31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed 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 practices 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.” (John 8)
In this country, on this day, we celebrate the freedom and independence we have as a nation, looking back especially to our forefathers like Franklin, Jefferson, Adams and Washington. We associate them with freedom. But there is a freedom we simply cannot enjoy just by being born in or becoming citizens of this nation: the freedom from the bondage to sin. It begins by our first admitting we are not truly free. The "father" whom Jesus spoke of as the hero of these Jews he was speaking to was not Abraham, the father of the Jewish faith. Jesus was talking about the father of darkness, sin and death - the evil one who loves to see us do and live evil. Until we are ready to break free from his grip, we remain in bondage to him. Jesus is the one, and only one, who can free us from that death grip. Today, may we be free indeed.
No comments:
Post a Comment