GET OUT OF JAIL FREE
Psalm 50:15
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR
1. Kids often have an interesting perspective. A teacher was giving a lesson on the circulation of the blood. Trying to make the matter clearer he said, “Now boys, if I stood on my head, my blood, as you know, would run down into it and my face would get red.” “Yes, Sir,” the boys said.
2. “Then why is it, when I’m standing uprightly, that my blood doesn’t run into my feet?” A little fellow shouted, “Cause your feet ain’t empty!”
B. TITLE & TEXT
1. This message is titled, “Get Out Of Jail Free.”
2. The old board game called Monopoly has a “Chance” card (also one in Community Chest) that players can pick up and it means that they don’t have to miss three turns nor do they need to pay $50, if they land on the jail.
3. By simply possessing this little card they can effect an escape from prison. Without the card and without $50, they have to ‘do the time’ & miss 3 turns!
4. I always liked getting one of those cards, because you never knew when you might end up in jail and it would mess up your game.
5. Sometimes landing in “jail” happens in real life or other times you can face things that seem worse than jail! So tonight I want to address our need – in real life – for a way out of the potential jails of life. Our text is Ps. 50:15, “Call upon Me on the day of trouble; I will rescue you, and you will honor Me.” NASB
I. PRISONS/JAILS ARE REAL
A. PHYSICAL JAILS
1. There are, of course, physical jails. If you ever visited some of the prisons around here, you know that life is not a GAME. Those who’re incarcerated face:
a. Real brick walls
b. Real Guards
c. Unpleasant people who haven’t gotten “Get Out of Jail Free” cards. There are more kinds of bondage than physical walls & chains.
B. THERE ARE SPIRITUAL JAILS/PRISONS
1. SCRIPTURES
a. Gal. 3:22, “The Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin...” (Rom. 7:23). This is a crowded prison, with the whole world in it! This means that every person, before they come to Jesus, is a prisoner, regardless of whether they drive a Maserati, have their own yacht or plane, or whether they seem happy or not. They are prisoners! Their great jailor is Satan; they’ve been taken captive to do his will
b. In Luke 4:18, Jesus said, “He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners...to release the oppressed...”
2. So just because a person is in the “free world” (outside prison) doesn’t mean they’re free; many are still in bondage!
3. It’s possible to be an inmate in prison and be freer than a person outside the walls.
II. THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF PRISONS
A. DIFFERENT TYPES DESCRIBED
1. 2 Cor. 4:4, “...the god of this world has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe...”
2. John 12:40, “He (satan) has...hardened their hearts...that they should not understand with their hearts and be converted.”
3. Many people are Prisoners of Fear, Pleasure, Pride, Food, evil desires, lusts/perversions, drugs, alcohol, superstition, depression, etc.
4. There are also prisons created by cultic religions, which keep people bound by threats and constant requirements, not by grace.
B. COMMON CHARACTERISTICS: Rom. 7:14-24
1. You know what you ought to do (or stop doing), but you can’t stop it. Sometimes we set expectations so high, so that we can’t possibly reach it.
2. Your prison isolates you from others.
3. Your prison incarcerates you – binds you. The doors are locked and there appears to be no escape.
4. One man told about his 2½ year-old daughter who, when she was caught doing something wrong, would say, “It was not me who did that; that was another little girl in me.” [All God’s Chillun]
III. THE “GET OUT OF JAIL FREE” CARD
A. MANY PROMISE FREEDOM
1. COMMUNISTS promise political & economic freedom to the oppressed.
2. THE CULTURE LIES TO YOUNG PEOPLE:
a. Self-Determination – “Do what you want to do.”
b. Drugs & Alcohol – they promise freedom and pleasure, but instead they give addiction and slavery.
c. Illicit Sex – which degrades people, contaminates them and cheapens them. All these lead to deeper sin & bondage.
B. FALSE FREEDOMS ARE DANGEROUS
1. Bob Bartlett, Zoologist, went to Africa on a ship to search for RARE BIRDS. He was lucky to find a key location and snare a number of unique and rare birds.
2. On the return voyage, one of the birds escaped from its cage, at mid-ocean. As it flew away from the ship, if it could have talked, it would have said, “I’m Free! I’m Free!” (That’s just like us – we think we can get freedom apart from God!)
3. But little did that bird know that its survival depended on that ship; it didn’t have the strength to fly 2,000 miles to the nearest land. It would certainly end up dying when its strength gave out.
4. How often we try to be free without God. Such “freedom” only ends in death.
5. Billy Graham once said - "I find no pleasure in the knowledge of the fact of hell, but I find it my solemn duty to remind you that the same book that proclaims the wonders of heaven also describes the terrors of eternal banishment from God." But, thank God, God has given us a get out of Jail free card!
C. JESUS IS THE “GET OUT OF JAIL FREE” CARD
1. John 3:36, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed!” (“Truly free” is another translation.) You were created to rule and reign in Jesus!
2. LISTEN TO PAUL’S DESCRIPTION: “...there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because... Christ Jesus...has set you free from the law of sin and death” Rom. 8:1-2. Someone said that GRACE might stand for "God's Riches At Christ's Expense." Freedom is never free -- somebody paid for your freedom. The "somebody" who paid is Jesus Christ, when He died for You on the Cross. That's why we glorify Him, because He alone tread the winepress of the wrath of Almighty God, so that you and I wouldn't have to walk in that terrible place!
3. Christ came into the world to save sinners! Unless you’re a sinner, He didn’t come for you. Jesus is a physician but He didn’t come for the well, but for the sick.
4. Only Jesus can set you free – from fear, sin, depression, hate, loneliness, etc.
5. HOW CAN YOU BE SET FREE?
a. COME TO JESUS!
1). You will never be free unless you come to Him.
2). He has the RIGHT to set you free! He purchased your freedom plus He’s the King of Heaven!
3). He has the POWER to set you free! He said, “All power is given to Me in Heaven and in Earth.” The Son + the Cross = Power – power to set you free.
b. SURRENDER. We are allowed to be free when we surrender our will and way to Jesus. When we invite Him to control, direct, lead and be master of our lives.
c. READ & OBEY HIS WORD
1). John 8:31-32, “Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’” It’s Jesus’ WORD! Continue in it and obey it.
2). The Word of God unlocks your prison.
6. We’re going to celebrate Independence Day in a few days, commemorating when the U.S. achieved its freedom from Great Britain, after a bitter struggle. But there’s a more important Independence Day victory that was won over 2,000 years ago on Mount Calvary, when Jesus died and defeated death, hell, and the grave! That’s when the great prison doors were broken and liberty became a possibility for every man, woman and child. Have you claimed your freedom yet? Are you set free yet?
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION
1. At a special chapel service at an Ohio penitentiary, the governor was to grant freedom to several convicts. The suspense mounted as it became time for the governor to announce the names of those selected.
2. The governor announced, “Rueben Johnson, come forward and receive your pardon!” No one responded. The chaplain directed his attention toward Johnson and said, “Rueben, it’s you! Come on!” But the man looked behind him, supposing there must be someone else with the same name.
3. Then pointing right at him, the chaplain exclaimed, “That’s right! You’re the man!” After a long pause, he slowly approached the governor to receive his pardon.
4. Later, when the other prisoners marched to their cells, Johnson fell in line and began to walk with them. The warden called out, “Johnson! You don’t belong there anymore! You’re a free man!”
5. Sometimes it’s hard to change your identity after you’ve been in prison a long time. Being pardoned takes some getting used to! But Jesus wants you to accept your new identity and family – being one of God’s kids!
B. THE CALL
1. If you want deliverance, come to Jesus now! Step up here to the front. Prayer warriors, come pray with them.
2. How many of you know we ALL need more freedom in Christ in our lives? Let’s all come find a place to pray and seek God to expand our horizons/vision!
