Well, good morning. It's good to see everyone. I'm gonna share today with you the fundamental truth of freedom in Jesus Christ. I just love that song that we just sang.
My chains fell off. My heart was free. I rose, went forth and followed thee. So it's a privilege today to be here, to be able to open the Word of God and to share with you what the scripture says about freedom.
The last time that I spoke, I spoke on grace. And I said, this is a part two message. So grace is unmerited favor, kindness, that God has given to each and every one of us that believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. And freedom is that amazing emancipation that God has freed us from the dead of our sin and He has given us liberty and He has brought us into this awesome, unique relationship with God through the Lord Jesus Christ.
So I'm gonna share with you today the fundamental truth of freedom in Jesus Christ. I said before and I'm gonna say it again, because I think it's worth repeating. Every human heart longs to be free. And yet it's true that we all feel a sense of bondage that comes because of sin.
But God wants us to be free. You know, the law condemns. In 2 Corinthians chapter three and verse six, it says that the letter kills. The written Word of God, the scripture, it condemns us all because we're all sinners.
But the grace of God sets us free and brings us into liberty in the Lord Jesus Christ. And so that's what I wanna share with you today. Freedom in Jesus Christ. There are three aspects of freedom in the Word of God that every single believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is able to enjoy.
And I don't know where you are today. You might be struggling with some of these things. I think if we're all open and honest, we all struggle with things in our life. And we all need to be reminded today of what the Word of God says about our freedom, our liberty that we have in Christ.
Every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Word of God says is free from condemnation, is free from bondage and is free from legalism. And those three things we're gonna look at. In John chapter eight, we're gonna read this passage in a minute. In John chapter eight and verse 11, Jesus said these awesome words to this woman taken in adultery.
He said, neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more. And in Romans eight and one, Paul says, there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. And in John five and 24, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you here that here's my word and believes on him that sent me, has everlasting life and will not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life. You know, freedom from condemnation is really freedom from the penalty of sin.
Because sin brings a penalty and we're all sinners. But those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ have been set free from that penalty of our sin. And I have called that today, the sentence. We're gonna look at that.
But secondly, the bondage of sin is not necessarily just the penalty of sin, but the power of sin, this slavery, this bondage that seems to plague every single one of us. Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are free from the power of sin in their life. And I'm gonna show you that from the Word of God. I've called that the struggle.
Cause I think if we're all honest, we all struggle from time to time with sin. We're gonna look at Romans chapter six and see what God says about this. And then thirdly, freedom from legalism. You know, this is something that I didn't really pay a whole lot of attention to in the earlier part of my life.
But as my circumstances began to change, I understood this amazing grace that God has brought me into. And that is freedom from legalism. In Galatians five and one, it says stand firm in the liberty with which God has made you free and be not entangled with the yoke of bondage. So not only are all believers free from the penalty of sin and the power of sin, but all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are free from the accusation and judgment of men.
And I've called that the snaer. So we're gonna look at the sentence, the struggle and the snaer. Let's start by reading in John chapter eight. If you have your Bible with me, just turn with me to John chapter eight and we're gonna read verse 36.
I love this verse. John chapter eight and verse 36. These are the words of eternal life. If the son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.
And the ES version, ESB version of that says, if the son will set you free, you will be free indeed. If the son sets you free, you will be free indeed. So without his head, let's go back to the beginning of chapter eight, we're gonna read it verse one. Jesus went unto the Mount of Olives and early in the morning, he came again onto the temple.
And all the people came onto him and he sat down and taught them. And the scribes and the Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they say unto him, master or teacher, this woman was taken in adultery in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned, but what sayest thou?
This they said testing him, that they might have to accuse him, but Jesus stooped down and with his finger wrote upon the ground as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted himself up and said unto them, he that is without sin among you, led him cast the first stone at her. And again, he stooped down and wrote upon the ground. And when they heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, they went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last.
And Jesus was left alone and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted himself up and saw none, but the woman, he said unto her, woman, where are those thine accusers? Have no one condemned you? She said, no man, Lord.
And Jesus said unto her, neither do I condemn thee, go and sin no more. Now if you drop down to verse 30, as he spoke these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those Jews who believed on him, if you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth.
And the truth shall set you free. They answered him, we are Abraham's seat. We were never in bondage to any man. How say a style, you shall be made free?
Jesus answered them, very, fairly I say unto you, whosoever commit a sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house forever, but the son abideth forever. If the son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed. Now turn over with me, please, to Romans and chapter six.
Romans chapter six, and we're gonna read verse one to seven, and then 14 to 18. This is really the truth, the doctrine of freedom in Christ. What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?
God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer in it? Know ye not that as many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death.
That as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so, we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall also be in the likeness of his resurrection. Knowing that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Now if you drop down to verse 14, for sin shall not have dominion over you. For you not under the law, but you are under grace. What then? Shall we sin?
Because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not that to whom you yield yourself servants to obey his servants you are, whom you obey, whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness. But God be thanked that whereas you were the servants of sin, you have obeyed from the heart, that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
Being then made free from sin, you became the servants of righteousness. Now our last reading is gonna be in Galatians chapter five. Galatians chapter five and verse one. Paul says to these saints in Galatia, who were influenced by Judaizing teachers that were adding to the gospel and saying you need to be circumcised, you need to follow the law, and also you have grace.
Paul writes this, he says, stand fast therefore in the liberty with which Christ has made us free and be not entangled with the yoke of bondage. Behold I, Paul, say unto you, that if you be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to the whole law. Christ has become of no effect unto you, whosoever you are that are justified by the law, you are fallen from grace.
For we through the spirit, wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ, neither circumcision available to anything nor on circumcision, but faith which worketh by love. Freedom in Jesus Christ. I love this story in John chapter eight, and I know that most of you are probably very familiar with it, but there's three things that caught my attention that I wanna share with you about this story in John chapter eight.
First of all, this woman, it says that she was caught in the act of sin. And then it says that really she is condemned by the law. In verse five, they said, the law commands us to stone her. But you know what's so awesome?
At the end of that little passage, Jesus canceled the debt of her sin, and he gave her freedom. And really, this story depicts for each and every one of us just exactly what the Lord Jesus Christ has done for us. And so this is why I wanna share this with you. Caught in the act.
Here are these Pharisees, and they are full of spiritual religious pride. And they want to test the Lord Jesus. They look for some way to accuse him because Jesus said, I came not to judge, but I came to save. And so they wanted to catch him in a judgment.
So they bring this woman caught in the very act of adultery. And they said, okay, we got him now. So here comes these religious men full of pride and condescending, and they dragged this woman in. And Jesus is in the courtyard of the temple.
And it's a very public place. And Jesus is their teaching. They bring this woman in, and they say, master, teacher, what do you say about this? This woman caught in the very act of sin.
Here's what's amazing, the Lord Jesus doesn't immediately say anything. He's standing and he is silent. And they're waiting for an answer. And Jesus stoops down and starts to write upon the ground.
And I'm sure that these men are becoming impatient and frustrated. And Jesus looks at every single one of them. I wanna remind you today about the omniscience of God. God knows all of our sin.
He looks right into our heart. He knows our thoughts. He knows our past. He knows our present.
He knows everything that we've done, where we've been, everything about every one of us. Remember that Jesus Christ is God. And this woman is caught in the act of sin. And these men think, okay, we're gonna stone this woman.
And they pick up stones. Can I remind you what it says in Hebrews chapter four? It says that no creature is hidden from his sight. But all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him, to whom we all have to give an account.
And what these men were forgetting was that they too were guilty of sin. And they too have been caught in the very act, even though that their sin is covered and it's hidden. And outwardly, they look like these religious people. You know, there's an application for every one of us here.
Every single one of us have been caught in the act of sin. Do you know how I know that? James chapter one says, every man, every person is tempted and drawn away of their own lust. And lust when it has conceived brings forth sin and sin when it is finished brings death.
And these men are ready to hurl stones at this woman and kill her. And Jesus who is God Almighty in his full omniscience rises up and he looks at them and they say, master the law, condemn her. The law says Moses says she's gotta be stoned. Do you remember what I said last time about grace?
The law came by Moses. But grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. And the Lord Jesus looks at these men. He still hasn't said anything.
And he never laid aside the law, but he manifested his full grace and mercy to this woman. Do you know what's so amazing? He's done the same for you and he's done the same for me. Every single one of us have been caught in the act of sin in some time, shape or form in our life.
And before the Almighty eye of God, he knows it. And he could righteously destroy us, just like this woman. She's caught in the act of sin and the law condemns. But what is so amazing is that the Lord Jesus shows her mercy.
He shows her grace. He sets her free. You know that in Romans chapter five and verse 20, it says that the law entered so that the offense might abound. So what the law does is it magnifies our sin.
That'll shall not lie. That'll shall have no other gods before me. Don't make unto you any graven image or likeness of God. Don't lie, don't steal, don't covet, don't commit sexual immorality.
These are the laws of God. And what that does is it magnifies our sin. You know what's so amazing? Is he shows marvel is grace.
Grace that is greater than all our sin. And mercy to this woman, he sets her free. They say the law commands that she should be sowned. Jesus stoops down and he writes on the ground.
Do you ever wonder what he wrote? I wonder what he wrote. We're not told what he wrote. There's lots of speculation.
Maybe he started to write these men's sins. And you know what happened? He rises up and he looks, every one of them in the eye. He looks into their soul.
He's God. He looks into their past. He looks into their thinking. And these men start to realize, oh my goodness, he's looking at me.
And Jesus says, he that is without sin among you. You cast the first stone in her. Every single one of the stones drop. Because every single one of those men in their past have been caught in the act of sin.
And you know what they realize? Just like we heard this morning. We're all the same. I'm no different.
I'm the ungodly ones. And these men who were ready to destroy her realized, I'm the sinner. They dropped the stones and it says from the oldest to the youngest, they were convicted in their own conscience. And they walked out until every single one of them were gone.
And Jesus looks at this woman and he says, where's all your accusers? Do you know what's so amazing about this? This is where the freedom of Christ comes in for every one of us. Can I say this?
Every person in this little church today that has put their faith and trust in the Lord Jesus and has believed on him as their personal savior. I say to you, where are all your accusers? They're gone. You know why?
Because Jesus bore our condemnation. He took my sin upon himself. Every wrong that I have ever done. All my transgressions, all my iniquities, he took it upon himself just like he did for this woman.
And he says to me and he says to you, where are all your accusers? Has no one condemned you? You know the only person that can righteously condemn you is God. No other sinner can condemn you.
Because they're just the same. We could turn to Romans chapter eight and we could read these words. Who shall condemn you? Shall God, that justifies?
He that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all. How shall he not also with him freely give us all things? Love it. If you have put your faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, you are free.
Free from the condemnation of sin, both now and forever. The cancellation of debt. You know the Pharisees and the scribes accused Jesus of something pretty amazing in Mark chapter two and verse seven. He said to this guy who was on a bed and they uncovered the tiles and they brought him down with a really feeling.
He says to them, he says to this guy, son, your sins are forgiven. Get up and walk. And these scribes and Pharisees, he said, who can forgive sins but God alone? And I almost think when I read that passage, the Lord Jesus could have said exactly.
Who can forgive sins but God alone? Folks, Jesus Christ is God. The I am, the Jehovah. He says it right in this chapter before Abraham was, I am and he says to this woman, where are all your accusers?
You know, this speaks great truth to my soul today. I have no accusers. The only person that can righteously accuse me is God. And you know what?
He died for my sin. He's justified me. He has brought me into freedom. You know what Satan is?
He's the accuser of the brethren. Scripture says that. Night and day, he goes back and forth across the whole earth looking to accuse people. Goes about as a roaring lion for speeder chapter five, seeking who he may devour.
He accuses us. If you have put your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, no one can accuse you. God himself has settled your debt. Let me give you scripture for that.
Colossians chapter two and verse 14. He says, having forgiven us, all our trespasses by canceling the record of debt that stood against us, he took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross. You know what that tells me? All the record of debt that I have sinned against God for my entire life and all the sin that I have yet to commit has already been taken out of the way.
That is a record that God has placed on his son, Jesus Christ, and he's canceled the debt. He nailed it to his cross and I am free. My chains fell off. My heart was free.
I rose, went forth and followed the cancellation of debt. This woman is set free from her sin. What an amazing story. Beloved, you are free from condemnation.
The sentence of death has fallen upon the Lord Jesus Christ and he bore our death so that we could be free. I want to talk to you a little bit about the struggle because I think this is realistically where most of us are in our Christian life. And you know, if we could just peel back all the layers and be totally honest, every one of us struggle with sin in our life. And overcoming the power of sin is a struggle.
And the reason it's a struggle is because we allow things and our flesh to get us down. I want to encourage you today from Romans chapter six. Jesus said, this is how you're going to be free. You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.
Who is the truth? Jesus, John 14 and six, I am the way. I am the truth. I am the life.
No one comes to the Father but by me. Could I ask all of you today? Do you know the truth? Do you know him?
Beautiful little card that we give out on the streets. Do you know him? If you know him, you know truth. And the truth will set you free.
But how do I really make this happen in my life? What does this look like? I've tried to condense it down by saying this. Freedom from bondage of sin comes by apprehending truth, by accepting it by faith and by applying it to your life.
Freedom comes by apprehending truth. You did that the moment that you trusted Christ when you got saved. You believed truth for yourself. Freedom from the bondage of sin is exactly the same.
By apprehending truth what God says. You take it for yourself, by faith you believe it, and you act on it. Let me give you an amazing illustration. I don't know much about history, but I read this story in it.
It's just such a perfect illustration of what I'm trying to say. On January 1, 1865, the Civil War was over. And slavery in the United States was abolished. It was called the Emancipation of Slavery.
Legally, there was a bill that was passed, and slavery was abolished. And this announcement went out to all the newspapers all over the United States. Slavery is abolished. That's what the headline said.
1865, January 1, slavery is abolished. Yet something completely unexpected happened. Although the slaves were legally freed, many of them kept right on living as if they were slaves. And a reporter interviewed this one slave in Alabama.
In 1865, at 66, an entire year had passed since slavery was abolished. And he said to him, hey, why are you keep on living like a slave? And he said, I don't know nothing about Abraham Lincoln. They said that he said us all free.
I don't know nothing about that either. I just keep on living the way I always did. How tragic. There was a war that was fought.
620,000 soldiers were killed in that war. There was a president that was assassinated. The very Constitution was changed. Slaves were free.
But many of them just kept right on living as slaves. OK, do you guys get the picture? How tragic this is that so many Christians are like this. Slavery has been abolished.
Sin has been put away. We are free. But you don't have as many Christians. We live like we're still slaves.
My chains fell off. My heart was free. I rose, went forth, and followed thee. Are you enjoying the freedom that Christ is giving you today?
I hope that every single one of us, when we leave this place today, we walk out of here, encouraged, knowing the freedom of God that we've been set free from our sins. The Bible actually says that Jesus came to abolish sin, death, and slavery. First John chapter 3 and verse 8, the Son of God was manifested. He was unveiled.
He came to destroy the works of the devil, to abolish the works of the devil. Hebrews 9 and 26, once for all time, he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. Second Timothy 1 and verse 10, the appearing of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life. Probably the best one is Hebrews chapter 2, verse 14 and 15.
Jesus Christ came that through his death, he might destroy him that has the power of death, Satan, and deliver us who were all our lifetime subject to bondage. Folks, we've been set free from bondage, and we don't need to go back into it. There are two questions that are asked in Romans chapter 6. Question number one, shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?
Should you live without reckoning yourself dead to sin? No, you shouldn't. Do not choose sin as your dominating master. You've been set free.
Live in this freedom that Christ has given you. You have died, and you've been raised to a new life. How shall you live anymore in sin? You've been set free.
That's what the Bible says. So largely how you live is who you see your master to be. Is your master Jesus Christ? Then live for him.
Your master is not sin. You don't need to serve sin. You see, those of us who are saved, we now have power to choose. Before we were saved, we were slaves.
We had no power to choose. We were just slaves to sin. He that committed sin is the servant of sin. Romans chapter 8, verse 36.
But now that we're saved, we don't have to choose sin. We've been set free. We don't need to go back or continue like those slaves did when slavery has been abolished. He set us free.
So it's how we think. It is the apprehension of truth, and is accepting it by faith, and living it out by applying it to our life. Here is a fundamental principle in Christianity. Through death comes life.
Jesus Christ died for our sins. He was buried, and he rose again. And every person who believes on him has died with Christ and has been raised again in a new life. This is new birth.
This is regeneration. This is what it means to be born again. You're alive. You're dead to sin, but you're alive to God.
And I'm not a farmer. But every farmer knows that if he's got a whole bunch of seed and it's stored in a dry barn, it can sit there for years. It will never bring forth fruit. It'll sit there.
But once that seed is taken out of that dry barn and pressed into the soil, that kernel dies. And when that kernel dies, new life is formed. That is the principle of regeneration. New birth in Christ.
Those that have trusted in Jesus Christ as their Savior have died to sin and have been come alive unto God. And so we should reckon ourselves as alive unto God. Shall we sin because we're not under the law? Bible says, God forbid.
You've been set free from sin. So serve righteousness. You're justified. You've been risen with Christ into new life.
You're not bound by the law. You're under grace. You've entered into a whole new world. Somebody described it like this.
It's like you're in this room of complete darkness. That's where you are before you're saved in your sin. And you open a door and you step into a new room. Wow, it's light.
This is what happens when in Colossians 1, He's translated us out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of the Son of His love. And we are no longer under this bondage of sin. We are children of light. Walk in the light as He is in the light.
You have fellowship one with another. And the blood of Jesus Christ, God, Son cleanses us from all sin. You know what I just gotta say this. I love that song and we're singing that today.
We're clapping. I was saying to myself, I wish all these guys were down with us on the streets, singing this song. Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb? Folks, this is what gives you new life.
All the past is gone. There's no stain of sin. You're a new creation in Christ Jesus. Old things are passed away.
You are free, free from bondage, free from condemnation. And my last point is you are free from the snare of legalism. Galatians chapter five and verse one says, stand fast. Remember what I said about apprehension?
God has given this to you. Take it, stand fast in it. Apply it to your life. You cannot add to grace or you'll become a debtor to keep the whole law.
And everyone knows you can't keep the law. No religion, okay? Not adding to the sacrifice of Christ. That's what these people did in Galatia.
They were actually told, well, okay, that's good. Yeah, you believe in Jesus, but you need to be circumcised. You need to do all this stuff. You need to follow these festivals.
You need to follow the Sabbath. You got to do with all this stuff. And they're all confused. And Paul said, who's given you this wrong gospel?
Stand fast in the liberty with Christ has made you free. No imposing of man's religion or opinions upon you. Colossians chapter two says that. Don't let any man judge you in relation to festivals, new moons, eating, drinking, all these man's regulations.
You're free from that. You don't have to come under this legalism of men's opinions, accusations or judgments. You are set free from all of that. Stand firm in that liberty where with Christ has made you free.
In Matthew chapter 15, it's a perfect example of this. The scribes and the Pharisees, they come to Jesus and they say, hey, your disciples don't follow the tradition of the elders. And Jesus looks at them and says, you hypocrites, you hypocrites, you have taken the doctrines of God and you have made commandments of men. These are not of God.
We have been set free from legalism. And we need to stand fast in that liberty where with God has made us free. So here's what's awesome. Every single one of us that have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, we walk out of here today free.
Absolutely free. Free from the condemnation of any sin, free. Free from bondage. We're not slaves to sin.
We don't need to go back into sin. We've been set free. We're not under these religious obligations or judgments or opinions of people that are outside of scripture. We are following Christ and He is our Lord and Christ alone is the one that we serve.
And so what's so awesome about this is Jesus said, if the Son will make you free, you shall be free indeed. And if you believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, then you are free. That is just so awesome. I'm so grateful today to be able to share the scriptures with you and this has really thrilled my heart and I hope it's been a blessing to you.
Let's pray. Father, we bow with thanksgiving again for the Lord Jesus Christ. We thank you Lord that you sent Him down into this world to free us from the curse of sin, to take our condemnation upon Himself when He died upon the cross and to ultimately rise again so that we can know that we've been justified. We thank you Lord for that empty tomb.
He was delivered for our offenses and He was raised again for our justification. And through faith in Him, we've been set free. We thank you Lord for all these blessings and we just commit us to you and pray that you would bless each one of us as we leave this place today, that we would be rejoicing in our hearts in the freedom, the liberty with which Christ has made us free. And so we bow and give you our thanks and ask all these things in His worthy and precious name, Amen.