We’ve been talking about Freedom and the opportunity God has given us to Live Free!

What a blessing to be physically free and spiritually free!

God has the best plan for true freedom!

God’s Plan The Spirit of God The Word of God The Love of God

We need to be filled with the Spirit of God, transformed by the Word of God and overwhelmed or grounded in the Love of God.

We’ve looked at several freedom passages!

Scriptures John 8:31-32 Galatians 5:1, 13 James 1:12-17 Matthew 4:1-11

Scriptures Colossians 2:13-15 Isaiah 14:16-17 Romans 6 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 John 4:1-42

We looked at the 8 R’s to Freedom!

We declared that in Christ we are Free to Love and Free to Forgive.

We are Free to Worship and Free to Share Jesus.

Today, I want to talk about the fact that we are Free to Protect and Free to Serve.

Protect the Unity of the Body!

Ephesians 4

Ephesians 4:1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,

Ephesians 4:2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love,

Ephesians 4:3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

What is Unity?

Unity: Oneness!

We may have many members, but we are one body.

1 Corinthians 1:10-13

1 Corinthians 1:10 Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made

1 Corinthians 1:10 complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.

1 Corinthians 1:11 For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you.

1 Corinthians 1:12 Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.”

1 Corinthians 1:13 Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

How can we intentionally protect the unity of the Body of Christ?

Pray!

Promote Unity!

Stay away from gossip!

Redirect Brothers and Sisters to Jesus and His Word!

Encourage them!

Pray with them!

Help them!

Refuse to Stir the Pot!

2 Timothy 2:22 Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

2 Timothy 2:23 But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels.

2 Timothy 2:24 The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged,

2 Timothy 2:25 with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,

2 Timothy 2:26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.

Make it your priority to protect the unity of the body!

Serve the Body in Love!

Romans 12

Romans 12:3 For though the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have

Romans 12:3 sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.

Romans 12:4 For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function,

Romans 12:5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

Romans 12:6 Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion

Romans 12:6-7 of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching;

Romans 12:8 or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

Romans 12:9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor evil; cling to what is good.

Romans 12:10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor;

Romans 12:11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;

Romans 12:12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer,

Romans 12:13 contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.

What does it mean to serve?

Serve: to be of use, helpful, assisting others.

1 Corinthians 12:27-31

Corinthians 12:27 Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.

Corinthians 12:28 And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations,

Corinthians 12:28 various kinds of tongues.

Corinthians 12:29 All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they?

Corinthians 12:30 All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they?

Corinthians 12:31 But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I show you a still more excellent way.

What is the more excellent way?

Love!

1 Peter 4:8 Above all, keep fervent on your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.

How can we intentionally serve the Body of Christ?

Be thankful for everybody’s giftings and service!

Discover your own giftings and help others to do the same!

Be willing to serve and jump in to lend a hand.

Celebrate everybody’s giftings and encourage their service!

Serve as unto the Lord!