“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” -Galatians 5:13
Are you free in Christ? Don’t use your freedom to indulge self, but to serve others. -excerpt from Pastor Steve Wainright’s Wednesday Evening Sermon “Abusing Prosperity”
“If you abide in My word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” -John 8:31-32
“The more you grow in the truth of Christ, the more freedom you experience. Grow in the grace and knowledge of His Word. If you love Him, you will keep His commandments.” -excerpts from Steve Wainright’s 12/10 evening sermon
Sunday Morning | Pastor Steve Wainright | Freedom to Love through Serving | Galatians 5:13-15
For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another. -Galatians 5:13-15
Do you do what you do because you’re already loved or because you’re trying to earn love? What’s your motivation?
——-Audio——-
*Click here for Sunday Morning Sermon Audio: Freedom to Love through Serving (Galatians 5:13-15)
“We love because He first loved us.” -1 John 4:19
Because Jesus has done everything for me I can do everything for you without needing you to do anything for me. That’s freedom. -Tullian Tchividjian via Twitter
“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” -Galatians 5:13
Abuse of freedom leads to death of freedom. Christian liberty is not unrestrained freedom…there are certain guidelines wherein we live.
We are not called to sin so that grace may abound. (Romans 5:20-6:1) God has called to freedom from sin, not freedom to sin.
You are free from the law of sin and death to serve the One who set you free. (Romans 8:1-11)
Use your freedom in Christ for the good of others…to love and serve them. (Galatians 5:13)
Sunday School | Ruth 1 | Bro. Roger Harden
“For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.” -Ruth 1:16b-17
Note the difference between being kind vs. being pleasant. Kindness carries committment with it. Ruth made a committment to Naomi that was stronger than marriage. She left her home, accepting widowhood and childlessness. (We also discussed the providence of God, even in suffering, and the importance of reminding yourself there is a bigger picture.)
A side note: I was so blessed by Sunday School this morning! We had a great discussion that was very encouraging. I love it when everyone participates in discussion and you can see the Holy Spirit at work in people’s hearts.
Morning Worship | 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1 | Pastor Steve Wainright
“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” -1 Corinthians 10:31
Are you glorifying God in your Christian freedom?
[vs. 23- “All things are lawful for me…” So does this mean that anything is fair game? vs. 6- No.]
Will it glorify God?
1)Does your decision edify/build others up or does it indulge self? (Acts 20:32; 1 Corinthians 14:3, 8:1, 14:26; Ephesians 4:12, 1 Thessalonians 5:11; Ephesians 4:29; 2 Corinthians 12:19) *How much have you refrained from doing for the good of others?
2)Avoid Legalism
Don’t ask detailed questions. Don’t get nit-picky.
vs. 27- Dinner with an unbeliever? Don’t ask questions about what they giveyou.
vs. 28- Don’t offend the weaker brother.
vs. 29- Show love toward the other…don’t bring it into question.
vs. 30- Don’t give thanks for something and then turn around and offend someone with it.
WHY?
vs. 31- Because the glory of God should be your guiding principle in life. (Colossians 3:4)
vs. 32-33- Paul was not going to aim not to offend anyone because his purpose was to win others to the Lord.
vs. 1- Follow me as I follow Christ.
Are you living your life to the glory of God?
Evening Worship | Leviticus 26 | Pastor Steve Wainright
Leviticus 26: God has put the way of life and death, blessing and cursing before the children of Israel. As you read in verse 26 this is a conclusion of all we have read in Leviticus to this point. The ultimate message is choices have consequences. In verses 1 and 2 we se the supreme test of worship. Verses 1-2 give two of the 10 commandments. These two are the core of worship. Verse 1 warns against false worship while verse 2 stresses obedience.
In verses 3-13 we see blessings promised. There are material blessings as we see in these verses related to rain and harvest, peace and the Lord causing the people to be fruitful. The spiritual blessing is Gods’ promised presence. For us today we can see many of the numerous blessings of God. For example: Mt. 6:31-32; His Spirit, prayer, power and relationship to name a few. In verses 14-39 we see cursings. Much more in number than the blessings. Curses are not words said against someone but consequences of behavior. Repentance is possible! A curse is the opposite of a blessing. The curses increase to the point Israel is no longer a nation. In the N.T. there are no curses for the Christian, only discipline (Hebrews 12:5-11). Punishment is for the unbeliever and discipline is for the believer. Christ redeemed us from the curse. Finally, in Lev. 26:40-46, we see grace displayed. Restoration comes after repentance. In verse 41, it isn’t the people who humble their hearts, it is God. The only way a person can humble their heart is for their heart to be circumcised…God alone can do that. Notice Colossians 2:11.
[Kudos to your Pastor for blogging the summary of this evening’s message!]
“But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.” -1 Corinthians 8:9
The right Paul addresses in 1 Corinthians 9 was his right to receive ministerial support. Paul’s desire was to see people saved and following Christ, growing in grace and knowledge. The Gospel always goes forth without a charge and he did not want to be a hindrance to the Gospel; therefore, he relinquished his freedom in Christ for the benefit of others.
Does your freedom in Christ cause others to stumble? Do you use your freedoms to edify others or tear them down?
Sunday School | Matthew 16:13-28 | Bro. Roger Harden
“Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” -Matthew 16:24-26
[We had a very good discussion in our Sunday School class today, most of which I did not take notes on…sorry.]
-What would you trade for your soul?
-I should want to surrender all because He surrendered all for me.
Morning Worship | 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 | Pastor Steve Wainright
“But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.” -1 Corinthians 8:9
-How free are we to use the liberty we have in Christ?
–vs. 1-3– Everybody has knowledge. Christians in Corinth were struggling with whether or not to buy meat in the marketplace that had been offered to idols. Some believers had offered meat to idols in their past before they became Christians.
-Knowledge puffs up and tears other people down. Agape love builds up without expecting anything in return. Knowledge needs to be balanced with love. By itself, knowledge makes one arrogant. (1 Corinthians 13:2- You can have all the knowledge in the world, but if you don’t have love, you don’t have anything.)
-vs. 3- If any man LOVES God, not “know.” Do you know love Him? If you love Him, you will keep His commandments. (1 John 5:1)
Love sets the boundaries of your behavior.
–vs. 4-7– Idols are nothing. (Psalm 115:4-8)
-vs. 6- We exist to glorify God. What are you doing with the doctrine/knowledge you have? Are you living it out in love?
-vs. 7- Ignoring your conscience brings guilt and resentment.
-Don’t use your liberty to cause others to stumble. (Romans 14:3-23) With your knowledge, you have to show love to those with a weaker conscience.
-vs. 8- What you eat has no spiritual significance.
vs. 12-13- Love by not doing something that makes your weaker brother stumble.
Evening Worship | Leviticus 20:1-27 | Pastor Steve Wainright
“You shall be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine.” -Leviticus 20:26
-God has severed us from the world to be holy…He chose us!
-God knows that human hearts are desperately wicked and deceitful, so He gives a warning to His people about going into idolatry by laying out punishments.
-God had worked in their lives in a tremendous way and they were turning to a works-salvation to please false god Molech. When we do not find our rest in Christ and turn to a works-based salvation, we are no different from those who worshipped Molech. (Psalm 115) They committed spiritual adultery.
-Live a separate life by getting into the Word of God. (John 17)
-Be holy. Be separated. Be sanctified. (2 Corinthians 6:14-18, 7:1; Ephesians 5:11)
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