SET FREE

PASTOR RYAN LADEN – DEVOTIONALS

IF YOU LIKE THIS POST PLEASE FOLLOW US, SHARE WITH OTHERS AND PLEASE LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS AND GIVE US A LIKE.

Translate this site into your preferred language, look for our Google translator in our home page: diningwithjesus.net

Traduce este sitio en tu idioma preferido, busca nuestro traductor de Google en nuestra página de inicio ve a: diningwithjesus.net

In this second instalment of our devotional study of Jesus’ teaching found in John 8:31-36, we hear the response of the crowd to Jesus’ offer of real and lasting freedom. Their response might seem strange at first, but upon closer inspection, it speaks to a serious problem that all of us share. 

Before we hear the response of the people, let us revisit the offer of freedom as found in the passage below:

31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 

(John 8:31-32 NIV11)

Freedom

Jesus Christ did not come into our world and into our lives to enslave us and force us into a joyless life of religion. Instead, he offers us what we need most, freedom. 

Freedom for the Christian comes from knowing who we really are, thanks to the work that Jesus Christ has already accomplished on our behalf. For those willing to receive his offer of grace and forgiveness by faith (hold to his teaching), the Lord brings us the ability to live our lives as children of God. 

The Christian is included in the status of the Son of God, included in his eternal future and his life. This means that we are free to exercise our will as children of God. This means that we are free from living as slaves to sin and slaves to our past. We are free to move on from these limitations as we learn to live in faithfulness to the person Jesus Christ has made us into through his death and resurrection. 

Offer and response

This offer of freedom was given to those in conversation with Jesus. Jesus did not place the burden of perfection of performance upon the people, but offered them the freedom for which their souls were longing. 

The crowd had a strange response to this offer as we can see in the passage below:

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

(John 8:33 NIV11)

Slaves?

This is an odd response to be sure. As a people, the descendants of Abraham have indeed been slaves to several nations. 

They were slaves in Egypt for 400 years before the Lord rescued them through the exodus. They were slaves in Babylon during the first exile from the promised land. They were slaves again to the Assyrians in the second exile. And even as they spoke these words, they were functionally slaves under the rule of the Romans. 

Evaluation

This response is indicative of a bigger problem shared by all human beings. This problem is one of evaluation. We are often much better at evaluating the true state and condition of other people than we are at the job of seeing our own situations with clarity. 

We often assume that we are hampered by bad circumstances, led astray by bad actors, angered by the actions of others, led into temptation by the evils of the world. We hardly ever evaluate our situation apart from Christ and see the truly desperate state that we are in. 

It is easier for us to point to others and agree that they are in places of addiction, in need of rescue, and desperate for salvation, even while we are in the exact same condition. 

Set Free

As we will hear in the next part of our study, Jesus Christ has come to bring freedom for all who will receive this gift. But those who do not feel that they need this gift of freedom, those who feel that they are doing just fine on their own, freedom will escape them. 

Consider

As you prayerfully consider your need for freedom from sin and the weight of our flesh, consider the message of the Lord Jesus given in John 6:63, “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life.”

As you go into your day, consider and meditate on these truths: 

•   The words of the Lord are full of the Spirit and life. 
•   The Word of the Lord will set you free if freedom is what you need. 

In Christ, 

Ryan Laden

PASTOR RYAN LADEN

Senior Pastor at PARK HILL BAPTIST CHURCH

Worked at MTN. CHURCH

Former Senior pastor at Warnbro Community Church

Studies at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Studied at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Studied at Baylor University

Studied at Texas Tech University

Went to Castle Hills First Baptist

Get new content delivered directly to your inbox. Please Enter your email address in the box below.

• ShareCopied to clipboard

Copyright © 2024 Ryan Laden – All Rights Reserved.