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Freedom
So, how free do you really feel? What are the kinds of things we find ourselves addicted to, or bound to in some way? What others think? Approval? Affirmation? How free are we?
What others think matters to us. And if we can be convinced that something about is somehow less than, or does not measure up to someone else's idea of what is acceptable, we can find ourselves bound to the never ending task of trying to measure up, to qualify, to be good enough.
What are the forces and voices in our lives that shape us or drive us? To what extent do the evaluations of others hold us back from what we believe we should be doing, or cause us to feel somehow disqualified or not quite enough? As you listen to the passages to the right, what were the forces or voices that drove those people to act and respond the way they did? Were they free or were they bound?
What Jesus offers us is a way to be free to be who God has called us to be. Pastor Jon shares with us in this service some of the ways that we can focus better on how God does this for us, and give God the space in our lives to share this more fully with us. Daily opportunities that remind us of ways to be free.
If you would like to listen to the sermon again, or perhaps for the first time, you can access our sermon library by clicking here. If you would like to enjoy the live stream version of the service, you can access that here
Matt 6
NIV
“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
John 12
37 Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. 38 This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet:
“Lord, who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”[h]
39 For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere:
40
“He has blinded their eyes
and hardened their hearts,
so they can neither see with their eyes,
nor understand with their hearts,
nor turn—and I would heal them.”[i]
41 Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him.
42 Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved human praise more than praise from God.
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