“Free Will – Choosing to Live, Serve,
and Behave Like Christ”
Making the Most of Transition
John 8:31-36, Roman 12:1,9-21
(quotes taken from the NKJV unless noted)
Wakelee Church ~ April 17, 2005
Theme: Our freedom comes when we make a decision to turn our lives over to Christ so that we can live, serve and behave as He did.
Introduction – Bondage ~ It’s all in the mind!
Harry Houdini had a problem. The famed escaped artist found himself in a jail cell that he couldn’t get out of. His mind began to wander back to the challenge he made…any jail cell, he claimed, couldn’t hold him, that is until now.
Thirty minutes had gone by since the heavy, metal doors swung shut behind him. After an hour, he was still working with the concealed piece of metal that he had hidden in his belt. Bathed in sweat and panting in exasperation, he could not get the tumblers to move. There was something different about this lock. Something he had never experienced before.
Finally, after laboring for two hours, Houdini collapsed to the floor in frustration and failure. He couldn’t figure it out! He had never been beaten before! All he could do is wait for his ultimate embarrassment. He hung his head in shame.
But as he did something miraculous happened. When he hung his head, he instinctively leaned against the heavy, metal door…and it swung open. The door was never locked, just closed. The door had been open the whole time.
For Houdini, his mind overruled the physical. His mind was locked, and that was all it took to keep him from opening the door and walking out of that jail cell.
From that point on, Houdini always checked the door first. (Illustrations Unlimited)
Last week, we talked about God’s power being greater than ours. This week as we look at how to make the most of transition, it’s going to be a matter of choice.
Although other parts of this sermon series will be memorable, I think that this step is the most important. If we do not choose live like Christ, serve like Christ, and behave like Christ, during the most challenging times in our lives, then we’re just sitting in a jail cell throwing our heads against the wall in disbelief while the door is wide open.
Free will is nothing more than God giving us the ability to make our own choice. Freedom comes when we choose Christ. Failure is inevitable when we don’t.
During times of transition, our free will can be a gift as much as a curse!
The choice remains ours.
I – Living Like Christ…
And that choice, to live like Christ or not, is exactly what Jesus was speaking about in the John passage this morning. Hear the words again, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free…if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” –John 8:31-32, 36
Jesus was speaking to a group of ordinary Jewish people in the midst of radical change. Some readily choose to accept the truth as Jesus presented it. Others choose not too. There was no doubt, however, that this Jesus was causing quite a stir. He was claiming to be the Messiah…(John 4:25-26) and with that forced people to live like him or live against him.
Jesus was simply making the point that the door was not locked…that only their minds were holding them back from true freedom. “If you choose the truth…the truth will set you free.”
Paul knew this truth. He told his Philippian readers that “to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21). To hold to Christ’s teaching, to live as Christ lived, means that we are totally aware of the bondage which so easily ensnares us.
To live as Christ lived, brings truth into our lives.
To live as Christ lived, brings a sense of direction.
To live as Christ lived, brings a hope in any circumstance.
To live as Christ lived, brings a realization of joy into our lives.
To live as Christ lived, accepts the fact that according the law we are condemned already,
but according to Christ, we are free! Free from sin…free from bondage…free from the limits of our minds…as we allow Christ to live and move in us.
But the choice is ours…
Because of our free will, we can live like Christ or not live like Christ…but only the truth found in Christ will set us free!
II – Serving Like Christ…
And if we are to live like Christ, then it follows naturally we are called to serve like Christ.
This is where Paul’s letter to the Romans come into the picture. Hear the words again,
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” – Romans 12:1
In the first eleven chapters of Romans, Paul has presented the main doctrines and teachings of the Christian faith. Chapters 12-15 focus on how these teachings affect our daily lives…especially the Christian’s outer life…his work, his duties, his service.
In the midst of transition, we have a choice. We can either accept all the plusses and bonuses of living the Christian faith and keep them to ourselves or, if we are indeed united with Christ, we can show to others some visible evidence of Christ living in us.
On that evening, when Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, the whole meaning of “reasonable service” was turned upside down. Do you remember Jesus’ words to Peter, who was choosing not to participate because of his own theological stance, “If I do not wash you; you have no part with Me.” (John 13:8) It’s as if Jesus was saying, “If you don’t understand how I serve, then you won’t be able to understand what am I am about to do.”
Christ served to be served. We serve to serve Christ.
Because of free will, we can choose to serve like Christ or not to serve at all…but our reasonable service, that which God expects, is a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable by God’s mercy.
III – Behaving Like Christ…
But to live like Christ and serve like Christ only prepares us to behave like Christ.
Paul told the Roman congregation, “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good…Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” – Romans 12:9,21
This is probably the hardest step of giving up our free will. While we’ve chosen to live and serve, to actually behave takes the greatest step of committal.
In fact, I would say that it takes committal after committal after committal after committal. While we are imperfect, we were created in the very image of God to be perfect. The fault doesn’t lie in our design, but lies in our ability to behave in a way that the design was created.
Yesterday, I was working on Matthew’s bike. He had taken a couple of hard spills in the past and his handlebars were loose. He brought the problem to my attention, and we sat down and started tightening bolts until we found the right one. After many different bolts, I was finally able to decipher which one did the trick, and my son was off again riding to his heart’s content.
The point is this…in our lives we know how we’re supposed to behave. Common sense and our conscious thoughts give us some direction. But, because of Adam and Eve and their choice, we are faced with making choices every day.
Some times we make right choices. Other times our choices are pathetic. But, in each case, we always have a template to follow…that, of Christ.
So, we need to be continually looking for that right bolt to tighten everything up. We need to continually commit and recommit ourselves to being the “holy and acceptable” creatures we were created to be. And we need to ask for forgiveness when we fail, and offer forgiveness when others do.
If we don’t choose to do so, we’ll end up going through life as if our handlebars are loose…
Because of our free will, we can choose to behave like Christ or behave like the world…but Christ cannot be where evil presides…by God’s grace, we need to continually commit ourselves to Christian behavior.
Conclusion – Free Will and Transitions
When we do, we can understand the urgency when Paul warned the Roman church that the clock was ticking…“And do this, knowing the time, that now is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.” – Romans 13:11
Most transitions require quick decision-making. Our free will allows us to choose the commitment, but it doesn’t give us an eternity to think about it.
The time is short. This is the time to make up your mind. Instead of making bad choices during changing times, we can know that our freedom comes when we make a decision to turn our lives over to Christ…living, serving, and behaving just as he did.
The door is not locked. Quit trying to fix it yourself.
In fact, the door is wide open. If you recommit yourself to Christ and he will be there for you.
Transitions are difficult. But in times of transition, we are called to rely God’s power, not ours,
And we are called to make the decision to live, serve and behave just as the One whom God sent…
When we do as we are called, then and only then, will we make the most of our transitions.
Closing Prayer
Will you join me in prayer?
Almighty God…Heavenly Father…
We confess to you, all-knowing God, what we are.
Instead of living, serving, and behaving as your Son has taught us,
We neglect the passion of your hope, the ambition of service and sacrifice, and the freedom of your truth shared with others.
We try to speak your name, without relinquishing our glories, without nourishing our souls, without relying wholly on your grace. We often think we can do it on our own.
Forgive us…revive us…reshape us…help us to make room in our hearts and in our lives for you.
For you are merciful and gracious, endlessly patient, loving, and true. You show mercy to thousands at a time and yet are there for just one. When the times of transition come, help us as we tend to wander in our choice-making…help us to be found walking by the light of your truth in all that we say and do.
In the name of Christ, this is our prayer…Amen.
Response from Church Council – Scherry Jaspeh
Last week Pastor Greg shared with us from God’s Word regarding God’s power in the midst of transition. In response, we of the church council are attempting to approach this transition time with a positive attitude of helpfulness and positively as we allow God’s power to lead us. In the same way, we invite everyone at Wakelee Church to allow God’s power to work within them through their transitions so that when the storms of life occur they too may learn to lean on Christ.
Today, we heard that transition requires a choice to live, serve and behave like Christ. The church council, in response, has placed a letter on the sign-up table that will be placed in next week’s bulletin and our next newsletter with the signatures of those who will assign their name to the following statement…
“We hereby recommit our lives to Jesus Christ, to making disciples of Jesus Christ, and to the nurturing, reaching out, and witnessing ministry
of Jesus Christ through the Wakelee Church. We recommit ourselves to pray for our congregation, to be present and supportive, to give as God would have us give, and serve as God has called us to serve.”
In this time of transition, it is relevant and necessary to recommit our lives to Christ and his church. I hope you will join me in signing the document at the sign-up table. Thank you.
Closing Song – inserted in bulletin – “I’m Gonna Live So God Can Use Me”
Closing Benediction -
As we leave this place…
May the Lord grant us his power and discernment in the midst of uncertainty,
May the Lord help us to be honest with ourselves, admitting we need the mercy and grace
that He alone provides,
May the Lord help us to forgive and be forgiven,
And to have a practice of humility and a sense of his priority,
So that we may say as we accept this transition that is before us,
May God’s will be done,
In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit…Amen.
Other Scriptures to consider:
Proverbs 3:3-6 Psalm 143:10-11 Matthew 11:28-30
John 1:12-13 Psalm 118:8-9 Matthew 26:30
Galatians 2:20 Proverbs 16:3 John 14:12-13
Jeremiah 20:11-14 Revelation 3:20
