Freedom
November 27, 2011
Introduction
Last Sunday, we did a brief review of how our country had its beginning. We read that nearly half of the 102 passengers on the Mayflower died that first winter. What a price they paid for freedom! Most wanted spiritual freedom, but some just to be free; to be able to own their own property.
Jesus spoke of freedom when He was here on earth. In (John 8:31-36 NKJV) we read: Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. {32} "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." {33} They answered Him, "We are Abraham's descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can you say, 'You will be made free'?" {34} Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. {35} "And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. {36} "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
Body
I. The truth shall make you free.
- Believing a lie will make us slaves.
1. It happened in the Garden of Eden.
(Gen 3:1-3 NKJV) Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?" {2} And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; {3} "but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.'"
2. The devil lied.
(Gen 3:4-5 NKJV) Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. {5} "For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
a. First is the blatant lie: "You will not surely die.”
b. Then the allure of why you should sin: “your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
c. From this we have an expression: “You can have your cake and eat it too.” It doesn’t happen!
3. The woman believed the sin and told her husband.
(Gen 3:6-7 NKJV) So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. {7} Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.
a. Sin is contagious – it spreads to others.
b. Sin has its consequences. They knew they were naked.
- Believing the lie cost Adam and Eve – and all of us – very dearly.
1. There was the price of fear of God and separation from Him.
(Gen 3:8 NKJV) And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
2. There is accountability to God.
(Gen 3:9-10 NKJV) Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?" {10} So he said, "I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself."
a. The accountability continues.
(Gen 3:11 NKJV) And He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?"
b. Excuse making begins.
(Gen 3:12 NKJV) Then the man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate."
Today: It’s just the way God made me.
c. The woman has her excuses as well.
(Gen 3:13 NKJV) And the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."
II. The price will be paid!
- For Satan.
(Gen 3:14-15 NKJV) So the LORD God said to the serpent: "Because you have done this, You are cursed more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go, And you shall eat dust All the days of your life. {15} And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel."
1. Even in this dark hour, there is hope. “He shall bruise your head,”
2. The He must be a reference to Christ: her Seed
3. The final defeat of Satan is predicted.
(Rev 20:10 NKJV) The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
- For Adam and Eve.
(Gen 3:22-24 NKJV) Then the LORD God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever"; {23} therefore the LORD God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. {24} So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.
III. What are the lessons to be learned?
- We must know God.
1. That means wanting to know and fear God.
(Neh 1:11 NKJV) "O Lord, I pray, please let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who desire to fear Your name; and let Your servant prosper this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man." For I was the king's cupbearer.
2. It means keeping our eye on Jesus.
(Heb 12:1-2 NKJV) Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, {2} looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
- We must avoid the devil and his lies.
(John 8:44 NKJV) "You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.
1. Is referred to as the father of lies.
2. He is referred to as the ruler of this world.
(John 12:31 NKJV) "Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.
3. Those who follow the devil do not know where they are going.
(John 12:35 NKJV) Then Jesus said to them, "A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going.
Conclusion
I. Jesus came to show us the way. May we not miss it.
(John 14:6 NKJV) Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
II. He is the way to true freedom, the devil only has empty promises which are really lies.
Scripture quotations marked "NKJV™" are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.