Is Freedom Really Free?

by Rocky Whitely

1.    I.       Introduction

1.                             A.                           Responding to threats

1.                                          1.                                          Nikita Krushchev’s threats against America’s freedom

1.                                                      a)                                                      “We will bury you” (from 1956 quote)

2.                                                      b)                                                      Shoe banging incident at United Nations (October 1960)

2.                                          2.                                          Who spoke these words, a patriotic response to the Cold War threat?

1.                                                      a)                                                      “Hear me! Hear this! Among my people, we carry many such words as this from many lands, many worlds. Many are equally good and are as well respected, but wherever we have gone, no words have said this thing of importance ... in quite this way. Look at these three words written larger than the rest with a special pride never written before or since -- Tall words proudly saying ... ‘We the people.’ That which you called ‘Ee'd Plebnista’ was not written for chiefs or kings or warriors or the rich and powerful, but for all the people! Down the centuries, you have slurred the meaning of the words:
“ ‘We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquillity, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity... do ordain and establish this constitution.’ ”

2.                                                      b)                                                      Answer: Captain James T. Kirk, captain of the USS Enterprise, from the only patriotic episode, “The Omega Glory”

2.                             B.                            We value our liberty, our freedom

1.                                          1.                                          Expounded best in the 1st ten amendments to the US Constitution, also known as The Bill of Rights

3.                             C.                           Freedom comes at a price

1.                                          1.                                          Ask the patriots of the American Revolutionary War

2.                                          2.                                          Ask our soldiers who survived D-Day, June 6, 194

3.                                          3.                                          Ask President Ronald Reagan

1.                                                      a)                                                      When, standing before the Brandenburg Gate, he said, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” (June 1987)

2.                                                      b)                                                      The line Reagan’s speech writers could not remove

3.                                                      c)                                                      Less than 2 ½ years later, the wall came down

4.                                          4.                                          Ask our soldiers, the soldiers of the coalition in Iraq and Afghanistan

2.    II.     Body—Jesus makes us free (John 8:30-36)

1.                             A.                           Context

1.                                          1.                                          Jesus, the Light of the world (v. 12)

2.                                          2.                                          What good is light?

2.                             B.                            Jesus’ word makes free (vv. 31-32)

1.                                          1.                                          “The pen is mightier than the sword”

1.                                                      a)                                                      We are reminded of the power of the sword with the recent murders of U.S. hostages and others

2.                                                      b)                                                      However, ask about the difficulties of the Communist Chinese government to restrict free speech while trying to keep up with new technologies, e.g., text messaging

2.                                          2.                                          From the veil of Moses’ law

1.                                                      a)                                                      In the first century world, the veil of Moses’ law covered the eyes of many of the Jewish people, preventing them from seeing Jesus

2.                                                      b)                                                      Yet the veil of free-thinking lifted with Jesus (2 Cor. 3:17)

3.                                                      c)                                                      Jesus gives the law of liberty (Jas. 1:25)

3.                                          3.                                          From political correctness, today

1.                                                      a)                                                      We seek to please Jesus

2.                                                      b)                                                      We preach for good against all evil

4.                                          4.                                          But there’s more…

3.                             C.                           Sin makes slaves (vv. 33-34)

1.                                          1.                                          Even those born of Abraham

1.                                                      a)                                                      Right family

2.                                                      b)                                                      Still slaves

2.                                          2.                                          Freedom is to do right, live right

1.                                                      a)                                                      Spike Lee’s movie “Do the Right Thing”

2.                                                      b)                                                      Gal. 5:1, 13-14—“For freedom Christ has made us free; do not use your freedom as an opportunity to serve the flesh, but through love serve one another”

3.                                          3.                                          However,

1.                                                      a)                                                      Some turn the grace of God into license to sin (Jude 4)

2.                                                      b)                                                      Others promise freedom but only deliver sin (2 Pet. 2:19)

4.                             D.                           The Son truly makes free (vv. 35-36)

1.                                          1.                                          He makes us sons

2.                                          2.                                          We become sons when we are immersed into Christ (Rom. 6:3-7)

3.                                          3.                                          We are free from condemnation (Rom. 8:1-2)

4.                                          4.                                          Jesus’ teaching and service focused on making people free:

1.                                                      a)                                                      From diseases

2.                                                      b)                                                      From demons

3.                                                      c)                                                      Most importantly, from sin

3.    III.  Conclusion

1.                             A.                           America’s premiere radio commentator—Paul Harvey

1.                                          1.                                          “Self-government won’t work without self-discipline”

2.                                          2.                                          “Self-rule won’t work without self-restraint”

3.                                          3.                                          “We will behave or we will be forced to behave”

2.                             B.                            To summarize the relationship between freedom and responsibility

1.                                          1.                                          Freedom – Responsibility = Anarchy

2.                                          2.                                          Responsibility – Freedom = Slavery

3.                                          3.                                          Freedom + Responsibility = Liberty

3.                             C.                           The Greatest example: the story of the woman taken in adultery (John 8:1-11)

1.                                          1.                                          Jesus said:

1.                                                      a)                                                      “Neither do I condemn you”

2.                                                      b)                                                      “Go, sin no more”

2.                                          2.                                          Our message of freedom

1.                                                      a)                                                      We are freed from our sins, their guilt and punishment

2.                                                      b)                                                      We are free to live right before God, wherever we live