Marking Time: Forming Spirituality through the Christian Year

Ses s i on 3: Keep i ng the Rhy thm of the Sp i r i t 81

5. The substance of all authentic commemoration or celebration must be the person and work of Christ himself!

a. Gal. 4.9-10 (ESV) – But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless ele mentary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? [10] You observe days and months and seasons and years! b. Col. 2.16-17 (ESV) – Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. [17] These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.

6. The lordship of Jesus Christ means that he has granted us freedom apart from the obedience to the Law; as believers, we are now free to live by faith and love, with Christ as center.

a. For freedom Christ has set us free!, Gal. 5.1 (ESV) – For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm there fore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

b. We are called to freedom for the sake of love, Gal. 5.13 (ESV) – For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

c. Use your freedom not as a cover for evil doing, but to serve and glorify God, 1 Pet. 2.16 (ESV) – Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.