True Freedom

John 8:31–36 ESV

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 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’?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

1. Have you ever felt constrained, bound, or trapped somewhere and you couldn’t get free? We value our freedom. We celebrate freedom and not being enslaved to other people or governments. Jesus tells us what true freedom is all about.

Being Free, but Not Free at the same time.

For a Western point of view, we think of political freedom, and liberation from some form of government or ruling body.

But is that True Freedom according to Jesus.

Let’s take that lense - What the Crowd was thinking.

They have never been slaves to anyone at anytime?

Egypt, Babylon, Persia, Greece, now they are under occupation under Rome.

Zealots Freedom Fighters - It is a strange since the Messiah is supposed to come and free them politically.

- A beautiful mindset of these Jewish people - One can be a slave and yet free (In mindset) - There basis is they are children of Abraham (Their lineage) of the promise.

Jesus, however, challenges our groundings of freedom. It is not based on the country we live in, the governmental or social structure we live in.

Seminary Professor asked an individual why he wanted to go to seminary. One of his questions was, are you a Believer in Jesus Christ, Are you a Christian? The potential student responded, Well of course, I am an American Aren't I.

Jesus is saying, you can be free in all of those ways, and still be a slave. - He is actually pointing them to the O.T.

Nehemiah 9:36-37 (LEB)

Nehemiah 9:36–37 LEB

Behold, we are slaves to this day, and the land that you have given to our ancestors to eat its fruits and enjoy its goodness—behold, we are slaves in it! Its rich yield goes to the kings whom you have given over us because of our sins, and they are ruling over our dead bodies and our livestock at their pleasure. We are in great trouble.

Exodus 21:2 and Deut. 15:12 household slaves do not remain with the household forever, but are realeased in the seventh year of their service.

-Slaves are a part of a household for some sort of debt or bondage reasons. -have lost their rights and therefore are not free. - The Crowd not believing in him are a part of the household of God, as slaves because of the debt of sin.. True freedom is to be a part of this household. - In 7 years they are released to be on their own. The Children and Adopted Children remain free in the family for life with full rights.

So One can be free, and still be a slave.

https://www.wingclips.com/movie-clips/ray/losing-everything

Here is the good news.

Jesus Gives True Freedom.

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms — to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”

– Viktor Frankl

- True Freedom is more than just a mindset and an attitude - It requires facing the truth, sometimes the hard truth that we are sinners.

The Crowd is not facing that reality - Their attitude is a lie, they have been slaves to no one at any time. - Jesus says, no, you are sinners. And we are sinners. We must face that Truth.

Person from a local ministry shared testimony. He committed a crime, did everything to avoid getting caught. Then he became a believer in Christ. He did everything he could to not be caught, he prayed to the Lord to not be caught, but he was, and at first he was upset at the Lord, but His testimony was that it was the best thing in his life to be caught for his crime his sin. He had an abundance of time to read scripture and he became closer to Christ and his life was transformed.

The Progression - Abide in the Word - Being His Disciple - knowing the Truth - Being Set free.

https://dskidsermons.com/2013/10/11/october-27th-2013-road-atlas/

Jesus full of Grace and Truth - Women caught in Adultry.

1. The enslavement of sin. Paul declares, “You who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness” (Romans 6:17–18). “Paul appeals first of all to a fact familiar to all—namely, that whatever one submits to becomes his master. … Here Paul arrives at the full answer to the question raised in v. 15. To be set free from obligation to serve sin means entrance upon the service of righteousness” (Everett F. Harrison, “Romans,” in Romans–Galatians, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary 10 [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1976], 73).

https://www.wingclips.com/movie-clips/the-hurricane/risen-from-the-dead

The time I preached in a Uganda prison about Paul who was in prison. You can be in prison and be free, and you can be out of prison and not be free.

1. The bondage of sin cannot be broken by moral philosophy or self-discipline. Musician Brian “Head” Welch describes being so addicted to drugs that he couldn’t stop taking them, even in front his daughter (something he told himself he would never do): - The Love of Jesus

The Truth Sets you Free = The Son Sets you Free = Jesus is the Truth.

We have all sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God

Jesus sets reminds us of that truth, but then dies in our place to pay off our debt of sin, adopts us into his family with full rights.

How do we receive this Freedom?

Receiving True Freedom.

- A few years back, I grossly mis-estimated our tax liability. It really felt like an impossible situation to get back into equilibrium. - Remembering Tim Vink's words at a Prayer for Healing Conference - Jesus is Lord over my assets and my debts.

1. “You’re free to move about the cabin.” This might be said on a flight when the seat belt sign is turned off because the plane has reached the appropriate altitude. It shows that you can safely get up from your seat and walk around the plane. This can help remind us that freedom comes with the ability to move freely. It isn’t just about declaring freedom but living that freedom. Our freedom in Jesus calls us to action—to live life in the fullness of Christ and for his purpose in the world.

- Abide in Him and his Teaching.

Be a learner of Jesus and we will see the truth of who God is, who Jesus is, and who we are.

As we do, we will recognize our need to be set free - We can not do it on our own. And so we will submit all of our debt to our Lord.