“Freedom of the Truth”

Pastor Mike will be preaching on “Freedom of the Truth”
He will be in John 8:31

The life of slavery is bondage. It’s a life of not identifying with the Father, with the family of God. It’s a life of not identifying with the fact that Christ has set you free. You don’t have this bondage over you anymore.

You don’t have to live in this guilt, but the Son abided forever. The Son who is set free, the Son who is a part of the family, the Son lives forever in the freedom of Christ and freedom. This freedom will set you free, this truth will set you free, and you will be able to maximize your life for Christ.

I said to you, the Scripture makes you free. You’ve got to abide in it. And if you do this, you will be set free. Well, today we welcome you to Hope Worth Having, and we’re excited that you have tuned in.

And we know that as we study the Bible, God’s Word is going to continue to renew our mind. So let’s grab our Bible today and let’s go to the Gospel of John chapter 8, verse 31. You know this passage very well because we all know that the Bible teaches us that the truth shall set us free.

And it is the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ that sets us free. And you know, so many are in bondage. They are in slavery to sin and to the false belief system of this world. But through Christ, we can find that freedom.

And so today I want us to learn about the freedom of the truth. And I want us to begin this study. So let’s start as we study God’s Word together. In the last days of the Civil War, the Confederate capital Richmond, Virginia fell into the Union Army.

Abraham Lincoln insisted on visiting Richmond, Virginia. Even though no one knew he was coming, The slaves recognized him immediately, and they began to throng around the president. The president had liberated them by the Emancipation Proclamation, and now Abraham Lincoln’s army had set them free.

According to Admiral David Porter, an eyewitness of this unique gathering, he spoke about how Lincoln shared his thoughts with the slaves. Lincoln said, and I quote, My poor friends, you are free. Free as air, you can cast off the name of slave and trample upon it.

Liberty is your birthright. End of quote. But Lincoln also warned each and every one. of these individuals about to make sure that they do not abuse their freedom. He went on to say, and I quote, let the world see that you merit your freedom.

Don’t let your joy carry you in to excesses. Learn the laws of the land and obey them. End of quote. When I read that story, I thought that is very much what Jesus Christ said. It is very much His message to every one of us, to those who have been liberated by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

That through His death and resurrection, He has set us free from sin. The Apostle Paul wrote in Galatians 5 .1, stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Jesus gives us our true birthright, spiritual freedom. But that freedom is not an excuse for us as believers to get involved in excesses and live a disobedient life towards God. But rather that freedom is the foundation and the basis for learning and obeying all that God teaches us in His word.

When we come to our text this morning in the Gospel of John chapter 8 verse 31 through 36, John is teaching us and showing us the freedom of truth through Jesus Christ. Jesus has been in a debate with the Pharisees.

He has been debating with them about the truth that He is the Messiah. They have been challenging His class. that he is the light of the world. They are challenging his claims that he is the one to bring true forgiveness and salvation to everyone that believes in him.

In spite of their effort to discredit Jesus Christ, the Bible tells us in John chapter 8 and verse 30 that as he spoke these words many believed on him. I’m so thankful that even though there is a atheistic crowd and a religious crowd that is doing everything they can to undermine the advancement of the gospel of Jesus Christ, that we can testify today that there are many who are coming to Christ and there are many who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

And when we come to verse 31 of this text this morning, Jesus speaks to those who directly believed in him. salvation I want you to hear these amazing words verse 31 then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him if you continue in my word then are you my disciples indeed and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you what free they answered him we be Abraham’s seed and were never in bondage to any man how sayest thou you shall be made free Jesus answered them verily verily I say unto you whosoever commit a sin is the servant of sin and the servant or slave abideth not in the house forever but the Sun abideth forever if the Sun therefore shall make you free you shall be free in the the freedom of truth there are two powerful truths that I want us to learn this morning so powerful in our life that I believe it’s very transformational in our life if we will embrace the truth of what God’s Word is teaching us the first thing that I want you to learn this morning is that the Scriptures make us free the Bible the Word of God is sets us free there are too many Christians that are living in the bondage of sin the bondage of bad habits the bondage of thoughts that are not from God the bondage of lies from the world and those Christians need to be set free that’s why Jesus Christ at the outset in verse 31 and 32 is very clear he is speaking to believers he is speaking to those who have trusted him and he says these words if you continue in my word then are you my disciples indeed and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free let’s break this down just a little bit I want you to stay with the text if you continue in my word he tells us you’re gonna be a disciple if you continue in my word he says you’ll know the truth if you continue in my word the truth shall make you free those who abide and remain in the Word of God first are true followers of God they are true followers of Christ the evidence of your faith and the assurance of your faith is that you remain you abide you continue in God’s Word Jesus Christ was asked a question why it is that some would make a profession but that they would never continue in that profession.

Jesus told a parable and in Luke chapter 8 verse 13 he helps explain that parable as he talks about the seeds and he talks about the seeds being the word of God and how it is put into the hearts of people and he says the ones of the rock are those who when they hear the word they receive it with joy but these have no root and they believe for a while and in time of testing they fall away.

There are many of us who know people who have started out with great excitement and great joy saying that they are a believer saying that they trust in Christ for salvation yet after a year or two maybe even three or four when trials and testing comes in to their life you find them no more.

Why? Because God uses tests and He uses trials to sift in our hearts whether our faith and our belief in Him is really true whether our faith in Jesus Christ is authentic and genuine. There are many people who profess a faith in Jesus Christ but they do not possess the Holy Spirit of God living within them.

There are many people who say that they love God that they are a believer that they are a Christian and whatever other terminology that they want to use but the truth is their heart is far from God. Second Corinthians 13 5 the Apostle Paul said this examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith.

Test yourselves. Do you not realize this about yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you unless indeed you fail to meet the test? Not everyone who says they believe is a true believer and the evidence that your faith is real is the endurance of your faith.

This is important in your personal life. This is important as you’re raising children. This is important as we are trying to influence our grandchildren and other people in our lives as we are trying to influence them to understand that it is essential that they examine themselves to make sure that their faith is real because Jesus says to these new believers a very profound statement if you continue in my Word.

If. It doesn’t mean that I prayed a prayer and now that makes me a disciple and a believer. It means that I must continue in my Word, in God’s Word. If you continue that is the evidence Hebrews 10 verse 38 through 39.

Says referring to believers my righteous one shall live by faith and if he shrinks back My soul has no pleasure in him But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed But of those who have faith and preserve their souls the primary means which the spirit uses for our spiritual growth is the Word of God And if you are here today and you have not Truly believed in Jesus Christ.

This is the time to receive him But also to manifest that your faith is real that you mean business with God that you’re not pretending you’re not playing But you are serious with God. It is that you continue in the Word of God This is the evidence and I think sometimes in our theology We get it all backwards and we just like to take certain portions of the Bible and we say well That’s sufficient Mike.

No my friends We must take the Bible as a whole and we build our theology not on one verse here or there but rather the totality of the word of God and These are the words of our Lord and Savior who said if you continue in my words Then are you my?

disciples indeed Do you want to show that you truly are a disciple? Continue and abide in the Word of God. I Want you to note also and you shall know the truth You see God not only uses his word to manifest whether our faith is real But he uses his word to help us to grow in our faith in that we will know the truth We will know that that truth.

We will grow in that truth. The Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 2 13 for this cause also thank we God without ceasing because when you receive the Word of God which you heard of us you received it not as the Word of men but as it is in truth the Word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe you see my friends the those that are not spiritual those that do not believe those that have never truly been born again they do not discern the Word of God they do not understand they do not know the truth of God and it is because they have not been born again take your Bible and go back to John chapter 6 go back just go back a few pages John chapter 6 and verse 63 I want you to remember these words because I want you to build your theology based upon the Word of God,

not upon what you always hear or what you always think, but rather what the Word of God says. Verse 63, chapter 6, the Gospel of John, it is the Spirit that quickeneth. Stop there. It’s the Spirit of God that makes people alive unto Him.

It’s not Mike’s techniques. It’s not Mike’s methods. It’s not the church’s programs. It is the Spirit that quickeneth. The flesh profiteth nothing. Let that sink into your heart. The words that I speak unto you, God’s words, they are spirit and they are what?

Life. You see, my friends, if you want to grow in your spiritual life, you must abide in the Word. You must recognize that it is the Word of God through the Spirit of God that awakens your heart and helps you to have a great desire for the Word, to have a great desire for God and to know His truth in your life.

The Apostle Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 2 13 that God’s Word works effectually in those that believe. It does not work effectually in those that do not believe, but those who believe, those who trust in Christ.

God’s Word does an amazing work in my heart. God’s Word insulates me from the lies of the flesh and the lies of the world and the lies of the devil. Now go back to John chapter 8, because I want you to see the connection here.

I want you to understand what I’m trying to teach you is that the Scripture sets you free. By helping you to understand, it identifies that you’re a true follower. The scripture sets you free by helping you to grow in the truth.

You shall know the truth, verse 32. And what will the truth do? The truth will make you what? Say it again, free. The truth will make you free. Now listen, he’s talking not to unbelievers, but to believers.

Did you remember the context? Did you remember that he was talking to the Jews that believed on him? Did you know that there are many Christians that believe the lies of the world? There are many Christians, even today, under the sound of my voice, you are believing the lies of your own flesh and your own mind.

You are believing the lies of the devil in your life. This is why you struggle with insecurities. This is why your life is so unstable in your faith. This is why you find yourself wrapped up in addictions.

That’s why you are wrestling with your identity and who you are in Jesus Christ because you are not abiding in the word, but you are abiding in the lies that your mind tells you, that your flesh tells you, that your heart tells you.

People say to me, Mike, I’m gonna follow my heart. I say, don’t do that. The Bible tells us in Jeremiah that the heart is deceitful and wicked, who can know it? You follow your heart and you’ll believe a bunch of lies.

You follow Jesus, my friends, and you’ll be set free. You abide in his word. You come to the word of God and you let the word of God shape your thoughts and shape your mindset and to shape your perspective and to shape your worldview and to shape how you see everything that is happening in your life.

When you interpret everything through your mind, through your heart, through your emotions, through your flesh, you’re gonna have a warped mindset in your Christian life. And you are gonna find yourself constantly battling with things that are hindering your walk with Christ and hindering the direction of your life and you are gonna wrestle with these things over and over in your life because you have embraced the lies of the flesh,

the world, and the devil. Listen to the words of the Apostle Paul who said in Colossians 3 .16, let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom. So the key to wisdom is let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.

You and I are called to. saturate our minds and our thoughts in the word of God. Romans 12 verse two tells us that we are to renew our minds, not to be conformed by this world, but rather to be transformed.

And that transformation takes by renewing the mind. How do you renew the mind? When God’s word is infiltrating your life, it will begin to renew your mind and your thoughts. The Bible says, as a man thanks, so he.

My attitude is rooted in my thoughts. My actions are rooted in my thoughts. My character is rooted in my thoughts. My conduct is rooted in my thoughts. Everything about who I am flows out of my mind and my heart.

That’s why the scripture says, guard your heart. For out of it flows the issues of life. It’s not talking about the issues of your problems, it’s talking about out of it flows your identity, out of it flows your purpose, out of it flows your significance, out of it flows your meaning in life.

Guard your heart, my friends. And there’s many a Christian that hasn’t. And they’re struggling with significance today. They’re struggling with purpose today. They’re struggling with identity. People say, how can a Christian wrestle with these things?

Mike, I tell you why, because they do not abide in God’s word. For if they abide it in His word, it would not only manifest that they are true followers, it would also bring about the truth of God in their minds and hearts, and they would be set free because of that truth.

They would be set free from the lies of this world. They would be set free from the lies of the devil. They would be set free from the lies of their mind and the flesh that consistently deceives them.

You must never forget the more you know the word of God, the more you will be set free from the lies of the devil. The answer is not that you have to go out there and find something else to get meaning and purpose and significance and identity, but rather the answer is to abide in the word of God.

Listen to what the Apostle Paul said in Acts 20, verse 32. As he was getting ready to leave the church at Ephesus, he was speaking to the leaders and the people, and he said, now brethren, I commend you to God.

In a sense, he’s saying, I’m leaving you in the hands of God and to the word of his grace, talking about the Bible, and this is what he’s saying, God’s word is… able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

So here’s the point about God’s word. It is the truth, and this truth will set you free. And the truth from the Bible is both instant in my life, but it is also progressive in my life. When I become a new Christian, guess what?

My spirit is born again. My hearts and affections are directed towards God. My love is for Jesus Christ. But guess what? I still have hang ups. I still have issues in my life. I still have struggles in my life.

I still have problems. I’m still living in the flesh. And this flesh brings with it a lot of issues and drama in my life. And people say, oh, what is wrong with me? My friends, what’s wrong with you is that you and I, like the Apostle Paul, and like every person on the planet, we are born with a sinful nature, and we wrestle with this flesh.

And the Apostle Paul said, oh wretched man that I am, who can deliver me from this flesh? So you have these issues. And what is the antidote? What is the solution? The solution is to abide in God’s Word.

The word abide means to remain, to continue in God’s Word. Let’s go back and look at the text again. If you, verse 31, if you continue in my Word, then are you my disciples? A disciple is a learner. A disciple is someone who is growing, who is following Christ.

And he says, then are you my disciples indeed? That’s the manifestation. You’re truly a disciple. And you shall know the truth. And what will this truth do to you? It will make you what? You’re going to get so tired of saying free that you’re never going to say free again.

But as a pastor, I want you to be free. I want you to be free, and I’m going to talk more about that. But what I’m trying to help you teach you first is that the Scriptures will make you free. Jesus is saying, Jesus is saying to each one of us this morning that the degree to which you apply and abide and live in his teaching is the degree to which you will experience his truth, which in turn determines the degree to which you will be set free in your life.

What is set before you? Will you believe the lies of the world and the devil and your own flesh? Or will you believe the truth of God, the truth of Jesus Christ? And will you walk in freedom? And it is no wonder that the apostle Paul said in Galatians 5, 1, he said, stand fast in that liberty.

Don’t go back to the bondage. Don’t go back to the regulations, the rituals of religion. But he’s saying, walk in that freedom, live in that freedom. Does it mean, again, that I can do whatever I want?

It is the freedom that I’ve been set free from the world. I’ve been set free from my sins. I have been set free from the lies. and the baggage of this world in my flesh, and now I am free to obey Christ.

I am free to follow Christ. I am free to live in Christ. I am free to put my identity in him and him alone. Now look, in verse 34, Jesus said, verily, verily, I say unto you, whosoever commit a sin is the servant, the actual Greek word is slave.

You’re a slave of sin. The servant abides not in the house forever, but the son abides forever. He’s talking about simply this as he’s illustrating the contrast to a life of slavery, to a life of freedom.

The life of slavery is bondage. It’s a life of not identifying with the father, with the family of God. It’s a life of not identifying with the fact that Christ has set you free. You don’t have this bondage over you anymore.

You don’t have to live in this guilt, but the son abided forever. The son who is set free, the son who is a part of the family, the son lives forever in the freedom of Christ and freedom. This freedom will set you free.

This truth will set you free and you will be able to maximize your life for Christ. I said to you, the scripture makes you free. You got to abide in it. And if you do this, you will be set free. Well, I hope the truth of God’s word is affecting you and that you understand that it is God’s word that makes us free and that God works effectively through his word.

And as we abide in his word, we become true followers of Jesus Christ. And I hope today that you’re be more committed than ever to live by the truth, to know the truth, and to practice the truth in your life.

Now I want to tell you that some exciting news we have this new app and it is the Open Door Church app. I want you to go to Google or your Apple Store and I want you to type in the search button. You can type in the Open Door Church.

This is for Chambersburg PA and then the app will pull up and you need to download it for free and then when you put in your profile put that you want to be on the Hope Worth Having part of the app and that app will help you to keep up with all that’s going on in the Hope Worth Having ministries and you can learn more and you could take notes and you can participate in a greater way.

Don’t forget to check out our website HopeWorthHaving .com and you can always reach out to us and contact us and take advantage of that and we’d love to hear from you and just hit that contact button.

Send us what God is doing in your life and the great work that he’s doing. and we will read those and we’re always encouraged by what our listeners say to us. And so I hope you’ll be blessed. This is Pastor Mike Sanders reminding you that in Christ there is hope worth having.