September 25, 2005 Summit AM

Living In Freedom

Introduction

A. Text – Gal.5:1-10

B. As Christians we all struggle to be free from sin

            1. Glenn Hinton shared last week about walking in God’s light

                        a. All struggle

                        b. Jesus' answer in Sermon on the Mount

            2. Paul’s situation – false teachers binding the Law on Christians

                        a. Wants all to be free – not be entangled again in bondage

                        b. Our decision – “Stand firm… do not let selves be burdened again”

C. Use situation in OT to illustrate the temptations to stay as slaves

            1. Situation = Israel in Egypt seeking freedom

            2. Pharaoh resists – gives alternatives so they will remain enslaved

                        a. Ex.8:25 – “Go sacrifice to your God in the land”

                        b. Ex.25:28 – “You must not go very far”

                        c. Ex.10:8-11 - “Only the men can go”

d. Ex.10:24 – “Leave your flocks & herds behind”

D. Satan does some of the same things to us – to keep us as his slaves

E. Pray

 

I. Worship God – But Remain My Slave

            A. Truth - All of us are or have been slaves to Satan

                        1. Eph.2:1-3 – all followed the ways of Satan

                        2. Rom.6:16 – are slaves to one we obey – sin or righteousness

                        3. 2 Tim.2:24-26 – teach in way they can escape trap of Satan

                        4. Gen.4:7 – sin desires to rule us – must master it

            B. Satan’s goal – to continue to rule your life

                        1. Go ahead & worship God – but give your allegiance to me

                                    a. Attend services – sing & pray; even read Bible

                                    b. Hang onto that old nature – live as you always have

                                    c. Focus on the external things – rituals etc

                        2. Problems when we allow old nature dominance

                                    a. Never grow spiritually

                                                Rom.12:2 – never know the will of God

                                                Rom.8:8 – controlled by sinful nature can’t please God

                                    b. Never have any spiritual power in life

                                                2 Tim.3:1-5 – just a form of godliness (spiritually empty)

                                                2 Pet.1:9 – always be nearsighted & blind spiritually

                                    c. Will always be a slave to sin

                                                Times will have victory – short lived

                                                Keep falling back into old habits

 

 

 

II. Don’t Go To Far – Stay Close To Me

            A. Don’t fully commit yourself to Jesus

                        1. Lk.14:24ff – Jesus’ warnings

                                    a. Unless put Me 1st can’t be My disciple

                                    b. Unless willing carry your cross can’t be My disciple

                                    c. Unless renounce all you have can’t be My disciple

                        2. Total, absolute commitment to Jesus is a must

                                    a. Without it – never be victorious

                                    b. Jn.15:1-5 – without Him can do nothing

            B. Parable of the sower – Mt.13

                        1. In three of the illustrations Satan wins

                                    Hard ground = takes away seed sown

                                    Stony ground – plant withers & dies

                                    Thorny ground – word choked & never fruitful

                        2. Unless break up ground – remove stones & weeds – never bear fruit

            C. Illustration – boy fell out of bed

                        1. Asked what happened – why?

                        2. Answer – “Guess I stayed to close to where I got in”

                        3. Too many Christians stay too close to world – always slaves

 

III. Go – But Don’t Take Your Family

            A. People we love & respect have a great influence on us

                        1. Jn.12:42,43 – kept some of priests from confessing Jesus

                        2. 2 Cor.6:14-7:1 – warned to not be unequally yoked to unbelievers

            B. Imperative that we bring our family to Jesus

                        1. For their sake - Without Him – can’t come to God – Jn.14:6

                        2. For our sake too

                                    a. Jesus call – stand with Me period

                                                Love Me more than family or friends

                                                Mt.10 – loved ones may become enemies – choose

                                    b. Egypt began to look good when Israel in wilderness

                                                Remembered all good times

                                                Forgot the enslavement & its consequences

 

IV. Go – But Leave Your Possessions With Me

            A. Religion should not to affect the physical things

                        1. OK be religious, but not fanatical

                        2. Keep your religion & your everyday life separate

                                    a. Go to church – but not too much

                                    b. Keep focus on world – getting & keeping all you can get

            B. God’s call

                        1. 1 Cor.6:19,20 – body is a temple of the Holy Spirit (glorify God)

                        2. Rom.12:1 – present body as a living sacrifice

                        3. Gal.2:20 – I have been crucified with Christ – no longer I that live

                        4. Acts 4:32 – none claimed possessions as their own

           

C. God wants us to hold nothing back from Him

1. Everything dedicated to Him

            Time, energy, possessions etc

            Everything is to be devoted to Him – 1st in everything

2. Reason – Mt.6:19-24 – Where treasure is heart is

 

Conclusion

A. Had Moses accepted Pharaoh’s terms – Israel stay slaves

            1. Pharaoh’s hold had to be broken

            2. No room for compromise

B. To be free from sin’s hold – we too must make no compromises with Satan

            1. Make decision – recon self-dead to sin & alive to God

            2. Total absolute commitment – not use members of body for sin

            3. Allow nothing to hold you back – bring family with you

            4. Commit all you are & have to Jesus – treasures in heaven