200412.ser
Easter Series # 1
“The Liberating Purpose of Christ’s Death”
February 29, 2004
Subject: Christian Freedom
Theme: Christ, the Liberator
Passage: John 8: 21 - 36
There is a wonderful verse in Hebrews that comes to mind as we move toward Easter.
“Looking unto Jesus... who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross...” Hebrews 12:2
In the midst of the discussion of whether Mel Gibson’s film is anti-Semitic, and who is to blame for Christ’s death, there is one central thought that I want to press home again and again during the next seven weeks leading up to Good Friday: The Lord Jesus did not die as a martyr but as a heaven sent Saviour. The Jews didn’t put Christ to death, though they certainly tried to do so on many occasions. The Romans did not put Christ to death, for Jesus made it absolutely clear to Pilate that he could have no power whatever against Jesus if it were not given to him
from above. The Lord Jesus was fulfilling a divine plan for the redemption of mankind and no one could take His life, nor could anyone restrain Him from dying on the cross because by this means He would purchase your salvation and draw to Himself the people of God who will be His glory and His crown for all of eternity. “Therefore the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it again. No one takes it from me, but I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from my Father.” John 10: 17, 18.
So, what will the passage we have read this morning show us about the purpose of Christ’s death? Here is the answer: The death of Christ was necessary for the liberation of slaves from the bondage of sin.
1. The Search for Freedom
a. Freedom cannot be gained by casting off all restraints.
b. Casting off all restraints leads to the most appalling slavery.
c. There can be no freedom apart from acknowledging our bondage.
2. Christ came to set the prisoners free.
a. He accepted the ultimate penalty for the sin which enslaves us.
b. He lifts us from the bondage of slavery into the freedom of sons.
c. This freedom involves knowing and embracing the truth.
3. The Christian life is maintained by living in the freedom of the Spirit.
a. True freedom is not license to do what we want.
b. True freedom is not conformity to certain rules, but love to Christ.
c. The evidence of our salvation is seen in a continuing walk of faith.
1. The Search for Freedom
We live in a day when people are searching for complete and absolute freedom. It might be said that Lincoln gave his life for the emancipation of America from slavery, and Martin Luther King gave his life for the emancipation of America from segregation. It might be said that two world wars were fought for the protection of freedom in the western world which we call democracy, and the United States seems to have taken on the role of liberator within the rest of the world, but when all is said and done people can still find no real freedom in this world.
a. Freedom cannot be gained by casting off all restraints.
In their search for freedom, modern man has cast aside every rule in the book, insisting on
one’s right to do whatever one desires to do. What has been gained?
If you receive e-mail, you have probably received and read, the following prayer by Minister Joe Wright in opening a new session of the Kansas Senate, but it is worth repeating:
“Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, ’Woe to those who call evil good,’ but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.
We confess that we have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word and call it Pluralism. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbor’s possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.
Search us, Oh, God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Amen!"
b. Casting off all restraints leads to the most appalling slavery.
Pastor Wright told the truth, didn’t he? Watch the T.V. and you will see every form of sinfulness glorified and made to look attractive. Yet look around at our society and you see broken homes, divorce, suicide, violence, children out of control, disease, emotional and mental trauma. We could go on and on, couldn’t we? But the reality is that sin is the hardest of all task masters. Guilt and fear and sorrow of heart. These are the true results of our so-called freedom.
Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly I say to you, whoever commits sin is the servant (or slave) of sin.” 8: 34
c. There can be no freedom apart from acknowledging our bondage.
The Jews were offended at Christ’s words. “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can you say, You will be made free?” 8: 33
How foolish. Did they forget their slavery in Egypt? Did they forget their captivity in Babylon? Did the ignore the fact that they were presently resentful of the Roman occupation of their country? Was their main desire for the Messiah not directly linked to their hope that he would cast off the Roman yoke?
But they were even more foolish than this. They were ignoring their bondage to the legalism of the Pharisees, and their religion. At the beginning of this chapter, they brought to Jesus a woman taken in the act of adultery and asked him about stoning her. How did they catch her unless it was all set up, and where was the man involved? They were ignoring their slavery to sin.
In their refusal to acknowledge their sin, Jesus told them the truth, I am going away, and you will seek me and will die in your sin. ..If you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sin.” 8: 21
Yes and if our modern, enlightened society does not acknowledge that it is hopelessly enslaved, every person will die in his sin.
There can be no forgiveness, no freedom, no true liberty unless you hear God’s Word, are convicted in your heart, and acknowledge your slavery to sin.
2. Christ came to set the prisoners free.
Isaiah 61: 1 "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, 3 To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That
they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."
Jesus picked up this prophecy and applied it to Himself at the beginning of His ministry Luke 4:18 "The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; 19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD."
But how was He to do it?
a. He accepted the ultimate penalty for the sin which enslaves us.
That is why He came. That is why He “embraced the cross”. Freeing His people from their sins is the reason for “the joy that was set before Him” which enabled Him to endure the cross.
The cross is man’s estimate of God’s holy Son.
The cross is God’s estimate of the need of sinful man!.
b. He lifts us from the bondage of slavery into the freedom of sons.
Never lose sight of the reality that it was for your sins He suffered and bled and died. He died that you might live. He died that you might be released from the bondage of slaves into the glorious liberty of sons.
c. This freedom involves knowing and embracing the truth.
John 8: 31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
It is in the Word of God that we learn the true nature of our sin, our rebellion, our wickedness. It is in the Word of God that we learn what God sets forth as true freedom. It is in the Word of God that we learn how God desires us to walk day by day.
3. The Christian life is maintained by living in the freedom of the Spirit.
a. True freedom is not license to do what we want.
Even Christians get caught up in this search for “absolute freedom”. Some Christians seem to believe that because they are forgiven, they now have license to do whatever they wish. Any restrictions in the scriptures have now been swept away. But again, how foolish!
Let’s illustrate our freedom with the image of a locomotive on the railway track. That engine is absolutely free as long as it is on the rails. It is free to go anywhere the rails go. It is free to go fast or slow, as the engineer wishes. But if it jumps the track it is no longer free. It is immediately in bondage to the mud!
We are free in Christ, to do anything in God’s will. But if we step outside of that will, if we flaunt our freedom and enter into sin again, we are no longer free.
I illustrate our freedom also, with reference to our marriage. I love my wife and enjoy my life with her. She gives me freedom to talk to and visit other women as a Pastor, because she trusts ne. But supposing I decide to emphasize my freedom and do something stupid. Immediately my freedom is gone, first, because I would feel guilty about wronging my wife. Secondly our peace and joy would be gone, and there would be a severe strain on our relationship, until genuine confession of wrong was given and forgiveness was granted.
So it is with the Christian’s relation with God. In Christ I have absolute freedom to serve
and please my Saviour and God. I have forgiveness for all my sins, past, present and future. But if
I play fast and loose with sin, a hindrance will enter into my relationship with God. My joy will be
gone. My peace will be shattered. It has nothing to do with whether I am still His child. One may
be a naughty child, and still be part of the family, but until that wrong is confessed and forsaken, I
may lose my pleasure in that relationship.
No, Christ came to set us free, and He does not want us to again become tangled up in the old forms of bondage. Freedom does not give us liberty to do wrong.
b. True freedom is not conformity to certain rules, but love to Christ.
There are churches which have tried to protect their people by fencing them in with rules, rather than trusting to the work of the Holy Spirit. This was precisely what the Pharisees sought to do for the Jewish people, but it does not work. Legalism is no substitute for love to Christ.
Only a Spirit filled life, guided by love has the power to do what is right. The motivation is entirely different and the result is clearly evident.
c. The evidence of our salvation is seen in a continuing walk of faith.
“Whoever commits sin is a slave to sin, and a slave does not abide in the house forever,but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” 8: 34 - 36
Dear ones, how can you be sure that you really do belong to God? that you are a true son, by faith in His Son? Are you living in truth? Does your life reflect a continuing commitment to truth? Are you enjoying true freedom and joy in Christ?
You see, it is not the person who starts out in the Christian life with a big, bold commitment, but the person who perseveres to the end who demonstrates true Christianity.
Conclusion:
This then is the liberating purpose of the death of Christ. This is the reason for His joy which allowed Him to endure the cross. My, friend, are you free in Christ? Amen
Next week we shall look at “The Voluntary Nature of Christ’s Death.”
