Give us Free
John 8:32 “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
On July 4th 1776, America declared independence from 156 years of British rule. IN the CONGRESS of JULY 4, 1776 the founding fathers signed The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America by declaring that: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
…In their bid for separation from Britain and their ruler, King George III, because of their Tyranny over the States, the American leaders complained that they were victims of political, economic, legal and moral abuses. Citing things like obstruction of Justice, harassment of the people to take away their possessions, protecting British soldiers who murdered Americans from punishment, cutting off trade, imposing taxes without consent, waging war against Americans, plundering the seas, ravaging the coasts, burning towns, and destroying the lives of the people.
Therefore… with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, the founding fathers of The United States of America pledged to each other their Lives, their Fortunes, and their sacred Honor to get their FREEDOM.
Throughout history humans have craved freedom. The Israelites in Egypt cried to God for their freedom until God sent Moses to Pharaoh’s palace to tell Pharaoh that God said “Let my people go!” In every civilization from Mesopotamia to Greece to Rome to Britain, to Africa to Asia people want to be free. Like Cinque in the movie La Amistad people have cried out: “Give us Free! Give us Free!”
The American Civil War was a war about freedom. The fight against Nazi Germany and its allies was a war for Freedom.
In the 1950’s and 60’s, the people of America demanded their Civil Rights from racial hatred and segregation, in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “Let Freedom ring.”
Since May 25, 2020 there has been a steady protest that erupted across America demanding justice over the merciless killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin. The City Streets have been filled with millions of protesters shouting cries for freedom from state supported tyranny. Like Cinque, we are still passionately shouting, “Give us Free, give us free, give us free. …” When it comes to personal freedom, the 2019 Legatum Prosperity Index ranked the United States of America as number 22 and Norway as the freest nation on earth. But Norway’s freedom came at the expense of more than 85,000 Africans captured, enslaved and shipped to the New World between 1660 and 1806.
But what is freedom? What exactly do we mean by free? The word free means an absence of bondage; unrestrained to engage in pleasure, like a citizen and not as a slave. To be free means to be exempt from obligation or liability, to be at liberty.
Excellent Constitutions, and laws designed to protect the freedom of people, learned scholars and outstanding Universities, strong human rights advocacy and vigilant media, are still not free humankind. In the eyes of God, being free means freedom from sin.
When asked, “what is America’s greatest problem? Some reply Racism. Racism is not just a skin problem, but it is a sin problem. When asked what is humanity’s greatest problem? Some say poverty. Poverty is not just an economic problem it is a sin problem. When asked what is the mankind’s greatest problem? Some say safety. Safety is not just a security problem it is a sin problem. When asked what is the world’s greatest problem? Some say, disease. Sickness is not just a Health problem it is a sin problem. Some say Human trafficking is the greatest problem. Human trafficking is not just a greed problem, it is a sin problem. Some say corrupt government is the greatest problem. That too is a sin problem.
Paul explains in Romans 6:18 to be free means to be saved from sin.
In Romans 8:2, Paul reminds us that we are free from the law of sin and death. “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”
To be truly free is not to just have a constitutional guarantee but it means to accept and access the protection of that guarantee. Jesus gave the emancipation proclamation in John 8:36 when He declared “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”
John the writer of the fourth Gospel Account, was probably the youngest member of Jesus’ twelve disciples. He was a fisherman from an influential family. The early church Fathers named John the spiritual gospel. Matthew describes Jesus as the King, and Mark calls Him the servant. Luke says He is the Son of man, but John declares He is the Son of God. Mathew starts with His human ancestry declaring Jesus Christ as “the son of David, the son of Abraham”, but John begins with His eternality by saying “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” Mark begins with the “voice of one crying in the wilderness” but John begins with “the Light shining in the darkness.” Luke begins with birth of John the Baptist but John begins with the Creator of John the Baptist announcing that, “all things were made by Him and without Him was not anything made that was made.”
In Matthew Jesus is the Ruler, in Mark He is the Helper, in Luke He is the Healer but in John He is the Liberator and our text, John 8:36 reads, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”
The events of the narrative found in John 8 took place in the temple in Jerusalem around the time of the feast of tabernacles in the month of October and lasted for eight days. They took place after the Day of Atonement. Jesus entered the temple on the day after the feast as some people were getting ready to go back home and He sat down to teach the people.
Since it was a time of festivity and celebration, some used it as an opportunity to act immoral and so violated the sanctity of the feast. (PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO MESS UP WHAT GOD INTENDED FOR THEIR GOOD).
I guess the religious leaders were on the look out for people breaking the law and at times reports of scandalous and adulterous behavior reached them. A woman, who may have been a resident of that city, was caught in the very act of adultery and the scribes and Pharisees brought her to Jesus to have Him sentence her to death. For they argued that the Law of Moses required that she be stoned to death but “What do you say?” they questioned.
If He refused to sentence her to be stoned, they would accuse Him of flaunting the Law of Moses and then have something to accuse Him of. So He stopped teaching and almost as if He was ignoring them He began writing on the ground. No one knows what He wrote but when He spoke they understood.
He told them that whoever is without sin should cast the first stone. Then He continued writing on the ground. Then all her accusers walked away from the oldest to the youngest. Jesus then asked the woman where her accusers were. She replied that no man had condemned her. To which Jesus responded “Neither do I condemn you, Go and sin no more.” I believe that Jesus’ dealing with the situation was an attempt to help the accusers and all who were listening to His teachings know the truth about themselves.
They learned the truth that day.
They learned that they were still in bondage and needed deliverance.
They needed to be liberated. They needed to be free.
They learned:
Romans 3:23-24 That “… all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
Romans 5:12 Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Ecclesiastes 7:20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Romans 3:10-19 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
Romans 3:19 They learned that the world is “…guilty before God.”
Jesus continued teaching and some people accepted His message and believed Him.
Then in John 8:31-37 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
33 They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?" They were still looking at things through natural eyes. They could not see that their ethnic or racial pedigree was not what determined their spiritual condition. Politically they were not slaves. They were living under Roman rule but they were not themselves enslaved. They were holding to the Law of Moses but they did not consider tacit obedience to the Law enslavement. You see the Jews of the first century understood slavery.
Today slavery still goes on in some places of the world, like Mauritania, Sudan, Pakistan, India, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bosnia, Brazil, Cote D’Ivoire and surprise the United States. People are enslaved for work in homes as maids, on farms and in factories as well as for prostitution.
In the time of Jesus there were millions of slaves worldwide. The Romans had hoards of slaves and were cruel oppressors of these unfortunate peoples. The Jews who prided themselves with being free because they were born in Roman colonies, felt that it was demeaning to be called slaves. But Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” You do not need to have chains on your hands and chains on your feet to be a slave.
John 8:35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (NIV)
You see the Greeks permitted a son and heir to adopt brothers and the Romans allowed a son to free all slaves born in the house during the father’s lifetime. So a person could be a slave one day and a son the next because the son set him free and adopted him.
Jesus the Son of God freed us, He freed us from the slavery of sin, from the hand of satan, from the power of the enemy and we are free, really free, completely free, totally free, free, free, free! Then He adopted us into the family of God and now we belong to God.
We belong to God
Psalm 100 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. 2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. 3 Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. 5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
1 Cor 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own
We are made His children by God’s love
I John 3:1 “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.”
We are made daughters and sons by the leading of His Spirit
Romans 8:14—16 “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:”
We are made His children by His adoption
Romans 8:15—16 “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:”
We are made His children by His separation
II Corinthians 6:17, 18 “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”
We are made children of God by His incarnation
Galatians 4:4-6 “But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”
Know who you are. Know that you are a child of God.
Lift up your right hand now and say,
“I am a child of God.”
Say it again,
“I am a child of God.”
Say, “I am born again.”
Say, “I am redeemed.”
Say, “I am a new creation, because I am in Christ.”
Say, “I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.”
Say, “I am of the chosen generation.”
Say, “I am of the royal priesthood.”
Say, “I am in God’s holy nation.”
Say, “I am walking in the light of God.”
Say, “I am an heir of God.”
Say “I am a joint-heir with Christ.”
Say, “I am more than a conqueror.”
Say, “I am well protected.”
Say, “I am led by the Spirit of God.”
Say, “I am a child of God.”
Now say again, “I am a daughter/son of God!”
Isaiah 44:22 says, “I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.”
Now say, “I am redeemed.”
Isaiah 61:3 3To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
Now say, “I am the righteousness of God.”
Malachi 3:17 “And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.”
Now say, “In God’s eyes I am a jewel.”
Acts 27:32 “For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve.”
Now say like Paul, “I belong to God. I did not choose Him first. He chose me.”
1 Corinthians 3:23 “And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.”
Say it! “I belong to Christ.”
We are God’s own people. We are God’s children. And God’s children are free. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
So, on this Independence Sunday that celebrates our Freedom remember that true freedom comes from being in the right relationship with God!
John 8:32 “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
