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The Lord of the Free (John 8:21-38)
14 Plays2 days ago
Francis Scott Key wrote those inspiring words of The Star-Spangled Banner after witnessing the amazing survival of Ft. McHenry after an all-night assault by the British troops on September 13-14, 1844.
Key wrote, “Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just; and this be our motto: ‘In God is our trust!’ And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave over the land of the free and the home of the brave.”
The Apostle John also wrote of freedom in the eighth chapter of his Gospel, only the subject of his witness pertained to the LORD of the Free rather than the “land of the free”. He recorded Jesus saying, “truth will set you free” (v. 32) and “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
In celebration of America’s 250-year anniversary, I offer this message to glorify the Lord of the free!
Free from the Presence of Sin, 8:21-22
Free from the Penalty of Sin, 8:23-27
Free through the Provision for Sin, 8:28-30
Free from the Power of Sin, 8:31-38
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Growing in Grace Devotions and Inspirations
Hosted by Pastor Victor Morrison
First Baptist Church
1700 Milam Street
Columbus, TX, USA 78934
http://fbccolumbustx.org/
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction to 'Growing in Grace' Ministry
00:00:08
Speaker
Welcome to Growing in Grace with Pastor Victor Morrison. This is a ministry of First Baptist Church located at 1700 Milam Street, Columbus, Texas. We are praying that God will bless you as you listen to this message.
00:00:22
Speaker
If you would like additional information on worship times and ministries at FBC Columbus, you can find out more at our website, fbccolumbustx.org.
Reflections on Independence Day and Freedom
00:00:32
Speaker
And now, take your copy of God's timeless Word as Pastor Victor gives today's message.
00:00:43
Speaker
Welcome to Growing in Grace. I am so excited. We are nearing Independence Day. By the time you listen to this, perhaps it'll be one day behind us, but we can definitely celebrate through the whole weekend of ah July the fourth So thankful to God for the freedoms that we have as a nation.
00:01:03
Speaker
You know, i remember reading where during the War of 1812, I think it was Francis Scott Key who wrote the inspiring words of the Star-Spangled Banner after witnessing the amazing survival of Fort McHenry.
00:01:18
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It survived after an all-night assault by the British troops on September 13th and 14th 1844.
00:01:27
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And he wrote several things in the song. There are four verses, but I like the verse that says, then conquer we must when our cause it is just, and this be our motto in God is our trust.
00:01:41
Speaker
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave over the land of the free and the home of the brave. Such inspiring words.
00:01:51
Speaker
I love that where he says, the land of the free. That really grabbed my heart as I was preparing this particular message from John chapter eight, verses 21 to 38, because I believe that the apostle John also wrote of freedom in the eighth chapter of his gospel, only the subject of his witness pertained to the Lord of the free, rather than the land of the free.
00:02:21
Speaker
He recorded Jesus saying, truth will set you free. We'll see that in verse 32. And then a little later, we'll see, so if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
00:02:35
Speaker
I want you to enjoy the freedom that we have as a nation, but also want you to enjoy the freedom that we have in Christ.
Spiritual Freedom through Christ
00:02:44
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It's the most important. So in celebration of America's two hundred and fiftieth anniversary, I offer this message to glorify the Lord of the free.
00:02:55
Speaker
Here's what it says in John 8, verses 21, going down through verse 38. So he said to them again, I'm going away and you will seek me and you will die in your sin.
00:03:10
Speaker
Where I'm going, you cannot come. So the Jews said, will he kill himself since he says where I'm going, you cannot come? He said to them, you are from below, I am from above.
00:03:25
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You are of this world, I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins for unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.
00:03:41
Speaker
So they said to him, who are you? Jesus said to them, just what I have been telling you from the beginning. I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true.
00:03:56
Speaker
And I declare to the world what I have heard from him. They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the father. So Jesus said to them, when you have lifted up the son of man, then you will know that I am himself.
00:04:15
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And that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.
00:04:31
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As he was saying these things, many believed in him. So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, if you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.
00:04:51
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They answered him, we are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say you will become free?
00:05:03
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Jesus answered them, truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever.
00:05:16
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The son remains forever. So if the son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you're offspring of Abraham,
00:05:29
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Yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. I speak of what I have seen with my father and you do what you have heard from your father.
00:05:44
Speaker
Let's look at this passage together. And I like to kind of arrange our thoughts around four different aspects of the freedom that Christ offers to people, not just in America, people anywhere, any race, any person, it doesn't matter their age, doesn't matter their income, doesn't matter any anything, any of those kinds of things.
00:06:06
Speaker
All that matters is, are they going to put their faith and their trust in his finished work for them?
Heaven's Purity and Faith
00:06:13
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So let's look at the freedoms that we have in Christ. The first one would be free from the presence of sin.
00:06:20
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Free from the presence of sin. Can you imagine what it would be like to live in a place where no one is selfish? where no one is prideful, where no one tells lies, where no one steals. i mean, wouldn't that be great?
00:06:37
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Well, you know, it's interesting because I believe here that Jesus is talking about the, we can go to a place in heaven with him where there is no sin.
00:06:49
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You know, he said to them again, referring back, I think, to John chapter seven, verses 33 and 34, but Jesus will be crucified.
00:07:00
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He will be buried, but he will also be raised on the third day and he will ascend to the Father. All of that is just six months down the road from where he is as he's standing here speaking to these Jewish people and he's trying to tell them, you will die in your sins.
00:07:20
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You see, people die in their sin whenever they do not come to Christ for forgiveness of their sins. It's like their sins could be pardoned in Christ,
00:07:32
Speaker
but they remain unpardoned because they rejected Christ. They could be forgiven in Christ, but their sins remain unforgiven because they've turned away from Christ.
00:07:44
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No wonder he says, you will die in your sin. And then he tells them, it's almost like we have to make a choice. He says, where I am going, you cannot come.
00:07:57
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The choice is this, either we can remain in sin, Or we can move to be in the Savior, either in sin or in the Savior.
00:08:08
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But one of those two will determine where we spend eternity. You know, was thinking about the last two chapters of the Bible. Sometimes what a person says last is their most important point, right?
00:08:22
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Well, I was thinking about in the last two chapters of the Bible, we're we're warned that sin will have no place in heaven. For example, in Revelation chapter 21, verse 8, here's what it says. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.
00:08:55
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And then you drop down and read what he says in verse 27. He says, but nothing unclean will ever enter it, referring to heaven, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life.
00:09:16
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That's why it's so important that we turn from sin in repentance and place our faith and our trust in Christ. The moment we do that, our names are recorded in the Lamb's Book of Life.
00:09:30
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But if we don't do that, Then he goes on to warn in Revelation 22, this is the very last chapter, verse 15, outside, he means outside of heaven, are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
00:09:54
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So the Lord is quite clear that heaven is gonna be a place where there's no sin. No wonder he says in Revelation 21 verse four, he will wipe away every tear from their eyes and death shall be no more.
00:10:09
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Neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore for the former things have passed away. What he's trying to say is, I offer you a place where there is freedom from the very presence of sin.
00:10:26
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Sin is what brings death. Sin is often what brings crying, mourning, and pain, and so forth. That's all a part of the fallen world.
00:10:37
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But when we go to Christ for salvation, we are given the opportunity to go with him into heaven. And wow, it's going to be wonderful. And I don't want you to miss it. And so that's why on this Independence Day weekend, I want to remind you that in Christ, there is freedom from the presence of sin.
00:11:02
Speaker
Not now in this broken life, we're going to continue to face and struggle with sin. But we are guaranteed through the finished work of Christ that we will someday in heaven be separated from all of those kinds of things.
Consequences of Sin and Need for a Savior
00:11:18
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But that's not the only thing.
00:11:20
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Also, as we read read verses 23 through 27, we saw a second freedom. There is freedom from the presence of sin, but there's also freedom from the penalty of sin.
00:11:34
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You know, sin brings a penalty. The wages of sin is death. He says ah you know that these people had gone through a lot here listening to all these different things that he said, but he tells them, but you're not listening to what I'm saying. You're not believing. You're not trusting. See, the escape hatch is when he says, unless you believe that I am He And so the sin that they were guilty of with this was the sin of unbelief.
00:12:08
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In verse 21, it's in the singular, sin. But in verse 24, it's in the plural, sins. You see, sin is from our sin nature.
00:12:20
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And it's almost like, ah let's say if you work in your yard, mushrooms or maybe yet dandelions, What does it take for those things? It's like once they get in there, they never end.
00:12:34
Speaker
But you see, whenever we have to place our faith and trust in Christ, it's like there are three elements to saving faith. no Knowledge, an assent, and trust.
00:12:48
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Have we ever said, i agree with you? Have we ever said, I trust you? Have we ever heard the truth of the gospel? and said, I'm going to put my faith and trust, I will attest to the truth of what is being said.
00:13:05
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You see, I wanna talk about the penalty because sometimes people feel like it's not fair. It's not fair. So let me describe the the truth of this penalty.
00:13:16
Speaker
that if There's a penalty in eternity for us because of the truth of our source for life. What is the source for life that Jesus speaks of in John chapter eight?
00:13:30
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Well, I think the source of our life is found in verse 23, where he says, you are from below. I am from above. You are of this world.
00:13:42
Speaker
I am not of this world. That's why, you see, if I were to try to die for the people in my church, for the people in my community, for the people in my family, it wouldn't make any difference because I have that sin nature.
00:13:58
Speaker
I'm from this broken world. I can't die on the cross and and live this perfect life for anyone because the source of my life is down here on this planet where Adam and Eve chose to disobey. And ah ever since that time, you know mankind has been plagued with this sin nature that causes us to sin.
00:14:22
Speaker
And that's why he mentions in verse 24, in verse 26, that word in the plural. that that word sin in the plural He says, I told you that you would die in your sins, plural, for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.
00:14:42
Speaker
And so what he's trying to say is there's sins in your life. I mean, I would never stand in the pulpit and say, okay, I've never sinned because I know and God knows that I have sinned. That's why I needed a savior. And if you've never come to him, I urge you, please go to Christ and be forgiven of your sins because the Lord knows all about them. They're being written in a book, the book of our works.
00:15:10
Speaker
Verse 26 says, I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.
00:15:22
Speaker
And so whenever the Lord says, this is a sin, we should trust him because his judgment is true. He's telling us what the father says about that particular activity or that particular ah way of living.
00:15:36
Speaker
But then there's also the penalty because of the truth of the source for life, because of our sins in life, but also because we stand against the Son in life.
00:15:49
Speaker
I haven't always been a Christian. There came a point in my life where I decided I've had enough of self being in charge. I've had enough of doing what the world wants me to do. I want to turn into and follow Christ. And so we all have to stand there and say, wait a minute, I want to be on Christ's side.
00:16:11
Speaker
You know, just today I was speaking with a young girl who in our vacation Bible school trusted Christ. And so I told her that when you're standing up there to be baptized, i will ask you, have you trusted in Christ? And I said, what will you say?
00:16:26
Speaker
And she will say, yes, I have. And what I will say is, you're a part of Jesus' team now. You're on the Jesus team. And that's why he's saying, I have much to say but and much to judge. So which way will it be?
00:16:40
Speaker
We should say, oh, Jesus, I need you to save me. But also I think the penalty is because of the truth, not only that we have taken a stand against the Son of God in life, but also because of the standards that we've had in life.
00:16:56
Speaker
They've not been God's standards. And so that's why we have to repent of them. To do a repentance means we're going to do a yeah U-turn.
Christ's Sacrifice and Role as Savior
00:17:06
Speaker
It's like we're going in one direction, and now we have to turn and go in the opposite direction. Mankind has always gone our own way.
00:17:15
Speaker
We've rebelled against God. We've resisted God, even from Adam and Eve and from Genesis chapter 3. So we have to turn from that and say, okay, I want to walk with the Lord.
00:17:27
Speaker
And that gives brings me to John chapter 8, verses 28, 29, and 30. This is where I was really excited to get to because I want to talk to you about the freedom that is through the provision for sin.
00:17:44
Speaker
He says, then you will know that I am he. Then you will know that I am he. So we're already under condemnation because of our sin.
00:17:56
Speaker
But the Lord offers us conversion. He offers us a change. You know, whenever he's speaking about being lifted up here, he says, so Jesus said to them, when you have lifted up the son of man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the father taught me.
00:18:19
Speaker
When he says that, he's talking about the crucifixion. That's when he was lifted up. Another possible understanding of that or interpretation of that would be when he's lifted up at his ascension.
00:18:32
Speaker
after he rose from the dead and he spoke to disciples and you know he manifest himself for about 40 day period of time, and then he ascended back into heaven.
00:18:44
Speaker
Well, usually the word we use there is not lifted up, but it's the word exalted. It means the same thing. So either way you go, it's like he is the provision for our sin.
00:18:58
Speaker
He paid the price on that cross when he died for us. And that that cross was the permission that he could be the provision for our sins. And maybe you would say, why?
00:19:10
Speaker
Why could he be the provision for our sins? Listen to what he says in verse 29. It tells us why. And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.
00:19:27
Speaker
See, that's why Christ could die as a sin substitute. He could die in our place because he perfectly obeyed the father. And so his perfection was the provision for sin.
00:19:42
Speaker
And so I'm like, thank you, God, that we have that opportunity you know to trust Christ, to have his blood to cover us so that we're not out there on our own saying, look at me, look at me, look at what I can do because it's not enough.
00:19:59
Speaker
But then there's this profession of faith in the provision. You see, verse 30 this, says this As he was saying these things, many believed in him.
00:20:13
Speaker
Has there ever been a point in your life where you made that profession of faith, where you said, I believe that Jesus died for me. I believe that he died as the sinless son of God.
00:20:27
Speaker
I believe that I needed him to forgive me of my sins. And so I turn in repentance and trust. That's so necessary to do that.
00:20:38
Speaker
Just this morning, like I was saying, when I was speaking with this young girl, I reminded her and her parents that everyone has to confess with their mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in their heart that God has raised him from the dead. These are important things in order for us to experience the freedom that God has.
00:21:00
Speaker
And so just know that there is the provision a freedom that has been guaranteed for us by Jesus. Here he calls himself the son of man.
00:21:11
Speaker
Do you know Jesus called himself the son of man 88 times in the New Testament? You see, what he is referring to with the son of man, he's talking about his humanity, his humility, but also his deity,
00:21:29
Speaker
It's a fulfillment of a prophecy made long ago in the Old Testament in Daniel chapter 7 verses 13 through 14 where there was a prophecy of a Messiah who would come and he was called the Son of Man.
Abiding in Jesus for Liberation
00:21:46
Speaker
So Jesus is saying, i am the one. I am that provision for sin that the Father sent so that you will not no longer be under bondage to sin.
00:21:58
Speaker
You will no longer have to pay that penalty for sin. Well, let's talk about the bondage to sin and the freedom so that we can get out from under the power of sin.
00:22:10
Speaker
Sin can be quite powerful. That's why people get hooked into ah addictions of various kinds. But listen to the great words of freedom that Jesus spoke in verse 31, for example.
00:22:25
Speaker
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, if you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples. Ah, so he addresses the reality of their salvation.
00:22:39
Speaker
Sometimes people will say that they're a Christian, but Jesus says, if you abide in my words, you are truly my disciples. So don't always go by just what someone says, because some people are like a Christian in name only, but their life has not been changed at all.
00:23:01
Speaker
But Jesus is saying, if you really have trusted me, then there is something that's going to characterize your life. It's almost like a requirement that comes along with salvation.
00:23:13
Speaker
You know what it is? To remain, to abide in the word of God. As we are in God's word each day, you see every morning, how do you start your day?
00:23:26
Speaker
When I start my day, I get ready for my day through the shower and shaving and all those kind of things. But immediately after that, I sit down with a cup of coffee and my journal and my Bible, and I spend time in the Word of God every day.
00:23:43
Speaker
And you know what happens? I don't even really consciously realize how it happens, but God's Word is so powerful that it helps me to live in truth and not live in duplicity every single day.
00:23:58
Speaker
If we will just stay in God's word, he will help us to live out the truth that God has for us because Jesus came so that we would be free from that power of sin. It's it's terribly powerful. And so the result is, he says,
00:24:16
Speaker
If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples. No wonder he says a little bit later, so if the son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
00:24:28
Speaker
I love those words. You know, as Americans, we love freedom, but also as Christians, we love freedom. I'm so thankful for what Jesus did for me. And so the root problem is, do we know Christ or not?
00:24:43
Speaker
Because if we know Christ, we're going to be free someday from the presence of sin in heaven. We're already free from the penalty of sin. Since Jesus died in our place, he took our penalty because he was the provision for sin.
00:25:00
Speaker
And as we walk with him, as we daily abide in the word, as we allow Jesus to be Lord of our lives, guess what he does? He backs off the power of sin so that sin is not as powerful as it once was. It may take all of our lives. You know, we'll always have that struggle with sin, but he will help us. I love the way that Paul wrote about this in Romans 6, verses through So I'd like to wrap up our time today with these three verses.
00:25:33
Speaker
Here's what it says in Romans 6, verse 12 through 14. Let not sin, therefore reign in your mortal body to make you obey its passions.
00:25:48
Speaker
Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, But present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.
00:26:07
Speaker
For sin will have no dominion over you since you are not under law, but under grace. Wow, such inspiring words. He keeps going on. If you ever want to read more about it, just read through Romans chapter six.
00:26:25
Speaker
I call it, it's like the declaration of independence spiritually, only instead of independence, independence from sin, yes, but dependence upon Jesus. That's what it's talking about.
00:26:38
Speaker
But I love how he's saying, let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body to make you obey its passions. Listen, Jesus can back the bully of sin off of your life if you'll just abide in him, if you'll just stay in the word and allow the Lord to work the freedom that he went to the cross to give you.
00:27:04
Speaker
He'll work it out in your life.
Conclusion: Gratitude for Christ's Sacrifice
00:27:06
Speaker
So sin, I love this, how it says it, for sin will have no dominion over you since you're not under law, but under grace.
00:27:16
Speaker
Man, I love that. No wonder it came to my mind when I was reading these verses that Jesus, we could call him the Lord of the free, the Lord of the free.
00:27:30
Speaker
Let's talk to the Lord of the free. Lord, we thank you so very much for dying on that cross. Lord, when you died on that cross, you took the penalty for our sins. So now we're free from the penalty of sin.
00:27:47
Speaker
As we walk with you and stay in your word and abide in your word daily, as we surrender and yield our lives to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, we will discover that The sin that used to hold us under bondage no longer can keep us bound because sin will have no dominion over us in Christ. We love that.
00:28:11
Speaker
Thank you so much. We can never do that in the flesh on our own. But then someday out there in the future, there's a place. a place in heaven, place in eternity that you're preparing for those who whom you love and who have loved you and have trusted you. And that place will be free from the very presence of sin.
00:28:32
Speaker
There will be no sin. and because sin won't be there, there will be no death and there'll be no sorrow and there'll be no pain. Thank you so very much for the freedom that you give. You truly are the Lord of the free.
00:28:48
Speaker
It's in Jesus' powerful name that we pray. Amen. Hey, listen, you and your family have a happy Independence Day. And don't forget to thank God for the freedoms that he has given to us in our nation.
00:29:04
Speaker
You have a great day.
00:29:19
Speaker
This is a ministry of First Baptist Church located at 1700 Milam Street, Columbus, Texas.