Freedom - Week 1
Part of Freedom—How to break the power of things that hold power over us
April 27, 2025

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4/27/2025

Pastor Dwayne Smith
Freedom Series - Week 1


Galatians 1:1-10, “This letter is from Paul, an apostle. I was not appointed by any group of people or any human authority, but by Jesus Christ himself and by God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead. 2 All the brothers and sisters here join me in sending this letter to the churches of Galatia. 3 May God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. 4 Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live. 5 All glory to God forever and ever! Amen. I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News 7 but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ. 8 Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. 9 I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed. 10 Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.”

Freedom: Everyone’s Goal

Model for Freedom: The Garden of Eden

  • Freedom was achieved in the context of HARMONY.
    • Harmony with God
    • Harmony with ourselves – our identity in God
    • Harmony with each other
    • Harmony with creation
  • Sin – Takes away freedom

    • Greek Word (NT):
      • ἁμαρτία (hamartia) — Literally means “missing the mark.
      • It refers to any failure to meet God’s perfect standard, whether in thought, word, action, or nature.
    • Hebrew Word (OT):
      • חַטָּאָה (chatta’ah) / חֵטְא (chet’) — Also means “missing the goal” or “falling short.”
      • Used for both intentional rebellion and unintentional wrongs against God’s law.
  • Sin: Disharmony – being “out of tune” with God

Grace: Freedom is Restored Through Grace

  • Grace in Galatians:

    • Galatians 1:3, “grace and peace to you…”
    • Galatians 1:15, “He who called me by His grace…”
    • Galatians 2:21, “do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”
  • Ephesians 2:8-9, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.”

  • What is grace?

    • Greek Word: χάρις (charis): Charis means grace, favor, kindness, or gift. It implies something freely given and unearned—not based on merit but on the giver’s benevolence.
    • Grace: God’s unmerited favor given to us (sinners) to empower us and set us FREE through His presence in our lives.
  • Key Aspects of Grace in the Bible

    • Unmerited Favor
    • Rooted in God’s Character
    • Embodied in Christ
    • Saves Sinners
    • Transforms and Empowers
    • Abundant and Overflowing
    • Received by Faith

  • Grace (χάρις) is God’s unearned, undeserved favor—freely given through Jesus Christ—which saves sinners, empowers believers, and reflects His boundless kindness, love and mercy.
  • Justice vs Mercy vs Grace
    • Justice: Getting what we deserve (based on our actions). Justice is when a guilty criminal is sentenced to prison—what he deserves.
    • Mercy: Not getting what we deserve. Mercy is when the judge withholds the sentence—he doesn’t get what he deserves.
    • Grace: Getting what we don’t deserve - Forgiveness, righteousness, adoption, eternal life. Grace is when the judge not only frees him, but adopts him into his family and gives him an inheritance—what he could never earn.
  • At the cross of Christ:
    • Justice is satisfied: sin is punished.
    • Mercy is extended: sinners are spared.
    • Grace is poured out: we are given life, righteousness, and adoption through Christ. Romans 3:24–26
  • Galatians 1:6-7, “I am shocked [amazed, marveled, surprised, astonished] that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News 7 but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ.”
  • What is a fool?
    • one who despises wisdom
    • one who mocks when guilty
    • one who is quarrelsome
    • one who is licentious (immoral, undisciplined, disregards rules).

How do we return to FREEDOM?

  • Through Jesus
    • Galatians 5:1, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free”
    • Ephesians 2:8-9, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.”
  • Grace THROUGH Faith
    • Grace: (χάρις) is God’s unearned, undeserved favor—freely given through Jesus Christ—which saves sinners (us), empowers believers, and reflects His boundless kindness, love and mercy.
    • Faith: Complete trust and confidence in the power, wisdom and goodness of God. Hebrews 11:3.
    • James 2:26, “ Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.”

RESPONSE:

  • Where is my freedom threatened/insecure? Where am I out of tune?

    • Harmony with God, with others…?

  • Where do I need to step out in faith in order to receive grace?

    • Surrendering to Jesus, Hearing God, Obeying God…



Benediction

Numbers 6:24-26 (NIV)

24 The LORD bless you and keep you;
25 The LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;
26 The LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.

Go and Live for Jesus!

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