2024.07.07.Sermon Notes. Independence Day requires Our Dependence in Christ
William Akehurst, HSWC
BIG IDEA: As we celebrate our nations birth, let's remember that our founding forefathers declared independence from the crown of England, so they could establish a new nation, declaring dependence in JESUS CHRIST. And as we celebrate, let's remember that we must fight to keep our nation great.
Psalms 33:12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.
Scriptures: John 8:31-36, Isaiah 61:1-2, Luke 4:18-19, Galatians 5:1, John 8:36, 2 Corinthians 3:17, Philippians 1:9-11, 1 Peter 2:15-16, Romans 6:1-7, John 3:16, Romans 8:2, Romans 6:22, Psalms 33:12, 2 Chronicles 7:14
If you abide in MY WORD
TRUTH will set you free.
John 8:31-36 (NKJV)
31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.
32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” 33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.
35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever.
36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
PROPHECY OF THE ANOINTED ONE TO COME.
Isaiah 61:1-2 (ESV)
1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
2 to proclaim the year of the LORD'S favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;
FULFILLMENT IN JESUS CHRIST, Anointed to bring Good News, Sent to Comfort and Set the Captives Free.
Luke 4:18-19 (ESV)
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”
JUST AS JESUS FULFILLED THIS PROPHECY, AS WE FOLLOW HIM, THIS PASSAGE FROM ISAIAH ARE FOR US TODAY.
STAND FIRM IN THE FREEDOM OF CHRIST. FREEDOM FROM SIN AND DEATH.
Galatians 5:1 (KJV)
1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
SET FREE BY THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD. PURE, TRUE FREEDOM.
John 8:36 (NKJV)
36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
HOLY SPIRIT DWELLING WITHIN US, SETS US FREE AS HE GUIDES OUR THOUGHTS, REMINDING US OF SCRIPTURE.
2 Corinthians 3:17 (NKJV)
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
A PRAYER THAT YOU WILL GROW IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST AND SHOW THE SIGNS OF THE FRUITS OF HIS SPIRIT, FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS. TO HIS GLORY AND PRAISE.
Philippians 1:9-11 (NKJV)
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,
11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
DO GOOD TO OVERSHADOW THOSE WHO DO EVIL.
LIVE IN YOUR FREEDOM, DO NOT TURN BACK TO THE BONDAGE OF PAST.
1 Peter 2:15-16 (ESV)
15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.
16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.
WE LIVE IN GOD’S GRACE, BUT DO NOT TAKE THAT FOR GRANTED. LIVE AS YOU SHOULD.
Romans 6:1-7 (NKJV)
1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?
2 GOD forbid (Certainly not)! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?
4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,
6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
7 For he who has died has been freed from sin.
WHOSOEVER BELIEVES, LIVES.
WHOSOEVER DOES NOT BELIEVE, PERISHES
John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
IT’S THE SPIRIT OF LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS THAT HAS SET YOU FREE FROM SIN AN DEATH.
Romans 8:2 ESV
2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.
SET FREE FROM SIN, AND SERVANTS OF GOD.
THE CHANGE THAT TAKES PLACE WITHIN YOU, BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, LEADS YOU TO BE SET APART AND RECEIVE THE PROMISE OF ETERNAL LIFE.
Romans 6:22 ESV
22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.
GOD’S BLESSINGS ARE FOR A NATION OF PEOPLE
Psalms 33:12 (NKJV)
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.
IF WE, GOD’S CHILDREN, WOULD CALL OUT TO HIM IN HUMILITY.
PRAYING AND SEEKING HIS FACE.
TURNING FROM OUR OWN WICKEDNESS TO HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS.
THEN…GOD WILL HEAR US, FORGIVE US, AND HEAL OUR NATION.
2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV)
14 IF My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
WE ARE LIVING IN A NATION THAT HAS TURNED IT’S BACK ON GOD.
BUT YOU AND I AS BELIEVERS IN CHRIST JESUS, ARE THE REMNANT THAT KEEPS GOD’S FULL WRATH FROM COMING UPON US.
SCRIPTURE CALLS OUT TO YOU AND ME, TO GET ON OUR KNEES AND PLEAD WITH GOD.
IN THE BOOK OF JOB, JOB PRAYED FOR HIS FAMILY, IN CASE THEY SINNED.
WE TOO MUST PRAY FOR THE PEOPLE OF OUR NATION, BECAUSE WE HAVE ALL SINNED.
BUT WE TOO MUST TURN FROM UNRIGHTEOUSNESS, AND PUT ON THE NEW, THE MIND OF CHRIST. TO LIVE, ACT, AND THINK AS JESUS WOULD HAVE US TO LIVE.
IT’S YOUR CHOICE. BUT TIME IS SHORT. JESUS IS COMING SOON.
IF HE WERE TO VISIT YOU TODAY, WOULD YOU BE READY AND FOUND FAITHFUL IN THESE THINGS.
TURN YOUR HEART BACK TO GOD. RECEIVE HIS FORGIVENESS. AND AS JESUS SAID TO THE WOMAN AT THE WELL, GO, AND SIN NO MORE.
BE BLESSED AND BE A BLESSING,
BILL
