Howdy! Well, last week we had talked a bit about
how it is that we're not living by the law as
in we're trying to see all the things that make
us feel good about ourselves by kind of checking
things off the list, but rather is that we're
free from letting these rules and laws determine
our hope and our future, and rather there is
grace that moves us through and beyond it. But
this week, this is sort of like the part two.
This is the part about seeing that just because
we're not living under the law, it doesn't mean
we're lawless. Just because we're not condemned
by rules doesn't mean we don't want to follow
what is good and right. You know, when I was
in high school, there was a point in time my
sister and I were going to two different schools,
and what was happening is that my mom was trying
to figure out how to get us to both places, and
she realized, can't be in two places at once.
Moms have eyes in the back of their head, but
they haven't figured out how to teleport yet.
With that is that she figured out who could take
me to school, some friends that we'd known since
elementary. And so she would go off to take my
sister to school, and I would be waiting for
the ride to come. And what I realized is, I'm
free. I'm here all by myself. Wow, this is great
and I'm thinking myself I could sleep in I could
like go and take a nap before it's time for school
And I'm thinking hey, I'll go sneak in some more
lucky charms. That'd be great And oh I can turn
on the TV and watch some cartoons. That'd be
awesome and all these things that I'm thinking
Oh, man, I have so much I can do now the world's
my oyster for 30 minutes. So And then I started
realizing, well, wait a minute, if I'm trying
to jump back into bed, I'm not going to get any
extra sleep. But also then I'm going to end up
being late. Great. Well, if I'm watching the
cartoon, I still have to get dressed. I still
have to prep myself. Oh, great. Well, I already
had cereal. I don't really want another bowl
of it. And then if I'm delayed, then... Those
friends are going to be coming up on the door,
banging on the door, and then trying to call
my mom and saying, what's wrong with him? And
I'm like, oh, this is not even worth the hassle.
Oh my goodness. And so as much as I was free,
I still had responsibilities. I still had to
take care of the things that were needed. See,
the freedom was real. You know, I could kind
of do things at my own pace. But at the same
time, I still had to take care of what was needed.
See, that idea... of being free from the law,
but still not just giving in and having license
to do whatever we want, that's something that
Paul is trying to get across. You're free, but
it doesn't mean you have the license to just
do whatever desire comes your way. When Romans
is written and he says, what shall we say then?
Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?
by no means or even later on in chapter 13 when
it would say love your neighbor as yourself love
does no harm to a neighbor therefore love is
the fulfillment of the law as always trying to
get across is that we're not living by law we're
living by love and so respecting our neighbor
doing what's right in the world taking care of
others being responsible being respectful all
of these things are important So then when we're
seeing that while we're not justified or given
life by the law, doesn't mean that we completely
ignore it. See, the warning is trying to realize
that just because we're forgiven, we're not supposed
to take sin lightly. We're not supposed to treat
it as if every indulgence is not important. Paul
actually warns us not to use our freedom. to
just give opportunity to flesh. But rather, how
is it that our lives are serving God and serving
one another? See, love is meant to fulfill the
law. It's not about the rigid rule keeping, but
through the Spirit who enables genuine care.
You know, I always found it funny was that whenever
I was younger, we were learning the Ten Commandments
and we would get to the part, you know, like,
don't lie. And someone would always ask, yes,
but what about Nazi Germany? And they're always
like, they're coming up to ask you, are there
any Jewish people in your home? And you're not
supposed to lie. And then what happens? And they'd
always have this kind of uncomfortable moment.
It's like, well, you're not supposed to lie.
Maybe you could just, you know, maybe adjust
the truth a little bit or maybe try to like,
just avoid the question. And it's like, after
all, it's like, no, lie. Tell them a bald -faced
lie. Don't let them go in there and hurt the
people. I'm sorry, just no. Just lie through
your teeth and tell them no. There's nobody in
here that you are looking for. And I found that
so fascinating and how difficult that was because,
well, number one, the law and the Ten Commandments
actually said don't bear false witness. As in,
don't tell lies that malign someone's reputation.
But also is, you're so focused, I'm trying to
check this off, when in your heart you know that
the right thing is to protect the people's lives.
And that's the thing about this, is that we spend
our time in God's Word, but it's not so we can
try to find all the laws that are written off,
but rather to know God's Son. And then by prayer,
to ask God, what are you laying on my heart by
your Spirit to do? See, the thing is, is that
the liberty... of being a Christian, it doesn't
get rid of the moral boundaries, but rather the
point is that we're actually meant to live up
to a higher standard. And instead of spending
the time just figuring out if we've checked off
all the laws we've lived up to, that instead
we're supposed to be asking, how can I be more
like Christ in my life? See, there is an inner
tug of war that is happening within us. The battle
between flesh and the spirit. See, our battle
is not between the law and the spirit. The battle
is between the flesh and the spirit. Because
the real issue is our desires and our tendencies.
And that as much as we might like to think that
we're doing everything that's, you know, necessary
and good, we're still struggling. How often is
it that we have our phone in our hand and we
cannot help but scroll through And try to check
every single meme that our friends sent us Eric
not this one. There's another guy. He sends me
memes all the time It's like every two or three
days. There's 24 of them I have to get through
and I'm like dude I just I've got to have like
a whole full -time job to try to get but you
can't stop It's like you just you have this habit
And it's like you're trying to stop, or even
trying to get on the social media and you see
who was going off to another land. And you know
exactly who I'm talking about whenever I say
how jealous I am of their Ireland trips. I'm
like, come on, I want to be there. And you're
like, I shouldn't be jealous. God has blessed
me in so many ways, but come on. Your heart knows
that you want to be out there, right alongside
them. Or even when you're in the middle of the
traffic and you know you're not supposed to yell
at that person, they can't hear you. Yelling
at them does no good. But you still do it. And
you realize, yeah, you know what's the right
thing to do, but your flesh still pulls you in.
But what does that mean? See, walking by the
Spirit, it's supposed to lead us away from that.
But then we still struggle. See, being led by
the Spirit is meant to show us that we don't
want to go that path. Doesn't mean that now all
of a sudden we've conquered it all. We haven't
got it all right. We haven't figured it all out.
But the point is to be able to not reject what
the Spirit is doing. The point is to not deny
that you are sinning. The point is not to reject
that there is something to be concerned about.
The point is not to avoid it. Like, oh, it's
not really that important. Or even to justify
yourself. Like, you know, but there's a reason
why I did this. The point is not to do that and
instead to look at it and say, I know it's wrong.
Because in 1 Corinthians, it even shows the natural
person does not accept the things of the Spirit
of God. And we're like, I don't want to be that
person. I don't want to be the person that just
rejects and denies and avoids what God is trying
to get on my heart. See Martin Luther one time
he says sin Boldly and and a lot of times people
love to just stop there put that on the shirt
right sin boldly yep I'm sinning everybody in
this great, and then they just stop as if there's
a period at the end of those two words But the
rest of it says sin boldly, but believe and rejoice
in Christ even more Boldly because the point
is not to encourage the sinning The point is
to be safe enough to be honest about the struggles,
because you know your struggles are not to condemn
you, that you have to somehow pretend as if it's
okay, but rather is to know it's safe to look
at it and be honest about what's really happening.
Because being spirit -led doesn't mean that you're
perfect, but rather is that you're sensitive
to knowing that God is guiding you. And then
the question comes, are we listening? or are
we resisting? Because let's just be honest, the
works of the flesh are often pretty obvious.
The works of the flesh are pretty obvious. It's
just that we oftentimes find an excuse to kind
of ignore it. You know, Paul's list that he has
here, all these things that are listed, you know,
looking at what it is to see all these different
things. You know, Galatians 5, as it's going
through all this, and you're kind of like, it's
almost like you're going through the checklist.
You're like, hmm, okay, what do we have here?
Okay, sexual immorality, let's skip over that
one, impurity, I'm okay, sensuality. I haven't
been really weird. Idolatry. I went to church.
We're going through this as if somehow we're
trying to make sure we checked off everything
and that we're okay. And then as soon as we see
someone else that we can then pinpoint them to
one of these, then they're the ones that are
not really Christian. We go through and somehow
we feel as if this is some exhaustive list and
it's not meant to be an exhaustive list because
the point is that Paul is not trying to now say
okay now these are the sins that keep you out
of heaven he's trying to get your attention and
to realize that so many of these things are making
it harder to listen to God Because thing is is
that this is not an exhaustive list. It's a diagnostic
one It's meant to be something where as you look
through and you realize something is wrong inside
of you is to be able to say Then that means I
need to ask some hard Questions. It's like what
like whenever you're going to the doctor and
and you're telling all the different things,
right? that you're like, oh, you know, I'm not
feeling good today, this is what's happening,
you know, my eyes are itchy and they're watering
and everything and I don't want to wake up and
everything and they're trying to diagnose what
may be going on and everything. But the point
is not then that the doctor is sitting there
trying to use it to then condemn you. I mean,
you go in there and he's like, oh, I think you
have the flu. What kind of a terrible person
are you? You went and caught the flu. Oh my goodness.
Oh, I can't believe. I am ashamed of you. Could
you imagine your doctor doing that? Like standing
there is like, oh my goodness, I can't believe
you got sick. What is wrong? You stubbed your
toe. What kind of it? No. The point is to look
at them and to know what's going on so that then
you can work through it. Because your doctor
wants to be able to help you to be better, stronger,
and to heal. See, that's the thing about this,
is that what we're looking at is trying to get
the difference of, I'm having a struggle versus
I've now decided this is who I am. Because the
point of then coming to the doctor with everything
that you're struggling with is so that he can
help you walk through, not for you to go back
to exactly where you've been before. See, that's
the thing about this, is that this list is actually
where all of us fall. We have all had these struggles,
but the question is, are we now letting that
determine who we are? Have we then given in and
decided that's all we're ever going to be? Or
are we willing to pause and say something needs
to change? This difference between struggle and
identity is really what we're trying to get at.
Because, let's be honest, How many of the people
that we know in our minds They're defined by
certain things when we think of this one person
and we automatically know that that person is
impatient That's what immediately comes to mind
or then there's this person and it's like That
person's lust controls most everything in their
life or this person They're as selfish as I can
imagine not hey I know this person messed up,
but rather that they're continuing to revel in
it and that they have no interest in changing.
See, that's the thing about this is that in Romans
1 where it talks about looking at the broader
picture of what happens when people reject God's
truth and they live by fleshly desires. The question
to you is, is this who you actually want to be?
When you think of the struggle that you're having,
is to pause and ask yourself, is this who I want
to be? Because that's the good part about what
is happening here, is that Paul is showing us
this is who you are in Christ, and if this is
who you've been, Do you still want to be this
person? Not that you're going to change because
somehow the law is making you. The law can't
make us any better. But the Spirit of God moving
and saying, wouldn't you rather be the person
Christ has called you to be? See, that's what
we end up seeing about the fruits of the Spirit.
Because the fruits of the Spirit are meant to
show us who do we want to be. in Christ. I want
you to think in your mind. Picture in your mind
somebody that you admire. Picture in your mind
somebody that you admire. And I want you to think
about the fruits of the Spirit. Love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,
self -control. Which of those, the person you
admire, stands out strongly? Because I'm 90 -something
percent sure that whoever you have in your mind
has at least a few of those gifts. Because this
is someone that when they are living out what
God has given them, they become the person that
God has desired of them. See, these are not meant
to be rules where you sit there and you're like,
okay, was I self -controlled enough today? Okay.
Was I kind enough today? Okay, do I have enough
peace? I was there with a small group and we
were talking through this passage and somebody
said, is there a definition here for goodness?
And I understood what the point was because they're
trying to understand was there a Greek meaning
that emphasized this, but isn't that amazing
that we have to define the meaning of goodness
in our lives? See this is not about trying to
prove whether or not we're saved It's not about
trying to decide whether or not we're shamed
But rather is it's helping us to diagnose when
something's missing Because I know there have
been some times I'm looking at patients like
ooh That one means some work You know the times
where you're just like oh my oh wow that did
not go very well. And you are apologetic, but
you're also slowing down and saying, yeah, but
couldn't there be a way that I could not fall
into that one beforehand? Or even the times whenever
we look and we see it in other people. And whenever
we see these things missing in other people,
what is it we're supposed to do about that? Is
the point to now go up and start figuring out,
okay, I see you missing some of those fruits.
You're terrible, and I'm not going to spend any
more time with you. I'd lose all my friends.
But, and they would lose me. Because the point
is not about trying to figure out which people
are the most broken, but rather is saying, yeah,
but doesn't that mean I need to show them God's
love even more? Because that's the thing that
actually causes fruit. Is that every time we
see something missing is to say, God, what is
it that I've missed from your spirit that's causing
me to miss this? Maybe you've seen somebody in
your life that you know is struggling. Is the
point then to say, oh, it's all or nothing. That's
it. You're broken. Too bad. Or is it instead
to look for a way to be able to bring them back
to Christ with grace and forgiveness and to say,
I know you want to be better than this? Because
that's what we end up seeing when we crucify
the flesh and live by the Spirit. To crucify
the flesh is to say it no longer has the final
say. Does the flesh continue to make us struggle?
Yes. time and time again. But when did the flesh
get crucified? It was in the past tense. It's
been done. Because the person who saw that the
law was condemning was willing to give up his
life for us. He knew what your struggle was.
He still does. And he's still giving everything
for you. Because that's the thing about love.
is that love does not come in to try to figure
out how to point out the struggles and the failures
and the lack of fruit as if that is now meant
to be your identity. Your identity is in Christ.
You have everything already. But now, inside
of your heart, the question comes from that Spirit.
Don't you want to be like Him? See, that's where
we end up seeing. Whenever we are at those moments
when all we can see is the struggle and we know
that we can't seem to stop, does it mean we get
numb to it and say it's okay? No. It means we
take it and bring it back to Jesus. Jesus, I
need to die to this today. Help me Because the
struggle is not a sign of failing. It's a struggle
of fighting and Today I encourage you to fight
Turn to Christ in your weakness and keep fighting
Because you don't do it from your own strength
You do it from his spirit So as we look and we
admit and we face to the ways in which we have
sinned boldly May we more boldly still cling
to the cross and the forgiveness that brings
us life everlasting. Thanks be to God.