VBS Day 4

FOREVER FREE

What do we celebrate on Friday?

Independence day; the day we declared our freedom from monarchy, from kings, from the British, from ‘taxation without representation’… but most of all, we celebrate freedom—that is basically the story of our entire culture, right? “Land of the Free” is at the end of our national anthem that we sing at every big social gathering, after all. We debate each other about who is the best person to represent our interests in the government. Democratic voting gave us a sense of choice in our political leaders. We talk about the members of our military “defending our freedoms,” and so on and so on. It’s everywhere.

So today is probably a perfect day to talk about what freedom is.

What is freedom? *go around the room*

See, lot’s of different avenues about how to view, appreciate, and implement the concept of “freedom,” but they’re all essentially leading back to the same idea, aren’t they? The right to either abstain (stay away from) or participate in any particular thing. I have the freedom to say whatever I want and also the freedom to say nothing at all, for example.

But what we’re gonna talk about today is that freedom isn’t just the story we tell to each other about how we got here as a country, the Bible also tells a similar story.

It tells the story of Freedom v Slavery. In some ways, that’s the whole thing. That’s what it all boils down to.

Something I believe very deeply to be true is that words have meaning, they are powerful. After all, God created the universe, all the heavens and earth, with a word. Jesus himself is described by John in the first chapter of his gospel account that Jesus was THE WORD of God that had become flesh and dwelt with men here on earth. That being said, Jesus’ words should be very important to us right? We should look very carefully at what our Lord chose to say to others at any given point.

Remember the baptism of Jesus we read about on Sunday? Does anyone know what Jesus did after He was baptized? He was first led into the wilderness by the Spirit to fast and pray to the Father. It was a time of preparation for the beginning of His ministry here on earth.

And what’s the first thing He preached to men on earth? Well, lets go ahead and look at the first verse today:

Luke 4:18 ““The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are oppressed,”

*discussion on passage* *Captives* *to what?*

*This tells us what Jesus’ mission was, plainly, we don’t need to guess what He came for*

Now lets look another example of how Jesus interacted with and spoke to different people and why

John 5:24–30 ““Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment. “I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.”

*discussion*

*quickly read highlights of John 8* John 8:32 “and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.””

Matthew 26:47–56 “While He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came up accompanied by a large crowd with swords and clubs, who came from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now he who was betraying Him gave them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the one; seize Him.” Immediately Judas went to Jesus and said, “Hail, Rabbi!” and kissed Him. And Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you have come for.” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and seized Him. And behold, one of those who were with Jesus reached and drew out his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels? How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?” At that time Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out…”

Matthew 27:11–26 “Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor questioned Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” And Jesus said to him, “It is as you say.” And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He did not answer. Then Pilate said to Him, “Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?” And He did not answer him with regard to even a single charge, so the governor was quite amazed. Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the people any one prisoner whom they wanted. At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. So when the people gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” For he knew that because of envy they had handed Him over. While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him a message, saying, “Have nothing to do with that righteous Man; for last night I suffered greatly in a dream because of Him.” But the chief…”

Matthew 27:37–44 “And above His head they put up the charge against Him which read, “THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” At that time two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and one on the left. And those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking Him and saying, “He saved others; He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him. He trusts in God; let God rescue Him now, if He delights in Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ” The robbers who had been crucified with Him were also insulting Him with the same words.”

Matthew 28:1–6 “Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying.”

Matthew 28:19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,”

***

So what was the point of it all? The point was freedom. Paul, who we talked about yesterday, tells us:

Galatians 3:22–25 “But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.”

Galatians 4:3 “So also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world.”

Galatians 5:1 “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.”

So what? What does this mean for us, for our lives?

Romans 10:9–10 “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”

This type of freedom has no earthly limitations, no man can set you back in prison. No king can condemn you.