1. MATTHEW 11:28-30 (MSG) “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
Over the last several weeks we have been talking about the invitation Jesus extends to us. We have learned the plea, the call, He extends and the people He describes. We have discussed the Promise of rest, and the need to surrender to the person of Christ Jesus. We have come to understand the Partnership we have entered into and last week we examined the Pattern Jesus demonstrated in serving those around Him.
Jesus was able to serve because He knew who He was, where He had come from, where He was going, and who He belonged to. We found David to be a wonderful example of one who served because of a confident relationship He had with God. He was able to face the giant in his life because he knew he was the beloved of the Father. He could enter a desperate situation and have a clear purpose and perspective. He knew God was with him because of the progression in his life. David saw God’s protection in his life, and he brought a plan into the valley of his life. As a result, PRAISE filled where fear once resided.
Today we want to pick up where we left off, and come to realize Jesus is giving us a Promise as we serve. As we enter into His yoke, we can experience freedom! As a fellowship we want to enter into the promises of God….
We want to know what it is to live freely and lightly; To not get weighed down, or defeated with the mundane. We want to know how to live above the mediocre and experience Power, LOVE AND A SOUND MIND, by understanding the PROMISE OF GOD.

2. Jesus said He had come, not only to bring life, but life more abundant
Jesus said He had come, not only to bring life, but life more abundant! Why do so few people experience abundance in joy, peace and love? Why are so many weighed down, anxious, depressed, worried, unable to let go, trying to control, wringing their hands, striving…..etc????? WHY??? Well I am glad you asked!!!
Together we are going to explore the path into the PROMISE OF GOD IN SERVING!!!
Let’s look together at Galatians 5. Paul is addressing the church in Galatia. This church had started out on the foundation of grace, but people had come in and tried to add conditions to a relationship with God. In Galatians 5 Paul takes this heresy on in a very strong and direct way.
LIGHT & FREE

3. GALATIANS 5:1 (NIV) It is for freedom that Christ has set us free
GALATIANS 5:1 (NIV) 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.
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4. Position the Of freedom
Verse one of Galatians 5 tells us that Christ has set us free from a yoke of slavery. Remember in Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus invites us to take His yoke. Clearly we have a choice to take a yoke of the world , or the yoke of Christ. A yoke of slavery, or a yoke of freedom.
We come to this yoke of freedom through Jesus Christ. It is by accepting the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross, that we experience the freedom furnished by Jesus. It isn’t about our merits, but it is about His mercy. It isn’t about our performance, but His perfection. It is about us accepting by faith, that we are the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ. (II Corinthians 5:21)
In Hebrews we read…..

5. HEBREWS 2:17 (NIV) 17 For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human 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.
In the Old Testament, the Israelites’ standing as a nation before God was wrapped up in the standing of their high priest. What the high priest was before God, so was the entire nation before God.
If the high priest sinned, he brought guilt on his nation, and God would reject the entire nation no matter how law-abiding the people were or how faithful they were in bringing their sacrifices.
Conversely, if their high priest was without fault and acceptable to God, God would accept the whole nation even if the people were sinful.
Unfortunately, the high priests of Israel often failed because like any human being, they were imperfect.
Thank God that today, you and I have Jesus as our High Priest, who is 100 percent Man and 100 percent God. As our High Priest, His standing before God is always right. Jesus is always acceptable and pleasing to the Father. Therefore, we can never lose our acceptance with God because as our High Priest, Jesus only brings righteousness on His people.
In heaven right now, Jesus our High Priest is seated at the right hand of God the Father. (Romans 8:34) This means that God does not look at you. He looks at Jesus. If Jesus is good, you are good. If Jesus is accepted, you are accepted. If God sees Jesus perfect, then He sees you perfect. If Jesus is righteous, then you are righteous. And we know that Jesus our High Priest is good, accepted, perfect and righteous, which means that that is how God sees us!
This is the freedom we can have! In HIM WE ARE COMPLETE!!! (CLICK)

6. COMPLETE IN JESUS WE ARE
In JESUS WE ARE COMPLETE!!! That is true freedom. Not about DOING BUT ABOUT DONE!!!
My friend, you cannot lose your right standing because Jesus Christ is your High Priest. To lose your standing, Jesus has to lose His standing first. But we know that we have in Jesus a High Priest who is perfect and who cannot fail. So you need never be afraid or conscious of your faults when you come before God. Because your standing is completely wrapped up in Jesus your High Priest, you can come to God boldly and receive all that you need from Him!
And just like in PAUL’s day…

7. the
problem
Of freedom

8. GALATIANS 5:2-12 (NIV) 2 Mark my words
GALATIANS 5:2-12 (NIV) 2 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3 Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. 4 You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope.
Summarize Galatians 5 (SUNAT)
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9. GALATIANS 5:2-12 (NIV) 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. 7 You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? 8 That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. 9 “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.”
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10. GALATIANS 5:2-12 (NIV) 10 I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion, whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty. 11 Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. 12 As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!
Paul experienced first had the problem people have with Grace! With Freedom…
People want to add conditions to our freedom… People want to tell people they must do to get…
Just like in Paul’s day, the problem still exists…
When you ask most Christians, “when is Christ of no effect”? and they will answer…”when you sin”. But according to Scripture, “Christ is of NO EFFECT, when we try to be justified by doing, instead of just believing! Galatians 5:4
We must stand in faith and accept who we are in Christ, not because of anything we have done but because HE LOVES US!!!
DISOBEDIENCE HAPPENS NOT WHEN WE THINK TOO MUCH OF GRACE BUT WHEN WE THINK TOO LITTLE OF IT…

11. 1 JOHN 4:16 (NLT) 16 We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.
You may know that God cares for you and loves you, and that He demonstrated His love for you by dying on the cross for you, but do you believe it? It is one thing to know about the love that God has for you, but another thing to actually believe it in your heart.
It is one thing to know that the sun shines on us during the day. But it is another thing to believe that the sun is still shining even though we don’t feel its warmth and all we see are dark clouds. Sometimes we are slow in believing God’s love for us when we are going through a tough time. But God wants you to know and believe that He loves you in the midst of the deal falling through, when that job is slow in coming, when the boss is fault-finding or when your child still refuses to come home.
In the midst of the pain, He wants you to know and believe that He is wholly on your side defending and taking care of you. And if God, the most powerful being in the universe, is for you, can anyone or anything come against you successfully?
Perhaps you feel like you have messed up big time. God wants you to know and believe that though others may be angry with you, He will never be angry with you. Neither will He condemn you. The sum total of His anger against your sins fell upon Jesus at the cross. So He wants you to know and believe that He will never punish you because Jesus was punished in your place.
When you feel unworthy because you have just blown it for the umpteenth time, know and believe that your heavenly Father still offers you the gift of no condemnation. So come boldly to His throne of grace to obtain mercy and find grace. (Hebrews 4:16)
My friend, know and believe that since He loved you and died for you while you were still a sinner (Romans 5:8) at your worst and ugliest, how much more is His love for you now that you are His beloved child and the righteousness of God in Christ! (2 Corinthians 5:21)
Don’t fall into the trap of the enemy or those who are used of the enemy to bring you down. Don’t let the freedom Christ has given us turn into a problem because someone tells you it is too good to be true…. Accept it by FAITH and know the POSITION HE HAS PLACED YOU IN SIMPLY BECAUSE OF GRACE…
CONDEMNATION MAKES US BELIEVE WE CAN’T CHANGE, CONVICTION MAKES US WANT TO CHANGE…
Then we can begin to experience the….

12. the
practice
Of freedom

13. GALATIANS 5:13-15 (NLT)
13 FOR YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED TO LIVE IN FREEDOM, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS. BUT DON’T USE YOUR FREEDOM TO SATISFY YOUR SINFUL NATURE. INSTEAD, USE YOUR FREEDOM TO SERVE ONE ANOTHER IN LOVE. 14 FOR THE WHOLE LAW CAN BE SUMMED UP IN THIS ONE COMMAND: “LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”15 BUT IF YOU ARE ALWAYS BITING AND DEVOURING ONE ANOTHER, WATCH OUT! BEWARE OF DESTROYING ONE ANOTHER.
God wants us to use this freedom we have to serve others, by simply loving others.
Jesus said, “the world will know you are of me, and I am of you, by the way you love one another.”
When we know we have right standing with God, and who we are in Him, we then are in a position to love as we are being loved.
We will actually begin to see people the way God sees them and not the way they see themselves or others see them.
We will not listen to gossip or slander, but we will know that EVERY PERSON IS SACRED IN JESUS’ EYES, and so they are sacred in our eyes.
We will treat people with dignity and respect.
Now that is a fellowship I would love to be a part of. How about you?
But recognize it starts by seeing ourselves free in Jesus! Standing in His grace and His righteousness! When we see ourselves rightly we will see others rightly. When we accept grace we will extend grace.
THE WORLD ISN’T SCANDALIZED BY OUR FREEDOM, BUT BY OUR FAKENESS…
LEGALISM BREEDS A SENSE OF ENTITLEMENT THAT TURNS US INTO COMPLAINERS…
And we live in this position of freedom through…

14. the
power
Of freedom

15. GALATIANS 5:16-18 (NLT) 16 SO I SAY, LET THE HOLY SPIRIT GUIDE YOUR LIVES. THEN YOU WON’T BE DOING WHAT YOUR SINFUL NATURE CRAVES. 17 THE SINFUL NATURE WANTS TO DO EVIL, WHICH IS JUST THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT THE SPIRIT WANTS. AND THE SPIRIT GIVES US DESIRES THAT ARE THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT THE SINFUL NATURE DESIRES. THESE TWO FORCES ARE CONSTANTLY FIGHTING EACH OTHER, SO YOU ARE NOT FREE TO CARRY OUT YOUR GOOD INTENTIONS. 18 BUT WHEN YOU ARE DIRECTED BY THE SPIRIT, YOU ARE NOT UNDER OBLIGATION TO THE LAW OF MOSES.
The power of freedom is in the infilling of the Holy Spirit! Acts 2 records the disciples experience of the power of the Holy Spirit. It is wonderful to note the miracles they experienced, but the greatest miracle is they left the UPPER ROOM! Then went out and proclaimed JESUS!
Many people walk around claiming the power of the Holy Spirit in their life and never share Jesus with anyone. Worse than that, they treat people poorly and often gossip and exclude themselves from people unlike themselves.
The proof of God in us is our love for others, and the power of this love is the Spirit of God in us! When God’s Spirit is truly working in our lives we will have a burden for others. We will be so busy with the work of God we will not have time to be consumed with the petty dramas of life, and busy buddies who stir up problems, rather than love those problems away.
The Spirit of God in us is POWERFUL! IT IS LOVE!!!
And the Product of all this?????

16. the
product
Of freedom

17. GALATIANS 5: BUT THE HOLY SPIRIT PRODUCES THIS KIND OF FRUIT IN OUR LIVES: LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, 23 GENTLENESS, AND SELF-CONTROL. THERE IS NO LAW AGAINST THESE THINGS!24 THOSE WHO BELONG TO CHRIST JESUS HAVE NAILED THE PASSIONS AND DESIRES OF THEIR SINFUL NATURE TO HIS CROSS AND CRUCIFIED THEM THERE. 25 SINCE WE ARE LIVING BY THE SPIRIT, LET US FOLLOW THE SPIRIT’S LEADING IN EVERY PART OF OUR LIVES. 26 LET US NOT BECOME CONCEITED, OR PROVOKE ONE ANOTHER, OR BE JEALOUS OF ONE ANOTHER.
The product of freedom is self gets sidelined and unity comes to the forefront. Jesus becomes the focus, and not our own agendas. Wow! Can you imagine what a powerful fellowship we could be?
This is the Promise in Service. When we exchange the yoke of slavery for the yoke of freedom we will begin to practice in power the LOVE OF GOD! It is not forced but something that flows out, rather than us trying to manufacture. It just happens from the inside out! It is a powerful by-product that is the result of standing IN THE POSITION JESUS GIVES US!
Again in the old testament we find in the book of Leviticus …
THE FOCUS ON HOW I AM DOING MORE THAN WHAT CHRIST HAS DONE IS CHRISTIAN NARCICISM…

18. LEVITICUS 16:14 HE SHALL TAKE SOME OF THE BLOOD OF THE BULL AND SPRINKLE IT WITH HIS FINGER ON THE MERCY SEAT ON THE EAST SIDE; AND BEFORE THE MERCY SEAT HE SHALL SPRINKLE SOME OF THE BLOOD WITH HIS FINGER SEVEN TIMES.
The Ark of the covenant--- LOST watched series on the search for the lost Ark… supposed to be somewhere in the USA… so what’s in the Ark?
There were three items in the ark: the golden pot of manna, Aaron’s rod and two stone tablets on which God had written the Ten Commandments. (Hebrews 9:4)
These items are actually symbols of man’s rebellion.
-Golden pot of manna represents man’s rejection of God’s provision.
-Rod of Aaron represents man’s rejection of God’s leadership
-Two stone tablets of God’s commandments represent man’s rejection of His standard of holiness.
But because God delights in mercy, He had these items put away in the ark and covered with the mercy seat, which had two cherubim on it. (Hebrews 9:5) And once a year, the high priest would enter the holy of holies where the ark was and sprinkle the blood of the animal sacrifice on the mercy seat. This means that God’s eyes, represented by the eyes of the cherubim, did not see the symbols of man’s rebellion. As long as the blood was there on the mercy seat, He saw only the blood and accepted the people.
Today, Jesus is our High Priest and He Himself has sprinkled His own blood on the true mercy seat in heaven—the throne of grace. (Hebrews 9:23–26) Interestingly, the number of times that the Old Testament high priest had to sprinkle the blood on the mercy seat—seven—speaks of Jesus’ perfect sacrifice. And because His sacrifice is perfect and He is perfect, we who are in Christ have perfect standing forever before God!
Folks, as you come to God today, don’t worry about falling short of His standard of holiness. He does not see your sins. (Hebrews 8:12, 10:17) He sees His Son’s blood on the mercy seat. You have perfect standing before Him forever! We are standing in His freedom, in His yoke. What great news!!!

19. LIGHT & FREE

20. IFGFLA + R-LIFE
BETTERTOGETHER