Marty Sloan – Living the Dream

Freedom

7 4 10 HT AM

Luke 15:11-29 NKJV

The human heart longs for freedom, the challenge for us is not necessarily in our longing to be free but rather our misguided pursuits of what actually makes us free.

For some it’s the persuasion that “Love is all you need” only to be left heart broken by wrong lovers.

For others it’s the belief that “money would change everything” then we watch lottery winners and millionaires filing bankruptcy.

Some have been “seduced by success”, only to find the top office in the building is the loneliest view in the company.

The pursuit of happiness and freedom is wonderfully displayed in the Bible, Luke’s Gospel, in a parable of a man with two sons. Take a look at Luke 15:

Luke 15:11

Then He said: “A certain man had two sons.

Luke 15:12

And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood.

Luke 15:13

And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.

Luke 15:14

But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.

Luke 15:15

Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

Luke 15:16

And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.

Luke 15:17

“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

Luke 15:18

I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you,

Luke 15:19

and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’

Luke 15:20

“And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.

Luke 15:21

And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

Luke 15:22

“But the father said to his servants, ◙ ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.

Luke 15:23

And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry;

Luke 15:24

for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.

Luke 15:25

“Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.

Luke 15:26

So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.

Luke 15:27

And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’

Luke 15:28

“But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him.

Luke 15:29

So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.

Luke 15:30

But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’ NKJV

False Freedom (two brothers)

1. 1. The younger brother looked at Freedom as a license to do whatever he wanted (selfishness)

Today many are constrained by rules, covenants and commitments.  We see laws as limiting, marriage as confining and expectations as unreasonable.  The idea of any form of accountability financially, socially, relationally or spiritually simply stifles our ability to be free.

Many seek freedom in power, money, fame, name, love or other places that are simply part of our journey yet not the end all be all of our journey.

Like the younger brother you asked for full control of your life, and today you find yourself completely out of control as the bills for your choices have been called in.

Romans 1:22, 24, 25

Professing to be wise, they became fools,

Romans 1:24

Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,

Romans 1:25

who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. NKJV

1. 2. The elder brother looked at freedom as a right to due to their good behavior (self-righteousness)

Galatians 5:1

So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law. NLT

People here are convinced that something of their own effort is greater than that of God’s grace. Their efforts, their works supersede  His work.

These two brothers share one thing in common – neither one of them loved the father more than themselves.

FREEDOM

Brief overview of a man named Abraham:

• Story found in the book of Genesis
• God called him out to bless him
• God promised that through him all the nations would be blessed
• God gave to Abraham a son of promise in his winter years of life
• God challenged Abraham to give that son back to him in the form of a sacrfice.

1. 1. Real freedom is the result of making God FIRST in your life (Sacrificially – loving nothing more than God!)

Genesis 22:9

When they arrived at the place where God had told Abraham to go, he built an altar and placed the wood in order, ready for the fire, and then tied Isaac and laid him on the altar over the wood.

Genesis 22:10

And Abraham took the knife and lifted it up to plunge it into his son, to slay him.

Genesis 22:11

At that moment the Angel of God shouted to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Yes, Lord!” he answered.

Genesis 22:12

“Lay down the knife; don’t hurt the lad in any way,” the Angel said, “for I know that God is first in your life—you have not withheld even your beloved son from me.”

Isaac was Abrahams ticket to everything – yet Abraham as willing to yield even this gift back to God.

1. 2. Real freedom is a result of knowing Jesus Christ!

John 8:32

And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

John 8:36

So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. NLT

Jesus Christ is the truth – and you are only truly free to the degree that you know him!

Three categories of people today in this room – Selfish, Self-righteous and Sacrificial. If God is NOT first today – then you are in one of the other two categories.

1 Peter 3:18

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring ◙ us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, NKJV