5 You don t get free and come to Jesus; you come to. 6 Jesus gives us hope, calls us out, and sets us loose.

Transcription

1 1 This lesson reminds us that Easter is not a day but a lifestyle. Jesus did not die and rise again so that we could shuffle through life. He came to redeem us and to release us to be who we were created to be Alive + Free! 1 Easter is a person, not just a doctrine; and it s always easier to acknowledge a doctrine than it is to surrender to a person. Easter is a person to trust. Read John 11:2526. Jesus said I am the resurrection and the life. What was Jesus asking when he said Do you believe this? 2 Read John 11: Never put a period where God puts a comma. God is no respecter of stones, but He is the redeemer of those trapped behind them. What are some other examples of fourth day moments in the Bible where God refused to allow decay to win the day? 3 We must realize that Jesus found all of us just like he found Lazarus dead! Read Ephesians 2:1-5. In what way is salvation a resurrection miracle? Why can salvation only be by grace only? 4 Read John 11:44. Lazarus was raised from the dead but still bound by grave clothes. Is it possible to have new life in Christ but still imprisoned by the old life of death? 1 April You don t get free and come to Jesus; you come to Jesus and get free. Freedom is the capacity to be who you are recreated in Christ to be. What did Rick mean by that? 6 Jesus gives us hope, calls us out, and sets us loose. However, many believers, even though they have been raised to life, are still wrapped in the garb of death. They are still bound by the fashions of their old life. What are the areas where Christians most need to experience freedom in Christ? 7 Many of us have experienced freedom in Christ in an area long after we were saved. Encourage one another by sharing some of those stories. ACTION STEP Easter is a person to trust and freedom is a promise to wear. This week reflect on this scripture, He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone (1 Timothy 2:6, NLT). Write down one thing that is still holding you in bondage. Talk to Jesus about it and share it with a friend. Stop listening to the voice of bondage and start listening to the voice of Jesus. ALIVE + FREE Free For All! (Lazarus)

2 2 Much of the groaning and frustration in the world is actually an unconscious homesickness for the way things were created to be. The resurrection of Jesus is heaven s declaration that things on earth will be made right again. But Jesus resurrection also offers the promise and the power to start being who we were created to be right now. We can start today to experience the liberation that is coming one day. We can begin heading home free. 1 The hardest chains to break are the ones that are never acknowledged. I don t have a problem is almost always a problem. The path to freedom cannot shortcut ruthless personal honesty. What are some of the most common ways that we deny that we are in bondage? 2 Most people don t deny freedom s necessity; they deny its possibility. It is tempting to just accept bondage as normal. Why is that incongruent with the implications of the resurrection of Jesus? Read Romans 7: What encouragement does Paul give us? 3 Read Luke 15:17-20a. The battle for freedom must first be won in the mind. Behind all loss of freedom is a lie. What are some of the big lies behind the common bondages to lust, drugs and alcohol, materialism, shame and guilt, etc.? 5 You cannot blame your way to freedom. Freedom is first of all an inside job. Reflect on Paul and Silas in prison in Acts 16. How is it possible to be free in the midst of difficult circumstances? 6 Many people in bondage allow where they are to become who they are. Read Luke 15:20b-24. The prodigal son heads home with his hired servant plan. But God only lets his children return one way home free. In what ways can slavery become our identity? Why is claiming our true identity in Christ freedom s first step? ACTION STEP Have you claimed your true identity in Christ? Don t let the world tell you who you are; let your Father tell you who you are. You are not who you used to be, but you are who He recreated you in Christ Jesus to be. God is doing a work in you more powerful than any chain, so claim it by faith and start walking in freedom (not as a slave but as His child). This week read Luke 15:11-24 each day and give thanks to your Father that He isn t just wanting you home; He s wanting you home free. What do you need to stop and start doing today? 4 There is no breakout without a breakthrough in your thinking. Can you think of a time when you had a breakthrough in thinking that led to freedom? Explain. 2 April ALIVE + FREE Home Free (Prodigal Son)

3 3 This series is reminding us that the resurrection of Jesus means we do not have to stay entombed as we await his return. The gospel declares that we can be Alive + Free. So, we must change our minds about the reality of liberation. And that means our minds must change, because freedom s fight is launched from headquarters. 1 What insight, principle or observation from this lesson did you find to be most helpful, or eye-opening? Explain. 2 Behind all bondage is a lie that is usually hard to see. And behind all lies is a liar who is definitely hard to see. Satan s primary strategy has always been deception. Read Genesis 3:1-7 and 2 Corinthians 11:3. What are some of the lies Satan planted to lead Eve s mind astray? How does he do the same with us? 3 If we don t take Satan s lies captive, we will be taken captive by them. You cannot abolish slavery until you demolish strongholds. Read 2 Corinthians 10:3-5. What are some of the most common lies of the enemy? How do these lies become strongholds in our lives? 4 A stronghold can be removed because the mind can be renewed. Read Ephesians 4:21-23 and Romans 12:12. How does God renew our minds? What role do we play in cooperating with this process? 3 April Read Philippians 4:8-9. The Bible tells us to take responsibility for our thoughts. How can the mind that is constantly being reloaded with propaganda contrary to the wisdom of God be renewed daily? How intentional are you about minding what enters your mind? 6 Read 1 John 2:14. How does the Word of God help us live in freedom? Compare how Jesus handled the deceiver in Matthew 4 compared to Eve in Genesis 3. What can you apply from how Jesus responded to the deceiver? 7 Are you tired of being captive to destructive thoughts and habits? Name what s holding you in bondage and start living in freedom. ACTION STEP Read and reflect on this verse each morning this week as you begin your day, Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things (Philippians 4:8). As you go throughout your day, think about what you think about and continually let the cross cross your mind. ALIVE + FREE Thoughts on Freedom

4 4 We were created for a world without shame. However, our world is dominated by shame, and the presence of shame always means an absence of freedom. The bondage of shame almost always accompanies all other bondage; but thankfully, God does not want us to be chained to our past mistakes. 1 What insight, story or observation from this week s lesson did you find to be most helpful, or eye-opening? Explain. 2 The reality is that many heroes in scripture had serious skeletons in their closet. Share a few examples. With that in mind, why can we believe their redemptive narratives and not our own? 3 One of the lies that incarcerate us is I am what I did. There is a difference between shame and guilt. Shame says what we did is who we are I am a mistake. Guilt says I made a mistake. Guilt can be healthy if it leads to confession and repentance. Shame isn t healthy. How can listening to the voice of your Father drown out the other voices telling you who you are? Share some practical examples of how this has played out in your life. 4 Another lie that incarcerates people is Hiding is helping. When Adam and Eve felt shame, their first response was to cover up. Most still use the fig leaf approach to deal with shame today (some hide through isolationism refusing to commit to 4 April vulnerable, transparent relationships; some hide through judgmentalism, comparing themselves to those they deem even more shameful; and many hide through legalism, which is religion s attempt to pay back God.) How have you experienced these ways of hiding in your life? What has helped you to overcome this lie? Where do you still need help in this area? 5 Read Romans 7:24-25 and 8:1-3. Rick reminded us of two truths that liberate: The purchase of NO! and the promise of NOW! Which of those promises resonates the most with your life today? Why? 6 Read Hebrews 12:2. Why is it important to remember that Jesus took your sin and your shame to the cross? Why do we try to take it back instead of leaving it at the cross? ACTION STEP If you are still being chased by what heaven has already erased or if you are settling for a mediocre gospel that can promise hope for someday but no help for this day, remember this truth: the greatest wrong is to not leave my greatest wrong with Jesus. Shame thrives in secrecy but loses its power when exposed. So, leave it with Jesus today, let a close friend or family member know and rejoice in the fact that you are ALIVE + FREE! ALIVE + FREE Free From Shame

5 5 Our growth in freedom will never get better as long as we remain bitter. Bitterness is one of the least admitted and most committed of all bondages. And the sad reality is that it is a prison we both live in and guard, because we have access to the key to freedom forgiveness. We cannot be free as long as we carry the burden of unforgiven wounds. 1 Holding on to wrongs never turns out right. Bondage is not just the result of what we do; it can be the consequence of something done to us. Share examples of how getting fouled can cause us to forfeit our freedom. 2 Hebrews 12:15 compares bitterness to poison. It is a poison that we take ourselves because of someone else. It feels empowering, but it is actually enslaving. Rick mentioned that bitterness binds us to three things: (1) to my offender, (2) to my fallen sense of fairness, and (3) to Satan s agenda. How have you seen this play out in your life? 3 When you don t throw resentment out you let Satan in. Read Ephesians 4: In what way does unresolved anger and resentment give the devil a foothold in our lives? 4 Forgiveness doesn t always heal the relationship, but it heals you. Read Matthew 6:12, 14-15; Mark 11:25; Luke 17:1-4. Jesus doesn t spend much time talking about the offender, but he has a lot to say about the response of the offended. Why is that? What forgiveness teaching of Jesus convicts you the most? 5 May Forgiveness frees us to do three things (1) to trust the justice of God; (2) to receive the grace of God; and (3) to display the character of God. Rick says if you don t give forgiveness you don t get the gospel. What did he mean by that? How does the parable of the unmerciful servant in Matthew 18 speak to this question? How does the cross? 6 Free people do not respond out of their hurt; they respond out of God s heart. How does forgiveness reflect the character of God? How are you doing in regards to forgiving others who ve wronged or hurt you? 7 Forgiveness doesn t pretend the wrong never happened or that it didn t hurt. It doesn t guarantee reconciliation, but it does bring freedom. It doesn t always heal the relationship, but it heals you. Who has a story of the release that came through forgiving someone else? ACTION STEP You cannot change the past, but you don t have to be chained to it. What past hurts are you presently carrying? Who must you forgive in order to experience the healing your soul desperately longs for? This week talk with a close friend regarding any wounds you are still carrying around with you. Leave them at the cross and pray for the person who wounded you. The Holy Spirit can empower you to be a supernatural forgiver. Ask Him to allow your life to be shaped by Jesus scars more than your own. ALIVE + FREE Free From Bitterness

6 6 Greed is the largest prison of all, and we have all spent time as inmates. Greed respects no one. The virus of greed infects all, regardless of race, class, gender or economic status. But most treat the virus of greed like the common cold, assuming there are more pressing conditions to address. Start identifying the symptoms of greed in your life. We will never be able to say No to greed until we have said Yes to something bigger. 1 GREED LIES behind most of our bigger problems. Read 1 Timothy 6:10. The love of money is the root of all kinds of bondage. What are some of the prisons we get into when we live in bondage to greed (as individuals and as a church)? 2 Read Luke 12:15. Why is greed so hard to recognize in ourselves? What factors contribute to our thinking the greediness is always someone else s problem? 3 Greed is not about what you have but about what has you. Read Ephesians 5:5 and Colossians 3:5. Greed is consistently called a form of idolatry. In what ways does greed (the bigger barn mentality) displace the things only God can truly provide? 4 GREED TIES our hearts to small stuff. Greed locks us into a small vision or purpose for life. How does greed prevent us from fully engaging in the mission of God? 6 May GREED DIES when we help others live. We will never be able to say No to greed unless we have a bigger Yes. We were not meant to live in bondage to trivial pursuits. Read Acts 20: The antidote to the virus of greed is generosity. Why is this so? What is the blessing we miss when we are not generous? 6 Share with each other where the struggle with greed is the strongest in your life. How is God helping you find freedom from the prison of greed? Where do you need to grow in this area? ACTION STEP Despite all the symptoms, nobody thinks they have the greed virus. This week spend some time reflecting on the following questions to discern how you are doing in relationship to greed are you showing any of these symptoms: (1) Are you planning life more around finances than God s mission? (2) Is your mind wandering more to material than spiritual riches and goals? (3) Do you prefer the company of those with much? (4) Does biblical teaching on money make you feel uncomfortable? (5) Do you struggle to rejoice at the prosperity of others? (6) Do you struggle to enjoy what you have without wanting more? This week take a risk and do one unexpected act of radical generosity for someone else and share that with your group next week. ALIVE + FREE Free From Greed

7 7 Applause is captivating meaning it can take you captive. When you live for the acceptance of the crowd you wind up in a very crowded prison. The truth is you cannot live free as long as you let others decide who you will be. 1 Proverbs 29:25 warns against being afraid of what others think. Why is it a trap to live for the approval of others? 2 EVERYBODY STRUGGLES with approval addiction. Why is approval addiction so common, and why is it such a difficult addiction to defeat? 3 NOBODY WINS the people-pleasing race. Read Galatians 1:10. You will never find happiness trying to keep everybody happy. Why is it impossible to win the people-pleasing race? How can trying to please the crowd be displeasing to God? (Give some examples from the Bible.) 4 You will always be in bondage if you live your life for a blessing. What did Rick mean by live your life from a blessing instead of for a blessing? How would it free us if we did that? How easy or difficult is that for you to consistently do? 7 May SOMEBODY PROVED how much you are worth. Long before he laid down earth s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love (Ephesians 1:4, MSG) What has God done to prove our worth (see Romans 5:8)? How should what He thinks of us shape how we deal with what others think of us? 6 ANYBODY FREED by love can love anybody. You cannot be a lover and a pleaser because applause is always conditional; but when you leave the prison of people-pleasing you are free to give unearned, undeserved, unconditional love. How does being free from people-pleasing actually empower us to love them better? ACTION STEP Approval addiction comes at a high price (pressure to conform our values, unwillingness to risk intimacy, eroding self-esteem, and waning willpower to stand with the few against the many). Which of these do you struggle with the most? Ask for God s help to fully receive His love. When you become convinced that you matter to God it will not matter what others think. This week immerse yourself in reminders of God s love for you and listen for the applause of heaven (Ephesians 1:4; Romans 5:8; 1 John 4:19; John 3:16 What other verses come to mind?). Receive the love of God; believe that you are valued. It will set you free! ALIVE + FREE Free From People Pleasing

8 8 Anger is not always wrong, especially when it is in response to something that is wrong. But anger, even when it s right, can quickly go very wrong. We all deal with fleeting moments of anger that are the fallout of living in a fallen world. Thankfully we can be free from anger. 1 Rick mentioned three COMMON MYTHS relating to anger: (1) I cannot control my temper, (2) My anger is not my fault, and (3) I was born this way. What is the truth about each of these myths. What does scripture say? 2 ANGER IS not always wrong. There is a time and place to be angry. The Gospels record times when Jesus was angry. When can anger be the right response? 3 ANGER IS a window to the heart. Anger reveals what we value, and too often it reveals that our passions are misplaced. Read James 4:1. How is anger often like a smoke detector? With that in mind, how does Jesus address the anger we often deal with (see Matthew 5:21-22)? 4 ANGER IS a door for the devil. Read Ephesians 4: The emotion of anger is not a sin but it can lead to sin. Even when anger is right, how we deal with it can wind up being wrong. How does anger give Satan a door of influence in our lives? 8 June BE QUICK to let the Holy Spirit search your heart. Colossians 3:8 says we are to take authority over our anger ( now is the time to get rid of anger ). How does the Holy Spirit help us get rid of anger and other toxic attitudes? 6 BE QUICK to lead with prayer and forgiveness. If you hold on to anger it will eventually hold you. We must decide in advance how we will respond to angerproducing situations. Read Ephesians 4: How does God s treatment of us influence our treatment of others? How do you need to grow in this area? ACTION STEP We all deal with fleeting moments of anger but the emotion of anger doesn t have to consume and control us. As you reflect on the condition of your heart this week reflect on these questions: Is anger a frequent companion? and How can I be slow to anger? Hold anger in check by letting God check your heart, and you will take anger captive before it captures you. Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and help you discern what is going on under the surface so that anger does not pirate your life. Share what the Holy Spirit reveals to you with a close friend. Also, pray for people who make you angry and choose not to hold it against them. As Rick said, Let the person you could be angry at out of jail and you will not wind up in prison. It is liberating to wake up every morning mad at nobody. Today is the day to get rid of anger! ALIVE + FREE Free From Anger

9 9 Fear is the first negative emotion mentioned in the Bible. Fear is such a way of life we do not even know we are in bondage. The truth is we process everything in life through the voice of fear or faith. May we listen to the voice of God instead of the voice of fear. 1 Bondage does not cost you your salvation. Bondage costs you the joy and the peace and the impact of your salvation. Read 2 Timothy 1:7. God does not give us a spirit of fear, so where does it come from? What fears have you struggled with the most and what has that cost you? 2 FEAR SAYS What if? We fear what we doubt God can handle. Put another way, what you worry about the most is also the area where you trust God the least fear indicates little faith in God s faithfulness. Fear reveals those what if? areas of our life. What do we gain by worrying about them? What does it reveal about idols in our lives? 3 FAITH SAYS So what! The most repeated command in the Bible is Do not fear. This reveals how pervasive the bondage of fear is. Faith doesn t live by avoiding fearful situations, but by seeing those situations through a different perspective. Share examples from scripture and your own experience about what this looks like. 4 Bondage needs a smaller faith, but freedom needs a bigger fear. Rick says you conquer fear by getting a 9 June bigger and better fear the fear of God. What do you think he meant by that? Why does the love of God cast out fear (see 1 John 4:18)? 5 Read Psalm 56: Bring the presence of fear into the presence of God and expect to hear a better word. Time in worship and the Word gives us leverage over our fears. Why is that? Why is it important to magnify the Lord? 6 Read Psalm 56: The reminder of what God has already dealt with on our behalf gives us leverage over whatever we are dealing with. What has God done in the past that should help us lean into the future? ACTION STEP This week spend some time reflecting on the three FEAR BUSTERS Rick mentioned near the end of his message: (1) Admit your fears to yourself and God. Remember, free people are honest people. Sit before the Lord and ask Him to show you your fears and then ask Him to reveal the lies that are behind those fears. Bring the presence of fear into the presence of God and expect to hear a better word. (2) Submit your fears to Word and worship. Word and worship puts God between us and our fears instead of letting our fears come between us and God. (3) Commit to doing what someone who trusts God would do. Fear not in the Bible is usually followed by a call to risky obedience. Rather than fret about tomorrow, look to participate in what God is doing today. What is one thing you would do right away if you were not afraid? What are you going to do about it? ALIVE + FREE Free From Fear

10 10 Most people problems are gospel problems. We pay a big price for believing a small gospel. A small gospel accepts bondage as normal but the gospel is so much bigger than that. We must realize that salvation road is actually a freeway. As this series ends we pray that your pursuit of freedom is just getting started. 1 The gospel is so much bigger than we realize. Read Ephesians 1:6-7. The gospel offers more than forgiveness; it offers freedom. Why is this good news, and what are the consequences of accepting a small gospel? 2 FREEDOM IS a reality. The first step to freedom is not to do something but to believe something. Freedom begins with accepting the word of truth (1 Timothy 2:6). Why is it important to realize that freedom is a reality? 3 FREEDOM IS a gift. Freedom is not a work we do; it is a work Jesus does. The gospel is not offering us a chance to earn our freedom; the gospel is inviting us to step into the freedom that Christ has already paid for. Read Romans 3:24. What is the problem of treating freedom like something we have to earn? 4 FREEDOM IS a responsibility. Only Jesus can set you free, but only you can let him. Jesus does not force freedom on anyone. Jesus isn t concerned with how we got in prison; he wants to know if we want out // story in John 5). In what way are we responsible for receiving the freedom Jesus offers? 5 FREEDOM IS a journey. When you start to walk in freedom, you can be sure that Satan will do all he can to 10 June detour and derail your journey. Keep pressing through and when progress seems small, remember that God s promise is big. Read Philippians 1:6. Freedom is usually a journey more than a moment. In what ways can this be discouraging, and in what ways is this actually encouraging? 6 FREEDOM IS a team sport. God helps people get free through the power of community (remember those who helped Lazarus out of his grave clothes). We do not have the power to raise, but we do have the responsibility to unwrap. We need Jesus to go from death to life, but we need each other to go from prison to freedom. Free people help free people. Share a time when you were on either end of this dynamic. 7 FREEDOM IS a testimony. Some things are too important not to share. God wants to leverage your freedom to bring freedom to others. What is the most important truth you have learned in this series, and how will it impact your everyday life as you wait for Jesus? ACTION STEP The last thought Rick reminded us of in this series is the beautiful truth that FREEDOM IS coming! Today we can walk in more freedom than we ever have. Someday we will walk in complete freedom. Spend some time this week praising God for the freedom you currently have and the complete freedom you ll ultimately enjoy. Share this joy with others. ALIVE + FREE Free at Last!