The Lord S Free Man

“THE LORD’S FREE MAN” 1 CORINTHIANS 7:22 INTRO: Freedom is something that every American cherishes. We truly are a blessed Nation. God has richly blessed American and continues to do so in spite of the spiritual condition of our people. No other Nation enjoys the freedoms we enjoy. But as wonderful as it is to enjoy the blessing of living in a free society there is an even greater blessing. That blessing is to be free from the burden of sin. In our text, Paul speaks of “the Lord’s freeman”. Friends, each of us at one time where in the bondage of sin and Satan but PRAISE THE LORD! His grace has set us free! The Lord’s freeman is one whom the Lord has redeemed from Satan, and made his own (AN EXPOSITION OF I CORINTHIANS by Charles Hodge. Copyright 1997. AGES Software. Albany. OR). According to the Word of God every believer is free in Christ. Jesus said in John 8:32—“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” And in v36 of that same chapter He promises—“If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” Paul wrote in Romans 6:6-7—“Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.” He continues in vv. 16-22—“Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.” Friday we celebrated our freedom as a Country. But I wonder how many thought of God in their celebration? Friends, this Nation is blessed only because God has saw fit to bless her! I also wonder how many today can true say they are one of “the Lord’s freeman”? I want us to consider “the Lord’s freeman” today: His position, privilege, and practice. Note with me: (1) WHAT IS THE LORD’S FREE MAN FREED FROM? GALATIANS 5:1—“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” A. HE IS FREED FROM THE BONDAGE OF THE PAST. The deliverance of the Israelites from Egyptian bondage is a type of the believer’s deliverance from the bondage of sin. Sin no longer should have the dominion over the believer because Christ has made us free. Paul said in Romans 6:14—“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” God “in the death of Christ, has provided pardon for all that is past, and grace to help in every time of need.” (CLARKE’S COMMENTARY NT, VOLUME 6A: ROMANS – COLOSSIANS by Adam Clarke. Copyright 1997. AGES Software. Albany. OR). Friends, sin keeps us in bondage but grace sets us free! ILLUS: At the close of an important speech to Congress on January 6, 1941 President Franklin D. Roosevelt shared his vision of the kind of world he wanted to see after the war in Europe was over. He spoke of four basic freedoms which should be enjoyed by all people: freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. Of course, World War II exploded far beyond Europe, and the world never achieved Roosevelt's ideal. Even if it did, however, we should still desperately need another freedom the president didn't mention: freedom from ourselves and the tyranny of our sinful nature. (Bible Illustrator for Windows. Version 3.0f. Copyright 1990-1998. Parsons Technology, Inc. All Rights Reserved). B. HE IS FREED FROM THE GUILT OF THE PRESENT. We are free to serve the Lord because what Christ accomplished for us on the Cross! WE are:  NOW CLEAN (ISAIAH 1:18). Thank the Lord “there is a fountain filled with blood, drawn from Immanuel’s veins, and sinners plunged beneath that flood, lose all their guilty stains”! According to 1 John 1:7—“the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” Martin Luther had a dream in which he stood on the day of judgment before God Himself--and Satan was there to accuse him. When Satan opened his books full of accusations, he pointed to transgression after transgression of which Luther was guilty. As the proceedings went on, Luther's heart sunk in despair. Then he remembered the cross of Christ--and turning upon Satan, he said, "There is one entry which you have not made, Satan." The Devil retorted, "What is that?" And Luther answered, "It is this--the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sins." (James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, 1988) pp. 67-68).  NOT CONDEMNED (JOHN 3:18; ROMANS 8:1). What a wonderful blessing this verse speaks of! Those who are in Christ are not exposed to condemnation… this… is… They are placed beyond the reach of condemnation. They shall never be condemned. (COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS by Charles Hodge. Copyright 1997. AGES Software. Albany. OR). C. HE IS FREED FROM THE FEAR OF THE FUTURE. The psalmist said in Psalm 23:6—“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.” This means for the believer:  THERE IS NO FEAR OF DEATH (PSALM 23:4). The sting of death has been removed only the shadow remains. Matthew Henry wrote: “death lies like a dark valley that must be passed in going from one to the other. But even in this there are words which lessen the terror. It is but the shadow of death: the shadow of a serpent will not sting, nor the shadow of a sword kill. It is a valley, deep indeed, and dark, and miry; but valleys are often fruitful, and so is death itself fruitful of comforts to God’s people. It is a walk through it: they shall not be lost in this valley, but get safe to the mountain on the other side. Death is a king of terrors, but not to the sheep of Christ. When they come to die, God will rebuke the enemy; he will guide them with his rod, and sustain them with his staff. There is enough in the gospel to comfort the saints when dying, and underneath them are the everlasting arms.” (MATTHEW HENRY’S COMMENTARY ON THE WHOLE BIBLE CONDENSED VERSION by Matthew Henry. Copyright 1997. AGES Software. Albany. OR).  THERE IS NO FEAR OF JUDGMENT (JOHN 5:24). The Scripture here says we have “passed from death unto life.” Because we have been freed from sin by faith in Jesus Christ we are longer under condemnation. Paul said in Colossians 1:13 that all who believe God “…hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.”  THERE IS NO FEAR OF ETERNITY (PSALM 23:6b). “I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.” “A servant abideth not in the house for ever, but the son abideth ever.” While I am here I will be a child at home with my God; the whole world shall be his house to me; and when I ascend into the upper chamber I shall not change my company, nor even change the house; I shall only go to dwell in the upper storey of the house of the Lord for ever. (Charles H. Spurgeon. The Treasury of David. e-Sword. Version 7.9.8. Copyright 2000- 2008. Rick Meyers. All Rights Reserved Worldwide). WHAT IS THE LORD’S FREE MAN FREED FROM? BONDAGE, GUILT, and FEAR but let us also consider… (2) WHAT IS THE LORD’S FREE MAN FREED WITH? ROMANS 8:1-4—“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” A. THE COST. Friends, freedom always carries with it a great price tag. Our Nation’s freedom cost the sons of the Revolution their very life’s blood. The black man’s freedom cost the human blood of the Civil War. The believer’s freedom from sin cost the precious blood of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:18- 21—“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.” B. THE CHARACTER. The Scripture assures us that we are freed through “the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” But the question is, “What kind of blood is this? What makes it so unique?” Well it is:  INNOCENT BLOOD. The blood of Christ was perfect blood. It was not tainted by sin. 1 Peter 1:22-25 tells us speaking of Christ—“Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”  VOLUNTARY BLOOD. Christ freely shed His blood for us that we might be partakers of the divine nature and spend eternity with Him in Heaven.  PRECIOUS BLOOD. The high call for godly living makes sense in light of the price that was paid for our redemption. We weren’t saved by the precious blood of Jesus to then live as if we were garbage. (Guzik Commentary. e-Sword. Version 7.9.8. Copyright 2000-2008. Rick Meyers. All Rights Reserved Worldwide).

WHAT IS THE LORD’S FREE MAN FREED FROM? : BONDAGE, GUILT, and FEAR. WHAT IS THE LORD’S FREE MAN FREED WITH? : THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST and finally… (3) WHAT IS THE LORD’S FREE MAN FREED FOR? 1 CORINTHIANS 7:22—“For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord’s freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant.” EPHESIANS 2:8-10—“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” A. HE IS FREED FOR GOD’S GLORY. Because of the GREAT price paid for our redemption we are as “the Lord’s freeman” to bring glory and honor to our Lord and Saviour. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20—“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” We are called according to Ephesians 1:12—“That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.” Let us thus think often that our only business in this life is to please God. (Brother Lawrence, Leadership, Vol. 1, no. 2). B. HE IS FREED FOR CHRIST’S SERVICE. Paul says in our text—“…he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant.” When we by faith receive Christ Jesus as our Lord and Saviour we should consider ourselves servants of the Lord. We belong to Him and when we faithfully and fervently serve the Lord we discover that serving Him is perfect freedom! ILLUS: A charge to keep I have, A God to glorify. A never dying soul to save, And fit it for the sky. To serve the present age, My calling to fulfill; O may it all my powers engage, To do my Master's will. (Lowell Mason, set to music by Charles Wesley, from Leadership, Vol. 8, no. 4).

Freedom does not mean I am able to do whatever I want to do. That's the worst kind of bondage. Freedom means I have been set free to become all that God wants me to be, to achieve all that God wants me to achieve, to enjoy all that God wants me to enjoy. --Warren W. Wiersbe (1929- ) (Edythe Draper, Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1992). Entry #4122). C. HE IS FREED FOR THE SPIRIT’S POSSESSION. As the Holy Spirit indwells we are infused with God’s power. Acts 1:8 tells us—“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Daily we must draw on His power and fulfill God’s purpose for us. ILLUS: A city dweller moved to a farm and bought a cow. Shortly after he did, the cow went dry. When he reported this fact to a neighbor farmer, the farmer expressed surprise. The city man said he was surprised too. "I can't understand it either, for if ever a person was considerate of an animal, I was of that cow. If I didn't need any milk, I didn't milk her. If I only needed a quart, I only took a quart." The farmer tried to explain that the only way to keep milk flowing is not to take as little as possible from the cow, but to take as much as possible. Is that not also true of the Christian life? Those who only turn to God in need miss the real joy that flows from a daily infilling of His Spirit. (Bible Illustrator for Windows. Version 3.0f. Copyright 1990-1998. Parsons Technology, Inc. All Rights Reserved). CLOSING: Friend, Are you one of “the Lord’s free man”? Someone said, “A person can be free even within prison walls. Freedom is something spiritual. Whoever has once had it, can never lose it. There are some people who are never free outside a prison. The body can be bound with chains, the spirit never. One's thoughts are free.”— Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956) (Bible Illustrator for Windows. Version 3.0f. Copyright 1990-1998. Parsons Technology, Inc. All Rights Reserved).

“The Lord’s Free Man” has been freed from BONDAGE, GUILT, and FEAR, has been freed with THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST, and has been freed for GOD’S GLORY, CHRIST’S SERVICE, and FOR THE SPIRIT’S POSSESSION. The song writer wrote:

Thank God I am free, free, free from this world of sin, Washed in the blood of Jesus, I've been born again; Hallelujah, I'm saved, saved, saved by His wonderful grace. I'm so glad that I found out He would bring me out and show me the way. (http://www.familyreunionmusic.com/article.php?id=287) Friend, Can you say that today? PREPARED BY BROTHER BRYAN L. BROWNING, PASTOR OF BEECHMONT BAPTIST CHURCH, BEECHMONT, KY FOR SUNDAY MORNING, JULY 6, 2008.