Sent to Bring Freedom

Jesus, Mission and Glory: New Purpose PART IV
02 October 2016
Dr. Timothy Keller

John 8:31-26; 56-59
31To the Jews who had really believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.  32Then you will know the truth, and the truth shall 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, "Very truly I tell you, 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.

56Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.  57"You are not yet fifty years old," they said to him, "and you have seen Abraham!"

58"Very truly I tell you," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!"  59At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.

Does being a Christian end your freedom?

COMPLEXITY
--v31-32; you'll be free if you accept my "constraints".
--Modern life portrays freedom as an absence of constraints.
--Freedom is doing the things that are liberating.

ENEMY OF FREEDOM
--The ultimate enemy of freedom is ourselves...because we are bound by sin.
--v.32 We are slaves...without the Jesus's help.
--Sin is disobeying our Creator...and thus violates our design.
--Sin is living for our own self interest.
--Self centered-ness and rebelling against our own design.

LIBERATOR
--v.35-36; not just about obedience--we are His children.