We are Free Indeed!

Deep Cleansing Breath

Happy Mother’s Day everyone. I’m sure this is a special day to remember your mom, and for those who can, celebrate being a mom.

I hope today is a break from the usual Sunday routine. We all need breaks and it’s nice to have a day set aside for moms to get a break like this.

Okay everyone, deep cleansing breath!

In thru your nose, out thru your mouth.

Deep. Fill your lungs all the way w/ oxygen. We tend to take short, shallow breaths. So we don’t get all the oxygen our brain and muscles need into our bloodstream.

One more time, In thru your nose, deep fill you lungs, out thru you mouth.

Aaaaaahhh!

I bet you feel better already.

There’s stuff going on all around us. We got something. It’s still there. But, our perspective on it can change and our preparation to deal w/ it can improve by oxygenating our brains and bodies.

We need these little respites.

Big respites, too. Vacations. I’ve counseled ppl many times, when your employer gives you time off, take it. Make good use of it.

BTW, visiting family, is not always a respite. Am i right?

Maybe it’s an afternoon hike. Maybe it’s a day trip to the Grand Canyon. Maybe it’s a weeklong cruise.

Or, a week in Rome hoofing all over, seeing the sights like the Vatican, Pantheon, Colosseum, Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast. Sara and I just did that. We’re still jet-lagging a little. Not complaining at all.

We need those breaks from the rat race. Even if you’re retired, you need a break from your routine. For many of you, coming up to MP for the summer is that break. But even that can become routine that you need a break from.

Up on Crystal Point, out in Sedona, the top of Schnebly Hill, maybe just out on your deck in the sunshine w/ a good cup of coffee.

We’ve got to get out where we can breathe freely. It relaxes the muscles in our back and neck. It’s like whatever burden we’ve been carrying has been lifted and given to someone else.

We can do this in some fairly significant ways. But Jesus can do it in the most significant way. No one, nothing can set us free like Jesus.

Jesus speaking:

John 8:36 NIV

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

The ability to breathe. When you’re stressed by guilt, cancer, finances, marriage, It’s like there’s an elephant sitting on your chest and you can’t breathe.

In each of these situations, and many others, b/c we live in world that is broken by sin, only Jesus can free us from them.

It’s not that these situations will necessarily go away. But even in the midst of them, we can have a respite and relax.

This is what being a follower of Jesus does for us. It frees us up. It does not take away all of the tough situations we face. But in the midst of them, we can breathe and find a respite.

Jesus frees us so we can breathe then face and fight the tough situations we have because we know our future is glorious.

We are in John 8 this morning. The context around the verse I just quoted. Jesus frees us from 3 things. They are all related. But the bottom line is we can find peace and respite b/c we know we win in the end.

3 big things Jesus frees us from.

I’m going to get a little theological this morning. But please understand these deep issues have very practical applications for us as we wander thru the wilderness that is our life.

First,

Freed From Sin

John 8:21–32 NIV

Once more Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.” This made the Jews ask, “Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, ‘Where I go, you cannot come’?” But he continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins.” “Who are you?” they asked. “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning,” Jesus replied. “I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is trustworthy, and what I have heard from him I tell the world.” They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” Even as he spoke, many believed in him. To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

There’s a huge difference one little ‘s’ can make.

First, in v.21, Jesus told the unbelieving Jewish leadership that they will die in their sin, singular.

Then, in v.24, He told them they would indeed die in the sins, plural.

There is a significant difference between these 2 statements and what Jesus is telling them, and us.

First, the singular spelling references the realm, the status, the condition that we are all born into. Our old life w/ our old, sin nature. Everyone is born suffering from the effects of this.

When Adam and Eve first ate the fruit, it corrupted their DNA and they have passed that on to every single person ever born on earth except one. Jesus alone has not been effected by this condition.

This condition creates a complete separation between each person and God.

The consequence for everyone, anyone still living in this condition, in this realm, is they cannot go where Jesus is. They will never be allowed into the presence of God b/c He cannot be in the presence of anyone who is affected by sin in this way.

At the time Jesus spoke these words, He was here, but going to return to Heaven to wait until it’s time for Him to return to earth.

He was not singling out the Jewish leadership, but including them in the group who would face this consequence.

They didn’t believe Him. They bel’d they had done what they needed to do be relieved of that consequence. But they were wrong.

That’s the point. They bel’d there was something they could do to avoid the consequence. But there is nothing anyone can do. The way to avoid this consequence is believe in Who Jesus is, what He came to do, and why we need for Him to do it for us.

Next, the plural form of the word references the things we do, the behavior, the individual actions that God says we shouldn’t do. Sins. Direct disobedience to God.

Technically, these actions are not the reason anyone cannot get into Heaven. It is the condition of their nature that keeps them out. But, these individual actions still cause a problem between us and God.

For those of us who do believe in Jesus, these actions reflect our old way of life and create a distance between us and God. There is a deficit that must be made up. The punishment for them, that makes up this deficit has been accepted and performed by Jesus so we don’t have to.

We also have help we didn’t have before. God lives inside us. And w/ Him, He brought the same power that raised Jesus from the dead, that we now have access to, to resist the temptation to do things again.

The question must be posed, why would continue to live like we’re not saved if we are?

This is the question Paul posed in Romans 6.

Romans 6:1–10 NIV

What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

The best analogy I’ve come up w/ is marriage. Once you have stood at the altar and committed to act like you love this 1 person for the rest of your life, why would act like you’re still single?

If you do, then you must not have meant the promise you made. Why did you make it?

Why would you keep seeing other ppl.

But if you did, then you have committed to living a different lifestyle that you did before. It’s more than limiting your intimacy. It is more than not doing some things you did before.

It is positively doing different things; or, doing things differently. It is intentionally, actively, planning, pursuing activities that communicate to that 1 other person that you love them and want them to have all of their heart’s desires.

So, when you commit to Christ, you are committing from that day forward, to actively, intentionally, pursuing the activities that communicate to God that you want only what He desires, not necessarily what you desire, unless you only desire for yourself what God desires for you.

As Paul said, when X died, those of us who believe in Him, what He came to do and why we need for Him to do it for us, something in us died. That is our old nature, condition, whose consequence is not Heaven.

When he was raised from the dead, came back to life, we rec’d a new life that does not face that consequence every again. It does not mean we don’t do things that are disobedient. But, b/c of the commitment we made when we came to faith, we work hard at doing fewer and fewer of them.

We are no longer slaves to our old nature b/c Jesus set us free.

Back to John 8. In v. 32 Jesus said if we know the truth then the truth will set us free.

He does not mean simply knowing facts about Him. But what He means is, if we know Him. If we have that rel w/ Him b/c we bel IN Him.

John 14:6 NIV

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

The Jewish leadership challenged Jesus. v.25 “Who are you?”

Truth. Jesus is the One God sent to free us from our sin.

And, He said, at the crux they will realize, not only is He Truth, He speaks the truth.

How? B/C He won’t stay dead. They killed Him. They thought they had bound Him in his grave. But Jesus demonstrated that He is not only capable of freeing us, He freed Himself.

Jesus has set us free from the condition whose consequence is Hell. And, if He has set us free, we are free. For sure. Indeed.

And, the second thing He set us from from is a spiritual Father that is abusive and no good for us.

Free from Satan

John 8:39–47 NIV

“Abraham is our father,” they answered. “If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would do what Abraham did. As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. You are doing the works of your own father.” “We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.” Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

My kids are my kids. They have mine and Sara’s DNA as the foundation to every cell in their body.

Adam and Eve corrupted their DNA, and our DNA, when they accepted Satan’s offer to become their Father. They didn’t realize it. Most don’t. But that is the result of the choice they made.

We take on the characteristics of our parents. You would know our kids are our kids just by watching them. They look like us. They have our mannerisms.

The Jewish leadership bel’d Abe was their father. But Jesus pushed back. If He was, then you’d act like Him. He believed God, believed in God, and behaved like it. They didn’t.

Ironically, the bel’d that b/c they bel’d they kept the law, they were set for Heaven. However, the law was clear. If you commit murder, or even if you conspire to commit murder, you have broken the law and are not okay w/ God nor is Heaven in your future.

They sought to kill Jesus. They will succeed in a few months. They were doing what their true, spiritual father did and demonstrated their rel to Him by doing it.

Satan is a murderer and a liar. He has been these from the beginning. His children have followed His example, beginning when Cain killed Abel then tried to cover it up.

For those who believe in Jesus, we have severed that connection to Satan and connected ourselves to God. Jesus had freed us from the influence of the rel we had.

John 1:12 NIV

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—

We are now children of God and take on His characteristics. We follow His example. We demonstrate our new rel in how we behave b/c we believe.

God is life. He gives life. He is Truth. He speaks truth. Therefore, we do, too.

Matthew 7:21 NIV

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

When God is our Father, we work hard to do only the things He wants us to do. He give us help. But that is our priority in our behavior.

There is a 3rd thing that Jesus freed us from. He freed us from ever having to be concerned about being separated from God.

He freed us from Death.

Freed from Death

John 8:51–59 NIV

Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.” At this they exclaimed, “Now we know that you are demon-possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that whoever obeys your word will never taste death. Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?” Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and obey his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.” “You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!” “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.

The leadership there missed the point.

Jesus said, heed the word, obey His word and never die. The first step of obedience is belief. Believe in who Jesus claims to be, what He claimed He came to do, and why we need for Him to do it.

They thought, physical death. What do you mean never die. Abe died. The prophet died.

Yes, something will take us from this life. We call that death. But the definition of death in the bible, it means separation from God.

When we leave this life, we simply transition to the next. We never leave the presence of God as believers.

Remember the transfiguration? Moses and Elijah had long since left this life. They “died.” But, there they were, still alive and in the presence of Jesus. They had left Heaven, the presence of God, to meet w/ Jesus about what was coming.

Jesus wasn’t referring to physical death here. He was referring to spiritual death. Those who are bound to Satan are bound to sin. Those bound to sin are bound to death. They are separated from God.

Jesus broke those bindings. Those chain are gone. We’ve been set free. From all of it.

Nothing can now separate us from God.

Romans 8:38–39 NIV

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

And since Jesus has freed us from sin, Satan, death, all the effects; we can now be sure that we will receive the greatest gift we could ever get from anyone.

Romans 6:23 NIV

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Is that enough theology for you?

But the practical implication is we can now breathe. Deep cleansing breaths. We have nothing to worry about.

This life is hard. Things happen. Something will take us from it. It may be quick and painless. Or, it may slow and difficult.

Our bodies break. Our relationships break. Our finances break. But b/c Jesus broke the bonds of evil that confined us, no matter what else breaks, our rel w/ God never will

No matter what happens, our reservation in heaven is set. Nothing can take that away from us.

When Jesus frees us, we are free indeed. Now, breathe.

Applications

Assistant

We have help on the inside to beat our bad habits.

Sins don’t cause the consequence of being kept out of Heaven.

Sin does. That’s the status, condition that we were born into.

But now that you have a new condition, a new status, why would you live as if you didn’t? If you made that commitment to Christ, just like making a commitment to your spouse, then why live as if you didn’t?

You can beat those bad habits and you have help doing it. Surrender the desire to do it and you can beat it.

Who’s Your Daddy?

You’ll act like Him. You have his DNA as the foundation of every cell in your body.

If you believe, then God is now your Father. You are a child of God. He loves you more than you know. Even if no one else does. Or, you just feel like it, Know that your Father in Heaven loves you enough to sacrifice Jesus for you.

Breathe

You have a respite.

If you need a break from life, take it by opening your bible, praying, and spending time w/ God.

The weight will be lifted off you shoulders. Your neck and back muscles will soften and relax. Your gut will calm down.

Jesus has freed you from everything that can hurt you.

Deep cleansing breath. In thru you nose, out thru your mouth.

Practice that daily.

John 8:36 NIV

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

Jesus has given you the ability to breathe even if the bombs are bursting around you.

It’s not that these situations will necessarily go away. But even in the midst of them, we can have a respite and relax.

This is what being a follower of Jesus does for us. It frees us up. It does not take away all of the tough situations we face. But in the midst of them, we can breathe and find a respite.

Jesus frees us so we can breathe then face and fight the tough situations we have because we know our future is glorious.