Freedom Anyone?

ILLUST: BRAVEHEART DVD CLIP (Freedom speech at end) Ask, “How many want freedom bad enough to fight for it against all odds? Well, without a resurrected Christ fighting for you, all odds are against you”

NOTE: The dictionary definition of liberty is "The state of being exempt from the domination of others or from restricting circumstances."

BACKGROUND TEXT: Gal 5:1(NIV) 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.

When it comes to our freedom, understand that…

#1-Some things get God’s attention quicker than others:

Mt 23:23 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. Mt 23:24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

§ Focus on the stuff God values, “what you focus on is what you finish with”

#2-Your Freedom depends on accepting others so you will be accepted (even when you disagree with them, they probably are not listening anyway & they won’t like you anymore. This will allow for no future influence with this person. Know what battles to fight):

Ro 15:5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, Ro 15:6 so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ro 15:7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

Ro 14:10 You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.

#3-Freedom means there is going to be a party:

Ac 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were assembled was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they continued to speak the Word of God with freedom and boldness and courage…

§ Where there is The Holy Spirit, there is not only freedom, but a party

§ God’s freedom always serves to shake loose the chains of hindrance, low self-esteem, hurt, anxiety, etc.

#4-Freedom shows us where God actually is and what He is doing and working in:

2Co 3:17(Amp.) Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (emancipation from bondage, freedom).

Phil 1:20 This is in keeping with my own eager desire and persistent expectation and hope, that I shall not disgrace myself nor be put to shame in anything; but that with the utmost freedom of speech and unfailing courage, now as always heretofore, Christ (the Messiah) will be magnified and get glory and praise in this body of mine and be boldly exalted in my person, whether through (by) life or through (by) death.

§ If a ministry freely worships God in its purpose and actions, God will show up and do in that ministry what people cannot

CONCLUSION:

SHOW CLIP with sword in ground- Explain that like the Scots, Christians must be willing to give up the temptations of the status quo and give up what we’ve always had to get what we’ve never had!

(Last Scene on Braveheart CD)

Ru 4:14 The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the LORD, who this day has not left you without a kinsman-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel!

§ Freedom is about being redeemed from what we are, becoming what we never believed we could be and making our redeemer famous throughout the earth!