I’VE BEEN SET FREE
Romans 8:1-11
* Please turn with me to Romans 8 and let’s begin the chapter which is the “heart” of the Roman letter. Paul’s letter to Rome is “God’s Glorious Gospel” because it gives us hope and help. Let’s read.
* Years ago, Albert Brumley wrote a gospel song which has now become a standard in gospel music. It is entitled “He set me free”.
Once like a bird in prison I dwelled,
No freedom from my sorrow I felt,
But Jesus came and listened to me,
And glory to God, He set me freeHe set me free
Yes, He set me free
He broke the bars of prison for me
I’m glory bound my Jesus to see
Praise the Lord, He set me free!* When I reflect on those words, I am reminded of a time when the people of God were excited about being set free! The same joy and excitement was sensed in the songs of that day. Another song said, “I saw the light, I saw the light, no more in darkness, no more night. Now I’m so happy no sorrow in sight. Praise the Lord, I saw the Light!” It is written that Hank Williams wrote this song about his personal religious convictions even though he struggle with the demon of alcohol. Yet, by his own words he felt set free.
* Verse 2 says in part, “Jesus Christ has set you free.” Think about this with me; can you think of a time when you were set free? You were lock up, tied to, or even addicted to something & got free.
* In New York City is the Brooklyn Tabernacle Church led by Pastor Jim Cymbala. To attend that church, you get the sense that people earnestly seek God in their lives because God has set them free. They have been set free from drugs, prostitution, pornography, and more. When a person has been set free, he is excited.
* Did you realize that “being set free” is what happens when we come to Christ. Remember that all have sinned and that sin brings the penalty of death. Outside of Christ we are prisoners to sin, self, and Satan. We are “chained” to our nature and desires. It is only IN CHRIST that we can be set free. This is the good news of Jesus.
* Remember the words of John, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” May I give you a personal translation of that verse, “When you know the truth, the truth will set you free.” However, keep in mind the Biblical meaning of word KNOW. When we embrace the truth (Jesus), freedom is the result.
* From our text let’s consider four marks or checkpoints for being set free. These will help bring into focus what it means, how we know, and actually how it is that we are set free.
* Let’s not forget the first seven chapters of this letter. Paul has told us about sin, the payment for sin, and the power of sin, the condition of man’s soul, God’s wrath, judgment, and death. He has painted us a picture showing the depravity of mankind. But he also has told us about how to be set free through Jesus Christ.
1. The Confidence –Verse one says in essence, “Therefore (For all the reasons I have stated), there is NO condemnation to those who are in Christ.” The words “no condemnation” speaks of the ultimate victory and the triumph found “in Christ.” Ultimately, because of our relationship to Christ we do not have to face eternal punishment, we have been released from the shackles of sin and shame, and we can look forward to eternity knowing that “greater is He that is in me, than He that is in the world.” If Jesus died (& He did), If He was buried (& He was), & If He rose from the dead (& He did), no enemy is left because death, the last enemy, has been defeated. In Christ we have the victory.
* That being said, theologian Matthew Henry reminds us that “this does not say, “There is no accusation against them,” for there is; but the accusation is thrown out, and the indictment quashed. He does not say, "There is nothing in them that deserves condemnation," for this there is, and they see it, and own it, and mourn over it, and condemn themselves for it; but it shall not be their ruin. He does not say, "There is no cross, no affliction to them or no displeasure in the affliction," for this there may be; but no condemnation. They may be chastened of the Lord, but not condemned with the world.
* Confidence is a great thing. The story is told of old Bishop Warren Chandler, after whom the school of theology at Emory University was named. As he lay on his death bed, a friend inquired as to whether or not he was afraid. "Please tell me frankly," he said, "do you fear crossing over the river of death?" "Why?" replied Chandler, "I belong to a Father who owns the land on both sides of the river." What a testimony!
* When we come to Christ; because of Calvary, our sins are forgiven, because of the empty tomb, we have been made right before God and because of His grace we have eternal life. Someone has written, “God said it, I believe it, and that settles it.” Truthfully, God said it, that settles it, & we can be confident of it.
* Because the Spirit’s Law supersedes the Law of Moses and brings life. It is the Spirit that “seals up” for eternity. Be Confident!
2. The Confirmation – Let’s read verses 3-4. You may ask, “Just exactly how does this passage confirm our position of being ‘set free’ in Christ.” The overriding issue is this; “TRUST GOD and walk in the Spirit.” If you trust God, the confirmaton becomes clear. If you question God, then it is difficult to comprehend.
* Here’s the telling part; what the law could NOT do, GOD DID!! Think about it. The law could condemn but not correct. The law revealed our sin but could release us from our sin. The law could show us our wrong, but it could not make us right. But God did it.
* He executed the only plan possible for us to be saved from our sin. God sent His own son (Jesus) in the flesh to become sin for us. He then allowed Jesus to fulfill the requirement of the law which was death. Remember, Romans 6:23 says the wages for sin is death. You see, Jesus lived in the flesh, in a world oppressed by sin, and became a sin offering for us. In fact, He was not A sin offering, He was THE sin offering once and for all. In His death, we have the ability to die to sin and self, only to rise with Him in a new way of life. When a person trusts in Christ’s sacrifice on the cross the inescapable result is that the SPIRIT of God now indwells him.
* That is the seal, that is the mark, and that is the confirmation.
* You know what “confirmed” means. I pay most of my bills online. That confirmation number means “it is done!” The Spirit is our reference number & means “God has done it and It is enough!”
* So now the question becomes, “Is the Holy Spirit resident? Have you allowed God to set you free?” Some have and some haven’t. The Bible clearly teaches us that some who think they haven’t, actually have, and other who think they have, actually haven’t. So how do we know? Well, Paul gives us a mark to answer this issue.
3. The Contrast – Now, we understand well about contrasts. On the national political landscape this past week we have inundated with contrasts between the candidates.
* Paul gives us a revealing list of contrasts of the person who walks in the spirit and the person who walks in the flesh. A simpler way to express this is the person who is in Christ and the person who is outside of Christ.
FLESH (LOST)SPIRIT (SAVED)Thinks about things of the fleshThinks about things of the SpiritThe Mindset is DeathMindset is life and peaceMindset is Hostile toward GodSpirit of God lives withinUnable to Please God* (as chart is unveiled ) To think about the things of the flesh is not speak of an occasional thought, but rather the thought patterns a person has. The Psalmist wrote, “Let the words of my mouth and the mediations of my heart be acceptable in THY sight..” What is it that occupies your mind when it is at rest? When you have no problem to solve, no situation to address, no agenda to put forth, where does your mind gravitate? The lost person thinks about the things of the flesh, the saved mind is “stayed” on Him.
* How does one have a mindset of death? Might I submit that this is a continuation of thinking about the flesh? When we focused on the things of this world and this life, we know a couple of things; 1) there are going to be problems, 2) death is coming. Consider this; why do we spend so much time thinking about what we cannot keep and so little time on what death cannot take away? The saved person is filled with thought of life and the peace which only Jesus can give. Jesus said, “My peace I leave with you, not the peace that the world gives.”
* The word hostile is translated in the KJV as “enmity”, it doesn’t take a seminary degree to associate this word with enemy. Other translations use phrases like “against God” or “oppose God”. Honestly, very few people would be brash enough to say, “I oppose or am against God.” Yet, how does Paul define this hostility? To be hostile toward God is to refuse to submit to God and His law. “God resists the proud”, with those who are too arrogant to submit, and for those there exists internal conflict and discord (possible without understanding why). Those who have the spirit are led by the spirit and where the spirit is, there is joy, there is peace, and there is conform.
* Oh by the way, those who are not in Christ cannot please God because people of faith please God. Without faith, Hebrews says, it is impossible to please God. We must check our lives by these.
I’ve Been Set Free – Pg 5* Now we have seen the confidence and confirmation which comes in Christ and have been encouraged. Seeing the contrasts reminds us of the line of demarcation for those in Christ and those outside of Christ. Those in Christ have been set free; those outside of Christ have not been set free. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE!
4. The Condition – (for being set free)
* Though many don’t like it and attempt to change it, we live in a world built on “If-then” conditions. If you jump out of a plane, then you will fall. If you put your hand in fire, then you will get burned. If you slap a rattlesnake, you will get bitten (unless you’re REAL FAST). To be set free means you have met God’s conditions.
* If, within you and me, we can sense the Spirit of Christ, then this is our confirmation and our confidence that we have been set free. By the way, there is no situation where the Spirit of God is resident and makes no impact on a human life. Think about what this means.
* Christ in a life makes a difference in thought processes, how we think, and our mindset. Why? Because when you are set FREE, life is Different!!
* This morning I would like to end with a visual of being set free. The name Ernest Gordon is not a widely recognizable name. He died in 2002 and was the former Presbyterian Dean of the Chapter at Princeton University. He spent 3 years as a POW in Japan. In 2002 shortly after his death, inspired by the life’s story of this man, the movie, “To End All Wars” was released. This clip shows a POW being set free from death by the sacrifice of another. (CLIP)
* When I see the imagery in this clip and every time I read that Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death, I am crushed in my heart and renewed in my commitment because of what Jesus did for me. You ask me how I know He lives – He has set me free and lives in ME!
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