In The Winners Circle, explore the power of ambition and modeling, turn freedom on its head and ultimately discover Jesus’ path to greatness.

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What’s the Issue Anyway?

Freedom is a BIG DEAL in our COUNTRY.

The fantasy of freedom is that if I could just have more of THAT, I could be truly free. Freedom is a BIG DEAL in our RELIGION.

Definitions of Freedom:

Freedom is doing WHATEVER I want to do, WHENEVER I want to do it, WITH WHOMEVER I want to do it.

Freedom is doing what I was CREATED to do and doing that with EVERYTHING I have.

What Wisdom does the Bible offer us regarding freedom?

Freedom is a BIG DEAL in the OLD TESTAMENT story. Freedom Charter = 10 COMMANDMENTS

Freedom is a BIG DEAL to JESUS.

Freedom Charter = THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT (Matthew 5-7)

Freedom is a BIG DEAL to PAUL.

Paul uses freedom 28X. The rest of the New Testament, 8X.

Three Necessary Qualities of Freedom (GALATIANS 5:1-18)

1. Freedom is an INHERENT GIFT that naturally flows from the nature of God as Father, Son and Spirit. (Gal 5:1)
2. Freedom is a SKILL to be developed. (Gal 5:1-2)
3. What’s wrong with a rule-keeping system as the basis for our lives?
4. Rules set up systems of COMPARISON which lead to insider/outsider VALUE JUDGMENTS.
5. Rule enforcement seldom leads to deeper RELATIONSHIPS.
6. Rule keeping systems leave no room for GRACE.
7. Rule keeping systems will eventually CRUSH US.
8. Freedom is always RISKY and cannot be DOMESTICATED. (Gal 5:13)

Don’t Miss This!

The purest expression of freedom is SERVING OTHERS in love.

“Freedom is not so much liberty of choice, but rather the disciplining of desire so as to make the achievement of the good first possible and then effortless.” –Bishop Robert Barron

What is God inviting us into today?

The freedom to get lost in the moment by...

Serving our families—again and again, higher and higher

Serving our friends—again and again, higher and higher

Serving our work colleagues—again and again, higher and higher Serving our church—again and again, higher and higher

Serving our enemies—again and again, higher and higher

Thought-provoking questions:

1. Tell about a time when you got lost in the moment.
2. What are some of the most popular definitions of freedom circulating in our community and country? What is the best definition of freedom that you know of?
3. Why is the concept of freedom so important to us?
4. What is one of your best freedoms? How is it both a gift and a skill to be developed?
5. Paul uses the word freedom 28 times in his New Testament writings, usually in contrast to religious rule keeping systems. Why is Paul so hard on rule keeping and so high on freedom?
6. Why is serving one another in love the purest act of freedom a human being can do?
7. Tell about an experience you’ve had serving someone in love where you got lost in the moment (and wanted to do it again and again, higher and higher).