Jesus the bondage-breaker

15 01 2009

Jesus the Bondage-Breaker

1.     Life is filled with spiritual conflicts

Mark 1
12At once the Spirit sent Jesus out into the desert, 13and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan…
 
Galatians 5
17For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.
 

1 John 2
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For everything in the world–the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does–comes not from the Father but from the world. 17The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
 

Ephesians 6
11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
 

2 Corinthians 4
3And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4The god of this age, Satan, has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
 

 

2.     Spiritual conflicts can put us in bondage

John 8
34Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who keeps on sinning is a slave to sin.
 
Romans 6
16Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey–whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?
 

Ephesians 4
25Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor… 26“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27and do not give the devil a foothold.


1 Timothy 3
6The overseer must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. 7He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.
 

2 Corinthians 11
3But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, that is the devil, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.


 

3.     Jesus is the Bondage –Breaker

John 8
31To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” …
if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
 
John 10
10 Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
 

Matthew 8
16When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to Jesus, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick.
 

Hebrews 2
14Since the children have flesh and blood, Jesus too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death–that is, the devil– 15and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

Galatians 5
1It is for freedom that Christ has set us free…



Jesus is the unique God-Man

29 07 2008

Over the summer we are doing a study on Biblical Doctrine at our Men’s Bible Study.  This morning we looked at the humanity and deity of Jesus Christ.  The Bible teaches us that in the one person of Jesus Christ there are two natures; one divine and one human.  The relationship of the two natures is inscrutable, it is a Biblical mystery.  The eternal Son of God became a man so that He might reveal God to us, atone for our sins, destroy the works of the devil and be a perfect example for how to live and please God.  Look at what the following Scripture say concerning God becoming a man,
 

John 1:14-18
 14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only,  who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ ” 16From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. 17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.
 

Philippians 2:5-11
 5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
 
6Who, being in very nature God,
      did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
 
7but made himself nothing,
      taking the very nature
of a servant,
      being made in human likeness.
 
8And being found in appearance as a man,
      he humbled himself
      and became obedient to death—
         even death on a cross!
 
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
      and gave him the name that is above every name,
 
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
      in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
 
11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
      to the glory of God the Father.
 

Hebrews 2:14-18
 14Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. 16For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. 17For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. 18Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
 

Jesus is the unique God-Man.  He is the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except by Him.  He is the One we worship and the One we proclaim in preaching the gospel.  Take some time to thank the Lord that He saved you and ask Him to use you to be His witness.



Sermon on Joshua

22 07 2008




Absolute Truth

16 07 2008

Do you believe in absolute truth?  My daughter and I are doing a Bible Study this summer on “Making Right Choices” and this was the question from today’s study.  Moral relativism, post-modernity and situational ethics are heady topics for a 13 year old to consider. Yet every day we are all bombarded with choices that bring us back to what we believe about right and wrong and what is true versus what is false.  In our discussion we looked at Genesis 3 and Eve’s seduction into relativism by the serpent.  When I asked my daughter Read the rest of this entry »



Armed with the Word

15 07 2008

Mechanics have their tools, surgeons have their instruments and soldiers have their weapons. Just like these trained specialists, every Christian has the Word of God to study, obey and share with others. 2 Timothy 3:14-4:2 says,

“Remember from what sort of people your knowledge has come, and how from early childhood your mind has been familiar with the Holy Scriptures, which can open the mind to the salvation which comes through believing in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the Read the rest of this entry »



The Word and the Spirit

15 07 2008

This morning in my Quiet Time the Lord impressed me with how He uses both the Word and the Spirit to bring about growth and transformation in my life. It is not one or the other but both working in conjunction to accomplish God’s purposes. If I study the Word but do not rely upon the Spirit, then I can become legalistic and prideful. If I seek the Spirit but do not abide in the Word, then I can become subjective and prideful. One produces an unbalanced intellectual Christianity that prides itself in having all the answers. The other produces Read the rest of this entry »