Living the Life You Choose
Exodus 1:11-14, John 8:31-32
Introduction:
I’d like to begin by asking you two questions this morning:
First, are you happy with your life? If you could do something or be something different, would you?
And second, do you understand the difference between bondage and freedom?
Body:
The people of Israel were already working for Pharaoh. The Egyptians had been building great cities, temples, and tombs for a very long time. Those great buildings were constructed by the painstaking labour of hundreds of thousands of hired tradesmen and workers…and the Israelites had benefited from that. But then the tables turned on Israel, and where once they had worked for Egypt willingly for profit, now they are forced to labour merely to survive.
Nothing changed very much. The Israelites were bound before the taskmasters afflicted them, only it was a willing bondage. They had bound themselves over to seek their own advantage. As long as they thought themselves labouring to their own advantage, they willingly toiled and suffered. But it was different after Pharaoh’s pronouncement…after they were forced to do the same labour, only there was no escaping it. The advantage after was only for Egypt, and not for Israel. They still lived in Goshen, and at day's end they would still go home to the same houses, and eat the same garlic, leeks, and melons for supper. Nothing changed but the purpose of their labour...they began to live and work for Egypt instead of themselves.
Illustration:
Adam and Eve were placed in the Garden of Eden, and the Scripture says that they were naked and unashamed. But on the day they ate of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil they realized that they were naked, and began to feel shame. What had really changed? Nothing. They’d been naked all along. The only difference was in their awareness.
Where Bondage Begins
Bondage begins in the mind, with the awareness that you are not free. Nothing else had to change for the Israelites to begin to chafe and be resentful. They engaged in the same labour, worked on the same buildings, had the same foremen, ate at the same lunch hour beside the same co-workers...all was most likely the same. The only thing that changed initially was their level of awareness. Once they had laboured by choice for their own gains…but after they were forced to labour for another's gain. How quickly and easily the transition came that transformed freemen into slaves! In the few moments that it took for the awful truth to dawn upon their minds, they were made slaves.
Those who have suffered greatly tell us that there is no torment worse than what the mind inflicts upon itself. And for Israel, the suffering must have begun early on. How galling it must have been after Pharaoh's grand announcement to know that you had no choice but to labour. Before, one was at least able to live under the illusion that he was enduring a life of backbreaking toil because he wanted to. But now he has been stripped of such illusions. Now he knows that there is no choice open to him but endless toil. The only escape was death.
At first the difference may have been imperceptible. After all, if you're doing the same things the day after you find out you're a slave as you were doing the day before, it may not seem all that different. It probably became noticeable in little things first; a slight change in the attitude of the foreman (now a taskmaster), maybe a shorter lunch break, and the sense that a worker couldn't go home until he was told he could.
But how those little things would wear on the mind of someone who had lived all his life believing that he was in charge of his own destiny. It doesn't matter that the differences between the two days were hardly worth mentioning. What matters is that now he is living a life not of his choosing. Yesterday he was; today he’s not. Yesterday he was free; today he's a slave.
And that’s the difference between bondage and freedom; you are free when you’re living the life you choose; you’re bound when that choice is not yours to make. There may be no difference at all in the lifestyle of the bond or the free. There may be no difference in the labour of the bond or the free. There may be no difference in the practices of the bond and free. The two may be identical in every way. But if one is not living the life he has chosen, he is bound. Nothing has to change but his awareness. And the man who knows he is a slave is truly a miserable man.
There are many ways to be in bondage. One of them is:
Debt
You started work as a young person. Most young people are excited to enter the work force as young adults. Their career field is new to them, and appears to be full of great possibilities. They start off on their independent lives chock full of knowledge from various schools, and all a-brim with ideas, hopes, and dreams.
The world is their oyster! Opportunities are plentiful, and some are able to write their own ticket. How heady it all is! More jobs, more things to learn, and more places to go than it seems one could experience in a lifetime! So, what happens to turn that youthful, energetic, and excited young adult into a crabby, disillusioned, and cynical middle-aged grouch? Simply this: the awareness of bondage.
Youthful energy and scads of talent provided opportunity to earn. Earning provided the ability to buy. The ability to buy made you bankable, made you credit worthy. And being credit worthy provided the chance to enjoy what you really couldn't buy. After many years of being credit worthy and enjoying what you couldn't really afford, you now carry a load that you didn't have at 22. And somewhere along the way you stopped going to work because you wanted to and started going because you had to. You're not working to feed your family and you're not working to put a roof over their heads. You’re working to pay off your creditors. And on some days that feels suspiciously like bondage.
What middle-aged man or woman hasn't sat on the edge of the bed in the early hours of the morning and sighed at the thoughts of spending yet another day in drudgery? Drudgery is the word because drudgery is what it has become. You wouldn't go if you didn't have to. You'd do something different if you could. But you can't. You think to yourself, "I have responsibilities." But what you mean is, "I have debt."
That awareness seems to come out of nowhere! Nothing is really different. You’re doing the same things. You’re going to the same places. Your life after the light comes on is really no different than it was before. It’s just that now you know, you’re aware of your situation in a brand new way. And now you’re miserable. Yesterday you were happy, today you’re miserable. Nothing has changed but you’re awareness.
Another type of bondage is addiction.
Addiction
Somewhere today there is a young woman who is beginning to live with a new awareness.
The young woman has an active social life…she loves parties and is invited to plenty. She partied all through high school, drinking and doing drugs as opportunity presented. She partied her way through college, and it seemed to those who knew her that she was drunk or high more often than not. Family members were concerned…this seemed to be more than just a wild child letting loose. But when confronted, she replied, “This is how I choose to live! I’m in control…I can stop any time I want to stop. I just don’t want to. I love the whole scene…the drinking, the friends, the parties, being high…it’s who I am, and I like it that way.”
Years went by. Then, one morning as the fun loving, party girl was pouring herself a morning pick-me-up with a trembling hand, a strange thought prodded at the back of her mind; “I can’t stop anytime I want to. I can’t quit. I don’t like this anymore. I don’t want to be this anymore. But I can’t stop, I have to have this drink or I won’t be able to hold myself together.”
In the amount of time that it took for her mind to process that thought, she was transformed from being a fun loving, party girl into an alcoholic. And real misery began to set in…because she realized that she’s a slave.
What has changed between yesterday to today? What’s really different? She may not drink one bit more today than yesterday. She may not do anything at all different today than yesterday. In fact, today is probably almost identical to yesterday in every respect except for the date on the calendar. But she’s miserable today, when yesterday she was only numb. Today she’s unhappy when yesterday she didn’t care. And the only difference is that yesterday she lived with the illusion that she had a choice…and today she’s facing the reality that she doesn’t. Yesterday she was free…today she is bound, and all that’s changed is her awareness.
Of course we all realize that addiction is present long before addicts recognize it themselves. But their awareness of addiction begins when they recognize their own state.
There are other ways to be bound…other things to be enslaved to.
Job/Career
Your job can become your bondage. In these times you’ve got to be very aware of the creeping bondage that comes from more and more of your life being brought under the rule of what happens in your place of employment. Of course we have to work! That’s a given! And of course we need to do a good job! And of course you’re work is important! But there should be other things that are far more important.
Your walk with God should be more important. Beware when you have no time for your relationship with God. Your family should be more important. Beware when you have no time for your family. Your health should be more important. Beware when your job makes you unhealthy. Your peace of mind should be more important. Beware when your job brings you constant torment.
When all you have is your work…no time for God, friends, family, yourself…you’re a slave.
Christian Life
Even your Christian life can be your bondage. If you aren’t living the Christian life because you want to, then you’re in bondage. If you would live another lifestyle if you had the choice, you’re in bondage. To me, this is no bondage. I love this life and want no other. But if you come here week after week, do the Pentecostal thing and walk the Pentecostal walk, and do it all because you have to, you are in bondage. There is no spiritual advantage at all to being something you don’t want to be.
You know the difference between a joyful Pentecostal and a miserable Pentecostal? Their state of mind is the difference. The joyful Pentecostal loves God, loves who she is, and loves this Pentecostal way. The miserable Pentecostal may profess to love God but probably doesn’t; he certainly doesn’t like himself; he may mock sanctification; and wishes he could be something else. I’ve got a simple message for anyone who is a miserable Pentecostal; go be what you want to be. Being here in bondage isn’t helping you any. In fact, you’ll wind up lost. God knows what you really feel and how you really act outside of these doors. And unless all this flows from your heart, it doesn’t impress God. As long as you feel that you’re in bondage, you will be.
Sin
If you’re here this morning and you’re living life without God, you’re a slave to sin. You’re not sure? Have you ever tried not sinning? Have you ever consciously tried to live a life free from what displeases God? If you have than you know you can’t. You sin because you are a sinner, and you’ll never stop being one until you recognize sin for what it is.
Closing:
For the Israelites, slavery began with the awareness that they were bound. At first, nothing else changed but this. For the addict, their awareness of addiction begins with the realization that they are not free. But the realization, the awareness, as bitter a pill as it is to swallow, is utterly necessary for them to be free.
The Israelites had to become aware of the extent of their bondage before they could make the choice to be free. A person under a heavy debt load has got to wake up to their situation in order to make the choice to live differently. An addict has to reach the place of admission so they can make the choice to get clean. Someone bound to a job or career has to admit that more important things are being neglected before they can make the proper choices.
Are you bound? Do you want to be free?
Freedom begins with a choice.
Freedom from slavery began for Israel with the choice to follow Moses to Canaan. Freedom from debt begins with the choice to alter habits. Freedom from addiction begins with the choice to take responsibility. And freedom from sin begins with the choice to come to God in repentance…asking His forgiveness.
At the end of it all, you’ve got to live the life you choose.
Are you tired of bondage? Do you choose to be free?
