant? ([09:37])

Application Questions

The sermon talked about “one can on the first Sunday” as a way to combine spiritual nourishment with practical care for others. What is one simple, regular act of service you could add to your routine to help someone in need? ([02:08])
Think of a time when you felt God was distant or you were struggling. What is one way you can practice remembering God’s faithfulness in your own life this week? ([09:37])
Paul says our freedom in Christ is not for self-indulgence, but for serving others. Are there areas in your life where you tend to put your own desires first? What is one step you can take to serve someone else this week? ([41:07])
“Love your neighbor as yourself” is repeated throughout Scripture and was highlighted as the heart of Christian life. Who is a “neighbor” in your life right now that you find difficult to love? What is one practical way you could show them love this week? ([39:27])
The story of Bryan Stevenson and Walter McMillan challenges us to stand up for justice and dignity. Is there a situation or group in your community where you see injustice or people being marginalized? What is one thing you could do to support or advocate for them? ([52:02])
The fruit of the Spirit includes patience, kindness, and self-control. Choose one aspect of the fruit that you struggle with. What is a specific action or prayer you can try this week to let the Spirit grow that fruit in you? ([48:15])
The sermon said, “We cannot force this fruit to grow; we simply create space for the Spirit to work in us.” What does it look like for you to “create space” for the Spirit in your daily life? ([49:45])

Sermon Clips

It's not that God shows up and is like, no, no, no, hang on, I'm right here. It's that in his mind, he remembers the goodness of God in the past, the mercies of God, and the presence of God, and that sustains him in his present struggles and gives him hope in that future. [00:10:02]

Being a follower of Jesus is going to change how you live, how you think, and how you act. [00:33:12]

Living a life in Christ is going to change how you live, how you think, and how you act. [00:33:21]

Living in Christ also gives you, it allows you an opportunity to know, and we've got these posted in a few different places, and I just put them up for me because I need the reminder. It gives you a chance to know that I'm a child of God and so is everybody else that I'm going to meet today. [00:33:32]

When Paul wrote the letter to Galatians, to these new Christians who are trying to understand what this word freedom meant in their life as they are still under the oppression and empowerment of the Roman Empire, but Paul keeps talking to them about a freedom that they have in Christ. And it's not freedom to do whatever they want, but it's freedom to be able actually to serve Christ. And in that freedom to serve Christ, then they are called to serve one another. [00:38:51]

The overarching theme of these 66 books is found in 1 John and multiple other places that simply says God is love. It's a theme. It's a command. It's a way of life. [00:39:58]

Paul calls it here walking by the Spirit and walking with the Spirit because Paul says if we don't walk this way, if we don't walk in step with the Spirit, if we're not loving your neighbor as yourself, if we're not loving one another, then Paul says in verse 15, if you bite and devour each other, then watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. [00:40:12]

Our world is biting and devouring. Countries are biting and devouring each other. Governments are biting and devouring each other. And then people just like you and me, often just caught up in it all, are often the ones who end up biting and devouring each other rather than following this command of loving your neighbor as yourself. [00:40:56]

We're not free to do as we please. We don't claim our superiority or the freedom that we have as something as our own to possess, because in reality, whether it's spiritually or here nationally in this country, the freedom we're talking about is a gift to us from other people. Spiritually, it is a gift to us from Jesus Christ, salvation by faith alone. [00:41:52]

If we are biting and devouring, if we are dehumanizing and randomly deporting, if we are hurting and harming another person created in the image of God, a child of God created equal with us, who God loves for and God died for and God rose from the dead again for, then we are missing the point that that we are all one in Christ Jesus, regardless of our country of origin or the color of our skin. [00:42:17]

When we forget that, we destroy ourselves. [00:42:50]

Freedom in Christ, living by the Spirit, walking in step with the Spirit, is all grounded in loving our neighbor. Hate -filled rhetoric is not loving our neighbor. Dropping bombs in civilian areas is not loving our neighbor. Dropping F -bombs is not loving our neighbor. Using our gift of freedom to claim our superimposed superiority over another person is not our neighbor. [00:44:04]

So Paul gives us a list of what loving your neighbor looks like. Nine Traits. It's called the Fruit of the Spirit. [00:44:49]

Love. It's the essence of who God is. Jesus says it encompasses the greatest command to love God and love people. [00:45:10]

Joy is something that's in our soul and isn't necessary for what's happening around us. [00:46:42]

The peace here isn't an absence of conflict. You know, we can still have peace in our heart and our soul, even in the midst of a confrontation, right? [00:46:57]

The word that Paul uses is singular, not plural. All this is encompassed as a fruit of the Spirit. We have what we need to be growing into. [00:47:54]

Kindness. Oh my goodness, right? Just be a good person. Be a kind human being is what this actually means. There's no deep theological meaning we're trying to pull out of being kind. It's simply being nice to each other, help each other. [00:48:42]

If we're trying to emulate and share that goodness with others. Faithfulness. Faithful means that you are full of faith, which is the assurance of your salvation in Christ Jesus. It is by grace we are saved through faith and gentleness. Just being gentle with other people. [00:49:18]

Self -control is discipline. It's discipline in our life. It is discipline in our spiritual life and discipline in our faith. [00:50:16]

That's what it means to live by the Spirit. It's just giving it space to grow. You can't force the fruit in your life. You just keep yourself rooted in Christ. Every single day, you listen to the cries of the needy and the oppressed. You spend time with the poor and the marginalized. And then you let the Spirit do what only the Spirit can do. Produce fruit in your life. [00:51:20]

Fruit to embolden you. Fruit to empower you. And fruit to help you act justly. Love, mercy, and walk humbly with the Lord your God. [00:51:48]

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