Freedom

Freedom. What is freedom? Is freedom being able to come and go as you please, do or don’t do as you please, say anything you want? Yes

If we go back to the beginning, God created Adam and Eve, gave them dominion over all of creation. They could go where they wanted, do what they wanted. They could build a tree-house, play monopoly, pet the animals, or get on the internet and check out the most recent issue of creation magazine, edited and published by the world’s true and living God. They could even sit down and picnic on any of the meats, fruits, and vegetables from their worldwide garden.

Yes you know how it goes. God told them not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But they did anyway. Thus, entered sin and death into the human race. Now you know the rest of the story.

But what I want us to see is that element of freedom in it’s most basic form is there. Freedom in it’s most basic form is the choice . Every morning Adam and Eve woke up they had the freedom to choose to obey or disobey God.

You see, freedom is not of this world. Freedom as this world knows it is self - centered, self - exalting, self - righteous, and self - destructive.

There is no such thing as absolute freedom this side of Heaven. You will serve one master. Not two, but one. Jesus said you cannot serve two masters at once.

Freedom in it’s most basic form is the choice. Freedom in it’s fullest form, that we’re ever gonna know this side of the grave, is the result of making the right choice. So freedom comes in two stages ; 1. The freedom to choose. 2. Then to continue on in that freedom you have to make the right choice.

Go back to the Garden. God said not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. " For in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

You see, Man has this unique little thing God put in each and every human being when He created us. Man has a will, making him in every sense a free moral agent and a responsible being. And that’s why we’re not absolutely free. Because we’re responsible. We are accountable for every deed, every word, or every thought that we take time to dwell on.

Right now, right here, in this time, in this place, in this night you have two choices. To obey God or to disobey God, to live or to die, to live a life in sin or to live a life in Christ. One is bondage and one is freedom. One leads to death, destruction and eternal bondage. One leads to peace, and eternal and absolute freedom. But absolute freedom is on the other side of the grave. Now, back to freedom on this side of the grave.

Freedom. What is freedom? Freedom from who, what, when, where? To be free indicates that there is something, somewhere, or someone that can tie you up, or hold you down, a restraint somewhere.

Back to our text. The Jews have asked Jesus, once again " Who are you?" Jesus said," I Am." I’m going about my father’s business. The things I do He taught me. The things I say He taught me that, too. He is with me. He has never left me alone. I do always those things that please Him.

There He was, laying it out to them just as it was, Just as He had so many times before. Jesus was certainly no wimp. He stood up to His opponents when it was appropriate. But He knew when to keep silent as well. He had the courage and the wit to take them on, the intellectuals of His day, on their own turf according to their terms. He spoke with authority. People, especially children were attracted to Him. Even sinners loved to be with Him. He was a very secure man. There was nothing pretentious or intimidating about him.

Just like before they did not believe Him. But the good news is verse 30. Many did not believe on Him. Many made the wrong choice. Many made the right choice.

Even though many became believers still those non- believers kept hammering away on this thing about freedom. "What do mean? We’re free. We’re descendants of Abraham, we’ve never been enslaved to anybody." "What do you mean, Jesus? I’m an American citizen. I live in America land of the free, home of the brave. I’m not in bondage. I’m not in a jail cell somewhere locked up. I’m free, free as a bird. That old boss man of mine gets a little possessive sometimes when it comes to my personal time. But still I can walk away. I’m free." That’s the way the world sees it.