Freedom

Psalm 119:45 (Galatians)

"I will walk in freedom, for I have devoted myself to your commandments." (NLT)

"Give me liberty or give me death!" These famous immortal words were the conclusion of one of the best speeches in history. They were uttered with the utmost of passion and earnestness in 1775 by Patrick Henry, a month before the start of the Revolutionary War against the expansive policies of the British Empire. Henry's extended quote says, "I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!" It might be the words that most exemplify who an American is at his or her very core. It likely also expresses the utmost cry of every living human being.

Theme: Give me freedom or give me death. 

Freedom may be a universal word that all human beings without exception love. It is also the kind of life that all human beings crave for. Will any sane person ever say in all earnestness, "You know, I really want to live as a slave. That's really what I want"?

In our sermon series on Practical Christian Living--the ABCs, the themes covered have been A is for Accountability, B is for Beauty, C is for Community, D is for Delight, E is for Experience and F is for Father. Today we consider freedom, which may be an utmost desire of every living person.

Consider:

1. Why we crave freedom
2. How we lose freedom
3. When we misunderstand freedom
4. What real freedom is

Questions:

1.    Why do all people crave freedom (Gen 2:16)?

2.    How do people lose their freedom, usually without realizing it (Jn 8:34)?

3.    How is freedom misunderstood (Gen 2:16-17)?

4.    How is real freedom attained (Gal 5:1; 2 Cor 3:17; Jn 8:31-32)?

Why legalism is contrary to freedom:

1. Who was Paul angry with in Galatians and why (Gal 1:6; 3:1, 3; 4:10; 5:2, 4; 1:7, 9; 2:4; 5:10, 12; 6:12-13)?
2. What false teaching was Paul combating in Galatians (Gal 1:6-9; 3:1-5; 5:7-12)? What is the result of such false teaching (Gal 2:4)? What might equivalent false teachings be today?
3. What legalistic practices did the false teachers add to the gospel (Gal 5:2-3; 2:12, 14; 4:10)? How might we add to the gospel today? Why is this a false gospel (Gal 1:3-5; 2:16)?
4. What does Paul count for nothing (Gal 6:15a)? What is of utmost importance (Gal 6:14, 15b)?