Instruction
Scripture: John 8:31-36
One of the major ideas of the Reformation is that we are all
slaves to sin, and we must be set free from that sin by Jesus. He is the only
one with the authority to set us free, and He displayed that authority by dying
and rising again.
In this passage Jesus was talking with the Jews about the
importance of His Word and how the Word gives them truth and sets them free.
They balked at the idea of needing to be set free, but Jesus teaches that
everyone who sins is a slave to sin. This text forces us to consider our own
condition and our own weakness in our sin, and comforts us with the good news
that Jesus has set us free.
Teaching
It is an interesting thing that as Jesus confronted the Jews
about being slaves they claimed to have never been slaves. The heart of their
identity was that they had been slaves in Egypt and God had rescued them with a
mighty hand and an outstretched arm. This was the sign that they were God’s
chosen people. But here they say, “We … have never been enslaved to anyone.”
Similarly people either forget or ignore the enslaving power
of sin. We don’t want to admit that without Christ in our lives we are
powerless to do anything but sin, because sin has to do, first and foremost,
with one’s relationship to God. Because of this we don’t always appreciate how
remarkable it is that we have been set free – not to do whatever we want, but
free to do God’s will, which, because we love Him, is now our will, too.
Life
Addiction support groups say that when a person admits that
they have a problem that is the first step toward recovery. When we deal with
Jesus, admitting we have sin is essential to receiving forgiveness. If we don’t
admit that we need to be set free from our sin, we are like the children of
slaves who say they’ve never needed to be set free. We’re lying to ourselves
and we miss out on how great Christ’s freedom is.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, You have set us free. We now abide in Your Word,
and You have shown us the truth of our sinful condition and of Your gracious
forgiveness. Truly we were once slaves to sin, but now we are free indeed.
Thank You for that freedom. Thank You for coming to us while
we were still slaves to sin. Thank You for not despising us in our enslavement,
but still loving us and coming to us to set us free.
Forgive us for the times that we do not recognize our
enslavement to sin. Forgive us for the times we have not listened to Your Word,
and we thought that we were less sinful than we are. Please forgive us for
using our freedom for ourselves, and not to follow You.
Lord we pray that You would continue to work in our lives to
sever those ties to sin that drag us back to our former slavery. Set free those
who live in sin, especially those who struggle with secret sin who think no one
can know. But You know. Let them (and us!) experience the freedom that comes
from hearing You say, “Your sins are forgiven. I have set you free!” Amen.
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