Faith and freedom

Christ is risen!

He is risen indeed!

 

God promises that if we believe in him, we will be set free.

 

John 8:31-36

Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free… I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed”.

 

In recent weeks we have been remembering the abolition of slavery. Freedom for those who were in bondage. The abolition of slavery happened 200 years ago in our courts but is still, sadly, a painful reality in our world. 

• Not just those who are in slavery as people around the world;
• Not just those who are in bondage to debt in our country;
• Not just those who are addicted to alcohol and drugs and money;
• Also those who have not had the freedom that comes from following Jesus.

 

The Slave Trade

Africans were captured, traded and enslaved

and then

 

the law was changed 200 years ago in the

and then

they were set free

 

(When we sing Amazing Grace, listen out for the words Newton wrote from his brief experience of being held as a slave, I was bound but now set free…)

 

Jewish Passover

On Maundy Thursday we celebrate Passover – the release from slavery in of the people of .

The Jews were slaves

and then

they sacrificed a lamb and painted the blood on the doorframe so that the angel of death would Passover them

and then

they escaped and found freedom and a new country

 

We were slaves too

Slaves to sin – doing what we know is wrong and not doing what we know is right. We know we can’t say, I am a good person”, we know we are not. Following the wrong master who seemed to have an inescapable hold over our life. Turning our back on the God who created us and loves us

and then

Jesus was sacrificed for us – the sacrificial lamb that makes the Passover possible for all

and then

we have been forgiven and are now set free from the law of sin and death and we can choose to follow the Lord of life.

 

Unlike the way the Jews had sacrificed a lamb every year at Passover and the High Priest had gone into the Holy of Holies once a year with the blood to seek forgiveness for the people, Jesus he has done it for all for ever, he has made all that redundant.

 

Hebrews 9:26

…but now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself

 

So we can follow a new Lord.

 

 

• We will pay the price for the new one
• We will hand back the keys for the old one
• We will pick up keys for the new one
• Then we won’t need to pay rent on the old one anymore
• We won’t need to go there anymore.

However, sometimes in the early days, the regular users of the old office may find themselves heading toward it but all of a sudden it will dawn on them, no, I no longer go there, I have a new Vineyard Centre where I am free to go. They will change direction and go to the new building.

 

In the Easter story, specifically for today, we then have another amazing miracle.

 

Romans 4:24,25

God will credit righteousness to us who believe in him who raised Jesus from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

 

There quite a few complex ideas in this verse but what is going is this: God looks at what Jesus did when he lived, suffered and died, and he approved it. The job was done and now it is time for new life.

• God looks and sees that there is no penalty left to pay – Jesus had paid it.
• God looks and sees that there is no more wrath of God to bear – Jesus had born it all.
• God looks and sees that there is no more guilt to be punished – Jesus had taken the punishment.
• God looks and sees that all is paid for - no guilt remains.
• God looks and sees that the work is completed, it is finished…
• God looks and sees that Jesus no longer needs to remain dead.

So God raises Jesus from the dead.

 

And in doing so, in bringing him back to life, he bring us back to life too, justifies us because of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

 

Jesus promised his disciples after he rose from the dead and before he ascended to heaven:

 

Acts 1:8

You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be my witnesses.

 

Now set free from our old slavery we are empowered and released into new life.

Just as Jesus rose from the dead with a new body, we are given a new lease of life.

 

We too will get new bodies one day - but for now we are in that in-between stage, the now and the not yet. Today we have the power of the resurrection released in our life in part and one day it will be released in full.

 

So with this new life, with this resurrection power comes the opportunity for new starts, to leave the old behind, to put it away and to live in the promises God has given us of forgiveness and freedom.

 

This is not just for new good behaviour, doing away with sin and shame, but also new ministry:

 

Lives full of the power of God to go out and change the world;

To speak God’s promises of forgiveness, of life change and of new life forever;

To share his love and see others come to know his life-saving, life-changing, new life-giving power.

 

David S Flowers

8 April 2007