Lutheran Seminary ~ Moved By The Promise ~ God Pause ~ Thursday, 24 October 2013
John 8:31 Yeshua therefore said to those Judeans who had believed him, “If you remain in my word, then you are truly my disciples. 32 You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” ✡
33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s offspring,‡ and have never been in bondage to anyone. How do you say, ‘You will be made free’?”
34 Yeshua answered them, “Most certainly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is the bondservant of sin. 35 A bondservant doesn’t live in the house forever. A son remains forever. 36 If therefore the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. (Messianic World English Bible)
It's easy to be on board with Jesus when he talks about bringing water to the thirsty and food to the hungry. We even understand when he says he is light to those in the darkness. But what is this talk about setting us free? "We are Americans," we cry out, "we are not slaves to anyone!" What Jesus is saying here makes about as much sense as it does for us to sell air conditioners to residents of Fairbanks, Alaska! In the "land of the free," we proudly boast that we are free to "do it my way."
Yet we regularly gather in worship and confess that "we are in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves." We are bound in a way that compels us to say "no" to God, it seems. We are bound in a way that keeps us from taking God at God's word. Without God's true freedom all other freedoms are as meaningful as an air conditioner in Alaska.
Yet we regularly gather in worship and confess that "we are in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves." We are bound in a way that compels us to say "no" to God, it seems. We are bound in a way that keeps us from taking God at God's word. Without God's true freedom all other freedoms are as meaningful as an air conditioner in Alaska.
Lord God, Heavenly Father, thank you for setting us free, truly free, even when we protest we are already free. Help me to hear and live into your word of freedom, and to find life, true life, in it. Amen.
Brian Mundt
Interim Pastor, Cross of Hope Lutheran Church, Ramsey, Minn.
Interim Pastor, Cross of Hope Lutheran Church, Ramsey, Minn.
John 8:31 Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples;
32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
33 They answered him, "We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean by saying, 'You will be made free'?"
34 Jesus answered them, "Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.
35 The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there forever.
36 So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed."(New Revised Standard Version)
32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
33 They answered him, "We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean by saying, 'You will be made free'?"
34 Jesus answered them, "Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.
35 The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there forever.
36 So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed."(New Revised Standard Version)
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