In our series on Keys to Freedom, pastoral elder Eric Byrom has us looking at the first key that forms the "Ring" all the other keys are on.  It is Committing and Connecting to Christ.  

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Sermon Passages: 

Romans 3:12; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 10:9-10; Ephesians 2:4; 2 Corinthians 5:17

Sermon Outline

If you want to be free, you have to surrender to the freedom giver, Jesus Christ!

Total Commitment and Surrender is Required!

Common Traps:

• I tried God, and it didn’t work for me.
• I need to clean up my life.
• I will always have my issue, even if I follow Jesus.

Questions for Discussion

1. What concepts from the sermon stood out to you? Are there any ideas that were new to you? If so, what?
2. Do you agree with the statement that it’s going to be difficult to get far in the healing process if there’s no commitment to Christ? Why or why not?
3. If you have already committed your life to Christ, would you be willing to share a little about your journey to that decision? What was your life like before Jesus? Why did you give your life to Christ?
4. In the sermon, we heard some examples of “artificial stabilizers”–things people may lean on more than Jesus, like maybe having money or being in a certain kind of relationship. What are other examples of “artificial stabilizers”? Would you be willing to share something you yourself have leaned on in the past, or may still be using for support?
5. In the sermon, we learned about some common traps that keep people from giving God their total commitment. What traps were mentioned? Have you ever fallen into one of these traps before? Perhaps you are currently struggling with one of them. Would anyone like to share your own experience? (When we share our struggles, we have an opportunity to encourage each other.)