Sandra Francis worships at the Renewed Hope Community. The Renewed Hope Community is situated in the heart of the city between Old and New Panvel. We can confidently share that Renewed Hope Community is a Church in Kamothe, Church in Khandeshwar, Church in Khanda Colony, Church in Karanjade, Church in Panvel, Church in New Panvel, Church in Karanjade because we are centrally located and these places surround our church Venue.
Virjil Selvan worships at the Renewed Hope Community. The Renewed Hope Community is situated in the heart of the city between Old and New Panvel. We can confidently share that Renewed Hope Community is a Church in Kamothe, Church in Khandeshwar, Church in Khanda Colony, Church in Karanjade, Church in Panvel, Church in New Panvel, Church in Karanjade because we are centrally located and these places surround our church Venue.
Sandra worships at the Renewed Hope Community. The Renewed Hope Community is situated in the heart of the city between Old and New Panvel. We can confidently share that Renewed Hope Community is a Church in Kamothe, Church in Khandeshwar, Church in Khanda Colony, Church in Karanjade, Church in Panvel, Church in New Panvel, Church in Karanjade because we are centrally located and these places surround our church Venue.
Virjil worships at the Renewed Hope Community. The Renewed Hope Community is situated in the heart of the city between Old and New Panvel. We can confidently share that Renewed Hope Community is a Church in Kamothe, Church in Khandeshwar, Church in Khanda Colony, Church in Karanjade, Church in Panvel, Church in New Panvel, Church in Karanjade because we are centrally located and these places surround our church Venue.
Last few weeks we have been hearing about Freedom in Christ and as an Individual, how we can operate in freedom. Today we will be looking at the family aspect in which we can exercise our freedom. I pray that God will give us a refresh perspective on freedom of God in our family.
Now to understand better, let me ask you a few questions:
Is your child free? Or are your children experiencing freedom in the family?
Is your spouse experiencing freedom? Lot of mixed thoughts and perspective.
Today, I will be touching on the aspect of Freedom that we have within our family that God has planned for us.
Definition: Freedom is the difference between doing what the rule says and knowing what it means when we have freedom in Christ we understand God.
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Philippians 2: 1- 8
Do we see the above verse as liberating or enslaving?
According to Jesus every person is enslaved to desires and behaviours that drive us to hurt each other and which destroys our relationship with God.
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.”
33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”
34 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8: 31 – 36.
Hence to experience and act in freedom we need to be united in Christ and we need to have the same mindset as Christ.
When we become likeminded with Jesus there are a few changes that take place.
Two important facets that we can apply from the above verse is as follows:
To function as a healthy Christian we need to experience the inner change. Many times we have heard family members saying, He / She comes to church but they are misbehaved at home. They spend the whole day reading the bible but they don’t even help out with the household chores.
Inner Change – Freedom to bless our families through what God has done in our lives. If we are still enslaved by the desires of our flesh and if there is no change, then we need to relook.
How does that work?
Imagine a child playing in a ground, but ahead of it is a road where vehicles pass by. We will instruct the child that play in a certain area, don’t go towards the road. However, if the child submits in other words pays attention to the guidance, he will enjoy the freedom to play in the ground. However, if he feels there is no need to submit to my parents, I am free to take my own decisions, then we can imagine the consequences.
7 During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8 Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him 10 and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 5: 7 – 10
Freedom is interdependent and not Independent
Agreed or disagreed
First let’s take independence
Second is Interdependent
21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing[b] her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body.
Ephesian 5: 21 – 30
Once we understand this interdependency, how do we live like a Family that is saved and restored by Jesus Christ. How do we live a Gospel lead life in our family? How do we live in freedom in our families?
CULTURE OF THE GOSPEL
Serving Others
13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh[a]; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Galatians 5:13,14
How do we love?
Loving Others
Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6: 1 – 2
Forgiving Others
9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Galatians 6: 9 – 10
Experiencing the Joy and fulfilment in forgiving others.
There is a third facet that I would also like to touch upon is that we have the Freedom of choices
16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. 17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. 1 Peter 2: 16 – 17
Choices of Words that I use in my family
I have the freedom to use words but freedom to choose which kind of words matter.
Choices of Attitude
I have the freedom to walk away from any relationship, but the choice to stay and work is the attitude that matters.
Choices of my behaviour
I have the freedom to behave the way I want but I choice to behave Christ – like matters.
Although the other person may not be mature spiritually enough to understand but my behaviour will enable to take them along and help them to know the gospel.
An unbelieving spouse is sanctified by their believing spouse.
Choices of my decision
I have the freedom to make my own decisions but the choice to submit matters.
Abraham gave the choice to Lot, although being the head of the family, he allowed his nephew to choose.
8 So Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herders and mine, for we are close relatives. 9 Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.” Genesis 13: 8 – 9
Another example is Cornelius – 24 The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. 26 But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.” Acts 10: 24 – 26
We have the choice to bring freedom into our families. Bring Salvation into our families
16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate[a] the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3: 16 – 17
Can we boldly proclaim that the Spirit of the Lord is there in our family and we are the source of that freedom? How does Freedom in my family look like – dependent, independent or interdependent?
Three Facets – 1. Inner Change; 2. Submission 3. Choices
Let’s remember:
7 For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. 8 If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.
10 You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister[a]? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. 11 It is written:
“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will acknowledge God.’”[b]
12 So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.
Romans 14: 7 – 12
God will surely ask us for an account of the Family that He has entrusted us with, whether we are a husband, wife, children or Parents.
In our family we set the culture of Freedom in the Gospel and not outside the Gospel.
Sandra worships at the Renewed Hope Community. The Renewed Hope Community is situated in the heart of the city between Old and New Panvel. We can confidently share that Renewed Hope Community is a Church in Kamothe, Church in Khandeshwar, Church in Khanda Colony, Church in Karanjade, Church in Panvel, Church in New Panvel, Church in Karanjade because we are centrally located and these places surround our church Venue.
Virjil Selvan worships at the Renewed Hope Community. The Renewed Hope Community is situated in the heart of the city between Old and New Panvel. We can confidently share that Renewed Hope Community is a Church in Kamothe, Church in Khandeshwar, Church in Khanda Colony, Church in Karanjade, Church in Panvel, Church in New Panvel, Church in Karanjade because we are centrally located and these places surround our church Venue.
Sandra worships at the Renewed Hope Community. The Renewed Hope Community is situated in the heart of the city between Old and New Panvel. We can confidently share that Renewed Hope Community is a Church in Kamothe, Church in Khandeshwar, Church in Khanda Colony, Church in Karanjade, Church in Panvel, Church in New Panvel, Church in Karanjade because we are centrally located and these places surround our church Venue.
Virjil Selvan worships at the Renewed Hope Community. The Renewed Hope Community is situated in the heart of the city between Old and New Panvel. We can confidently share that Renewed Hope Community is a Church in Kamothe, Church in Khandeshwar, Church in Khanda Colony, Church in Karanjade, Church in Panvel, Church in New Panvel, Church in Karanjade because we are centrally located and these places surround our church Venue.
Glady worships at the Renewed Hope Community. The Renewed Hope Community is situated in the heart of the city between Old and New Panvel. We can confidently share that Renewed Hope Community is a Church in Kamothe, Church in Khandeshwar, Church in Khanda Colony, Church in Karanjade, Church in Panvel, Church in New Panvel, Church in Karanjade because we are centrally located and these places surround our church Venue.
PaulAnand worships at the Renewed Hope Community. The Renewed Hope Community is situated in the heart of the city between Old and New Panvel. We can confidently share that Renewed Hope Community is a Church in Kamothe, Church in Khandeshwar, Church in Khanda Colony, Church in Karanjade, Church in Panvel, Church in New Panvel, Church in Karanjade because we are centrally located and these places surround our church Venue.
