Grab Bag Topic Thursday: Special Edition: “Independence from Sin Equals (=) Dependent of God” according to God’s Word. Scriptures: Acts 13:38-39, John 8:31-36
Teen Bible Study Taught 'N Ten Minutes
Grab Bag Topic Thursday: Special Edition: Independence from Sin Equals (=) Dependent of God
"Yeah, come on, it's like that, it's like that." Hello and welcome to my young loyal listeners of Teen Bible Study Talk in 10 minutes. So what do you know? Word on the go. This podcast is brought to you by and produced by Real Time with the Bennett, where real talk happens all the time. I'm your host, Minister Bennett of today's episode, and my co-host is the lovely sister Bennett as my husband affectionately calls me. Thank you for allowing and trusting us to be a part of your Christian walk. In this week's episode, we have special edition, Grab Bag Topic Thursday, independent from sin equals dependent of God, according to God's Word. We are back live in the P&T podcast studio with another great lesson for another great week. Can you guys guess what day it is? It is special edition. Grab Bag Topic Thursday. Yes, our favorite Thursday of the month. And yes, this is a double bag. Yes, we did it last week, but we have a special day here in the U.S. and we want to give you a message related to that day. So you heard me talk about independence and dependence. So we're going to talk about that. So let me define it. Freedom from outside control or support, needing the support of something or someone in order to continue existing. Those are powerful, powerful definitions. We can find this Biblically in Acts 1338-39. Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus, the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through Him, everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses. We can also find this Biblically in John 831-36. To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples, then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free." They answered Him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?" Jesus replied, "Very truly, I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the son sets you free, you are free indeed." Acts is a powerful thing. Independent begins with the acknowledgement that something or someone enslaved us against our will with our consent, approval, or permission. You are probably exactly like the people in verse 32 where they say, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been a slave of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?" Now, you know y'all get it twisted, y'all get it messed up, y'all be like, "I am a slave to no one or anything. Don't nobody control me. Don't nobody, including my parents, 'cause y'all know how y'all get, tell me what to do. I'm my own man. I'm my own woman. My own everything. I got it covered." Uh-oh. Uh-oh. Sister Bennet said a mouthful there, "And we just hope our young witnesses that that is not you. We pray that that is not who you are and the things you would say in a moment like this in the days that we live in. I'm sure we have stepped on some toes and rather some feathers with what we just talked about and maybe even lost a few listeners." Ooh, I hope none. Get this though. Y'all know how this happens. There can be no independence without recognition of dependence. Like any 12-step program, you must first admit you have a problem. In this case, guess what the problem is. You are a slave to someone or something. Let me say that again with what Sister Bennet said. Let me say it a little different. We can't gain independence until we acknowledge or admit our dependency on someone or something else. That ain't God. Yes. You can't say you depend on this person, that person or something else. It has to be God. God doesn't have a 12-step program. He has his son, Jesus Christ. Newsflash, Bling Bling, you just might be a captive to who yourself. We're going to pause there and let you catch up. Well, we're not actually going to pause, but we want you to let that sink in and marinate. Think about what we just said. We're going to keep this week kind of short and light. So we actually kind of playing with the words and slowing down so we can actually queue up a song that will illustrate this. All right. So the song is by Donnie McClurkin and it says, "Speak to my heart, Holy Spirit. Give me the words that will bring new life. Words on the wing of a morning, the dark night will fade away if you speak to my heart." So what they're saying is the dark night in that part means the trouble, the abusive relationships, the being bullied, all that you all go through that's dark in your life. And there's another verse that says, "Speak to my heart, Holy Spirit, a message of love, to encourage me, lifting my heart from the snare, how you love, love me, and care for me. Speak to my heart now, O Lord." We talk about a snare. That is something that enslaves you, something that is a trap, something that entangles you. So when we're talking about being independent, we have to get rid of those snares. All right. And the last verse that we're going to talk about that he speaks on or sings about is, "Speak to my heart, Lord, give me your Holy Word. If I can't hear from you, then I'll know what to do. I won't go alone, never go on my own. Just let your Spirit guide and let your Word abide." So when we say, "Never go on my own," we're saying, "No God, I need to be dependent on you. I need to allow your Holy Spirit to lead and to guide me. I know that it's your hand that is on my life, Father. And that's why I never want to go on my own. I want to be totally dependent on you." And with that said, I will close with this. When we talk about dependent of God, that's a play on words, because Jesus said, "When we give our life to Him, we become joint heirs." So if we are joint heirs with Jesus Christ, we become a son and daughter of God. So we are now a true dependent of God in the sense of life. Be blessed, our young loyal listeners, and happy 4th of July, dependence for America, and dependent on Christ. In summary, the points of knowing our freedom was bought with the price, Jesus Christ on the cross. We will close with this and quote, "Freedom is a tricky thing to comprehend. It's an oxymoron of sorts. I have been freed from bondage, and I have not been freed to do whatever I want, when I want, and how I want." True freedom, God's freedom gives us the ability to think and reason, to do what is right, not what is popular. This sounds like a bummer. Rest assured it isn't. Doing the right thing is so rewarding. May we think of freedom, not as the right to do as we please, but as the opportunity to do what is right, Peter Marshall. As always, please don't forget to subscribe and share, so that you and your friends will get all future notifications when new and exciting episodes are uploaded and posted. Until next time, stay safe and live a life wholly and acceptable to God, after all, it's your reasonable service. With a special thank you to LJ Productions for our post-production's editing techniques and news for this podcast. This podcast was sponsored by the Body of Christ Church of Waldorf, Maryland, Pastor Kenneth E. Stewart, Itch Christian Education Ministry, and association with Realtime with the Bennetts. Realtime what? You got it. Happens all the time. Yeah. It's like that.