Freedom Follows Following: Dwelling With the Truth

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Sermon Notes

John 8:31,32. “31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 

Freedom isn’t the absence of something, it’s the presence of someone. 

Freedom is more than a destination to get to it’s a person to dwell in. 

• We have been freed from sin but Satan still tempts us. 
• We have not been given a spirit of fear but Satan still tries to intimidate us. 
• We are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus but Satan still fights us. 

3 Central Paths to Captivity

1. Born into it
   1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 
    
2. Overpowered
   Psalm 1:1-4 Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, 2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law, day and night. 3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.
    
3. Fall into it
   Hosea 4:6 “my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. “Because you have rejected knowledge,” Freedom then would be connected to the reception of knowledge – reception of Jesus’ Words.

Bible Facts

• The Bible is Truth Not Fiction. 
• The Bible isn’t the ramblings of men but the very words of God. 

2 Peter 1:12-21 12 So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. 13 I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, 14 because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things. 16 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. 19 We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

• The Bible isn’t a random collection of stories it’s a unified path to freedom. 

2 Timothy 10-17 10 You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 11 persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. 12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,13 while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Standing in the Way of Truth/Freedom

• Independence
• Ignorance 
• Arrogance 

How to follow the reading plan

1. Sign up for the Daily Bible Reading email at www.gatewayfranklin.com/freedom
2. Visit www.gatewayfranklin.com/freedom each day

What can you expect from the Word of God?

1. The Word of God is an eternal living word.
2. The Word of God is a presence word. 
3. The Word of God is a directional word. 
4. The Word of God is a powerful word. 

How do I approach reading the Word of God? Be OCD.

1. O – Open heart and Open mind. 
2. C – Comprehension is the Goal. 
         A) Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand. 
         B) Discover the context. 
         C) Stay there awhile. 
         D) Write it down. 
3. D – Be Determined to Follow It.  

James 1:22-24 22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.