God confronts
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”
34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. 38 I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”

Jesus, speaking to a group of Jews who believed in him, spoke a basic gospel of grace message. “Abide in my words! For the truth will set you free!” The self-righteousness of these people, however, immediately comes to surface in their answer. “We are Abraham’s seed and were never slaves. How is that we are to be set free?”

Jesus says simply, “Everyone who sins is a slave to that sin!”

Jesus then continues with grace. “A slave does not remain in a house forever. The Son remains forever. If the Son sets you free. Then you are truly free!”
In the short amount of time that this discourse occurred a complete change or unveiling of their heart also occurred. Those whom John says “believed in him,” Jesus now (knowing their hearts) says, “You seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you.” What are those words? “I, and I alone will set you free from the slavery of sin.”

These words need to be careful heeded by all who sit here today! You who sin you are a slave, you are in bondage, you have been taken captive, by that sin! It deceives you, mocks you and will kill you! What is it be that enslaves?

-Fear of what others think about:
the way you look (leading to destructive eating habits)
your intellect (leading you to hide what appears “irrational” about your faith)
your personality (you conform to your surroundings)
your righteousness (you get angry when someone accuses you of sin or you cover up your mistakes with lies)
-addiction: to pornography, alcohol, narcotics
-desire for riches (what are your feelings concerning the stock market and current national financial slump)

Jesus desires for you to be set free. That freedom starts here: call out to him to forgive and to set you free! Then seek counsel from a Christian you trust! (Steve our Pastor offers counseling)


God liberates

And if he [a slave] is not redeemed by these means, then he and his children with him shall be released [set free] in the year of jubilee. 55 For it is to me that the people of Israel are slaves. They are my servants whom I brought out of the land of Egypt (the land of slavery): I am YHWH your God!
Leviticus 25:54-55

The year of Jubilee meant that the Hebrew servants were to be set free! YHWH redeemed them out of the land of slavery so that they would be free to Worship Him alone!
Jesus is the Fulfillment of the year of Jubilee in which he redeems those who are slaves to sin. He sets them free from the debt of their sin by destroying sin, Satan and death through his death on the cross and his victorious Resurrection! It is through his death and resurrection that he declares to you “The year of Jubilee is here, your sins are forgiven and you are set free!”

Congregation: PRAISE BE TO GOD!