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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. 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. 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, 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, 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. 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? 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. 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 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. 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. 
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. 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 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, 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. 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.