I Reckon So - The Freedom of Reckoning

Robert Tyson
This sermon series has been an outstanding series that will bring hope, peace, and understanding to you. It is my hope that you will find yourself free indeed!
When I heard the series name "I Reckon So," I could just hear Clint Eastwood saying it. The way he says it has a reassuring peace and confirmation to it. Today's message will bring that same reassuring peace and confirmation to you. Matt started out talking about the Declaration of Independence and the 13 colonies declaring their break from British rule. They were expressing their freedom from British rule, and we are celebrating our freedom today. How fitting that we are talking about our Freedom in Christ.
Matt mentioned that June 19 was a national holiday celebrating the Emancipation Proclamation. The Emancipation Proclamation was signed and adopted by Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, and two and half years late (June 19, 1865), in Galveston Tx, the slaves learned that they were free. Two and half years before, they had been set free. However, they did not know it. They were still under the rule of the slave owner, but once they found out that they were free, it changed everything; they were free indeed.
Many Christians have lived in similar bondage; we have spent years under the shadow of sin—religion, preachers, teachers, and ministers have put the demands of the law on you. Because of that, you were under the slavery of sin. We did not understand that we were free in Christ, that we were free indeed.

A greater understanding of being free and growing in grace will help you get off the hamster wheel of being a slave to sin

You see, I was that way most of my Christian life. The demand of the law weighed me down and filled me full of doubt, worry, and fear. Fear that I was a sinner and fear that I could not keep the law that put me at odds with God. Fear that God was mad at me and that I could not please Him. I was exhausted from all of my efforts. It was one big hamster wheel that kept me from growing and knowing that I was free indeed. I did not know who I was in Christ! "Know" is the keyword here. I was like the slaves in Galveston; I was free but did not know it. I was still under the demands of the law, and I was still under the slavery of sin. At least that's what I thought, plain and simple. I did not know. I did not understand. There is a process of growing and knowing you are free. That process begins when you understand that you have been set free from the power of sin in your life and it is because of what God did for you on the cross.
The songs we sang on Sunday were outstanding and fit perfectly with the message—but don't they always. I am amazed how the songs match up with the message every Sunday. I am so thankful for David and the band. They do a wonderful job and we are so thankful for them.
The first song, "Who You Say I Am" has the line that comes from John 8: "Who the Son sets free oh is free indeed!"
The second song was a new song, "I Thank God." It has the line "Forever Free; I am not the same Thank the Master I thank the Savior" and the line
"Hell lost another one I am free, I am free, I am free."
The third song "It Is Finished" has the line
"The cross is my new beginni
The end of all my striving
The cross needs no addition
It is done it is finished Christ has won
He is risen Grace is he
Love has triumphed over death Forever"
WOW, what absolute truths that point us to the finished work of Christ. There is freedom in Christ. Something happened to us in our lives that caused us to be free.
Matt took us to Romans. The book of Romans is a great study, and you will want to spend some time in it. You will be thankful that you did.
Romans 6:6-7 points out what happened at the cross. We are no longer slaves to sin, for he who has died is freed from sin. Tense is something that I have learned at Heritage. It is especially important to us in helping us understand the Bible.
Romans 6:16-18; You have been set free whether you know it or not. You were united with Christ in His death, His burial, and His resurrection. What you believe and became obedient from the heart is faith in Christ.  The point of belief is growing in the knowledge and wisdom of what it is and what it means to have died with Christ. You were set free whether you know it or not.
We then went to Romans 8:2; The law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. A greater understanding of being free and growing in grace will help you get off the hamster wheel of being a slave to sin. Matt took us to Romans 7:17-20 and Galatians 2:20, which tells us, "I am crucified with Christ Nevertheless I live but Not I, but Christ lives in me." Game set and match. Game changer for sure. It is not you, but it is Christ in you. It is not your life but Christ in you.
I remember the first time that someone told me that there was resurrection power in me. Really? Resurrection power in me? I was struggling and having a hard time, and I found out that there is resurrection power in me? How is this possible? Because of Christ in me! Wow! When I realized this to be true, I reckoned it to be true. This whole series is about Reckoning truths to be true. There is power in the newness of life. Colossians 3: 5-10 leads us to consider the members of your earthly body to be dead. Notice again, we went back to Romans, Romans 6:12-13 says to grow in knowledge since you have been crucified and set free from sin. 
You must understand and know that you are free, not under the law but under grace. I am so thankful for Heritage. I did not understand that I was free until I came to Heritage. Once I heard the grace message and how to rightly divide the word, I began to better understand who I am in Christ and Christ is in me. It was a game-changer. A life-changer. Matt referenced Martin Luther King and his message. As Christians, we can use this same proclamation.
I look forward to the time in each of your lives that you have gained full knowledge and understanding of the words spoken by Dr. King.   
"Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty we are free at last."
Free from the slavery of sin and free in Christ.
I reckon so!!!

No Comments


Recent

Archive

Categories

Tags