On July 4th, 1776, the Continental Congress adopted a statement known as “The Declaration of Independence,” announcing that the thirteen American colonies, then at war with Great Britain, regarded themselves as thirteen newly independent sovereign states – no longer a part of the British Empire – and calling themselves, “The United States of America.” The most well-known line within the Declaration indicates that Americans have a right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Liberty is freedom. But what does the Bible have to say about freedom? That’s what’s tackled in this teaching as we learn the paradoxical truth that in order to find true freedom, we must seek slavery.

• What’s your biggest takeaway from the teaching?
• There’s clearly a negative slavery (what we see in our world today and throughout world history) but also a positive one (explored in this teaching). What surprised you most about how the Bible describes the positive slavery?
• Are there any places in your life where you‘ve sought “freedom” but it has been anything but that?
• With our dependence upon the Scriptures, Son, and Spirit, where do you need to grow the most? What does that look like practically?
• How will you begin implementing your desired changes over this next week?

• Life, Slavery & the Pursuit of Happiness – This is a sermon Craig Rees and I did together when I was at Central Wesleyan that goes deeper into the concepts addressed in this teaching.