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Perception = Attitude = Intimacy
Maximum Freedom – 12/10/2014
Romans 13:1-3 “Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from
God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. So anyone who rebels
against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. For the
authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong.
Would you like to (be free of the) fear of the authorities?”
Genesis 2:15-17 “The Lord God took man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take
care of it. And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the
garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of
it you will surely die.”
1. Our Perception Determines Our Attitude Towards God’s Authority.
a. Like many of us, Adam and Eve decided all the freedom they had was not
enough, so they decided rebellion was the only way to true freedom.
-They rebelled for what they thought was freedom.
-We many times find ourselves rebelling for what WE think is freedom.
-It’s like we believe we are living in a real-life Hunger Games situation.
HUNGER GAMES REINACTMENT ILLUSTRATION:
YOUR PARENTS:
-Your parents take your phone away and ground you.
-“No not my phone…PRIMROSE, PRIMROSE, I’LL COME BACK FOR
YOU”
-You go up in your room and you start pacing like a crazy person.
-“Oh No you didn’t President Snow”.
-“If We Burn, You Will Burn With Us”.
GOD:
-You look at the 10 Commandments and the Word of God and you see rules.
-You see God as a pencil pushing conservative politician.
-You see God as a controlling, manipulating king holding back the fun from
you.
b. The principle behind God’s command to Adam and Eve was this: “Maximum
Freedom is found only under God’s Authority”.
-It all comes back to our perception of WHO GOD IS
-AND the picture we have painted of Him in our head.
c. “Freedom is not about walking without restrictions, it is about walking with the
right restrictions.” -Tim Keller
a. God’s rules are set in place for two reasons: To preserve His authority in
our lives and to protect us (BOTH is for our benefit).
-God shows that He loves and values our freedom, even from the very
beginning.
-His divine authority on this earth is placed there for the good of those who
“serve” Him, not so He can be a bully.
Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of
those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
SHARK ILLUSTRATION
-Think about the habitat of a shark.
-The ocean consists of 71% of the world.
-The average depth of the ocean is 12,430 feet or 2.35 miles.
-Think about the lifestyle of a shark.
-Known as the most efficient predator on the planet (Eats high
end meals).
-It is on the top of the food chain (Can go where it pleases
without fear).
-What if I told you that once upon a time there was a shark (We shall
call him Chompers). All of sudden Chompers decides to go to the
29% of the earth he cannot explore? What is the ending of the story?
-Lil Chompers will be dead within 4 minutes.
-QUESTION: DID CHOMPERS NOT ALREADY HAVE
FREEDOM?
2. Our Attitude Towards God Affects our Intimacy with God.
a. Limiting God to a “Slave-Master” negates every title and role he wants to play in
our life.
-God our Friend.
-God our Father.
-God our Protector.
-God our Healer.
-God our Redeemer.
-God our Creator.
b. We must be careful to not let our wounds from others affect our attitude towards
God.
-There are horrible people in this world, but God is always good.
-There are terrible immoral leaders/authority that may be in your life, but God
is not one of them.
-You cannot MEASURE God’s goodness based on the goodness of people in
your life.
-You may have been hurt and wounded by an authority figure in your life, but
that is not God.
c. The greater measure of intimacy you have with God, the clearer your perception
of Him will be.
-It is a Cycle that will represent radical change in your life if you keep it
intact.