Freedom in Christ Sermon Series Part 2
Removing the Yoke
Galatians 5:13-26 (NIV)
You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature. Rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
So I say, live by the Spirit and you will NOT gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit your are not under the law.
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: 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. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is (let’s say these together) love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step wit the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
This is the Word of God for the people of God and the entire World. Thanks be to God. Hallelujah. Amen!
Let us pray.
May the words of my mouth bring you praise. May the words that I speak be seasoned with your love and grace. May the things O, Lord that I choose to say bring glory not shame to your name today. Let the words of my mouth bring you praise. Let them bring you praise. Father God, hide me behind the cross. Remove me from the equation all together. Let my words be your words. In the name of the Christ I pray, Amen.
Before we move on any further, I would like to share something with you that I feel is so relevant to the message for today.
I listen to audio Bible CDs from the Bible paraphrase called The Message. This is the Bible written in everyday conversational English. I feel that I need this version of the Bible because I have not gone to seminar yet, and it gives me a concise understanding of the Bible that allows for me to have and want a deeper relationship with Father and other believers.
I want to read portions of the introduction that the author wrote on Paul’s letter to the Galatians.
The author says:
Religion is used to control the actions of people. When people get tired of the tyranny, they leave the church. Upon leaving, they feel released from God and experience a freedom that is short lived. God is not an impersonal force to make people behave, but a Savior to set us free. He does not coerce us from the outside, but rather sets us free from within.
But often times we are forced to follow religious rules that force us back into the ways of the Old Covenant. When we give into this we forfeit our freedom.
Freedom through Christ is a precious gift that is easily perverted and often squandered.
We have been talking about freedom in Christ. We know that we have been set free through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Why? Because he is appointed a High Priest for God in the order of Melchizedek, we can acquire positions of entitlement by accepting our places in the family of God.
But something that we all realize that getting to the point to where we are able to accept our positions of entitlement become a struggle, not because we have anything to do for it, but it is because our sinful nature. Our sinful nature is what keeps us yoked to sin and the ways of the world.
So we have to examine ourselves and scripture so that we can actively and sincerely make an effort in practicing Works of Piety. According to John Wesley these things are:
1. prayer
2. fasting
3. baptism
4. worship
5. bible study
6. Christian fellowship (small group studies)
These actions strengthen our walk with God and give us the ability to yield not to temptation. This alleviates and delivers us from situations that keep us enslaved to ways of the world.
We need to remove the yoke! (Repeat)
What hinders us from accepting our positions of entitlement? Ha! The answer is easy! We hinder ourselves. Why, because we want our cake and eat it too.
So if the Son sets up free to be led by the Spirit, then what causes us to remain in bondage?
Let’s take a look at scripture by looking at the 19 verse of the 5th chapter of Galatians:
Sexual immorality fits of rage
Impurity self ambition
Debauchery dissension
Idolatry and witchcraft factions and envy
Discord drunkenness
Jealousy orgies
And the like
Now let’s take a 2005 look at what the same vices are:
Repetitive loveless cheap sex
An accumulation of stinky and emotional garbage
Materialism
Magic show religion
Paranoid loneliness
Cut throat competition
All consuming and never satisfied wants
Brutal tempers
The inability to love or be loved
Divided homes and lives
Small minded and lopsided pursuits
Making everyone into a rival
Uncontrollable addictions
Oh my goodness! I am the first to admit that I have done more than my fair share of these things! As your pastor, I have to be the first one to admit that as a believer, I have conducted some of these practices of unrighteousness. Some of them I did willfully and others I did unintentionally. We all have.
None of us are perfect. We have all fallen short of the glory. We have failed to get a better understanding of who God has called us to be. At times we are worthless and don’t have a desire to do good. We are quick to cross each other out. And we are confrontational. And when we do these things we are showing God that we have no fear of Him.
Whew! Now that is cutting me to the quick! What are we going to do as believers to rectify the situation?
Somebody say metamorphosis.
Metamorphosis means a transformation; a marked changed in appearance, character, condition, and function.
Now in order for us to be able to reach the next level in Christ, we have to undergo a metamorphosis. This ain’t a one time thing. We are going to continue to go through these changes as we progress in life.
We are going to have to make changes within ourselves and remove ourselves from unhealthy situations all together. When that is done, we are going to blink (pause) and refocus. This gives us the opportunity to evaluate the situation and do a little soul searching. We pray, meditate, fast, whatever.
Once that all takes place, we better get ready because we are going to be elevated to the next level! (Get Crunk) This is where our metamorphosis takes place. And do you know where it starts? (Pause) It starts in your mind! If you are tired of fighting battles with yourself and you wish you could be someone else, then you better change your mind! (Get Crunk)
(Get Crunk) Paul says in his letter to the Romans that we should not conform any longer to the ways of the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and prove what God’s will is- his good, pleasing, and perfect will!
What! It’s that simple!
When we experience this metamorphosis, you are not going to send a text message over your cell phone! You are not going to call your momma! You are not going to write a letter! And even though my email address is listed on the program, I am NOT going to see a response from you in my Inbox.
You are going to do what DMX raps about… You are going to stop and drop! Because all that other stuff is unnecessary! (Act out)
You are going to get down on your knees and send the Father a knee-mail. I don’t know your specific answer, but I know one answer that you will receive. He’s going to tell you, “Peace, I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. Come to me not one, not some, but all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls.”
How do we receive our freedom?
Was it by our works in the church?
We are crazy to think that our freedom is acquired by our own efforts.
I am begging of you Beloved. Let’s not hold our freedom as an idea or a sentiment in our hearts. We must live freely animated and motivated by the Spirit of God.
So I want you to turn to your neighbor and say,
“In the name of Jesus Christ”
“You have been released from your yoke”
“Since it has been spoken”
“Leave it”
That’s right! Christ releases us all from the yoke of sin, but I am here to tell you that it is to your advantage not to take it back up again.
You get what you pay for. When we choose to indulge in the vices that we walked about earlier, God’s going to let us wallow in our mess until we realize that all we are doing is hurting ourselves and Him.
I am not saying anything that some of you don’t already know. But the heart of the matter is that God is calling us to claim our positions of entitlement so that we can remove ourselves from the yoke of sin and destruction by living a life that is Spirit fed and Jesus led. This gives us the freedom not to make a difference in the world, but make the world different for the glory of the Father through Jesus Christ. Amen.
May the Lord Bless and Keep you and may His face shine upon you and be gracious and give you peace.
Next time we met, we will be starting a new three part sermon series called “Following the Spirit”. 30 Years to Life will the title of the first sermon of the series. I will be sharing with you my calling into ministry, my journey, and some of my adventures in life when I submitted my life to God and began following the Spirit.
Our Benediction comes from I Corinthians 15:58. “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let noting move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord because you know that your labor in the Lord is NOT in vain.” So remember that you don’t leave the church. You go out and be the church. And doing so, you are given all honor and glory to God through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. May the peace of God, which passes all understanding rest rule and abide in you all now and forever.
