Titus Introduction, part 1 (May 5th, 2002)

Steps to Freedom in Christ, part 2 (May 12th, 2002)

Steps to Freedom in Christ, part 3 (May 19th, 2002)

Steps to Freedom in Christ, part 4 (May 26th, 2002)

Bondage

Breakders

Series

Generally, each sermon is a part of a series, that deals with applying the Bible to real-life issues.  Don't worry if you've missed part of a series.  Each Sunday will work together with the other sermons, or can stand alone to help you deal with the things life brings each day.

where nobody stands alone

Bondage Breaker sermon series 1 Timothy 4: 1 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. People will willing give up their Freedom in Christ (Galatians 5:1) to follow the bondage of deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Title:  Part 1 – Bondage Building ** Pray Titus 1: 10 – 16 10For there are many rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision group. 11They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach-and that for the sake of dishonest gain. 12Even one of their own prophets has said, "Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons." 13This testimony is true. Therefore, rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith 14and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the commands of those who reject the truth. 15To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. 16They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good. I. The centrality of the problem a. Rebellion [Ezek 20: 38; Daniel 11: 14], mere talkers [Proverbs 16: 28; 20: 19 26: 20], deceivers [James 1: 22; 1 John 1: 8] (v. 10); heretical; greed [Col. 3:5; Luke 12: 15] (v. 11); liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons (v. 12); myth wanderers, they accept rejection of truth (v. 14); corrupt [minds and consciences], unbelievers, impure (v. 15); actions deny their beliefs [James 1: 22; Romans 2: 13], detestable, disobedient, unfit for goodness (v. 16). b. Bonds are built when we accept our human faults. i. The centrality of the problem is the acceptance of their faulty humanship. c. How are people placed into bondage? i. By their own will. d. We need to realize that the problem can occur through the pride of our own soul’s i. Judas was in bondage at the end of his life. 1. Luke 22: 3 a. Satan entered into Judas’ life through a sin that he had. b. Satan then placed Judas into bondage. II. The centrality of the solution a. V. 11 i. They must be silenced b. V. 13 i. Rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith. c. Bonds must be rebuked and silenced. i. Whatever is keeping us in bondage must first be called attention to. 1. then it must be rebuked 2. then it must be rebuked to silence. d. You’ve got to let them go. i. It is time to free our minds from bondage. Play clip of Matrix  – “free your mind” – where Neo watches Morphius jump a building in a computer-training program. III. The centrality of their demise a. Dr. Ray Ortland’s quote. i. “The Christian who is not committed to a group of other believers for praying, sharing, and serving, so that he is known, as he knows others, is not an obedient Christian.  He is not in the will of God.  However vocal he ma be in his theology, he is not obeying the Lord.” ii. Romans 2: 13 1. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. iii. James 1: 22 1. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. b. V. 16 i. They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good. ii. Paul says that despite their profession of knowing God, their lives prove that they do not. iii. In this verse Paul 1. has addressed the initial issues of the necessity of godly leadership 2. has called attention to the seriousness of the Cretan problem. iv. He also identifies a key issue 1. the opponents are teaching that what a person believes and how a person behaves are not related, and that godly living is not necessary corollary to God’s salvific plan and work. c. The bondage that we place ourself in is the fact that we believe one thing and we act in a totally different way. i. That is bondage. IV. Invitation a. Christ has set you free from the bondage of sin. i. But if you have failed to stand firm in the faith or you have willfully sinned, it is your responsibility to do whatever necessary

Bondage Breakers  sermon series Title: Steps to Freedom in Christ, part 2 Have you ever wondered where God has gone? He isn’t answering prayers.  He seems so distant. Have you thought that you have bonded your relationship with Him? As moma would say, you got the constipation of the heart and James 4: 7 is gonna loosen you up. James 4: 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. • Submit – Greek – upotagete derived from upotage – subjection, subordination, obedience – derived from tasso – I appoint, order, determine, set, direct. Play clip of Waterboy starring Adam Sandler (0:13:08 – 0:14:34) – This is where moma tells Bobby that he should resist girls because they are the devil. 1 Peter 5: 6 – 9 6Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.  8Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. • Humble – Greek – tapeinothete – derived from tapeinos – I lower, humble, humiliate, have little. ** Pray I. Why does James tells us to submit to God? a. Because He knows us i. Psalm 139: 1 – 4 1. O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. 2You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. 3You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. 4Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD. b. So that we can resist the devil i. How are we to successfully resist him? ii. By differentiating what is happening in our lives. 1. Part of submission to God is giving Him what we haven’t given Him, what we have placed into bondage. 2. When we give Him these aspects then He can and will set us free. II. 7 Steps in freeing our bonds to submission to God. a. Counterfeit vs. Reality i. 1st step 1. Renounce activities that deny Jesus Christ or gives guidance through any source outside of the Bible. a. Ephesians 4: 26 – 27 i. Do not let the devil have foothold through any other source. ii. The Bible will rebuke him 2. “I am proud to be Southern Baptist.” a. Because the Southern Baptist does not give guidance outside of the Bible. i. Baptist Faith and Message 2000 The Scriptures The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God's revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. Therefore, all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. It reveals the principles by which God judges us, and therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried. All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation. Exodus 24:4; Deuteronomy 4:1-2; 17:19; Joshua 8:34; Psalms 19:7-10; 119:11,89,105,140; Isaiah 34:16; 40:8; Jeremiah 15:16; 36:1-32; Matthew 5:17-18; 22:29; Luke 21:33; 24:44-46; John 5:39; 16:13-15; 17:17; Acts 2:16ff; 17:11; Romans 15:4; 16:25-26; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-2; 4:12; 1 Peter 1:25; 2 Peter 1:19-21. b. Here at Epiphany we have one question that we ask in a time of indifference: i. What does the Bible say? 1. We believe this Bible is the totally inspired, infallible, inerrant word of God. c. The activities or resources that detour you away from Jesus or the Bible is counterfeit, for Jesus and the Bible is the only Real that exists in this area. b. 2nd step i. Renounce wrong priorities 1. whatever is most important to us will be what we worship. Where our treasure is our heart will be as well. a. Our thoughts, love, devotion, trust, adoration and obedience are directed to this object above all others. b. This object or worship is truly our god. 2. Though we may not bow down to statues, it is easy for people and things of this world to subtly become more important to us that the Lord. a. What is our priority in life i. Matthew 4: 10 1. Worship is our priority. 2. Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: `Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'" ii. John 4: 23 – 24 1. 23Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." 2. Deception vs. Truth a. Lay aside falsehood and deceit b. John 16: 13 i. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. ii. What does this say about truth in light of the persons of the Godhead? 1. Holy Spirit will guide us from the knowledge of God (perhaps thru Scripture). c. Ephesians 4: 14 – 16 i. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. 15Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. d. David tells us that we are blessed when we turn from deception. i. Psalm 32: 2 1. Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. 3. Find strength to walk in light a. 1 John 1: 7 4. Do not let fear pull you away from truth. a. 2 Timothy 1: 7 i. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. b. Do not walk in fear of living the truth i. 2 Corinthians 5:7-8 1. We live by faith, not by sight. c. Fear can control us if we let it. d. We need to renounce our fears specifically for God. e. Fear stands opposed to faith, and true faith must be grounded in truth. i. The greatest deception in our world is the tool of fear.

Title:  Steps to Freedom in Christ, part 3 ** Pray Last Week Counterfeit vs. Real Deception vs. Truth James 4: 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Play clip of Star Wars – Empire Strikes Back (01:13:45 – 01:15:15) – “Do or do not there is no try.” I. Bitterness versus Forgiveness a. Key Thought i. Forgive others as you have been forgiven for you sin through Jesus’ death on the cross. ii. Ephesians 4: 31, 32 1. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. b. What does holding on to the right for revenge do to us? i. Causes bitterness c. Bitterness is Satan’s doorway. i. We need to forgive others so Satan cannot take advantage of us ii. 2 Corinthians 2: 10, 11 1. If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven-if there was anything to forgive-I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes. iii. God says 1 John 3: 10 1. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother. d. Anderson offers eight biblical thoughts about forgiveness. i. Forgiveness is not forgetting ii. Forgiveness is a choice, a decision of your will. 1. It is hard to forgive because we want revenge. 2. We are told not to take revenge, but let God deal with the person. a. Romans 12: 19 – 21 i. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. 3. Forgive others for your sake so you can be free from the bondage of hatred. 4. Forgiveness is agreeing to live with the consequences of another person’s sin. a. This is what Christ’s love is all about. b. 2 Corinthians 5: 21 i. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 5. Don’t wait for the other person to ask for your forgiveness a. Luke 23: 34 i. Father forgive them. b. Matthew 18 i. If a brother has wronged you go to them. 6. Forgive from your heart. 7. Forgiveness is choosing not to hold someone’s sin against him or her anymore. 8. Don’t wait until you feel like forgiving. II. Rebellion versus Submission a. We live in a rebellious age. i. Many people only obey laws and authorities when it is convenient for them. b. It is easy to believe the lie that those in authority over us are only robbing us of the freedom to do what we want. c. Romans 13: 1 – 5 i. God says we have two responsibilities: 1. Pray for those over us 2. To submit to them. d. Paul tells us that Colossians 3: 18 – 25 i. Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged. Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism. III. Pride versus Humility a. Philippians 3: 3 i. Gives good definition of humility 1. 3For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh- ii. No confidence in flesh. iii. Humility is confidence properly placed in God. b. Proverbs 16: 18 i. Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. ii. Pride is the original sin of Lucifer 1. It sets one person or group against another. 2. Satan’s strategy is always to divide and conquer, but God has given us the ministry of reconciliation. a. 2 Corinthians 5: 19 i.  19that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. IV. Invitation a. Have you been bitter, rebellious or prideful i. Then you may need Jesus ii. The cure for today’s ailments is Jesus iii. He can fill the emptiness of your heart i. He is your guide to Forgiveness, Submission, and Humility.

Title:  Steps to Freedom in Christ, part 4 James 4: 7 – thesis verse - Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Last Week Bitterness versus Forgiveness Rebellion versus Submission Pride versus Humility ** Pray This week is Memorial Weekend - A time to remember patriots that broke or shackles of communism, tyranny, and virtually world destruction. - Today we will focus on two more steps to spiritual, mental, emotional, and even physical freedom. I. Bondage versus Freedom a. Galatians 5: 1 i. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. b. The Bible clearly teaches that sin takes our freedom away and places it into bondage. i. Bondage to ourselves 1. Ephesians 5: 8 – 17 a. 8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10and find out what pleases the Lord. 11Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said:   "Wake up, O sleeper,       rise from the dead,   and Christ will shine on you." 15Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, 16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. ii. Bondage to Satan and evil spirits 1. Ephesians 4: 27 a. 27and do not give the devil a foothold. c. It is our responsibility to not allow sin to have control over our bodies. i. Romans 6: 12 – 14 1. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. d. There are many sins of the flesh that can control us. i. Galatians 5: 19 – 21/Ephesians 4: 25 – 31/Mark 7: 20 – 27 ii. Divorce 1. Mark 10: 5 – 9 iii. Homosexuality 1. Romans 1: 26 – 27 iv. Abortion 1. 2 Chronicles 28: 3 2. sacrifice of children v. Suicidal Tendencies vi. Perfectionism vii. Eating Disorders viii. Self – Mutilation ix. Substance Abuse II. Curses versus Blessings Have you ever felt cursed by ignorance or poor communication? Play clip of commercial where the inmate finds a hole in the jail cell and it is actually an escape route for his roommate. a. The next step to freedom is to renounce the sins of your ancestors as well as any curses that may have been placed on you by deceived and evil people groups. i. Exodus 20: 4 – 6 1.  "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.  You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments. ii. Bad habits, sins, iniquities can be passed on generation to generation. iii. We can’t use this as an excuse to live in bondage or a sinful way. b. When Satan attacks the church he is going to attack the families with curses. i. I have seen a spirit of dissension, confusion, separation and divorce attack families all around. 1. We will be doing a sermon series over the Five Love Languages. 2. Because communication is the main reason for marital problems c. The enemy only has the power that we give him. i. Ephesians 4: 27 1. and do not give the devil a foothold. d. For us to relieve ourselves of the bonds/curses in our lives we must realize that we no longer deserve to live this way. i. Galatians 3: 13 1. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." ii. Christ has taken our curses and bonds upon Himself. iii. We can now live in blessings iv. But we have got to quit giving the enemy foothold in our life.