WRIGHT BROTHERS
FREE RIDE
INTERVIEW (CHRITIE HARLSON)
031410 Am I Simply Free?
Introduction:
Today we are looking at the subject of freedom. And we and dozens of others churches around Cincinnati are exploring freedom together. In this series, we are looking at four types of bondage. Four ways we are not basking in, and living in the freedom of God. There are four colors we have looked at. If you have been with us in this freedom journey, we have examined four ways we get trapped.
I'd like to tell you a story from the Bible and then share some principles with you.
The story is about a man named Peter who began the "Free" Journey and then wandered back into bondage. He grew up religious. He grew up with a particular race. And when he heard the message of Christ, he learned that everything he did: both good and bad had caused pride and fear in his heart. He further learned that Jesus had to die for him because his heart was so sinful. He also learned that when Jesus forgave him, he was totally accepted. Fully approved in spite of everything he had ever done or would do. AND YET... a group of people came along and told him that "Jesus" forgiveness is nice... But he needed to work hard at doing good works too. And working hard at “doing” good works was a little something he could add to his Jesus message... And then something happened. When Peter added a little bit of working harder on all his good works and religious activity, into his life, he suddenly noticed that he began to see others not working quite as hard at religious good works, not doing quite as much... He began to look down on them... And he began to see himself as "better than them"... In fact, feelings and attitudes of superiority began to overtake him. Yes, Jesus had forgiven him in the past, but he wasn't that bad. He was basically a good person, unlike these people he was meeting. They were a different race than him. They weren't as religious as he was. They didn't work as hard as he did. They weren't as moral as he was..... One day, his friend Paul found out about this. And he came to town. And he confronted Peter with his actions. And he stood up before a group of friends and he said something really unusual. He didn't say, "Peter, you are breaking the "don't be a bigot" rule. He didn't say, "Prejudice is wrong and you are being prejudice.." He didn't say, "You are being arrogant, proud, and superior... so stop it..." Instead he said, "You have become a Hypocrit to the Gospel. You have changed the message of Freedom, and now it's got you in bondage.
Whatever you add to the exterior, it will make you feel either superior or Inferior
- All of us add stuff to the exterior of our lives. We say to ourselves, "I am acceptable and loved because..." Because I am a good person. Because I make a good living. Because I have a good education. Because I am a good performer. Because I am a leader in the community..." "Because I am so tolerant.. Because I am more enlightened.. Because I am socially aware and environmentally conscious... Because I am devoted to my family and work hard... Because I don't need God as a crutch.. Because I don't judge other people's "sins" or think I am better than others..." All these thoughts lead me to feel superior... while looking down on others who are inferior to me because they aren't as educated, enlightened, nice, moral, tolerance, etc.
Now, the things in this list could include religious people, non religious people, liberal people, and conservative people, good people, and bad people. And all of us, have something in the exterior of our lives, that we build our identity on... And it always, always, always will lead to making us feel superior to others. And that will lead to bondage. Either fear or pride. You will not be Free. You will feel either superior or you will feel inferior, "I am not good enough, educated enough, enlightened enough, I don't own enough, kids don't obey enough, etc... Notice, the man in the story above was the Apostle Peter. He was the one who had the message of freedom, but then began to live in bondage.
The Path To Freedom Examines Three Words: Superior, Exterior, and Inferior.
I. Why do I feel Superior?
11 Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; 12 for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. 13 And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.
Peter was in the wrong. He used to eat with Gentiles, though he was a Jew. Gentiles grew up differently. They did not have a religious background. They were the liberals of the day. Peter grew up as a moral, conservative religious person. But when he heard the message of Jesus, he realized that even on his best day, he was desperately in need of grace and mercy. He was not better than others because of his race, his background, his religious education. He was not superior to others because of his political views and moral standing... until certain men came and told him that he had missed the boat. Those gentiles could also experience Jesus love, but they were not obeying the law like.. They were not thinking like Peter was... So Peter, added something to the exterior. He decided that Jesus acceptance PLUS following certain aspects of the Jewish Law made him holier, better, more acceptable to God... Which resulted in him feeling superior to others. So he "Withdrew" and "separated himself" from them. And began to tell other "Jews" and even a young leader in the church named "Barnabus" to do the same... And Paul, says... the real problem they have is "Hypocrisy"
II. What's my Exterior?
13 And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel,
Notice again the word "Hypocrisy" and "Hypocrit" and Paul says you are a hypocrit to the message of freedom. The Gospel. The good news that all can be fully accepted. Fully loved. Fully embraced by their God -not because of what they have done- but because of what Christ has done. And he says that message is not operating in my heart, that's the problem. How is it operating then? Whenever you add something to the exterior.. it always leads to being enslaved to either feeling SUPERIOR OR INFERIOR.
STORY: I led a Bible study last year, where we studied this passage with a group of guys. And several in that group acknowledged that they had a tendency to do this. To think that there was something beside the grace of Christ that made them acceptable to God. Mike Fiegel came up to me after the group, and said, Chad, I am beginning to see that at some level I still think I need Christ, plus my Label as “catholic” to be acceptable. As if that label is a “one up.” Several guys admitted that we all have a tendency to be critical of others in their industry. For example, when I go to a movie with my friend Paul, since we are both creative types, we come out of the theatre and critique the movie. I liked this, wouldn’t have edited that, that way, Didn’t like the etc… My wife hates this. It drives her crazy. “I just went to enjoy the movie!” When I was in Belize, I shared this with Jay Mesner who admitted that as a carpenter/builder/designer he walks into a room at someone’s home and immediately studies and critiques the crown molding, bathroom design, “I wouldn’t have done it that way…” I went to a funeral last year and there was another pastor who spoke. And since speaking is my skill set, I have a tendency to feel valuable and worthwhile based on my speaking… Since speaking is the exterior I add to my life… I am constantly evaluating other speakers. Feeling either superior “What a lousy speaker he was…” or inferior, “I’ll never be like him.” And here I was at a funeral listening to a fellow man of the cloth share encouraging words about God… and I was judging him, critiquing him, and feeling superior to him. Because in my heart, Good speaking makes you superior to bad speakers. Here is what the “truth of the Gospel does…” It brings a deep internal sense of humility to your heart. No matter what your trade, education, experience, or expertise, it reminds you that your skills and their lack of skills don’t make you or them any more -or less- acceptable to God.
1. I am not as bad as others----- Pride (Superior)
The Bible teaches that nothing you do, or have done merits worth compared to God. In fact, if you take into account our thought life, we all fall short of God’s standard as much as anyone you've ever met, seen, or heard about. The seeds of hatred, unforgiveness, pride, and superiority that were expressed by Hitler are just as alive and active in your heart. (PAUSE) (PAUSE) If your first reaction is... "No way! That's not true. I'm not as bad, and my heart is not at all like someone like Hitler..." Then you can see right now, what I am talking about... You immediately feel pride. I am better than Hitler. Now take that further. Because I have _______________ (a good education, am more productive, and more moral, more religious, etc)... I am "better than other people" I am not as bad as people who do ______________ things. If you don't embrace the pessimistic side of the coin that the Bible teaches it will always lead to pride. It might be religious pride (I am not like those sinful people) or irreligious pride (I don't need a crutch like those church people. I know better than to believe in such superstition.)
STORY: I was debating philosophy and religion with some old friends from high school on facebook last year. A friend of mine who is a Christian gave his opinion. And another good friend Doug, a strong willed atheist, gave his. The Christian saide, "Anyone who doesn't believe in God is both ignorant and immoral, and obviously oblivious to history..." Doug returned fire, "The pathetic need for the crutch of religion shows how weak minded and weak willed religious people really are. Science killed God over a century ago..." And the dialog went back and forth... But notice... Both of them felt arrogant. Superior to the other. One felt he was better than the other since he was so aware of God, so knowledgeable about history and morality... The other felt superior because he was so educated in science and was able to stand on his own two feet mentally...." One added "science and self will" to the exterior... The other added, "Morality and Religion to the exterior" Two extremes... One Problem.. Superiority.
Paul says that these attitudes put us in bondage. We are not free. We aren't allowing the "Gospel" to lead us to freedom. To make our hearts straight. In fact, Paul is asking us to walk straight. To align our hearts, our minds, our attitudes to the Gospel.
14 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel,
The word "straightforward" that Paul uses is orthopodeo. It is where we get the idea of "straight" Orthopedic. A straight back. Orthodonists. Straight teeth. Paul says, feelings of superiority will not surface in your heart if you are walking straight with the message of the Gospel. What is the message of the Gospel. It focuses on the interior, not the exterior. Which means that the real problem is not a lack of morality or religiosity, or education, or enlightenment. The real problem is that inside my heart is lustful, hateful, proud, and ungrateful. And I can't look down on anyone, because we are all in the same boat. Deeply inferior to God. And with those interior stains we lose the right to look down on others. However, if you struggle with inferiority. The Gospel says that because of what Christ did for you. You are superior. You are loved. you are valued. You are an heir to the God of the universe. And that value is based on what he's done, not what you do. So whatever "exterior" addition you put in your life is woefully silly and inadequate to what Christ has done. Your race, your nationality, your children's obedience, your moral checklist... don't give you meaning and purpose. And whatever they would give you would be pathetic in comparison to what God is offering you in Christ. This message... The Gospel is so freeing because, It both humbles and exalts. it both pulls the rug out from under me, while elevating me to heights I could never achieve... Not based on my exterior works, but His interior work.
STORY: I read a book called SuperFreakonomics last year. It was fascinating. It showed that our blindness to our own superiority is extremely serious. The human heart is prone to minimize it’s own uncleaness… and pretends it is better than it really is… A hospital in Vienna had a problem. Between 1841-1846, 20,000 babies were delivered and 2000 mothers died. 1 out of every 10. In 1846, it was 1 in every 6 that died. The facts were interesting. The Hospital had a 9.9% mortality rate, but the Midwives rate was much lower at 3.9. After months and months of research, they concluded that the doctors were the problem. Now this hospital was committed to research and thus they had doctors training and learning anatomy with cadavers. But this was all prior to germ theory, and poor hand washing skills, so what was happening is the doctors were transferring the "cadaverous particles" to the woman giving birth. They were the source of the problem. Their attempt to be a learning and cutting edge hospital was actually their greatest weakness... After this was discovered, the "plague was halted" and doctors and students disinfected their hands in chlorinated water after performing autopsies. The death rate fell to less than 1% overnight. However, even today, 44000-98000 Americans die each year from preventable hospital errors (The number one factor being Wound infection). The best remedy is still getting doctors to wash their hands. But over and over, despite education and focus on it, hand hygiene is just at 65%. Why? Why can’t we get doctors to wash their hands… Superfreakonomics writers says the reason is “Perception Deficit” During a 5 month study at an intensive care unit in Australia, doctors were asked to track their own hand washing… they reported 73% of the time…. Not perfect, but not terrible… However, the nurses were spying on them, and recorded the actual hand washing rate was 9%. How could that be? Paul Silka, an emergency room doctor serving as hospital’s chief of staff points to the second cause, Perception deficit and ARROGANCE. “The ego can kick in after you practice a while and say , “Hey I couldn’t be carrying the bad bugs. It’s other hospital personnel”
And that’s what happens when you are not straightforward with the Gospel. I’m not the problem. I do my part. I pull my weight in this marriage. My son or daughter would never do that… I would never forget to write a thank you note, I would never live in such a pig sty… I am not intolerant. I am not prejudice… And all that Exterior stuff we add… leads to Feeling superior… And thus our greatest strengths become our greatest enslavements. Our cleaning, Our education. Our expertise. Our Patience. Our Hospitality… Is the way we feel esteemed, valued, and respected…
And because of that, I overcome the other lie that leads to inferiority.
2. I am not fully loved and accepted yet--- Fear (Inferior)
The Other side of the message of Freedom is more positive, more powerful, more palatable than any message you've ever heard or will hear. The "good news" of freedom is that you have been sacrificially and graciously and powerfully loved….
I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Paul is saying, that we are fully and completely loved by God in Christ. And Christ can forgive you every thing you've ever done. He can make you fully and completely acceptable to God.... Now, if you don't believe that... if that truth and freedom is not living and breathing in your heart.. You will think, I am not fully loved and accepted YET... and you will add a "Yet"...
Unless I am a good mom
Unless my house is clean
Unless my kids are perfect
Unless my sales stay high
unless my reputation is untarnished.
Unless I am a good enough person...
etc
STORY: Do you remember that scene from Rocky I. When Rocky Balboa says… If I can make it 12 rounds with the champ, it will prove that I am not a bum. He needed to prove his worth, by going 12 rounds with the champ… He felt inferior until he met some arbitrary goal…
You see in all those statements it leads to fear... Fear I am not yet accepted. Not yet fully qualified... So... I live in fear. Fear like Peter had in previous verse... I don't yet know the truth of vs 16... That I am justified.... in Christ... Not by "what I do" "how others see me, etc"
16 we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified. ...21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”
SHAWSHANK: Notice that Paul says we are justified… It’s JUST-AS-IF-I’D never sinned in God’s eyes. I am innocent… And that innocence is the motivation to find freedom. It is the power over the false imprisonments around us. Remember shawshank redemption… Andy escapes from Prison… By tunneling out of his cell over time… but what was the motivation for his 14 year chiseling… The fact that He is innocent… When you realize that in Christ, you can be innocent, and justified, you are willing to crawl through the sewers of the lies of bondage, knowing you are cleaned by Christ…
Objection: I was talking with some folks in some small groups the past month. Many references the slide I showed 2 weeks ago, about not reversing this message… I showed that when you are unconditionally loved.. You will want to obey out of love… But when you reverse it, you are conditionally loved… And I showed that leads to pride, fear, and pressure… And several people emailed and talked to me saying something like… “If people really belived that.. No security in Performance, fear of reproccutions… No one would do anything… “ That’s where the “Grace” Works debate conversation usually occurs… As if they are in contradiction… But in both of these scenerios… we have people obeying… BUT BUT BUT BUT… the difference is THE MOTIVATION… In one I perform and work to “earn God’s love” In the other I work hard out of deep appreciation for the grace he gave me with the talents and opportunties I have. One I fear making others unhappy, the other I hope to pass on the happiness God gave me… But know I am under no pressure to make someone happy. You are now a high performer, but performing out of love, and a desire to please the Father who made you pleasing… rather than earn some never achieved sense of worth out of fear and pressure…
Conclusion: What's Stealing My Freedom?
Our freedom journey is about finding our “what” that is stealing our freedom. For Peter it was his race. His religiousness. His nationality. He added it to the exterior... Leading him to being enslaved to superiority, and withdrawing from others who were inferior. But you are I have similar messages within us. This is why I said that the Gospel focuses us on the Interior.
Example Racism : If someone is a racist, the normal instinct might be to say, "You're breaking the hatred rule. The racism rule..." But that's exterior. The real problem is interior. A racist is a person who is trying to "add" something to make themselves feel superior, and acceptable. It's Jesus, plus my race that makes me valuable. And worthy. A racist needs to realize he is saved by grace. That his racism is a form of "self justification" or "works" righteousness.
Example: Works If you are constantly having to measure up to others, it's because you having added something. And that something is enslaving you. You don't need to add "Being a good dad...' "Making a six figure income" "Having obedient kids" to grace to get your acceptance. Your worth. You don't need to add "a nice house, a car, a good reputation" to have value.... Freedom is walking straightforward in the message of the Gospel.
Example: Sex. You may be enslaved to sex. Lusting after pornography, premarital sex, an affair. And if you don’t get this message. You'll think it's an exterior problem. I broke some rules.... The Gospel message of freedom says, the problem is an interior one. It answers the why questions. you know why you keep doing it? Sex feeds the appetite of something within you. It's a way you feel accepted. Because you don't really know you are accepted by God. It's a way you find approval, since you don't really know you can be approved by God. It's a way you demonstrate your power.. See I can attract others. It's a way you prove your independence... My parents told me never to do this... It's a way you prove your alive.. Since you feel bored and unalive... All of these point back to the very thing that you thought would make you feel free, but actually have you enslaved...
This final song speaks to what we really want. This song is a message from God to you. If you are exploring Christ, this is a chance to say, “this is what you could have” Acceptance. No Condemnation. Etc..
If you are a Christ-follower, this is to remind you what you already have… You are already loved, accepted, etc… You don’t need Jesus plus “I perform” Jesus plus “my label” Grace plus “my good works” to be acceptable to God…
Song: IF THE SON HAS SET YOU FREE (Shawshank)
NEWSBOYS: I AM FREE
