FreeWay Slave or Son

Nov/24/13 10:00
Freeway
Week 4 in the Free Way series.
FreeWay Slave or Son

FreeWay Slave or Son





The child of grace lives by the power of the Spirit. This child relies on God's ability, not his own. This does not mean there is a lack of activity, but the activity is motivated by and empowered by the Spirit.

The child of the ordinary lives and dies by the working of the flesh. Doubt and depression follow because before long the problems of life become bigger than the ability of men and women to solve.

• comparison with others
• never secure in the father's love
• a scarcity mentality
How does sin entangle a person?
• Sin is always centered on self. Self reliance, self actualization, self gratification. This inward focus demoralizes a person eventually. I use this word as a double entandra. Sin is immorality. And a lack of morals causes a person to fall into a death spiral.
How can I stand in freedom?
• When I am confronted with my own sin, I run to Jesus. I don't try to justify my actions, but I repent. I admit my need for Jesus to forgive me and cleanse me from my sin. He can and will deliver me.
• I learn that every time I am confronted with a problem bigger than me, there is an opportunity for God's Spirit to come alive, but I have to trust Him. I have to put Him in control.
• I have to wait and watch for God to show up.



Galatians 4:28

You Are A Child of Promise



Luke 15:11–32

The well known parable that Jesus shared shows the heart of the Father and the way that many people chose to live, not as sons, but as slaves.

A man had two sons, the younger of which came to him one day demanding his inheritance to be paid immediately. The Father gave him the money and the son left and when and spent all he had on wild living. Things got tough, the younger son was out of money and found himself working to feed pigs. In fact he longed for the food that was given to the pigs. Please understand that for a jewish (kosher) audience, this is saying this guy fell as low as a man can fall.

Finally the younger son came to his senses. He said to himself, even my Father's slaves eat better than this. He decided to return home and try to get a job with his father. He rehearsed the speech he would give on the way home. I can just picture him talking to himself as he walked the humble highway home.

While he was a long way off, the father saw him and ran towards him. He embraced his son and ordered a party to be given because his lost son had been found.

Did you notice I said while he was a long way off. That means you might feel like you are a long way off but you are not too far from God because God is looking for you. He is the seeking father.

Did you notice the father ran towards him? First of all, some people think that what you have been involved in might have God running away, but God loves you more than you loved your life of sin and selfishness. Secondly, a father running, probably in a tunic or robe. This doesn't seem very dignified. But the father dignifies you with His great love.

Although the son saw himself as a slave at best the father still considered him a son and worthy of the love of the father.

What is interesting is the older son also had a slave mentality. His idea was that he had earned more. And he was trapped in performance and comparison mode.



Slave or Son


1. You can be a slave to sin or a slave to the law. Either way you are still a slave.
2. Slaves to law are slaves to performance oriented relationship. God's love for you is not based on your performance or your actions, but upon God's decision and action. God so loved the world that He gave.
3. The way out of slavery is to know the Father's heart.
4. Slaves compare themselves to each other and compete with each other. A son that knows the heart of Father recognizes there is not a shortage of grace or favor. There is plenty of blessing to go around.



Galatians 4:29

The child of the ordinary will always persecute the child of grace.



Galatians 5:1

How does the law (performance driven life) burden a person?