What's filling you?
How is your freedom related to whom fills you? To answer that question the teacher's comments on this week's lesson recommended reviewing the following story from last quarter's teacher's comments:
Wind: Wake up, puppet head. You look like a pile of rags.
Puppet: I am a pile of rags, and I can't get up. The only way I can stand up is if someone wears me on his or her hand. Otherwise, I'm just what you see right now—a flop.
Wind: So?
Puppet: Well, I really don't want that grubby brat's hand to wear me again. I feel violated. He's always dirty and germy—never washes his hands. I'm already so filthy inside that I can't stand it.
Wind: Can't stand up either?
Puppet: It's horrible, and you don't have to rub it in. No, I can't stand it, and I can't stand. The only way I ever get up is when he's in control. Some choice: Whenever I get up and get noticed, it means he's in charge of my every move. It's nice hearing kids laugh, but deep inside I know I'm just getting dirty. Otherwise, I live like this, a total flop.
Wind: You don't have to.
Puppet: Oh, I used to think so. I used to think there was a way out. I saw another puppet, and he was free as a bird. He didn't need the help of a hand to stand up, and he moved through the air with the greatest of ease. He looked He looked so happy and free.
Wind: And?
Puppet: It was all an illusion. When I got closer I could see it. There was no grubby hand helping him stand, but he was all tied up. There were strings attached everywhere—mouth, hands, feet. I had such high hopes. I just crumbled back to the ground—shattered. There was no freedom after all.
Wind: But there is!
Puppet: Lies!
Wind: No, I mean it. My family business is setting puppets free to soar.
Puppet: (skeptically) Really? I can't even see you.
Wind: A little faith, how about it? What do you expect from the wind?
Puppet: Make your pitch.
Wind: A family member paid the price for all puppets to live . . . even while you were still flops. Now you can go anywhere you want.
Puppet: And how much does this cost?
Wind: Oh, it cost a ton! More than you could ever afford . . .
Puppet: Figures!
Wind: . . . but it's free to you. A grant from the family foundation took care of it.
Puppet: No! Really?
Wind: Really. And all you have to do is let me live inside you, and I'll clean out all of Grubby's dirty germs. . . . Don't worry, we only use nonchlorine bleach, since it's gentler.
Puppet: Really? Oh, I'll try anything. Do it! . . . Now! . . . Oh . . . I don't believe it . . . I didn't mean that—I really do . . . I'm filling up . . . I'm soaring . . . I'm free!
The puppet never had control, really. But, he did not like dirty hands controlling him. He also did not want strings attached to him. To be free from the grubby hands and be cleansed from the dirt the hands left inside he had to let the wind fill him up and let the wind help him fly; this meant that the puppet yielded its will to the wind. The wind was in control now. Thus the puppet served the wind.
Clearly, the Puppet represents us. The puppet handlers could be said to be either Sin or the Devil. Thus, The Wind represents the Holy Spirit (John 3: 5 - 8). The Family is the Godhead. The other family member is Christ. The money of the family foundation is the blood of Jesus.
Before the Holy Spirit comes along we are just as the puppet, controlled (enslaved) by Sin. As the puppet, we can neither cleanse ourselves nor free ourselves from Sin. Our lesson asks, what frees a person from slavery to sin? Then asks us to read, Romans 8:2 "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death."
The expression "The law of the Spirit of life" in this verse means Christ's plan for saving humanity. This law stands in contrast with "the law of sin and death," which Paul described in chapter 7 as the law by which sin ruled, the end of which was death. Christ's law instead brings life and freedom. So what does Christ's fill us with so that this "law of the Spirit of Life" become effective in us? It is evident that it is the Holy Spirit. This is whom Christ sent to us to give a testimony of Him and convict us of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 15:26; 16:8). It is this Spirit, our Comforter, who dwells in us to cleanse us from Sin and free us from the serving the Law of Sin and death.
Paul elaborates on this concept in Romans 8,
Romans 8: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Romans 8: 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Romans 8: 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Romans 8: 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
Romans 8: 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
Romans 8: 9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
Romans 8: 10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
Notice that in verses 9 and 10 Paul makes the indwelling of Christ and the Indwelling of the Spirit the same thing. So, to be free from the slavery of Sin we must be filled with whom can free us from Sin, The Holy Spirit. However, just as the puppet had to let the wind fill it, we must allow the Holy Spirit fill us. Are you allowing Him? Is He filling you?
| RR |
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