Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31-32 NKJV)
Trapped!
Most of us have felt like the man pictured in this sign. What do you think just happened?
- His wife left him?
- He was fired?
- He had a car accident?
If you look at the rest of the sign, it gives us a clue. Apparently, he had done something he didn’t want to do, but was powerless to resist.
- Maybe, he got drunk after months of not drinking?
- Maybe, he lost his temper and hurt one of his children or his wife?
- Maybe, he watched porn or committed adultery in a weak moment?
Or, maybe he knows that he is a sinner, but can’t find a way out of his bondage.
We could come up with a variety of scenarios. But according to the wording of the sign, sin has trapped this man. He feels like he is against a brick wall with no way of escape. It looks like he’s about given up.
Is there a way out?
Yes, there is. The sign makes a bold promise—Jesus can free you from sin! That’s a strong statement. The sign doesn’t ask what kind of sin we’re talking about. It assumes that the power of Jesus can handle your sin, no matter how bad it is.
Note, however, that the sign doesn’t say that He will set you free, just that He can. You see, it’s up to you. He can do it, but you need to let Him, and cooperate in the process.
What do I do?
Notice the verse printed under the sign, above? This is the passage from which we took this sign message. Let’s take it apart and look at the process a little.
- First, you need to abide in His word. In other words, you need to follow Jesus’ teaching.
- If you do this, you will be His disciple. You will follow Jesus and learn from Him.
- If you are His disciple, He will teach you the truth. He will show you what is right and wrong.
- Once you understand truth, this truth will set you free. It won’t always happen overnight. But it will happen, if you allow it to.
What is freedom?
People interpret freedom many ways. But when Jesus sets you free from your bondage, you will have true freedom. It doesn’t mean that you are free to commit all the sins you want, without repercussions. Rather, it gives you the power not to sin and feel good about it.
Jesus wants to help you.
Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
Do you want rest in your soul? Come to Jesus in true repentance and He will give it to you. Accept His yoke, and He will walk with you. Not only will He forgive your sins, He will give you power to say no to temptation when it comes.
