John 8:31-37

FREE INDEED

Intro: Today is a day when we Americans should stop to think about our freedom. Because we are Americans, we possess certain rights and liberties that citizens of other nations do not enjoy. Because we are Americans, we can assemble in this place today. Because we are Americans, we are free to believe in any God we choose or in no God if we choose. Because we are Americans, we have the right to speak our mind on any issue we choose. Because we are Americans, we have the right to carry a Bible, pray in the name of Jesus Christ and serve Him in the world today. Thank God for the rights we enjoy as Americans.

      Did you know that it is possible to be an American, and still not be free? Did you know that it is possible for a person to enjoy all the rights guaranteed to the citizens of this nation and for that person to still not be free? Did you know that many Americans are free socially, but bound spiritually?

      In these verses, Jesus is speaking to a group of people who thought they were free. They believed that because they were the sons of Abraham, they enjoyed spiritual freedom, v. 33. Jesus lets them know that because they are sinners, they are slaves to sin, v. 34. This same truth is repeated by Paul in Rom. 6:16.

      Jesus also wants the audience listening in that day, as well as in this day, to know that He has the power to make men truly free, v. 32. He reminds them that because they are slaves to sin, they are not truly free. He tells them in v. 35 that a slave is not a permanent part of the family, while a son is. Then, Jesus tells us that since He is the Son, He has the power to make men truly free, v. 36.

      You see, a person can be locked away in a prison and still be free in Jesus. A person can live in an atheistic, godless society and still be free in Jesus. He has the power to make men truly free.

      On this day when we celebrate of freedom as Americans, I want to talk about the freedom enjoyed by the Christian. These verses give us some facts about what it means to be “Free Indeed”. I want to share those facts with you as I preach on the subject “Free Indeed”. Let’s focus in on our Lord’s words in verses 32 and 36.

 

  I.  THE SOURCE OF OUR FREEDOM

·      Jesus says the source of spiritual our freedom in v. 32 is in “the truth”. This word refers to “that which is true in respect to God and the execution of His purposes in Jesus Christ.” In other words, the truth Jesus refers to is the whole truth regarding Who He is and what He did for sinners. It refers to the whole truth about Jesus Christ.

·      The truth about Jesus Christ is seen all around us so that lost sinners are without excuse before God.

Ø  “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.” (Psa 19:1-5 KJV)

Ø  “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” (Rom 1:18-21 KJV)

·      The truth about Jesus Christ is found in the Gospel message.

Ø  “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” (1 Cor. 15:3-4)

Ø  “Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” (Rom 4:25)

·      The truth about Jesus is found on every page of the Word of God. After all, the history if the Bible is His Story!

Ø  “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” (John 5:39) (Ill. Acts 8:26-39)

Ø  (Ill. Where you can find Him!)

·      The truth about Jesus Christ is revealed to the sinner by the Holy Spirit as he opens the eyes of the blind and guides them to the Light.

Ø  “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” (John 16:13) (Ill. John 16:7-11)

Ø  “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:44 KJV)

 

·      The Source Of Our Freedom is found in Jesus Christ alone!

 

 II.  THE SCOPE OF OUR FREEDOM

·      Jesus says in verse 36 that when He makes a person “free” they are “free indeed”. The first word translated “free” comes from a word that means “to set at liberty”. It is the picture of someone liberating a slave from bondage.

      The second word translated “free” refers to “one who is freeborn”. Jesus is saying that the freedom He gives us when He saves us is so complete that “it is as if we were never slaves to begin with, but it is as if we were freeborn sons of God”.

·      The liberty Jesus gives us is so complete that it blots out our past and makes us absolutely and eternally free in Him. That is a far cry from where we were before we met Him, John 8:34; Eph. 2:1-3. Thank God for the liberty we enjoy in Jesus Christ!

·      Consider for a moment that areas where we have been liberated.

Ø  We have been delivered from the wrath of God – Rom. 5:9

Ø  We have been delivered from condemnation – Rom. 8:1

Ø  We have been delivered from death and Hell – John 5:24; John 3:16

Ø  We have been delivered from the power of sin – Rom. 6:13-14

Ø  We have been delivered from the power of Satan – 1 Pet. 5:8-9

·      The deliverance we enjoy in Jesus is complete and full.

Ø  “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” (Rom 8:2)

Ø  “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” (Gal 5:1)

·      The Source Of Our Freedom is in Jesus Christ alone. The Scope of Our Freedom is absolute, complete and eternal.

III.            THE SACRIFICE FOR

                    OUR FREEDOM

·      The freedom we enjoy as Americans was not cheap. We enjoy our freedom as Americans because over 1 million brave soldiers paid for our freedoms with their blood.

      Consider those who signed The Declaration of Independence. Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons in the Revolutionary Army, another had two sons captured. Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or the hardships of the Revolutionary War.

      What kind of men were they? Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners, men of means, well educated. But they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured.

      They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.

      Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships sunk by the British navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts and died in poverty. At the battle of Yorktown, the British General Cornwallis had taken over Thomas Nelson's home for his headquarters. Nelson quietly ordered General George Washington to open fire on the Nelson home. The home was destroyed and Nelson died bankrupt. John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their thirteen children fled for their lives. His fields and mill were destroyed. For over a year, he lived in forest and caves, returning home only to find his wife dead and his children vanished. A few weeks later, he died from exhaustion.

      Such were the stories and sacrifices of the American Revolution. These were not wild-eyed, rabble-rousing ruffians. There were soft-spoken men of means and education. They had security, but they valued liberty more. Standing tall, straight, and unwavering, they pledged: “For the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of the Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.”

      Our freedom as Americans was purchased at a very high cost. We should be thankful for it, and we should all be willing to die to protect it.

·      While the price for our national freedom was costly and bloody, it pales in comparison to the cost of our spiritual freedom. The cost of our spiritual freedom was the death of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross at Calvary.

Ø  It was there that He “gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (1Ti 2:6)

Ø  It was there that He became “the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1Jo 2:2)

Ø  It was there that “he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” (Isa 53:5)

Ø  It was there that “the LORD…laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isa 53:6)

·      Why did He do it? The answer is quite simple. He did it because He loves us! “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom 5:8)

·      Remember the horrible condition of the lost in Eph. 2:1-3? While we remember that, we must never forget the awesome statement of God in Eph. 2:4-6.

 

Conc: In Jesus Christ slaves are made free men. In Jesus Christ, the bondage of sin is forever broken; the flames of Hell are quenched; and the fierceness of divine wrath is assuaged. In Jesus Christ, there is life, liberty and the pursuit of godliness.

      Has Jesus made you free? Shouldn’t you praise Him and thank Him for that?

      Would you like to be free? Come to Jesus for He will not turn you away.

      Have you experienced His freedom in the past, but have now allowed yourself to be overcome by sin? Jesus will make you free.