Free Indeed

INTRODUCTION

There’s a difference between being set free and living free. In John 8, Jesus looks at a group of religious people who think they’re fine—who think they’ve never been in bondage—and He tells them the truth: “Whoever commits sin is a slave to sin… but if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” This isn’t partial freedom. It’s not religious freedom. It’s real freedom—the kind that transforms your worship, fuels your witness, and changes your walk. Today, we’re talking about what it means to live as sons and daughters—not as slaves—because when Jesus sets you free, you don’t just sing different… you live different.

SCRIPTURE

John 8:31–36 NKJV

31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” 33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

MESSAGE

POINT 1: FREEDOM TRANSFORMS YOUR WORSHIP

John 8:31–32 NKJV

31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

Here's what most people miss about freedom - it's not just about what you're freed FROM, it's about who you're freed FOR.

Jesus says, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples." The word "disciple" means learner, follower, worshiper. This isn't casual. This is commitment. This is devotion.

You cannot truly worship God while you're in bondage to sin.

Think about it. When you're enslaved to:

What people think of you - your worship is performative

Your past mistakes - your worship is guilt-driven

Your addictions - your worship is distracted

Your pride - your worship is about YOU, not Him

But when Jesus sets you free, worship becomes AUTHENTIC. It becomes PURE. It becomes POWERFUL.

Slaves serve out of obligation. Sons and daughters worship out of love.

The religious leaders in this passage had all the right moves.

They knew the scriptures.

They attended the temple.

They followed the rules.

But their worship was empty because they were in chains they wouldn't admit existed.

Application: What's blocking your worship today? What chain is keeping you from lifting your hands, opening your mouth, surrendering your heart? That's exactly what Jesus wants to break.

When you're truly free, worship isn't something you HAVE to do - it's something you GET to do. It's not a duty, it's a delight.

Real freedom produces real worship.

FREEDOM FUELS YOUR WITNESS

John 8:33 NKJV

33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”

You cannot witness to a freedom you haven't experienced.

These people couldn't testify to God's delivering power because they wouldn't admit they needed deliverance. They had a heritage, but they had no testimony. They had a pedigree, but they had no power.

Here's the truth: Your mess becomes your message when Jesus sets you free.

Some of you think your past disqualifies you from witnessing. You think, "If people knew what I've done, they wouldn't listen to me." But that's a lie from the enemy!

Your freedom story IS your witness.

Paul said, "I was the worst of sinners" - and that became his qualification, not his disqualification. The woman at the well had five failed marriages - and she became the first evangelist to her city. The demoniac was possessed by a legion of demons - and Jesus sent him back to testify about what God had done.

When Jesus sets you free:

You stop hiding your story and start sharing it

You stop being ashamed and start being bold

You stop whispering and start proclaiming

"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (v. 36)

Free INDEED. Not partially. Not secretly. Not "free but don't tell anybody." FREE - and everybody needs to know about it!

Application: Who needs to hear your freedom story? Your freedom isn't just for you - it's for somebody else who's still in chains. Your breakthrough becomes someone else's hope.

The world doesn't need more people with theological degrees. It needs people with deliverance testimonies. It needs witnesses who can say, "I was bound, but Jesus set me free!"

Your witness is most powerful when it's rooted in your freedom.

FREEDOM CHANGES YOUR WALK

John 8:34–35 NKJV

34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever.

This is where it gets real. Jesus isn't just talking about feeling free. He's talking about WALKING free.

Everyone who sins is a slave to sin.

That means sin doesn't just break God's rules - it CONTROLS your walk. It dictates:

Where you go

What you do

Who you become

How you live

A slave's walk is determined by their master. But a son's walk is directed by their Father.

Here's the difference:

SLAVE MENTALITY:

I have to obey or I'll be punished

I serve to earn my position

I follow the rules to stay in the house

My walk is driven by fear

SON/DAUGHTER MENTALITY:

I GET to obey because I'm loved

My position is already secure

I'm already in the family

My walk is driven by freedom

"A slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever."

When you're walking as a slave, you're constantly afraid you'll lose your place. But when you're walking as a son or daughter, you KNOW you belong.

And here's what changes - your walk becomes a reflection of your identity, not a performance to earn it.

You stop:

Walking in shame

Walking in fear

Walking in bondage to old patterns

Walking like you have something to prove

You start:

Walking in confidence

Walking in authority

Walking in purpose

Walking like you know whose you are

Application: How are you walking today? Like a slave who might get kicked out? Or like a son/daughter who knows they belong?

Some of you have been Christians for years, but you're still walking like a slave. You're still trying to earn what Jesus already purchased. You're still afraid God's going to reject you if you mess up.

But Jesus says, "If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."

That means:

Your walk doesn't have to be defined by your past

Your walk doesn't have to be limited by your failures

Your walk doesn't have to be controlled by your sin

When Jesus sets you free, your walk changes forever.

CONCLUSION: THE THREE W'S OF FREEDOM

Let me bring this home:

1. FREEDOM TRANSFORMS YOUR WORSHIP

When chains break, worship becomes authentic

You stop performing and start praising

You worship Him because you love Him, not because you owe Him

2. FREEDOM FUELS YOUR WITNESS

Your story becomes your sermon

Your testimony becomes your tool

What held you captive becomes what sets others free

3. FREEDOM CHANGES YOUR WALK

You stop walking like a slave and start walking like family

You stop trying to earn your place and start enjoying your position

You walk in the authority and confidence of who you are in Christ

CHALLENGE

But here's what you need to understand - none of this happens by accident. It happens through Jesus.

You can't worship your way into freedom. You can't witness your way into freedom. You can't walk your way into freedom.

Only Jesus can set you free. But when He does - your worship, your witness, and your walk will never be the same.

Some of you have been stuck for so long, you've forgotten what freedom looks like. You've adjusted to your limitations. You've accepted your bondage.

But today, Jesus is standing at your prison door with the key in His hand saying:

"If you hold to my teaching... you will know the truth... and the truth will set you free."

Don't settle for slavery when sonship is available. Don't live like a prisoner when Jesus paid for your pardon. Don't walk in chains when Christ died to break them.

If the Son sets you free, you will be free INDEED.

RESPONSE

If you're ready to experience true freedom in your worship, your witness, and your walk - don't wait another moment. Jesus is ready to set you free TODAY. Receive it. Believe it. Walk in it.