Freedom
Introduction
Entitled “freedom”
A picture of someone in bondage
Apposite due to lockdown at present
This man was in far deeper bondage
A picture
A stark raving man
He wandered around
He couldn’t be shackled
Who would harm himself
Of someone who is not living
We see the destructiveness of the demons at the end
Freedom from Bondage
Example
If we came across this man – we would be afraid
He is a picture of every person who is not in Christ
We are all enslaved by our sinful nature
Explanation
Ever since Adam and Eve disobeyed God – all of humanity has been enslaved and in bondage
Children have a natural propensity to do wrong
Our sinful nature is warped
We are all born with it – it is only a matter of time until it shows through
Only Jesus Christ was born without a sinful nature
Because of common grace we are able to do good things
However, we cannot please God because of our sinful nature
The Bible tells us that we fall short
There is an account of all of our wrong doing
We are unable to pay this debt
We are guilty in God’s sight
We are enslaved and unable to break free
Like this man, we are all in the position of being enslaved to sin
There is a position of freedom
We must be rescued from sin
Freedom in Christ
We must be rescued from sin
The power of Jesus – He can break our chains
How?
The power of the Gospel
Explanation of the Gospel
We are impounded because we have broke God’s law
We cannot pay the fee to be released, but Jesus Christ has paid it
His sacrifice was of infinite value
Jesus smashes down the barriers and frees the people who have been given to Him
The outcome: the man’s life – clothed and sitting in his own mind (v35)
The power of Jesus Christ is displayed
This man is in his right mind
Sin effects and warps us
We were created for fellowship with God but are unable to do so because of sin
Pleasant times are nothing compared to fellowship with God
He is clothed
He has his dignity restored
We are clothed in the righteousness of God
Just as Adam and Eve were clothed …
… so is this man …
… so are we
He sat at the feet of Jesus
Example
Do you know what it is to sit at His word (the Bible)?
Do you know His character and what this God is like?
Why?
Because he had been saved by Jesus
He can see and think clearly
When did you last sit at the feet of Jesus?
Freedom to Serve & Share
Jesus instructs the man to go back and tell about what God had done (v39)
We could be taken to glory immediately
People can be saved at the eleventh hour
What is more amazing – the privilege of being saved by God or telling others what He has done
Quote from John 17:20
There is a before and after – a life change
God is able to make up the years
He can restore to us the joy of our salvation
We have the privilege to share and serve
Closing Remarks