Worship Devotional LXXX
Originally posted to the Facebook group on 7/3/2021.
Worship Devotional for 7/4/21
In Christ, we have taken on a new identity. We have been born again, redeemed, and changed forever. We have been adopted into God's family, and so we are now children of God. Our citizenship is in heaven, we are identified by the name of Jesus Christ, and we have been reconciled to our Father in heaven. This is what we have been singing and praising God for. Since we have been made new by faith and by the working of God's Spirit who now lives in us, we are no longer defined by the things of our old way of life. We are no longer enslaved to the sins and the fears of our old selves. Instead, we have been declared righteous because of Jesus and stand justified forever before God through faith. His love has replaced our fear with peace, hope, and joy in Him. We have been set free from the things that once enslaved us.
This week as the worldly culture around us celebrates an illusion of freedom, blind to the reality of sin and death and the hold it has on their souls, desperately in need of the true gospel of God's salvation, we are gathering as those who have been redeemed by the Lord to declare that there is true freedom in the name of Jesus Christ. We have been given this freedom, and it is true and pure and eternal. This is the glorious freedom of the children of God, and that is who God says we are if we have believed in Him and turned away from our sinful deeds. Let us celebrate and rejoice in the truth this week as those who have been bought with the blood of the Lamb and set free from our sins and from death. Let us praise God with all our hearts and souls and minds and strength and give Him glory for all that He has done for us, for He is worthy of our praise forever and ever!
Romans 8:1-30:
"Therefore, no condemnation now exists for those in Christ Jesus, because the Spirit's law of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. What the law could not do since it was limited by the flesh, God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending His own Son in flesh like ours under sin's domain, and as a sin offering, in order that the law's requirement would be accomplished in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh think about the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, about the things of the Spirit. For the mind-set of the flesh is death, but the mind-set of the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind-set of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit itself to God's law, for it is unable to do so. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God lives in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. Now if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then He who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through His Spirit who lives in you.
So then, brothers, we are not obligated to the flesh to live according to the flesh, for if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. All those led by God's Spirit are God's sons. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back in to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, 'Abba, Father!' The Spirit Himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God's children, and if children also heirs — heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ — seeing that we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us. For the creation eagerly waits with anticipation for God's sons to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to futility — not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it — in the hope that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage of corruption into the glorious freedom of God's children. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains until now. And not only that, but we ourselves who have the Spirit as the firstfruits — we also groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. Now in this hope we were saved, yet hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with patience.
In the same way the Spirit also joins to help in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with unspoken groanings. And He who searches the hearts knows the Spirit's mind-set, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose. For those He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers. And those He predestined, He also called; and those He called, He also justified; and those He justified, He also glorified."
Songs:
1) Death Was Arrested by NorthPoint InsideOut
Hebrews 2:14-15:
"Now since the children have flesh and blood in common, Jesus also shared in these, so that through His death He might destroy the one holding the power of death — that is, the Devil — and free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death."
Those who have not believed in the name of Jesus have not known what freedom really is. They may hold to an illusion of freedom, thinking that it is granted by an earthly kingdom or some other worldly establishment, but that is a very limited concept of freedom and one that does not last or truly satisfy. The real enemy is death, and the oppressor or slave master is the sin in us. Where death rules, sin holds us in slavery through fear and shame.
But when Jesus came and lived a blameless life on earth, suffered and died for our sins, and then rose again from the grave on the third day, death was defeated! The death's rule over humanity was overthrown, the authority of death diminished, and the power of death vanquished. Death was arrested and taken into custody until the final judgment. Now all who believe in the name of Jesus Christ are made new by the grace of God and are granted eternal life, never to be touched by death again! Because death was arrested, we are truly set free!
2) My Testimony by Elevation Worship
Luke 10:17-20:
"The Seventy returned with joy, saying, 'Lord, even the demons submit to us in Your name.'
He said to them, 'I watched Satan fall from heaven like a lightning flash. Look, I have given you the authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy; nothing will ever harm you. However, don't rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.'"
We are free and redeemed and made new by God's grace alone, and not by our works or any of our own merits. God has indeed worked many miracles that leave us in awe of Him, and He has displayed His power and authority over the enemy and all the spiritual forces of evil. His Spirit lives within us, and so we also have within us His power over the enemy. But the grace of God doesn't leave any room for pride. We don't revel in the fact that demons submit to us because of Jesus. Instead, we rejoice that our names are written in heaven. We rejoice that the holy Creator of all things would reach down to us in love to save us from our wickedness and give us life even though we don't deserve it. And He has indeed saved us and set us free! So as we sing together, let's testify and declare that our God saves, redeems, heals, and frees all those who come to Him in faith. And this is the testimony of every believer in Christ: we have been brought from death to life, and now stand justified before God by the saving work of Jesus Christ on our behalf.
We are free in the name of Jesus. As we follow the Spirit who gives us life and enables us to live in freedom, we begin to see what freedom really looks like. We weren't set free only to fall back into our sinful ways; our sin is what enslaved us in the first place! Instead, having been set free from sin, we are free to live according to the righteousness and goodness of God. We are free to love others like God has loved us. We are free to give like He gave. We are free to forgive others just as He forgave us. Since there is no longer any condemnation for us, and since nothing can separate us from His love, let us live for His glory and walk in the good works He has prepared for us to do while on this earth, rejoicing in the glorious freedom that He has given us as His children.
Galatians 5:13-14:
"For you were called to be free, brothers; only don't use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love. For the entire law is fulfilled in one statement: 'Love you neighbor as yourself.'"
Romans 8:31-39:
"What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He did not even spare His own Son but offered Him up for us all; how will He not also with Him grant us everything? Who can bring an accusation against God's elect? God is the One who justifies. Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the One who died, but even more, has been raised; He also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us. Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or anguish or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: 'Because of You we are being put to death all day long; we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered.' No, in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that not even death or life, angels or rulers, things present or things to come, hostile powers, height or depth, or any other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!"
Listen to Aaron Shust behind the song here.
John 8:30-36:
"As He was saying these things, many believed in Him. So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in Him, 'If you continue in My word, you really are My disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.'
'We are descendants of Abraham,' they answered Him, 'and we have never been enslaved to anyone. How can You say, "You will become free"?'
Jesus responded, 'I assure you: Everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. A slave does not remain in the household forever, but a son does remain forever. Therefore, if the Son sets you free, you really will be free.'"
2 Corinthians 3:17:
"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom."
Galatians 5:1:
"Christ has liberated us to be free. Stand firm then and don't submit again to a yoke of slavery."
Listen to Shane and Shane behind the song here.
Theme(s): Freedom, Liberty
Scripture references:
Psalms 16, 30, 32, 34
Isaiah 59-62
Matthew 6:9-15
Luke 10:17-24
John 5:16-47, 8:30-47
Romans 3-8, 14
1 Corinthians 10
2 Corinthians 3-5 (esp. 3:17-18)
Galatians (esp. ch. 5)
Ephesians 1-2
Colossians
Hebrews 2
1 Peter 2
2 Peter 2:19
1 John 3:1-3, 5