Live Free: Part 1

  • Rob Benson
  • Jun 27, 2010
  • Series: Live Free

In order to live free, you must believe you are free. REALITY TV – gives us a great glimpse into the struggles of human beings. There is this constant struggle going on down deep in our souls…a struggle between what we know is wrong and what we know is right; a struggle between what is good and what is evil; a struggle that points to the tension that we all live in, whether we want to acknowledge it or not!

Have you ever watched Survivor, The Bachelor, The Apprentice. In these very popular shows the audience gets a sneak peek into every moment of the casts’ lives! We the audience see them when they’re sleeping, eating, watching TV, celebrating, fighting, throwing temper tantrums, etc. Aren’t you glad that you don’t have cameras following you around catching you in those most embarrassing moments. Giving somebody the finger after they cut you off on the way to church; getting hammered after a stress filled week and puking your guts out; going off on your kid because how you are feeling about something that’s been bothering you at work; cussing out your wife or closest friend because you failed to keep a promise you made and they called you out on it; lying to justify your on failure to keep a commitment…

Paul writes these words to encourage people like you and me. He writes these words for us because we all get caught in the same trap that the REALITY TV stars find themselves in. We are all still living as prisoners, enslaved to our “Old Nature,” enslaved to “Sin,” hurtful behaviors, thoughts and attitudes that continue to destroy us and almost always the ones we say we love. You and I often live as prisoners behind bars…doing just about anything to earn our “Get Out of Jail for Free Card!”

Reading: Galatians 5:1

Illustration: The Jews heading off to Auschwitz and other concentration or extermination camps were often transported via Box Car to their deaths. At extermination camps prisoners were more often than not exterminated immediately upon arrival. I remember reading an account from an extermination camp survivor who recounts his narrow escape from death. He described the scene as he was in the Box Car heading to the extermination camp. He and other Jews were hatching a plan to attack the German soldiers guarding them with machine guns and rifles, over power them and then get everyone to make a run for it jumping from the train and into the fields a run to freedom. They figured some of them would die, but the majority of them would survive to live yet another day. But there were some nay Sayers in the crowd; they didn’t think risking their own lives was worth it, so eventually the plot was dropped. The man concluded his story by explaining how he just decided to jump and make a run for it, he realized he would probably die trying to make his escape, but that it was better to try and make a break for freedom and life, rather than roll to his certain death at the extermination camp on the Box Car. So, he got up, jumped off the train and made a run for it. The soldiers shot at him, but failed to even hit him. He describes the sad scene upon looking back at those who were contemplating making their break with him, now sadly starring at him imprisoned and on the way to sure death only because they chose not to Live Free!

 Point: Every single second of every day we choose to Live Free or Live Imprisoned!

Reading: Galatians 5:13-15

Illustration: When I had a couple of years on the Baltimore City Police force, I often selected to field train new police officers. The squad I worked in had a group of older police that had anywhere from 7 to 15 years on the street. The veterans were pretty well settled into a comfortable routine of showing up for duty, hitting the streets and doing as little work as possible. They made it a habit to code out calls without even showing up; or talking their way out of having to write a police report; or not answering a call for a report…pretending they didn’t hear the call dispatched. Some of the new police officers that I field trained ended up coming back to our squad and they all hung around me and we worked together aggressively patrolling the streets: making gun arrests, drug arrests, chasing dealers off of the streets and into apartments where we could more easily control the drug trafficking. My supervisors began to give me opportunities to serve as the OIC – Officer In Charge when my sergeant was off and the older officers became very angry and jealous. So, they started making untrue statements behind my back, accusing me of being racist, not showing up to back me up on very dangerous calls they were “Biting” and trying to “Devour” me whole. Inside I was angry and it showed on the outside in how I spoke with these officers and how I treated them. I remember venting to my father own the phone because it was even consuming may personal life…I was trying to hatch plans to strike back…my “Sinful” nature, my “Flesh” was raging to bite back and devour! I was living imprisoned by my own thoughts and actions.

 Point: Every single second of every day we choose to Live Free or Live Imprisoned!

Reading: Galatians 5:16-18

Illustration: Faith’s Struggle

It’s often easier to recognize the Struggle between “The Flesh” our own “Sinful Nature” and the “Spirit” the Jesus that Live’s in us. Faith will often comes to me with her hopes up to ask permission to do something and many times I have to tell her no or not now. When she doesn’t get her way she stomps her foot, crosses her arms, stares at me with an angry scowl and the makes an angry grunt before she utters the words, “You never let me do anything.” Of course, this is all supposed to make me change my mind, but it rarely works. Then I’ll explain why I made the decision I did and she at some point in time comes running back to me hugging me and telling me she’s sorry. Of course, I tell her it’s Ok and I still love her. You can actually witness the struggle going on inside of her by watching her behaviors, listening to her tone of voice, and paying close attention to her attitude.

Paul goes onto give a great list of behaviors, thoughts and attitudes that can show us if we are Living in Prison!

Reading: Galatians 5:19-21

Then Paul goes onto share a list of behaviors, thoughts and attitudes that serve as the evidence that we are Living Free!

Reading: Galatians 5:22-26

 Point: Every single second of every day we choose to Live Free or Live Imprisoned!

Wrap-Up

 Question: What behaviors, thoughts and attitudes are keeping you imprisoned in a cell of your own making?

 Question: What damage has been done?

 Question: What regrets are you living with?

 Question: What is keeping you from jumping out of the Box Car of fear and into a Life of Freedom?

This Live Free Series can be Transformational for You, for Me, for Matt’s House, and for the Community God has called us to love on! During this series we are going to breakdown and outline a road map for all of us to Live Free! A way of practical living…

 Reading: Galatians 5:1

We have a choice…either Follow Christ or Follow Our Selves! Christ has bought that Get Out of Jail Free Card for Me and for You, but there is one catch…You Have To Follow Him to Live Free!