Freedom Letter- You Are Free To... Series

Series: Action [#45]

FREEDOM LETTER- YOU ARE FREE TO...

Galatians 5:13-26

Introduction:

I was thinking about my niece who just got her 1st car. While my memory may be deteriorating, I remember how awesome it was to have my 1st car. While I loved that old car, it gave me an attitude that got me in trouble more than once. I began to think that I was grown, and I could do whatever I wanted to do. My parents would remind me that was their car, running on their gas, and insured by them. Their favorite statement, (which was mine later with my kids) was- “When you are out of my house and paying for your own stuff, then you are free to do whatever you want to do”. That is what Paul is telling us. Christians, each of us are free to live for Christ or live for ourselves.

In our text, Paul gives us the good and bad decisions that we are to make. I have chosen to build the outline today with the good.

Galatians 5:13-15

You are free to…

1. Serve in love.

Christians, we are called to be free; but not to do whatever we want to do. Your liberty in Christ is not a license to sin. Your liberty in Christ is shown through serving others humbly in love.

You must choose to serve others in love or devour others. You cannot do both. Notice that loving your neighbor as yourself is not a suggestion or opinion; it is a command. Which do you choose today- Love or fight? You are free to choose.

Galatians 5:16-18

You are free to…

2. Walk by the Spirit.

There is a constant war going on in a Christian’s life. It is the war between the Holy Spirit within you and your flesh. The flesh represents doing what you want to do and is opposite of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit represents God living in you and through you. You choose.

Galatians 5:19-26

You are free to…

3. Bear good fruit.

In these verses, we find 2 types of fruit a Christian can bear- Good fruit and bad fruit. Jesus told us that a good tree bears good fruit, and a bad tree bears bad fruit. Here in a moment, we are going to look at the bad fruit; and many of these may apply to your life. This passage tells us that these people will not inherit the Kingdom of God. So, how can sinful people inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t forget that Jesus has paid your price and His blood covers your life. When God looks at you, He sees the blood of Jesus. This does not give you the license to sin, but to walk by the Spirit.

Here is the bad fruit- “Sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.”

Here is the good fruit- “Love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” I want you to notice something about the fruits of the Spirit- They are in order. You must have love to have joy. You must have joy to have peace.

Conclusion:

Christians, you are to crucify the flesh and live in step with the Holy Spirit. To live in step means to not get behind or ahead of God.