Hey, When Did We Become Slaves? Series

Carrie and I sat in a theater, watching the movie “Lincoln” a couple of years ago. It focuses especially on the effort that Lincoln made to pass the 13th Amendment to the Constitution - the one making slavery illegal ion the United States. The whole movie centers around it, and, in a dramatic climax, it’s narrowly voted into Law by the Senate, April 8th, 1864. (155 yrs ago tomorrow) 1 year and 6 days later, Lincoln was assassinated. We knew that was coming, but it’s always a sobering scene to recall it. Lincoln’s self-sacrifice helped to hold the nation together at one of its most critical moments.

The movie closed with words from Lincoln’s 2nd inaugural address. The credits rolled. The lights came back up, and everyone began to stir to leave. A lady seated behind us turned to her friend and said, “So, did it pass or not?”

For all of the mistakes our nation made concerning slavery, we’re not at all the first nation to have it. We’re also a nation that went to war with itself over it, and paid with the lives of over 600,000 men and boys to settle the issue.

So, to speak of slavery, for us today, feels a bit removed. We can’t say we relate well to it. It hasn’t been legal in our lifetimes, in our country. When I ask you, “What enslaves you?” that’s an odd question to ask American citizens, isn’t it? “Hey, we’re free! No one enslaves me! These colors don’t run!”

That’s just like the response Jesus received the day He mentioned slavery to a group of Jews who were believing in Him. There was a lot of national pride there. After all, they were God’s chosen people, so it didn’t make them too happy to hear Jesus say,

John 8:31b-33 “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”

Which makes me want to say: Oh, really? What about Egypt? What about the Assyrian Exile, the Babylonian captivity? What about the very day in which they were speaking, where the Romans had the Jews completely under their thumbs?

But Jesus wasn’t speaking about political freedom. He was speaking about a different kind of freedom:

John 8:34

Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.”

The Jews didn’t need to be freed from Roman oppression. They had a far more serious problem.

2 Peter 2:19b

…for whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.

So let me ask it again…what enslaves you?

Bob Dillon’s song was right: “You’re gonna hafta to serve somebody.”

Romans 6:16

Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?

The list of today’s taskmasters is long and familiar. It’s different for most every person. They don’t even have to be bad things – they just have to be powerful enough to control you. What enslaves you?

Work?

Money?

Power?

Pornography?

Media?

Alcohol?

Food?

Fitness?

Fashion?

Sports?

Gambling?

Music?

A Relationship?

Politics?

It’s an incomplete list, but you get the idea.

(Joke)I had a friend who was in the habit of drinking brake fluid. When I told him I was concerned, he said it was no big deal. He could stop anytime.

Have you ever heard someone addicted to some habit say, “Oh, I’m not addicted. I could quit anytime…if I wanted to.” Right. What they’re saying is they’ve decided to give up their control to the enslavement of a habit. They’ve offered themselves to someone to obey him as a slave – his name is actually the same, whether he uses Hugh Hefner, Abercrombie, Jack Daniels, or Justin Timberlake.

Now, if you’re still in denial on this thing, I want you to begin listening here. So far, this has been a long introduction.

Today, I’m introducing a new jaunt into the book of Exodus – “Out of Slavery…Into Freedom.” The whole book of Exodus is really a chronicle of this subject of slavery and leaving it. Just think of the word “Exit” to help you remember that. And while we might be learning about Israel and how God took them out of Egypt, what we’re going to be taking away each week is the way that God has also proclaimed the emancipation of every person who will follow Him. (Turn to Exodus 1)

The story starts where Genesis ends. Genesis ends happy. Joseph is ruler in Egypt, 2nd only to Pharaoh. He sends to have his long lost father and brothers all come down to live in with him. The move helps save their lives. It reunites Jacob with his son. The Pharaoh welcomes them and gives them the best of Egypt. It’s a happy scene. The family of Jacob – Israel – grows. There had been just 70 of them at first (v5), but now “the people of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them.” (v7). God had promised this to Abraham 500 years before. Now, it was happening.