License, Registration please
Practical Christianity Series • Sermon • Submitted
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· 21 viewsFreedom comes with conditions; be sure you know and apply
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Life happens
Life happens
(insert slide with cop pulling someone over)
So you got pulled over by the police. What is the first thing the officer more than likely says to you? Can I have you licence, registration and proof of insurance please?
Life happens, sometimes unexpectedly, tonight we are looking at the freedoms we have in our life here, but those freedoms come with conditions too, don’t they? Don’t let your life get so cluttered by life that you forget the conditions and privileges you have in your freedom in Christ.
So you are wondering why you got pulled over, right? Apparently the officer thinks you broke the law. (Rom3:9-10, 23)
9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; 10 as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one;
In reality, we all break the law, we all fall short
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Before you got your license you were made aware of the law (Rom3:19)
19 Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God;
And as a Christian we are to adhere to the law, rulers and authorities (Tit3:1-2)
1 Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, 2 to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men.
So, why do you think people may get pulled over? Beyond speeding.
Maybe it is something does not look right
Maybe something is burned out, or is out of place
Life can get messy, it can get cluttered and sometimes we need to clean up the clutter before we can get things that don’t look right back in place or the thing that is burned out replaced.
I. Clutter
I. Clutter
(insert picture of a cluttered glove box)
For us to deal with issues that come up in our life we sometimes, well maybe even oftentimes, need to get the clutter out of the way first.
When you open your glove box, what would you find there?
Now in spiritual sense, what can clutter up your spiritual life?
Items that can clutter up your spiritual life (Gal5:16-21; Eph5:4-7)
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.
(expand on what we are to do; walk by the Spirit, etc.)
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. 19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,
20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
(expand on the items that can clutter our lives and take away our freedom) - focus on (v.21)
4 and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them;
(expand) no inheritance; wrath of God will come
In looking at these verses can you see the importance of not allowing clutter to come in the way of your spiritual life?
So remember the first thing the officer asked you? Licence, registration and proof of insurance, so now let’s look at these things.
II. License
II. License
Having a license is a privilege and not an unconditional right, is it? You have to meet certain terms don’t you?
So it is with our spiritual license too, it is available to all, but all do not receive it or apply it do they?
(Insert picture of grace card; saved as grace card on computer)
So when you were young you studied to be able to get a drivers license right? You studied, you took the drivers test, then even the road test, upon passing you were granted a license.
Passing drivers test comes with responsibilities; receiving God’s grace card comes with responsibilities too. (Rom5:20-6:2)
Just because you have a license it does not mean you can do anything that you want to do, does it? Eventhough we are recipients of God’s grace
20 The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Rom6:1-2
1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? 2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?
Speaking of a drivers license, what rights do you have? Can it be taken away from you?
Now when it comes to your grace card, can you loose it (Gal5:1-4)
1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. 2 Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you.
3 And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. 4 You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.
(expand: “a yoke” and “fallen from grace”)
Having grace that can be denied and taken away, we need to be diligent to protect it (2Tim2:15; Heb4:11; 2Pt1:10)
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.
(expand)
11 Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.
(expand)
10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble;
10 and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble when they revile angelic majesties,
(expand)
There are ways to assure your license does not get revoked (Psm119:1-3, 11; Deu11:18-20)
1 How blessed are those whose way is blameless, Who walk in the law of the Lord. 2 How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, Who seek Him with all their heart.
3 They also do no unrighteousness; They walk in His ways.
Your way, your walk is in your observance (or obedience) to the Lord from the heart!
11 Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.
treasure His word in your heart!
18 “You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 19 You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
20 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates,
lay up, bind them as sign,make then frontlets before your eyes. Teach them, talk about them, write them!
We need to be diligent to protect what we have, the freedom we have! Just as today people gather to celebrate this country and the freedom we have from the oppression of England then, with the freedom comes responsibility too, we need to remember that.
So we have been pulled over, we have presented the documents requested and now the documents are being inspected. How about that registration, is it up to date? Is it valid?
Registration does matter!
III. Registration
III. Registration
Registration matters, we register to vote, we register to receive gifts for weddings, or baby showers and the like. Yes, we register our car’s too, but only one registration truly matters. (Rev21:27)
Rev21:27
27 and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Unlike a ,car that is inspected and registered yearly; your registration in the lambs book of life does not need to be renewed but it can be restored. (expand)
You have an eternal registration (if you keep the conditions)
We should always check the owners manual for proper maintenance of a car; and the owner manual for proper maintenance of our spiritual life too (expand).
We already cleaned out the glove box and our heart of the things that can clutter it up, so finding, reading and applying the owners manual should be easier now!
Registration sticker (window; license plate) it is always to be visible right? Maybe it is easy to get mud on it and cover it up, or dirt, maybe you just keep the registration in the glove box, but to the Christian may our registration be clearly visible all the time (expand).
Still we have one more piece of information the officer asked for, proof of insurance.
IV. Proof of Insurance
IV. Proof of Insurance
Do you keep proof of insurance in your glove box? Do you have proof of insurance for your spiritual life too?
(Insert proof of insurance card: saved on computer already)
What can happen if you do not have proof of insurance for your car?
Now, what about if you don’t have proof of your Christianity? (Mt7:21; Lk9:62)
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Present your proof of insurance (Jn13:35)
35 “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
(expand)
Keep your insurance up to date (Jn8:31)
31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;
(expand)
Summary: One day we will be inspected asked have to account for our licence, registration and proof of insurance, so we need to be sure not to allow things to clutter up the glove box of our heart so that we may have easy access to our owners manual.
Benefits of owners manual (expand) - lead to encouragement and invitation
(Insert encouragement slide)