“Set Me Free!”

7/5/09

by

Jeff Chacon

1. Introduction
1. “Independence Day” is all about celebrating our political freedom.
1. (And praise God for our political freedom.)
2. But this morning, I want to talk about a more personal freedom – our “spiritual freedom”.
3. Title of the lesson this morning: “Set Me Free!”
2. John 8:31-35 = “To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. ³²Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

³³They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?"

³⁴Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. ³⁵Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. ³⁶So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

1. Two vital truths:
1. One: everyone “in the world” is enslaved to sin.
1. Vs. 33-34
1. Not just the drug addict and the alcoholic, but all humanity.
2. Q: When did you first realize you were “enslaved to sin”?
3. …Humbling… (We need God!)
2. Sin has an enslaving effect.
1. Ephesians 4:17-19 = “So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. ¹⁸They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. ¹⁹Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.”
3. Point = Jesus says: “…everyone who sins is a slave to sin.”
2. Second truth: Only Jesus can set us free from sin!
1. John 8:31-32 = “To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. ³²Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
1. Point = Following Jesus sets us free from sin!

3. Transition =) Someone says:

“But what about rehab centers, ‘Twelve Step Programs’, self-help books, and the millions of ‘non-Christians’ around the world who overcome bad habits without Jesus Christ all the time? Aren’t people ‘set free from their sin’ all the time without Jesus?”

4. A few things to consider:
1. First: Yes, people “in the world” can and do change…
1. But real and lasting change apart from Jesus is very uncommon.
2. Second: People can change outer things (smoking, drinking, drugs, etc.) much easier than they can change inner things (pride, selfishness, anger, bitterness, etc.)
1. Jesus’ way = in baptism:
1. We die with Christ.
2. We receive the Holy Spirit, and He produces the life of Christ within us. (An inside-out job. A process)
3. Third: Some people can change even the most difficult inner problems, but only Jesus can set us free from both the power and the penalty of sin!
4. One: The Penalty of Sin
1. Romans 8:1-4 = “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, ²because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. ³For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, ⁴in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.”
5. Two: Jesus also sets us free from “the Power of Sin”
1. Romans 6:4-7 = “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

⁵If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. ⁶For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— ⁷because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.”

5. Transition =) Q: If Jesus set us free from the penalty and power of sin, then why do Disciples of Jesus still sin?
6. A: We must overcome the Practice of Sin (by the power of the Holy Spirit)
1. Romans 6:12-14 = “In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. ¹²Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. ¹³Do 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. ¹⁴For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.”
2. Example from Israel
1. God set them free from the bondage of Egypt.
2. But they still had to wander in the desert of testing.
3. Eventually, they entered the promised land.
4. Application to Disciples:
1. We can be “in the promised land” in one area of our lives, and still be “in the desert of testing” in another.
1. Many men:
1. In the promised land of “marital fidelity”
2. But still in the desert of “anger”
2. Many women:
1. In the promised land of “forgiving others”
2. But still in the desert of “fear and worry”
5. Point = Living free spiritually is a growth process!

1. Be patient (with yourself and others)
2. and persistent… (with yourself and others)

7. Transition =) Q: So how do we overcome the practice of sin? (3 Practicals)

1. One: Die to self, and rely on the power of the Holy Spirit
1. Romans 8:12-13 = “Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. ¹³For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live…”
1. Practicals:
1. Pray!
2. Believe!
3. Trust!
2. Two: Make a Decision
1. Romans 6:12 = “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.”
1. Practicals:
1. Learn to say “No!” to sin and temptation
1. Titus 2:11-14 = “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. ¹²It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, ¹³while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, ¹⁴who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.”
2. Walk away from temptation (sometimes run!)
1. Genesis 39:6b-12 = “Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, ⁷ and after a while his master's wife took notice of Joseph and said, "Come to bed with me!"

⁸ But he refused. "With me in charge," he told her, "my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. ⁹ No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" ¹⁰ And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.

¹¹ One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. ¹² She caught him by his cloak and said, "Come to bed with me!" But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.”

3. Three: Learn how to repent quickly

8. Summary:

1. We’re celebrating “Independence Day” this weekend – our political freedom.
2. But on a personal level, Jesus said everyone “in the world” is enslaved to sin.
3. Even though people change their bad habits to some degree – only Jesus sets us free from both the power and the penalty of our sins!
4. But it’s up to us to overcome the practice of sin.
1. By dying to self and relying on the power of the Holy Spirit!
2. By making a decision!

(Just say “No!”)

3. By learning how to repent quickly.