Core 52 Week 41 - Freedom in Christ
You can listen to the audio of this sermon on my podcast at:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/697261/6000628
Q: How can I experience freedom?
• Experiencing national burnout.
• But the Christian doesn’t have to be subject to the same oppression as the rest of the world because we live under grace. we are free in Christ.
• It can be very difficult to accept God’s grace. We have an easier time identifying with
Romans 3:23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.
• And even though we may understand on some level that God forgives us, forgiving ourselves is difficult.
• 8th chapter of Romans helps us to move beyond the burden of judgment to the freedom of grace.
The Declaration of Freedom
Romans 8:1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.
• This is a life-changing reality.
• We already know that we’ve violated God’s law. There are clear consequences for our sins. And yet, in Christ, all of that is released.
• We are not denying that God’s law is valid and that there are clearly right and wrong. But we must move beyond the law’s limitations.
• The law can point out our failures but it cannot build our character.
• In fact, the law increases the potential for violations.
o We’re reminded of our own desire to rebel and “go our own way” when the law tells what NOT to do.
o Don’t lust, don’t steal, don’t covet, don’t lie.
o All of a sudden, we’re finding ourselves lusting, stealing, coveting and lying.
o When the law says, “NO!” We immediately want to say, “YES!”
• The good news (literally) is that Jesus freed us from this eternal cycle.
Romans 8:2 And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.
• When we live in step with the Spirit, we are walking a true, holy path.
• then the penalty of the law is removed and the appeal of sin is diminished.
• For the Christian, the law only has whatever power we give it.
2 Corinthians 3:17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
The Spirit of Freedom
• this all begins when God forgives our sins.
• Jesus said, “it is finished” on the cross.
John 19:30 When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
• Now we must take the opportunity to “crucify ourselves.”
• As odd as this sounds what it means is to consistently choose to live in step with the Spirit rather by our own instincts.
Romans 8:12–13 Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. 13 For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live.
• Why is this so hard to do?
• Our identity plays a big part in this.
• We believe our deeds and desires determine our identity.
• We sinned, so we must be sinners. This is a terrible lie from the devil.
• Our identity is in our created nature. NOT our fallen nature.
• We bear the image of God. We were created by God. We are his children.
• We are redeemed by Christ Jesus. Result: We belong to God. We are filled with His Spirit. We are the hagios. Saints. Called out, beloved and considered holy by God.
• When we change our perspective on our identity, we are better able to live according to God’s will.
• Paul reminds us when we walk with the Spirit...
Romans 8:15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”
• So how does this work out in life?
• Two areas where our freedom in Christ have great advantage.
• One: Prayer
• Jesus promised that every prayer/request we bring that aligns with his mission will be granted.
Luke 11:9–13 “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
• Two: Jesus has confirmed our hope for eternity. We’ll share everything in heaven because we, along with Jesus, are God’s children.
Romans 8:17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
• Jesus inherits everything in the new creation. So do we.
The Plan for Freedom
• Since God loves us and has freed us from the tyranny of the law, he will also protect us.
• It’s not just the Law, it’s Satan, our society and even our own sin. We are under attack by the brokenness of creation at every angle, trying to pull us away from our allegiance to Christ.
• In fact, all of creation is under the same curse and longs for the same freedom that we have:
Romans 8:18–21 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. 19 For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. 20 Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, 21 the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.
• We live in time and space. We move forward to our eventual and ultimate redemption. Our souls are saved but our bodies are still under the curse of creation and decay.
• A day is coming when we will be transformed by the resurrection power of Jesus.
• There will be, physically, new bodies in a new heaven and new earth.
• In the meantime, the plan is for the Holy Spirit to guide us to our destination.
Romans 8:26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.
• This is why we love the summary of this powerful passage:
Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
• God has planned a way to use all of your life, circumstances, events, people to bless you.
• That’s hard to believe sometimes. We often feel like we are anything but free.
• In those moments we need to recall v. 30.
Romans 8:30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.
The Fight For Freedom
Romans 8:31–39 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. 35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. 38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
