May turn in your Bibles to John chapter 8 for our meditation this morning. John chapter 8. John 8, I'll pick up reading in verse 21. Then Jesus said to them again, I am going away and you will seek me and will die in your sin.
Where I go, you cannot come. So the Jews said, will he kill himself? Because he says, where I go, you cannot come. And he said to them, you are from beneath.
I am from above. You are of this world. I am not of this world. Therefore, I said to you that you will die in your sin.
For if you do not believe that I am, you will die in your sins. Then they said to him, Who are you? And Jesus said to them, Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning, I have many things to say and to judge concerning you. But he who sent me is true, and I speak to the world those things which I heard from him.
They did not understand that he spoke to them of the father. Then Jesus said to them, when you lift up the son of man, then you will know that I am and that I do nothing of myself. But as my father taught me, I speak these things and he who sent me is with me. The father has not left me alone, for I always do those things that please him.
As he spoke these words, many believed in him. Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed him. If you abide in my word, you are my disciples indeed, and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. They answered him.
We are Abraham's descendants and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can you say you will be made free? Jesus answered them. Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin and a slave does not abide in the house forever.
But a son abides forever. Therefore, if the son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. I know that you are Abraham's descendants, but you seek to kill me because my word has no place in you. I speak what I have seen with my father and you do what you have seen with your father.
They answered and said to him, Abraham is our father. Jesus said to them, If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this.
You do the deeds of your father. Then they said to him, We were not born a fornication. We have one father, God. Jesus said to them, If God were your father, you would love me.
For I proceeded forth and came from God. Nor have I come of myself, but he sent me. Why do you not understand my speech? Because you are not able to listen to my word.
You are of your father, the devil and the desires of your father. You want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.
But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Which of you convicts me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? He who is of God hears God's words.
Therefore, you do not hear because you are not of God. Amen.
Introduction
Well, this morning, I want to consider the blessing that we have in terms of spiritual liberty. The specific area that we're going to focus on this morning is verses 31 to 36. And Jesus highlights two truths, at least in this particular section. I read the larger context so you could see what's going on here.
Jesus is having issues or controversy with the religious leaders of his day, with the unbelieving Jews. If you look specifically at verse 31, it says, Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed him. And then he says some pretty powerful things. He ultimately says they are of their father, the devil.
We'll look back for just a moment in John, chapter two. In John, chapter two, at verse twenty three says, Now, when Jesus was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself to them because he knew all men and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for he knew what was in man. So at various times throughout this particular gospel, according to John, says that men believed in him, but their subsequent activity or their subsequent activity, conduct or language indicated that they weren't genuine.
They may have believed for a time, they may have been interested, they may have seen the signs and wonders, they may have been caught up in some of the external, but they were not genuine disciples. And that's what Jesus is addressing here very specifically. Notice in verse 31, Jesus said to those Jews who believed him, If you abide in my word, you are my disciples indeed. So there's that belief on the gospel, and then there's an abiding in the word that manifests that one certainly did believe the gospel.
In other words, when we believe, we will seek, by God's good grace, to follow the Lord Jesus. That is something of a no-brainer. I think we'd all agree to that. But this morning, as we look at this particular section, I just want to pull out for our consideration and our meditation prior to the table, the first thing being the reality of spiritual slavery.
The Reality of Spiritual Slavery
Always convinced it's good for us to remember what was true of us prior to our conversion. It's good for us to remember the rock from whence we were hewn. It's good for us to remember not all the particulars and all the gruesome and gory details, but to see how bad we were and see how good God is in having saved us. So the reality of spiritual slavery and then secondly, the blessing of spiritual liberty.
Now, spiritual refers to the inner part. Man is made up of two parts. I know some say we're made up of three. I believe the Bible teaches there is the material, or physical, and then the immaterial, or the non-physical.
The Bible refers to that either as spirit or soul, depending on the specific context. I think very often those words are used interchangeably. but two parts, physical and spiritual. And there is a sense, just like what we have in this passage, where men can be physically free. In fact, all of us, you right now, are living in a relatively free country.
You have relative freedom. You get to say things that perhaps you couldn't say if you lived in other places. You have freedom to get up in the morning and go to a specific job. You have freedom to go to Taco Bell if you want.
You have freedom to engage in certain things and activities. So you have a physical freedom. The Bible also highlights the spiritual element that all men everywhere under Adam or not in Christ are spiritually slaves. And Jesus makes that very clear in verse 34.
Jesus answered them. Most assuredly, I say to you,
Sin as Reigning Bondage
whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. Now, the tense that he uses here is not, you know, you and I fall into sin and then we repent and confess it and forsake it. The idea that Jesus is addressing here is what we might call reigning sin. Sin as it's not been dealt with in the cross or with the gospel.
Sin that is characteristic of all men everywhere. Sin that we introduced last Sunday's sermon with that is a universal problem that affects every man, woman, boy and girl. Doesn't matter what tribe or tongue or people or nation they come from. They are in Adam.
And as a result, they are slaves of sin. That's the language that our Lord Jesus uses. Whoever commits sin, specifically the one committing sin, is a slave of sin. See,
Slavery to Sin or to Christ
the Bible never addresses the issue of slavery versus no slavery. The Bible always tells us we're slaves. Either we're slaves of sin or we're slaves of Christ. We're slaves of our lusts.
We're slaves to our idols. Were slaves to our pocketbook? Were slaves to our sexual organs? Were slaves to drugs?
Were slaves to alcohol? Were slaves to family? Were slaves to friends? Or were slaves to the Lord Jesus Christ?
See, it's never an issue of slavery versus no slavery. The issue is always, whose slave are you? See, people who are physically free have a real tough time with this concept, just like these Jews. What are you talking about?
We've never been slaves to anyone. Well, even physically they had been slaves. They had been slaves in Egypt. They had been slaves in Assyria.
They had been slaves in Babylon. But see, Jesus was addressing something a lot more fundamental. Jesus was addressing something more closer to home. They were slaves of sin.
And the same is true of each one of us. Prior to our conversion, prior to our understanding and belief of the gospel, prior to coming unto the one who has offered himself in the Christian gospel, we were slaves of sin. And if you are here this morning and you don't know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, you're a slave. Again, you may not feel it.
You may not understand all the particulars involved. You may reject it and refuse to consider yourself in that way. I say, wait a minute, I live in Canada. How could you ever say that I'm a slave?
Because a lot of Canadians are slaves of sin. All those who have not come in faith to the Lord Jesus Christ are slaves of sin. That word itself, slave, conjures up a whole lot of bad imagery, doesn't it? I mean, sometimes we read our Bibles and we see Paul legislate conduct for slaves and masters.
We might read slave and we get a little bit uncomfortable. Why is Paul speaking to that particular issue? Slavery conjures up those ideas because it always speaks of bondage. It always speaks of one having rule over another.
And in this particular instance, sin has rule over you. That's a horrible idea. God made us upright. God made us to serve Him.
God made us to glorify Him. God made us to praise Him and honor Him and present our members as instruments of righteousness. But we, according to Solomon, have sought out many devices. And we begin to engage in a particular sin or sins.
We begin to just play games with it. And then we end up slaves. We end up doing its bidding. The Bible's description of those who commit idolatry become like the very idols that they worship.
God, the Lord spoke concerning the pagan idols. They have ears that don't hear. They have eyes that don't see. Well, a man engaged in spiritual slavery is the same way.
He has ears that doesn't hear the gospel. He has eyes that doesn't see spiritual truth. He has a heart that does not respond to God most high. If that describes you this morning, I beg you and I beseech you to pay attention.
Because as one man, J.C. Ryle says, to know that we are being led captive is the very first step toward deliverance. Doesn't do us any good to say, no, not me, man. I got control over my sin.
I got control over my lust. I have them at bay. I only serve them as I see fit. That's not the case.
Whoever, Jesus says, doesn't matter who you are, whoever commits sin, who engages in the practice of sin is a slave of sin. This is true of those in the context, these Jews, who at least for a time gave some attention to Jesus. But later on, he says, you're of your father, the devil and the desires of your father. You want to do.
It's true, not only of those Jews, but it's true of us Gentiles. It's true of every man outside of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 3 and Universal Sin
Paul the Apostle makes this abundantly clear in the book of Romans chapter 3. Again, a very familiar passage of Scripture, but one that needs repeating. Romans chapter 3. He says in verse 9, What then?
Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. You see that?
Jews and Greeks are all under sin. Dealing with a universal problem. You're not a sinner because you're Canadian. You're not a sinner because you're white.
You're not a sinner because you're black. You're not a sinner because you're rich. You're not a sinner because you're poor. You're a sinner because you're in Adam.
In Adam, all die. Notice what he says in verse 10. As it is written, there is none righteous. No, not one.
There is none who understands. There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside. They have together become unprofitable.
There is none who does good. No, not one. Their throat is an open tomb. With their tongues they have practiced deceit.
The poison of asps is under their lips, whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood. Destruction and misery are in their ways. And the way of peace they have not known.
There is no fear of God before their eyes. Now, I can almost hear someone saying, oh, that just really describes the bad people. The really bad ones, right? What are you doing?
You're trying to justify yourself. You're trying to rationalize away your sin. Go back for just a moment to chapter one in the book of Romans after he condemns what we might consider the really big sins, the really heinous things that society has to offer. Notice what he says in verse 28.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind to do those things which are not fitting. Being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness. Jerry Bridges has recently authored a book, I haven't read it, but I think I understand the thesis. It's called Respectable Sins.
Respectable Sins. See, we Christians, we'll stand up and we'll point at the homosexuals and say, that's wicked and abominable. We'll point at murderers and say, how dare you? That's vile and wretched.
But we'll harbor covetousness in our hearts. We'll covet a brother's goods or his wife and that's OK. Because I'm not doing those really despicable, unrespectable sins. Notice what he goes on to say.
Verse five. I'm sorry. Verse twenty nine. Maliciousness, full of envy, murder, strife.
I don't think that just means prison warfare, brethren. I don't think that just means the bloods against the crypts in South Central L.A. God, according to Proverbs 6, abominates those who sow discord among the brethren, who sow strife in the church, who sow strife among families. Notice what he goes on to say, deceit, evil mindedness.
They are whisperers, backbiters. Oh, yeah, man, I would never go out and do that. But how many backbites? How many gossip?
How many slander? How many have made allowance for what he calls respectable sins? You see, whoever commits gossip is a slave of gossip. Whoever engages in backbiting is a slave of backbiting.
Whoever engages in murder is a slave to that particular lifestyle. This is what he's saying. He says, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things. Notice this, kids, disobedient to parents.
So many times I'm asked, well, my kid, the parent has the authority in the home. Kids, listen to me. If your father makes a command and it's not unbiblical, he's not commanding you to engage in sin. Obey it.
What should I do? Do what you're told. Wow, imagine that. We don't have to spend hours to reason.
We don't have to spend hours to tell you every single why. Don't disobey your parents. You see what Paul is saying here. Sin is a lot more extensive than just those bad things that occur out there.
Or those bad things that happen among gang members. Disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful, who knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them. So when Jesus says, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin, we need to understand that. That's a powerful metaphor.
You may think you are free and be a slave. You may think everything is good and be a slave. You may think everything is just peachy, and you are being day by day conformed to that idol that you are worshiping. Isn't that amazing?
The Despotic Master of Self
D.A. Carson summarizes Jesus' teaching here. He says, for Jesus, then, the ultimate bondage is not enslavement to a political or economic system. No, I'm not advocating enslavement to a political or economic system.
But I am suggesting this, it's better to be a slave to a political or economic system than to sin. Now, a political and economic system can be said, but I think you understand what I mean. He goes on to say, but vicious slavery to moral failure, to rebellion against the God who has made us, the despotic master is not Caesar, but shameful self-centeredness. Wow.
Self-centeredness. That's a respectable sin, I submit, in the church today. We are all way too self-centered. We are way too consumed with ourselves.
It's a slave. It's a slave-master relationship. You're a slave to your own self. He goes on and say an evil and enslaving devotion to created things at the expense of worship of the creator.
J.C. Ryle said it this way. There is no slavery like this. Sin is the hardest of all taskmasters.
Listen to this. When you see people running and following their lusts. That's not freedom. That's not liberty.
That's not joy. Sin is the hardest and cruelest of taskmasters. He goes on to say, misery and disappointment in the way, despair and hell in the end. These are the only wages that sin pays to its servants.
To deliver men from this bondage is the grand object of the gospel. To awaken people to a sense of their, I love his choice of word here, degradation. You know what's degrading? Is to be a slave of sin.
You know what's degrading? Is to not pursue God most high. Degradation is when we have not even liked to retain the knowledge of God and we have turned our backs on him. That is degradation.
He goes on to say, to show them their chains, to make them arise and struggle to be free. This is the great end for which Christ sent forth his ministers. Happy is he who has opened his eyes and found out his danger. To know that we are being led captive is the very first step toward deliverance.
Amen. A hundredfold.
The Call to Cry Out for Deliverance
If you are a slave of sin, admit it. Own it. And cry out to Jesus for deliverance. You don't need to go to some special church service.
You need to cry to the Son of God in faith, and He will deliver you right now. You want a deliverance ministry? Believe the Gospel. You want freedom from your demons?
Believe the Gospel. You want peace with God? Believe the Gospel. You want the chains of sin broken?
Believe the gospel. Right here, right now. Passing from death unto life by virtue of the grace of God and a look to Calvary's cross. That is beautiful.
That's what the gospel is all about. That is what Jesus is about. And
The Blessing of Spiritual Liberty
let's consider that now the blessing of spiritual liberty. Jesus says in verse thirty one, if you abide in my word, you are my disciples indeed, and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. A theologian that I really liked, he lived in the last century, the 20th century. He died.
His name was Greg Bonson. He had a PhD in philosophy from the University of Southern California. I remember hearing a sermon and reading it in some of his writings. He talked about Philosopher's Hall at USC.
Next time I go to California, if I can get somebody to take me downtown to the hood, I'll go check it out for myself. But at USC, there's a wall where there's a bunch of philosophical sayings. They have verse 32 written there. And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.
That's a great statement in terms of a philosopher's wall, isn't it? I mean, you should really have that one there. But Bonson highlights to divorce it from 31 is a damning delusion. See, it's not just and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.
It is vitally connected to what Jesus says in verse thirty one. If you abide in my word, you are my disciples indeed. And he says, you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.
Truth as the Instrument of Freedom
What makes men free? Truth. Why do you guys study that old dusty confession? Because the truth sets men free.
Why do you give so much attention to the exposition of Scripture? Why do you want your people to understand theology? Because it's the truth that makes men free. We have a world filled with slaves.
They don't need a shot in the arm. They don't need me to come alongside of them and give them platitudes. They need the truth of Christ and Him crucified, Him resurrected, Him enthroned on high and Him bidding sinners to come and be saved. Jesus is clear here.
You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Notice what He says in verse 36. Therefore, if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. You do not divorce truth from Jesus.
You do not divorce Jesus from truth. In fact, in John 14, Jesus says, I am the way, The truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. That's why we refuse this idea that Jesus is all about experience.
Jesus is all about feeling. Jesus is all just about moral suasion. Jesus is about truth. You want to be set free?
Believe the truth. You want to walk in freedom? Believe the truth. Brother, I'm struggling with a sin.
Study the Bible. Learn theology. I'm really having a tough time with my husband. Study the Scripture.
What's the idea? God says we need to be renewed. We need to be transformed, rather, by the renewing of our minds. Our minds, as it were, lived in slavery to sin for however many years before we were converted.
You think automatically you just know everything? You have submitted to one master for, let's say, 20, 30, 40, 50 years. You've come to this master. He wants you to learn from him.
He wants you to take his yoke upon you. He wants you to grow in the grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus. He knows that what begins in the mind and the heart affects the way that we live. You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.
You want to witness to sinners? Tell them the truth of the gospel. You know, somebody that has a miserable situation, tell them the truth of the gospel. You've got challenges and trials and issues and difficulties in your life.
Learn the truth. Brethren, this the danger is that, oh, then we'll just be cerebral, heady Christians who have no time for anything else. That's hogwash. So love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.
You will not love him with your heart, with your soul and with your strength unless your mind is in tune with Jesus. The truth shall set you free.
Freedoms Secured by Christ
What are some of the benefits of truth setting us free, of Jesus setting us free? Well, there are things we are liberated from, things we are freed from. The first is the condemnation of sin. Is that beautiful?
He breaks the power of reigning sin. He sets the prisoner free. That's beautiful. He breaks the power of reigning sin.
Remember that man who lived amongst the tombs, that demoniac. What did it say? It said that he was bound in chains and fetters and he would just snap them. It's an amazing picture of moral depravity.
The man out of his mind. What's happened? Or what happens when Jesus comes on the scene? He falls down before him and begs that Christ does not torment him.
Jesus heals the man. And the next scene is the man is clothed and in his right mind, sitting with Jesus. It's a beautiful picture. You know what the implication is?
If you're not sitting with Jesus, you're out of your mind. If you are not with Jesus, you're the one who's out of your mind. You ever heard that, Christians? Oh, you Christians, you're whacked out.
You're nuts. You don't pay attention to reality. You're living with your head in the sky. You're living with your pie-in-the-sky ideas.
Know what? This is the truth. If you reject Jesus, you're the one who's out of his mind. This demoniac was clothed and in his right mind through the power of Jesus Christ.
The condemnation of sin. Paul can make this declaration in Romans 8 verse 1. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Beautiful.
Is that one of the biggest problems man faces? When he realizes he's a slave to sin? Who will break the chains? That's why I think some of these TV guys make so much money.
They capitalize on people who have felt guilt They've understood bondage. They've come to grips with their sinfulness. So there's some charlatan there saying, you come and hear me. You come and do what I say.
You come and visit my campaign and we'll get you fixed. No, you believe the gospel and Jesus will fix you. Jesus breaks the power of reigning sin. Jesus takes the condemnation away.
Secondly, he delivers us from the curse of the law. We have seen that in Galatians chapter 3. All those under the law are under a curse. Because cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things that the law states.
The curse of God. The wrath of God. The fury of God. The anger of God.
The judgment of God for our iniquity. Jesus comes in the power of the Gospel and He takes that curse. He doesn't just send it away. Rather, he took it in himself.
Christ has become a curse for us, Paul says in Galatians 3. For it is written, cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree. Jesus takes the teeth out of the curse because of his grace. It is a deliverance, thirdly, from the wrath of God.
Look at this for just a moment, Romans chapter one. You cannot miss Paul's point here. Please do not miss Paul's point. Romans 1, he begins with the wrath of God.
Verse 18, Romans 1. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness. Then he details what that looks like. He explains how it is that men have suppressed that truth in unrighteousness. and in ungodliness, wrath, anger, fury, God's judgment, God's anger towards sinners as a result of sin.
But then notice in Romans chapter three, verse twenty one. But now, he says, the righteousness of God, apart from the law, is revealed, wrath revealed, righteousness revealed. The righteousness in this context is the righteousness which God demands and God supplies. It is the righteousness which comes to the sinner who believes on the Lord Jesus, who receives the pardon of sin and the imputation of righteousness.
Now, notice in verse twenty five. Verse 25, whom God set forth. This is speaking of Jesus as a propitiation by his blood through faith to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance, God has passed over the sins that were previously committed. Now, most of you or some of you have been here long enough to know the word propitiation.
But for you newcomers, I want to educate you real briefly. Propitiation has to do with God's wrath. God's wrath, God's anger, God's fury, God's detestation and abomination of all things unholy. Propitiation means that God's wrath has been spent.
How? Jesus on the cross. When Jesus was on the cross, he didn't send the wrath of God away. Jesus on the cross took the wrath of God.
As John Murray says, he drank the cup of God's wrath to the drink. Remember that in the Garden of Gethsemane, when Jesus is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death, he cries to his father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. The cup is the wrath of God. Jesus resigns himself and resolves, nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done.
So on the cross, He takes the cup and He swallows it. He empties its contents such that Paul can say He has become our propitiation. He has taken the wrath of God in Himself. The Father's displeasure, the Father's anger, the Father's fury, the Father's judgment was spent on the Son of His love.
This is why Psalm 22 in the Gospel accounts record Him saying, My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me? He took the wrath of God on behalf of us, so that we'll never take the wrath of God. All those believing on the Gospel have been freed from the coming day of God's wrath. We are delivered from the power of Satan.
Beautiful. What does Jesus say to those Jews in John 8, verse 44? You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. Paul describes us in Ephesians 2, 1 to 4 as operating under the prince of the power who works in the air, who works in the sons of disobedience.
Colossians 1, 13, the apostle says we've been transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of the son of his love. No longer do we call Satan father. No longer do we want to engage in murder and lies. No longer do we want to engage in the satisfaction of our lusts.
But by God's grace, we've been freed. By God's grace, we don't have Satan engineering or ruling over our lives. We have been freed from the power of Satan. And then it is deliverance from the power of sin, the power of sin.
He breaks. He breaks the power of reigning sin. He sets the prisoner free. Romans chapter 6, verse 14.
He says, For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law, but under grace. Romans 6, 18. Romans 6, 18. He says, And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
Isn't that beautiful? Again, it's never slavery versus no slavery. It's either slavery to sin or slavery to righteousness. That's what Jesus does in the Gospel.
That's what Jesus does in setting us free. That's what Christ is all about. It's not just about making you happy here on earth. It's not just about giving you a big bank account.
Not just making sure your life is filled with rose petals and joy. Not just making sure that everything goes well in your house, in your home, in your job. That's not it. Now, God is good and gracious and kind, and sometimes those are blessed corollaries.
But the point is, brethren, is reconciliation with God. Reconciliation presupposes two parties at odds with each other. We hold our fists up to God. We reject and hate God.
We despise and blaspheme God. But make no mistake about it. God looks at us in the same way. Wrath is upon us.
He counts us as enemies. So Jesus, the blessed peacemaker, comes and brings these two warring factions together. He reconciles us through his blood so that we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Freedom to Worship God
He frees us from the condemnation of sin. He frees us from the curse of the law. He frees us from the wrath of God, the power of Satan and the power of sin itself. And with this spiritual freedom we now possess, we have the ability, we have the blessed privilege to worship God.
That's why, brethren, shame on us when we waste the Lord's day. Shame on us when we don't count this special. Shame on us when we don't consider on a Sunday morning, you have saved me so that now I can worship. You have saved me so that now I can present my body as a living sacrifice.
You have saved me so that now I want to hear the scriptures. I want to pray with brethren. I want to worship the Lord. I want to eat and drink and worship Christ in this blessed ordinance.
You have been freed to serve, freed to glorify, freed to worship and praise. You don't have to be here. You get to be here. There was one time you had to be bowing to your Master's sin.
He's broken that. He's freed you. broken that power that has captivated you, and now he says, serve me. One of my favorite books on the Ten Commandments is called The Christian Way of Living. One of the things this particular author does is bring out the liberating effect of the law.
You think law liberty doesn't seem to make sense. Well, just listen for a moment. Remember the Ten Commandments? Hopefully you all remember those.
Yeah, I think I had something about that in my head somewhere. What's the preface to the Ten Commandments? I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the house of bondage. Grace, deliverance, exodus, victory, blessing, Now, based on God's grace in having delivered you, this is how you ought to live.
You shall have no other gods before me. Well, what this author does is he says that that first commandment for a Christian is a blessed peace of liberty. Here's a man who at one time bowed down to his lusts. Here is a man who at one time bowed down to his sin.
A man who spent his money, a man who spent his time, a man who spent his energy in the pursuit of this taskmaster that only brings misery in this world and damnation in the world to come. And then that word comes. You don't need to follow that lost anymore. You don't have to pursue that You get to be with Me.
You shall have no other gods but Me. And what do we know of God? That He's gracious, He's merciful, He's loving, and He's kind. That word comes as a welcomed remedy to a life having been lived in pursuit of sin.
Spiritual Freedom and True Joy
Spiritual freedom is the ability to serve and worship God as we were created to do. Spiritual freedom is freedom from sin. You don't have to serve that master. It may be hard.
There may be temptation. There may be stumbling. There may be trial. But you do not have to obey that master.
You don't. You do not. Jesus has broken its back. And spiritual freedom brings true joy and everlasting happiness, doesn't it?
For some of us walking on this earth, you maybe never ever figure that out. Sometimes we Christians walk around like, you know, man, oh man. It's interesting, on Wednesday night we're studying about Abraham. God gives him the promised land, and in the promised land he's a pilgrim and a sojourner.
He's a pilgrim and a stranger. Why? Because he was looking for something beyond the land. He was looking to that city which has foundations, whose maker and builder is God.
You see, as the recipients of this gospel grace, as the recipients of salvation from sin, that, my brothers and sisters, promotes true joy and happiness. Such that even in trials, even in difficulties, even in hard times, even when things seem insurmountable, the Christian can say, yes, but my sins are forgiven. I have peace with God through my Lord Jesus Christ. What got Job through? wasn't family and possessions, though he slay me, yet I will trust him.
It's not what the godly man said, though he slay me, yet I will trust him. Well, brethren,
Application
all of us need to ask ourselves, are we in bondage to sin this morning or are we spiritually free because of the Lord Jesus? A.W. Pink says, the man of the world imagines that to become a Christian means to forego his freedom. He supposes that he would be fettered with a lot of restrictions which nullified his liberty.
It is this one out of Christ, not the one in Christ, who is in bondage, in the bond of iniquity. He is impelled by the downward trend of his nature and the very freedom which the sinner supposes he is exercising in the indulgence of his evil acts is only additional proof that he is the slave of sin. The love of self, the love of the world, the love of money, the love of pleasure. These are the tyrants which rule over all who are out of Christ.
Are these your tyrants this morning? Love of self, love of money, love of possessions, love of anything other than the Lord God Almighty. Good question to ask is where do I spend most of my time, money, and energy? I mean, let's just be honest.
Time, money, and energy usually translates to that which we esteem as most important. If I spend all my time, money, and energy on Xbox, I might have a hold in my life. I spend all my time, money, and energy on crack cocaine. It has a hold on my life.
I spend all my time, money, and energy on me. It's got a hold on me. Examine yourselves. Test yourselves.
Is it Christ to whom I am looking? As well, we need to remember, if you abide in my Word, Jesus says, this is what separates a hypocrite from a disciple. Pink again, continuance in his word is not a condition of discipleship, but rather a manifestation of it. This is what produces growth in a Christian.
It's the long haul, brethren. It's steady acquisition over many years. The Christian life isn't a hundred yard dash. It's a get up every morning, seek to honor God, go to bed at night, get up the next morning, Go seek to honor God.
Go to bed. Get up and... You get the message, right? You don't have to do that for 50 years.
You figure that out. So many Christians go, I tried. It doesn't work. It's like people that come to the gym.
They lift a weight and then they're over there. Man, it's just not working. I started eating more broccoli and I've still got a problem. It takes time.
It took you a lot of time to jack yourself up. You believe the gospel, you're forgiven, you're blessed, you have an inheritance above. Now, living the Christian life out in this world, pray, read your Bible, go to church, listen to sermons, be with people. This is what will cause you to grow.
And this is what protects a Christian, abiding in Jesus' word. abiding in Jesus word that is for our help. Well, let us pray and then we'll look to a portion of scripture as we remember the Lord's death in a special way.
Closing Prayer
Father, we thank you for what Jesus has done at the cross. We thank you for the power of the gospel. We know, Lord God, that you are full of grace, full of mercy, full of truth. And I pray that each of us would indeed abide in the word of Christ, that we would know that truth that sets us free, that we would know the Lord Jesus that sets us free Indeed, and I pray that you would be glorified in our in our lives together as a church and that you would be glorified in our lives individually and grant us the grace.
Most high God to delight in worshiping and in serving you. And we ask through Jesus Christ, the Lord. Amen.