This Sabbath we will be celebrating communion on the same date that our country declared its independence. Communion is a celebration of freedom, too, but it is not political in nature. It is instead a celebration of our freedom from sin, purchased through the blood of Jesus Christ. As you anticipate celebrating our freedom in various ways this weekend, remember to give thanks to the One who set you free.
“Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the Lord.’” (Exodus 6:6-8)
The Lord promised to free the Israelites from their slavery to Egypt. They would be led to a new land, and they would be God's people and He would be their God, just as He promised Abraham hundreds of years before. All of this foreshadowed the time when God's Son would lead everyone who belongs to Him to freedom. You and I were freed from slavery just as surely as the Israelites were, but it wasn't the Egyptians we were enslaved to. It was sin. Through the redemptive sacrifice of Jesus on the cross we have been set free, and "if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:36)
"Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible...I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings." (1 Corinthians 9:19, 22b-23)
We have been freed for a purpose. When those who were captive are set free, they might be tempted to use that freedom in a way that pleases them but does not much please God. Our freedom from sin does not free us to sin all the more (may it never be!). Instead, it frees us to serve so as to be disciples who make disciples. Paul was enslaved to sin even though he may have appeared to be a righteous servant of God. And having been set free from his slavery to sin, Paul went on to become all things to all people, in order that some might be saved. In the same way we are set free in order to share the good news of freedom in Christ, that others might come to know Jesus and thus come to know freedom. Who around you needs to be set free today?
John 8:31,32: “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
Some libraries have inscribed on their buildings the words: And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. This is to suggest that the more you use the library resources, the more you will gain truth, knowledge, and freedom from whatever – ignorance, fears, ineptitudes, inferiority complex, loneliness, and so forth.
Although this is true to some extent, in gaining knowledge of GOOD, it is also true that it also includes a lot of the knowledge of EVIL. How true this also is about the “libraries” of the internet and television.
But including and experiencing in our lives the introductory words of Jesus – IF you abide in MY word, you are my disciples indeed – opens the way for the conditions for real Truth and real Freedom, that is Discipleship
. And this will require more discreet use of public library resources, and more intense study in the “Library” of the 66 books of the Bible, as well as from the vast “library” of godly authors.
back to John 8...".if the Son sets you free you will be free INDEED". - not free from the Law - that stands - but free within the Covenant of Grace. David expresses in Psalm 119:45, "And I will walk in liberty; for I seek thy precepts (Torah)." God gives us a freedom that others do not know. As Pastor Matt wrote on June we are "free to serve" and what a blessing that can be !
"I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts. I will speak of your statutes before kings and will not be put to shame, for I delight in your commands because I love them. I reach out for your commands, which I love, that I may meditate on your decrees." (Psalm 119:45-48)
Exactly right, Bev. How beautiful this explanation of true freedom is (but what else would you expect from the Holy Spirit?). Most people think freedom is the ability to be unhindered in doing what is right in their own eyes, but we've known that is the path to slavery since at least the time of Joshua, and in reality since the time of Adam. Freely choosing God's way, however, is the only way to actually be free.
"I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts." (Psalm 119:45)
How is it, as Bev noted above, that obeying God's precepts make us free? After all, if I am doing what God commands, doesn't that mean that I am no longer doing what I wish to do? I understand that line of reasoning, but it glosses over our freedom to choose. If my wife asks me to do the dishes and I agree to do so in order to show how much I care for her, that choice is freely made. She may ask me to do the dishes because she is busy with something else, is not feeling well, or just needs a break from that particular chore. Agreeing to do them is not a loss of freedom on my part (although there is an opportunity cost) because I am free to not do what she asks as well. In doing them I do not lose my freedom. Instead, I am freely expressing my love and gratitude for my wife. In the same way, when we follow God's precepts (laws or commands) we do not lose our freedom. In fact, doing so prevents us from losing our freedom, which is to say our ability to choose, because to do anything else is sin, and it is sin which truly binds us so that we are no longer free to choose (just ask an addict of any kind). If you would be free, then, walk in obedience and be free indeed as you freely express your love and gratitude for God.
This Sabbath we will be celebrating communion on the same date that our country declared its independence. Communion is a celebration of freedom, too, but it is not political in nature. It is instead a celebration of our freedom from sin, purchased through the blood of Jesus Christ. As you anticipate celebrating our freedom in various ways this weekend, remember to give thanks to the One who set you free.
ReplyDelete“Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the Lord.’” (Exodus 6:6-8)
ReplyDeleteThe Lord promised to free the Israelites from their slavery to Egypt. They would be led to a new land, and they would be God's people and He would be their God, just as He promised Abraham hundreds of years before. All of this foreshadowed the time when God's Son would lead everyone who belongs to Him to freedom. You and I were freed from slavery just as surely as the Israelites were, but it wasn't the Egyptians we were enslaved to. It was sin. Through the redemptive sacrifice of Jesus on the cross we have been set free, and "if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:36)
"Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible...I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings." (1 Corinthians 9:19, 22b-23)
ReplyDeleteWe have been freed for a purpose. When those who were captive are set free, they might be tempted to use that freedom in a way that pleases them but does not much please God. Our freedom from sin does not free us to sin all the more (may it never be!). Instead, it frees us to serve so as to be disciples who make disciples. Paul was enslaved to sin even though he may have appeared to be a righteous servant of God. And having been set free from his slavery to sin, Paul went on to become all things to all people, in order that some might be saved. In the same way we are set free in order to share the good news of freedom in Christ, that others might come to know Jesus and thus come to know freedom. Who around you needs to be set free today?
John 8:31,32: “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
ReplyDeleteSome libraries have inscribed on their buildings the words: And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. This is to suggest that the more you use the library resources, the more you will gain truth, knowledge, and freedom from whatever – ignorance, fears, ineptitudes, inferiority complex, loneliness, and so forth.
Although this is true to some extent, in gaining knowledge of GOOD, it is also true that it also includes a lot of the knowledge of EVIL. How true this also is about the “libraries” of the internet and television.
But including and experiencing in our lives the introductory words of Jesus – IF you abide in MY word, you are my disciples indeed – opens the way for the conditions for real Truth and real Freedom, that is Discipleship
. And this will require more discreet use of public library resources, and more intense study in the “Library” of the 66 books of the Bible, as well as from the vast “library” of godly authors.
back to John 8...".if the Son sets you free you will be free INDEED". - not free from the Law - that stands - but free within the Covenant of Grace. David expresses in Psalm 119:45, "And I will walk in liberty; for I seek thy precepts (Torah)." God gives us a freedom that others do not know. As Pastor Matt wrote on June we are "free to serve" and what a blessing that can be !
ReplyDelete"I will walk about in freedom,
Deletefor I have sought out your precepts.
I will speak of your statutes before kings
and will not be put to shame,
for I delight in your commands
because I love them.
I reach out for your commands, which I love,
that I may meditate on your decrees." (Psalm 119:45-48)
Exactly right, Bev. How beautiful this explanation of true freedom is (but what else would you expect from the Holy Spirit?). Most people think freedom is the ability to be unhindered in doing what is right in their own eyes, but we've known that is the path to slavery since at least the time of Joshua, and in reality since the time of Adam. Freely choosing God's way, however, is the only way to actually be free.
"I will walk about in freedom,
ReplyDeletefor I have sought out your precepts." (Psalm 119:45)
How is it, as Bev noted above, that obeying God's precepts make us free? After all, if I am doing what God commands, doesn't that mean that I am no longer doing what I wish to do? I understand that line of reasoning, but it glosses over our freedom to choose. If my wife asks me to do the dishes and I agree to do so in order to show how much I care for her, that choice is freely made. She may ask me to do the dishes because she is busy with something else, is not feeling well, or just needs a break from that particular chore. Agreeing to do them is not a loss of freedom on my part (although there is an opportunity cost) because I am free to not do what she asks as well. In doing them I do not lose my freedom. Instead, I am freely expressing my love and gratitude for my wife. In the same way, when we follow God's precepts (laws or commands) we do not lose our freedom. In fact, doing so prevents us from losing our freedom, which is to say our ability to choose, because to do anything else is sin, and it is sin which truly binds us so that we are no longer free to choose (just ask an addict of any kind). If you would be free, then, walk in obedience and be free indeed as you freely express your love and gratitude for God.