| Author | Message | ||
| Dljc Registered user Username: Dljc Post Number: 16 Registered: 7-2010 |
This is a sermon I gave (dated in the text), while an Elder in the church I was in. John 8:30-59 Sunday Nov 16, 2008 What is bondage? Bondage: 1. Slavery or involuntary servitude. 2. The state of being bound by or subjected to some external power or control. Denial: 1. Refusal to recognize or acknowledge. 2. Psychology. An unconscious defense mechanism used to reduce anxiety by denying thoughts, feelings, or facts that are consciously intolerable. Spoil: 1. To impair, damage, or harm the character or nature of (someone) by unwise treatment, excessive indulgence, etc.: to spoil a child by pampering him. Guilt: Definition: to make someone feel guilty, esp. in hopes of getting them to do something Example: He guilted her into calling her mother-in-law. Gossip: 1. Idle talk or rumor, esp. about the personal or private affairs of others. {Gossip is like “Illegally obtained information”}. Burden: 1. Something that is carried. 1. Something that is emotionally difficult to bear. 2. A source of great worry or stress; weight: Fear: A distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid. These are just a few of the bondages we can either be under or put someone under. ___________________________________________________ What is the Truth? Jesus came to set us free from the bondages of this world through men and Satan. Jesus said in Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, If we were not captives, why would Jesus need to preach deliverance to the captives? Not only were the Pharisees and Scribes captive, they placed heavy burdens on the people to keep them in captivity as well! That’s what bondage is. We want people to share in our misery don’t we? Captive: A person who is enslaved or dominated; slave: He is the captive of his own fears. Just like the Scribes and Pharisees, we don’t always realize we’re under bondage, do we? When I worked in Animal Control I had a unique responsibility that comes with that job. That was, putting the animals to sleep. This put a heavy burden on me, and satan used this to keep me bound through guilt. I was just doing that part of my job, but because of it, satan had me convinced that God could never forgive me for those things I did. When that burden was lifted from me, I felt a freedom that I never knew before. Jesus took this burden back, because He had already paid for it. It wasn’t mine to carry. All the doctors I had talked to, all the people who had tried to help me were to no avail. Only Jesus could lift this burden from me and set me free. I had become brokenhearted, and was in need of deliverance from this burden that held me captive. The Scribes and Pharisees were under bondage and they wanted to bring Jesus under that bondage, just as they had the Jews. Jesus telling them their father was the devil didn’t help matters much did it (John 8:44)? That doesn’t sound like love does it? If I said to someone that his or her father was the devil I would imagine I’d get the same reaction Jesus got. The Scribes and Pharisees wanted to kill Jesus, remember? Bondage comes in many forms both in the physical world and in the spiritual world. Through our words and actions we can put each other under bondage. Many times that’s because we are still under bondage. If I’m still under bondage I can’t help any of you can I? I’m trapped too. How can I help anyone if I’m in the same trap? That’s why we needed a Savior. I can only introduce you to Him, it’s Him who heals your heart, and sets you free, not me. Only He can open your eyes to the Truth. Jesus is the only one who can save us from ourselves. He is the only one who can set us free. He is the way the truth and the life. Jesus is the only way out of that trap! The Bible is what we believe to be the Word of God. It doesn’t contradict itself, because God doesn’t contradict Himself. Men have used it to place heavy burdens on other men. But the Truth is there if you are willing to look for it. The truth is, we were all born with a sinful nature, Jesus is the only One who ever lived a sinless life on this planet. If we are to be Christlike, then doesn’t it make sense we’d want to know what that means? In Matthew 11 Jesus said 28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Jesus knew the truth because He is the Truth. The Scribes and Pharisees couldn’t put Him under bondage, because Jesus being God knew what He meant when He gave Moses and the Prophets the law. The Scribes and the Pharisees had made a religion out of the law. Religion is man, serving man. Christianity is a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. The Pharisees were religious; they didn’t have a relationship with God. That’s what Jesus was telling them in John 8:42. The Pharisees wanted to see the people jumping through hoops to do what they wanted them to do. Jesus set us free from those hoops of men! Does this mean we don’t have to be obedient? No! We are called to be perfect and holy. Matthew 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. 1 Peter 1:16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians, this passage: 13:11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you. Jesus made a simple request. “If ye love me, keep my commandments”. (John 14:15) So the question we need to ask ourselves is, am I still under bondage or have I been set free? Jesus is the only one that can set us free. | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 11433 Registered: 12-2003  |
Excellent, Dljc. Colleen | ||
| Christo Registered user Username: Christo Post Number: 230 Registered: 2-2008 |
1 John Chapter 3 23And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. 24And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us. | ||
| Dljc Registered user Username: Dljc Post Number: 17 Registered: 7-2010 |
Amen! And thank you for the extra Scriptures Christo.  | ||
| Dljc Registered user Username: Dljc Post Number: 19 Registered: 7-2010 |
The interesting thing is, I believe my friend heard me give this message. He and I used to go to the same little church here locally where I was an Elder. My friend has told me since we've been discussing his going to the SDA church in a neighboring town, he told me he always saw me as his mentor. So that helps and it helps me to be able to speak freely with him. Perhaps I should send him a copy of this message and ask him if he remembers it. | ||
| Psalm107v2 Registered user Username: Psalm107v2 Post Number: 712 Registered: 10-2008  |
Send it Dljc. The more insight your friend may receive about the freedom we have in Christ the better! |
