Last week we studied Paul’s exhortation to the Corinthian church to prioritize loving others by not exercising personal freedoms when love and freedom conflict. This week we will study the reverse: prioritizing loving others by not restraining freedoms when restraint is unnecessary and deters people from receiving the Gospel message. Love restrains freedom for the sake of other Christians but love also frees restraint for the sake of those who aren’t yet Christians. Join us as we seek to better understand this way of living that Christ himself lived.
"freedom" Tagged Sermons
We’re Christians. We’re people of deep conviction; primarily about the lordship of Christ but also about lesser things, even things that Scripture doesn’t directly address. When we believe that we’re free to do something that another Christian believes is wrong or is tempted by, should we do it? Should we exercise our freedom or restrain it? Though the Corinthian church had different circumstances than ours, they too grappled with this difficult question and Paul, an Apostle of Christ, answered it, for them and for us.
Woody Allen acknowledged, “I’m not afraid of death; I just don’t want to be there when it happens” and Solomon observed, “the fear of man will prove to be a snare.” What if our fears are actually opportunities for growth? In this message we grapple with the realities of fear and discover from an ancient story how to grow in freedom, trust and courage in the legitimate concerns of 2021 and beyond.
Have you ever had a hard time believing God can use you? Have you ever been frustrated that you weren’t getting what you wanted or needed out of life? In Hebrews, we are reminded of the story of Sarah – how her faith in God and His promises stood firm through all of her mistakes and misconceptions, and the entire world was blessed through her.
In Galatians, Paul passionately contrasts a life of Faith that leads to being filled with The Spirit versus a life in the flesh that keeps you a slave under the law. For us today, God’s plan is for us to live in freedom, in The Spirit, and no longer be slaves to our controlling religious striving. We must trust all that God has said and walk in Freedom as Sons and Daughters of God.
When we, as Christians, recall the ways that we have failed to love one another, the conclusion of our self-assessment should always be that we are righteous, not condemned; Christ’s perfection has overcome our imperfection. And within this mercy and grace, we are free to love more and more. “Do so more and more” was Paul’s charge to the Thessalonians. What would his charge be to Denverites?
Jesus has come to bring freedom for the captives and the prisoners. He has come to set us free. Yet we often choose to live in a prison cell and let the chains hold us back from the abundant life Jesus has set before us. Are you free? Will you let the Spirit of Jesus lead you to freedom?
Freedom is a gift from God. One of the miracles that our living Jesus performs is liberating us when we are trapped in lies and unhealthy behaviors. On the day of His resurrection Jesus set Mary Magdalene free and He continues to liberate all who encounter Him today.
Sometimes God allows His children to enter seasons when we are trapped, stuck, ensnared and bound in such a way that we cannot rescue ourselves. When we are unable to deliver ourselves we tend to either fight or flee. In rescuing His children from slavery in Egypt, God reveals that He is our deliverer who is mighty to save us from any and every form of bondage in His time and in His way. As God commanded Moses and Israel to act in faith as He delivered them from Egypt, we discover that walking in step with God through the process of deliverance is better than our typical flight or fight tendencies.