Freedom

By Pastor Dan Kennedy

www.pastorkennedy.com

(On the website above, click the link to “recent message notes” to view this message online. There are also selected messages and poems, available on Amazon Kindle Books - see “Dan B. Kennedy”.)

This week we celebrate the Fourth of July – it is “Freedom Week”!

The American people, through their elected leaders, declared, at the Second Continental Congress, 236 years ago, July 4, 1776, in a legal document, the Declaration of Independence, that they were free and separated from further governance of Great Britain.

What does freedom mean to you?

•Freedom to make my own decisions.

•Freedom to choose the leaders of our nation.

•Freedom to follow my conscience and the religion of my choice.

•Freedom to live anywhere.

•Freedom to find my occupation.

What does Freedom allow?

•It allows for success, but it also allows for poverty.

•It allows great joy, but it also allows for profound sorrow.

•It allows choices for amazingly positive and even excessive lifestyles, but it also allows for occurrences of great suffering.

•It allows for intellectual, spiritual, financial, and moral choices, but it also allows for mild to severe consequences if those choices are deemed abusive to others who are also free.

The Struggle for Freedom

There is a struggle with ourselves when it comes to freedom. We struggle with our own nature in a world dominated by the evil one:

•The deceit of the world

•The depravity of our own heart

•The deception of spiritual darkness

Where is “Freedom”…if even in the “freest land” in the world, there can be oppressive bondage?

•Have you ever struggled with depression?

Can we be bound in a free land?

•Have you ever struggled with an abusive substance?

Can we be bound in a free land?

•Have you ever struggled with bitterness or hatred?

Can we be bound in a free land?

•Have you ever been bound by the power of an “unbreakable” habit or obsession?

Can we be bound in a free land?

Could a person in a non-democratic, third world country ruled by a dictator actually have more freedom than a person in a democratic and free nation?

Yes, if they have the power to be free from internal spiritual and emotional bondage.

Within a half-mile of this Church there are people bound up in the severe problems of their own internal world who feel they have no personal freedom.

Freedom is much greater than one’s accessibility to have free speech and acquire information, to enjoy non-restrictive travel, or have breadth of opportunity, it is found in the freedom of the soul, the heart, the mind and the spirit.

In a Free Land, Freedom becomes…

A matter of the heart

A matter of the mind

A matter of the soul and emotions

A matter of the spirit

There is Hope for Personal Freedom

John 8:36

If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

We learn of this Freedom in the Bible, which is God’s Handbook for the Human Race.

The Scripture speaks of how we can be released from guilt and sin.

The Scripture speaks of how we should live.

The Scripture speaks of eternity.

The Scripture speaks of how The Son can set us free, indeed.

Personal Freedom found in the Scripture

•The Freedom found in rejecting “Anxiety” (Luke 12:22-26; Phil. 4:5-7).

•The Freedom found in rejecting “Bitterness”, but instead, putting on the grace of “forgiveness” (Eph. 4:30-32; Heb. 12:12-15; James 3:14).

•The Freedom found in “laying aside every weight and sin” that keeps us from running the race of life pleasing to God (Heb. 12:1-2).

•The Freedom from “Guilt”, while instead, enjoy the blessings and fruit of a good conscience (1 Tim. 1:5, 19; 4:1-2; Titus 1:15-16; Heb. 9:11-14; 10:19-25; 1 Pet. 3:13-17).

•The Freedom found in living “Today” without worry for tomorrow (Matt. 6:34; James 4:13–17).

Tomorrow!

By Dan Kennedy

One of the most fatal things we live with is…Tomorrow.

Tomorrow often takes away our motivation to get necessary things accomplished when we actually have the time today.

Tomorrow can threaten us and make us worry about what we haven’t gotten done, or things we might not accomplish!

Tomorrow tends to assume the posture that things will either get exponentially better or more horribly worse.

Tomorrow spends our future assets and energy without ever having them firmly in our hand.

Tomorrow eats away at the honesty and beauty of our best relationship with God, by falsely promising that we don’t have to care what God thinks about the way we are living our life – this moment.

Tomorrow can keep us from making a deeper commitment to God, because we can always do that “sometime in the future”.

Tomorrow holds out for a more convenient time to build a better relationship with our family, our spouse, our children or friends, tempting us to put off pursuing those crucial relationships, when tender, moldable and permanent bonds can still be genuinely and positively built - before they become inflexible and set in stone in detrimental ways that can

seldom again ever be rectified.

Tomorrow makes us look like saints in all the good things “we are going to do” for our family, friends, church,

God, and others.

Tomorrow can, as we dreamingly peer into a mirror, make us unconsciously overlook the daily cleaning up of the ugly smudges (that everyone else sees be-speckling our faces) - if, while we are preening, we only pridefully daydream about the brightness of our future...or try to convincingly tell ourselves over and over, “I will be a successful person...

I will be a successful person...”,

without first caring for the obvious ugly smudges.

Tomorrow always softens the potent imminency of Divine Judgment and Reward that each person surely must face, making death seem so far away, when in actuality

the very next moment

could initiate our Day of Reckoning.

Tomorrow yawns and irritatedly mumbles, “What-e-ver”, when reminded about the painful hurts that need

the immediate attention of forgiveness.

Tomorrow pulls the covers more tightly, over the head of the soul distressed by sin, and tells it to sleep just a little longer: “You’ve got lots of time – you’re not ‘ready’ to make

your soul right with God

…not yet!”

Tomorrow whines at the inconvenience and annoyance of the shrill, piercing clanging of the urgent alarm of conscience,

when the fires of sin are burning down yet another

“Supporting wall” in our immortal soul.

<<< >>>

“Today, if you hear His voice,

do not harden your hearts…”

Hebrews 3:7-19

“Do not worry about Tomorrow,

for Tomorrow will worry about itself.

Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Matthew 6:34

Deal with what needs to be done…

“Today”!

Personal Freedom found in the Scripture (cont.):

•The Freedom to find “Contentment” in the “things” that we have (Heb. 13:5; 1 Tim. 6:7-8; Phil. 4:11; Matt. 6:25).

•The Freedom from “Judging, Comparing and Coveting” (Matt. 7:1-5; Lk 6:37; Phil 2:3-5; 1 Cor. 4:5; Romans 14:4,10, 13; James 5:9; Exodus 20:17).

•The Freedom to have a fulfilling sexual life in Marriage (Heb. 13:4; Prov. 5).

•The Freedom found in Trusting God to provide for us what we need (Phil. 4:19-20).

•The Freedom found in Hope of Eternal Life through Jesus Christ (Titus 1:2; 3:5-7)

•The Freedom found in putting on a “new self” (Col. 3:1-17).

•The Freedom found in the Power of “Giving thanks” (Eph. 5:20; Col. 3:17).

•The Freedom of following God’s directives for Christian households (Col. 3:18-25; I Peter 3:1-7; Eph. 5:22-33).

•The Freedom to have Genuine Love for each other, overcoming evil with good (Rom. 12:9-21).

The Believer in Christ, who is transformed by the Spirit of God, has the privilege of following the Roadmap of Scriptural Truth, which is the Pathway to God’s Freedom for us.

Conclusion

Freedom for the Believer in Jesus Christ does not mean the person has no more struggle with bondage to things in the world, or to his or her flesh, or to those spiritual dynamics from the evil one; freedom in Jesus Christ means we now have the power to fight against the bondages of the world, the flesh and the devil. We have the resource to have victory…to have true freedom.

Growing in Grace while Navigating through turbulent waters.

When you are traveling through life, the norm is not always a beautiful clear, sunshiny day with cool breezes and plentiful provision. The norm is traveling through sunny days and dreary days; windstorms and rain; gorgeous days and terrible drought. That is the reality of “growing in Grace”.

Paul and Silas were not free men when they were bound in chains and imprisoned for preaching the Gospel of Christ, but they were free men on the inside.

If you are traveling to a destination that is eternal and the most meaningful place you could ever find, the Believer in Christ can expect to go through a myriad of different circumstances, emotions, experiences, traumas and blessings before he or she reaches the destination. So it is with the Christian…unique with each Christian: different circumstances; different blessings; different problems; different personalities; different deterrents and stresses; different gifts; different goals; different places to live and occupations…but the same destination; the same God; the same hope and the same deliverance!

Who bears the guilt of my sin?

Who strengthens me when I am burdened down?

Who gives me hope when all odds are against me?

This Freedom comes from the Power of God’s Word and the Power of God’s Spirit within those who have by faith believed in the only Son of God, Jesus Christ, for the cleansing of their sin and power, by His Spirit, to accomplish what God has given us to do.

This week is 4th of July week. We celebrate freedom!

Are we truly free the way we should be free?

Today is a day that we should make those critical decisions before God.

“Today, if you hear His voice,

do not harden your hearts…”

Hebrews 3:7-19

Deal with what needs to be done… “Today”!

Addendum

Verses printed out under statements on Biblical Freedom:

•The Freedom found in rejecting “Anxiety”.

Luke 12:22–26

Do Not Be Anxious

22 And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! 25 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 26 If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest?

Philippians 4:5–7

5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

•The Freedom found in rejecting “Bitterness”, but instead, putting on the grace of “forgiveness”.

Ephesians 4:30–32

30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Hebrews 12:12–15

12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. 14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled….

James 3:14

14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth.

•The Freedom found in “laying aside every weight and sin” that keeps us from running the race of life pleasing to God.

Hebrews 12:1–2

Jesus, Founder and Perfecter of Our Faith

12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

•The Freedom from “Guilt”, while instead, enjoying the blessings and fruit of a good conscience…this comes from the cleansing of our conscience by the Blood of Jesus Christ, who died, bearing our sin.

1 Timothy 1:5

5 The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

1 Timothy 1:19

19 holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith….

1 Timothy 4:1–2

4 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared….

Titus 1:15–16

15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.

Hebrews 9:11–14

11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

Hebrews 10:19–25

19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

1 Peter 3:13–17

13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

•The Freedom found in living “Today” without worry for tomorrow.

Matthew 6:34

34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

James 4:13–17

Boasting About Tomorrow

13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

•The Freedom to find “Contentment” in the “things” that we have.

Hebrews 13:5

5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

1 Timothy 6:7–8

7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.

Philippians 4:11

11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.

•The Freedom from “Judging, Comparing and Coveting”.

Matthew 7:1–5

Judging Others

7 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

Luke 6:37

Judging Others

37 “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;

Philippians 2:3–5

3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus….

Romans 14:4

4 Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

Romans 14:10

10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God….

Romans 14:13

Do Not Cause Another to Stumble

13 Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.

1 Corinthians 4:5

5 Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.

James 5:9

9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.

Exodus 20:17

17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”

•The Freedom to have a fulfilling sexual life in Marriage (see also Prov. 5).

Hebrews 13:4

4 Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.

•The Freedom found in Trusting God to provide for us what we need.

Philippians 4:19–20

19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

•The Freedom found in Hope of Eternal Life through Jesus Christ.

Titus 1:2

2 in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began….

Titus 3:5–7

5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

•The Freedom found in putting on a “new self” (Col. 3:1-17, please look up in your own Bible).

•The Freedom found in “Giving thanks”.

Ephesians 5:20

20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Colossians 3:17

17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

•The Freedom of following God’s directives for Christian households.

Colossians 3:18–25

Honorable Responsibilities for Christian Households

18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. 22 Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.

1 Peter 3:1–7

Wives and Husbands

3 Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they see your respectful and pure conduct. 3 Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. 5 For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.

7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

Ephesians 5:22–33

Wives and Husbands

22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.

25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

•The Freedom to have Genuine Love for each other, overcoming evil with good.

Romans 12:9–21

Marks of the True Christian

9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.