How many of you have done something that has to do with
-celebrating the 4th of July these past few days?
-gone to a parade or fireworks
-maybe shot off some fireworks - or sparklers
-I use to like these things when I was a little boys called “snakes”
-you light the small cap - & as it burned it would create a snake like foam
-maybe you had a cookout or gone to the lake
-or, you watched something on TV about the celebration
-probably everyone has done something to celebrate the 4th of July
What’s it about? Why do we celebrate?
What is the 4th of July - other than a date on the calendar?
It’s Independence Day!
On July 4th, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was adopted by congress
-it had to do with the American colonies become independent
-from Great Britain
-on July 3, 1776, John Adams wrote to his wife
-thinking July 2 should be the holiday congress voted
-to formally approve our independence
The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.
His suggestion became true for these centuries since - other than July 4th
-became the national holiday
-it’s about becoming independent as a nation - it’s about freedom
-we’ve wonderfully enjoyed our freedom
-& we’ve fought for it
-freedom doesn’t come easy
-as it’s been said especially in times of war - “Freedom doesn’t come free”
So, we have freedom & independence as a nation
How do you feel however, as an individual?
Are you free?
Are you independent from enslavement?
We’re all probably real quick to think - “Well, yeah, I’m no slave!”
-however, I suppose if you were in jail or prison, you might not feel free
-the rest of us, we don’t think of ourselves as slaves
-for the most part, we’re free individuals
-however, we need to be careful here about being misled about our souls
-in reality - there are a lot of people who are slaves
-not their bodies - but their souls
-in fact, I’d suggest, all of us are slaves
-put it this way:
If you have freedom to do whatever you want - then you’re a slave to sin
But if you are a slave to Jesus Christ - you have freedom of your soul
Most people don’t realize they are slaves
You probably didn’t come to church this morning,
-thinking of yourself as a slave
-but you are either a slave to Jesus Christ or a slave to sin
-& being a slave to Jesus Christ results in freedom of your soul
John 8:30-31
Even as he spoke, many put their faith in him.
31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
Now, if you are to be set free - that implies that you are a slave to begin with
Is it possible, that people don’t realize they are enslaved?
-the people that day didn’t want to think of themselves as slaves to anyone
“What! Me? What do I have to be set free from? I’m not a slave!
“I’m already free!”
v.33
They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?"
There was strong national pride here
People don’t like to think of themselves as being slaves
-but when you think of it - we are slaves to different masters in life
-how about computers?
-we’re really enslaved to computers
-though people might not think so
-it’s not that computers lock us up at night
-but we’re really dependent on them
-what would it be like if suddenly all computers just stopped
-& couldn’t be turned on?
-we couldn’t do much
-for example, my calendar is all on my computer
-if I lost my computer - I wouldn’t have any idea of what’s coming
-important details are on that computer & so on
-a lot of things would just shut down
-but, in a more profound way - we are slaves to sin
People really don’t like to think about the fact that they are slaves to sin
-when Jesus explained that the truth would set them free
-they were quick to respond:
“Why, what do you mean, ‘set free’ - we don’t need that
-we’re not slaves to anyone!
“We’re independently in charge ourselves!”
v.34 Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin
Are we slaves to sin? Is Jesus right?
-first, we all die - everyone has died so far - & everyone will die - that’s proof
-sin wins - it takes our lives - sin is ultimately in control
-second, try to totally stop sinning
-read the 10 Commandments - the more you know
-the more you’ll find out that you’re a sinner
And, when you look at the intent of the commandments
-even more, you’ll know you’re a sinner & sin has control
-if being angry with your brother is like murder - you’ve murdered
-if thinking lustfully, is like adultery - you’re a sinner
-if any little bit of dishonesty is lying - you’re a liar
-if being devoted to something more than to God is idolatry
-you’re an idolater
-& how many of us have been disobedient & disrespectful of our parents?
-let’s face it - we’re sinners!
-you just try to live your life without sinning - you can’t do it
-you’re a slave to sin!
The only thing that will set you free is Jesus Christ
vv.34-36
Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
Freedom is wonderful!
It’s worth celebrating as a nation
It’s worth celebrating as individuals
-your coming to Jesus Christ as our Savior puts you in the privileged position
-of being a child of God
-you are taken from being a slave & made to be a child - even a son of God
Now realize this about this freedom:
If you insist on being free to do whatever you want - you’ll be a slave to sin
But if you sacrifice your life to be a servant of Jesus - you will be free
This is where people really get it wrong
-first, they don’t know that they are slaves to sin
-second, people are afraid to give their lives to God
-because they think they’ll loose their freedom,
-to do the things they want to do
“Ah, being a Christian, means, I can’t do this & do that!
“There are so many ‘Thou shalt nots!’”
But, doing the things you want is not freedom
-if you do the things you want - you’ll be doing what your sin nature wants
-& there you go - you’ll be a slave to sin
-but, coming to Jesus - becoming a slave or servant of Jesus
-is where real freedom is found
-frequently, Paul referred to himself as a servant - literally, a slave of Jesus
Romans 1:1
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God
Some translations have it - “Bond-servant”
-literally, it was the word for “Slave”
-& all the readers from Paul’s day would distinctly understand
-what it meant to be a true slave
-not like we loosely use the term, “Ah, I was slaving away at work today!”
-in the Roman Empire, slave meant, you were owned by someone
-& from the O.T. there was the concept of the “Bond-slave”
-when able to be set free,
-a slave could volunteer to remain a slave to that master
Deuteronomy 15:12-17
If a fellow Hebrew, a man or a woman, sells himself to you and serves you six years, in the seventh year you must let him go free. 13 And when you release him, do not send him away empty-handed. 14 Supply him liberally from your flock, your threshing floor and your winepress. Give to him as the Lord your God has blessed you. 15 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you. That is why I give you this command today.
16 But if your servant says to you, "I do not want to leave you," because he loves you and your family and is well off with you, 17 then take an awl and push it through his ear lobe into the door, and he will become your servant for life. Do the same for your maidservant.
This is the idea with Jesus our Lord
-it’s up to us to volunteer to be a Bond-Slave
-& that’s exactly, what sets you free!
Are you set free? Yeah!
But, are you going to live that way?
Are you going to live as if you are free - or in bondage to sin?
-what will make all the difference, is whether or not you’re willing to be
-a slave to Jesus Christ
-slavery to Jesus Christ means freedom from sin
-but it’s your choice - even after you’ve believed in Jesus
Romans 6:8-14
Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. 14 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.
Jesus has accomplished victory & freedom for us who believe in Him
-for those of us who trust in Him to be our Savior
-who look to Him to have died on the cross for our sin
-for us who understand that He is God & He is the only way to God
-but, it’s up to us to live in freedom - rather than enslavement to sin
-we’ve been freed from being enslaved to sin
-however, now, we need to choose to follow & serve Jesus Christ
-otherwise, we’ll be right back following that disgusting sin nature of ours
-you see, you can’t just be in the middle serving nothing
-you serve one thing or another - & the options are sin or Savior
-so you trust in Jesus - you’re sins are forgiven
-& God’s law has been fulfilled by Christ for us
-now that we’re liberated from the law & sin
-does that mean you can just do your own thing?
-no - then you’d be following your sin nature once again
-but, realize, just doing your own thing - is the same thing as being a slave
-to your sin nature
vv.14-18
For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.
15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16 Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey — whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. 18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
You are either a slave to sin - which leads to death
Or, you are slave to Jesus & are obedient to Him - leading to being God’s child
-there are very different outcomes
-& it’s a choice that’s constantly before us
-to be a slave to sin or a slave to God
vv.19-23
I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness. 20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. 21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
And if you keep reading, in chapter 7 - we can all relate to what Paul wrote
-even after a time of growing & being close to the Lord
-we want to do what’s right
-but we still end up doing what we don’t want to do
-its like we loose the battle against sin & sin wins out
What’s the solution?
-let’s keep it simple - you are a slave either to sin, or a slave to Jesus
And who do you think makes the best master?
-very simple - you want to be a slave to Jesus Christ
So, if you simply do nothing - you’re a slave to Sin
But, if you voluntarily - willingly, sacrifice your life to Jesus
-you can become a slave to Him & no longer have to serve sin
How do you become a slave to Jesus?
What does it take to serve Him?
-that’s the subject of much of the Bible
-that’s a journey for life to follow
-Jesus said, “Deny yourself, take up your cross, & follow Me!”
-let’s keep reading His Word
-let’s stay in fellowship with His people
-& let’s get to work for Him
-& wonderfully, we’re no longer slaves to that miserable
-of all the most miserable masters - sin
Happy Independence Day - may that be true of our souls with Jesus! |