Free Indeed, Part 2

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ when my life is filled with love and joy and patience and kindness and goodness and faithfulness and gentleness and self-control. Because my love for God and love for others. My service of God in service of others. Yes is the biggest beneficiary me, I'm happy.

I am really some of the best kept secrets of all of life is this happiness is giving yourself for joining us today on this additional Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie when Pastor Bill Gebhardt now is once again he shows us how God's word. Our world in other words, even in the fall of the world.

I want to give you a life. I want to give you a life every day makes every day worth I want to give you a life that no matter what the circumstances are in a fallen world surrounded by fallen people. Your life can be marked in a specific way. That's freedom. He says for you were called to freedom, brother. Not only do not turn your freedom here is into an opportunity for the flesh. There's a danger there's the attack I can lose my freedom I have to do is give my flesh the opportunity to stand firm against religion against me against my own flesh I can give an opportunity that's why.

By the way, over and over again when it comes to sin in a believer's life. There's one word that always occurs in the temptation process flee for it, get out of there. Why is if you stay here in trouble. You see all my flesh needs is an opportunity that's all it needs. Give me an opportunity to send I'll do it. Think of this. There was a man after God's own heart when a great way to be described in one Kings went to war. That man David decided not to go any state, and based probably on information others are given racing from Sally decide to spend the evening up on the roof of his palace and he just happen to know that there was a woman taking a bath in another rooftop. What is God trying to say to him right there as soon as he got. At first glance run fully when David nine King take a good look mother, Logan. You look and he fell in he end up ordering the murder of Uriah the Hittite husband of that woman. How tragic you see how tragic a man after God's own heart.

That's what Paul was saying. Do not let your flesh have opportunity, you put yourself in the wrong circumstances and what you'll do your fornicate.

You know what you do you commit gossip you know what you do, your envy and be jealous of other people, you know what you'll do your curse and swear your drink until you drop just put yourself in no circumstances all your flesh needs is an opportunity that's opposing he says, in contrast to that, he says, but through love serve one another. See it's lobby goes on, as is the whole law is fulfilled in one word in the statement, you shall love your neighbor as yourself, Jesus was asked the question how would you summarize the whole Old Testament all the laws love the Lord your God with all your heart mind soul and strength. Love your neighbor as yourself.

What is God set me free to do to love him in the love you and you know what so great if I love him and love you I love life. I love life. You see, if I love him and serve him and I love you and serve you the biggest beneficiary of all me.

I'm happy and content. You see, that's what it is. He said the only can hurt you is to give you flesh opportunity says in verse 15. If you bite and devour one another, he says take care that you're not consumed by one another.

Apparently there's fights going on in Galatia when a description of the typical church.

One of the best ever churches were people bite each other. Boy they still are, they still are. The church gives Christians a tremendous context. I tremendous context to assassinate other people's characters and gossip on our students have said before, like I'm there, I'm just taking prayer request. I just want to pray for the I want to talk about people I want to bite them see what an image. This is the one place on earth are you should be safe. People should not be talking about you while Paul then says look I say to you, and he says walk by the Spirit, and you'll not carry out the desire of the flesh to give the solution live by the Spirit of God. If you live by the Spirit of God, you will not carry out the desires of your own flesh. That's the Christian life to live by the Spirit of God. The question we have though is okay.

What I mean. What is it mean I'm a live by the Spirit of God hold you place a look into text just turn to write a few pages. The Ephesians 5 verse 18.

The apostle Paul says this to the church of Ephesus. He says do not get drunk with wine possess dissipation what Paul says is little departments of your drunk you're not under control anymore.

Whatever your drunk with this your high you get drunk, that's what controls you and by the way, you know don't you that your judgments kind of impaired when you're drunk and that people do things in the drunk at a window. Any other time in life is a don't do that. Don't let that happen. He says, but be filled with the spirit any doesn't mean like your gas tank. He doesn't mean that he means be controlled by the spirit of God.

In other words, the spirit of God has when we come to Jesus Christ, the spirit of God now indwells you. You have been baptized identified with Christ in your body. God is taken up residency through his Spirit in you. Now he says let that spirit control you is a will won't happen if I am controlled by the spirit.

He says well you will be speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs in your be singing a making melody with your heart to the Lord is that you will worship give a worshipful attitude toward the Lord and I don't mean singing on Sunday morning. I'm in your office on Monday. I mean on the golf course on Wednesday evening. You see, that's what's in my heart. I'm worshiping God. Then he says, always giving thanks.

I don't miss this for the things you like best in life non-Jewish, always giving thanks for all things you see everybody gives thanks for something I want everybody gives thanks and unmet of your believer or nonbeliever, but what about all things. What does it take to give thanks for everything.

That's part of it ending up happening your life in the last year to you want to be thankful but you see in a flash.

I want to give thanks for that one will want to think about the pain and leg pain while the spirit of God controls you.

You'll give thanks Spirit of God knows what. Romans 828 says, for all things work together for the good seats for God knows that God will use it all in one great orchestra.

My life before my betterment. So he says that was all happened so God word he says you will be thankful grateful and worshipful. What about man word he says. Verse 21 be subject to one another in the fear of Christ Spirit of God is controlling me. I willingly subject myself to you and anyone else.

What's that mean what it means is remember the power to the Philippians. Consider everybody else is more important in your by having the same attitude. He knew that Christ had in him.

And notice how this plays out. Verse 22 wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord them of the verse 25 husbands be subject your wise by loving your wife, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for chapter 6, verse one children submit dear parents by obeying your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor them verse for fathers or parents do not provoke your children to anger there so I subject myself as a parent verse five slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flash verse nine masters do the same things to them and give up threatening, knowing that both her master and yours is in heaven. There is no partiality with him. It affects every human relationship. I consider everyone else in the world is more importantly, I give myself away. You see, roles are different, but that's my attitude okay so that's the key to be filled or controlled by the spirit but you still on the question. But how does that work well from the book of Colossians.

Just another couple pages the right in chapter 3 and verse 16.

Again, the apostle Paul writing to the church of Colossae. Here he says something different.

He said, let the word of Christ richly dwell within you. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you. Let the word of God be something richly dwelling in you something you know something you memorize something you meditate on it. Most importantly, something you submit to let the word of God. The word of Christ richly dwell within me. What would happen if I did that.

He says his will happen. He said with all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another was psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word and deed to all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the father same thing the exact same thing. He said it happens when you filled with the spirit. Then he says wives, be subject your own husbands, husbands, love your wives, children, obedient the parents.

Parents don't exasperate your children 22 slaves in all things, obey your masters.

Chapter 4 verse one master Springer slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you two have a Master in heaven. All relationships are affected again. So what can I do do some that I can reduce this than letting the word of Christ indwell me, richly, is exactly the same as being controlled by the spirit of God. They produce exactly the same results. So if I submit myself to the word of God and I am powered by the presence of God through his spirit. I can be all God wants me to be.

I can be free.

Now back to Galatians, Paul is not naïve.

That's one thing I love most about Paul is not naïve. Verse 17 he said the flesh sets its desire against the spirit, the spirit against the flesh.

He said these are in opposition to one another so that you may not do the things that you please posit I want to tell you something know this enemy from within you stuff this is hard.

Paul says this is hard for me.

Remember Romans seven what Paul wrote Costigan is the very things I think I should be doing. I don't do them enough times I start doing things I should be doing it all. She Paul understands is a battle when the inside is not easy posit I get that but you gotta give God and not give the flesh any opportunity he said he said because if you are led by the Spirit and not on the law. The only hope you have is a let the spirit of God control you. Let the word of Christ indwell you richly see when Jesus Christ died he set you free. When you put your faith and trust in him, he will been free free for what I'm free from religion and I'm free from myself. I'm free. You see, what is an unbeliever sending why you send can you help it but she that's Paul's whole point yesterday morning I had a good friend coming from out of town. The looks of skeptical different commitment of time and every time he comes in. We have a very early breakfast together and when we have this early breakfast together. We talk about three things we talk about Christ family saints. Okay now we have taken a solemn oath that we will never reveal the priority order of those conversations. Okay so were not about to yesterday we were talking about the Lord, will I am sure was all about the Lord and we were talking about this very idea he was talking about how he had learned something from a really great Bible teacher about why do Christians in what's going on when we sin, any city what he learned and I believe it was exactly right. He said it just comes down to two issues. One is that I don't trust God enough in other words, God says to me don't do that because in what I say I don't really trust you. I trust my own judgment I trust the guy work with. I trust my brother-in-law and they said to be a good thing to go and try so I did and I face the consequences and the second reason we sin is I don't love God enough. You see, I do not love them enough in the idea of it is a reason I say I don't love them enough is I love me more in that moment. I love my flesh more and I'm gonna do what I want to do. You see Emma satisfy me. I care more about satisfy me. They go by satisfying him because I love me more than I love and miss issue forces a Christian, you see, you can't hide behind the idea, no, no, I sin, because I really like I said, but I'm helpless.

You're not. That's why God put a spirit in you, you're not helpless you been free your free from the flesh your free from the dominant your free from the slavery your free shift allow the spirit of God control you. You have to not give your flesh any opportunity at all and if Paul said this is no easy task. This is not hard. He said, but notice in 18 if you are led by the spirit. You're not under the law, you have to worry about religion you have to worry about what I gonna do good things when you are led by the spirit of God. That's all you doing good things is great. He then does a contrast, he says, look now the deeds of the flesh are evident. He said there this immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, outburst of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, you want to first look through a list like that.

I always feel kind of self-righteous. I can't remember the last time I was about him sorcery like I got that down never had a problem with it.

In fact, I look at some of these. I'm big.

I'm doing well, then I look at impurity. I realize that's my thought life saving sensuality gets worse.

Jealousy outburst of anger disputing with people in the guilty. You see, I understand that even though I don't have to deal with some of the things that some folks have to do with the flesh. I certainly have more than enough on my plate. You see, these are these are the kind of things we struggle with. Paul then goes on and says he says just as I forewarned you that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. He is not telling the believer, but if you do one of these things are dear believer you ever envy anybody that you're out, that's not what Paul means Paul means that this is the greedy business of sin, that sin is makes you would enmity with God. Sin alienates you from God.

He told the Corinthian church. The same thing.

He had a list for them and then after he said it. He said there will not inherit the kingdom of God and then he said, and such were some of you want to be now believers you said I might've been a sorcerer number believer I might've been idolater, but now I'm a believer you see said sin is so serious that it separates you from God. You never inherit the kingdom of God on the basis of your own sin and flesh.

Then he says but the fruit of the spirit and please understand the words fruit. It's not fruits. Okay, I may have had people tell me I got some of the fruits.

This is other ones I'm working on you can have some of the fruit. Everybody has some of the fruit you could be as lost as a loss can be and you might be a pretty patient person but that's not what he's talking about the fruit of the spirit means when the spirit is in control of your life.

This is what your life looks like, and this is exactly what Jesus meant when he set up come to give you life.

Kevin give you abundantly notice what it is when the spirit of God is in control my life. My life is marked by love, joy, peace, patients, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control pauses against such things there is no law or something else when my life is filled with love and joy and patience and kindness and goodness and faithfulness and gentleness and self-control. Because my love for God and love for others. My service of God in service of others. Guess is the biggest beneficiary me, I'm happy. I am really happy is one of the best kept secrets of all of life is this happiness is giving yourself away.

That's what makes people happy and we don't believe it to happiness is having people give stuff to me we buy.

That's what we think it's our expectations of everybody is looking you do for me. What can you do for me. I mean I can't even tell you the percentage of the enormous of people that are married and struggling in her marriage and immediately once or in my office for five minutes. I can tell you what the problem is are so miserable because they didn't meet my expectations.

I have expectations and are not meeting them when I give yourself away. See, God has expectations you love and serve: says he said now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

One of the great truths whenever you put your faith in Jesus Christ. God placed you in Jesus Christ and what that means is amazing. It means that where you are. He is and where he is. You are and where he was. You were.

That's why Paul wrote to the Romans and said don't you know that when Christ was crucified.

You were crucified, don't you know when he was buried, you were buried. Don't you know when he was raised. You were raised, don't you know that he sits at the right hand of God, and it says right now in Ephesians chapter 2 we sit in the heavenly's. He said that's what it means to be in Christ. I've crucified it.

See the flesh does not have to enslave me anymore. I don't have to let the flesh enslave me there was a time when it did, but I don't have to let her do that now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. He said if we live by the Spirit if we come to Christ. He said by the spirit of God through faith, let us also walk by the Spirit.

The way to live the Christian life is exactly the same way as the way to be a Christian faith in the power of God. That's how you live the Christian life. That's how you became a Christian he said let us not become boastful, he says, challenging one another, envying one another. He gets everybody there was the problem of the religious person, boastful hundred and myself.

What's the problem of the licentious person.

I envy my palms on the inside see Christ is made us free, and so we have to stand firm against outside attack of religion. Christ is called us the freedom he says don't give your flesh the opportunity to attack it from the inside. Freedom is a wonderful thing. It is this precarious receiver you live in the free life. Do you live in the free life is your life marked by loving joy and patience and kindness and goodness and faithfulness. If it's not an something is attacking you and winning you from the outside religious expectations or from the inside giving way too much opportunity to flesh the spirit father I can identify with the apostle Paul.

He understands so clearly that we have a natural penchant within our fallen nature to be religious to earn our way to God or to be licentious decision openly and willfully against you. Father I pray for each person hearing this morning. This message that they examine their own art.

Where is the freedom being attacked.

To what do they find themselves so easily enslaved is a religious duty or is it the flesh.

Father, I thank you for the gospel of Jesus Christ for the person of the Holy Spirit that indwells us for the power that we possess for the word of God that you have inspired and protected the lead in the guide us that we don't have, to succumb to religion. We can stand firm against it and we don't have the give opportunity to our flesh. We can be controlled by your word.

Father, I thank you for these great gifts.

I know you've given to us for your glory but also for Christ, Pastor Bill Gebhardt on the radio ministry of fellowship in the world. If you ever miss one of our broadcast or maybe you just take a listen to the message one more time. Remember, you can Google a great website called one place.com that's one place.com and you can listen the fellowship and the word online that website you will find on with today's broadcast but also many of our previous audio program at Fellowship in the Word.

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