Do You Want To Be Free?

Introduction- Reality According to Hollywood

Have you ever noticed that in movies

All grocery shopping bags contain at least one stick of French bread.

The ventilation system of any building is the perfect hiding place.

The Eiffel Tower can be seen from any window in Paris.

A man will show no pain while taking the most ferocious beating but will wince when a woman tries to clean his wounds.

Cars that crash will almost always burst into flames

Persons knocked unconscious by a blow to the head will never suffer a concussion or brain damage.

It is always possible to park directly outside the building you are visiting.

Any lock can be picked by a credit card or a paper clip in seconds- unless it’s the door to a burning building with a child trapped inside.

All bombs are fitted with electronic timing devices with large red readouts so you know exactly when they will go off.

Medieval peasants have perfect teeth.

It is not necessary to say hello or good-bye when beginning or ending phone conversations.

Any person waking from a nightmare will sit bolt upright and pant.

It does not matter if you are heavily outnumbered in a fight involving martial arts; your enemies will patiently wait to attack you one by one by dancing around in a threatening manner until you have knocked out their predecessors.

These aren’t the only ways that movies twist reality.

Sometimes we attempt to twist the reality of our faith and who we are as people of God....

Transition To Body- Alternate Reality According to the People Who Identify As God’s People

Reality of Mount of Olives 80 meters higher than the Temple Mount- providing panoramic view of the temple sight

John 8:1–5 ESV

1 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. 3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst 4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?”

Jesus the Light of the World

John 8:12–13 ESV

12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 13 So the Pharisees said to him, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.”

John 8:30 ESV

30 As he was saying these things, many believed in him.

John 7:39 ESV

39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Body- If You Want To Be Free of the Devil (Wages of Sin)- recognize

Following Jesus Is More Than Believing (Jn. 8:31-32)

John 8:31–32 ESV

31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Abide In Jesus To Bear Much Fruit

John 15:5 ESV

5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

Abide- sense, of someone who does not leave a certain realm or sphere: remain, continue, abide

John’s Cliff or Spark Notes of Mark 4:14-20

Mark 4:14–20 ESV

14 The sower sows the word. 15 And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. 16 And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. 17 And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. 18 And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, 19 but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 20 But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”

True discipleship is tested with “if you hold to my teaching”

Not just your fill of loaves

John 6:26 ESV

26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.

John 6:66–69 ESV

66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”

Matthew 7:24 ESV

24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly

Colossians 3:16–17 ESV

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

dwell-

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 85.73 οἰκέω; ἐνοικέω

to remain in a place defined psychologically or spiritually—‘to be in, to live in, to dwell in, to reside in

richly-

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 59.57 πλούσιος, α, ον; πλουσίως

pertaining to that which exists in a large amount, with the implication of its being valuable—‘in large amount, in abundance, rich, richly.’

Guard our decisions/choices with the word

Psalm 119:9 ESV

9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.

Psalm 119:11 ESV

11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

Psalm 119:105 ESV

105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Truly- corresponding to what is really so, truly, in truth, really, actually.

John 8:32 ESV

32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

And you will know the truth

Know- to arrive at a knowledge of someone or someth., know, know about, make acquaintance of

the content of Christianity as the ultimate truth

One who possesses Christ knows truth

John 8:32 (IVPBBC NT): 8:32. The Greek concept of truth emphasized reality; the Old Testament word translated “truth” had more to do with integrity or faithfulness to one’s word or character. Jewish thought characterized God as the Truth, so Jesus’ hearers should realize that he refers specifically to God’s truth in the Jewish sense.

Jesus is the Way the Truth the Life

John 14:6 ESV

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 10:7–8 ESV

7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.

And the truth will set you free

Yet, Jesus claims, it is not religious heritage that brings true freedom, but truth (John 8:32). “The truth will set you free.” But to be set free means that there is a bondage from which you need to be freed.

{So our text tells us today...

Following Jesus Is More Than Believing (Jn. 8:31-32)

}

Religious Heritage Doesn’t Secure Our Salvation (Jn. 8:33-35)

John 8:33–35 ESV

33 They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever.

John 8:34 (IVPBBC NT): 8:34. Philosophers often used “free” to mean free from false ideas or from concern; Judaism spoke of being free from sin. Jewish teachers believed that because Israel had the law, the evil impulse that made the Gentiles so sinful could not enslave them.

John 8:35 (IVPBBC NT): 8:35. Old Testament law mandated that Jewish slaves be freed in certain years, and under Gentile laws slaves could be freed or sold to other households; a son, however, was always part of a household. Jesus may also make another allusion here: “house” (which can mean “household,” “family” or “home”) may include a wordplay with God’s house, the temple (2:16); only the “sons” will have a permanent share there (Ezek 46:16–17; cf. also Is 56:5).

Bear Fruit Reflective Of A Repentant Heart

Matthew 3:7–12 ESV

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 10 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Do Not Presume On God’s Grace

Romans 2:4–6 ESV

4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 He will render to each one according to his works:

{

Following Jesus Is More Than Believing (Jn. 8:31-32)

Religious Heritage Doesn’t Secure Our Salvation (Jn. 8:33-35)

}

Only Jesus Christ Can Guarantee Our Salvation (Jn. 8:36)

John 8:36 ESV

36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

John 8:36–37 (IVPBBC NT): 8:36–37. In popular Jewish belief, descent from Abraham virtually guaranteed salvation except for the most wicked; Israel was chosen and destined for salvation in him.

Receiving man’s glory vs. seeking God’s glory

John 5:39–44 ESV

39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. 41 I do not receive glory from people. 42 But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44 How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?

Seek First the Kingdom of God

Matthew 6:33 ESV

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

{

Following Jesus Is More Than Believing (Jn. 8:31-32)

Religious Heritage Doesn’t Secure Our Salvation (Jn. 8:33-35)

Only Jesus Christ Can Guarantee Our Salvation (Jn. 8:36)

}

Works Reveal Our True Spiritual Ancestry (Jn. 8:37-38)

John 8:37–38 ESV

37 I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. 38 I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”

These days it seems everybody wants to know their ancestry

Take Ancestry.com for instance

In November 2018, the company said to have provided access to approximately 10 billion historical records, to have 3 million paying subscribers, and to have sold 18 million DNA kits to customers.[4] By 2022, this number had risen to 30 billion records according to the company.[5] On December 4, 2020, The Blackstone Group acquired the company in a deal valued at $4.7 billion

But what exactly fuels our desire to look backward?

According to Libby Copeland in her book “The Lost Family: How DNA Testing Is Upending Who We Are”:

People study their ancestry because humans are natural born storytellers, and we want to know how our “once upon a time” tits into our narratives of our lives. We study our genealogy as a way of making abstract history real and we want to know if the past has guidance for our present and future we can’t yet see. Our ancestor’s stories of crisis can be reassuring; we already know that it’s going to work out and we can learn lessons that sustain us.

In other words we hope our past can help explain our present.

John 2:23–25 ESV

23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. 24 But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.

John 8:38–39 (IVPBBC NT): 8:38–39. “Father” could mean “ancestor,” and on that level Abraham was their father (v. 37—although most had some Gentile converts in their ancestry). But metaphorically a father was someone whose ways one imitated, often a teacher, or whose nature one revealed, such as a spiritual progenitor.

Works=Ergon- that which displays itself in activity of any kind, deed, action

John 8:39–42 ESV

39 They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, 40 but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. 41 You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me.

James 2:14–26 ESV

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

John 8:42–47 (IVPBBC NT): 8:42–47. That the devil was the original murderer (cf. 8:37, 40) and denier of truth (cf. 8:32) is irrefutable; Jewish tradition stressed that his lie had led to Adam’s death (cf. Gen 3). Because Jesus’ interlocutors want to kill him and reject his truth, their behavior demonstrates who is their real father; the issue is not ethnic but spiritual.

{

Following Jesus Is More Than Believing (Jn. 8:31-32)

Religious Heritage Doesn’t Secure Our Salvation (Jn. 8:33-35)

Only Jesus Christ Can Guarantee Our Salvation (Jn. 8:36)

Works Reveal Our True Spiritual Ancestry (Jn. 8:37-38)

}

Transition To Close- Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Sent by God the Father

IN JANUARY 1863 the Emancipation Proclamation was declared. This legal document said that all slaves were now free. But in Texas, someone kept it a secret. They didn’t tell African-Americans that we were free. So for a couple of years after the Emancipation Proclamation, we were still in bondage.

African-Americans were still acting like slaves because no one had told us we were free. In fact, we were so glad that someone finally told us, we made that date a holiday and African Americans celebrate Juneteenth every year. Thank God, someone told us! If no one had ever shared the good news, then we would have stayed in slavery much longer.

Jesus Christ, on Calvary two thousand years ago, signed your Emancipation Proclamation. He declared that you are free but Satan is trying to keep it a secret from you. He’s trying to keep you from coming into the realization that you don’t have to stay tied down.

You don’t have to say “Yes sir” to his control of your life any longer. You can now put down that plow and move “North.” You can now take the freedom that has been offered to you and act on it. You can collect your forty acres and a mule and start plowing your own land now. You can start living through the freedom that you have because you have now been made free in Christ. That’s who you are but you must live like it.

Evans, Tony. Tony Evans' Book of Illustrations (p. 34). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.

John 8:36 ESV

36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Where the Spirit of the LORD is, there is freedom

2 Corinthians 3:17–18 ESV

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

John 4:23–24 ESV

But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Romans 12:1–2 ESV

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

John 8:42 ESV

42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me.

But for those who are truly Jesus’ disciples

John 9- blind man

John 10- Good Shepherd

John 11- How Jesus loves his friends

John 12- they try to kill Lazarus because Jesus resurrected him

John 13- those who celebrate the Lord’s supper

When I am lifted up from the earth

John 12:32 ESV

32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

John 1:11–13 ESV

11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

For those whom he foreknew...

Romans 8:29–30 ESV

29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Close- Jesus Christ (Full of Grace & Truth)

John 1:14 ESV

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 8:56–58 ESV

56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” 57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”