Why Church #5 Found In Freedom Series

~ Intro: … I have on my table a violin string... it is free. I twist one end of it and it responds. It is free. But it is not free to do what a violin string is supposed to do--produce music. So I take it, fix it in my violin and tighten it until it is taut. Only then is it free to be a violin string. By the same token, we are free when our lives are uncommitted, but not to be what we were intended to be. Real freedom is not freedom "from," but freedom "for."

in our text for today Ephesians 3:1…

1. God’s intent for us to proclaim His wisdom.(vrs 1-13)

• This wisdom is worth anything that Paul might have to endure.

• This wisdom is that we may to approach God…

- With freedom: the ability to do at any time or all the time.

~ This is contrasted against the backdrop of slavery and kingly rule.

~ Slaves could only do what their masters said … and if you approached a king uninvited you were asking for death.

- With confidence: the knowledge a that God will always act in a way that is for our benefit.

~ Once again masters and kings were infamously self centered

• So how and how often do we really approach God?

Now that we have been reminded of our freedom in approaching God the question remains, what do we say once in His presence. The answer to this brings us to our 2nd point…

2. In freedom we find that we need to be the living answer to three prayers.(vrs 14-19)

• First, we need enough strength to let Christ live in us.

- Strength to say no to selfishness and sin.

~ The Scripture calls this “resisting evil”

~ When we do this Christ will establish His throne in our hearts

- Note that this is only possible through the Spirit.

• Second, we need to be grounded in and have a firm grip on God’s love.

• Third, we need to be filled with the entirety of God.

- This will fulfill the first two prayer requests

- In one of his meetings, D.L. Moody was explaining to his audience the truth that we cannot bring about spiritual changes in our lives by our own strength. He demonstrated the principal like this: “Tell me,” he said to his audience, “how can I get the air out of the glass I have in my hand?” One man said, “Suck it out with a pump.” But Moody replied, “That would create a vacuum and shatter it.” Finally after many suggestions, he picked up a pitcher and quietly filled the glass with water. “There,” he said, “all the air is now removed.” He then explained that victory for the child of God does not come by working hard to eliminate sinful habits, but rather by allowing Christ to take full possession.

Now you might be wondering, why would we use our freedom to find these things and this brings us to our final point today…

3. God’s glory is always found in freedom truly lived.(vrs 20-21)

• God’s glory should always be shining out of the church.

- Nothing ever needs to diminish this.

~ If we just do what has already been mentioned.

~ If we remember God can do so much more than we can imagine.

- This should continue to from generation to generation.

~ This is a key to church longevity.(why our church has survived so long)

~ Some never learn it and die, others forget and fade away.

~ Examples from church families…

~ Conclusion:

• Have you found freedom today?

- If yes, have you been living in such a way as to pass on the legacy of God’s glory to future generations?

• Today you may be here and realized for the first time that God removed the walls so that you can have a relationship with Him.

- Accepting what He did and starting a relationship with Him isn’t hard...

~ It’s as simple as the A, B, C’s…