COL. 1:13-14; ROM. 6:16-19
Subject: FREEDOM IN CHRIST
Theme: God Wants You to Know that You Can Live in Freedom in Christ.
Introduction:
1. Freedom! What a wonderful idea; we all treasure freedom greatly. We delight in being free. We long to live in freedom always.
2. One of the most encouraging and recurring themes in the New Testament is that Christians are free in Christ Jesus. This especially was good news to the Christians who first received this teaching from the apostles since many of the first believers throughout the Roman Empire were officially classified as slaves. The freedom that the apostles spoke about, however, was not a political freedom but, rather, a spiritual one. They spoke of an inner freedom that allows a person to live above his present circumstances instead of being stretched out under them.
Our freedom in Christ is directly related to two main concepts in the Bible:
* Redemption —we have been redeemed by Christ Jesus
with His blood.
* Service —we each are destined as human beings to serve one of two masters.
Message:
I. The Basis of Our Freedom is Redemption.
Col. 1:13-14, Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: [14] In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
God, in His great love for us, does not leave us in the dominion of darkness. He has rescued us and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus, in whom we have redemption, and the forgiveness of sins.
The choice to receive Christ brings about our redemption and puts us into the service of God. A failure to receive Christ keeps a person from experiencing redemption and keeps the person enslaved to the “law of sin and death.”
A. THE FOUNDATION OF OUR REDEMPTION.
1. Redemption in the New Testament Times and Culture Meant Freedom.
A. Redemption Was for Freedom. The word “redemption” in the Greek and Roman culture literally referred to the purchase of a slave from the marketplace, with the purpose of giving the slave his freedom.
B. Redemption Required a Price. “Redemption” means “to buy back” or “to save from captivity by paying a ransom.” One way to buy back a slave was to offer an equivalent or superior slave in exchange. That is the way God chose to buy sinful people back -- he offered his Son in exchange for us.
2. Redemption in the New Testament Teaching
Emphasize the Price of Freedom.
1 Peter 1:18-19, Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; [19] But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
A. Christ’s Blood Was the Redemption Price.
In spiritual terms, the word means that the blood of Jesus paid the “ransom” that was required for each of us to be set free from enslavement to our sinful nature and experience the fullness of God's forgiveness. God provided a total means of redemption through the bloodshed and death of Jesus on the cross.
Rev. 5:9, And they sung a new song, saying, Thou [Jesus Christ] art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; [Both his Death and Bloodshed were essential for our salvation].
B. Redemption Was Christ’s Stated Goal and Purpose.
1.
Jesus taught His disciples that His very purpose was to provide
redemption. He said,
Matthew 20:28, Even as the
Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Mark 10:45, For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
2.
Paul also referred to the redemptive purpose of Jesus when he wrote,
1 Tim. 2:5-6, For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; [6] Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
3. Redemption in the Whole Bible and Plan of God
is the Exchange of Life for Freedom.
Redemption is not a concept limited to the New Testament.
A. Remember When God Redeemed Israel from
Egyptian Enslavement?
The word "redemption" has a rich Old Testament meaning and goes back, once again, to the analogy of Israel's escape from Egypt.
1. The last plague and disaster God sent upon the Egyptians was the death of the children (Ex 12:29-30).
2.
Every firstborn son of the Egyptians died, but the Israelite children
were spared because the Israelites placed the blood of a lamb on their
doorframes (Ex 12:22-23). This is just one place where the concept of "redemption" is vividly illustrated
in the Bible.
* The Price of Bloodshed and
Death.
* The Exchange of Life for Freedom.
B. The Message of Redemption Can Be Seen from
Cover to Cover in the Bible.
1.
God planned for our redemption (Gen. 1–3)
2.
God required redemption (Gen. 3:21)
3.
God prepared the way for redemption (Gen. 12–Mal.)
4.
God instituted His redemptive plan through Jesus Christ (the Gospels)
5.
News of God's redemptive plan was spread (Acts)
6.
The redemptive plan was explained (the Epistles)
7.
The redemption of man will be consummated (Rev.)
The entire Bible is the story of God's redeeming love.
APPLICATION: Our
spiritual freedom was purchased for us by God through His Son Jesus Christ.
Just as no slave could redeem himself, so no person can redeem himself
spiritually. We are indebted forever to the One who paid the price for our
freedom, since there is no means by which we can pay Him back for what He
has done for us.
Therefore, although we are free from sin, we are not really free to do solely as we please. We have a great debt of gratitude; indeed, we “owe” our eternal lives to Christ Jesus, who purchased our freedom for us.
B. BEING REDEEMED, WE ARE
FREE!
God offers every believer an inner freedom that enables us to live above our present circumstances. This spiritual freedom is extremely important to us who feels trapped in the bondage of addictions, depression, abusive relationships, and other oppressive situations. Clearly, the world is filled with all kinds of sin and vice, but we are invited to experience the freedom that Christ offers so that we can live in this wicked world, yet not be worldly, sensual, devilish, or sinful. Beloved, if you feel like you are in the controls of something sinful, negative, or evil, you can be set free in Christ!
II. The Reason for Freedom is Service.
Romans 6:16-19, Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? [17] But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. [18] Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. [19] I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
We do this when we surrender our will to God to serve Him! We are to consider ourselves as slaves of God seeking to be obedient from the heart. Again, this requires our surrender to Him.
So then, a second important concept related to our freedom is this that we will serve one of two masters.
A. THE TWO POSSIBLE AREAS OF SERVICE.
1.
We Either Will Serve God
and His System of Righteousness or
Romans 6:18, Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
2. We Will Serve the Devil and His System of Sin and Evil.
Romans 6:16, Know ye not,
that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom
ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
3. We Cannot Serve Two Masters.
Jesus said that no man
can serve two masters simultaneously. We will serve either one or the other.
Matthew 6:24, No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
B.
THE NATURE OF OUR FREEDOM DEMAND RIGHTEOUS SERVICE.
Romans 6:18, Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
Christians are freed from sin and that sin no longer has power over us. Instead, Christians are now slaves to righteousness. Paul uses the Greek word doulos, which means "bond-servant", to describe this commitment to serve God's righteousness.
APPLICATION: When we put these two concepts together, we conclude
that while we have been set free from the bondage of sin and death, we are set
free to serve God in righteousness.
Our freedom is not unlimited, unbridled freedom. Salvation is never a license
to sin. Rather, our freedom is the freedom that allows us the great privilege
to live above the world's systems and the law of sin and death. We no longer
are enslaved to sinful passions, lusts, and desires. Instead, we are the
bondservants of Christ.
Col. 3:23-24, And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; [24] Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
Conclusion:
MANY
ARE TRAPPED IN LETHAL SINFUL LIFESTYLES
This is a freedom that is no less important in
our world today, when many people feel trapped in sinful patterns and
destructive behaviors.
* Some are stuck in the bondage of
addictions and sinful habit patterns.
* Some struggle regularly with thoughts of
depression and deep dark despair.
* Some live daily in abusive relationships
longing for positive change and contemplating running away.
* And others experience oppressive situations, which have their root in satanic influences.
Scripture clearly states
how sin can literally fill a person’s life to the extremes of enslavement,
constant control and spiritual bondage.
Romans 1:29-32, Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, [30] Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, [31] Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: [32] Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
[Being filled] These things which Paul specifies were commonly practiced among them. This whole pattern of evil becomes the lifestyle of people who continue to do (continuing or habitual action) these very things in open defiance of God.
[Being filled] is a very strong phrase, and has the idea of an engrossing process; that these things were so often practiced that it could be said they were full of them.
*We have some phrases like this still,
when we say of one that he is ‘ full of
mischief,’ ‘full of deceit,’ and ‘full of the devil’ etc.
*They were full of these sins not just an occasional dabbler in them. The idea is of one who is trained and controlled by certain sins.
Such extremes of human rebellion against God fully deserve God’s condemnation and judgment. These words “Being Filled” are the same words used in Eph. 5:18 where the Believer is commanded to “be filled with the Spirit.”
STILL
GOD OFFERS FREEDOM THROUGH CHRIST
The world in which we live is not a godly world, but we each must experience the freedom that Christ offers to us so that we can live in this world, yet not be “of” this world.
John 17:14-17, I have
given them thy word; and the
world hath hated them, because they are
not of the world, even as I am not
of the world. [15] I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the
world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. [16]
They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. [17] Sanctify them
through thy truth: thy word is truth.
Christ prayed earnestly that we would not become enslaved and influenced by the evil present in the world system that we all are familiar with.
QUOTE: “... sin is bad because it destroys the
sinner. All sin boomerangs and strikes a lethal blow to the very one who throws
it. In Proverbs 14:1 we read, “Every wise woman buildeth
her house: but the foolish plucketh it
down with her hands.” She does not pull it
down purposely; she does not want to pull down the house. But she insists on
her foolishness, and the house collapses as a consequence. Sin boomerangs.
Again, in Proverbs we read, “But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he
that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.” (Prov. 6:32). The person does not want to destroy his own soul. He just wants
to commit adultery. But with the adultery comes the destruction of his soul.
Sin boomerangs.
The adulterer destroys his home, the homosexual contracts AIDS, the thief is arrested, the angry person loses his job, the lazy person cannot make ends meet, the materialistic person files bankruptcy, the hypocritical person loses the respect of his children, the alcoholic dies of liver disease, and on and on it goes. Sin boomerangs. Sin damages and eventually destroys the sinner.” — Max Anders
YOU
CAN BE FREE OF SIN’S CLUTCHES TODAY
To any person who feels as if he or she is in
the clutches of something sinful, negative, or evil, the encouraging word is,
“You can be free!”
Romans 6:18, Being then
made free from sin, ye became the
servants of righteousness.
Romans 6:22, But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
This is the spiritual freedom that every child of God needs to become well acquainted with in everyday living.
1. People
Who Haven't Received God's Forgiveness Are in Pain.
There is a festering wound in the soul. There is a wall in the spirit that keeps them imprisoned. They may not recognize that they are in a state of unforgiveness. But in many cases, people who feel frustrated, upset, burdened, impatient, out of control, angry, jealous, bitter, agitated, uptight, in turmoil, are victims of unforgiveness.
2. Forgiveness Brings Freedom.
It brings with it the manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, temperance (Gal. 5:22–23).
3.
Forgiveness Is God's Desire for You.
Explore what it means to be forgiven, and experience God's complete forgiveness in your life.
GOD’S FORGIVENESS IS YOURS WHEN YOU ASK AND RECEIVE IT!
Ephes. 1:7, In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Have you decided to
accept and receive Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord? To “accept and
receive”—that's all that's required for you to be forgiven by God, regardless
of the nature, magnitude, or deep entrenchment of your sins.
To “accept” is to believe with your mind that what the Bible says about Jesus and His death on the cross is true—that Jesus died for your sins, and He rose again to give you and me new life in Him. To “receive” is to say, “I don't merely accept what Jesus did on the cross as a fact of history or as a statement of sound theology, but I accept His sacrificial death on the cross as being for me personally and individually—his sacrifice was made for my sins. I invite Christ to indwell me, to cleanse me of all my past transgressions, iniquities, evil, and sin, and to make me a new person in God's eyes. I receive the work of the Holy Spirit in me that gives me a completely restored relationship with my heavenly Father.”
Titus 3:5-7, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; [6] Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; [7] That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
GOD DESIRES TO FORGIVE YOU TODAY.
Have you taken Him up on
His offer? If not, will you accept and receive Jesus Christ today? Will you
receive God's forgiveness?
