WEBVTT 00:00:03.333 --> 00:00:05.932 Well, good morning, Valley View. 00:00:05.932 --> 00:00:09.166 It's great to be with you on 4th of July weekend. 00:00:09.166 --> 00:00:12.233 That's why I'm wearing the color of freedom camouflage. 00:00:13.432 --> 00:00:13.865 Right. 00:00:13.865 --> 00:00:16.899 Although one guy said to me, John, that's actually the color of combat. 00:00:16.899 --> 00:00:19.899 Don't you know, I thought, what are you trying to say? 00:00:20.199 --> 00:00:21.332 But we do. We're here. 00:00:21.332 --> 00:00:25.000 In fact, the theme for our church this year is free and fearless. 00:00:25.800 --> 00:00:32.232 Freedom is at the heart of what we hope Christ is doing in our life, which is freeing us from slavery to sin. 00:00:33.033 --> 00:00:40.966 And so we're taking a break from the Book of John in the month of July to focus on that theme of free and fearless we talked about at the beginning of the year. 00:00:41.665 --> 00:00:43.932 But if you're anything like me, you tend to forget things. 00:00:43.932 --> 00:00:51.665 And so we want to bring it back up midyear and actually, this also presents an opportunity for us to hear from a few other folks in the church. 00:00:51.932 --> 00:00:54.932 I'm actually not going to be preaching in the month of July. 00:00:55.365 --> 00:01:01.600 We're going to have Colby and Andrew and at least one other guest be preaching in the month of July. 00:01:01.600 --> 00:01:05.332 And so just to set you up today, we're going to hear from Colby. 00:01:05.332 --> 00:01:10.700 He's going to give us our first session, preaching through this theme of free and fearless for the month of July. 00:01:10.700 --> 00:01:13.233 So let's go ahead and welcome up Colby, our student pastor. 00:01:21.266 --> 00:01:24.266 Good morning, CHURCH How are we doing? 00:01:24.632 --> 00:01:33.299 Well, isn't it kind of ironic or coincidental that we're going to start here in July and we're going to talk about freedom right before July 4th? 00:01:33.665 --> 00:01:46.766 I don't believe in coincidences, but with our vision statement of being free and fearless, God has it planned that we were going to talk about this on this day, right before July 4th, and I'm excited about that. 00:01:47.332 --> 00:01:57.632 But I came across a story that I really didn't know much about leading up to as I was preparing and it was leading up to the American Revolution. 00:01:57.700 --> 00:01:59.299 And it happened way back in the day. 00:01:59.299 --> 00:02:04.832 And it's often forgotten about when the first colonists came to America. 00:02:05.332 --> 00:02:09.633 And it actually involves a little bit about where we stand and sit today. 00:02:10.366 --> 00:02:16.599 And so actually, when the colonies first came here to America, they were leaving Europe. 00:02:17.066 --> 00:02:19.765 They were leaving Europe because they were looking for more freedom. 00:02:19.765 --> 00:02:22.599 They felt like they were being hindered back there. 00:02:22.599 --> 00:02:25.532 Their economic opportunity was being held back. 00:02:25.532 --> 00:02:27.265 They felt that they were overly taxed. 00:02:27.265 --> 00:02:29.400 They didn't have a lot of religious freedoms. 00:02:29.400 --> 00:02:38.432 And so from the various countries of Europe, they left there and went across the sea to come to this piece of land to set up colonies. 00:02:39.133 --> 00:02:41.800 And they did that because they wanted more freedom. 00:02:41.800 --> 00:02:56.199 And the crazy thing is, although they left those European empires, Great Britain, France, all those places, although they left there and came to this piece of land, they still remain under the control of those empires. 00:02:57.099 --> 00:03:02.800 And so while they were here, they still felt that they were unfairly taxed. 00:03:02.800 --> 00:03:05.966 They didn't feel like they were being watched over like like children. 00:03:06.599 --> 00:03:08.599 And so this kind of rubbed them the wrong way. 00:03:08.599 --> 00:03:14.765 And then they started having some some differences and some some arguments over religious freedoms. 00:03:14.765 --> 00:03:24.633 They had issues over how to run their local governments because Britain and France and these other countries were imposing a lot of their own control over them. 00:03:25.532 --> 00:03:27.366 And so all of these things were happening. 00:03:27.366 --> 00:03:30.932 And then something happened that really made a turn for the worse. 00:03:32.133 --> 00:03:42.665 So in 1763, there was this war called the Seven Years War, and Great Britain actually wins and conquers this some territory from France and India. 00:03:42.665 --> 00:03:48.599 And so what happens is Great Britain gets a large chunk of land here in America. 00:03:49.765 --> 00:04:06.566 But what happens is, is King George the third at this time, he he makes this royal proclamation in 1763 and he says, Listen, colonist, you cannot expand West of the Appalachian Mountains, west of the Ohio Valley, which is where we are. 00:04:06.566 --> 00:04:09.332 You can't go any further. 00:04:09.332 --> 00:04:13.900 The reason being is because they wanted to keep tabs and control on the colonies. 00:04:13.900 --> 00:04:18.600 So they said you need to stay isolated right here because our resources are spread too thin. 00:04:18.733 --> 00:04:21.733 So listen, you can't expand westward. 00:04:22.466 --> 00:04:32.833 Well, this is one of many events that led to the breaking point for the colonists that ultimately led to the American Revolution. 00:04:32.833 --> 00:04:43.300 And we stand here today because that early group of people were willing to fight for liberty and freedom over the bondage that they experience from a foreign empire. 00:04:43.632 --> 00:04:49.333 And Benjamin Franklin, who was a founding father of our country, has a really great quote. 00:04:49.333 --> 00:04:51.466 And I'm going to read it here. 00:04:49.333 --> 00:04:51.466 It's going to be appear on the screen. 00:04:52.466 --> 00:04:54.466 It's this quote from Benjamin Franklin. 00:04:54.466 --> 00:05:04.533 It says, They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. 00:05:05.300 --> 00:05:16.665 Meaning if you're not willing to, to fight for your freedom and give up some momentary temporary safety and comfort, then you don't deserve either one. 00:05:16.665 --> 00:05:26.100 And it was Benjamin Franklin's call to the early colonists that you need to fight for your freedom and you have to sacrifice some temporary comfort. Amen. 00:05:26.100 --> 00:05:31.600 And so we're going to see a little picture of that in our text, in our passages this morning. 00:05:32.100 --> 00:05:40.132 And so this idea of being free in Christ and being free from sin, we're going to tackle it with two questions. 00:05:40.300 --> 00:05:42.733 I'm going to ask two questions and answer them this morning. 00:05:42.733 --> 00:05:50.233 And those two questions are, according to the Bible, what does it mean to be set free from sin? 00:05:50.300 --> 00:05:52.432 That's the first one according to the Bible. 00:05:52.432 --> 00:05:55.333 What does it mean to be set free from sin? 00:05:55.333 --> 00:05:56.600 The second one? 00:05:56.600 --> 00:06:00.399 And what does it mean to fight against sin? 00:06:01.533 --> 00:06:10.665 So those are two very important questions that we as Christians, we as believers, that if we follow Jesus, we need to be able to answer this and know it well. 00:06:10.665 --> 00:06:21.266 But before we even get to this point, we have to understand what it means to be enslaved, to sin, because we see this picture extending all the way back into Genesis. 00:06:21.266 --> 00:06:35.165 But where we're going to be, we're going to be in Exodus this morning, where we're going to start and we're going to take a little case study this morning of the people of Israel who were in the in Egypt enslaved to the Egyptians. 00:06:36.000 --> 00:06:50.432 But then God raises up Moses, as I'm sure that if you know your Bible, God raises up Moses, He performs miracles and signs and the Pharaoh lets the people go and Moses leads the people out of Egypt. 00:06:50.432 --> 00:06:53.033 But something very interesting occurs. 00:06:54.000 --> 00:07:00.800 Although they leave Egypt physically, they still want to go back. 00:07:00.800 --> 00:07:03.132 So we're to start here in Exodus chapter 14. 00:07:03.132 --> 00:07:09.600 We're going to look at just a handful of verses to get a picture of what it means to be enslaved to sin. 00:07:10.466 --> 00:07:16.000 Exodus 14 Verse 12 The words will be on the screen, but feel free to follow along in your scriptures. 00:07:16.000 --> 00:07:21.699 Exodus 1412 says, Is not this what we said to you in Egypt? 00:07:22.300 --> 00:07:31.199 Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians for you would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness. 00:07:32.100 --> 00:07:45.333 In other words, it would have been better for us to stay in bondage and slavery in Egypt, where we can have some comforts than to follow God and take the risk of of losing our lives and fighting for our freedom. 00:07:46.132 --> 00:07:49.533 That it's better to stay in bondage. But look here. 00:07:49.533 --> 00:07:53.600 It says in Exodus chapter 16, This is a little bit further on in the story. 00:07:53.600 --> 00:08:03.766 This is another moment where the people of Israel were grumbling against Moses, it says, and the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 00:08:03.766 --> 00:08:10.632 And the people of Israel said to them, With that, we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt. 00:08:11.199 --> 00:08:21.065 When we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the fool, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger. 00:08:21.932 --> 00:08:41.666 Again, we see this picture that they preferred to be back in Egypt, next to the food where they can enjoy all this satisfaction that was merely temporary, that was fleeting and set up to pursue freedom and following God several years later in numbers 20, when the people get to the wilderness, the same issue comes up. 00:08:42.399 --> 00:08:52.265 Numbers 20, verse three says, And the people quarreled with Moses and said, Wood, that we had perished when our brothers perished before the Lord. 00:08:52.566 --> 00:08:56.799 Why have you brought the Assembly of the Lord into this wilderness? 00:08:57.000 --> 00:09:01.200 That we should die here, both we and our cattle? 00:09:01.732 --> 00:09:08.200 And why have you made us come up out of Egypt To bring us to this evil place? 00:09:08.200 --> 00:09:14.832 It is no place for grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink. 00:09:15.799 --> 00:09:19.000 And we know in all these instances the Lord continued to provide for them. 00:09:19.200 --> 00:09:21.200 He continued to give them what they needed. 00:09:21.200 --> 00:09:25.899 But notice they were no longer in Egypt, where is their mindset. 00:09:27.265 --> 00:09:41.732 It was back in Egypt, which is why this is true that Israel preferred they preferred bondage in Egypt for temporary comfort, then surrender to God that leads to genuine freedom. 00:09:43.500 --> 00:09:57.399 Now, I don't know about you this morning, but it's easy for us to get stuck in contentment with wanting to just remain in slavery, in bondage, because of the temporary comfort and satisfaction we may find then pressing on in a freedom with God. 00:09:59.533 --> 00:10:05.700 So listen, this morning Israel attained physical freedom from Egypt. 00:10:06.166 --> 00:10:08.133 But here's the catch. 00:10:08.133 --> 00:10:14.533 But they can tend to carry a spiritual bondage of Egypt in their hearts. 00:10:15.899 --> 00:10:24.700 They were no longer physically in Egypt, but they left Egypt and still had spiritual slavery to sin in them. 00:10:25.432 --> 00:10:28.466 Now, understand Egypt was not merely a place to Israel. 00:10:28.566 --> 00:10:31.232 It was a mindset, an identity. 00:10:32.399 --> 00:10:34.832 It was a mindset of slavery. 00:10:34.832 --> 00:10:44.232 It was an identity of being enslaved to sin and see this carried out throughout the history of Israel, where they struggle with idolatry and sin. 00:10:44.399 --> 00:10:47.399 It eventually led to the fall of them in promised land. 00:10:48.600 --> 00:10:53.732 But no, this morning that we can experience that same struggle. 00:10:54.732 --> 00:11:02.133 You've probably heard the phrase you can take the boy out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the boy. 00:11:02.133 --> 00:11:03.299 Right? You probably heard that. 00:11:03.299 --> 00:11:05.133 Or you could probably add anything you want here. 00:11:05.133 --> 00:11:08.432 You can take the boy out of the hood, but you can't take the hood out of the boy. 00:11:08.700 --> 00:11:10.799 You can use a number in a number of ways. 00:11:10.799 --> 00:11:12.133 You know what I mean? 00:11:12.133 --> 00:11:15.932 Well, we my my wife and I, we grew up here in Kentucky. 00:11:15.932 --> 00:11:17.566 In fact, I grew up in Lexington. 00:11:17.566 --> 00:11:19.633 So naturally, I was a UK fan. 00:11:19.633 --> 00:11:26.500 And when I moved from Kentucky to Memphis, Tennessee, I learned something crazy. 00:11:26.500 --> 00:11:29.500 I thought Louisville fans hated Kentucky. 00:11:29.765 --> 00:11:32.765 Memphis fans hate Kentucky way more. 00:11:33.799 --> 00:11:35.700 It's unbelievable. 00:11:35.700 --> 00:11:44.365 And it's mostly because John Calipari used to coach in Memphis, comes to Kentucky and leaves some sour taste in their mouths. 00:11:44.600 --> 00:11:54.633 And I'm telling you, if I were to bring up the thought that I was from not just a Kentucky fan, but I was from Kentucky immediately, all boy, I don't know if I'm going to like you. 00:11:55.299 --> 00:11:57.166 It's crazy. 00:11:57.166 --> 00:12:03.700 But even though I still continue to be a UK fan and so you can take the boy out of Kentucky, but you can't take the Kentucky out of the boy. 00:12:03.700 --> 00:12:06.166 Amen. 00:12:06.166 --> 00:12:08.000 But here's my point. 00:12:08.000 --> 00:12:17.100 And I think this is where I want to rob this morning, is that you can take the man out of Egypt, but only God take the Egypt out of the man. 00:12:18.633 --> 00:12:21.399 Yes, we may be able to be taken out of Egypt. 00:12:21.399 --> 00:12:30.365 But listen, there is a deeper, darker spiritual issue in all of us that you and I have been born with, and that is slavery to sin. 00:12:30.533 --> 00:12:33.533 And only God can take that out of us. 00:12:34.533 --> 00:12:39.666 And we see a picture throughout the Old Testament of the Israelites struggling with this. 00:12:40.166 --> 00:12:48.765 But now I want to get to the New Testament because I believe Hebrews shows us a picture of Moses that we can sometimes overlook. 00:12:48.765 --> 00:13:06.633 But look at this in Hebrews 11, this is talking about Moses and verse 25, it says by Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God, then to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 00:13:07.533 --> 00:13:10.265 So notice Moses does two things here. 00:13:10.265 --> 00:13:11.265 He does three things. 00:13:11.265 --> 00:13:17.932 He refuses the identity of Egypt, and he deliberately chooses to be a people in the people of God. 00:13:19.466 --> 00:13:24.765 He refuses to be called an Egyptian and he would rather suffer with the people of God. 00:13:24.765 --> 00:13:31.066 So listen, instead of being enslaved by the fleeting pleasures of sin, Moses chose to be called a child of God. 00:13:31.732 --> 00:13:34.399 What a model that is for us. 00:13:34.399 --> 00:13:36.365 Because you and I have a choice. 00:13:36.365 --> 00:13:39.865 Amazingly, I'm going to get to how that was made possible. 00:13:40.332 --> 00:13:46.365 But there's a choice to be made that we can choose the fleeting pleasures of sin, or we can choose to be a child of God this morning. 00:13:47.365 --> 00:13:56.432 And it goes on here in the next verse and we're get the the motivation of Moses, why Moses chose to do this in verse 26, he says, He that's Moses. 00:13:56.666 --> 00:14:06.765 Moses considered the reproach or the or the suffering of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt. 00:14:08.000 --> 00:14:09.600 Think about that. 00:14:09.600 --> 00:14:18.265 Moses thought the suffering of Christ or the suffering that came along with following God was greater than the treasures of Egypt. 00:14:19.232 --> 00:14:24.332 So here the the author of Hebrews is comparing Moses with Christ. 00:14:24.700 --> 00:14:32.899 Look here, Moses suffered on behalf of the people of God and led them out of slavery. 00:14:34.232 --> 00:14:38.100 And Christ does the same thing for us. 00:14:39.633 --> 00:14:43.166 But what it says is that Moses was looking for the reward. 00:14:44.100 --> 00:14:49.865 The reason why is because Moses was looking for the reward to come one day and listen. 00:14:50.100 --> 00:14:53.432 That reward for Moses ain't for you and me is the same. 00:14:53.633 --> 00:15:00.966 That is eternal life and freedom from sin for all eternity. 00:15:00.966 --> 00:15:05.232 Not just a freedom Egypt, but freedom from our biggest enemy. 00:15:05.232 --> 00:15:06.865 And that is sin living inside us. 00:15:08.133 --> 00:15:09.265 Because listen to me. 00:15:09.265 --> 00:15:12.299 Christ is the greater Moses. 00:15:13.432 --> 00:15:24.633 Moses was a great model for our life, but Christ was the greater Moses who not just sets people free, He sets people free from sin forever. 00:15:26.232 --> 00:15:38.265 So here's what you need to know this morning that we can't forget and we can't overlook that Christ has removed the penalty and the power of sin to think about that. 00:15:39.432 --> 00:15:47.066 Christ has removed the penalty and the power of sin for all those who would believe in Christ Jesus. 00:15:48.299 --> 00:15:53.600 Now, I must show you two verses to make sense of this, because this is so crucial for the believer to understand. 00:15:54.432 --> 00:16:08.100 Look at this and Colossians 214 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands, this God Christ set aside nailing it to the cross. 00:16:09.332 --> 00:16:23.200 So the debt that we accumulated because Romans 623 says for the wages or the payment of sin is what death our sin requires, A blood sacrifice. 00:16:23.399 --> 00:16:33.633 But Jesus stepped in for us, crucified on the cross, took on our sin, took on our debt, and removed all of it on the cross. 00:16:33.633 --> 00:16:34.200 So guess what? 00:16:34.200 --> 00:16:38.566 The penalty for sin is no longer there for us in Christ. 00:16:38.566 --> 00:16:41.566 Jesus. 00:16:42.666 --> 00:17:23.500 It's a beautiful thing, but it gets better because it's not just the penalty, it's the power of sin to look at this in Romans six, Romans six verse six, We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin that is this fleshly portion of our body that drives us away from God, that the body of sin might be brought to nothing so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin for one who has died has been set free from sin, meaning the power of sin no longer controls us in Christ. 00:17:23.500 --> 00:17:24.032 Jesus. 00:17:26.133 --> 00:17:34.032 And it's going to get even better one day for us, because one day Jesus will remove the presence of sin forever when He returns to take us home. 00:17:34.299 --> 00:17:37.532 Yeah, and we're looking forward to that day. 00:17:37.532 --> 00:17:47.532 Church We're looking forward to the day when not only the penalty has been removed, the power has been removed, and one day the presence of sin is going to be removed. 00:17:47.532 --> 00:17:50.532 So it's not even going to be an afterthought for us. 00:17:51.099 --> 00:17:53.465 So here's my first encouragement for you this morning. 00:17:53.465 --> 00:17:59.665 Is that you this morning, if you haven't already, that you would exchange your slavery to sin for freedom in Christ. 00:18:00.932 --> 00:18:03.599 This is all of our starting points. 00:18:03.599 --> 00:18:09.133 And if this is not real in our life, we need to make it real today before anything else is possible. 00:18:09.133 --> 00:18:23.432 Because the offer stands for you and I to place our faith in Jesus to exchange this slavery, penalty and power of sin over to Christ as He takes that to the cross and we get freedom from it. 00:18:25.732 --> 00:18:26.700 How good of it? 00:18:26.700 --> 00:18:29.799 How good is it to talk about the freedom we have in our country? 00:18:29.799 --> 00:18:32.799 But how much better is it that we can have freedom from sin? 00:18:34.400 --> 00:18:37.400 And Romans 617 highlights this so beautifully. 00:18:37.665 --> 00:19:00.665 This is Paul thanking God, he says, But thanks be to God that you who were once slaves of sin, have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness once slaves to sin, now we're slaves to righteousness. 00:19:00.932 --> 00:19:05.799 What a picture for you today by simply placing your faith in Jesus. 00:19:06.032 --> 00:19:09.032 And that's what I would want you to do first and foremost. 00:19:09.465 --> 00:19:13.232 But now we finally arrived to our main verse, one verse. 00:19:13.400 --> 00:19:15.000 That's our main passage for today. 00:19:15.000 --> 00:19:36.032 And this is, in fact, with what John taught on at the Vision Banquet that we're going to really hone in on here in Galatians chapter five, verse one, this one verse Galatians five one says, For freedom, Christ set us free, stand firm, therefore, and do not and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. 00:19:36.900 --> 00:19:42.599 So there's two really important truths that come out of this verse that I really want us to focus on. 00:19:42.633 --> 00:19:47.965 The first thing is that Christ has set us free for a purpose. 00:19:50.099 --> 00:19:52.833 Christ has set us free for a purpose. 00:19:52.833 --> 00:19:55.500 He didn't do it for just any reason. 00:19:55.500 --> 00:19:58.500 It was for a purpose that he did it. 00:19:59.665 --> 00:20:03.232 And if you want to go back to that verse to I want you to see the second part of this verse. 00:20:03.232 --> 00:20:04.833 Christ has set us free. 00:20:04.833 --> 00:20:11.165 But then he says, Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. 00:20:11.266 --> 00:20:18.432 The second thing, the point that comes out of this is that we have a responsibility as Christians now. 00:20:18.500 --> 00:20:21.200 We have a role to play. 00:20:21.200 --> 00:20:27.333 We have a responsibility to say no to sin, and we're not unpack these two things. 00:20:27.333 --> 00:20:30.066 But notice here in this verse, there's two things. 00:20:30.066 --> 00:20:35.200 It talks about what Christ has done and what the Christians called to do. 00:20:35.200 --> 00:20:38.732 Do you see that first part, the first clause? 00:20:38.732 --> 00:20:42.032 It says what Christ has done for us. 00:20:42.400 --> 00:20:45.400 The second part says what we're supposed to do. 00:20:45.833 --> 00:20:47.766 It says Christ has set us free. 00:20:47.766 --> 00:20:53.032 It's by His grace, it's by his love that He has set us free from sin. 00:20:53.200 --> 00:20:59.400 But then the follow up, you and I now have a responsibility moving forward in our life. 00:20:59.532 --> 00:21:01.099 This isn't a passive Christian life. 00:21:01.099 --> 00:21:06.799 Friends, to walk and follow Jesus is not to passively wait and do nothing. 00:21:06.932 --> 00:21:10.432 But it, to actively pursue Jesus and to become like him. 00:21:12.099 --> 00:21:20.165 So the first thing we have to see here from this verse is that Christ set believers free so that they would live out their freedom from sin. 00:21:21.732 --> 00:21:24.732 And this is it should seem obvious to me. 00:21:25.066 --> 00:21:32.099 I think it should seem obvious that if we've been set free from something, we should walk in it. 00:21:32.099 --> 00:21:39.333 But sometimes we forget this and we even get to the point where we sometimes think, Well, God's going to forgive me anyway. 00:21:39.465 --> 00:21:42.465 Why can't I keep on living the way I've been living? 00:21:43.532 --> 00:21:46.532 Y'all ever had that thought, God is going to forgive me? 00:21:46.833 --> 00:21:49.266 His grace is perfect, His grace is unending. 00:21:49.266 --> 00:21:52.400 And because of that, what I just keep on living the way I've been living. 00:21:52.532 --> 00:21:53.865 Because he's going to forgive me anyway. 00:21:55.500 --> 00:21:57.333 Let me show you what Paul says. 00:21:57.333 --> 00:21:59.099 And Romans six. 00:21:59.099 --> 00:22:01.432 What shall we say then? 00:22:01.432 --> 00:22:04.432 Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 00:22:04.665 --> 00:22:20.665 That is, are we to continue in our own way of life, to continue in sin so that God's grace just keeps increasing For us, This is a rhetorical question because Paul says by no means how can he who died to sin still live in it? 00:22:21.799 --> 00:22:25.066 The picture here is is if we've truly died to sin. 00:22:25.200 --> 00:22:30.232 We've been buried with Christ in baptism when we've been raised to walk in newness of life. 00:22:30.232 --> 00:22:33.633 How can we continue to live in something that we've been set free from? 00:22:35.232 --> 00:22:51.165 Paul says you can't, because if we continue to live practicing sin, having a habitual return to sin over and over and over again, the question must be be asked Have we really died to it? 00:22:53.232 --> 00:22:56.232 So we look at our lives. 00:22:56.865 --> 00:22:59.865 Christ doesn't say we need perfection immediately. 00:23:00.066 --> 00:23:03.066 Like we don't have to live perfectly in our life now. 00:23:03.299 --> 00:23:06.599 But there needs to be growth and progression towards Jesus. 00:23:08.365 --> 00:23:14.599 But the truth is, if we're living habitually, continually living in sin, the question is have we really that to it? 00:23:15.932 --> 00:23:21.165 Paul says we can't live in sin if we've died to it. 00:23:21.599 --> 00:23:22.799 So that's the first thing. 00:23:22.799 --> 00:23:25.799 Christ set us free so we can be free. 00:23:27.032 --> 00:23:34.432 Second thing it says in this verse, Stand firm, therefore. 00:23:34.432 --> 00:23:40.432 So what Paul's saying here is, since Christ is set us free, therefore you and I have two things we need to do. 00:23:40.532 --> 00:23:49.833 We need to stand firm and do not submit again to a yoke of two things. 00:23:49.833 --> 00:23:54.732 If Christ is said, you and I free, we need to stand firm. 00:23:55.000 --> 00:23:57.333 Therefore do not submit again to the yoke of slavery. 00:23:57.333 --> 00:24:00.333 Those two things are crucial. 00:24:02.032 --> 00:24:15.633 So this is a beautiful part right here and hopefully we can chew on this and we can we can meditate on this because because this is this is what Paul is getting at here in Christ. 00:24:15.633 --> 00:24:21.333 Sin only has power over us if we submit to it. 00:24:21.633 --> 00:24:25.066 Sin no longer has power over you and me. 00:24:26.032 --> 00:24:31.833 But just like Israel, we have the tendency to go back where to Egypt. 00:24:31.833 --> 00:24:38.599 We have a tendency to go back to that Egyptian mindset and identity and that slavery to sin, even though we've been set free from it. 00:24:38.732 --> 00:24:43.465 But what Paul says is, is you need to stand firm and you don't submit through it again. 00:24:44.465 --> 00:24:51.200 And of course, this picture of a yoke of slavery is placing a yoke over a farm animal that pulls behind it. 00:24:51.200 --> 00:25:00.333 Various tools for farming in this picture is that you put the the yoke over the farm animal and it drags it behind him. 00:25:01.333 --> 00:25:07.266 So what Paul is saying here is you don't put it on, you don't submit to it again. 00:25:07.266 --> 00:25:08.732 You have that choice. 00:25:08.732 --> 00:25:13.133 The beautiful part about the gospel is, is you have the ability and power to say no to sin. 00:25:13.133 --> 00:25:16.133 Now, before you did it. 00:25:16.266 --> 00:25:24.833 So listen, believers have the daily responsibility and role to stand firm and not to sin anymore. 00:25:26.432 --> 00:25:29.066 Christ, Dad, for you to be set free. 00:25:29.066 --> 00:25:30.333 But now it's your role. 00:25:30.333 --> 00:25:39.266 It's your a my task to continue on fighting for that and say no to now. Praise God we're not alone. 00:25:39.266 --> 00:25:45.066 We have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us and the enemy has many ways and schemes to tempt us. 00:25:45.333 --> 00:25:49.532 But he always, who is living in us, is greater than he was in the world. 00:25:49.532 --> 00:25:51.566 Amen. 00:25:51.566 --> 00:25:56.932 So we have every ability and tool and our tool belt to fight against sin. 00:25:57.032 --> 00:26:00.032 But the question is, are you going to be willing to stand firm? 00:26:01.432 --> 00:26:04.700 Now, this is not to downgrade the difficulty sin brings. 00:26:05.500 --> 00:26:12.599 This is not to downplay how strong temptation can be, but God has given you and me the power to overcome it. 00:26:13.566 --> 00:26:15.299 And I don't think it's coincidence. 00:26:15.299 --> 00:26:22.365 As I was doing my study that Paul uses the two words Stand firm. 00:26:22.766 --> 00:26:29.333 I want to take you back to Exodus 14 God parts the Red Sea and the people of Israel walk across dry ground. 00:26:29.333 --> 00:26:32.099 I want you to hear what Moses says to his people. 00:26:32.099 --> 00:26:48.333 It says in Exodus 14 and Moses said to the people, Fear not stand firm and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today, for the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. 00:26:49.200 --> 00:26:57.932 The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent. 00:26:58.099 --> 00:27:02.066 So the beauty behind this is that God is fighting for you. 00:27:02.066 --> 00:27:05.066 Are you going to be willing to fight against sin? 00:27:05.900 --> 00:27:15.833 So my second encouragement for you this morning is that you would stand firm and do not submit to sin, stand firm. 00:27:15.965 --> 00:27:19.599 And some of you like you only to be attached to a life group. 00:27:20.000 --> 00:27:38.599 If I can be completely honest, because you all are trying to do this alone and you know where the enemy's going to get you when you're alone, the enemy is going to get you when you slide away in the privacy darkness and you kind of revolt back to using technology for your your community. 00:27:39.500 --> 00:27:45.532 But listen to me if you want if you are needing to fight sin in your life, find a life group. 00:27:46.599 --> 00:27:53.900 If you need help dealing with difficulty in your life, find a life group and find some people that come alongside you to keep that yoke. 00:27:53.900 --> 00:27:59.099 After you listen to this first Peter to 11, he describes it really well. 00:27:59.333 --> 00:28:11.133 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain or refrain from the passions of the flesh which wage war against your soul. 00:28:12.799 --> 00:28:19.333 See, I think we got a peace time approach to the way we fight Sin crisis died for us. 00:28:19.333 --> 00:28:21.900 He's taking care of the power and the penalty of sin. 00:28:21.900 --> 00:28:24.532 But now we can coast. 00:28:24.532 --> 00:28:27.532 We can coast the rest of our life. 00:28:27.599 --> 00:28:28.465 But listen to me. 00:28:28.465 --> 00:28:33.232 We have an enemy who's waging war against us, and he's using every thing he can. 00:28:34.865 --> 00:28:37.165 So we need to make war. 00:28:37.165 --> 00:28:41.732 So, I mean, give us three practical things we can begin to do today. 00:28:41.732 --> 00:28:46.165 You and me, that we can do to fight sin in our life. 00:28:46.799 --> 00:28:49.232 Three things of how we can stand firm. 00:28:49.232 --> 00:28:54.032 First thing, how to stand firm, make war and kill sin. 00:28:55.932 --> 00:28:59.833 We got to have a war approach to fighting sin. 00:28:59.965 --> 00:29:06.266 We have to be willing to sacrifice things and in route to fighting sin and getting rid of it in our lives. 00:29:06.500 --> 00:29:10.400 And notice I'm saying we need to kill sin, not put it away. 00:29:11.333 --> 00:29:13.066 We don't need to tuck sin under the bed. 00:29:13.066 --> 00:29:14.432 We don't need to put it in the corner. 00:29:14.432 --> 00:29:16.266 We don't need to hide it under the rug. 00:29:16.266 --> 00:29:18.266 We don't need to just lop the top of it off. 00:29:18.266 --> 00:29:21.865 We need to get to the root and kill sin where it's growing. 00:29:23.700 --> 00:29:25.665 Because the analogy is true, right? 00:29:25.665 --> 00:29:31.833 I've got some weed out in the backyard and the other day I locked the top of him off and all this rain, they sprout right back up. 00:29:31.833 --> 00:29:32.932 Probably bigger and worse. 00:29:34.365 --> 00:29:35.066 But listen to me. 00:29:35.066 --> 00:29:39.000 If we really want to affect sin in our life and fight it, we got to get to the root of it. 00:29:39.000 --> 00:29:41.133 Listen to Colossians three five. 00:29:41.133 --> 00:29:44.133 Paul says, Put to death. 00:29:44.133 --> 00:29:46.833 Therefore, what is earthly in you? 00:29:46.833 --> 00:29:49.099 He doesn't, says put away. 00:29:49.099 --> 00:29:51.633 He doesn't say kindly put it to the side. 00:29:51.633 --> 00:29:54.500 He says, Put to death the sin in your life. 00:29:54.500 --> 00:29:57.833 My question to you is, are you killing the sin in your life? 00:29:57.833 --> 00:30:00.500 Are you letting it linger? 00:30:00.500 --> 00:30:03.500 Are you letting it stay around? 00:30:04.865 --> 00:30:09.133 The question is, are we willing to kill it and not let it just hang around? 00:30:10.000 --> 00:30:12.700 Second thing, how to stand firm. 00:30:12.700 --> 00:30:15.700 Do not your sin. 00:30:16.299 --> 00:30:17.432 Now this is metaphorical. 00:30:17.432 --> 00:30:20.000 Of course we can't actually literally feed our sin. 00:30:20.000 --> 00:30:24.932 But what I mean by that is we can feed our sin in our flesh. 00:30:25.299 --> 00:30:26.799 That is the simple part of us. 00:30:26.799 --> 00:30:32.599 We can feed that with our time, with our energy, with our thoughts, with our attention. 00:30:32.766 --> 00:30:37.000 And we can feed it and give it opportunity to attack us. 00:30:38.133 --> 00:30:42.333 And for some of you, your phone is maybe the worst thing for you. 00:30:44.099 --> 00:30:52.099 Maybe it's your phone that starts scrolling through and all of a sudden after spending an hour or so, I'm starting to see things that I shouldn't be seeing. 00:30:52.365 --> 00:30:57.965 Maybe it's a relationship that you keep investing and pouring your life in that's leading to more sin. 00:30:59.900 --> 00:31:03.900 We can feed things in our life that lead to more sin. 00:31:03.900 --> 00:31:06.799 That's by our attention, by our desires. 00:31:06.799 --> 00:31:12.232 So the more we think about that temptation and the more we think about that sin, guess what you're going to do? 00:31:12.232 --> 00:31:14.032 You're going to fall into it. 00:31:14.032 --> 00:31:15.633 Paul says this in Galatians six. 00:31:15.633 --> 00:31:24.165 He says, For the one who sows or plants to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption. 00:31:24.299 --> 00:31:31.500 It should be no surprise if we give our flesh, give the sinful parts of us the presence of sin in our life. 00:31:31.500 --> 00:31:35.700 If we give it the time of the day, it's going to produce sin in our life. 00:31:36.066 --> 00:31:44.099 But the one who sows to the spirit, who gives time to listening and obeying the Spirit will from the Spirit, reap eternal life. 00:31:45.500 --> 00:31:49.333 Who are you giving your affection and your time and your attention to? 00:31:50.000 --> 00:31:53.000 Is it the spirit or is it the flesh? 00:31:53.232 --> 00:31:57.299 Third thing how to stand firm daily. 00:31:57.299 --> 00:32:00.299 Behold the glory of our Lord Jesus. 00:32:02.532 --> 00:32:08.665 I say this for the end because I believe this is the most important in our weight, in our waging war of sin. 00:32:09.665 --> 00:32:12.700 See, I've recognized in my life that when I struggle with sin. 00:32:14.266 --> 00:32:19.232 It's because I've stopped looking at Jesus. 00:32:20.133 --> 00:32:24.532 That is my my time in it, in the word, my time in prayer. 00:32:25.299 --> 00:32:36.000 That is my time that I just take out of the day and I just spend with him not merely checking a box, but I actually see his face and his presence and his will for my life. 00:32:36.165 --> 00:32:47.566 I've noticed that when I've stopped doing that, sin seems to creep in because I believe the more and more we look at Jesus, the more and more we don't want sin. 00:32:47.732 --> 00:32:53.000 The more and more we behold the glory in the beauty of Jesus and acknowledge what He has done for us. 00:32:53.232 --> 00:32:57.633 Dying on the cross in our place, for the sin, in our for our sins. 00:32:57.833 --> 00:32:59.566 We're not going to want that sin anymore. 00:33:00.700 --> 00:33:04.232 But it's when we take our eyes off Jesus that we lose our focus. 00:33:05.633 --> 00:33:18.633 So if I can encourage you with a final scripture this morning, it's here in second Corinthians chapter two, it says, But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 00:33:19.232 --> 00:33:26.732 And this is a picture of Moses coming down from the mountain with the Ten Commandments, and his face is glowing with the glory of God. 00:33:26.732 --> 00:33:28.633 And if you remember, what does he have to do? 00:33:28.633 --> 00:33:34.833 Has to veil his face because the people couldn't see it because of their sin. 00:33:34.865 --> 00:33:41.365 But this is describing now talk about the New covenant and this new reality that you and I as Christians have. 00:33:41.432 --> 00:33:50.133 He says, Now the Lord is the spirit and we're the spirit of the Lord is there is what freedom that is by faith. 00:33:50.133 --> 00:33:50.865 Jesus. 00:33:50.865 --> 00:33:55.732 The spirit now in dwelling is we have freedom from sin, freedom from the law. 00:33:55.932 --> 00:33:57.599 And look what it says in the next verse. 00:33:57.599 --> 00:34:12.333 And we all, with unveiled face, no longer covered beholding the glory of the Lord or being transformed into the same image that is the image of Jesus from one degree of glory to another. 00:34:12.532 --> 00:34:22.400 That is, we're growing more and more and more and more like Jesus every day for this comes from the Lord who is the spirit. 00:34:24.065 --> 00:34:26.266 So here's my challenge for you this morning. 00:34:26.266 --> 00:34:32.733 Are you submitting to sin or are you standing firm in freedom? 00:34:33.432 --> 00:34:35.733 It's one or the other. 00:34:35.733 --> 00:34:43.932 Are you submitting to sin or are you standing firm and not submitting to slavery of sin any more? 00:34:45.733 --> 00:34:48.733 So I'm gonna invite Kayden in to come up here. 00:34:48.932 --> 00:34:55.599 She's going to sing a little portion, a couple of lines from a song you're probably going to know pretty well. 00:34:56.365 --> 00:35:11.465 And that song is to turn your eyes on Jesus and what I want us to do here in just this moment is Kayden is going to sing this, and I just want to offer you all the opportunity to turn your eyes on Jesus. 00:35:11.766 --> 00:35:21.565 And maybe for some of you, this is the first time you need to set your gaze and behold, Christ the Lord for the first time. 00:35:22.766 --> 00:35:29.865 But for some of you, this is a moment where we need to refix our gaze because we have gotten it off of Jesus here lately. 00:35:30.800 --> 00:35:35.532 And so Kayden is going to sing, Tucker is going to said Tucker, because they're getting married here. 00:35:35.699 --> 00:35:37.599 Let's give it up for Kayden and Tucker for next. 00:35:37.599 --> 00:35:42.932 They're going to get married here in a couple of weeks. So but I don't mean to ruin that moment. 00:35:42.932 --> 00:35:45.800 But Andrew is going to be playing. 00:35:45.800 --> 00:35:46.632 Kayden is going to sing. 00:35:46.632 --> 00:35:53.565 And I just want to invite you to take this moment to set your eyes on the Lord Jesus. 00:35:59.266 --> 00:36:07.365 Turn your eyes upon Jesus. 00:36:08.132 --> 00:36:37.532 Look full in his wonderful face and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace. 00:36:39.532 --> 00:37:18.432 Turn your eyes upon Jesus Look full in his wonderful face And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace. 00:37:21.733 --> 00:37:37.000 Father, we thank you so much for setting us free from something that we have been enslaved to Lord Jesus. 00:37:37.000 --> 00:37:44.400 We could not get the Egypt out of us by our own doing, by our own works, by our own ability. 00:37:44.400 --> 00:37:53.032 But it is by the blood you shed on the cross that set us free from the penalty and the power of sin. 00:37:55.065 --> 00:38:09.199 And oh, Lord Jesus, we look forward to the day when you will remove the presence of sin from your people forever, and we'll get to be with you for all eternity. 00:38:09.632 --> 00:38:18.900 And, Lord, I pray that if there's anyone here this morning that has not come into this freedom, that they would do so. 00:38:19.733 --> 00:38:49.932 And I pray, Father, that we as believers, we as your church, we would stand firm and not go back those things which we've been set free from and that God, we would daily behold your glory and turn our eyes to you so that things of this earth will grow strangely dim and that God, we would make war and kill the sin in our life, and we would not feed it any longer. 00:38:51.766 --> 00:39:03.065 Oh, Lord Jesus, If there is someone in here today that is battling sin and feel like they're inadequate, I pray that they would be reminded that they have been given the freedom and the power over sin. 00:39:03.400 --> 00:39:07.565 And by looking to you, they can find that again. 00:39:09.333 --> 00:39:21.666 And that father we as a community, as a as Galatians six tells us that we would bear one another's burdens together and that we would not walk this path alone. 00:39:22.932 --> 00:39:36.932 But you did not make Christians to walk alone, but you called us to walk in community and by the power of the spirit in us, and by the power of the church and the community that we have, we can fight sin. 00:39:38.733 --> 00:40:05.266 And I pray, Father, that we would take every step that you’re calling us to take this morning I pray all of this in the mighty matchless name of Jesus and everybody said “Amen.” Seize the day, You.