Now for today, I’m going to start us off with a question. It’s a very serious question; and I want us all to participate. If this applies to you, can you just raise your hand? How many of you like to be told what to do? How many of you like for someone that is not you to dictate how you should live your life? Just to make sure that I haven’t fully lost the crowd and you guys are still with me, let me throw out some softball questions. Again, full participation; just raise your hand. How many of you like the weather here in San Francisco? How many of you like ice cream? How many of you are breathing? Ok. How many of you like to be told what to do?

Ok. Not a surprise, but we really seem to have a problem with being told what to do. Why is that? A big reason is because in our culture we have elevated autonomy and freedom as indisputable values. And we have equated freedom with being able to do whatever WE WANT – not what anyone else tells us to do. 

A landmark research study by a sociologist and Berkeley professor found that freedom is perhaps Americans’ most important value. He and his team conducted this study in the 80s, and again in the 90s and late 2000s, and found the same results. And if we are wondering if it’s still the case today, I think COVID gave us all of the evidence that we need.

We love freedom. Come on, what is the crescendo of our national anthem? Isn’t it when the singer hits that high note: O’er the land of the FREE? That’s when you get the goosebumps and everyone starts cheering. Come on, isn’t Mel Gibson yelling in Braveheart, “They’ll never take away our FREEDOM!” etched in our memory? We love freedom. But not simply because it inspires us. But there’s a fundamental core belief at the root of why we treasure it so much.

Check out this quote: "Most of us in America believe a few simple propositions that seem so clear and self-evident they scarcely need to be said. Choice is a good thing in life, and the more of it we have, the happier we are. (AND) Authority is inherently suspect; NOBODY should have the right to tell others what to think or how to behave." A journalist wrote that as commentary to his study of 1950s Chicago. But the same could be said of San Francisco in the 2020s; or any other city or town in America. Not much has changed. 

Some of you read that and you're probably thinking: “Will, what’s wrong with those statements?” It is possible that the majority of you wholeheartedly agree that “more choice equals greater happiness” and that “nobody should be able to tell anyone what to do”. 

But here’s my problem with the quote. One problem that I have with it is where it says, “NOBODY should have the right to tell others what to think or how to behave.” NOBODY? REALLY? Does that include God TOO? Or authorities figures that have our best interest in mind? 

Secondly, I believe the entire proposition is faulty. This idea that the more freedom we have – to choose whatever we want – will make us happier, it’s a lie. In fact, I believe, and what the Scriptures teach us, and even what Sociology is discovering, is that living that way will do us more harm than good. We are a generation and society that has more options than ever, and yet we are more depressed than ever.

As we talk about God’s will and plan for our lives in this series, we have to talk about freedom – what it is and what it isn’t. The title of my message today is, Is There Any Freedom For Me In God’s Will? Now, this is a bit of a play on words. You see, this question is actually tackling two issues; and we are going to talk about both of these issues related to freedom and God’s will. First we are going to tackle the question that many of us have: When it comes to God’s will do I get to choose some things or is there only one right answer for each situation? When it comes to some of the most important decisions in life (like who to marry, where to live and work, etc.) do I have options or is there only one specific plan for my life – and everything else is second best? 

So that’s the first aspect that we are going to look at. But here’s the second challenging question that we are going to tackle: Are we truly free if God demands obedience and restricts us with his laws and commandments? 

The first question has to do with freedom in decision making; and the second one has to do with the tension between freedom and restrictions. Can they coexist?

Quite a bit to cover. And so let us go to where it all started: with Adam and Eve.

Genesis 2:8-9, 15-17

8Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. 9The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. …

15The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

In the garden, you see that God actually gave Adam and Eve a ton of freedom. In verse 9 it says that God made ALL KINDS of trees grow out of the ground. And he didn’t just make any crappy trees. No. It says they were pleasing to the eye and good for food. And then in verse 16 it actually says that God told the man that he was FREE (he uses that word) to eat from ANY tree in the garden – except one.

Now, before we focus on the one – on the restriction – let’s focus on the freedom. As it relates to God’s plan for your life, he gives you a lot of freedom. Unfortunately, too many Christians don’t live as if that is true. Some of us get paralyzed and hung up when making a decision because we can’t seem to discern clearly what God would have us do in a specific situation. It’s as if we believe that there is only one right choice that will lead to it all working out perfectly, and all the other options will end in disaster. And so we think it’s our job to beg and convince God to tell us what his perfect will is so that we don’t make the wrong decision.

If that’s our mindset, can I just help us out a bit. No one wants you to know God’s will more than God does. No one. Seriously. He’s not trying to hide how he wants you to live. His will is not a mystery that you need to decipher. In fact, his will has already been revealed. 

And here’s what I mean by that. Whenever the Bible mentions the will of God, for the most part, it is referring to moral guidelines that God wants us to follow. It is referring to behavior; not decisions. For example 1 Thessalonians 4:3, It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;. Let me ask you, is the will of God unclear in this verse? No, absolutely not! It’s the will of God that you don’t sleep around. Simple. 

Let me give you a positive one so that you don’t think it’s all negative. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. The will of God has to do with how he wants us to live; not with this idea that he has only one specific plan for our lives (like one person to marry, one right place to live or work). 

So let’s get practical and hit on a touchy subject. Some of you need to stop waiting for Mr. or Mrs. Right. They don’t exist. Or at least there could be several that could be Mr. or Mrs. Right (not at the same time; one at a time people; and once you are married preferably for the rest of your time). 

I remember one time Bea and I were having this conversation of one specific plan and will of God versus many options. We were just dating at the time and I was fairly new to my faith. And at that time I was both passionate, and maybe just a tad bit idealistic. And I made the mistake of telling Bea that I thought I could make it work with anybody in a dating or marriage relationship. I know, a pretty dumb and arrogant comment to make! She didn’t like it much. But listen, it was sound theologically; but not very romantic. I should have said something like, I believe God gives us great freedom in this area but I wouldn’t want to live my life without you. Rookie mistake.

Now don’t get me wrong, while God does give great freedom, he also sets parameters. He says, Marry whoever you want; but make sure they are a Christian. Right?! Work wherever you want; but work as unto the Lord (don’t make it all about you), have some integrity, and don’t work in industries that are unjust. Do you see what I’m talking about?

When we are making some of the biggest decisions in our lives, we don’t need to hear a voice from heaven telling us exactly what to do. What we NEED in those moments, and what God promises to give us if we ask for it, is wisdom. I like how Eugene Peterson defines wisdom: Wisdom is not primarily about knowing the truth, although it certainly includes that; it is skill in living. And so, Instead of asking for revelation from God as to what you should do, ask God for wisdom to be able to make the right kind of decisions. And as James 1:5 says, If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

Can we just pause here and bring to mind one decision that we are in the middle of making, and ask God (say a short prayer) for wisdom?  (What is a pending decision that you need to make? Ask God for wisdom.)

Let me give you what I have covered so far in three principles (this is from Garry Friesen, Decision Making and the Will of God). Here’s a framework on how to make godly decisions: 

1. Where God commands, we must obey.
2. Where there is no command, God gives us freedom and wisdom to choose.
3. When we have chosen what is moral and wise, we must trust the sovereign God to work all the details together for good.

Doesn’t this approach lift a weight off of your shoulders? It’s as if God is telling us, Don’t wait on me, Just do something. God doesn’t want you to be stuck. As we talked about in our last series, he wants you to grow and move forward. And he’s given you a ton of freedom to do just that.

Shifting gears. Now that you are free to make a decision with wisdom, let’s talk about whether or not we are truly free with the restrictions that God places on us. ^‍

^{16And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17BUT you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”}

^‍BUT you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” When some of us read this, here’s what our western, modern, San Francisco hearts and minds do: we disregard all of the freedom given and instead focus in on the one restriction. How dare God tell me what I can or cannot do? That is oppressive.

But here’s the thing, There is no such thing as freedom without restrictions. It’s not possible. Listen, I can’t live here in San Francisco and be a part of this great church community AND AT THE SAME TIME live in Florida where my mom, sisters, and extended family live. Those are two things that I really want, but I’m not FREE enough (to use that word) to do both. I have to choose.

And with choice there are always trade-offs. A grandpa that wants to see his grandkids grow up can’t live that out AND continue eating whatever he wants after being diagnosed with heart disease. He is free to choose. But even in his freedom there are restrictions. True freedom means you lose one thing to gain something else. As Tim Keller writes, “In many areas of life, freedom is not so much the absence of restrictions as finding the right ones, the liberating restrictions.” (Tim Keller, The Reason for God)

In essence, restrictions aren’t all that bad. Now, when I talk about restrictions not being all that bad I’m not talking about changing or removing civil liberties and freedoms. Civil freedoms have absolutely done a massive amount of good in the area of justice for women, children, and minorities. To think that I wouldn’t be able, during certain periods of history, to have this role or teach such a diverse crowd, is insane. So, I’m all for freedom and removing restrictions. 

But I believe we have taken the concept of freedom way too far. Our culture is pushing for an idea of freedom that sheds off all restrictions. But do you really want that? Aren’t you glad that your spouse has restrictions? Aren’t you glad that your employer is somewhat bound to you? Why is it that the companies and spouses that operate as if the rules don’t apply to them, and who feel that they are free to do whatever they want, aren’t they the ones that always get in trouble? Aren’t they the ones that leave a wake of broken relationships and people behind them? Is that what we want? 

You can't be free in the contemporary sense of the word and be in a strong love relationship.

We seriously need to question the usefulness of the freedom that our culture is peddling. Is freedom without restrictions the type of freedom that truly makes you happy? Are there really no consequences to such a way of living?

I like how the Apostle Paul addresses the gap between what the world says and the reality of what actually happens if we choose the world’s definition of freedom. Paul is quoting the culture here; but then adding his commentary. The culture says, “Everything is permissible for me,” (but Paul is like) but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me,” but I will not be mastered by anything. (1 Corinthians 6:12 CSB)

Paul understood something that we all need to understand, that it is absolutely possible for us to become enslaved by what promised to free us. This is exactly what happened to Adam and Eve. The serpent promised Eve that if she ate from the tree that was restricted that she would, in essence, experience greater freedom – that she would be just like God. But what actually happened? … Let’s just say that they were no longer free. And the freedom that they once enjoyed was taken away.

Can I tell you what your biggest temptation in life is and is going to continue to be? It’s the same temptation that Adam and Eve faced. And it’s to live your life independent of God – it’s to be free of needing God (of depending on him). 

Independence is not necessarily a bad thing. It’s just not God’s goal for us in our relationship. Check out this quote from a commentator who contrasts the difference between the objective of a parent versus God. “A parent’s love for a child acts in order to eliminate the child’s need for the parent. God’s love, in contrast, is not optimized in his becoming superfluous but in our becoming dependent on him in continually maturing ways.”

Our lives work best when we are dependent on God – when we allow him to tell us what to do (to use the phrase I started this message with). But we fall apart when we are apart from Him. We end up in bondage when we run away from him and run to other things. But hear me (and this is probably going to sound like the most counterintuitive statement I have made yet, but somehow in the kingdom of God it is true), You are most free when you are bound to Jesus. Remember, freedom does not mean that you are free to do whatever you want. That’s what has led us into bondage. True freedom comes when we bind ourselves to Jesus and fix our eyes on him. 

A Nobel Prize winning Indian poet captures this idea well with his imagery of a violin string. He writes, “I have on my table a violin string. It is free to move in any direction I like. If I twist one end it responds; it is free. But it is not free to sing. So I take it and fix it into my violin. I bind it and when it is bound, it is free for the first time to sing.” (Rabindranath Tagore) As the violin string comes alive when bound into the violin, so we come alive in Christ. Jesus doesn’t restrict you – at least not for the sake of restriction – but he sets us free. And as John 8:36 says, whom the Son sets free is free indeed.

Today, Jesus offers every single one of us freedom. For some of you that means binding your life to him for the very first time. You might not know what that all entails. But what you do know is that you have tried to live life your way for a long time, and maybe not with the best results. So the offer for you today is to follow him – to trust in him. And when you do you will find that you are truly becoming who you were meant to be – you will find that you can truly be free and happy.

For others of you you have already placed your faith in Jesus, but your next step is baptism. Baptism is a picture of the freedom that we receive in Christ. As we are lowered into the water and then raised up again, it’s a declaration of how the old has passed and the new has come. Baptism Day is next Sunday. If you know that this is your next step of faith, let us know. It would be an honor for me to baptize you and celebrate the freedom you have found. 

And lastly, going back to our first point, some of you are facing major decisions. And you have been paralyzed by the options – you don’t want to make the wrong choice. But keep in mind that indecision is a decision. And God has given you a ton of freedom, and the wisdom you need to make the right kinds of decisions.