freedom (1 of 4)

FREEDOM IN CHRIST
Galatians 5:1
NIV
1It 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.
MSG
Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you.

Lord Jesus I pray your covering over these words. As they are read may only your truth be spoken. Protect it from twisting and distortion. May Satan have no part in this in Jesus name. In humility I offer these words. I pray that the truth of you word would come alive to the individual. In Jesus name – amen.

? WHAT IS A HARNESS OR YOKE?
A yoke is the instrument (often wood) that is used to hold to oxen or such animal together in order for them to pull a load.

? What is the yoke or harness of slavery talked about here?
The yoke of slavery is slavery or bondage to sin.
AND
Being held captive by the lies of Satan

The yoke of slavery to sin fell upon man as a result of Adam and Eve wanting to make themselves like God and eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
Since that time every child that has been born has been born in bondage to sin. We are born held to and locked to that sin.

? What does it mean to be in bondage to sin?

Being in bondage to sin means you are born with a desire to sin.
If you don’t believe me try watching a two year old.
My youngest, when he was 2, pushed his older brother into the pool. He then sat down and folded his hands and put himself in time out. He knew it was a wrong thing to do however he chose to do it anyway. He had the desire and took great pleasure in doing it.

RESULT
This bondage leads to spiritual death or separation from God.
Romans 6:23a tells us:
For the wages of sin is death

We do not have to remain in this condition.
God has provided a path to freedom through Jesus Christ.
We do not have to remain in this condition. – as slaves -
We can live in freedom

What is freedom? What is living free?
· Freedom is not living under condemnation.
· Freedom is living without guilt
· Freedom is accepting the forgiveness offered through Christ
· Freedom is rejecting the lies of Satan when he tells you you’re trash – not worthy
· Freedom is living with God and not apart from Him.
· Freedom is living to be who God created you to be
· Freedom is knowing you are not a slave but a son or daughter

God has provided a path to freedom through Jesus Christ. – His only Son who died so that you no longer have to.

The punishment that is due us …..
Romans 6:23a
For the wages of sin is death

………He took upon himself
Romans 8:1
There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus

HOWEVER
Instead of making the choice to accept the freedom that has been offered us we try to change ourselves by our own actions. We try to do it without God.
· We are “good” and go to church
· We are a nice neighbor
· We are a fair boss or employee
· We work hard to get good grades
· We work to be “different” from everyone else so we can say “I’m not like them”
· We discipline our bodies to become a good athlete
· The outside looks fit and put together
· We practice to become an good piano player / singer / guitar player
Instead of a release from bondage these things BECOME your identity and who you are.
And you remain as a slave and in bondage because you are looking toward something other than God for your freedom and identity.

Hi I’m John the nice neighbor
Friendly guy
I go to church
People like me
I’m good at________
I’ve got it all together

NO I am John a son of God - that should be the identity I hold to.

Galatians 4:6-7
Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father."* So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.
* that is essentially “daddy”

The first step to FREEDOM IN CHRIST
Is putting all these false freedoms and false identities aside and acknowledging our need for forgiveness.

LUKE 7:36-48
36Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. 37When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, 38and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
39When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner."
40Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you." "Tell me, teacher," he said.
41"Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii,[d] and the other fifty. 42Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"
43Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled." "You have judged correctly," Jesus said.
44Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."
48Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."

The Pharisee in this story was finding his own way to God. He was being a good neighbor and all the other things he was to do. Here was Christ (the fulfillment of the OT law) sitting in front of him and he was so worried about making himself perfect that he did not look for the Christ. He is very much living in bondage because he rejected Christ and tried to purify himself.
This is us when we look for things other than Christ to free us.

The prostitute is who we need to be like. She came to Christ broken; knowing she could do nothing and that she needed him for everything.
She came to Christ weeping. She came to Christ repentant. (Godly sorrow)

The second step to FREEDOM IN CHRIST
IS ACCEPTING THE FORGIVENESS AND FREEDOM OFFERED

Repentant heart
As soon as we go to God with a repentant heart and seek forgiveness we are free from the bondage of those sins.
GOD WILL FORGIVE OUR SINS AND REMEMBER THEM NO MORE
Hebrews 8:12
MSG
They'll get to know me by being kindly forgiven, with the slate of their sins forever wiped clean.
NLT
And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.”[
NIV
For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."[c]

You are free! You are free! You are free!
Each one of those verses screams of the freedom awaiting you.

CAUTION: MUST LAY CLAIM TO YOUR FREEDOM – IT IS A SPIRITUAL BATTLE

When you live in freedom you are no longer tied to sin and Satan is no longer your master.
He wants to rip that freedom away from you. He wants to place you back in bondage. He wants you to be a slave.

It is key that each of us accept and claim our freedom.
It is key that we hold onto that freedom
Don’t hold on to guilt
Don’t listen to his lies that put false labels on you
· You are unlovable
· You are unforgiveable
· God doesn’t want you – you’re not cool enough – you don’ have enough money
· Your too dirty for God to forgive – he knows what you looked at – he knows the things you’ve done in secret
· He does not want you
· You are trash

Romans 8:1
There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus
Galatians 5:1
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.
Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you.

YOU ARE NOT TRASH - YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A SLAVE ANY LONGER
Be the prostitute and acknowledge your need for forgiveness. Not one of us can fix ourselves. No matter how hard we try or say we will try. Accept the forgiveness that the Creator God as offered you through Jesus Christ. Accept that you are a son or daughter of the most high king.

LAY CLAIM TO YOUR FREEDOM.

Call on God. He will forgive your sins and remember them no more. He will call you son. He will call you daughter.

VERSES FOR FREEDOM
Hebrews 8:12
For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.
Romans 8:1
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
Galatians 4:6-7
Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.
Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
John 15:15
I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you
Philippians 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Philippians 1:6
being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5
3For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.