“Let Freedom Reign”
Luke 4:18-19
At the University of Oklahoma, for many years a project was underway to teach a 15 year old chimpanzee named Washoe to talk by combining sign language with simple recognition. Over the years, the chimp learned 140 different signs.
Finally, the project directors decided that it was time for Washoe to “conceptualize,” meaning that instead of merely imitating human words, she would express thoughts on her on. Now, understand that Washoe was a pampered animal in the university’s laboratory. She was well fed, physically comfortable, and safe from harm. And yet, when she was able to put words together to make a phrase on her own, the first three – which she has used repeatedly – were, “Let me out!”
That which is born free, both desires and deserves to be free! While I enjoy visiting the zoo, and seeing all the many different animals, it troubles me to see some of them caged. The lioness, or the giraffe, or the gazelle….should be free to run across the wide expanses of jungle or wilderness. And even though it may be best for them to be held in captivity, as in the case of their own preservation, they, nonetheless, desire and deserve to be free!
Man, who also desires to be fully free was not born in freedom…but, according to the authority of God’s Word, was born into spiritual slavery and bondage….that is, in bondage to sin. The scripture, speaking of the liberating work of the Lord Jesus Christ, clearly tells us in Hebrews 2:14-15:
“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil;
And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”
Have you ever thought of yourself in terms of being a slave, or, in terms of being in bondage? Probably not….yet, the scriptures declare that every man and woman outside of a relationship with God, through faith in Jesus Christ, is exactly that. Man, by his very fall into sin through disobedience to God took on a sin nature…and that nature was passed on to us. We did not ask for it….it just came with being human. It was our inheritance, one might say…..and we have had to deal with it from day one. It was for this very reason, and because of our helplessness and hopelessness to do anything about it that Jesus Christ came into the world that He might deliver us…..that He might set the captives free.
This morning, as we think of liberty and freedom, we do so not in the sense of a nation declaring its freedom and independence from an earthly king….but from the soul of man being liberated and set free from the bondage of sin, and death, and hell.
In our text, we find Jesus in His home town of Nazareth. It is the sabbath day, and , as was His custom, Jesus is in the synagogue. Being asked to read from the scriptures, Jesus found in the book of Esias, where it was written: “the Spirit of the Lord is upon Me.” Though the eyes of all the people were upon Him in astonishment, the disciples knew what He had said to be true because they had seen the visible evidence of the Holy Spirit rest upon Jesus at His baptism in the River Jordan. Though they did not yet understand all there was to know about Jesus’ mission and purpose, they did believe that He was sent from God. With this limited understanding looming over them, Jesus explains the purpose for His Incarnation. In verse 18 He said: “He (meaning the Father) has sent Me to preach deliverance to the captives…and to set the captives at liberty.”
The captives were those who were in bondage to sin…which included all of mankind. The captives were those who were also bound by the law; those who were trusting in themselves for their righteousness….and yet, at the same time knew that they fell short of being able to measure up and meet God’s righteous requirements. In short, Jesus came into the world because the whole world was in need of deliverance.
The writer of Hebrews states that Jesus came forth to deliver us…..to set us free, not only from sin’s penalty, but from the law by which no man can ever be justified. So…the question before us, this morning, is this: “How did Jesus Christ accomplish our deliverance?” Well, there are four things for us to consider as pointed out in Hebrews 2:14-15.
First, Jesus Christ delivered us by willingly becoming a man.
The writer of Hebrews stated that Jesus “took part” of the very same flesh and blood that human beings partake of. However, there is a distinct difference….for a child born into this world has no choice in the matter. Every one of us were born of the act of another man and woman; but Jesus Christ chose to become flesh. He deliberately determined and purposed to take part in human flesh, and voluntarily took part of human nature which was not a natural part of His being.
Luke, in His gospel account, describes for us the humble birth of the Lord Jesus. But more importantly, he also declares to us the fact that Jesus was born of a virgin; having been conceived by the Holy Spirit of God. He was therefore, the man who was fully God, and God who was fully man. He was not a split personality, but God, who simply became flesh.
The apostle Paul, in Philippians 2:5-7 spoke of Christ’s humanity, saying:
“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
But made Himself of no reputation, and took on Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.”
Beloved, stop to think of the love that God manifested to us through His Son…and, of course, the love that Jesus manifested toward us in His human form. Jesus laid aside the glory and the splendor of heaven, became human flesh only that He might die in that body of flesh as He bore the weight of the sin of world, as well as the judgement of God for that sin! And…..that brings us to the second thing Jesus did to deliver us: He died for us!
The writer of Hebrews declared, not in gloom, but in victory of the atoning work of Jesus Christ, that “it is appointed unto man once to die.” Without sounding like a prophet of gloom and doom, myself, we are destined to die a physical death, and there is no escaping that! Death is all around us. We lose our friends, neighbors, and family to death: never to have then return to us in this life again.
A couple of weeks ago, in just 5 days time, I attended on funeral service, and officiated at 3 others. By weeks end, I found myself just a bit depressed. I had had too many encounters with death; and in some cases, I had been deeply touched by the hopelessness of some of those who had died.
Why must man die? The answer is: Because of sin! And I am not speaking of personal judgement upon any one individual because of their own personal sin. But rather, because of the sin of mankind, as a whole. If we are ever to escape this body of corruption and become perfect and acceptable in the eyes of God, then death must be removed. And, that is what Jesus did for us when He died upon the cross. He died in our place so that we might not have to…and that we might live forever. Thus, we can say with certainty, “It is not death for the believer to die. Rather it is just the beginning of life as one who has been set free to live as God intended that we should!
In I Peter 2:24, Peter , speaking of the Lord Jesus, wrote and said:
“Who His ownself bare our sins in His body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripe you were healed.”
In our Wednesday night Bible study this past week, one of the things that was mentioned was that Christ died for us to conquer and bring healing to the diseases and hurts of humanity. However, death, which seems so tragic to us is actually the ultimate healing. In physical death sickness and all its related heartaches are ended; swallowed up by the victory that Jesus Christ had over death.
In John 11:25-26 Jesus told Martha, the sister of Mary and Lazarus:
“I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead; yet, shall he live.
And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
Beloved, that is the key to our assurance of eternal life! Belief! “For without faith it is impossible to please Him; for he that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”
Third, Jesus delivered us by destroying the power of the devil over sin and death.
We live in a day of darkness….a day in which many people dabble in mysticism and the occult. Satan is declared to be walking to and fro upon the face of this earth, as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Though there are many who believe that Satan, as a distinct personality does not exist but in the minds of men, the scriptures declare that he is the prince of the power of the air; the ruler of darkness; and the god of this world.
As a created angelic being, Satan, also known as Lucifer, fell into sin by his evil desire and attempt to usurp the power of God and rule in God’s place. He was cast from heaven to the earth, along with an innumerable host of fallen angels. His purpose and mission, now, is to entice as many men and women as possible to also rebel against God and to take them with him to the bottomless pit in the day of judgement….or, in the day of the second death, where men die spiritually by being eternally separated from God.
The point of liberation is this. Jesus destroyed the works of the devil. He did so by taking upon Himself our sin and judgement, and by tasting of death for us. In Hebrews 2:9-10 we read:
“But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
For it became Him, for whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory,to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.”
Beloved, Jesus died in our place…and yet, Jesus also conquered death, because death could not hold Him. By the power of God Jesus rose victoriously from the grave, and thereby gave us also the power of His resurrection that death might not hold us, either. As Paul told the believers at Colossae, in Colossians 2: 13-15:
“And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He quickened together with Him, having forgiven you all your tresspasses;
Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross;
And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of the openly, triumphing over them in it.”
Beloved, through the resurrection power of Jesus Christ, death lost its sting….and the grave lost its victory. Satan became a defeated foe and all who came to God through faith in Jesus Christ have been set free from the power of sin and death, which brings us to the fourth thing Jesus did in His deliverance of us….. He set us free from the fear of death!
Death is a mystery. Know one really knows for sure what transpires in that moment in which one steps out into the dark valley of death. It is the unknown that causes so many people to fear death insomuch that they try to avoid talking about, altogether. But, physical death is a reality….it doesn’t go away….it cannot be ignored….nor can any man escape his appointment with it!
But, as frightening as the prospect of death is to many people, Jesus took away its fear by triumphing over it.
The apostle Paul, in writing to young Timothy, that he might encourage him in the work of the Lord, spoke of the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the grace of God that came to us in the person of Christ. In 2 Timothy 1:10, Paul firther speaks of the grace of God as being made manifest to us…..”by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.”
Beloved, there is no need to fear death. Oh, I agree with Billy Graham, who, after almost being the victim of a plane crash, said: “I was not afraid of the prospect of dying; but the process of it scared me like it did everyone else on board the plane.” None of us would dare look forward to the process of death; especially if it involved pain. But, the prospect has had its fear removed because it is not death for the believer to die, for through faith in Jesus Christ we have passed from death to life everlasting.
Our faith in Christ gives to us assurance of eternal life. Even when we close our eyes in death, we shall open them to behold the face of the Lord Jesus Christ, and to behold the glory of all that He has prepared for those who love Him. Paul declared to the Philippian believers: “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.” The psalmist David, having confidence that the same is true, penned the twenty-third psalm in which he wrote: “yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.”
In closing, this morning, I would ask you. “Do you have liberty in Christ? Does the freedom that He came to give to all of mankind reign within your heart? Do you know Him today, as Deliverer; as Savior and Lord?”
