Bound And Tied Up So We Cannot Serve

INTRO: The word bound is found in the New Testament 39 times. It is used in varying ways to deal with several different ideas. Today I want to look at this idea and see how we are bound. Next week I intend to deal with the steps of being delivered from those things we are bound with.

I want to look at Acts 20, in verses 22-27 and see how Paul wa s bound by the Holy Spirit to do His bidding.

Acts 20:22 - 27 ²²And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:

²³Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.

²⁴But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

²⁵And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.

²⁶Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.

²⁷For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

As we look at Paul's testimony we see his declaration that he is bound or required, constrained, drawn, etc. to go to Jerusalem. He is later warned that he would be bound, literally tied up and imprisoned if he went. Paul, trusting the Lord and knowing it was His will, was determined to go regardless of the consequences.

First, let me ask…How are things bound?

Like a book - bound together for good, help, learning, etc.

Like jail or prison, bondmen - to restrain, correct, etc.

Like a girdle - to contain our actions

Like a wound dressing - protection from harm

Physically and mentally - control or surrender, ideals, etc.

Some bindings are good and some are bad, as we will see today.

Paul was…

Bound by love for the Lord

Desire to do His bidding (bound in the spirit)- 22

Willing to trust in Him (not knowing…)- 22

Desire to reach lost souls - 23

Willing to put his life on hold - 24

We can be…

Bound by love (for)

Each other

Family

Church

Country

Friends

The "Lost"

His ways

Traditions

We can be

Bound by commitment

Lord - 24

Church

Marriage

1 Corinthians 7:27 Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.

Job

A vow

Ecclesiastes 5:4 - 5 ⁴When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.

⁵Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

A cause

We can be

Bound by attitudes (proper and improper)

Good ones…

Truth

Determination

Laws

Matthew 22:21b …Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.

Teamwork

Common goals

Political parties

Teams - Colt's fans

Bad ones…

Stubbornness

Deceit

Selfishness

Arrogance or self-importance

Untruthfulness

We can be

Bound by truth

John 8:30 - 36 ³⁰As he spake these words, many believed on him.

³¹Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

³²And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

³³They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?

³⁴Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

³⁵And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.

³⁶If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

We can be

Bound by lies

Satan is the father of all liars

John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

We can be

Bound by sin and the guilt it brings

Romans 6:19 - 23 ¹⁹I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

²⁰For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.

²¹What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.

²²But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

²³For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 7:14 - 25 ¹⁴For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

¹⁵For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.

¹⁶If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.

¹⁷Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

¹⁸For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

¹⁹For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

²⁰Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

²¹I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

²²For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

²³But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

²⁴O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

²⁵I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Let us look at some other things that bind us…

Habits and desires of life

Drugs

Alcohol

Gambling

Sex

Tobacco

Food

Video games

Work

Soap operas

Sports

Etc.

We can be

Bound by situations

Yet the victory/delivery is in Christ

We can be

Bound by our bodies' sicknesses

Let's face it our bodies do limit our ability to do things

We can be

Bound by defeat

Discouragement

Depression

Despair

We can be

Bound by the law

Restraint

Protection

We can be

Bound by integrity

Joseph as an example

Genesis 39:9 There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?

There are many other things that we could look at that bind us. Many are for good, many for bad. Should we continue in the things that are bad that bind and harm us?

So, if evil or bad things bind you I encourage you this day to seek God and ask Him to help you overcome

Next week we will look at how to overcome the binding and damage it brings in our lives.

Gary Marcum - New Beginnings Church - 092108am