Freedom In Christ Series

According to Mark Parsec, Independence Day “celebrates America’s Declaration of Independence from the tyranny of England under King George the III.”(1) The signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, he says, was not intended to declare war with England, nor did it procure our country’s independence. America’s freedom was not actually obtained “until a treaty was signed seven years later on September 3, 1783” at the end of the Revolutionary War.(2)

Parsec says the intended purpose of the Declaration of Independence for the colonists was to declare “to the world their belief in a personal, infinite God - their Creator - who endowed them with certain ‘inalienable’ or absolute rights . . . To the men of that time it was self-evident . . . that if the inalienable rights they were urging were not seen in the context of Christianity, then they were without content - illusions, and nothing but dreams. To have absolute rights our forefathers had to acknowledge the Absolute Authority of God.”(3)

You see, there is no true freedom without God and His authority to determine the morality upon which the laws of our land are founded. In God we find the basis for national freedom, or physical freedom; however, we also find in the Lord the basis for our spiritual freedom. God’s provision for our spiritual freedom is found in His one and only Son, Jesus Christ. Therefore, on this Independence Day Sunday we are going to view the freedom we have in Christ.

Jesus Came to Give Us Freedom (Luke 4:18)

18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed.

Right here, Jesus revealed the reason why God had sent Him into the world. Jesus came to bring liberty, or freedom! He was reiterating a prophecy shared about Him hundreds of years earlier by Isaiah. Now, Jesus said He came to preach the gospel. Isaiah 61:1 tells us He came to “preach good tidings.” The word gospel means “good news,” revealing that Jesus had good news and good tidings to share in His message of freedom! So, wat is that good news?

First, Jesus wanted to share the good news of freedom with the poor and brokenhearted. I want to ask you, “Is God partial to the poor?” No! Job said, “He is not partial to princes, nor does He regard the rich more than the poor; for they are all the work of His hands” (Job 34:19). The thing about the poor is they are more likely to receive His message, because the poor are contrite in spirit.

The Scripture equates the poor and brokenhearted with humility (Matthew 5:3). For example, Psalm 34:18 says, “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.” It takes humility to receive Jesus’ message, and James says it is the poor who are rich in faith (James 2:5). Jesus wanted to share His good news with those who were humble enough to listen to what he had to share and believe Him.

Secondly, Jesus wanted to share the good news of freedom with the captives. Each and every person in this world, until they have accepted Jesus, are held captive by sin. Paul stated in 2 Timothy 2:26 how he wished that all people would “come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.” Some of us right now are held captive by sin and by the devil; however, Jesus came to set us free.

Thirdly, Jesus wanted to share the good news of freedom with those who are oppressed. Deuteronomy 28:33 describes oppression as being “crushed continually.” Those who oppressed are one step beyond captivity. They are not only enslaved; they are continually afflicted with a heavy burden. Acts 10:38 tells us, “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.”

Isaiah 58:6 says of the Messiah that He has chosen “to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and . . . break every yoke.” Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).