FREEDOM
INTENTION:
We may not know we
have been captive in a way of thinking, believing, feeling, or behaving; but we
have been given the ability (because of Christ) to break free from those
mental, emotional, and religious strongholds that limit who we are created as
(and can “Just Be” as). Let’s break off the fears and shackles that bind us; so
that we truly can live the life that is, “as Christ Jesus is, so are we in this
world”.
I.
TOPIC:
We want to look at Freedom.
God’s LOVE for us is that we are free from all the little
things that keep us down and trapped, which robs us of the abundant LIFE the
Lord strives for us to live (John
10:10).
What these Bible Lessons have helped us with is breaking
free of so much that binds us in life—religion, the perceptions of sin
(sin-conscious), people’s choices, our past, our fears, and so much more. And
here, we will look at these freedoms which have been discussed or hit upon in
all these Bible Lessons.
Do you feel free in any or all these areas?
We will read through John 8 following—note the freedoms
within:
·
Firstly, we see a woman set free from sin and
judgment. Jesus (God) was not judging her for what she did. But moreso, He also
set her free from the sin she was doing. Jesus told her to, “sin no more”, not
as a command, but a choice—for her, she may not have even realised she had the
power/ability to actually say no. How often are we trapped in doing things as
our nature because we fit into what others say of us. She (you and I) are set
free from what others define us by.
·
Secondly, Jesus proclaims that it is through Him
that we have freedom. For it is only Him that broke (freed us) from the
captivity that Adam brought into this world. This freedom He gave was one which
broke the inability for us to change into the freedom He wants for us—this
giving to us the ability to overcome those unhealed / unhealthy parts of us,
and live in the healed / healthy that is our true identity.
·
Thirdly, Jesus also proclaimed that He conquered
(freed us from) death—a death that is the destruction in the here-and-now; but
also the death that is an eternal life separated from the Lord.
II.
READING: John
8:1-59 (MEV)
But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early in the
morning He returned to the temple. All the people came to Him, and He sat down
and taught them. 3 The scribes and Pharisees brought a woman caught in
adultery. When they had put her in the middle, 4 they said to Him, “Teacher,
this woman was caught in the very act of adultery. 5 Now Moses in the law
commanded us to stone such, but what do You say?” 6 They said this, testing
Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him.
But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His
finger, as though He did not hear them. 7 So when they continued asking Him, He
stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first
to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9 Being convicted by their conscience, those who heard it
went out one by one, beginning with the eldest even to the last. Jesus was left
alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had stood up and saw
no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are your accusers? Did no
one condemn you?”
11 She said, “No one, Lord.”
Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no
more.”
12 Again, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of
the world. Whoever follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have
the light of life.”
13 The Pharisees therefore said to Him, “You bear witness of
Yourself. Your testimony is not true.”
14 Jesus answered them, “Though I bear witness of Myself, My
testimony is true. For I know where I came from and where I am going. But you
do not know where I came from or where I am going. 15 You judge according to
the flesh. I judge no one. 16 Yet if I do judge, My judgment is true. For I am
not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me. 17 Even in your law it is
written that the testimony of two men is true. 18 I am One who bears witness of
Myself, and the Father that sent Me bears witness of Me.”
19 Then they said to Him, “Where is Your Father?”
Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father. If you
knew Me, you would know My Father also.” 20 Jesus spoke these words in the
treasury, as He taught in the temple. No one arrested Him, for His hour had not
yet come.
21 Again, Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and you will
seek Me, and you will die in your sins. Where I am going, you cannot come.”
22 So the Jews said, “Will He kill Himself? For He said,
‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’”
23 He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above.
You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 Therefore I said to you that
you will die in your sins. For unless you believe that I am He, you will die in
your sins.”
25 They said to Him, “Who are You?”
Jesus said to them, “Just who I have been telling you from
the beginning. 26 I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He
who sent Me is true. So I tell the world what I heard from Him.”
27 They did not understand that He spoke to them of the
Father. 28 So Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you
will know that I am He, and I do nothing of Myself. But I speak these things as
My Father taught Me. 29 He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me
alone, for I always do those things that please Him.” 30 As He spoke these
words, many believed in Him.
31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you
remain in My word, then you are truly My disciples. 32 You shall know the
truth, and the truth shall set you free.”
33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s seed and have never
been in bondage to anyone. Why do You say, ‘You shall be set free’?”
34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly I say to you, whoever
commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 Now a slave does not remain in the house
forever, but a son remains forever. 36 Therefore if the Son sets you free, you
shall be free indeed. 37 I know that you are Abraham’s seed. But you seek to
kill Me, because My word has no place in you. 38 I am telling what I have seen
with My Father, and you are doing what you have seen with your father.”
39 They answered Him, “Abraham is our father.”
Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you
would do the works of Abraham. 40 But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has
told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. 41 You are
doing the works of your father.”
Then they said to Him, “We were not born of sexual
immorality. We have one Father: God.”
42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would
love Me, for I came from God and proceeded into the world. I did not come of My
own authority, but He sent Me. 43 Why do you not understand My speaking?
Because you cannot bear to hear My word. 44 You are of your father the devil,
and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the
beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him.
When he lies, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of
lies. 45 Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 Which of you
convicts Me of sin? If I speak the truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 He who
is of God hears God’s words. Therefore, you do not hear them, because you are
not of God.”
48 The Jews answered Him, “Do we not rightly say that You
are a Samaritan and have a demon?”
49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon. But I honour My
Father, and you dishonour Me. 50 I do not seek glory for Myself. There is One
who seeks it and judges. 51 Truly, truly I say to you, if anyone keeps My word,
he shall never see death.”
52 Then the Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a
demon. Abraham and the prophets died, and You say, ‘If a man keeps My word, he
shall never taste death.’ 53 “Are You greater than our father Abraham, who
died? The prophets are dead! Who do You make Yourself out to be?”
54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify Myself, My glory is
nothing. It is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say that He is your God.
55 Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. If I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I
shall be a liar like you. But I know Him and keep His word. 56 Your father
Abraham rejoiced to see My day. He saw it and was glad.”
57 Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years
old. Have You seen Abraham?”
58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly I say to you, before
Abraham was born, I AM.” 59 Then they took up stones to throw at Him. But Jesus
hid Himself and went out of the temple. Going through their midst, He passed by.
III.
RELATED VERSES AND QUESTIONS:
A. Freedom
from religion—Jesus hated religion and showed us God’s disproval of it (as we
just read in John
8). Christianity, as Christ taught it, is one of freedom in Love (1
John 5:1-4). With Christ, the only sinners are the religious—those that
condemn, expect, and preach a “certain way” of living. Belief, not rules, is
our freedom.
Romans
1:16-17 (MEV)
For I am not ashamed of
the gospel of Christ. For it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who
believes, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the
righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith. As it is written, “The
just shall live by faith.”
Question: What is religion to you?
B. Freedom
from sin (our sin-conscience) where we live that healthy that doesn’t want our
unhealthy anymore.
Romans
6:1-7 (MEV)
What shall we say then?
Shall we continue in sin that grace may increase? 2 God forbid! How shall we
who died to sin live any longer in it? 3 Do you not know that we who were
baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried
with Him by baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised up from the dead
by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been
united with Him in the likeness of His death, so shall we also be united with
Him in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man has
been crucified with Him, so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we should
no longer be slaves to sin. 7 For the one who has died is freed from sin.
Question: What are sins (unhealthy aspects) you
struggle with that you know you deserve freedom from?
C. Freedom
from guilt and shame—again, that we have no need to be troubled in thinking /
believing God is upset with us (as He is not).
Acts
24:14-16 (MEV) {PoG}
However, I affirm that in
accordance with the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of my
fathers and believe everything written in the Law and in the Prophets. 15 I
have hope in God that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just
and the unjust, which they also expect. 16 In this do I always strive to have a
clear conscience {not troubled by a consciousness of sin} toward God and toward
men.
Question: Do feelings of guilt and shame haunt
you?
D. Freedom
from your past—both the things that happened / shaped / programmed you, but
also any mistakes you make along the way.
Philippians
3:12-14 (MEV)
Not that I have already
attained or have already been perfected, but I follow after it so that I may
lay hold of that for which I was seized by Christ Jesus. 13 Brothers, I do not
count myself to have attained, but this one thing I do, forgetting those things
which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I
press toward the goal to the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Question: Do you relive your past over and over
again in your head (trying to change it through “what-ifs”)?
E. Freedom from sickness and disease—whichever way
you can… for the healing is greater than how you get healed.
1
Peter 2:24 (MEV) {PoG}
He Himself bore our sins
in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto
righteousness. “By His wounds you were healed” {(G2390) literally
and figuratively: to heal, to cure, make whole, to free from errors and
sins, to bring about one’s salvation of our soul / emotional realm (1
Peter 1:9)}.
Question: How can you learn more about God truly
not wanting you sick, disabled, or mentally / emotionally ill?
F. Freedom
from the Law—Love, Grace, and Truth is only in Christ Jesus.
Romans
7:4-6 (MEV)
So, my brothers, you also
have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may be married to
another, to Him who has been raised from the dead, so that we may bear fruit
for God. 5 When we were in the flesh, the passions of sin, through the law,
worked in our members to bear fruit leading to death. 6 But now we are
delivered from the law, having died to things in which we were bound, so that
we may serve in newness of the Spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter of
the law.
Question: Have you (unknowingly even) tried to
obey the Law? Have others told you to “live righteously” by it?
G. Freedom
from perfection (of yourself and of others)—let us all be safe for each other’s
life-journey. Each one of us takes a different path from their own starting
point. It’s Love that overcomes all that judgement and criticism.
1
Peter 4:8-9 (MEV)
Above all things, have
unfailing love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show
hospitality to one another without complaining.
Question: What do you do when you aren’t perfect
enough—or that you feel others aren’t perfect enough?
H. Freedom
of choice (to believe or not)—all that God did through Jesus Christ
(reconciling the world to Himself) was done for each and every human being that
is to ever live. By God’s Grace, through Christ’s Faith (not our grace or
faith), we get to believe (our own choice) into Him for the free Salvation and
Righteousness He gifts us.
John
3:16-18 (MEV)
“For God so loved the
world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should
not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the
world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 He
who believes in Him is not condemned. But he who does not believe is condemned
already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of
God.”
Question: Do you believe in Christ Jesus?
I.
Freedom of choice (flesh or spirit)—what we let
win in us (in that soul conflict) leads our life. We get to choose which one
(regardless of how hard it feels to reprogramme ourself).
Galatians
5:13-18 (MEV)
You, brothers, have been
called to liberty. Only do not use liberty to give an opportunity to the flesh,
but by love serve one another. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in one word,
even in this: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” 15 But if you bite
and devour one another, take heed that you are not consumed by one another.
16 I say then, walk in the
Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts
against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. These are in opposition
to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. 18 But if
you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Question: Do you struggle with choosing the
Spirit over the flesh? Does it get easier for you as you heal?
J.
Freedom to
trust the Lord—we live in a world that destroys trust. We project our own
parental-figure hurts and pains of mistrust and abandonment onto the Lord. When
we learn the truth that the Lord is safe and trustworthy, we become free to
rely on Him for the things we could never rely on other for (even our reliance
on our self).
Matthew
6:25-34 (MEV)
“Therefore, I say to you,
take no thought about your life, what you will eat, or what you will drink, nor
about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body
than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they do not sow, nor do
they reap, nor gather into barns. Yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you
not much better than they? 27 Who among you by taking thought can add a cubit
to his stature?
28 “Why take thought about
clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: They neither work,
nor do they spin. 29 Yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was
not dressed like one of these. 30 Therefore, if God so clothes the grass of the
field, which today is here and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not
much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore, take no thought,
saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
32 (For the Gentiles seek after all these things.) For your heavenly Father
knows that you have need of all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of
God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be given to you. 34
Therefore, take no thought about tomorrow, for tomorrow will take thought about
the things of itself. Sufficient to the day is the trouble thereof.”
Question: What are ways you are learning to
trust God as a Father?
K. Freedom to live Him in and Him through us—“as on
earth as it is in Heaven”. The Lord always works along-side (yoked to) us in
everything we do. He doesn’t orphan us, but Lovingly sees you and treats you as
His precious child.
Ephesians
3:14-21 (MEV)
For this reason I bow my
knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in
heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would give you, according to the riches
of His glory, power to be strengthened by His Spirit in the inner man, 17 and
that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and
grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the
breadth and length and depth and height, 19 and to know the love of Christ
which surpasses knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20 Now to Him who is able
to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we ask or imagine, according to
the power that works in us, 21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ
Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Question: Do you know, understand, and believe that
the Lord in Their entirety Lives in and through you?
L. Freedom
to know and experience Him personally as a Father in relationship—you are His
child as Jesus is His child. As He was with Jesus, He is with you! Jesus
approached the Father without fear or shame; so can you. The moment you
believe, He remains in you forever!
John
15:7-17 (MEV)
If you remain in Me, and
My words remain in you, you will ask whatever you desire, and it shall be done
for you. 8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit; so you
will be My disciples.
9 “As the Father loved Me,
I also loved you. Remain in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will
remain in My love, even as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in
His love. 11 I have spoken these things to you, that My joy may remain in you,
and that your joy may be full. 12 This is My commandment: that you love one
another, as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no man than this: that a man
lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I
command you. 15 I no longer call you servants, for a servant does not know what
his master does. But I have called you friends, for everything that I have
heard from My Father have I made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me, but I
chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your
fruit should remain, that the Father may give you whatever you ask Him in My
name. 17 This I command you: that you love one another.
Question: Have you felt you can approach the
Lord more directly (rather than through someone else)?
M. Freedom
to think independently about the Bible and the Lord—Jesus read the same
scriptures we have access to. Jesus discerned what in the Bible is of the Lord
(whether His actions or character and nature) that led Him to see a Loving
Father, not the vengeful God that He is often portrayed as. We can discern and
question too.
Ephesians
1:13-20 (MEV)
In Him you also, after
hearing the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and after believing in
Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our
inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of
His glory.
15 Therefore I also, after
hearing of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16
do not cease giving thanks for you, mentioning you in my prayers, 17 so that
the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit
of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 that the eyes of your
understanding may be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of His
calling and what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance among the
saints, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who
believe, according to the working of His mighty power, 20 which He performed in
Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His own right hand in
the heavenly places.
Question: How
has your perspective and belief changed in the Lord as you seek Him personally
and independently?
N. Freedom
from our captors—freedom from ourself. Often, our own thoughts deceive us; but
when those thoughts come up from your past, your unhealed parts, or as just
being intrusive… we don’t hold onto them as being our own thoughts, but we let
them travel through into the captivity and obedience of Christ.
2
Corinthians 10:4-6 (MEV) {PoG}
For the weapons of our
warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of
strongholds, 5 casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts
itself against the knowledge of God, {leading away as captive, every thought,
into} the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience
when your obedience is complete.
Question: What (internally) makes you feel
trapped or scared that keeps you from feeling free?
O. Freedom to overcome—everything that this world
has raised you up into (programmed in you that is unhealthy), the Lord showed
us that we can overcome whatever is trying to bring destruction into our lives
and relationships.
1
John 5:1-4 (MEV)
Whoever believes that
Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves the
one born of the Father. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God:
when we love God and keep His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that
we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome, 4 for
whoever is born of God overcomes the world, and the victory that overcomes the
world is our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world, but the one who
believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
Question: Are you an overcomer?
IV.
FURTHER THOUGHT:
A. Galatians
5:1 (MEV)
For freedom Christ freed
us. Stand fast therefore and do not be entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Thoughts: List out the areas you have felt the
Lord give you freedom in.
What other areas of
freedom do you see the Lord desiring of you and all His children?
·
Refer also: http://cbadenhorst.blogspot.com/2023/02/discover-your-freedom.html
V. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT & SUPPORT:
A thank you to Kelly and Joshua who are inspirational in this life-journey. And to all the family, friends, sponsors, and donors who have fed into this ministry and outreach.
If you would like to support this ministry and outreach, you may do so via our website or at:
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