“Let Freedom Ring”
John 8: 31-36
July 1. 2007
Pastor Steve N. Wagers
Gardenview Baptist Church
Jacksonville, FL
“Let Freedom Ring!”
John 8: 31-36
Pastor Steve N. Wagers
July 1. 2007
Sermon Outline
1. The Law that Discards Freedom!
A) Bound by Sin
B) Blinded by Sin
2. The Life that Discovers Freedom!
A) A Liberated Life
B) A Celebrated Life
3. The Lord that Delivers Freedom!
A) Jesus is the Person
B) Jesus has the Power
In the summer of 1776, the Second Continental Congress was meeting in Philadelphia at the Pennsylvania State House (later called Independence Hall). On June 7, Richard Henry Lee of Virginia stood and read his resolution: "Resolved: That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved."
The die was cast and on June 11, 1776, a committee was formed with the express purpose of drafting a document that would formally sever the ties of the colonies with Great Britain.
The committee included Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, and Robert R. Livingstone of New York.
On July 1, Congress reconvened and the following day, the Lee Resolution for Independence was adopted by 12 of the 13 colonies. Immediately, Congress began to consider the Declaration drawn up by the committee. Then late in the afternoon of July 4, 1776 the document known as the Declaration of Independence was officially adopted as church bells rang out over Philadelphia.
On August 2, the Declaration of Independence, written on a sheet of parchment measuring 24 1/2 by 29 3/4 inches was signed by all the delegates in attendance, the first being John Hancock, the President of the Congress.
He used a bold signature centered below the text and in accordance to the prevailing custom; the other delegates began to sign at the right below the text, their signatures arranged according to the geographical location of the states they represented. New Hampshire, the northernmost state, began the list, and Georgia, the southernmost, ended it.
That document, the Declaration of Independence, has become one of our nation's most cherished symbols of liberty. This coming Wednesday, July 4, we as American's celebrate "Independence Day." This year we, as a nation, celebrate 231 years of independence and freedom. As American's we have much to be thankful for and much to celebrate.
At the outset let me say that I am thankful and proud to be an American. I love America. I love my country. I am grateful to be an American.
I love America, but I do not love everything about America. I love what this nation is, but I do not love what this nation has become.
Many of the politicians of our country disappoint me, the "political correctness" trend and mindset of our country disgusts me, many decisions of the Supreme Court distress me and the moral decline of our country disturbs me.
America has its problems and serious problems at that. Yet, in spite of all its problems, I love my country.
I am a very patriotic person. I still get goose bumps when they play the national anthem. I still get a lump in my throat when I see the American Flag flying high.
I still straighten up with a feeling of respect when I see a man or woman in uniform and it is hard to keep tears from coming to my eyes when I say the pledge of allegiance.
When it comes to the American Flag, I not only am proud to stand and say the pledge of allegiance, but I also say with H.C. Bunner:
Off with your hat as the flag goes by!
And let the heart have it say;
You're man enough for a tear in your eye
That you will never wipe away
Lift up the boy on your shoulder high,
And show him the faded shred;
Those stripes would be red as the sunset sky
If death could have dyed them red.
Off with your hat as the flag goes by!
Uncover the youngster's head;
Teach him to hold it holy and high
For the sake of its sacred dead.
Today, I not only want to focus on our national freedom, but upon our personal freedom as well. I want to focus nationally, but I also want to focus spiritually.
As a nation we consider July 4, 1776 as our national day of independence. As for me, my personal day of independence is August 10, 1985. That was the day that I was set free by God’s good, great and glorious grace.
It is one thing to live in a nation where there is freedom but it is another thing to actually live in freedom. It is one thing to celebrate a national day of independence but another thing to celebrate a personal day of independence. In the text Jesus talks about a personal day of independence.
John 8 has been referred to as the chapter of contrasts and conflicts. Jesus dealt with grace vs. law (vv. 1-11), light vs. darkness (vv. 12-20), life vs. death (vv. 21-30), and freedom vs. bondage. (vv. 31-47)
Today, we are going to deal with the FREEDOM VS. BONDAGE and see if Jesus speaks truth that lets freedom ring in the hearts of men.
In this one chapter alone, Jesus forgives the woman taken in adultery; He encourages those in darkness to look to Him, as the Light of the world;
He told the Jews that God the Father sent Him; Jesus spoke of His death and the fact that they would die in their sins and could not come to where He was; He said He was from above and they were from beneath.
Let’s take a look at this great chapter and discover what it means to let freedom ring.
1. The LAW that DISCARDS Freedom!
Jesus said in verse 32, "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Jesus is talking about spiritual freedom and spiritual liberty and indicates that there are those who lack this spiritual freedom and liberty.
In Romans 8: 2, Paul spoke of “the law of sin and death.” The law is sin. It is this law which discards the freedom of which Christ speaks. Who are affected by this law which discards freedom? Jesus says that it is those who are:
A) BOUND by Sin
We read in verse 34, "Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin."
Look at this statement of Jesus very carefully. He speaks of those who commit sin. The word "commit"is the Greek poieo. It speaks of that which is prolonged. In other words, Jesus was not talking about a one-time act of sin but a continual committing of sin.
Also, notice carefully what Jesus says about committing sin. He tells us that eventually one is enslaved by their sin.
Jesus spoke of the "servant of sin." The word "servant" speaks of a "slave." Jesus was saying that there are those who are slaves to sin. They are in bondage to sin. The committing of sin leads to one being chained by sin. The law’s breaking leads to sins bondage.
Thus, those who are bound by sin are also:
B) BLINDED by Sin
In verse 32 Jesus spoke of the truth setting a person free. Jesus said, "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." The word "free" that He used speaks of someone that has been liberated or set free from bondage.
Notice in verse 33 the response of certain Jews to what Jesus said: "They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?"
They said that they had never been in bondage to any man. They were saying, "Our ancestors may have been in bondage while in Egypt, but none of us has ever been in bondage."
Then, as we saw in verse 34, Jesus explained that He was talking about spiritual bondage.
Here's the point. They were in bondage and didn't even realize it. They were not only bound by sin but also blinded by sin. They thought they were free when in reality they were in spiritual slavery.
Here's the great tragedy of the whole matter. People are lost and don't even realize it. People are slaves to sin and all the time thinking they are free.
There were many out last night "living it up" as we say, and he or she thinks "I'm free to live the way I want to, do what I want to, go where I want to," and the whole time they are actually a slave to sin. They are as Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4:4, blinded by the god of this world.
Yet, there are many Christians, who have been saved, but they are still bound and blinded by sin. They are bound and blinded by the same old habits, addictions, and vices.
In fact, do you know who the hardest people to convince of repentance are? It is Christian people! A lost man may not repent, but he knows that he needs to.
However, the man who fills the pew every Sunday is convinced that he is all right even though he is still bound by some habit, hang-up or handicap. What is the problem? He is not only bound, but he is blinded. He thinks that he is all right when in reality he is living in slavery.
This is the Christian who has been saved for a number of years, but when they come to prayers, they are still asking for the same old sins, year after year after year.
What’s the problem? They are bound by sin. They are blinded by sin. They are walking around with chains on their soul and blinders on their eyes.
They have allowed the law of sin to discard the freedom that is available to them through the finished work of Christ.
2. The LIFE that DISCOVERS Freedom!
The words of Jesus describe how people are slaves to sin, but He also declared that one could be set free. Jesus said in verse 32, "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free," and in verse 36, "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."
Praise God no one has to live in sin's bondage. They can be set free!
What happens to the life that discovers freedom? For one thing it becomes:
A) A LIBERATED Life
William Barclay said, "Sometimes when a man is rebuked for doing something wrong or warned against such a thing, his answer is, 'Surely I can do what I like with my own life.' But the point is that the man who sins does not do what he likes; he does what sin likes. A man can let a habit get such a grip on him that he cannot break it. He can allow a pleasure to master him so completely that he cannot do without it. He can let some self-indulgence so dominate him that he is powerless to break away from it. He is a slave to the
habits, the self-indulgences, the wrong pleasures
which have mastered him. This is precisely Jesus'
point. No man who sins can ever be said to be free."
Notice the words "make you free" in verse 32 and verse 36. They are actually one Greek word that means to be liberated or set free from bondage. Jesus was saying that the life of freedom is a liberated life.
To be made free is to be delivered from sin's bondage. To be free is to have the chains of sin broken and have your prison door opened. It is to be free from the sins that so long held you bound and made you their slave. Praise God you can be delivered from sins bondage.
I will never forget a scene I saw on Nightline during the Gulf War. Kuwait had been liberated and Forrest Sawyer was doing a live broadcast from Kuwait and talking about the events of the day and all that had occurred. He was talking to Ted Koppel when all of a sudden this old man ran in front of the camera clapping his hands over his head shouting in his broken English, "Me free!Me free!Me free!"
Blessed be His name, there are times when I think back to my own personal Independence Day. It was the day when Jesus delivered me from sin's bondage and broke the chains of sin that had for so long kept me bound.
When I do I want to jump up, clap my hands over my head and shout, "Me free, me free, me free!" and sing with Bill Gaither:
So long I had searched for life's meaning,
Enslaved by the world and my greed;
Then the door of my prison was opened by love,
For the ransom was paid, I was freed.
I'm free from the fear of tomorrow;
I'm free from the guilt of the past;
For I've traded my shackles for a glorious song-
I'm free! Praise the Lord! Free at Last!
A life that discovers freedom not only becomes a liberated life, but:
B) A CELEBRATED Life
Twice Jesus described those who had never been set free as servants or slaves. We have seen how in verse 34 He spoke of the "servant (slave) of sin." Also notice verse 35: "And the servant (slave) abideth not in the house forever: but the son abideth ever.""
Most scholars believe that verse 35 is what is called a parenthetical parable that describes the difference between a slave and a son.
The slave has no permanent standing in the master's house. Because he is a slave he can be sold to another master, therefore he does not have a permanent place or standing in the home.
But a son is a different story. Because he is a son he has a permanent place in the home and as a son he enjoys all the privileges of being a son.
Jesus is telling us that those who have been set free not only enjoy a liberated life but also a celebrated life. They are no longer slaves but sons!
Before my "Independence Day" I was a slave. I had nothing to look forward to but a life of chains and slavery. But thank God on my "Independence Day" I became a son of God!
I no longer have to live in the slave house. I live in the Father's House. I am no longer a pauper, but a prince. Instead of enduring the burdens of being sin's slave, I enjoy the blessings of being God's son.
As I mentioned earlier, it was on July 4, 1776 that the Declaration of Independence was signed by those in attendance. A few days later, July 8, 1776, the first public readings of the Declaration of Independence were held in Philadelphia's Independence Square. As it was read, people celebrated and bells were rung throughout the city.
Are you free? Is there a personal "Independence Day" on the calendar of your heart? Has there been a day when you were set free from the “law of sin and death?” Have you been set free from the penalty of sin?
If you are saved, are you still bound and blinded by some besetting sin? Have you been set free from the power of sin? If not, you need to experience a liberated life that leads to a celebrated life.
Finally, let’s notice:
3. The LORD that DELIVERS Freedom!
The words "free indeed"in verse 36, actually mean "really free." Are you bound by sin? Are you blinded by sin? Are you still struggling with the same old habits?
You don’t have to be the devil’s play-toy any longer. You can be free. Do you want to really be free? Then let me remind you that:
A) Jesus is the PERSON
Notice verse 36 again: "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."In other words, it is Jesus, and Jesus only, that sets people free from the burden, the bondage, and the blight of sin.
Gardenview Baptist Church cannot set you free. The Southern Baptist Convention cannot set you free. Pastor Steve N. Wagers cannot set you free.
There is no denomination, affiliation or participation that can set you free. You cannot light enough candles to be set free. You cannot say enough prayers to be set free. You cannot twirl enough beads to be set free.
There's no social program on the face of the earth that can set you free. Freedom is not found in a program. It is found in a person. The person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
B) Jesus has the POWER
We read in verse 32, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” We read in verse 36, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”
Do you see it? Jesus is the Word of God, in verse 32; and, He is the Son of God, in verse 36. He is the only person who can set you free because He is the only One who has the power to set you free.
Sin may burden, but Jesus is the Burden Bearer. Sin may bind, but Jesus is the One who destroys the yoke of bondage. Sin may blind, but Jesus is the One who removes the scales.
Sin may entrap, ensnare, entangle and enslave, but Jesus is the great Emancipator. Aren’t you tired of living in spiritual slavery? Aren’t you tired of struggling with the same old habits, hang-ups and handicaps? Then, today, let Jesus set you free!
In his famous speech, Patrick Henry of Virginia said, “Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace--but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death.”