Let Freedom Reign In You!
Pastor Glenn Newton 6-30-02
2 Cor 3:17-18
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being
transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord,
who is the Spirit. (NIV)
This morning I want to tell you that You can know what True Freedom is in your life.
True Freedom. What is that anyway?
Is true freedom being able to eat Ice Cream anytime you want? Is True Freedom the
absence of all rules? I think that’s called Cayaus`.
Is True Freedom defined by our rights and our pursuit of happiness? Is True
Freedom related to our finances, free from Creditors?
There’s so many ways we can define Freedom this morning, and many of them do point to
a certain kind of freedom. But this morning I want you to know a Freedom that you can
possess that Sets you free regardless of your circumstances in life, it supercedes what the
Government is doing or not doing, it goes over the head of dictators and kings.
True Freedom sets you free from a 9th circut Court in California that has decided that the
Pledge of Alliegiance is unconstitutional, Why? Because of the phrase, One Nation Under
God. These secular humanist judges would have us take God out of every area of life,
what they don’t care to understand is that our founding Fathers did understand that if God
wans’t with us as a nation, we would’nt last for long, and so references to God are all
through their writings and in our history as a nation.
This morning I have two points I want you to consider.
1. True Freedom is only gained through Jesus Christ!
This morning we need to look at the passage that we find our scripture in and try to
understand what Paul is teaching to this church in Corinth. What he has to say is very
important, it’s important for you and I to understand how God has went out of his way to
Give you True Freedom.
How many of you know this morning that God wants you to be Free? Let’s examine the
evidence, can you tell I’ve been watching Court TV again?
READ v.7-11
Paul is talking to his readers about the difference between the Law of God which we know
was given to Moses to give to the Israelites. This law came with Glory, remember
watching the 10 commandments on TV, and when Moses came off the mountain with the
two tablets with the Law written on it, his face was radient, why, because he had been in
the presence of God.
But we are told that Moses put a veil over his face to hide the radiance from the people.
Here’s what I want you to know about the Law. When God gave the Law to Moses and
he read it to the Isrealites, that Law brought death and condemnation upon everyone who
heard it. Why?
It was kind of like they were sitting there listening to what Moses was saying, “Thou shall
not steal.”, Thou shall not covet, Thou shall not commit adultery, Thou shall not lie and
give false testimony, and as he continued to read these off, each person there realized
that they were guilty, they were condemened by this law, and now they were going to
need a way to get on the right side of the Law.
How many of you have ever lied? Anyone here ever stolen anything? Coveted your
neighbor’s possessions, their money? Worshiped a false God? Anytime you are not
putting God 1st in your life, you are putting something else in His place, and that becomes
false worship before God.
So we all sit here and realize we are all sinners, right? So did the Israelites, this law
brought condemnation - they knew they were sinners- but of coarse God provided a way
for their sins to be forgiven - A sacrificial Lamb - A sin offering - A blood offering would
be offered for each family every year, to represent the covering of thier sins.
Remember Paul is talking to people who were still living under this Old Covenenat, and
now what he is saying is that God has provided a New Covenent.
The New Covenenat is what God has promised you and me today - This covenent
is an everlasting Agreement between God and man -- It’s an agreement that was initiated
by God, He has offered it to us, our part is to accept what He has offered us.
What is this new Covenent that God has offered us? Thanks for asking.
The New Covenent is the Gift of Jesus Christ, God sent his own Son to be our
blood sacrifice, to cover our multitude of sins, God has offered His Son Jesus Christ for
our Salvation, It’s an offer of Grace, forgiveness, and Righteousness!
Our Question today is How can I be truely Free?
The answer is that True Freedom comes only when you can wake up every morning and
know that in God’s eyes you are Pure, or Righteous in his sight. My friend when you can
get up in the Morning and know without any doubt that your relationship with God is
right were it needs to be, that your walking in obedience to Him, let me tell you that is
Freedom.
It’s through Christ living in us that we can know True Freedom. You see, with the Spirit
of the Living God living with us, helping us, encouraging us, directing our paths and
descisions, we can live a Righteous life, we can know that we are pure in God’s sight. My
friends thats Freedom.
God’s Spirit living in us doesn’t remove our humaness, but God’s Spirit living in
us empowers us to live for Him in this world, even with all the things that are around us,
trying to pull us away from God.
I Jn 4:4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one
who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. (NIV)
It’s only through a personal relationship with Christ ~ A relationship where you have
called out to God and asked forgiveness for your sins ~ you’ve invited Jesus to be Lord of
your life, and by faith you believe that He has done what He promieses to do.
This morning, when you woke up, did you know in your heart of hearts that
everything is clear between you and God?
Friends, True Freedom is knowing that everyday!
Nothing in life gives you True Freedom except Jesus Christ living in you. Your money
won’t save you, your job, your hobbies, your friends, your parties, your loved ones, your
husband or wife, no matter how wonderful they may be, nothing brings freedom except a
clear conscience before God.
Let the Freedom of Christ Reign in your heart today! Call upon the Lord and He
will answer you, He will set you free.
I only have one more point this morning. BUT WE GOT TO GET IT! Is that good
English?
2.True Freedom will bring about transformation in your life (Christlikness.)
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being
transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord,
who is the Spirit.
Our passage is pretty clear this morning, When the Spirit of the Living God Reign in your
life, Your Life will be continually changed!
How?
You will continually become more and more like Christ.
In your attitudes, In your Passion, In your priorites, In your speech, In your
thoughts, In your love for People, In your burden for the Lost - In every area that’s
important to God, it will become important to you.
Being like Christ is God’s will for you life. Nothing else. Ultimately Gods will for us is to
Love each other, and Love others as Christ does. I didn’t say as Christ did! (past tense)
Because Christ lives today, amen!
Christ lives in you, and it’s you that must be his witness, it’s you that must show others
His love, HIs compassion, His Holiness.
What will this transformation mean for me today?
Waitress illustration.
Friends, our attitudes, motivations won’t be self-centered, they will be Christcentered.
The Transforming Power of God will touch every area of your life. It will transform you
Family life. As a family your priorities will change. Men, with Christ at the center of your
life and calling the shots, you will lead your families, you will provide for your family, as
the Spritual leader, you will provide for you family financially, you will be their
emotionally, in other words you will be willing to pour yourself out for your Families sake,
your wife, your children are your number one responsiblity - If you neglect them in any
way, you are missing it.
Ladies, God’s transforming power will enable you to be the woman that God
created you to be. Women of grace, strength, God will help you in every way if you will
follow his lead.
God’s transforming power can heal brokeness, in a marriage, in relationships.
God’s transforming Power can give grace and wholeness to our single parents. God
wants to lift you up, embrace the power that God has for you to deal with your
circumstances, God’s grace is suffeicient. Do you believe this?
Friends, when you have been filled with His Spirit, when you have given God total access
to your life, He Sanctifies you through and through, He sets you apart to be used for His
Glory. And His transforming power is unleashed through you. Is this your experience
today? It can be, it’s God greatest gift. You have to choose to Accept His gift to you.
ARE YOU FREE TODAY? FREEDOM ALWAYS HAS A PRICE. WITH GOD, YOU
JUST NEED TO GIVE HIM “YOU” BY FAITH, TRUST IN HIM, YOU WILL NOT
BE SORRY YOU DID.
INVITATION.
