Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction:

Title Freedom in the Truth:

Good evening everyone!

SOMETHING IN THEIR EYES...

A prominent atheist named Matthew Parris wrote in a 2008 essay about a strange phenomenon that he had observed in Africa.

Amazingly, as an atheist, he wrote an essay for The Times titled, "Why Africa Needs God."

Although Parris made it clear that he does not believe in God at all, he admitted that Christianity made a tangible difference in the lives of people he knew in his boyhood home of Malawi and in other countries across Africa.

Not only did he admire the good work that Christians were doing to care for the poor and sick, but he also liked the way they looked.

"The Christians were different," he wrote.

"Their faith appeared to have liberated and relaxed them.

There was a liveliness, a curiosity, an engagement with the world.

...Whenever we entered a territory worked by missionaries, we had to acknowledge that something changed in the faces of the people we passed and spoke to: something in their eyes."

https://www.sermoncentral.com/sermon-illustrations/78600/christian-witness-by-sermoncentral?ref=TextIllustrationSerps

I long for the lost world to describe us in such a complementary way.

I hope to have my eyes shine so bright the love and liberation found in Jesus so that many would believe and those that don’t would be forever haunted by wondering why they did not receive the gift from God when given the opportunity.

May we be described as free men and women with something in the eyes.

Tonight I would like to challenge you to experience “the freedom in the truth.”

May we be described as free men and women with something in the eyes.

Tonight I would like to challenge you to experience “the freedom in the truth.”

Turn with me to ,

1.

As believers, we are to abide in God’s Word.

It is vitally important to understand that God's desire for us is to be invested in him through his Word.

In reality, the word abide here means far more than remaining in but to "hold to" the words.

This understanding offers significant value for the believer because it means that we are applying and living our lives according to the word of God.

In reality, Jesus is telling the Jews who claimed to believe Jesus only those that actually live it out and rest in my Word are truly his disciples.

A stark contrast to the easy going false gospels we often hear today that advocate for you to be true to yourself, that you can embrace your sin, God made you that way so rejoice in your sin.

Jesus demands us to mortify our sin through the power of the Holy Spirit and his Word.

Jesus offers to the Jews seeking to kill him in ,

Illustration:

There is a clear difference in having knowledge of God's Word and abiding in his Word.

The difference is where the Word resides.

Does it live in the heart or does it reside in mind.

One has said the most significant distance is eighteen inches, which is the approximate distance from the mind to the heart.

It is one that many people never cover.

So what is Jesus really saying here?

In reality, Jesus is telling the Jews who claimed to believe Jesus only those that live it out and rest in my Word are indeed his disciples.

Simply saying you believe isn’t enough, you have to live it out.

Jesus has a expectation of transformation that only a heart change produces and he tells these people in that they are not his disciples unless the heart change takes place in each of their lives.

Former Pastor and writer of “I kissed dating goodbye”, Josh Harris, has fallen from the faith.

He not only left ministry, divorced his wife, but even renounced his faith and called himself “not a Christian” this week.

So what is Jesus saying here?

Honestly, Jesus is offering a stark contrast to the easy-going false gospels we often hear today.

These false gospels advocate for one to be true to oneself, that you can embrace your sin, God made you that way so rejoice in your iniquity.

Jesus demands us to mortify our sins through the power of the Holy Spirit and his Word.

We don’t know all the details; however, we do know that in almost all cases of moral fallings a lack of discipline in being in God’s word is largely to blame for the short comings.

Illustration:

In reality, Jesus is telling the Jews who claimed to believe Jesus only those that live it out and rest in my Word are indeed his disciples.

Simply saying you believe in Jesus isn't enough, you have to live it out.

Jesus has an expectation of transformation that only a heart change produces and he tells these people in that they are not his disciples unless the heart change takes place in each of their lives.

Former Pastor and writer of "I kissed dating goodbye," Josh Harris, has fallen from the faith.

He not only left the ministry, divorced his wife, but even renounced his faith and called himself "not a Christian" this week.

It is vitally important to understand that God’s desire for us is to be invested in him through his Word.

In reality the word abide here means far more than simply remain in but to “hold to” the words.

A significant value for the believer because it means that we are applying and living our lives according to the word of God.

Honestly, Jesus is offering a stark contrast to the easy-going false gospels we often hear today.

These false gospels advocate for one to be true to oneself, that you can embrace your sin, God made you that way so rejoice in your iniquity.

Jesus demands us to mortify our sins through the power of the Holy Spirit and his Word.

In reality, Jesus is telling the Jews who claimed to believe Jesus only those that actually live it out and rest in my Word are truly his disciples.

A stark contrast to the easy going false gospels we often hear today that advocate for you to be true to yourself, that you can embrace your sin, God made you that way so rejoice in your sin.

Jesus demands us to mortify our sin through the power of the Holy Spirit and his Word.

We don't know all the details in Josh Harris' fall.

However, we do know that most cases of moral fallings, a lack of discipline in being in God's word is mostly to blame for the shortcomings.

Illustration:

Former Pastor and writer of "I kissed dating goodbye," Josh Harris, has fallen from the faith.

He not only left the ministry, divorced his wife, but even renounced his faith and called himself "not a Christian" this week.

We don't know all the details in Josh Harris' fall.

However, we do know that most cases of moral fallings, a lack of discipline in being in God's word is mostly to blame for the shortcomings.

We must hold onto the promises of God.

We must hold fast to the Word of God.

Let not our hearts be blinded to the darkness and be overcome with the wickedness of the world’s offering.

It is with great fear and trembling; I pray to ask God to hold me in his ways and His Word!

There have been too many pastors, deacons, and church members who have fallen from the faith to leave it and never return.

I pray that would never be the case.

Not only do we see that believers are to abide in the Word of God.

2. As believers, we are to experience the freedom of living in truth.

J

What is the truth Jesus is speaking of here?

Quite simply, the answer is Jesus.

Yes, Jesus is talking about himself in this passage.

When the Word of God abides in our hearts, and it leads us in our understanding, we learn who Jesus is, and by knowing Jesus, we know the Father.

Through the birth of salvation in Jesus and his Word, we experience true freedom in living lives full of Jesus Christ.

Yet, the Jews misunderstood the nature of the bondage look at verse 33,

The Jews misunderstood the nature of the bondage look at verse 33,

They completely missed the bondage of sin and the need to put it to death.

Watch how Jesus responds,

John 8:34-

Jesus teaches the people that those who practice sin are slaves to it.

I have news for you all, that means if you are feeding your sin in your life, then you are enslaved to that evil master.

It is dictating to you how you are to live and cutting you off from Christ altogether.

We have to live holy lives as believers.

I must be transparent here.

Jesus is communicating that everyone who does just one sin is enslaved to it.

They are in need of being freed from its bondage which Jesus breaks us free from forevermore.

What is incredibly difficult to wrap our minds around is the fact that Jesus is communicating that everyone who does just one sin is enslaved to it.

They require being freed from its bondage, which Jesus breaks us free from forever when we repent and believe in Jesus Christ.

Yet, even though we have been set free from the bondage of sin does not mean we do not stumble and fall.

All people do on this side of eternity.

I do, brother Kyle does, and everyone else.

However, if we abide in His Word, those failings become less often as we grow in Christ-likeness.

We no longer are slaves because we have become free through the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.