Freedom. What is freedom? Is freedom being able to come and go as you please, do or don’t do as you please, say anything you want? Yes
If we go back to the beginning, God created Adam and Eve, gave them dominion over all of creation. They could go where they wanted, do what they wanted. They could build a tree-house, play monopoly, pet the animals, or get on the internet and check out the most recent issue of creation magazine, edited and published by the world’s true and living God. They could even sit down and picnic on any of the meats, fruits, and vegetables from their worldwide garden.
Yes you know how it goes. God told them not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But they did anyway. Thus, entered sin and death into the human race. Now you know the rest of the story.
But what I want us to see is that element of freedom in it’s most basic form is there. Freedom in it’s most basic form is the choice . Every morning Adam and Eve woke up they had the freedom to choose to obey or disobey God.
You see, freedom is not of this world. Freedom as this world knows it is self - centered, self - exalting, self - righteous, and self - destructive.
There is no such thing as absolute freedom this side of Heaven. You will serve one master. Not two, but one. Jesus said you cannot serve two masters at once.
Freedom in it’s most basic form is the choice. Freedom in it’s fullest form, that we’re ever gonna know this side of the grave, is the result of making the right choice. So freedom comes in two stages ; 1. The freedom to choose. 2. Then to continue on in that freedom you have to make the right choice.
Go back to the Garden. God said not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. " For in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
You see, Man has this unique little thing God put in each and every human being when He created us. Man has a will, making him in every sense a free moral agent and a responsible being. And that’s why we’re not absolutely free. Because we’re responsible. We are accountable for every deed, every word, or every thought that we take time to dwell on.
Right now, right here, in this time, in this place, in this night you have two choices. To obey God or to disobey God, to live or to die, to live a life in sin or to live a life in Christ. One is bondage and one is freedom. One leads to death, destruction and eternal bondage. One leads to peace, and eternal and absolute freedom. But absolute freedom is on the other side of the grave. Now, back to freedom on this side of the grave.
Freedom. What is freedom? Freedom from who, what, when, where? To be free indicates that there is something, somewhere, or someone that can tie you up, or hold you down, a restraint somewhere.
Back to our text. The Jews have asked Jesus, once again " Who are you?" Jesus said," I Am." I’m going about my father’s business. The things I do He taught me. The things I say He taught me that, too. He is with me. He has never left me alone. I do always those things that please Him.
There He was, laying it out to them just as it was, Just as He had so many times before. Jesus was certainly no wimp. He stood up to His opponents when it was appropriate. But He knew when to keep silent as well. He had the courage and the wit to take them on, the intellectuals of His day, on their own turf according to their terms. He spoke with authority. People, especially children were attracted to Him. Even sinners loved to be with Him. He was a very secure man. There was nothing pretentious or intimidating about him.
Just like before they did not believe Him. But the good news is verse 30. Many did not believe on Him. Many made the wrong choice. Many made the right choice.
Even though many became believers still those non- believers kept hammering away on this thing about freedom. "What do mean? We’re free. We’re descendants of Abraham, we’ve never been enslaved to anybody." "What do you mean, Jesus? I’m an American citizen. I live in America land of the free, home of the brave. I’m not in bondage. I’m not in a jail cell somewhere locked up. I’m free, free as a bird. That old boss man of mine gets a little possessive sometimes when it comes to my personal time. But still I can walk away. I’m free." That’s the way the world sees it.
Jesus said whoever commits sin is a servant to sin. Woe. That’s pretty broad. It’s a big picture. Detailed and to the point. Whoever commits sin. That’s sin that’s committed instantaneously such as a word spoken without thought or sin that’s committed consuming a great span of time, hours, days, years, a lifetime, a life of sin.
No man can commit sin and not be a servant to sin. When you’re a servant to something or someone that means that you’ve yielded yourself to that something or someone. It’s not a sin to be tempted. It becomes sin when you yield or submit yourself to that temptation. Therefore you become the servant. No man can commit sin and not be a servant to sin. No man can sin and not have to pay the penalty for sin. Remember we’re responsible, we’re accountable. It’s automatic and instantaneously a part of your future. God says, "Be sure your sins will find you out."
I’m not saying you can’t be forgiven. There’s forgiveness which is different from consequences suffered because of sin committed. and forgiveness is a part of freedom.
Bondage, sin, Satan. It’s all like a big dark cloud hanging around blocking out the sunlight. So you can’t see where you’re going, then eventually engulfs you, swallows you up and you find yourself in a downward plunge. There’s no rest in the soul because that’s bondage.
What’s the secret to freedom? If you’re here and you don’t know Jesus as your savior, the secret to freedom is on a hill far away stood an old rugged cross. Jesus went there for you. But before He got there He was brought before a judge and jury on some trumped up charges and like a sheep led to the slaughter He said not a word. He was beaten. With the cat-o-nine tails that sliced His back open, It was for you. His beard was plucked out. He was spat upon. A crown of thorns was dragged down His precious head for you.
All of this was before He got to Calvary. When He got there three rusty nail were driven unmercifully in His hands and His feet. That old cross was raised up into the air and plunged down into a whole for it to stand in. When it hit bottom every joint in His body came out of place. Excruciating pain and suffering for you. There He was left hanging to die then a roman spear came piercing into His side where His blood and water flowed out onto the ground. Jesus died and was buried for you.
But that’s not where it ends. When He died He went down into the deepest, darkest, lowest pits of Hell, took on the devil, slam dunked him, grabbed the keys to death, hell, and the grave and eternal bondage and said, "Give ’em here." He took them away from the devil. Then up from the grave He arose. With a mighty triumph o’er His foes. He did all that for your freedom. Christ died to set men free from sin, sickness and all of the curses of this life. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." "You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free."
Then He seals it just as you and I seal a package, v.36. Freedom, it’s not of this world. Freedom is joy in the times of sorrow. Freedom is a peace that surpasses all understanding. You’ll have troubles, trials, and temptations. But God’s grace is sufficient. Holy freedom is the reason Paul and Silas could sing praises to God in the midst of a Roman Jail.
Freedom is courage to act with Holy boldness. Freedom is shaking your face in the face of Satan. "Get thee behind me Satan. For thou savourest not the things that be of God."
Freedom is to shine like a diamond. "Choose you this day whom you will serve. As for me and my house we will serve the Lord."
If the Son sets you free you’re free indeed. In Nov. 1996 my Papaw Bill ( my mother’s father ) was lying in the hospital at Tupelo. He was in his seventies and suffering his final days with cancer. I had the privilege of leading him to a saving faith in Jesus there in that hospital. A few weeks later he was scheduled to go in for what would be his last surgery. He sent word to me that he wanted me to be there. So I made arrangements to be there as soon as I could that morning. when I got there he was already in the room where they take them to get ready to go down for surgery. There were five or six people in there with him. When I walked in there I saw him and he saw me and he sorta brightened up a little and said, " Jeff’s here now. I want Jeff to pray with me. Let’s pray." I prayed with him and for him. I laid hands on him and tried to comfort him as best I could. I was pressed for time so I had to leave shortly.
A few days later God healed him. He took him on home. His family asked me if I would be one of the speakers at the funeral. I said I would. I got to the funeral home and was standing around there with some of the others who had parts in the funeral. As we were talking around there one gentlemen that was with him all the way up until they took him away for the surgery said, " Bill told me right before they took him into surgery, "You know what, I’m not afraid any more."
When the Son of man sets you free you’re free indeed.
Now Papaw Bill was in his seventies on his death. When he died he was just as saved as I am. There for a short time of his life here on earth he knew the freedom that Jesus Christ gives. You don’t have to be in your seventies or eighties and on your death bed to know this freedom. You can have it now.
