April 2/3 True Freedom
John 8:31-36
At the time when Jesus was born, the
Israelites were experiencing great oppression.
They looked forward to the promised Messiah,
who would bring freedom and victory.
But instead of overtaking the Romans, Jesus
spoke about respecting authority and loving
enemies. Rather than win victory for the Jews
alone, He brought blessing even to despised
Gentiles (John 4:4-30; Luke 7:6-10). The
people expected Him to overpower the
domineering nation through battle, but He
allowed those in authority to crucify Him.
So the Jews rejected Jesus. Surely, they
thought, this was not the promised Savior
who would liberate the chosen people. They
failed to understand that Christ was most
concerned about the freedom of our hearts.
He came to release us from the sin bondage
in our lives, but He does not always free us
from our current cir****tance.
A letter I received illustrates this beautifully.
After 15 years in prison for habitual criminal
acts and drug addiction, the writer shared that
everyone had given up on him. He felt
hopeless until he was saved and began
following Jesus. Now, the bitterness and
anger are gone, and he is filled with joy and
peace. He has been liberated. He still faces
temptations and he still is in jail, but he has
experienced true freedom. Jesus came for you
—He died to pay your sin debt.
Have you accepted His free gift of salvation?
His power can tackle sin in your life, and His
truth can overcome harmful faulty thinking.
Walking with Him is truly walking in freedom,
so lean on His strength, and choose the right
path. |
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