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[1136.02 --> 1138.28] that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God
[1138.28 --> 1140.94] because the kingdom of God isn't in those places.
[1144.24 --> 1145.48] Any of those sound familiar?
[1146.48 --> 1147.48] Sexual immorality,
[1147.60 --> 1149.38] when we think of the porn culture we live in
[1149.38 --> 1150.80] and the hookup culture we live in,
[1151.22 --> 1153.44] hate, discord, cancel culture,
[1153.62 --> 1156.20] tribalism, selfish ambition and factions.
[1156.20 --> 1158.70] We think of the politics and how you can't talk about it
[1158.70 --> 1159.70] and the latest issues.
[1159.82 --> 1160.98] We all hate each other over them.
[1161.42 --> 1161.82] Envy.
[1162.08 --> 1163.74] We look at the internet and advertising
[1163.74 --> 1165.28] and we see how we don't measure up.
[1165.68 --> 1166.62] Drunkenness and orgies.
[1166.92 --> 1169.40] So much of the media making what is awful
[1169.40 --> 1172.00] into something that is kind of normal.
[1172.00 --> 1181.70] All of that verses what Paul describes
[1181.70 --> 1184.80] as life in step with the Spirit.
[1185.82 --> 1188.64] Let's look at another list out of Galatians 5.
[1189.10 --> 1192.64] Look at Galatians 5, 16 and then 22 to 25.
[1193.04 --> 1193.76] So Paul says,
[1193.84 --> 1195.54] rather than that horrible list that I just read,
[1195.92 --> 1197.26] I say walk by the Spirit
[1197.26 --> 1200.18] and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh,
[1200.18 --> 1202.42] but the fruit of the Spirit is,
[1203.08 --> 1204.02] and here's the new list.
[1204.32 --> 1205.26] Tell me which one you like better.
[1206.62 --> 1210.90] Love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness,
[1211.54 --> 1214.38] goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
[1214.70 --> 1215.90] Against such there's no law
[1215.90 --> 1217.16] because there's nothing wrong with them.
[1218.12 --> 1222.24] Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh
[1222.24 --> 1224.54] with its passions and desires.
[1224.88 --> 1226.34] Since we live by the Spirit,
[1226.80 --> 1230.00] let's keep in step with the Spirit.
[1230.18 --> 1236.98] Where the truth of Christ will set you free.
[1238.52 --> 1240.64] Where the truth of Christ will set you free.
[1241.16 --> 1242.86] Let me say something about freedom.
[1244.02 --> 1245.84] And let me quote the great philosopher
[1245.84 --> 1247.28] Princess Elsa from Frozen.
[1251.74 --> 1253.02] Where she says,
[1253.02 --> 1255.92] No right, no wrong,
[1256.44 --> 1257.94] no rules for me,
[1258.40 --> 1259.28] I'm free.
[1262.28 --> 1263.76] Lovely thing for a pillow.
[1264.56 --> 1265.12] Made it on there.
[1266.64 --> 1267.52] Wonderful lesson.
[1268.28 --> 1269.00] That is, by the way,
[1269.02 --> 1270.16] not Paul's view of freedom,
[1270.24 --> 1270.94] nor is it Jesus.
[1271.38 --> 1274.48] Freedom isn't simply about freedom from restraint.
[1276.48 --> 1279.76] Removing all restraints that block what my heart wants.
[1279.76 --> 1281.08] No, no, it's not that.
[1281.32 --> 1285.94] Freedom is the ability to choose what is good.
[1289.14 --> 1291.40] To be liberated from sin
[1291.40 --> 1293.16] and to build loving relationships
[1293.16 --> 1296.10] around God's love and His design for life.
[1296.36 --> 1298.02] Because positive and real freedom
[1298.02 --> 1301.10] means we need a power bigger than ourselves.
[1301.10 --> 1303.56] The AA movement gets that.
[1303.76 --> 1304.94] They call it a higher power,
[1305.34 --> 1307.46] just to be open with people a little bit.
[1307.64 --> 1308.54] But it's really God.
[1308.86 --> 1311.02] You need a higher power than yourself
[1311.02 --> 1313.30] to overcome all those desires
[1313.30 --> 1315.26] that aren't healthy for you.
[1318.00 --> 1320.90] Strong desires for self-gratification
[1320.90 --> 1323.30] will be replaced by our deepest desire
[1323.30 --> 1325.46] for self-giving love
[1325.46 --> 1326.90] that we give to others
[1326.90 --> 1328.64] and we bring them into that love
[1328.64 --> 1331.38] and our relationships flourish in that.
[1334.66 --> 1335.82] All that to say,
[1336.82 --> 1339.16] much of what our world calls freedom
[1339.16 --> 1342.06] is what the way of Jesus calls slavery.
[1345.44 --> 1348.18] To gain true intimacy
[1348.18 --> 1351.18] means giving up autonomy.
[1353.74 --> 1355.32] C.S. Lewis describes it this way.
[1355.32 --> 1357.36] He says, the main work of life
[1357.36 --> 1360.08] is to come out of ourselves,
[1360.48 --> 1362.64] out of our little dark prisons
[1362.64 --> 1364.28] that we were born into.
[1365.84 --> 1367.70] And he said, the danger is,
[1368.52 --> 1370.86] the danger that exists if we don't do that
[1370.86 --> 1373.28] is coming to love the prison.
[1376.68 --> 1378.28] And I see the world there.
[1379.06 --> 1382.32] We start loving the prisons
[1382.32 --> 1383.42] and defining them as,
[1383.74 --> 1385.04] hey, that's your space.
[1385.32 --> 1386.28] No, it's a prison.
[1388.14 --> 1388.96] It's a prison.
[1389.44 --> 1390.28] And because that happens,
[1390.46 --> 1392.20] we normalize enslavement,
[1392.76 --> 1394.62] which is a terribly sad thing to do.
[1395.10 --> 1396.96] This is the human journey.
[1398.58 --> 1399.50] And instead,
[1399.94 --> 1401.34] instead, Scripture says,
[1401.62 --> 1402.60] hey, what we really want
[1402.60 --> 1403.28] instead of slavery,