Freedom!

INTRODUCTION

ILLUS: Statue of liberty in New York Harbor. Words by Emma Lazarus, 1886: “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to be free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempts-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door.”

Yearning to be free is a passion that beats in the heart of people of the world. I trust we in America cherish our national freedoms, don’t take them for granted, or abuse them, or forfeit them. We are at a crossroads today - I believe the billions in bailout and now stimulus are eroding our freedoms. Newsweek headline: “We are all Socialists Now” Tomorrow President’s Day honoring two the greatest — Washington and Lincoln — beacons of freedom.

Yet there is a freedom greater than political or social freedom, a freedom that only Christ can give - freedom from the bondage of sin, freedom from the domain of Satan, freedom from the fires of hell. A freedom for heaven’s glories, freedom to do what is right and honor God, freedom to be witnesses to the world of the saving and living grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. Freedom!

Probably the definitive words in the Bible about freedom are the words of Jesus in our text today. READ John 8:30-36

1. The Formula for Freedom vs. 30-32

• Context, Jesus has freed a sinful woman from being stoned to death and given her grace. He said He was the light of the world. He spoke words about His authority and described His relationship with God the Father. He used the great OT covenant name of God “I Am” for Himself.


• v. 30, 31a. Some of His listeners believed in Him. Now He seeks to deepen their faith. He thus presents a great formula for gift of freedom.
a). “If you abide in my word”
• “abide or continue or remain” = live in, dwell, make your home in the words of Jesus. We hang on every word, study, search, seek His Word so we can be obedient to the Word. John 15:14; 1 John 3:24


• “abide” is active, not passive, the more we abide the more we love Jesus, the more we abide the more we learn, the more we abide the more we obey. Be absorbed in truth Jesus gives and live in it.


• Specifically it is the red letter words. But they are in the context of the entire Bible, for His words fulfill the rest of the Bible, explain the rest of the Bible, and personalize the rest of the Bible.
ILLUS: I like Red Letter Bibles, all of my main Bibles are red letter. Almost half of 4 gospels are Red Letter.


• Christ is the center and heart of the Bible, as He is the center and all heart of history, as He should be the center and heart of our lives.


• “abide” Are you into this book? Are you diving in Words of Jesus? Are they changing your daily life? Is Christ changing your daily life?

b). “then you are truly disciples of Mine”
• As you actively abide you are a genuine “truly” disciple of Jesus.


• “disciples” = students, one who adheres to the teaching of the spiritual leader, so much so he builds his life upon the teacher.
ILLUS: History shows us good and bad examples of discipleship: Bad examples - disciples of Karl Marx, Charles Darwin, Lenin, Hitler, Mao. Good examples - disciples of Lincoln, Reagan. Other Religious examples who are false religions: disciples of Buddha, Mohammed, and Confucius.


• Christian Discipleship is a lifestyle of obedience to Christ. Live your life upon the foundation of the Bible, led by the Spirit of God.


• Disciple is often used as a synonym for “believers” we see this in Acts (6:1,2; 9:1; 11:26) If you are a believer, you are a disciple.


• NT gives us specific marks of a true disciple - belief only in Jesus for salvation, love for one another, and this one - abide in My word.

c). “you shall know the truth”
• “know” 56 x’s John, key word, knowledge gained from experience.


• “truth” revealed reality, centered in the person of Jesus Christ - John 1:14; 14:6
QUOTE: “Christ is the Bible’s fullness, the Bible’s center, the Bible’s fascination...The name of Jesus is the supreme personality on every page - in expression, symbol, prophecy, psalm, or proverb. Take Jesus out of the Bible, and you take truth out of history.” Song “He is Lord”


• The hallmark of the Christian’s intellectual life is “I believe in order that I may understand.” Belief makes spiritual truth come alive.


• We live in a postmodern world, where the hope for discovering absolute truth has been largely abandoned, or they search in all the wrong places. This knowledge of truth that Jesus gives is revolutionary. We can know!
ILLUS: Do I belong to any Pastor Associations? Not so important today. Back in the ’80’s they were big. One meeting, question about stand on a moral issue. I said the Bible says it’s a sin. Another said, but sincere people on both sides, how can we know what is right. Evangelical Free Pastor said: “You shall know the truth.” Truth is knowable. End of discussion.


• But not to everyone - note the progression in text, don’t take this out of context - to know the truth, one must believe in Christ, abide in His word - one must be a disciple first to know the truth.


• This knowledge is by revelation from outside of us, not by inquiry within us. Jesus has revealed Himself as truth (John 14:6), the Spirit is the Spirit of truth (John 14:17), the Bible is the written revelation of divine truth (Psalm 119:160 “The sum of Your words is truth”)

d). “and the truth will make you free”
• It all culminates here - freedom, true, real, complete


• Knowledge does not make you free, truth makes you free.


• Knowledge puffs up, knowledge can make us arrogant. Truth is knowledge + wisdom. Truth is liberating, having truth is humbling.


• Truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. The truth of God, the truth of man; truth of revelation and reality; the truth of sin and salvation; the truth of our earthly life and our eternal life.


• The Bible is the all sufficient revelation of the truth. All reality must conform to the truth of the Bible. Many times it gives us foundations to seek truth in creation (science), and principles to seek truth in reason (natural law, justice). But must affirm not contradict Bible.


• “free” absence of constraint and restriction, opportunity to exercise the right of acting apart from external interference - free to do right.


• Yet we have an internal illumination - Spirit of God working in the sons of obedience. By revelation and illumination we are free to be all that God wants us to be, free to do all that God wants us to do.

2. The Fortunes of Freedom vs. 33-36

a). Freedom in Christ breaks slavery to sin. vs. 33-34
• The Jews forgetful their past. They were, slaves in Egypt, oppressed by nations during the times of the Judges, carried away to exile by the Babylon’s, they then were under the yoke of Rome. Not free political, nor were they spiritually free, for they were rejecting Jesus/Messiah.


• Jesus gives us freedom from: sin v. 34, falsehood 17:15; condemnation Rom. 8:1; judgment John 3:18; spiritual ignorance 8:12; spiritual death 8:51; Freedom from the fires of hell, bondage to Satan Col. 1:13. Freedom liberated bound sinners. Galatians 5:1

b). Freedom in Christ blesses us with the rights of son ship. vs. 35-36
• Freedom for: member of the family of God, heir to the riches of God in Christ Jesus, freedom to pray, freedom to understand and live the Bible, freedom to worship regardless of political conditions, freedom to resist temptation, freedom to do what is right, freedom for citizenship in heaven. A freedom that only Christ can give.
  
  By the way, if you are having any issues of spiritual warfare I recommend an excellent resource from Freedom in Christ Ministries on overcoming bondages - workbook 7 Steps to Freedom.

CONCLUSION

ILLUS: President’s Day tomorrow. Abraham Lincoln. I have a couple books: Abraham Lincoln, the Man and His Faith, by Frederick Owen Lincoln - pictorial history.

Famous for the Emancipation Proclamation freeing slaves written January 1, 1863. His spiritually understood divine providence, knew power of prayer, knew power of Bible, understood battle for right/wrong. Philosophy = Right is Might.

But it took years for him to experience freedom in Christ. National Fast Day May 7, 1863 - “it is the duty of nations as well as of men, to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions, in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon.”

Conversion at Gettysburg November 19, 1863 - most famous speech ever given also most important life change took place. “When I went to Gettysburg, and saw the graves of thousands of our soldiers, I then and there consecrated myself to Christ.” Document the change in life. Life cut short April 15, 1985. Praise God he found the greatest freedom of all.

Greatest freedom of all is freedom in Christ. Have you been freed from sin? Do you live the truth of Christ? Are you free to do what is right?

Invitation