I Love My Shepherd 26 – Chasing Freedom 3: Freedom in Fresh Ink

We are marked people. 

Maybe you have a tattoo, maybe you don't. Maybe you believe in tattoos, maybe you don't.

• Tattoos and the Bible = Levitical law (Leviticus 19:28)
• Bigger question is what are we marking ourselves with, what is worth marking ourselves with
• Consider our cultural context and heart, what is the purpose here, where is the glory going

Galatians 3:23-29

Humankind has a long and complicated history with marking one another. It's painful. Slavery has been alive in virtually every generation and I don't think you can think of marks on human skin without considering the past. 

• Israel being delivered from slavery
• Brand of slaves, Amazing Grace

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-4NFvI5U9w

• Canaan-ite religion and markings on the person
• Jefferson's Son - https://www.amazon.com/Jeffersons-Sons-Founding-Father%C2%92s-Children/dp/0142421847/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1506966225&sr=8-1&keywords=jefferson%27s+sons

Marking ourselves, that's one thing. Marking another. That's another thing entirely. 

• Bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit, not our own
• 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

How are we marked? What is God's link over time and history to tattoos and marking, and freedom?

Ephesians 1:12-14 – sealed, Greek - sfrag-id'-zo

http://biblehub.com/greek/4972.htm

• signet ring, early religious markings (for audience understanding)
• mark of ownership
• free will, FREEDOM - we submit, offer ourselves v. slavery
• to the praise of His glory, hope

2 Corinthians 1:21-22 – God establishes us, secure, guarantee, ratify (like Galatians 3)

http://biblehub.com/greek/950.htm - to walk where it is solid, seal gives us footing and freedom in our identity

• tattoos disturbing because they remind us of something darker, the history of it all
• God takes what we know and brings grace into all of it

Challenge: What tattoo would you get, or do you have, to proclaim a little Jesus? What other ways can we proclaim God’s seal on our lives?

 

 

ESV Bible translation - Copyright © 2001 by Crossway,

a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

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