Surrender - Part 2

The Prison of Death

1 Corinthians 8:1 - Now regarding your question about food that has been offered to idols. Yes, we know that “we all have knowledge” about this issue. But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church.

2Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much. 3But the person who loves God is the one whom God recognizes. NLT

The Purpose For Our Life Groups

is to provide an intimate and safe setting for people to develop open and caring relationships with each other while learning how to practically live out the Word of God in their daily lives.

> It is love that strengthens the church.

> The person who loves God is the one whom God recognizes.

Not relying on our credentials or accomplishments but on what Jesus has done while

placing no confidence in our fleshly efforts.

> The Source of Righteousness is Christ not our own effort.

> When we live in Christ’s righteousness it requires Surrender.

Galatians 3:12-13 - This way of faith is very different from the way of law, which says, “It is through obeying the law that a person has life. "But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. … NLT

Psalm 51:5 - For I was born a sinner—yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.. NLT

Romans 3:23 - For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. NLT

If we seriously consider our sin, we get uncomfortable.

The Prison of Death is filled with fear, guilt and shame because regardless of who

we are the Holy Spirit insures that we are

convicted of our sin.

John 16:8 - And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. NLT

Galatians 3:20 - But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ. NLT

Prison Bars represent the Presence of Sin.

The Lock is the Power of the Prison -

the Lock is DEATH.

Romans 6:23 – For the wages of sin is death, … NLT

The Power of Sin is Death.

Hebrews 2:14-15 – Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he

break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. NLT

All mankind is conceived in the Prison of Death & all nonbelievers are fearful of

death.

1 John 1:8 – If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. NLT

The Prison of Death sits on Death Row – all await

God’s judgment of eternal death.

John 3:18 – “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. NLT

> Naked, Ashamed & Afraid

Genesis 3:7-11 – At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. 8When the cool evening breezes were blowing,

the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. 9Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” 10He replied, “I heard you walking in the garden

so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.” 11“Who told you that you were naked?” the Lord God asked. “Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?” NLT

> Naked, Ashamed & Afraid

> Blinded by Satan

2 Corinthians 4:4 – Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God. NLT

> Naked, Ashamed & Afraid

> Blinded by Satan

> Selfish

Matthew 16:24 – Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. NLT

> Naked, Ashamed & Afraid

> Blinded by Satan

> Selfish

> Dead in Sin

Ephesians 2:1 – And you were dead in your trespasses and sins. NASB

This deadness is not because we committed sin but

because we were conceived and exist in sin.

Matthew 12:35 – A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. NLT

We don’t become sinners because we sin, but we sin

because we are sinners.

> This is not true of Christians.> Christians are new creatures in Christ> Therefore, Christians are Saints not Sinners.

Those in the Prison of Death are Hopeless, unless the

Warden of Love, the holder of the key of life, extends mercy

& grace. Otherwise all who exist in the Prison of Death will

justly die.

Surrender - Part 2

Meditation & Application

Do you live behind the bars of sin with the

door of death securely locked?

Do you live behind the bars of sin with the

door of death wide open?

Do you live in the Freedom that can only be found outside the

Prison of Death?