DaleTedder.com
  • Home
  • About
    • Natalie Tedder
    • The Fellowship of Ailbe
    • Reflections Ministries
  • Here I Stand
    • Heidelberg Catechism
    • Apologetics
    • C.S. Lewis
  • Bible Studies
    • Old Testament Essentials >
      • New Testament Essentials
      • Ephesians: Growing Up in Christ
      • Philippians
    • Lord of All >
      • Ten Commandments
      • Costly Discipleship
    • Spiritual Power
    • Master Plan of Evangelism
    • How to Interpret Scripture
    • A Different Gospel
  • A Far Green Country
    • Spiritual Direction
  • Sermons
    • Pastoral Ministry
    • Richard Baxter
  • Prayer Journal
    • Spiritual Life Checkup
  • My Books & Study Guides
  • Southside Men
    • Men's Discipleship Basics
    • Links for Godly Manhood
    • Southside Men History
  • Podcast

Devotions

​

Real Freedom

6/4/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Freedom in Christ
 
 
Galatians 5:1 - 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.
 
Memorial Day
 
Memorial Day is a special day in the life of our country, a day in which we remember those who died while serving in our armed forces. We can’t imagine all we the freedoms we now enjoy because of the ultimate sacrifice so many made on our behalf.
 
The sacrament of Holy Communion celebrates freedom of a different kind, one more significant, for no sacrifice was as great and all-encompassing as Christ’s atoning death for us.
 
Gospel Picture
 
I love celebrating the sacrament of Holy Communion, because in it, we get a beautiful picture of the Gospel.
 
We enjoy precious freedoms as Americans because of the sacrifices of men and women through the centuries. And we have precious freedom as Christians because of the work of Christ. And in Galatians 5:1, Paul highlights that freedom.
 
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. (Emphasis mine)
 
Freed to be Free
 
The freedom Paul’s talking about is our freedom from the burden or oppression of legalism, which Paul calls “slavery.” You see, it’s not the Law that Paul says is bad. When we understand God’s Law correctly, it’s good, even beautiful. That’s because God’s Law…
 
  • Feeds us,
  • Guides us,
  • Draws us near to God,
  • And encourages us.
 
But the way it was being used by the Legalists in Paul’s day was enslaving the Christians in Galatia. It was like a giant weight lying on top of a person, crushing them bit by bit by bit. And because of this oppressive legalism, the Galatian Christians could not enjoy their freedom in Christ. They couldn’t enjoy being liberated from their sin because they couldn’t keep the Law well enough for the Legalists.
 
Instead of flourishing and appreciating their new life in Christ, they were suffocating under the weight of the Law, wrongly understood, and the condemnation of sin that came from that false teaching.
 
They were in a bad way.
 
And so, Paul wrote to them and declared from the rooftop: Enough! The Law of God should never be used as an enslaving and oppressive weapon!
 
Furthermore, in addition to the wonderful things the Law does for us, that I listed above, it does something more.
 
It leads us to Christ. Like a school teacher, the Law teaches us, it shows us our need, it leads us to Christ, and Christ leads us to freedom. That’s why Paul said “it’s for freedom that Christ set us free. That sounds like he’s being redundant, but he’s saying something very important here.
 
He’s saying, “Christ didn’t set you free so you could remain a slave to sin. He didn’t set you free so you could become a legalist.” Through his work on the Cross, he set you free to become all you were created and called to be in Christ. Therefore, Paul wrote, “Don’t go back to a life of slavery to sin or legalism.
 
It’s that wonderful, freeing work of Christ on the Cross that we celebrate in Holy Communion.
 
So, what does that freeing work look like? I want to point out how the Cross frees us in our past, present, and future.
 
Freed from Our Past
 
First of all, the Cross of Christ frees us from our past. Here’s what I mean: We no longer need to live under the penalty of sin. We’ve been liberated from the condemnation our sin deserves.
 
Romans 8:1 says,
 
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,
 
And that’s true because the work of Jesus paid for,  atoned for, our sinful and fallen condition. God no longer counts our sin against us. We no longer have to walk through life like poor Pilgrim in Pilgrim’s Progress did, with a giant bag of guilt and condemnation and sin weighing him down.
 
And so, when we read the liturgy for Holy Communion, and then receive the Bread and Cup, we ought do so with hearts full of gratitude for Christ’s work on the Cross.
 
Freed for Our Present
 
Second, the Cross of Christ frees us for our present. Just as Jesus freed us from the penalty of sin, his Cross also frees from the power of sin in our present.
 
Now, this doesn’t mean sin no longer has any power over us at all. It still has the power to influence our lives. Unfortunately, we’re not free from temptation. That’s still alive and all-to-well. However, we’re now free from the dominion of sin. In other words, before we were in Christ, we couldn’t help but sin. We had no real power to resist it. But now,  because of the work of Jesus, that dominion of sin in our lives has been defeated. We’ve been freed from it.
 
Not only that, but when we receive the Bread and Cup, we’re actually meeting with our Lord at his Table, in the present. Through his Holy Spirit we’re filled with his grace. That’s why John Wesley called Communion a “means of grace.” It’s a way in which we put ourselves in the way of God’s grace. You see, Holy Communion is a time when we’re strengthened by God’s Spirit and grace to live the life he’s called us to live.
 
Furthermore, Holy Communion reminds us we’re in this together. It’s not an expression of a Lone Ranger faith. Instead, we gather with all our brothers and sisters in our church family as well the Great Cloud of Witnesses of Hebrews 12.
 
Thus, in and through Holy Communion we remember the freedom we have from God to become all he created and called us to be, in the present, and in community.
 
Freed in the Future
 
Finally, the work of Jesus on the Cross, which includes his resurrection, reminds us that one day we’ll be free from the presence of sin in our lives. Holy Communion helps us to remember forward. It reminds us of a future where our Lord will dine with us at the Heavenly Banquet. The precious meal of the Bread and Cup is a foretaste of the Great Banquet that awaits us.
 
No longer will we be entangled with sin at all. It will be once and for all done away with. And as we move from this life to the life-to-come, we’ll live in the unveiled presence of our loving Savior. But we don’t have to wait for the coming of Christ’s Kingdom because we’re living in it right here and right now. That’s why Paul could write, “don’t let yourselves be burdened any longer by a yoke of slavery.
 
Therefore
 
Therefore, because of the love and work of Jesus for you…
 
  1. You’re free from the bondage of legalism and the penalty of sin. So give thanks.
 
  1. You’re free from the irresistible power of sin in your life. So pursue being all God created you to be in Christ.
 
  1. And one day you’ll be completely free from the presence of sin. So live every day in joyful obedience to Christ our Lord with the living hope of those who love him.
 
And the good news we declare during Holy Communion becomes good news for you when you trust in Christ alone for the forgiveness of your sins, when you repent of your sin and leave your sin at the altar, and when you go in his grace to live in joyful obedience for his glory.
 
Walking Points
 
  • What sins from your past are still carrying with you? Why is that? Have you sought forgiveness from God? If so, why haven’t you accepted God’s forgiveness and relinquished your hold on your past sin?
  • Are you enjoying the freedom from the dominion of sin in your life in your present? Why or why not? If not, what area(s) is tripping your up? Why is that the case? What can you do to start walking in victory in that area?
  • Do you look forward to the day when you will be free from the presence of sin in your life? What do you think it will be like to live in the sinless presence of God? Do you believe you can start enjoying a life with less sin here and now? Why or why not? What will have to change in your life to do so?
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Picture
    Click the images above to learn more about my books for men.

    Archives

    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    February 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    June 2017

    Categories

    All
    Accountability
    Advent
    Ambassador
    Being
    Bible
    Bible Reading
    Bible Study
    Calling
    Change
    Children
    Choices
    Christianity
    Christian Living
    Christmas
    Church
    Comfort
    Commitment
    Confession
    Courage
    Covenant
    Cross
    Culture
    Desire
    Devotional
    Discernment
    Discipleship
    Discipline
    Doing
    Easter
    Encouragement
    Epistemology
    Eternal Perspective
    Evangelism
    Every Sphere
    Evil
    Faith
    Faithfulness
    Family
    Fatherhood
    Fellowship
    Freedom
    Gifts For Ministry
    God
    God-Centered
    Godliness
    Godly Men
    God's Attributes
    God's Character
    God's Glory
    God's Love
    God's Will
    Good
    Gospel
    Grace
    Healing
    Heart
    Heaven
    Holiness
    Holy Communion
    Holy Spirit
    Hope
    Hypocrisy
    Idolatry
    Integrity
    Jesus
    Jesus Christ
    Kingdom Discipleship
    Kingdom Of God
    Knowing God
    Knowledge
    Leadership
    Legacy
    Longing
    Longing For God
    Lordship
    Love
    Loyalty
    Manhood
    Means Of Grace
    Men
    Men's Ministry
    Mentoring
    Ministry
    Mission
    Missions
    Obedience
    Parenting
    Passion
    Perseverance
    Prayer
    Preparation
    Priorities
    Purpose
    Pursuit Of God
    Redeem Your Time
    Reformation
    Relationship
    Resurrection
    Revival
    Righteousness
    Sacrifice
    Salt And Light
    Salvation
    Sanctification
    Scriptural Holiness
    Scripture
    Secularism
    Sermon On The Mount
    Shepherd
    Shepherding
    Sin
    Small Group
    Sovereignty
    Spiritual Growth
    Stewardship
    Study
    Teaching
    Temptation
    Tests And Trials
    Theology
    Thinking
    Trust
    Truth
    Vision
    Wisdom
    Witness
    Worldview
    Worship

    RSS Feed

Click an image below to visit the bookstore

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
  • Home
  • About
    • Natalie Tedder
    • The Fellowship of Ailbe
    • Reflections Ministries
  • Here I Stand
    • Heidelberg Catechism
    • Apologetics
    • C.S. Lewis
  • Bible Studies
    • Old Testament Essentials >
      • New Testament Essentials
      • Ephesians: Growing Up in Christ
      • Philippians
    • Lord of All >
      • Ten Commandments
      • Costly Discipleship
    • Spiritual Power
    • Master Plan of Evangelism
    • How to Interpret Scripture
    • A Different Gospel
  • A Far Green Country
    • Spiritual Direction
  • Sermons
    • Pastoral Ministry
    • Richard Baxter
  • Prayer Journal
    • Spiritual Life Checkup
  • My Books & Study Guides
  • Southside Men
    • Men's Discipleship Basics
    • Links for Godly Manhood
    • Southside Men History
  • Podcast