Adrian Rogers - Liberated Living (02/06/2026)
In this sermon from Galatians, particularly chapter 5:1 and surrounding verses, Pastor Rogers proclaims that Christ's grace brings true liberated living—freedom from legalism, criticism, and fatalism. We are to stand fast in this liberty, living an executed, exchanged, and energized life where Christ lives in us, not bound by law, opinion, or fate, but by amazing grace alone.
The Call to Stand Fast in Liberty
We’ve been in the Book of Titus. I want you to turn today to the Book of Galatians as we continue our study on God’s Amazing Grace. And today we’re talking on this subject: Liberated Living. I want you to look in Galatians chapter 5 and verse 1. Galatians 5 and verse 1, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free.”
Liberated Living. The Gospel of grace is God’s emancipation proclamation. We love to sing, “He breaks the power of canceled sin. He sets the prisoner free.” And the Bible says in John 8:36, “If the Son shall make you free, you will be free indeed.” Now, there are a lot of people who are free, but they’re not quite free indeed. Someone has said, “He is not truly free who drags his chain with him.” I really want you to see how great the grace of God is and the liberty that God’s grace will give.
Now, remember this about Satan, Satan doesn’t want casualties; he wants converts. And he wants to take those converts and makes slaves out of them. And these people who are Satan’s slaves are those, ironically, these servants of Satan boast about their freedom. They boast, for example, about reproductive freedom, which means the supposed right to live like alley cats and murder the unborn; they call that freedom. Or they talk about freedom of the press, which means to print salacious literature. Not since Manhattan Island was sold for $24 has so much dirt been sold so cheaply. And they call that freedom. But Second Peter 2 verse 19 says, “While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the slaves of corruption.”
Now, Jesus came to set you free. And there is nothing more liberating than grace, and there’s nothing more wonderful than a life of liberty. Now I started at the end of Galatians, but I want you to go back to the first chapter of Galatians. Chapter 5 and verse 1 is a summation of all that we’ve seen. So go back to Galatians chapter 1 and the very first thing I want you to see is this. I want you to see the dimensions of a life of liberty.
Free from the Bondage of Legalism
What are we free from? Well, in the first place, by the grace of God, you are free from the bondage of legalism, and there’s no greater bondage than the bondage of legalism. Galatians chapter 1 and verse 6 through verse 12, the Apostle Paul said, “I marvel that you’re so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ,” now, underscore that phrase, “the grace of Christ unto another gospel, which is not another, but there be some that trouble you and would pervert the Gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from Heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you. Let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, ‘If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.’ For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be a bondservant of Christ. But I certify you, brethren, that the Gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
Now we are, first of all, to be free from the yoke of legalism. Now, look, if you will in verse 6 again, “I marvel that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel.” The first danger is that people desert the Gospel. They are soon removed. It is an amazing thing to me how some people can be led away so easily from the true Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And after they desert the Gospel, then they pervert the Gospel, verse 7, and “Which is not another, but there be some that trouble you and would pervert the Gospel of Christ.”
Now, learn this about the devil. The devil wants you to desert the Gospel, and the way that the devil gets you to desert the Gospel is to pervert the Gospel. That’s what verses 6 and 7 are all about, deserting and perverting the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Now, the devil does not deny the Gospel. He perverts the Gospel. There’s hardly anybody in Christendom who would say, “I don’t believe the Gospel”, or “I don’t preach the Gospel”. They all say they preach the Gospel, but it is a perverted Gospel. Because the devil knows that if he can get you satisfied with a perversion of the Gospel, that you will accept a perversion of the Gospel and end up with a synthetic salvation, not a real salvation.
And so Paul here says, “I am 100% against those who desert and those who pervert the Gospel.” Now, Paul’s going to say something that sounds almost unchristian. I want you to listen to it in Galatians 1 verses 8 and 9, “But though we, or an angel from Heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again,” now, listen to this, “If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”
The True Gospel — Supernatural in Origin, Operation, and Object
Now, what he says here sounds almost unchristian, but Paul is a freedom fighter. He is fighting for freedom, and he is not going to give one inch. When he says here, “If any man preaches any other gospel, let him be accursed”, it literally means let him be given over to destruction. Phillips translates it, “Let him be damned.” Let him go to Hell if he preaches any other gospel. Now, the natural man recoils at this. That sounds narrow. That sounds bigoted. That sounds prejudiced. But what the Apostle Paul is saying is, “There can be no compromise with Gospel truth.” It would be far better to say that two plus two is five than to compromise the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Not only can there be no compromise, there can be no substitute for the Gospel. He says, “If you preach another gospel, the wrath of God, the judgment of God is upon you.” And you say, “Adrian Rogers, that’s so narrow-minded.” Well, let me ask you a question. What is wrong with being narrow-minded if that narrowness is truth? I want my pilot to be narrow-minded when he flies an airplane. I want him to go through that checklist. And, if the flaps are supposed to be up or down, I want them to be up or down accordingly. I certainly want my pharmacist to be narrow-minded. I like for my doctor and banker to be narrow-minded. But somehow in the matter of our eternal destiny, we’re supposed to be broad-minded.
Well, friend, if your destiny hinges on the truth of the Gospel, that is of paramount importance. We’re not talking about your taste in music or your denominational preference. We’re talking about your everlasting, never dying soul. Now look in verse 7. He says, “They preach a gospel which is not another. It just sounds like the Gospel. It is a counterfeit gospel.”
Now, what is the Gospel of Christ? What is the Gospel of grace? The grace of God, what is it? Let me give you three marks of it and they’re right here. Number one, the origin of this Gospel; it is supernatural in its origin. Look in Galatians 1 verses 11 and 12, “But I certify you, brethren, that the Gospel which was preached of me is not after man.” That is, “I didn’t get it from any man.” “For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.” The true Gospel is not man’s invention; It is God’s revelation. There is but one Gospel. Now, if anybody preaches anything else, it’s not the true Gospel. If it’s new, it is not true. Now, knowledge may double, but truth never changes. Get that. Knowledge may double, but truth never changes.
Paul says, “This Gospel that I got, I got by divine revelation.” And then he says something here that is very, very interesting. Look, he says here in verses 8 and 9, “But though we, or an angel from Heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, ‘If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.’” Now what is Paul saying? I don’t think there’s anything that’s much more emphatic than what he’s saying right now, right here.
Suppose in this building this morning there came a genuine angel. I mean, no ifs, ands, and buts about it. Let’s suppose he came through those doors, down those stairs, and walked over here. Or let’s suppose he just sort of materialized and came down through the ceiling. I mean a bright, shining, glorious, wonderful, genuine, industrial strength angel. I mean, he comes right here and he says, “People of Bellevue, you have been chosen. I have been dispatched from Heaven. I am Michael the Archangel. I am here to tell you there’s a new gospel.” Paul said, “Let him be damned if he says that. Let him be accursed if he said that. Let him go to Hell if he says that.” And Paul said, “If I come to you and say, ‘You remember what I used to tell you about the Gospel?’ I’ve gotten a new revelation. I want to tell you something else now, something different. After all, I was the one who told you the first time. Now I’m the one who’s going to tell you the second time, but the second time’s going to be different.” Paul said, “The wrath of God would be upon me if I were to do that. If I were to somehow get backslidden or changed or change my mind in any way, don’t you believe it. There is but one Gospel. It is irrevocable. It can never ever be changed.”
Now, folks, get this down big and plain and straight. We don’t need a new and modern gospel for a new and modern age; there is but one Gospel. And if any man preach any other gospel, Paul said, “Let him be accursed.” I’m not cursing. I’m not using bad language, boys and girls, when I say, “God said, ‘Let him go to Hell.’” That’s what God is saying. Any man is worthy of it, who would pervert or distort or substitute the Gospel of Jesus Christ, even if it is an angel.
Now, I want you to learn something and learn it real, real well this morning. Listen to this pastor. It is not the messenger who validates the message, it’s the message that validates the messenger. Now, Paul said, “Listen, even if he’s an angel, even if he’s an Apostle, no matter what, if he distorts the Gospel of Jesus Christ, you cannot, should not, must not listen to him. No matter how many degrees he has, no matter how persuasive he is, no matter what seminary he went to, no matter what, there is but one Gospel.”
The Supernatural Marks of the True Gospel
Now, the devil is against the Gospel, and therefore you can find all over all kind of false religion. But the true Gospel, number one, it is supernatural in its origin. Do you have that? Secondly, the true Gospel is supernatural in its operation. Look, if you will, in Galatians 1 verse 6, and, “I marvel that you are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel.” The Gospel, the true Gospel, is rooted in Christ. It is the grace of Christ. You’re saved by grace. That means it’s not of works. There’s nothing good that you can do. Salvation is in Christ alone, by the cross alone, by grace alone, through faith alone. That’s the operation of the Gospel. You can’t beg salvation. You can’t buy salvation. You can’t borrow salvation. You can’t steal salvation. You can’t earn it. You can’t learn it. You can’t merit it. You can’t inherit it. Friend, by the work of Christ on the cross, it was completed and it’ll never be repeated or depleted. It is the Gospel of Christ.
It is divine in its origin. It is divine in its operation, and it is divine in its object. And here’s the clue, look at it, “You’re so soon removed from Him, verse 6, “unto Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel.” Now, notice it is the grace of Christ, the grace of Christ. It is the Gospel of Christ. Supernatural in its origin, supernatural in its operation, and supernatural in its object. The object of the Gospel is Christ. What do we mean when we say the grace of Christ? What is that? What is the Gospel? That Christ died for our sins. That he was buried. That he was raised again the third day. That’s the Gospel. That’s the grace of God. It’s not a Gospel that mentions Christ or alludes to Christ. It is the Gospel that centers in Christ.
Now, this is the reason that we have so much false religion in the world. Being saved is a personal confrontation with Jesus Christ. Not a creed, not a code, not a cause, not a church, but Christ, Christ! Do you know why we have so much false religion? People have met creeds and they’ve met causes and codes and churches, but they’ve never had a personal confrontation with Jesus Christ. Salvation is receiving Christ. It is believing on Christ. Acts 16:31, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.”
You say, “Well, surely Jesus was one of the world’s great religious leaders.” No. Jesus is the only begotten Son of God and the only way to Heaven. Does that offend you? Well, be offended. Be offended. If Jesus Christ is not the only way, He is none of the ways. Because He becomes a liar and an imposter. He was the one who said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. And no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” John 14 verse 6. The Apostle said in Acts 4:12, “Neither is there salvation in any other, for there’s none other name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.”
Living as Sons, Not Servants — The Performance Trap
What is the Gospel? It is supernatural in its origin. It is supernatural in its operation. It is supernatural in its object. It is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And when you learn this, when you learn this, folks, it sets you free from legalism, trying to be saved by being good. David Seamands has written a book called “The Performance Trap”. I want you to look in Galatians 4 verse 7 for a moment, then I want to tell you what David Seamands had said. “Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son.” Now, this is the difference between trying to be saved by the law and being saved by grace. “Thou art no longer a servant, but a son.”
A servant is accepted and appreciated on the basis of what he does. A son is accepted and appreciated on the basis of who he is. A servant, a slave must begin the day anxious that he would please his master that day. A true son begins the day resting, secure, knowing that he’s loved. A servant is accepted on the basis of his workmanship, what he does, but a son is accepted on the basis of his relationship. A servant knows that productivity and performance are the basis of his acceptance. A son knows that his acceptance is on the basis of his position as a son. A servant has peace of mind at the end of the day if he has proven worthy by his work, but he knows he begins the new day with a new anxiety. But the son is secure all the day long knowing that tomorrow will not change his status as a member of the family.
A servant knows that if he fails, his whole position is at stake. But a son knows that if he fails, he will be lovingly corrected, but he is not afraid of being thrown out of the family. That’s the difference, folks. When you understand that you’re saved by the grace of God, it’s the most liberating thing. Somebody says, “Well, if I believe in salvation by grace, I’d just get saved and live any way I want to.” Well, friend, I want to serve Him. I want to because of His amazing grace.
Listen to this, God does not say, “I love you because.” God does not say, “I love you when.” God does not say, “I love you since.” God does not say, “I love you if.” God just simply says, “I love you.” His love is unconditional. That’s grace. Now, if God were to put some condition upon us, if there’s something in us that causes God to love us, then that makes His love conditional. But the reverse would be true. If God loved me because of my sweetness, my goodness, my lovableness, that would mean if I’m not sweet, if I’m not good, if I’m not lovable, then God no longer loves me. And His lack of love toward me would be failure on my part.
Listen to this, God’s love is unconditional. Now, His love flows out of His nature. It is His action toward us, not His reaction to us. Does that make sense to you? God loves us; it’s just His nature. I’ve said it many times, God doesn’t love us because we’re valuable; we’re valuable because God loves us. God doesn’t change us so He can love us; He loves us so he can change us.
Free from Criticism and False Brethren
Now, we need to be saved, first of all, from legalism, set free from the bondage of legalism. Number two, we need to be set free from the bondage of criticism. Notice now in Galatians 2 verses 4 and 5. Well, let’s go back to verse 3, “But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.” Now, we’ve been in the book of Titus for the last several Sundays, and Paul used Titus as a trophy of grace. Titus was a Gentile and they were trying to make Titus keep the Jewish laws. And verses 4 and 5 say, “And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: to whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the Gospel might continue in you.”
Now, if the devil can’t get you by legalism, he’ll try to get you by criticism and keep you into bondage. Now, legalism is the bondage we put on ourselves; criticism is the bondage that other people put on us. And many people have been put under bondage by these grace-busters, and there’re plenty of them around. You know, the Bible says in John 1 verse 17, “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” Now, the law had requirements, rules, and rituals, regulations. The Pharisees took the law and all of those rules, rituals, and regulations, and they made another list of their own as long as a man’s arm. As a matter of fact, they finally had 613 of them. And then they would judge everybody else by these things. They had their little list. And if anybody stepped outside their little manmade list, well then they were criticized.
And that’s exactly what happened to Paul and to Titus. There came down from Jerusalem some of these grace-busters with their little list. And Paul, who was free from legalism, said, “I’m also free from your criticism.” It’s not that we’re not concerned what others think, but friend, you’re in for a long, rough ride if you become a slave to public opinion. Now, Paul had a tender heart, but he had a tough hide. Look, in Galatians 2 verse 5. He said, “To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour.” He said, “I refuse to become a slave to their opinion.”
As a matter of fact, he even rebuked Simon Peter because Simon Peter allowed that to happen. Look, if you will, in Galatians chapter 2 verses 11 and 12, “And when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles; but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.” And Paul said, “Peter, you are normally strong. But when these people came in here, these legalists, these people who were trying to get you to behave and walk in lockstep like they wanted you to lockstep, you had been fellowshipping with the Gentiles, you had been enjoying your grace, and then you just reverted to your own ways.” And Paul said, “I put my finger in Peter’s face and I told Peter that he was wrong.”
Now, listen, folks, if you’re not careful, there’s going to be somebody and it may be somebody in the church who’s going to put you under bondage. Notice what he says in Galatians 2 verse 4, “And that because of false brethren,” false brethren, that means people in the church. Phillips translates this, “sham Christians”. There’re a lot of people who are legalists and they can’t stand it when you’re saved by grace. They can’t stand it. I mean, it bothers them. And they’ll come out to check you out and they’ll make their little list. I’m not talking about God’s righteous and holy commandments. I’m talking about their superficial, manmade preferences. And they’ll say, “Well, it offends me when you do that.”
Now, we’re not to offend weaker brothers, but I’m going to tell you there are some professional weaker brothers you better watch out for. Professional weaker brothers, you know what I’m talking about? Professional weaker brothers that have their list of things that they believe is right or they’re wrong. You go off to some conference somewhere, you go off to some seminar and you get your little list and you come back and start checking everybody else out. Well, don’t do it. And friend, don’t let somebody do it to you.
Now, never wound a weaker brother’s conscience. But if a weaker brother is a professional weaker brother, he is sick and you can’t make yourself sick to make him well. It’s his problem to begin with. But if you allow him to bring you into subjection, it becomes your problem. Paul said, “I didn’t give space to that bunch. One hour, I’ll not do it.” The grace of God, it frees you from legalism, free from the law, oh happy condition. And the grace of God, it frees you from criticism. Friend, when you know you’re right with God, you don’t have to worry about what somebody else has to say about you.
Free from Fatalism and Astrology
And then it frees you not only from legalism and not only from criticism, but it frees you from fatalism. Now, let me show you something else here. Look, if you will, in chapter 4 verses 3 through 5 of Galatians, “Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage,” there’s our word bondage, “under the elements of the world. But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them,” that is, to set them free, “that were under the law that we might receive the adoption of sons.”
Now, what does he mean here by “the elements” in verse 4? Look at it again, in chapter 4 and verse 3. What does he mean by that, “in bondage under the elements”? Well, the word elements here means the elemental forces of nature. We’re talking about the stars, the planets, nature, birth, what you are, what sign you were born under. As a matter of fact, he really here has in mind the idea of astrology that had already begun in Bible times. Look, if you will, in Galatians chapter 4 verses 9, 10 and 11, “But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, wherein, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?” Now, watch this, “Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I’m afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain.”
When he’s talking about days and months and years and times and seasons, he’s talking about the zodiac. He’s talking about astrology. He’s talking about these beggarly elements. He’s talking about people who believe that they’re objects of fate, that they’re born under a certain star, that this thing could happen to them or that thing could happen to them. How many of you pitiful people, if you do this are pitiful people, get up and read your horoscope, see what’s going to happen to you? Oh you say, “Well, it’s just a little something I do.” God pity you. God pity you. That is the occult. It’s out of Hell. It’s of the devil.
Friend, do you know what astrology means, astro-logos; the word of the stars? You don’t need the word of the stars; you’ve got the Word of God. You’ve got the Word of God. You’re not some object of fate. Do you know what a disaster means? An aster is a star. Disaster means your stars weren’t right. That’s a disaster. Oh, friend, there’s no disasters to the children of God. Romans 8:28, “All things work together for good to those who love God, who are the called according to His purpose.” Friend, when you understand the grace of God, you don’t feel that you’re a victim of circumstance because you can say, “I am what I am, not by fate, but I am what I am by the grace of God.” Amen. By the grace of God. It’s wonderful.
Grace sets you free. You’re free from legalism. You’re free from criticism. You’re free from fatalism. You’re free in the Lord Jesus. And that’s the reason he says in Galatians chapter 5 and verse 1, “Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made you free, and be not entangled again in the yoke of bondage.”
The Cross-Centered Life — Executed, Exchanged, Energized
Well, how does this work out? I mean, how does this work out in life? Well, it’s all in the cross. Look in Galatians chapter 2 verses 20 and 21. Get ready for a blessing. Look at it. Here’s the Gospel; here’s how it works, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God.”
So many of us have been frustrating the grace of God. That’s a rich phrase, isn’t it? “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” That means if you could be saved by being good, Calvary was a blunder. “If righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” And go right on through to Galatians chapter 3 verse 1, “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?” What he’s saying is, “Somebody beguiled you, somebody bewitched you, somebody got your eyes off of the cross and onto something else.” It’s all in the cross.
Now, let me tell you how the grace of God works. What is the Christian life? First of all, it is an executed life; “I am crucified with Christ.” You see that in verse 20. That’s talking about you. That’s talking about me. When Jesus Christ died for me, He died as my substitute. And when He died for me, therefore, I died with Him. Now, get this down big and plain and straight. He didn’t just die for your sins to take away your sins. He died to take away you; you. The problem is not what you do; the problem is who you are. I am crucified with Christ. I am the one that deserved to die. I was the one nailed up on that cross. You say, “I thought it was Jesus.” Yes, it was me, because He died for me and I died with Him, and His death had my name on it. And when He paid, my debt was paid. Do you understand that?
I’m crucified with Christ. He died for me. It’s done. And friend, therefore, if a man is convicted of a crime and put in the electric chair and they pull the switch and the coroner comes and says, “He’s dead”, they’ll never do that to him again. If they see him walking down the street tomorrow, too bad. How he ever came back alive is none of their business. He’s paid his bill in full. He is dead, pronounced dead. He can’t be brought into double jeopardy. So that’s the first place. This life is an executed life.
But now wait a minute, it is an exchanged life. Look at it, Galatians 2:20, “I’m crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.” Now, I died with Him and I rose with Him. You’re looking at a resurrected man. You’re looking at a man who has already died and already been resurrected. His name is Adrian Rogers. I died with Him. I rose with Him. I have been executed, and I have been raised. And now His death had my name on it, but I’m not with Him in the grave because He has a life that the grave could not handle, and that life is mine. I am raised with the Lord Jesus Christ.
But now watch, it is an executed life. It is an exchanged life. “Nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ that liveth within me.” And it is an energized life. Here it is, “And the life which I now live in the flesh, right here in this body, I live by the faith of the Son of God.” Not faith in the Son of God, the faith of the Son of God. His life is in me. His faith is in me! In me! In you! “I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
Now, listen, the one who gave Himself for me is the one who gave Himself to me. Is this getting through? Look, folks, we’re talking about grace. We’re talking about something incredibly wonderful. We’re talking about liberty. An executed life, an exchanged life, an energized life.
Ian Thomas, the great preacher, dear man of God, Major Ian Thomas. He’s got one of the greatest illustrations. He talks about Moses going out there in the wilderness and he sees that burning bush. Remember the story? There’s a burning bush out there in the wilderness. Now, Moses started out to be a missionary, ended up a murderer. He’s on the backside of the desert now. Been out there in the backside of the desert in exile. And in Exodus 3:5, God says, “Moses, take off your shoes. The place where you stand is holy ground.” And there’s a bush. It’s just burning, but it’s not consumed.
And Ian Thomas imagines Moses looking at that bush and saying, “Oh, oh, look at that. What an amazing bush. Why, I tried to burn for God and I burned myself out in 24 hours, and I’ve been a pile of ashes ever since. And there’s a bush. It just keeps on burning. What a wonderful, wonderful bush that is.” And then Major Thomas imagines God saying to Moses, “Moses, it’s not the bush. Moses, you see that other bush over there? I could do that with that bush, or with that bush, or with that bush, or with that bush, or with that bush, or with that bush, or with this bush.” It’s not the bush. It’s God in the bush. Any old bush will do. Isn’t that great? Any old bush will do. It’s not the bush.
Oh, sometimes we look at people and we say, “Oh, what a wonderful Christian. Isn’t it wonderful how God is using him? Isn’t it wonderful how God is using her?” It’s not him. It’s not her. It’s the grace of God. “I’m crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me.” It is God in the bush. And friend, that is the grace of God and that is liberty from legalism and criticism and fatalism. “The Son shall make you free; you’ll be free indeed.” Amen.