GateWay Church of Visalia
Freedom
Pastor Ed Kemp Galatians 5:1-15
Locations & Times
GateWay Church
1100 S Sowell St, Visalia, CA 93277, USA
Thursday 6:45 PM
Sunday 8:45 AM
Sunday 9:00 AM
Sunday 10:30 AM
Introduction
#1. Don’t LOSE your freedom in Christ
It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.
Stand firm: MILITARY term
It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.
Stand firm: MILITARY term
Whole law: all the commands, rites, rituals, sacrifices.
Hope : a powerful total assurance of certainty
Legalism vs. Licentiousness
Faith: total trust in Jesus Christ
Faith: total trust in Jesus Christ
#2. Don’t ABUSE your freedom in Christ.
Whole Law: The love that motivated Jesus
SO WHAT?!
To rely on the spiritual discipline of freedom!
#1. TRUST in Hope!
#1. TRUST in Hope!
#2. WORK in Faith!
#3. ACT in Love!
FREEDOM! : When Religion Becomes Unreasonable
Pastor Ed Kemp, Nov. 14 & 17 2019
Prayer Requests:
Group Discussion:
Read: Galatians 5:1-15
This past Sunday we talked about 2 main ideas:
#1. Don’t lose your freedom in Christ. What did it mean to lose the freedom we obtained by being in Christ? (And remember it definitely did not mean lose of salvation.) What kinds of things do you lose when you stop trusting God’s grace and start to trust your own ability to earn God’s love?
Paul tells us, “Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm …” Stand firm is a military term that implies: alertness & resistance against invasion, strong commitment, loyalty. How does that define our relationship with Jesus? How does our culture try to break down our commitment & loyalty to Jesus?
5 For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. Hope : a powerful total assurance of certainty. Is complete righteousness in this life possible? Some people like to think they are fully and always righteous, why do we do that? Why do we find it difficult to admit we’re wrong or stop arguing our side of the disagreement? When you’re having a disagreement with your spouse or someone close do you speak to be understood or to win the disagreement?
6 For in Christ Jesus…(the important thing is) faith working through love. If Legalism is living (working) to gain God’s love and Licentiousness is thinking God doesn’t care how I live so I indulge in whatever I find appealing, how does Love (putting others needs ahead of my own) change that? How does love overcome legalism? How does love overcome licentiousness? Paul says, “through love serve one another. 14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Faith in Christ expresses itself or works through love, so what’s one way you’ve shown love to someone because of your faith in Christ?
#2. Don’t abuse your freedom in Christ. For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh. Have you ever said, “Oh well, Christ will forgive me.” Thereby minimizing your bad attitude or action and committing a sin? Or thereby ignoring something you think God really wants you to do?
Hope, Faith and Love seem to be a constant recurring theme of Paul’s, why would Paul emphasize those 3 over and over again? He obviously thinks we desperately need to be thinking about those 3 things, why?
Family Time: Galatians 5:14 says, “You shall love our neighbor as yourself.” Love is a commitment and decision, not an emotion. Talk to your kids about 1 thing they could do to show love to one of your neighbors.
Pastor Ed Kemp, Nov. 14 & 17 2019
Prayer Requests:
Group Discussion:
Read: Galatians 5:1-15
This past Sunday we talked about 2 main ideas:
#1. Don’t lose your freedom in Christ. What did it mean to lose the freedom we obtained by being in Christ? (And remember it definitely did not mean lose of salvation.) What kinds of things do you lose when you stop trusting God’s grace and start to trust your own ability to earn God’s love?
Paul tells us, “Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm …” Stand firm is a military term that implies: alertness & resistance against invasion, strong commitment, loyalty. How does that define our relationship with Jesus? How does our culture try to break down our commitment & loyalty to Jesus?
5 For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. Hope : a powerful total assurance of certainty. Is complete righteousness in this life possible? Some people like to think they are fully and always righteous, why do we do that? Why do we find it difficult to admit we’re wrong or stop arguing our side of the disagreement? When you’re having a disagreement with your spouse or someone close do you speak to be understood or to win the disagreement?
6 For in Christ Jesus…(the important thing is) faith working through love. If Legalism is living (working) to gain God’s love and Licentiousness is thinking God doesn’t care how I live so I indulge in whatever I find appealing, how does Love (putting others needs ahead of my own) change that? How does love overcome legalism? How does love overcome licentiousness? Paul says, “through love serve one another. 14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Faith in Christ expresses itself or works through love, so what’s one way you’ve shown love to someone because of your faith in Christ?
#2. Don’t abuse your freedom in Christ. For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh. Have you ever said, “Oh well, Christ will forgive me.” Thereby minimizing your bad attitude or action and committing a sin? Or thereby ignoring something you think God really wants you to do?
Hope, Faith and Love seem to be a constant recurring theme of Paul’s, why would Paul emphasize those 3 over and over again? He obviously thinks we desperately need to be thinking about those 3 things, why?
Family Time: Galatians 5:14 says, “You shall love our neighbor as yourself.” Love is a commitment and decision, not an emotion. Talk to your kids about 1 thing they could do to show love to one of your neighbors.