Sermon Tone Analysis

Freedom

 

November 2, 2008

John 8:31 – 36

*On July 21, Henry Blackaby, in Experiencing God Day-by-Day wrote about being “Born Again”.

Here is what he said:*

/Jesus replied, “I assure you: Unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”—/John 3:3

Entering a saving relationship with Christ is a life-changing experience!

All things become new!

Not /some /things, but /all /things (2 Cor.

5:17).

For the first time in your life, Christ is Lord; God is Master.

When you become a Christian, Christ's presence will affect every part of you.

You will have new thoughts, new attitudes, new values, and new sensitivities.

New priorities will dramatically affect your relationships.

You will view everything in your life from a Christlike perspective.

Christianity is not something you add to your life; it is life!

Nicodemus thought that salvation meant performing certain religious exercises and holding to particular religious teachings.

He had no idea of the all-encompassing nature of salvation!

When you become a Christian, God gives you a new heart so that /everything /becomes new!

God gives you a new mind, like that of Christ, so you think differently.

He gives you new emotions, so you feel deeply about completely different matters.

You become sensitive to sin, so you are no longer comfortable with it.

Your recreation will be affected as you are made aware of what is honoring to God and what is not.

Your relationships will now be guided by the Holy Spirit.

Destructive habits and attitudes, previously immune to change, will be transformed.

Have you noticed the changes God has brought to your life since you entered a vital relationship with Jesus Christ?

These changes should be very noticeable as a testimony of the new life you received when you trusted Jesus as your Savior and Lord.

/To be saved by Jesus Christ is to be set free from sin, guilt, and self-centeredness./

Today’s message is all about this freedom Christ promises.

Let’s read today’s key Scripture passage.

Please turn your Bible to John, chapter 8, and we’ll read verses 31 through 36: /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.

/Free!

There it is, mentioned 4 times in this passage.

There are two reasons why I have chosen the topic of freedom.

The first is that everybody is thinking and talking about freedom today, and many people are spending their lives in pursuit of freedom.

For some countries it is national freedom: emancipation from the colonial yoke.

For others it is civil freedom: civil rights and civil liberties, freedom from an oppressive regime.

For others it’s economic freedom: freedom from hunger, poverty, and unemployment.

For all of us, it is personal freedom.

Even those who are campaigning most vigorously for other freedoms I’ve mentioned, often know that they are not free themselves.

They cannot identify what the oppressions or tyrannies are in their lives, but they feel frustrated, unfulfilled, and unfree.

So freedom is a common topic of conversation and thought today.

Our ladies are currently studying “Breaking Free” by Beth Moore.

In her introduction she states that many Christians deny they are in bondage.

They just don’t see it.

So she lists many “yokes” people carry from their childhood – al of which can keep us in captivity, keep us from Freedom in Christ.

Listen to what she says.

When I realized God was calling me to write this study,- I asked the group of women I teach to broaden my horizon in terms of areas of captivity believers can face.

I asked any of them who had been set free from an area of bondage to consider sharing with me two pieces of information through a letter:

·  the specific area of captivity they faced

·  the specific ways and lengths of time God  

          employed to set them free

I'm not sure anything could have prepared me for their responses.

I have permission from some of them to use excerpts from their letters at appropriate times in this study.

Although they will remain unnamed, you know women just like them.

These respon­dents are bright, educated Christian, women.

They serve faithfully in their churches.

Many sing in the choir.

They come from all economic backgrounds.

For fear of judg­ment many of them have never told anyone but a godly counselor what they battled.

I heard painful testimonies of bondage to lust and a pattern of falling into sexual sin.

'I tearfully read about struggles with homosexuality and a fear of men because of child-hood abuse.

Some spoke about a previous inability to love people fully, including their own husbands and children, One wrote me about the victory God had given her over a compulsion to steal.

Another had been freed from habitual dishonesty.

A friend I never would have suspected wrote me about her freedom from the bitterness flowing from physical abuse she endured as a child.

My heart broke for one woman who described how deep insecurity had stolen friendships, church work, and a contented marriage from her.

I've heard from many who were held captive by a critical and judgmental heart toward people.

Others had wrestled terribly with anger toward God.

Doubt.

Discouragement.

Loneliness.

A chronic lack of satisfaction.

Please keep in mind that these letters were only from those who had found freedom in Christ.

Imagine how many  are still struggling!

She goes on to remind us that Christ came to “proclaim freedom for the captives and release from the darkness for the prisoners (Isa 61:1).

As followers of Christ, we have this freedom.

It’s one of the :spiritual blessings” given to us at salvation (Eph 1:3). 2 Peter 1:3 says “we have been granted everything pertaining to life and godliness …” Everything includes freedom.

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature, the old things have passed away; new things have come.”

(2 Cor 5:17) Two weeks ago, at our District Conference in Regina, our key speaker, Bruce Redmond, challenged us to get back to basics – the Great Commandment and the Great Commission.

The great Commandment is found in Mark 12:30-31: /And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.'//

This is the first commandment.

\\ And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'

There is no other commandment greater than these."/

And the Great Commission is found in Matthew 28:19-20: /Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Amen.

/Freedom is for Christ’s disciples, thru Christ’s power.

If we love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength we will want everyone to enjoy this free gift, the relationship we have with our Lord and Savior.

We are commended to make disciples.

Why?

How will the truth (that is Jesus) set anyone free until they are disciples, followers of Christ?

Discipleship results in freedom.

"The truth will make you free."

"In his service is perfect freedom."

Discipleship brings us four freedoms.

(a) It brings us freedom from fear.