THE DISCIPLINE OF FREEDOM

MATTHEW 11:2

A. "TAKE MY YOKE UPON YOU"
  1. Religion of any kind involves the acceptance of discipline, a restraint:
    1. This may be one of the reasons why there are so many people in the world today who will not have anything to do with any religion
    2. These are the people going about and demanding complete release from all restraint
  2. Christianity offers true liberty:
    1. "Whom the Son maketh free is free indeed" - John 8:36
    2. It is a complete freedom from fear and from want - Psalms 23:1 B. THE DISCIPLINE OF FREEDOM
  3. We know that all true freedom has its discipline:
    1. To the woman caught in adultery, Jesus set the bounds of pardon by the injunction, "Go and sin no more" - John 8:11
    2. To the man that was healed at the pool of Bethesda, Jesus said, "Behold thou art made whole, sin no more" - John 5:14
  4. The discipline that is connected with the freedom Christ gives:
    1. Requires complete self-denial - Matt. 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23
    2. It requires of us to bear our cross - Matt. 10:38
    3. To forsake all else and follow Jesus - Matt. 19:16-20; Mark 10:28
  5. The discipline that Jesus offers is:
    1. An exchange of yokes - Matt. 11:28-30
    2. We think of the yoke of bondage that sin brings to its victims - Rom. 6:16; Examples: The traditions of the Jewish leaders - Matt. 23:4; Paul's experience outside of Christ - Rom. 7:12-24
    3. The yoke of Christ is easy and light that is what He said
    4. Every restraint by Jesus is for our good and safety
    5. It keeps us from falling into the snares of the devil and makes us useful to Christ C. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS CONSTITUTE THE DISCIPLINE OF TRUE FREEDOM
  6. They are called, "The law of liberty" - James 2:12
  7. They are our moral safeguard: - Eccl. 12:13
    1. Against immorality so prevalent in the world today
    2. Against false doctrine that would lead us to disobedience against God's perfect will - I John 2:4-7
  8. They are, in truth, the law of life and true liberty: - Is. 48:18; a person that keeps the ten commandments has the life of the Son of God in him
  9. The ten commandments express our moral obligations:
    1. To God - Ex. 20:1-11
    2. To men - Ex. 20:12-17
  10. Obedience to the law of liberty:
    1. Bring true and great peace to the follower of Jesus Christ - Ps. 119:165; Is. 48:18
    2. Identifies us with the source of true freedom - John 14:15
    3. Is true evidence of a new and transformed life - Examples: The testimony of Ezekiel - Ez. 36:26-28; Paul's statement to the Romans - Rom. 8:1-7
  11. Envision, if you please:
    1. A nation without laws that keep the inhabitants within the bounds of moral obligation
    2. A society that is without moral restraint
    3. A church that offers no discipline to its members


Design © John Bryant 2011