Please read John 8:31-36; 1 Peter 2:16; Galatians 5:13-14
On Sunday, December 11, 2005, a fisherman spotted a 50-ton humpback whale tangled up in crab-trap lines off the coast of California. He sent out a call for help and a group of Coast Guard divers and whale experts gathered to free the whale. Soon they realized that the rescue operation was both difficult and dangerous. The whale was entangled in some 20 ropes, each 240 feet long and wrapped so tight they were cutting into its flesh. The lines had to be cut by hand, which required diving perilously close to the whale and its powerful tail. The whole operation took around an hour, and no one was injured. Later, some of the divers remarked on the whale's friendly behavior. One said the creature watched and seemed to wink at him as he was cutting a line that went through its mouth. Once freed, the whale began circling and approached the divers one by one to "nuzzle" them. On diver said ‘The whale was doing little dives and the guys were rubbing shoulders with it. It's something that I will always remember. It was just too cool’.”
Dear brother and sister in Christ, Jesus the Christ did something cool in your life! In the John 8 text, Jesus teaches you that because of Him YOU are no longer a slave to sin (John 8:34-36). Sin will not burden you down and Jesus will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-29). You no longer have to run from one god/idol to another, thinking that the munificence of that god (emphasis on lowercase ‘g’) or that idol will save you. Jesus is the one who gives you the freedom from your sin(s) (Galatians 5:13). By His grace, as a follower of Jesus, you have freedom over sin and darkness. So you are free! So you are free to do whatever you want! But what should you do with/in this freedom? Also, free to do what?
Dear brother and sister in Christ, Jesus the Christ did something cool in your life! In the John 8 text, Jesus teaches you that because of Him YOU are no longer a slave to sin (John 8:34-36). Sin will not burden you down and Jesus will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-29). You no longer have to run from one god/idol to another, thinking that the munificence of that god (emphasis on lowercase ‘g’) or that idol will save you. Jesus is the one who gives you the freedom from your sin(s) (Galatians 5:13). By His grace, as a follower of Jesus, you have freedom over sin and darkness. So you are free! So you are free to do whatever you want! But what should you do with/in this freedom? Also, free to do what?
Dear brother and sister in Christ, because of Jesus you are children of God. So as members of God’s family, you are to walk in the way demonstrated by Jesus. So, again, what are you to do with/in this freedom? Both Peter and Paul address this question. Peter tells you that you are to live “as servants of God” (1 Peter 2:16) and Paul teaches that you should “not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another” (Galatians 5:13).
Dear God, my Lord and my Master, I am free because of your Son. Lead me in your love to love and serve others freely and cheerfully. Amen.
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