WEBVTT

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 Thank you for Kevin and his wife Christine. We pray for them as they finish off studies and think about their future and their desire to come to live and work in Ireland.

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 And we pray that if that is part of your plan it would become real clear to them and you would open up the right doors at the right time and provide a means for them to come.

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 And we pray for Kevin now and for us all that we would know your help, that we would understand your word, not just so that we can answer questions but that it would change us and help us see the kind of life you have called us to live and the life you have given to us.

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 So help Kevin and help us now we pray in Jesus name. Amen.

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 If you'd like a pen, I'm going to hand them around. If you want to take notes you can use the button.

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 All right, well good morning. It is good to be with you brothers and sisters.

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 Just as any of you who have traveled to another country, gone to a church there, you know just the joy that it is to be at a church in another country

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 and to immediately feel the unity of the spirit that you have with people in another country.

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 So it's great to be with you today.

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 If you would turn with me in your Bibles to John chapter 8.

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 In the Bibles here it's page 1074, 1074, and that's John chapter 8.

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 You know when I found out that you had, last week you had Dr. Vickers, Brian Vickers preaching here

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 and then many of you came to the Bible week all week and heard him all week,

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 I thought it wasn't fair that they asked me to preach this morning because you got to hear my professor all week

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 and now you got the B team coming up here.

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 But it really is good to be with you.

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 So let's read from John chapter 8, starting in verse 31.

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 And this is what we'll be looking at this morning.

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 John chapter 8, verse 31.

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 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said,

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 If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.

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 Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.

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 They answered him, that is the Jews,

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 We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone.

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 How can you say that we shall be set free?

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 Jesus replied,

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 Very truly I tell you,

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 everyone who sins is a slave to sin.

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 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family,

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 but a son belongs to it forever.

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 So if the son sets you free,

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 you will be free indeed.

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 Let's pray one more time.

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 Father, we come from many different weeks.

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 Maybe some of us had weeks that were joyful.

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 Some of us maybe had weeks that were painful,

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 that were hard.

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 All of us had weeks where we were full of sin

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 and full of struggle,

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 and we are just in need of hearing from your word this morning.

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 So Lord, I pray that you would help us.

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 I pray that you would help me to speak with clarity,

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 that you would give me the words of your spirit,

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 from your spirit to speak what would be helpful

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 to these brothers and sisters.

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 And Lord, would you give all of us ears to hear

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 what it is that you would be speaking to us today.

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 May your word not just be,

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 like Johnny just said,

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 an academic truth that we understand,

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 but it would be a transformative power

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 as your spirit applies it to our hearts.

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 We pray for this. Amen.

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 Well, I understand that you have been looking

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 at the topic of the Christian life this summer.

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 And so I wanted to go along with that

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 and talk about the topic of freedom.

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 And that's not just because we're coming from America.

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 I know America loves to talk about freedom.

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 But I want to talk about specifically freedom

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 in the Christian life.

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 What does it mean that we are free as Christians?

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 And when I say the word freedom,

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 I'm sure there's many different things

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 that come to mind for you

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 because our culture means many different things

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 when they use the word freedom.

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 When I say that word,

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 just think to yourself for a minute,

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 what comes to mind when I say freedom?

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 Maybe it's retirement.

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 Maybe paying off your mortgage.

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 Maybe vacation,

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 sunshine,

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 your parents leaving the home

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 and leaving you alone.

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 Maybe your children leaving the home

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 and leaving you alone.

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 Maybe it's this church service finishing

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 so that you can go and do what you'd like to.

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 Maybe it's just doing whatever you want to do

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 with your time.

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 That's freedom for you.

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 If you ask Google,

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 Google will tell you that freedom

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 is the power or right to act,

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 speak,

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 or think as one wants

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 without hindrance or restraint.

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 That's a very culturally appropriate

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 understanding of freedom.

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 And I understand just from watching the news

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 in your country

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 over the last few years,

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 there have been a lot of talk about freedom

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 and referendums

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 and being free to do what you want to do

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 with your life.

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 There's a lot of confusion

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 over this topic of freedom

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 in our culture.

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 And we are going to find

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 this same confusion

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 over freedom

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 in our passage this morning

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 in John chapter 8.

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 The Jews,

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 as they listen to Jesus

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 speak about freedom,

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 are misunderstanding

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 and confused

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 about what he means by that.

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 And so this morning,

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 I want to look with you

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 at how does Jesus

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 define freedom.

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 And it's a radically different way

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 of defining it

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 than his contemporaries,

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 than our culture,

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 and honestly

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 than many of us as Christians.

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 The way that we normally think

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 of freedom,

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 Jesus defines it

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 in a very different way

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 than us.

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 And just to give you

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 a high-level view

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 so that you know

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 kind of where I'm going

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 with this

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 as we speak this morning,

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 we are going to see here

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 that Jesus tells us

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 that apart from him,

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 we are all blindly

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 slaves to sin

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 with no ability

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 to free ourselves.

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 but Jesus,

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 as the only one

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 with authority

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 over sin

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 and over us,

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 can break the power

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 of sin

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 and release us

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 to live free from sin.

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 That that is true freedom

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 is living away from sin.

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 And that only Jesus

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 provides true freedom,

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 the freedom to live

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 as God created us to live.

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 That is what we will see

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 here in our passage.

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 But before we get there,

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 before we look at

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 Jesus' definition of freedom,

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 I want to just take

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 a few minutes to see,

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 well, where are we

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 in John's Gospel?

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 We jumped in here

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 in chapter 8.

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 What happened before?

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 What's happening around this?

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 Well, John's Gospel,

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 if you've read it before,

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 you'll notice that

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 it focuses very often

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 on these lengthy

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 confrontations

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 between Jesus

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 and the religious leaders

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 of the day.

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 This is not the case

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 with other of the Gospels

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 as much,

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 but very much

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 in John's Gospel.

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 And the religious leaders

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 of Jesus' day

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 were very confused

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 by him.

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 They were struggling

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 to understand

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 because they were intrigued

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 with what he was saying.

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 They said he speaks

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 as no one has ever

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 spoken before.

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 And so some were

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 starting to believe.

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 You see that actually

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 in verse 30,

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 here in chapter 8,

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 it says,

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 as he spoke,

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 many believed in him.

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 So they were interested,

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 some of them

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 were believing in him.

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 And yet at the same time,

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 Jesus was saying things

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 that to these leaders

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 sounded harsh,

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 sounded confusing,

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 sounded even to them

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 sometimes blasphemous.

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 Like someone should not

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 say these things

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 if they love God.

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 And so when Jesus introduces

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 the topic of freedom

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 for them in this passage,

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 in our passage

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 we're looking at today,

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 again,

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 they misunderstand him.

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 Look back at verse 33 here.

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 It says,

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 they answered him,

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 we are Abraham's descendants

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 and we have never been

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 slaves of anyone.

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 How can you say

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 we shall be set free?

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 Now this is an interesting

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 statement they make here

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 because if you have ever read

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 any of the Old Testament,

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 you might think that

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 this is a bit strange.

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 How can the Jews say

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 they have never been

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 slaves of anyone?

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 In fact,

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 the Old Testament

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 is the story of the Jews

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 being enslaved to everyone.

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 The Egyptians,

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 the Philistines,

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 the Babylonians,

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 the Assyrians,

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 every world power

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 around them

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 at some time

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 enslaved the Jewish people.

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 And yet they say here,

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 we have never been

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 a slave to anyone.

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 We are Abraham's descendants.

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 But see,

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 for the Jews at that time,

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 they knew rightly

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 that they were God's people.

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 And so they had this

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 spiritual,

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 inward freedom

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 that no,

00:09:39.399 --> 00:09:40.340
 we are God's people.

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 God has made a covenant

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 with us.

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 And so no matter what

00:09:43.280 --> 00:09:44.639
 our external circumstances

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 look like,

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 we have this inward,

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 real freedom

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 freedom,

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 because we are God's people.

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 But the problem is,

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 well,

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 and I should say,

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 that is why they ask

00:09:55.820 --> 00:09:56.399
 this question.

00:09:56.519 --> 00:09:56.960
 They say,

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 how can you say

00:09:58.519 --> 00:09:59.539
 we shall be set free?

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 In other words,

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 if I'm already free,

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 how can I be more free?

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 How is that possible?

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 That's what they're asking Jesus.

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 But the problem is,

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 and what we'll see here,

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 is Jesus is going to expose

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 that they are in fact mistaken.

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 That they have

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 misdiagnosed

00:10:14.139 --> 00:10:14.820
 their need,

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 and they have

00:10:15.399 --> 00:10:16.439
 misunderstood

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 what it really means

00:10:18.559 --> 00:10:19.399
 to be free.

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 And so what can we then

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 learn about freedom

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 as a Christian,

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 and the freedom

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 that Jesus brings

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 from this passage?

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 Well,

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 I'm going to show you here

00:10:29.600 --> 00:10:31.500
 quickly three things

00:10:31.500 --> 00:10:32.439
 from this passage

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 that Jesus,

00:10:33.120 --> 00:10:33.939
 three ways

00:10:33.939 --> 00:10:35.319
 that Jesus describes

00:10:35.319 --> 00:10:35.899
 the freedom

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 that he brings.

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 The first thing he says

00:10:38.139 --> 00:10:38.740
 is that it is

00:10:38.740 --> 00:10:39.980
 conditional freedom.

00:10:40.759 --> 00:10:41.579
 The second thing

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 is he will say

00:10:42.379 --> 00:10:43.100
 that it is

00:10:43.100 --> 00:10:44.500
 a created freedom.

00:10:44.500 --> 00:10:46.059
 And then third,

00:10:46.139 --> 00:10:46.659
 he will say

00:10:46.659 --> 00:10:48.759
 it is a costly freedom.

00:10:49.019 --> 00:10:49.919
 So let's look at

00:10:49.919 --> 00:10:50.980
 those three things

00:10:50.980 --> 00:10:51.600
 in turn.

00:10:51.879 --> 00:10:52.279
 First,

00:10:53.080 --> 00:10:53.740
 the freedom

00:10:53.740 --> 00:10:54.620
 that Jesus brings

00:10:54.620 --> 00:10:56.639
 is a conditional freedom.

00:10:57.360 --> 00:10:57.960
 Look back

00:10:57.960 --> 00:10:59.139
 at verse 31.

00:11:00.440 --> 00:11:01.039
 To the Jews

00:11:01.039 --> 00:11:01.879
 who had believed him,

00:11:01.980 --> 00:11:02.840
 Jesus said,

00:11:03.419 --> 00:11:03.799
 if.

00:11:04.840 --> 00:11:06.039
 That's an important word.

00:11:06.139 --> 00:11:07.120
 Whenever we see that word

00:11:07.120 --> 00:11:08.000
 when we're reading the Bible,

00:11:08.100 --> 00:11:08.740
 it should cause us

00:11:08.740 --> 00:11:09.580
 to stop.

00:11:10.220 --> 00:11:11.059
 Because if

00:11:11.059 --> 00:11:11.860
 always brings

00:11:11.860 --> 00:11:12.740
 a condition

00:11:12.740 --> 00:11:13.560
 attached.

00:11:15.180 --> 00:11:16.360
 If you hold

00:11:16.360 --> 00:11:17.379
 to my teaching,

00:11:18.220 --> 00:11:18.860
 you are really

00:11:18.860 --> 00:11:19.620
 my disciples.

00:11:20.460 --> 00:11:21.419
 Then you will know

00:11:21.419 --> 00:11:22.139
 the truth

00:11:22.139 --> 00:11:23.000
 and the truth

00:11:23.000 --> 00:11:24.060
 will set you free.

00:11:24.519 --> 00:11:25.360
 So the freedom,

00:11:25.560 --> 00:11:26.080
 the first thing

00:11:26.080 --> 00:11:26.799
 we see here

00:11:26.799 --> 00:11:28.019
 is that the freedom

00:11:28.019 --> 00:11:28.820
 that Jesus brings

00:11:28.820 --> 00:11:30.759
 is not an automatic freedom.

00:11:31.159 --> 00:11:31.840
 It's not a freedom

00:11:31.840 --> 00:11:32.919
 that everyone

00:11:32.919 --> 00:11:34.399
 automatically receives.

00:11:35.419 --> 00:11:36.360
 And this is something,

00:11:36.480 --> 00:11:36.960
 putting these

00:11:36.960 --> 00:11:37.820
 if statements

00:11:37.820 --> 00:11:38.259
 is something

00:11:38.259 --> 00:11:39.100
 that Jesus does

00:11:39.100 --> 00:11:40.180
 very often,

00:11:40.340 --> 00:11:41.340
 especially in the

00:11:41.340 --> 00:11:42.280
 gospel of John

00:11:42.280 --> 00:11:42.940
 that we are looking

00:11:42.940 --> 00:11:43.700
 at right here.

00:11:44.240 --> 00:11:44.759
 You can think

00:11:44.759 --> 00:11:45.620
 of other places

00:11:45.620 --> 00:11:46.460
 that are familiar

00:11:46.460 --> 00:11:46.940
 to us,

00:11:46.960 --> 00:11:48.019
 like in John 15

00:11:48.019 --> 00:11:48.940
 where Jesus is talking

00:11:48.940 --> 00:11:50.019
 about being the vine

00:11:50.019 --> 00:11:50.560
 and the branches

00:11:50.560 --> 00:11:51.100
 and he says,

00:11:51.519 --> 00:11:52.899
 if you remain in me,

00:11:53.240 --> 00:11:54.460
 then you will bear fruit.

00:11:54.780 --> 00:11:55.860
 Or he talks about

00:11:55.860 --> 00:11:57.580
 if you remain in my love,

00:11:57.660 --> 00:11:58.500
 then you are my disciples.

00:11:58.700 --> 00:11:59.080
 Or he says,

00:11:59.420 --> 00:12:01.120
 if you keep my commandments,

00:12:01.379 --> 00:12:02.000
 then you will show

00:12:02.000 --> 00:12:02.759
 you are my disciples.

00:12:02.960 --> 00:12:04.920
 So this is a very common thing

00:12:04.920 --> 00:12:05.780
 for Jesus to put

00:12:05.780 --> 00:12:06.360
 these kind of

00:12:06.360 --> 00:12:07.440
 if statements

00:12:07.440 --> 00:12:08.820
 and put a condition

00:12:08.820 --> 00:12:10.280
 on a promise.

00:12:11.860 --> 00:12:12.980
 Well, so what is

00:12:12.980 --> 00:12:14.100
 the condition here

00:12:14.100 --> 00:12:15.140
 that Jesus is placing

00:12:15.140 --> 00:12:15.520
 on this?

00:12:15.600 --> 00:12:16.720
 What does he say

00:12:16.720 --> 00:12:17.860
 you need to do

00:12:17.860 --> 00:12:19.080
 to prove

00:12:19.080 --> 00:12:20.140
 that you are his disciple?

00:12:21.100 --> 00:12:21.860
 Well, he says,

00:12:21.980 --> 00:12:23.400
 you see it in verse 31 there,

00:12:23.440 --> 00:12:23.820
 he says,

00:12:23.940 --> 00:12:24.800
 if you hold

00:12:24.800 --> 00:12:25.980
 to my teaching.

00:12:26.800 --> 00:12:28.080
 And that word hold

00:12:28.080 --> 00:12:29.960
 there is the same word

00:12:29.960 --> 00:12:30.680
 that is used

00:12:30.680 --> 00:12:31.560
 in John 15

00:12:31.560 --> 00:12:32.540
 for abide

00:12:32.540 --> 00:12:33.480
 that you might be

00:12:33.480 --> 00:12:34.040
 familiar with

00:12:34.040 --> 00:12:34.720
 where he talks about

00:12:34.720 --> 00:12:35.960
 abiding in him

00:12:35.960 --> 00:12:36.900
 as the vine.

00:12:36.899 --> 00:12:38.519
 So that word hold

00:12:38.519 --> 00:12:39.319
 or remain

00:12:39.319 --> 00:12:40.779
 or stay

00:12:40.779 --> 00:12:42.000
 in his teaching.

00:12:43.120 --> 00:12:44.819
 So just to show

00:12:44.819 --> 00:12:46.120
 that we are his disciples,

00:12:46.340 --> 00:12:46.939
 Jesus is saying,

00:12:47.299 --> 00:12:48.039
 you must hold

00:12:48.039 --> 00:12:48.639
 to my teaching.

00:12:48.759 --> 00:12:49.679
 You must remain

00:12:49.679 --> 00:12:51.179
 in my teaching,

00:12:51.279 --> 00:12:51.860
 my word

00:12:51.860 --> 00:12:53.019
 that I have taught you.

00:12:54.480 --> 00:12:54.899
 And see,

00:12:55.000 --> 00:12:56.039
 in the Christian life,

00:12:56.079 --> 00:12:57.439
 there is this great emphasis

00:12:57.439 --> 00:12:58.639
 on truth

00:12:58.639 --> 00:12:59.740
 as we see here

00:12:59.740 --> 00:13:00.720
 that Christianity

00:13:00.720 --> 00:13:02.139
 is not just about

00:13:02.139 --> 00:13:03.100
 feelings

00:13:03.100 --> 00:13:04.759
 or emotions

00:13:04.759 --> 00:13:06.039
 or opinions,

00:13:06.039 --> 00:13:07.439
 but Jesus is concerned

00:13:07.439 --> 00:13:08.639
 with what is true

00:13:08.639 --> 00:13:10.039
 because he says

00:13:10.039 --> 00:13:11.599
 knowing the truth

00:13:11.599 --> 00:13:12.579
 in verse 32

00:13:12.579 --> 00:13:14.579
 is what sets you free.

00:13:16.199 --> 00:13:17.279
 So let me just

00:13:17.279 --> 00:13:18.259
 make a,

00:13:18.439 --> 00:13:19.659
 just apply this

00:13:19.659 --> 00:13:20.159
 very briefly,

00:13:20.219 --> 00:13:21.079
 very quickly here

00:13:21.079 --> 00:13:21.519
 that if,

00:13:21.980 --> 00:13:23.599
 if just saying

00:13:23.599 --> 00:13:25.079
 that you are a Christian

00:13:25.079 --> 00:13:26.579
 is not enough,

00:13:26.919 --> 00:13:27.139
 just,

00:13:27.259 --> 00:13:27.939
 just to make

00:13:27.939 --> 00:13:28.799
 that statement,

00:13:29.699 --> 00:13:31.000
 being a disciple

00:13:31.000 --> 00:13:32.139
 or a follower

00:13:32.139 --> 00:13:32.719
 of Jesus

00:13:32.719 --> 00:13:33.939
 is not just

00:13:33.939 --> 00:13:35.480
 an intellectual thing

00:13:35.480 --> 00:13:36.279
 that you know

00:13:36.279 --> 00:13:37.379
 certain truths

00:13:37.379 --> 00:13:38.080
 about him,

00:13:38.440 --> 00:13:39.420
 but Jesus is saying,

00:13:39.519 --> 00:13:39.639
 no,

00:13:39.720 --> 00:13:40.279
 this is about

00:13:40.279 --> 00:13:41.740
 a moral commitment

00:13:41.740 --> 00:13:42.580
 to me

00:13:42.580 --> 00:13:43.940
 that you must remain

00:13:43.940 --> 00:13:44.879
 in my teaching,

00:13:45.080 --> 00:13:46.539
 hold to my teaching.

00:13:48.120 --> 00:13:48.519
 And so,

00:13:48.899 --> 00:13:49.019
 well,

00:13:49.060 --> 00:13:49.680
 what does knowing

00:13:49.680 --> 00:13:50.300
 the truth do?

00:13:50.360 --> 00:13:50.440
 Well,

00:13:50.460 --> 00:13:51.120
 the truth

00:13:51.120 --> 00:13:53.139
 sets us free,

00:13:53.340 --> 00:13:53.500
 right?

00:13:53.519 --> 00:13:54.420
 That's what he says here.

00:13:54.560 --> 00:13:55.539
 But the next question

00:13:55.539 --> 00:13:56.180
 that we should ask

00:13:56.180 --> 00:13:56.300
 is,

00:13:56.360 --> 00:13:56.440
 well,

00:13:56.500 --> 00:13:58.159
 what does it set us free to?

00:13:58.300 --> 00:13:58.460
 I mean,

00:13:58.519 --> 00:14:00.180
 what are we free from?

00:14:00.300 --> 00:14:01.320
 What are we free to?

00:14:01.440 --> 00:14:02.720
 What is this freedom

00:14:02.720 --> 00:14:03.580
 giving us?

00:14:03.580 --> 00:14:05.220
 And that brings us

00:14:05.220 --> 00:14:06.220
 to the second point

00:14:06.220 --> 00:14:07.040
 that not only

00:14:07.040 --> 00:14:08.060
 is Jesus' freedom

00:14:08.060 --> 00:14:08.980
 conditional,

00:14:09.440 --> 00:14:10.520
 but his freedom

00:14:10.520 --> 00:14:12.139
 is also created.

00:14:13.420 --> 00:14:14.879
 And that's a bit confusing.

00:14:15.000 --> 00:14:16.020
 What I mean by that

00:14:16.020 --> 00:14:18.080
 is that it is a freedom

00:14:18.080 --> 00:14:19.020
 that is according

00:14:19.020 --> 00:14:20.480
 to our design,

00:14:21.000 --> 00:14:22.080
 according to the way

00:14:22.080 --> 00:14:23.300
 that we have been created.

00:14:25.660 --> 00:14:27.660
 Truth sets us free.

00:14:27.980 --> 00:14:28.520
 And so that means

00:14:28.520 --> 00:14:29.540
 that knowing

00:14:29.540 --> 00:14:31.540
 what is true about us,

00:14:31.539 --> 00:14:32.419
 knowing what is true

00:14:32.419 --> 00:14:33.219
 about God,

00:14:33.519 --> 00:14:34.079
 knowing what is true

00:14:34.079 --> 00:14:34.740
 about how God

00:14:34.740 --> 00:14:35.839
 has created us,

00:14:36.099 --> 00:14:37.759
 is what will set us free.

00:14:37.860 --> 00:14:38.699
 That is the truth

00:14:38.699 --> 00:14:39.719
 that will free us.

00:14:40.179 --> 00:14:40.879
 So the question

00:14:40.879 --> 00:14:41.639
 that we need to ask

00:14:41.639 --> 00:14:41.799
 is,

00:14:41.959 --> 00:14:42.059
 okay,

00:14:42.139 --> 00:14:42.259
 well,

00:14:42.319 --> 00:14:43.719
 what is true about us?

00:14:44.099 --> 00:14:45.319
 How have we been created?

00:14:45.519 --> 00:14:47.439
 How has God made us?

00:14:48.259 --> 00:14:48.439
 Well,

00:14:48.480 --> 00:14:49.299
 turn with me back

00:14:49.299 --> 00:14:50.099
 all the way

00:14:50.099 --> 00:14:50.779
 to the beginning

00:14:50.779 --> 00:14:51.360
 of the Bible,

00:14:51.500 --> 00:14:52.620
 Genesis chapter 1.

00:14:54.719 --> 00:14:56.399
 It's on page 3

00:14:56.399 --> 00:14:58.240
 of these Pew Bibles,

00:14:58.360 --> 00:14:58.759
 but it's a little

00:14:58.759 --> 00:14:59.539
 difficult to find,

00:14:59.599 --> 00:15:00.799
 so just find the first book,

00:15:00.799 --> 00:15:01.599
 Genesis 1.

00:15:03.099 --> 00:15:04.279
 And let's read here

00:15:04.279 --> 00:15:04.939
 just for a minute

00:15:04.939 --> 00:15:07.359
 about what is true

00:15:07.359 --> 00:15:08.719
 about our design

00:15:08.719 --> 00:15:09.899
 that would help us

00:15:09.899 --> 00:15:10.839
 to understand

00:15:10.839 --> 00:15:12.979
 what has God created us for?

00:15:13.019 --> 00:15:13.839
 What is the freedom

00:15:13.839 --> 00:15:15.679
 that God has made us to do?

00:15:16.359 --> 00:15:18.139
 So starting in verse 26

00:15:18.139 --> 00:15:19.539
 of Genesis 1,

00:15:20.859 --> 00:15:21.579
 it says,

00:15:21.679 --> 00:15:22.379
 Then God said,

00:15:22.500 --> 00:15:23.799
 Let us make mankind

00:15:23.799 --> 00:15:25.379
 in our image,

00:15:25.799 --> 00:15:27.079
 in our likeness,

00:15:27.079 --> 00:15:28.620
 so that they may rule

00:15:28.620 --> 00:15:29.299
 over the fish

00:15:29.299 --> 00:15:29.959
 and the sea

00:15:29.959 --> 00:15:30.639
 and the birds

00:15:30.639 --> 00:15:31.279
 and the sky

00:15:31.279 --> 00:15:32.099
 over the livestock

00:15:32.099 --> 00:15:33.539
 and all the wild animals,

00:15:34.219 --> 00:15:35.219
 over all the creatures

00:15:35.219 --> 00:15:36.599
 that move along the ground.

00:15:37.759 --> 00:15:39.179
 So God created mankind

00:15:39.179 --> 00:15:40.579
 in His own image.

00:15:41.120 --> 00:15:42.039
 In the image of God,

00:15:42.120 --> 00:15:43.079
 He created them.

00:15:43.599 --> 00:15:44.599
 Male and female,

00:15:44.759 --> 00:15:45.719
 He created them.

00:15:46.279 --> 00:15:47.399
 God blessed them

00:15:47.399 --> 00:15:48.679
 and said to them,

00:15:48.779 --> 00:15:49.500
 Be fruitful

00:15:49.500 --> 00:15:51.339
 and increase in number.

00:15:51.779 --> 00:15:52.699
 Fill the earth

00:15:52.699 --> 00:15:53.559
 and subdue it.

00:15:54.039 --> 00:15:55.139
 Rule over the fish

00:15:55.139 --> 00:15:55.799
 and the sea

00:15:55.799 --> 00:15:56.500
 and the birds

00:15:56.500 --> 00:15:57.159
 in the sky

00:15:57.159 --> 00:15:58.559
 and over every living creature

00:15:58.559 --> 00:16:00.100
 that moves on the ground.

00:16:01.700 --> 00:16:03.059
 Okay, there's a lot there,

00:16:03.220 --> 00:16:04.340
 but let me just point out

00:16:04.340 --> 00:16:05.580
 a couple things to you.

00:16:06.580 --> 00:16:07.840
 And the first thing is,

00:16:08.159 --> 00:16:09.240
 if you can see,

00:16:09.360 --> 00:16:10.960
 and this is a very interesting thing

00:16:10.960 --> 00:16:11.440
 to notice,

00:16:11.600 --> 00:16:12.580
 in verse 28,

00:16:13.639 --> 00:16:15.980
 when God created mankind,

00:16:16.360 --> 00:16:17.080
 man and woman,

00:16:18.299 --> 00:16:19.919
 the first thing that He does

00:16:19.919 --> 00:16:21.799
 is He blesses them, right?

00:16:21.799 --> 00:16:22.840
 In verse 28,

00:16:22.960 --> 00:16:23.259
 it says,

00:16:23.500 --> 00:16:24.480
 God blessed them.

00:16:25.259 --> 00:16:26.580
 And then He says to them,

00:16:27.279 --> 00:16:28.019
 Be fruitful

00:16:28.019 --> 00:16:29.259
 and increase in number.

00:16:29.399 --> 00:16:29.860
 Fill the earth

00:16:29.860 --> 00:16:30.480
 and subdue it.

00:16:30.519 --> 00:16:31.340
 Well, what is that?

00:16:32.080 --> 00:16:33.680
 That's a command, right?

00:16:34.039 --> 00:16:35.320
 So the first words

00:16:35.320 --> 00:16:36.980
 that God speaks to you

00:16:36.980 --> 00:16:37.460
 and to me

00:16:37.460 --> 00:16:38.440
 or to Adam and Eve

00:16:38.440 --> 00:16:39.399
 as creatures

00:16:39.399 --> 00:16:40.800
 is a command.

00:16:41.200 --> 00:16:41.960
 And yet it says

00:16:41.960 --> 00:16:42.659
 that command

00:16:42.659 --> 00:16:43.820
 is a blessing.

00:16:44.620 --> 00:16:44.920
 Do you see

00:16:44.920 --> 00:16:45.659
 what I'm saying here?

00:16:45.800 --> 00:16:46.920
 This is very interesting

00:16:46.920 --> 00:16:48.320
 because often I think

00:16:48.320 --> 00:16:49.560
 even as Christians

00:16:49.560 --> 00:16:50.180
 we can think,

00:16:50.180 --> 00:16:51.920
 well, commands from God

00:16:51.920 --> 00:16:53.899
 are almost bad things.

00:16:53.899 --> 00:16:55.179
 They come because of sin.

00:16:55.259 --> 00:16:56.199
 Because we're broken people,

00:16:56.299 --> 00:16:57.500
 God has to tell us what to do.

00:16:57.720 --> 00:16:58.579
 But that's not the way

00:16:58.579 --> 00:16:59.840
 the Bible presents it here.

00:17:00.159 --> 00:17:01.319
 This is before sin

00:17:01.319 --> 00:17:02.620
 had ever entered the world.

00:17:03.000 --> 00:17:04.180
 Adam and Eve are perfect,

00:17:04.539 --> 00:17:05.420
 living in unity

00:17:05.420 --> 00:17:06.259
 with each other,

00:17:06.319 --> 00:17:06.819
 with God.

00:17:07.139 --> 00:17:08.440
 And God blesses them

00:17:08.440 --> 00:17:09.480
 with a command.

00:17:09.960 --> 00:17:11.259
 A command from God

00:17:11.259 --> 00:17:11.900
 is a blessing.

00:17:13.200 --> 00:17:14.019
 And so the first thing

00:17:14.019 --> 00:17:14.680
 that we can see here

00:17:14.680 --> 00:17:15.680
 is that we are created

00:17:15.680 --> 00:17:16.720
 as creatures

00:17:16.720 --> 00:17:18.799
 to obey God.

00:17:18.879 --> 00:17:20.579
 That is how we are designed.

00:17:20.579 --> 00:17:23.139
 And obeying God

00:17:23.139 --> 00:17:24.619
 and loving God

00:17:24.619 --> 00:17:26.279
 and enjoying God

00:17:26.279 --> 00:17:28.059
 and following His commands

00:17:28.059 --> 00:17:29.339
 is the freedom

00:17:29.339 --> 00:17:30.240
 that we were given

00:17:30.240 --> 00:17:32.099
 when we were first created.

00:17:32.379 --> 00:17:33.240
 Those are not things

00:17:33.240 --> 00:17:34.259
 that came afterwards

00:17:34.259 --> 00:17:37.359
 as a second idea from God.

00:17:37.419 --> 00:17:38.679
 But that was His first

00:17:38.679 --> 00:17:41.159
 primary free thing

00:17:41.159 --> 00:17:41.919
 that He was giving us

00:17:41.919 --> 00:17:42.819
 is in your freedom

00:17:42.819 --> 00:17:43.939
 as my created creatures,

00:17:44.279 --> 00:17:44.819
 obey me.

00:17:45.099 --> 00:17:46.720
 This is my design for you.

00:17:47.720 --> 00:17:48.860
 And so before sin,

00:17:49.299 --> 00:17:50.640
 we joyfully lived

00:17:50.640 --> 00:17:51.579
 under God's commands.

00:17:51.740 --> 00:17:53.740
 We followed the blueprint

00:17:53.740 --> 00:17:55.100
 that He had put in us

00:17:55.100 --> 00:17:56.059
 or maybe if you're

00:17:56.059 --> 00:17:56.839
 a computer person,

00:17:56.940 --> 00:17:57.380
 you could say

00:17:57.380 --> 00:17:58.519
 the software

00:17:58.519 --> 00:17:59.920
 that God gave us

00:17:59.920 --> 00:18:01.860
 inside to run properly

00:18:01.860 --> 00:18:03.559
 was to function

00:18:03.559 --> 00:18:04.920
 according to this design,

00:18:05.019 --> 00:18:06.339
 the design that He gave us.

00:18:07.220 --> 00:18:08.460
 And what was that design?

00:18:08.559 --> 00:18:09.279
 What was the design

00:18:09.279 --> 00:18:10.220
 that God gave us

00:18:10.220 --> 00:18:11.200
 when He created us?

00:18:11.220 --> 00:18:12.160
 Well, you saw that there

00:18:12.160 --> 00:18:13.660
 in verse 26

00:18:13.660 --> 00:18:15.400
 it said of Genesis 1,

00:18:15.940 --> 00:18:16.380
 God says,

00:18:16.380 --> 00:18:17.800
 let us make mankind

00:18:17.800 --> 00:18:19.060
 in our image,

00:18:19.140 --> 00:18:20.820
 in our likeness.

00:18:22.040 --> 00:18:23.220
 So our design

00:18:23.220 --> 00:18:24.960
 is the image of God.

00:18:25.080 --> 00:18:25.700
 That is the way

00:18:25.700 --> 00:18:27.040
 that God has created us.

00:18:28.120 --> 00:18:29.460
 And sometimes I think

00:18:29.460 --> 00:18:30.340
 we can be confused

00:18:30.340 --> 00:18:31.100
 over what does

00:18:31.100 --> 00:18:32.280
 the image of God mean?

00:18:32.400 --> 00:18:33.020
 Does that mean

00:18:33.020 --> 00:18:34.580
 I look like God?

00:18:34.680 --> 00:18:35.720
 That God kind of

00:18:35.720 --> 00:18:36.600
 looks like Kevin

00:18:36.600 --> 00:18:37.980
 or Kevin looks like God?

00:18:38.060 --> 00:18:39.020
 What does it mean

00:18:39.020 --> 00:18:40.220
 to be in the image of God?

00:18:41.540 --> 00:18:42.900
 Well, it really means

00:18:42.900 --> 00:18:44.540
 that we are God's representatives,

00:18:45.020 --> 00:18:46.160
 that we are little pictures

00:18:46.160 --> 00:18:47.440
 of God in this world.

00:18:47.900 --> 00:18:49.000
 And we know that

00:18:49.000 --> 00:18:50.700
 because if you study

00:18:50.700 --> 00:18:51.460
 the cultures

00:18:51.460 --> 00:18:52.740
 around the Jews

00:18:52.740 --> 00:18:53.640
 at the time

00:18:53.640 --> 00:18:54.900
 that Genesis was made,

00:18:55.500 --> 00:18:57.380
 the kings of those cultures,

00:18:57.519 --> 00:18:58.120
 so Egypt

00:18:58.120 --> 00:18:58.940
 and those other ones

00:18:58.940 --> 00:18:59.440
 that were living,

00:18:59.920 --> 00:19:01.540
 the kings were called

00:19:01.540 --> 00:19:02.960
 the image of God.

00:19:03.080 --> 00:19:04.160
 So it wasn't just the Jews

00:19:04.160 --> 00:19:05.200
 who used this kind of language,

00:19:05.420 --> 00:19:06.320
 it was all the cultures

00:19:06.320 --> 00:19:07.220
 around them as well.

00:19:07.540 --> 00:19:08.100
 That they were,

00:19:08.200 --> 00:19:09.180
 the king was called

00:19:09.180 --> 00:19:10.200
 the image of God.

00:19:10.500 --> 00:19:11.279
 And that didn't mean

00:19:11.279 --> 00:19:12.180
 that these kings

00:19:12.180 --> 00:19:13.380
 looked like God.

00:19:13.380 --> 00:19:14.120
 They could even be

00:19:14.120 --> 00:19:16.200
 the image of a female God.

00:19:16.860 --> 00:19:17.800
 But what it meant

00:19:17.800 --> 00:19:18.360
 was that

00:19:18.360 --> 00:19:20.040
 they were representatives

00:19:20.040 --> 00:19:22.520
 of that God's rule

00:19:22.520 --> 00:19:23.440
 in the world.

00:19:23.560 --> 00:19:24.240
 That was what it meant

00:19:24.240 --> 00:19:25.020
 to be the image.

00:19:25.860 --> 00:19:26.200
 And so,

00:19:26.380 --> 00:19:27.440
 then these kings

00:19:27.440 --> 00:19:28.560
 would then set up

00:19:28.560 --> 00:19:29.920
 images of themselves

00:19:29.920 --> 00:19:31.140
 in their land.

00:19:31.220 --> 00:19:31.860
 So you think of,

00:19:32.020 --> 00:19:32.380
 in Egypt,

00:19:32.520 --> 00:19:33.300
 the Sphinx,

00:19:33.620 --> 00:19:34.400
 which is an image

00:19:34.400 --> 00:19:35.020
 of the king.

00:19:35.220 --> 00:19:35.920
 That was a way

00:19:35.920 --> 00:19:36.560
 that the king

00:19:36.560 --> 00:19:37.700
 then put an image

00:19:37.700 --> 00:19:38.320
 of himself

00:19:38.320 --> 00:19:39.120
 into the land,

00:19:39.220 --> 00:19:39.540
 again,

00:19:39.539 --> 00:19:40.059
 to show

00:19:40.059 --> 00:19:41.619
 this is my land.

00:19:41.759 --> 00:19:42.519
 I rule

00:19:42.519 --> 00:19:43.599
 in this land

00:19:43.599 --> 00:19:45.059
 through these images

00:19:45.059 --> 00:19:46.119
 that I have created.

00:19:46.879 --> 00:19:47.899
 And this is exactly

00:19:47.899 --> 00:19:49.039
 the same imagery

00:19:49.039 --> 00:19:50.299
 that God is giving us

00:19:50.299 --> 00:19:51.319
 in Genesis 1,

00:19:51.519 --> 00:19:52.259
 that he was giving

00:19:52.259 --> 00:19:52.799
 to the Jews,

00:19:52.879 --> 00:19:53.339
 that he was giving

00:19:53.339 --> 00:19:54.359
 to the people of God

00:19:54.359 --> 00:19:55.379
 when he first created them,

00:19:55.440 --> 00:19:57.440
 is you are little images

00:19:57.440 --> 00:19:58.099
 of me

00:19:58.099 --> 00:19:59.659
 in this world

00:19:59.659 --> 00:20:01.339
 created to show

00:20:01.339 --> 00:20:03.039
 God's character,

00:20:03.460 --> 00:20:04.799
 to bring his rule,

00:20:05.079 --> 00:20:06.259
 to bring his reign

00:20:06.259 --> 00:20:07.279
 into this world.

00:20:07.279 --> 00:20:08.379
 That is what it means

00:20:08.380 --> 00:20:09.220
 for us to be

00:20:09.220 --> 00:20:10.120
 the image of God.

00:20:10.280 --> 00:20:10.580
 And so,

00:20:10.940 --> 00:20:11.960
 by design,

00:20:12.700 --> 00:20:13.300
 we are created

00:20:13.300 --> 00:20:14.400
 to reflect God,

00:20:14.600 --> 00:20:16.580
 to show what he is like.

00:20:17.020 --> 00:20:18.120
 That is our software,

00:20:18.360 --> 00:20:19.480
 is to show God.

00:20:20.560 --> 00:20:21.440
 And if you think

00:20:21.440 --> 00:20:22.180
 about that for a minute,

00:20:22.300 --> 00:20:23.200
 that means that

00:20:23.200 --> 00:20:25.120
 the freedom that we have

00:20:25.120 --> 00:20:26.000
 when we were created

00:20:26.000 --> 00:20:27.300
 was a freedom

00:20:27.300 --> 00:20:28.580
 with boundaries

00:20:28.580 --> 00:20:29.740
 around it, right?

00:20:29.800 --> 00:20:30.740
 Because God

00:20:30.740 --> 00:20:32.100
 is a God

00:20:32.100 --> 00:20:33.160
 who only acts

00:20:33.160 --> 00:20:34.280
 in certain ways.

00:20:34.640 --> 00:20:35.300
 God is a God

00:20:35.300 --> 00:20:36.180
 who is holy

00:20:36.180 --> 00:20:37.240
 and only does

00:20:37.240 --> 00:20:38.240
 certain things.

00:20:38.380 --> 00:20:38.840
 And so,

00:20:38.920 --> 00:20:39.540
 if we were created

00:20:39.540 --> 00:20:40.360
 in God's image,

00:20:40.360 --> 00:20:41.000
 that means that

00:20:41.000 --> 00:20:41.760
 our freedom

00:20:41.760 --> 00:20:42.800
 that we were created in

00:20:42.800 --> 00:20:43.620
 was a freedom

00:20:43.620 --> 00:20:44.460
 with boundaries

00:20:44.460 --> 00:20:45.320
 around it.

00:20:45.980 --> 00:20:47.260
 And that may sound

00:20:47.260 --> 00:20:48.200
 strange to you

00:20:48.200 --> 00:20:48.840
 to hear about

00:20:48.840 --> 00:20:49.240
 a freedom

00:20:49.240 --> 00:20:49.860
 that has boundaries,

00:20:50.000 --> 00:20:50.600
 but I think I can

00:20:50.600 --> 00:20:51.700
 illustrate that for you.

00:20:52.020 --> 00:20:52.700
 Think about

00:20:52.700 --> 00:20:54.420
 the roads

00:20:54.420 --> 00:20:55.180
 around here.

00:20:56.160 --> 00:20:56.860
 What would happen

00:20:56.860 --> 00:20:57.460
 if you took

00:20:57.460 --> 00:20:58.920
 all the street signs down,

00:20:59.100 --> 00:21:00.560
 all the street lights away,

00:21:01.180 --> 00:21:01.860
 you know,

00:21:01.900 --> 00:21:02.580
 any painting

00:21:02.580 --> 00:21:03.520
 that was on the ground

00:21:03.520 --> 00:21:04.540
 and just made it free?

00:21:04.940 --> 00:21:05.700
 What would happen

00:21:05.700 --> 00:21:06.280
 the next day

00:21:06.279 --> 00:21:07.099
 when you were driving

00:21:07.099 --> 00:21:07.980
 trying to get to work

00:21:07.980 --> 00:21:08.619
 the next day?

00:21:09.079 --> 00:21:10.160
 It would be chaos, right?

00:21:10.379 --> 00:21:11.099
 Absolute chaos.

00:21:11.500 --> 00:21:12.379
 No one would get anywhere.

00:21:12.500 --> 00:21:13.339
 I've been in countries

00:21:13.339 --> 00:21:13.920
 like that

00:21:13.920 --> 00:21:15.000
 and it really doesn't

00:21:15.000 --> 00:21:15.700
 feel like freedom.

00:21:15.819 --> 00:21:17.079
 It feels just like a zoo

00:21:17.079 --> 00:21:18.059
 trying to get around

00:21:18.059 --> 00:21:18.799
 to where you're going.

00:21:19.279 --> 00:21:20.440
 There are boundaries

00:21:20.440 --> 00:21:21.799
 put in place

00:21:21.799 --> 00:21:23.019
 to give you freedom

00:21:23.019 --> 00:21:23.899
 to get to where

00:21:23.899 --> 00:21:24.660
 you want to go.

00:21:25.500 --> 00:21:26.139
 Or another way

00:21:26.139 --> 00:21:27.480
 that we could illustrate this,

00:21:28.099 --> 00:21:29.599
 think of a child

00:21:29.599 --> 00:21:30.700
 flying a kite.

00:21:30.700 --> 00:21:31.240
 I don't know

00:21:31.240 --> 00:21:32.120
 if children in Ireland

00:21:32.120 --> 00:21:32.759
 fly kites.

00:21:32.940 --> 00:21:33.380
 I don't know

00:21:33.380 --> 00:21:34.440
 if children in America

00:21:34.440 --> 00:21:34.940
 fly kites,

00:21:35.019 --> 00:21:35.400
 to be honest.

00:21:35.480 --> 00:21:35.759
 They probably

00:21:35.759 --> 00:21:36.559
 just play video games.

00:21:37.420 --> 00:21:38.220
 But if you know

00:21:38.220 --> 00:21:38.819
 what a kite is,

00:21:38.880 --> 00:21:39.600
 think about a child

00:21:39.600 --> 00:21:40.660
 flying a kite.

00:21:41.580 --> 00:21:42.460
 The kite is

00:21:42.460 --> 00:21:44.120
 at the end of a string,

00:21:44.279 --> 00:21:45.259
 say 200 feet up,

00:21:45.460 --> 00:21:46.120
 and that kite

00:21:46.120 --> 00:21:47.240
 is just straining

00:21:47.240 --> 00:21:47.920
 at the wind

00:21:47.920 --> 00:21:49.900
 trying to get free,

00:21:50.100 --> 00:21:50.420
 right?

00:21:50.759 --> 00:21:51.680
 Because the kite

00:21:51.680 --> 00:21:52.640
 just wants to go higher.

00:21:52.759 --> 00:21:54.000
 It wants more room.

00:21:54.080 --> 00:21:55.400
 It wants less boundaries

00:21:55.400 --> 00:21:55.980
 on it.

00:21:56.279 --> 00:21:57.039
 Well, what happens

00:21:57.039 --> 00:21:57.759
 if the child

00:21:57.759 --> 00:21:58.600
 cuts the string?

00:21:59.379 --> 00:22:01.119
 The kite feels free

00:22:01.119 --> 00:22:01.539
 for a minute,

00:22:01.639 --> 00:22:02.619
 it flutters for a second,

00:22:03.019 --> 00:22:04.319
 jumps up for a few feet,

00:22:04.599 --> 00:22:05.519
 and then suddenly

00:22:05.519 --> 00:22:06.839
 falls to the ground,

00:22:07.119 --> 00:22:07.339
 right?

00:22:07.399 --> 00:22:08.019
 It just flutters

00:22:08.019 --> 00:22:08.699
 its way back down

00:22:08.699 --> 00:22:09.079
 to the ground

00:22:09.079 --> 00:22:10.359
 because the string,

00:22:10.480 --> 00:22:10.980
 the boundary,

00:22:11.079 --> 00:22:11.659
 was what actually

00:22:11.659 --> 00:22:13.240
 gave it freedom to fly.

00:22:14.019 --> 00:22:15.079
 And that's exactly

00:22:15.079 --> 00:22:16.119
 the way that it is

00:22:16.119 --> 00:22:16.719
 with us,

00:22:16.819 --> 00:22:17.500
 brothers and sisters,

00:22:17.959 --> 00:22:19.259
 is God gave us

00:22:19.259 --> 00:22:20.000
 boundaries

00:22:20.000 --> 00:22:22.500
 to make us free.

00:22:22.779 --> 00:22:23.899
 As we function

00:22:23.899 --> 00:22:24.740
 within those boundaries,

00:22:24.959 --> 00:22:26.500
 that is the freedom

00:22:26.500 --> 00:22:26.859
 we have.

00:22:26.919 --> 00:22:27.659
 So it is a freedom

00:22:27.659 --> 00:22:28.579
 of obedience.

00:22:28.599 --> 00:22:29.939
 that God has given us.

00:22:31.559 --> 00:22:32.919
 Let me just show you

00:22:32.919 --> 00:22:33.559
 something else.

00:22:33.639 --> 00:22:34.419
 Let me show you

00:22:34.419 --> 00:22:35.980
 another offer of freedom,

00:22:36.099 --> 00:22:36.259
 though,

00:22:36.299 --> 00:22:37.679
 from Genesis 3.

00:22:38.199 --> 00:22:38.879
 If you turn over

00:22:38.879 --> 00:22:39.639
 just a couple pages,

00:22:39.740 --> 00:22:41.039
 this is on page 5

00:22:41.039 --> 00:22:41.819
 in your Bibles.

00:22:42.899 --> 00:22:43.500
 Because again,

00:22:43.579 --> 00:22:44.919
 we were created

00:22:44.919 --> 00:22:45.859
 with this freedom,

00:22:46.240 --> 00:22:47.539
 but now listen to this

00:22:47.539 --> 00:22:49.559
 next offer of freedom

00:22:49.559 --> 00:22:50.740
 that came to us.

00:22:51.679 --> 00:22:52.779
 In Genesis 3,

00:22:54.859 --> 00:22:56.839
 let's look at verse 2.

00:22:56.839 --> 00:22:57.659
 Sorry,

00:22:57.740 --> 00:22:58.679
 but we'll start at verse 1.

00:22:59.639 --> 00:23:00.199
 Now the snake

00:23:00.199 --> 00:23:01.019
 was more crafty

00:23:01.019 --> 00:23:02.199
 than any of the wild animals

00:23:02.199 --> 00:23:04.119
 the Lord God had made.

00:23:04.579 --> 00:23:05.559
 He said to the woman,

00:23:05.759 --> 00:23:07.319
 Did God really say

00:23:07.319 --> 00:23:08.220
 you must not eat

00:23:08.220 --> 00:23:09.459
 from any tree in the garden?

00:23:10.459 --> 00:23:11.819
 The woman said to the snake,

00:23:11.899 --> 00:23:12.720
 We may eat fruit

00:23:12.720 --> 00:23:14.299
 from the trees in the garden,

00:23:14.419 --> 00:23:15.599
 but God did say

00:23:15.599 --> 00:23:16.699
 you must not eat fruit

00:23:16.699 --> 00:23:17.339
 from the tree

00:23:17.339 --> 00:23:18.000
 that is in the middle

00:23:18.000 --> 00:23:18.480
 of the garden,

00:23:18.619 --> 00:23:19.879
 and he must not touch it

00:23:19.879 --> 00:23:20.759
 or you will die.

00:23:20.759 --> 00:23:24.220
 You will not certainly die,

00:23:24.640 --> 00:23:25.619
 the snake said to the woman,

00:23:25.879 --> 00:23:27.000
 for God knows

00:23:27.000 --> 00:23:28.700
 that when you eat from it,

00:23:28.779 --> 00:23:30.180
 your eyes will be opened

00:23:30.180 --> 00:23:32.200
 and you will be like God

00:23:32.200 --> 00:23:34.319
 knowing good and evil.

00:23:34.900 --> 00:23:36.819
 How's that for an offer of freedom?

00:23:38.299 --> 00:23:40.700
 Don't follow what God says.

00:23:41.279 --> 00:23:43.559
 God knows when you disobey Him,

00:23:43.779 --> 00:23:45.339
 then you'll really find freedom.

00:23:45.980 --> 00:23:47.460
 Your eyes will be opened.

00:23:47.819 --> 00:23:49.000
 You'll be like God.

00:23:49.000 --> 00:23:50.559
 You'll know good and evil.

00:23:51.640 --> 00:23:52.880
 You see what's going on here?

00:23:53.660 --> 00:23:54.900
 God created us

00:23:54.900 --> 00:23:56.779
 with freedom to obey.

00:23:57.660 --> 00:23:59.240
 And Satan came and tempted

00:23:59.240 --> 00:24:00.059
 Adam and Eve

00:24:00.059 --> 00:24:01.440
 with the first sin

00:24:01.440 --> 00:24:02.000
 with this offer

00:24:02.640 --> 00:24:04.839
 that sounded like more freedom,

00:24:05.380 --> 00:24:07.000
 but really ended up in slavery.

00:24:08.220 --> 00:24:09.500
 Slavery to sin.

00:24:09.859 --> 00:24:11.539
 And this is exactly the way

00:24:11.539 --> 00:24:13.880
 that the Bible talks about this,

00:24:13.940 --> 00:24:15.339
 is that we have given up

00:24:15.339 --> 00:24:16.920
 freedom to obey

00:24:16.920 --> 00:24:18.400
 and we have taken on

00:24:18.400 --> 00:24:19.000
 a freedom,

00:24:19.600 --> 00:24:20.060
 or sorry,

00:24:20.560 --> 00:24:22.040
 kind of a freedom

00:24:22.040 --> 00:24:22.759
 to obey God

00:24:22.759 --> 00:24:24.080
 and now we have given up

00:24:24.080 --> 00:24:24.700
 that freedom

00:24:24.700 --> 00:24:26.180
 and given up all freedom

00:24:26.180 --> 00:24:27.680
 and now are slaves of sin.

00:24:27.900 --> 00:24:29.000
 Let me show you

00:24:29.000 --> 00:24:30.519
 where the Bible

00:24:30.519 --> 00:24:31.820
 describes it in that way.

00:24:31.900 --> 00:24:32.580
 Go to page

00:24:32.580 --> 00:24:34.400
 1,223.

00:24:35.259 --> 00:24:36.580
 It's 2 Peter 2.

00:24:37.980 --> 00:24:40.380
 This is just a very graphic image

00:24:40.380 --> 00:24:42.840
 of how this works.

00:24:42.839 --> 00:24:46.240
 2 Peter 2.

00:24:46.740 --> 00:24:49.199
 It's on page 1,223.

00:24:51.699 --> 00:24:53.059
 And this is a chapter

00:24:53.059 --> 00:24:53.720
 of the Bible

00:24:53.720 --> 00:24:54.720
 that is talking about

00:24:54.720 --> 00:24:56.179
 these false teachers

00:24:56.179 --> 00:24:57.379
 that are coming

00:24:57.379 --> 00:24:58.339
 to this church

00:24:58.339 --> 00:25:00.319
 and they are telling the people,

00:25:00.819 --> 00:25:01.039
 listen,

00:25:01.159 --> 00:25:02.159
 I know that you heard

00:25:02.159 --> 00:25:03.559
 that Jesus is coming back,

00:25:03.599 --> 00:25:04.899
 but it's actually not true.

00:25:05.399 --> 00:25:05.740
 And so,

00:25:05.899 --> 00:25:07.319
 you can just live

00:25:07.319 --> 00:25:08.299
 however you want to live.

00:25:08.459 --> 00:25:08.740
 Don't worry,

00:25:08.799 --> 00:25:09.659
 there's no judgment

00:25:09.659 --> 00:25:10.339
 that's coming.

00:25:10.339 --> 00:25:11.939
 You're never going to have to answer

00:25:11.939 --> 00:25:12.899
 for what you've done.

00:25:13.039 --> 00:25:14.799
 You're just free to live

00:25:14.799 --> 00:25:16.019
 however you want to live.

00:25:16.079 --> 00:25:17.459
 They're offering freedom

00:25:17.459 --> 00:25:18.519
 to these people.

00:25:19.819 --> 00:25:21.500
 But it's not a real freedom.

00:25:21.619 --> 00:25:22.619
 And this is what we see here

00:25:22.619 --> 00:25:24.319
 in 2 Peter 2, verse 19.

00:25:25.839 --> 00:25:26.819
 It says,

00:25:27.159 --> 00:25:29.179
 They promise them freedom.

00:25:29.279 --> 00:25:30.299
 This is the false teachers.

00:25:30.659 --> 00:25:31.980
 They promise them freedom

00:25:31.980 --> 00:25:33.559
 while they themselves

00:25:33.559 --> 00:25:35.819
 are slaves of depravity.

00:25:36.619 --> 00:25:38.159
 For people are slaves

00:25:38.159 --> 00:25:39.959
 to whatever have mastered them.

00:25:39.960 --> 00:25:40.920
 So you see that.

00:25:41.160 --> 00:25:42.079
 Here's these false teachers

00:25:42.079 --> 00:25:42.940
 coming to the people

00:25:42.940 --> 00:25:43.340
 saying,

00:25:43.920 --> 00:25:45.160
 Don't worry about

00:25:45.160 --> 00:25:46.240
 obeying God's commands.

00:25:46.360 --> 00:25:47.200
 Just be free.

00:25:47.380 --> 00:25:48.539
 Just be free from those.

00:25:48.640 --> 00:25:49.480
 Take this freedom.

00:25:50.019 --> 00:25:50.740
 But Peter says,

00:25:50.819 --> 00:25:50.920
 No,

00:25:51.039 --> 00:25:52.380
 these people themselves

00:25:52.380 --> 00:25:54.299
 are slaves of their sin.

00:25:55.000 --> 00:25:56.860
 No one is free.

00:25:57.299 --> 00:25:57.960
 You are either

00:25:57.960 --> 00:25:59.059
 a slave,

00:25:59.200 --> 00:26:00.360
 a servant of God

00:26:00.360 --> 00:26:01.220
 obeying Him,

00:26:01.420 --> 00:26:02.400
 or you're a slave,

00:26:02.519 --> 00:26:03.740
 a servant of sin,

00:26:04.160 --> 00:26:05.120
 obeying sin.

00:26:05.559 --> 00:26:06.920
 And that is exactly

00:26:06.920 --> 00:26:08.340
 what Jesus says

00:26:08.339 --> 00:26:10.059
 back in John 8.

00:26:10.159 --> 00:26:11.059
 So let's go back there.

00:26:11.319 --> 00:26:12.199
 If you lost the place,

00:26:12.279 --> 00:26:14.159
 it's John 8, 1074,

00:26:14.379 --> 00:26:14.939
 that page.

00:26:15.759 --> 00:26:17.000
 In verse 34,

00:26:18.279 --> 00:26:19.199
 Jesus says,

00:26:20.259 --> 00:26:22.199
 Very truly I tell you,

00:26:22.539 --> 00:26:23.939
 everyone who sins

00:26:23.939 --> 00:26:25.740
 is a slave of sin.

00:26:26.819 --> 00:26:27.179
 So see,

00:26:27.259 --> 00:26:28.480
 this is exactly

00:26:28.480 --> 00:26:29.480
 the language

00:26:29.480 --> 00:26:30.720
 that Jesus is using

00:26:30.720 --> 00:26:31.679
 back in our passage

00:26:31.679 --> 00:26:32.539
 in John 8.

00:26:32.539 --> 00:26:35.139
 He's saying that

00:26:35.139 --> 00:26:36.980
 the real bondage

00:26:36.980 --> 00:26:38.019
 is not bondage

00:26:38.019 --> 00:26:40.279
 to the Egyptians

00:26:40.279 --> 00:26:44.639
 or sitting in a church service

00:26:44.639 --> 00:26:45.579
 or whatever it is.

00:26:45.619 --> 00:26:47.139
 The real bondage

00:26:47.139 --> 00:26:48.759
 that we experience

00:26:48.759 --> 00:26:49.299
 as humans

00:26:49.299 --> 00:26:51.079
 is bondage to sin.

00:26:51.579 --> 00:26:52.879
 And Jesus says here,

00:26:52.899 --> 00:26:54.019
 it's interesting to notice

00:26:54.019 --> 00:26:57.599
 that sin cannot be controlled.

00:26:58.119 --> 00:26:58.899
 It can't be something

00:26:58.899 --> 00:26:59.420
 that you think,

00:26:59.659 --> 00:27:00.099
 Yeah, you know what?

00:27:00.099 --> 00:27:01.219
 I don't actually think

00:27:01.219 --> 00:27:02.919
 that anyone is controlling me.

00:27:03.179 --> 00:27:04.019
 I don't want to live

00:27:04.019 --> 00:27:04.779
 to obey God.

00:27:04.819 --> 00:27:05.279
 I don't want to be

00:27:05.279 --> 00:27:06.079
 His servant.

00:27:06.519 --> 00:27:07.319
 But I don't think

00:27:07.319 --> 00:27:09.000
 I'm really owned by sin either.

00:27:09.059 --> 00:27:09.759
 I kind of just do

00:27:09.759 --> 00:27:10.740
 what I want to do.

00:27:11.279 --> 00:27:12.159
 That's kind of the way

00:27:12.159 --> 00:27:12.759
 that I live.

00:27:13.339 --> 00:27:13.500
 I mean,

00:27:13.559 --> 00:27:14.259
 according to Jesus,

00:27:14.419 --> 00:27:16.699
 that's not a real category.

00:27:16.919 --> 00:27:17.299
 He says,

00:27:17.699 --> 00:27:18.980
 Everyone who sins

00:27:18.980 --> 00:27:20.659
 is a slave of sin.

00:27:20.919 --> 00:27:21.079
 Right?

00:27:21.159 --> 00:27:23.119
 So you can't control your sin.

00:27:23.319 --> 00:27:24.299
 If you are a person

00:27:24.299 --> 00:27:24.919
 who does sin,

00:27:25.019 --> 00:27:25.519
 you're a slave.

00:27:25.740 --> 00:27:26.500
 You're a slave to sin.

00:27:26.699 --> 00:27:27.779
 You're either a slave to sin

00:27:27.779 --> 00:27:28.740
 or a slave to God.

00:27:29.039 --> 00:27:30.559
 And that's exactly the way

00:27:30.559 --> 00:27:31.980
 that Paul describes it.

00:27:32.000 --> 00:27:32.779
 You don't need to turn there,

00:27:32.839 --> 00:27:34.319
 but just in Romans 6,

00:27:34.519 --> 00:27:35.799
 if you read through that chapter,

00:27:35.899 --> 00:27:36.740
 that entire chapter

00:27:36.740 --> 00:27:37.299
 is showing

00:27:37.299 --> 00:27:38.220
 you are either

00:27:38.220 --> 00:27:39.220
 a slave of God

00:27:39.220 --> 00:27:40.420
 or a slave of sin.

00:27:40.559 --> 00:27:41.599
 It's one or the other,

00:27:41.759 --> 00:27:42.759
 and you need to decide

00:27:42.759 --> 00:27:43.440
 on which one.

00:27:45.579 --> 00:27:46.859
 But Jesus came,

00:27:48.000 --> 00:27:49.019
 Jesus came

00:27:49.019 --> 00:27:50.319
 to bring us back

00:27:50.319 --> 00:27:50.940
 our freedom.

00:27:51.639 --> 00:27:52.500
 And that's exactly

00:27:52.500 --> 00:27:53.420
 what we see here

00:27:53.420 --> 00:27:54.019
 in this passage.

00:27:54.160 --> 00:27:54.500
 Look again,

00:27:54.700 --> 00:27:56.119
 look at verse 35.

00:27:57.779 --> 00:27:58.119
 Now,

00:27:58.220 --> 00:27:59.539
 a slave has no permanent place

00:27:59.539 --> 00:28:00.079
 in the family,

00:28:00.200 --> 00:28:01.220
 but a son belongs

00:28:01.220 --> 00:28:01.960
 to it forever.

00:28:02.619 --> 00:28:03.579
 So if the son

00:28:03.579 --> 00:28:04.539
 sets you free,

00:28:05.220 --> 00:28:06.359
 you will be free

00:28:06.359 --> 00:28:07.259
 indeed.

00:28:08.599 --> 00:28:10.220
 So we think

00:28:10.220 --> 00:28:11.319
 that we are free

00:28:11.319 --> 00:28:12.799
 in our sin often.

00:28:12.920 --> 00:28:13.279
 We think,

00:28:13.519 --> 00:28:14.200
 I'm doing whatever

00:28:14.200 --> 00:28:14.859
 I want to do,

00:28:14.940 --> 00:28:15.940
 just living my life.

00:28:16.319 --> 00:28:17.339
 We're like those people

00:28:17.339 --> 00:28:18.319
 in 2 Peter 2

00:28:18.319 --> 00:28:19.059
 that we read about

00:28:19.059 --> 00:28:20.180
 who are promising freedom.

00:28:20.379 --> 00:28:20.519
 You know,

00:28:20.519 --> 00:28:21.220
 I don't have to worry

00:28:21.220 --> 00:28:21.859
 about judgment.

00:28:22.599 --> 00:28:25.879
 But we are slaves.

00:28:26.119 --> 00:28:27.319
 We need this freedom

00:28:27.319 --> 00:28:28.899
 that Jesus is offering us.

00:28:28.939 --> 00:28:29.259
 He says,

00:28:29.559 --> 00:28:30.799
 the son is the one

00:28:30.799 --> 00:28:31.939
 who can set you free.

00:28:33.960 --> 00:28:34.359
 Well,

00:28:34.379 --> 00:28:34.939
 brothers and sisters,

00:28:34.939 --> 00:28:35.720
 this is a radically

00:28:35.720 --> 00:28:37.019
 different vision of freedom

00:28:37.019 --> 00:28:38.119
 compared to our culture

00:28:38.119 --> 00:28:38.919
 that we have talked about.

00:28:39.000 --> 00:28:39.599
 Our culture,

00:28:40.039 --> 00:28:40.779
 like we talked about

00:28:40.779 --> 00:28:41.159
 at the beginning,

00:28:41.279 --> 00:28:42.000
 defines freedom

00:28:42.000 --> 00:28:43.419
 as doing what you want to.

00:28:44.000 --> 00:28:45.039
 But the Bible here,

00:28:45.099 --> 00:28:45.359
 we see,

00:28:45.439 --> 00:28:46.299
 defines it as doing

00:28:46.299 --> 00:28:47.579
 what you were created to do.

00:28:47.819 --> 00:28:48.919
 That is what freedom is

00:28:48.919 --> 00:28:49.779
 according to the Bible

00:28:49.779 --> 00:28:50.700
 and according to Jesus.

00:28:51.159 --> 00:28:51.839
 And that is a view

00:28:51.839 --> 00:28:52.200
 of freedom

00:28:52.200 --> 00:28:53.700
 that is very oppressive,

00:28:54.220 --> 00:28:54.899
 or the culture

00:28:54.899 --> 00:28:55.579
 views that

00:28:55.579 --> 00:28:56.659
 as very oppressive.

00:28:56.660 --> 00:28:58.060
 And so I want to

00:28:58.060 --> 00:28:58.840
 encourage you

00:28:58.840 --> 00:28:59.960
 just for a second here,

00:29:00.360 --> 00:29:01.720
 do not be discouraged

00:29:01.720 --> 00:29:02.800
 by the culture

00:29:02.800 --> 00:29:03.840
 around you in Ireland.

00:29:04.060 --> 00:29:04.980
 It's the same for us

00:29:04.980 --> 00:29:05.440
 in America

00:29:05.440 --> 00:29:06.080
 that tells you

00:29:06.080 --> 00:29:07.279
 you are oppressive,

00:29:07.440 --> 00:29:08.480
 you are hurting people

00:29:08.480 --> 00:29:09.279
 by telling them

00:29:09.279 --> 00:29:10.580
 that they need to live

00:29:10.580 --> 00:29:11.720
 in certain ways.

00:29:12.779 --> 00:29:13.920
 We are the ones,

00:29:14.019 --> 00:29:15.240
 as Jesus' representatives,

00:29:15.460 --> 00:29:16.600
 bringing his message

00:29:16.600 --> 00:29:17.800
 of wholeness,

00:29:18.180 --> 00:29:19.140
 of flourishing,

00:29:19.500 --> 00:29:20.400
 of telling people

00:29:20.400 --> 00:29:21.100
 how to live

00:29:21.100 --> 00:29:21.580
 in the way God

00:29:21.580 --> 00:29:22.500
 has created them

00:29:22.500 --> 00:29:23.019
 to live.

00:29:23.019 --> 00:29:24.779
 Well,

00:29:24.819 --> 00:29:25.440
 how do we know

00:29:25.440 --> 00:29:26.859
 what that looks like?

00:29:28.279 --> 00:29:29.379
 What does that freedom

00:29:29.379 --> 00:29:30.460
 to live as we are created

00:29:30.460 --> 00:29:31.420
 to live look like?

00:29:32.059 --> 00:29:32.180
 Well,

00:29:32.339 --> 00:29:34.119
 Jesus already showed us

00:29:34.119 --> 00:29:35.920
 in verse 31,

00:29:36.059 --> 00:29:36.500
 he says,

00:29:36.759 --> 00:29:38.700
 if you hold to my teaching,

00:29:38.819 --> 00:29:39.819
 you are my disciples,

00:29:39.900 --> 00:29:40.980
 you will know the truth,

00:29:41.660 --> 00:29:42.240
 and the truth

00:29:42.240 --> 00:29:42.940
 will set you free.

00:29:43.019 --> 00:29:43.160
 Right?

00:29:43.299 --> 00:29:43.500
 So,

00:29:43.920 --> 00:29:45.980
 it is the truth

00:29:45.980 --> 00:29:47.339
 of God's word

00:29:47.339 --> 00:29:48.299
 that shows us

00:29:48.299 --> 00:29:49.160
 what that freedom

00:29:49.160 --> 00:29:50.259
 ought to look like.

00:29:51.200 --> 00:29:51.720
 And I do want to

00:29:51.720 --> 00:29:53.400
 move on to the third point,

00:29:53.500 --> 00:29:53.920
 but I do,

00:29:54.240 --> 00:29:55.440
 just to make a quick

00:29:55.440 --> 00:29:57.480
 application here,

00:29:58.740 --> 00:29:59.720
 sometimes,

00:30:00.359 --> 00:30:01.180
 as God's people,

00:30:01.279 --> 00:30:01.920
 maybe I should say

00:30:01.920 --> 00:30:02.799
 all the time,

00:30:02.960 --> 00:30:03.900
 if my experience

00:30:03.900 --> 00:30:04.460
 is accurate,

00:30:04.759 --> 00:30:05.980
 I don't feel

00:30:05.980 --> 00:30:07.240
 that freedom

00:30:07.240 --> 00:30:07.980
 all the time.

00:30:08.039 --> 00:30:08.619
 I know that

00:30:08.619 --> 00:30:10.500
 God's word,

00:30:10.579 --> 00:30:11.539
 and Jesus tells me here

00:30:11.539 --> 00:30:12.619
 that I have been set free,

00:30:12.700 --> 00:30:12.960
 he says,

00:30:13.059 --> 00:30:14.019
 if the Son sets you free,

00:30:14.079 --> 00:30:14.799
 you are free indeed,

00:30:14.980 --> 00:30:15.660
 but sometimes

00:30:15.660 --> 00:30:17.379
 I don't feel free indeed.

00:30:17.379 --> 00:30:19.319
 I feel my sin,

00:30:19.319 --> 00:30:20.419
 I feel my weakness,

00:30:20.619 --> 00:30:22.700
 I feel that I can't

00:30:22.700 --> 00:30:24.099
 get past those things

00:30:24.099 --> 00:30:24.919
 and live the way

00:30:24.919 --> 00:30:25.700
 that God has created me

00:30:25.700 --> 00:30:26.119
 to live.

00:30:26.639 --> 00:30:26.839
 And so,

00:30:26.879 --> 00:30:27.799
 I think it's just important

00:30:27.799 --> 00:30:29.740
 to acknowledge that reality

00:30:29.740 --> 00:30:31.220
 and acknowledge that

00:30:31.220 --> 00:30:31.679
 while,

00:30:32.159 --> 00:30:33.179
 in one sense,

00:30:33.579 --> 00:30:34.679
 the Bible does say

00:30:34.679 --> 00:30:35.899
 that in places

00:30:35.899 --> 00:30:37.139
 like here in John 8

00:30:37.139 --> 00:30:38.039
 or Romans 6,

00:30:38.139 --> 00:30:39.259
 it says that you are

00:30:39.259 --> 00:30:40.839
 free definitively now,

00:30:40.899 --> 00:30:41.619
 you are no longer

00:30:41.619 --> 00:30:42.419
 a slave of sin,

00:30:42.720 --> 00:30:44.099
 you are a slave to God,

00:30:44.799 --> 00:30:45.720
 there also is

00:30:45.720 --> 00:30:46.480
 the recognition

00:30:46.480 --> 00:30:47.240
 in the Bible

00:30:47.240 --> 00:30:48.700
 that the fullness

00:30:48.700 --> 00:30:49.799
 of that reality

00:30:49.799 --> 00:30:50.880
 is not here yet.

00:30:51.680 --> 00:30:52.279
 You think about

00:30:52.279 --> 00:30:53.359
 1 John 1

00:30:53.359 --> 00:30:54.519
 that says,

00:30:54.640 --> 00:30:55.259
 if anyone says

00:30:55.259 --> 00:30:56.240
 he does not sin,

00:30:56.460 --> 00:30:57.039
 he is a liar

00:30:57.039 --> 00:30:57.740
 and the truth

00:30:57.740 --> 00:30:58.539
 is not in him.

00:30:58.799 --> 00:30:59.140
 So,

00:30:59.740 --> 00:31:00.539
 the fullness

00:31:00.539 --> 00:31:02.319
 of the true freedom

00:31:02.319 --> 00:31:03.099
 of God's children,

00:31:03.240 --> 00:31:04.720
 we wait for a final day

00:31:04.720 --> 00:31:05.940
 where we will be

00:31:05.940 --> 00:31:06.900
 with God in heaven

00:31:06.900 --> 00:31:08.460
 with no more sin,

00:31:08.559 --> 00:31:09.120
 no more sorrow,

00:31:09.259 --> 00:31:10.380
 no more weeping,

00:31:10.500 --> 00:31:11.180
 no more weakness.

00:31:11.559 --> 00:31:13.480
 We wait for that final day

00:31:13.480 --> 00:31:14.420
 and yet,

00:31:14.539 --> 00:31:15.579
 we have a preview

00:31:15.579 --> 00:31:16.319
 of that today

00:31:16.319 --> 00:31:17.019
 in that Jesus

00:31:17.019 --> 00:31:19.059
 really definitively,

00:31:19.439 --> 00:31:21.939
 truly has liberated us

00:31:21.939 --> 00:31:23.220
 from sin

00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:24.740
 to serve Jesus.

00:31:25.659 --> 00:31:26.139
 But I just want

00:31:26.139 --> 00:31:26.919
 to acknowledge that

00:31:26.919 --> 00:31:27.619
 because I know

00:31:27.619 --> 00:31:29.299
 sometimes we don't feel that

00:31:29.299 --> 00:31:30.419
 and that often

00:31:30.419 --> 00:31:32.079
 you will hear

00:31:32.079 --> 00:31:32.899
 if you read books

00:31:32.899 --> 00:31:33.759
 about the New Testament

00:31:33.759 --> 00:31:34.720
 that there is kind of

00:31:34.720 --> 00:31:35.799
 this balance

00:31:35.799 --> 00:31:37.259
 of already but not yet.

00:31:37.379 --> 00:31:38.679
 We are already free

00:31:38.679 --> 00:31:40.720
 but not yet totally free.

00:31:40.819 --> 00:31:41.299
 We are waiting

00:31:41.299 --> 00:31:41.819
 for the day

00:31:41.819 --> 00:31:42.299
 when we will be

00:31:42.299 --> 00:31:43.139
 finally free.

00:31:43.140 --> 00:31:44.880
 Well,

00:31:44.920 --> 00:31:45.460
 let me just turn

00:31:45.460 --> 00:31:46.620
 for the last couple minutes here.

00:31:46.700 --> 00:31:47.520
 I do want to go

00:31:47.520 --> 00:31:48.740
 to the third characteristic

00:31:48.740 --> 00:31:50.320
 because it is very important here.

00:31:51.380 --> 00:31:52.600
 The freedom that Jesus gives

00:31:52.600 --> 00:31:53.980
 is not only conditional,

00:31:54.280 --> 00:31:55.220
 it is not only

00:31:55.220 --> 00:31:56.300
 a created freedom

00:31:56.300 --> 00:31:57.540
 but it is a costly

00:31:57.540 --> 00:31:58.720
 freedom as well.

00:31:59.640 --> 00:32:00.000
 You see,

00:32:00.140 --> 00:32:00.600
 freedom

00:32:00.600 --> 00:32:02.580
 is never free.

00:32:03.240 --> 00:32:04.620
 Look at verse 35.

00:32:06.259 --> 00:32:06.960
 Jesus says,

00:32:06.960 --> 00:32:08.460
 now a slave

00:32:08.460 --> 00:32:10.620
 has no permanent place

00:32:10.620 --> 00:32:11.460
 in the family

00:32:11.460 --> 00:32:13.460
 but a son belongs

00:32:13.460 --> 00:32:14.460
 to it forever.

00:32:16.079 --> 00:32:16.920
 Jesus here

00:32:16.920 --> 00:32:19.720
 kind of changes

00:32:19.720 --> 00:32:20.380
 the tone

00:32:20.380 --> 00:32:20.799
 a little bit

00:32:20.799 --> 00:32:21.319
 of what he is saying

00:32:21.319 --> 00:32:21.819
 to introduce

00:32:21.819 --> 00:32:22.759
 an image for us

00:32:22.759 --> 00:32:23.200
 so that we can

00:32:23.200 --> 00:32:23.960
 understand this better

00:32:23.960 --> 00:32:24.500
 and he says

00:32:24.500 --> 00:32:26.600
 there is this imagery

00:32:26.600 --> 00:32:27.480
 of a household

00:32:27.480 --> 00:32:29.120
 that has servants

00:32:29.120 --> 00:32:29.960
 in the household

00:32:29.960 --> 00:32:31.160
 and then sons

00:32:31.160 --> 00:32:32.019
 in the household.

00:32:32.200 --> 00:32:33.319
 And a slave

00:32:33.319 --> 00:32:34.299
 or a servant

00:32:34.299 --> 00:32:35.019
 in a house

00:32:35.019 --> 00:32:36.460
 they can't free themselves.

00:32:37.279 --> 00:32:38.019
 Sometimes it is hard

00:32:38.019 --> 00:32:38.579
 for us to relate

00:32:38.579 --> 00:32:39.900
 because we don't see slaves

00:32:39.900 --> 00:32:40.559
 in our culture

00:32:40.559 --> 00:32:42.319
 but maybe you can relate

00:32:42.319 --> 00:32:43.099
 as an employee.

00:32:44.160 --> 00:32:45.099
 If you are an employee

00:32:45.099 --> 00:32:46.200
 working for a boss

00:32:46.200 --> 00:32:47.660
 you are not really free

00:32:47.660 --> 00:32:48.779
 to do whatever you want.

00:32:49.059 --> 00:32:49.980
 You are not necessarily

00:32:49.980 --> 00:32:52.139
 free to take the company

00:32:52.139 --> 00:32:52.920
 whatever direction

00:32:52.920 --> 00:32:53.480
 you want to go.

00:32:53.680 --> 00:32:54.559
 You kind of have to do

00:32:54.559 --> 00:32:55.720
 what your boss says

00:32:55.720 --> 00:32:56.720
 and there is also

00:32:56.720 --> 00:32:57.819
 not permanency.

00:32:58.299 --> 00:32:59.299
 You could be let go

00:32:59.299 --> 00:33:00.339
 at any point

00:33:00.339 --> 00:33:01.660
 by your employer.

00:33:02.379 --> 00:33:02.900
 And that is exactly

00:33:02.900 --> 00:33:03.539
 what Jesus says.

00:33:03.599 --> 00:33:04.420
 A slave has no

00:33:04.420 --> 00:33:05.140
 permanent place

00:33:05.140 --> 00:33:05.580
 in the family.

00:33:05.680 --> 00:33:06.560
 A slave could be let go

00:33:06.560 --> 00:33:07.180
 at any time.

00:33:07.420 --> 00:33:07.840
 If the master

00:33:07.840 --> 00:33:08.539
 doesn't like him

00:33:08.539 --> 00:33:09.180
 he is gone.

00:33:11.140 --> 00:33:12.980
 But what about

00:33:12.980 --> 00:33:14.060
 the boss?

00:33:14.340 --> 00:33:14.860
 Or what about

00:33:14.860 --> 00:33:15.840
 the boss's son?

00:33:16.120 --> 00:33:16.940
 The boss

00:33:16.940 --> 00:33:17.779
 who walks into

00:33:17.779 --> 00:33:18.400
 the workplace

00:33:18.400 --> 00:33:19.580
 never has to worry

00:33:19.580 --> 00:33:20.640
 about his permanency.

00:33:21.000 --> 00:33:22.000
 No one can fire

00:33:22.000 --> 00:33:22.560
 the boss

00:33:22.560 --> 00:33:23.440
 because he is there.

00:33:23.539 --> 00:33:24.320
 He is there forever.

00:33:24.980 --> 00:33:26.320
 Same with a son

00:33:26.320 --> 00:33:27.160
 that is in a house

00:33:27.160 --> 00:33:27.560
 and that is what

00:33:27.560 --> 00:33:28.279
 Jesus is saying.

00:33:28.740 --> 00:33:30.039
 A slave has no

00:33:30.039 --> 00:33:30.660
 permanent place

00:33:30.660 --> 00:33:31.039
 in the family

00:33:31.039 --> 00:33:31.740
 but a son

00:33:31.740 --> 00:33:32.680
 belongs to it

00:33:32.680 --> 00:33:33.519
 forever.

00:33:34.420 --> 00:33:35.080
 And what Jesus

00:33:35.080 --> 00:33:35.980
 is saying to us

00:33:35.980 --> 00:33:36.539
 here is that

00:33:36.539 --> 00:33:38.060
 only the son

00:33:38.060 --> 00:33:38.860
 of a family

00:33:38.860 --> 00:33:40.740
 has inheritance

00:33:40.740 --> 00:33:41.740
 has rights

00:33:41.740 --> 00:33:42.860
 has permanency

00:33:42.860 --> 00:33:43.539
 to stay in the

00:33:43.539 --> 00:33:44.259
 family forever.

00:33:44.259 --> 00:33:45.120
 And then look

00:33:45.120 --> 00:33:45.539
 what he says

00:33:45.539 --> 00:33:46.320
 in verse 36

00:33:46.320 --> 00:33:47.720
 so if the son

00:33:47.720 --> 00:33:48.900
 sets you free

00:33:48.900 --> 00:33:50.440
 you are free

00:33:50.440 --> 00:33:50.860
 indeed.

00:33:50.980 --> 00:33:51.400
 Well what is

00:33:51.400 --> 00:33:52.720
 Jesus saying there?

00:33:52.980 --> 00:33:53.400
 He is saying

00:33:53.400 --> 00:33:54.120
 that Jesus

00:33:54.120 --> 00:33:55.840
 as the son

00:33:55.840 --> 00:33:56.700
 in the family

00:33:56.700 --> 00:33:58.259
 has the authority

00:33:58.259 --> 00:33:59.519
 to liberate

00:33:59.519 --> 00:34:00.220
 the slaves.

00:34:00.560 --> 00:34:01.200
 That is the picture

00:34:01.200 --> 00:34:02.140
 that he is giving us here.

00:34:02.140 --> 00:34:03.360
 And so we are

00:34:03.360 --> 00:34:03.940
 those people

00:34:03.940 --> 00:34:04.620
 in this image

00:34:04.620 --> 00:34:05.480
 that were slaves

00:34:05.480 --> 00:34:06.020
 in the family.

00:34:06.360 --> 00:34:07.800
 We were servants

00:34:07.800 --> 00:34:08.539
 to sin.

00:34:08.980 --> 00:34:10.200
 We had no permanency

00:34:10.200 --> 00:34:11.280
 in God's family

00:34:11.280 --> 00:34:12.619
 because of our sin.

00:34:12.960 --> 00:34:14.019
 But Jesus comes

00:34:14.019 --> 00:34:14.900
 as the son

00:34:14.900 --> 00:34:15.940
 with all authority

00:34:15.940 --> 00:34:17.619
 and he is the one

00:34:17.619 --> 00:34:18.880
 who can liberate us

00:34:18.880 --> 00:34:20.240
 and set us free.

00:34:21.880 --> 00:34:23.220
 But brothers and sisters

00:34:23.220 --> 00:34:23.940
 how did Jesus

00:34:23.940 --> 00:34:24.740
 liberate us?

00:34:24.820 --> 00:34:25.840
 How was it possible

00:34:25.840 --> 00:34:27.240
 for him to free us?

00:34:28.960 --> 00:34:29.920
 Peter tells us

00:34:29.920 --> 00:34:30.920
 in 1 Peter 2

00:34:30.920 --> 00:34:32.539
 that he bore

00:34:32.539 --> 00:34:33.500
 our sins

00:34:33.500 --> 00:34:35.139
 in his body

00:34:35.139 --> 00:34:36.519
 on the cross

00:34:36.519 --> 00:34:37.980
 so that we might

00:34:37.980 --> 00:34:38.780
 die to sin

00:34:38.780 --> 00:34:40.119
 and live to righteousness.

00:34:40.840 --> 00:34:41.740
 See the only way

00:34:41.740 --> 00:34:42.840
 to free us

00:34:42.840 --> 00:34:44.240
 from our slavery

00:34:44.240 --> 00:34:45.059
 to sin

00:34:45.059 --> 00:34:46.119
 was for Jesus

00:34:46.119 --> 00:34:46.940
 to come

00:34:46.940 --> 00:34:48.740
 and to take on

00:34:48.740 --> 00:34:49.460
 the punishment

00:34:49.460 --> 00:34:50.039
 of sin

00:34:50.039 --> 00:34:50.940
 which was death.

00:34:51.980 --> 00:34:52.880
 Jesus had to take

00:34:52.880 --> 00:34:53.740
 on our punishment

00:34:53.740 --> 00:34:54.539
 so that he could

00:34:54.539 --> 00:34:55.760
 then give us

00:34:55.760 --> 00:34:56.760
 his righteousness

00:34:56.760 --> 00:34:58.340
 and free us

00:34:58.340 --> 00:34:59.140
 so that we would

00:34:59.140 --> 00:35:00.280
 then be sons

00:35:00.280 --> 00:35:01.059
 in the family

00:35:01.059 --> 00:35:02.039
 sons and daughters

00:35:02.039 --> 00:35:02.900
 in the house

00:35:02.900 --> 00:35:04.240
 just like he is.

00:35:04.460 --> 00:35:04.840
 And that's why

00:35:04.840 --> 00:35:05.660
 the Bible uses

00:35:05.660 --> 00:35:06.340
 this imagery

00:35:06.340 --> 00:35:07.240
 of adoption

00:35:07.240 --> 00:35:08.280
 so often

00:35:08.280 --> 00:35:09.480
 because we were

00:35:09.480 --> 00:35:10.820
 slaves in the family

00:35:10.820 --> 00:35:11.640
 but now Jesus

00:35:11.640 --> 00:35:13.019
 has exchanged

00:35:13.019 --> 00:35:14.400
 his life for ours

00:35:14.400 --> 00:35:15.480
 and given us

00:35:15.480 --> 00:35:16.480
 his sonship

00:35:16.480 --> 00:35:16.960
 given us

00:35:16.960 --> 00:35:18.400
 his daughtership

00:35:18.400 --> 00:35:18.980
 for those of you

00:35:18.980 --> 00:35:20.260
 who are women here

00:35:20.260 --> 00:35:21.800
 and allowed us

00:35:21.800 --> 00:35:22.800
 to come into the family

00:35:22.800 --> 00:35:24.180
 as adopted children

00:35:24.180 --> 00:35:25.300
 into the family.

00:35:25.300 --> 00:35:28.180
 So let me

00:35:28.180 --> 00:35:29.460
 end just with

00:35:29.460 --> 00:35:31.240
 two quick applications

00:35:31.240 --> 00:35:31.820
 here

00:35:31.820 --> 00:35:33.700
 with how do we

00:35:33.700 --> 00:35:34.760
 respond to this

00:35:34.760 --> 00:35:36.000
 vision of freedom

00:35:36.000 --> 00:35:37.460
 this vision of freedom

00:35:37.460 --> 00:35:38.720
 that Jesus is giving us.

00:35:39.840 --> 00:35:40.519
 Well some of you

00:35:40.519 --> 00:35:41.140
 who are sitting here

00:35:41.140 --> 00:35:42.700
 you may still be living

00:35:42.700 --> 00:35:43.780
 as a slave

00:35:43.780 --> 00:35:44.380
 to sin.

00:35:45.320 --> 00:35:46.519
 You may be someone

00:35:46.519 --> 00:35:47.000
 who says

00:35:47.000 --> 00:35:48.380
 I am not willing

00:35:48.380 --> 00:35:50.180
 to give up

00:35:50.180 --> 00:35:51.260
 my autonomy.

00:35:51.680 --> 00:35:52.519
 My freedom

00:35:52.519 --> 00:35:53.500
 is too precious.

00:35:53.500 --> 00:35:54.659
 I want to be able

00:35:54.659 --> 00:35:55.239
 to live

00:35:55.239 --> 00:35:56.340
 however I want to live.

00:35:57.420 --> 00:35:58.500
 If that is you

00:35:58.500 --> 00:35:58.980
 here today

00:35:58.980 --> 00:35:59.860
 then my friend

00:35:59.860 --> 00:36:00.619
 consider

00:36:00.619 --> 00:36:02.280
 the cost

00:36:02.280 --> 00:36:03.619
 without Christ.

00:36:04.380 --> 00:36:04.940
 Let me just

00:36:04.940 --> 00:36:05.500
 read you

00:36:05.500 --> 00:36:06.500
 a verse here

00:36:06.500 --> 00:36:08.699
 in Romans

00:36:08.699 --> 00:36:09.820
 chapter 6.

00:36:10.960 --> 00:36:11.340
 You don't need

00:36:11.340 --> 00:36:11.820
 to turn there

00:36:11.820 --> 00:36:12.380
 I'll just read you

00:36:12.380 --> 00:36:13.019
 a quick verse.

00:36:14.780 --> 00:36:15.639
 Paul here

00:36:15.639 --> 00:36:16.079
 writing

00:36:16.079 --> 00:36:17.579
 he acknowledges

00:36:17.579 --> 00:36:18.739
 that if you

00:36:18.739 --> 00:36:19.719
 don't follow God

00:36:19.719 --> 00:36:20.380
 yeah you're free

00:36:20.380 --> 00:36:21.000
 to do whatever

00:36:21.000 --> 00:36:21.539
 you want to.

00:36:21.659 --> 00:36:22.239
 You can sin

00:36:22.239 --> 00:36:23.239
 whatever way you want to.

00:36:23.239 --> 00:36:23.619
 he says

00:36:23.619 --> 00:36:24.319
 when you were

00:36:24.319 --> 00:36:25.199
 slaves to sin

00:36:25.199 --> 00:36:26.500
 you were free

00:36:26.500 --> 00:36:27.279
 from the control

00:36:27.279 --> 00:36:27.959
 of righteousness

00:36:27.959 --> 00:36:28.719
 but listen

00:36:28.719 --> 00:36:30.479
 what benefit

00:36:30.479 --> 00:36:31.579
 did you reap

00:36:31.579 --> 00:36:32.459
 at that time

00:36:32.459 --> 00:36:33.139
 from the things

00:36:33.139 --> 00:36:34.159
 you are ashamed of?

00:36:34.959 --> 00:36:35.839
 Those things

00:36:35.839 --> 00:36:37.059
 result in death.

00:36:37.799 --> 00:36:38.119
 So yes

00:36:38.119 --> 00:36:38.719
 if you want

00:36:38.719 --> 00:36:39.539
 to live free

00:36:39.539 --> 00:36:40.359
 from the rule

00:36:40.359 --> 00:36:41.139
 and reign of God

00:36:41.139 --> 00:36:41.699
 you are free

00:36:41.699 --> 00:36:42.279
 to do that

00:36:42.279 --> 00:36:43.299
 but the end

00:36:43.299 --> 00:36:43.799
 of that

00:36:43.799 --> 00:36:44.579
 is death.

00:36:45.519 --> 00:36:46.019
 And my friend

00:36:46.019 --> 00:36:47.399
 Jesus is offering

00:36:47.399 --> 00:36:48.500
 you freedom

00:36:48.500 --> 00:36:49.419
 from that.

00:36:49.779 --> 00:36:50.459
 But remember

00:36:50.460 --> 00:36:51.460
 this freedom

00:36:51.460 --> 00:36:52.340
 is conditional

00:36:52.340 --> 00:36:53.059
 and the freedom

00:36:53.059 --> 00:36:53.880
 is costly.

00:36:54.360 --> 00:36:55.039
 Jesus paid

00:36:55.039 --> 00:36:55.599
 the price

00:36:55.599 --> 00:36:56.280
 to free you

00:36:56.280 --> 00:36:56.940
 from your sin

00:36:56.940 --> 00:36:58.019
 and all that

00:36:58.019 --> 00:36:58.519
 is required

00:36:58.519 --> 00:36:58.800
 of you

00:36:58.800 --> 00:36:59.199
 is that you

00:36:59.199 --> 00:36:59.619
 repent

00:36:59.619 --> 00:37:00.760
 and believe

00:37:00.760 --> 00:37:01.659
 and then he

00:37:01.659 --> 00:37:02.179
 will give you

00:37:02.179 --> 00:37:02.679
 the ability

00:37:02.679 --> 00:37:03.360
 to remain

00:37:03.360 --> 00:37:04.079
 in his word

00:37:04.079 --> 00:37:04.960
 to be set

00:37:04.960 --> 00:37:05.420
 free

00:37:05.420 --> 00:37:06.320
 by his truth.

00:37:07.760 --> 00:37:08.539
 Maybe others

00:37:08.539 --> 00:37:09.300
 of us here

00:37:09.300 --> 00:37:10.619
 the Lord

00:37:10.619 --> 00:37:11.059
 is using

00:37:11.059 --> 00:37:11.619
 these words

00:37:11.619 --> 00:37:11.980
 of Jesus

00:37:11.980 --> 00:37:12.500
 to we

00:37:12.500 --> 00:37:13.679
 want to be

00:37:13.679 --> 00:37:14.380
 we want to be

00:37:14.380 --> 00:37:15.300
 servants of God

00:37:15.300 --> 00:37:15.960
 we want to live

00:37:15.960 --> 00:37:16.579
 in the freedom

00:37:16.579 --> 00:37:17.119
 of obedience

00:37:17.119 --> 00:37:17.920
 and maybe

00:37:17.920 --> 00:37:18.219
 the Lord

00:37:18.219 --> 00:37:18.619
 is showing

00:37:18.619 --> 00:37:19.079
 you areas

00:37:19.079 --> 00:37:19.719
 of your life

00:37:19.719 --> 00:37:20.719
 that are coming

00:37:20.719 --> 00:37:21.219
 to mind

00:37:21.219 --> 00:37:21.619
 where you're

00:37:21.619 --> 00:37:22.179
 not living

00:37:22.179 --> 00:37:22.859
 in this freedom

00:37:22.859 --> 00:37:23.500
 of the sons

00:37:23.500 --> 00:37:23.739
 of God

00:37:23.739 --> 00:37:24.239
 you are still

00:37:24.239 --> 00:37:24.920
 living as if

00:37:24.920 --> 00:37:25.359
 you were a

00:37:25.359 --> 00:37:26.199
 slave of sin

00:37:26.199 --> 00:37:28.619
 well how do we

00:37:28.619 --> 00:37:29.440
 how do we

00:37:29.440 --> 00:37:30.219
 get by that

00:37:30.219 --> 00:37:30.759
 how do we

00:37:30.759 --> 00:37:31.659
 live in that

00:37:31.659 --> 00:37:32.179
 freedom of

00:37:32.179 --> 00:37:32.559
 obedience

00:37:32.559 --> 00:37:33.819
 and this

00:37:33.819 --> 00:37:34.299
 sounds like

00:37:34.299 --> 00:37:35.339
 a very simple

00:37:35.339 --> 00:37:36.279
 application

00:37:36.279 --> 00:37:37.159
 it sounds

00:37:37.159 --> 00:37:37.779
 too simplistic

00:37:37.779 --> 00:37:38.400
 to say

00:37:38.400 --> 00:37:38.940
 you should

00:37:38.940 --> 00:37:39.279
 read your

00:37:39.279 --> 00:37:39.519
 bible

00:37:39.519 --> 00:37:40.039
 and pray

00:37:40.039 --> 00:37:41.799
 but what

00:37:41.799 --> 00:37:42.299
 did Jesus

00:37:42.299 --> 00:37:42.920
 say in our

00:37:42.920 --> 00:37:43.239
 passage

00:37:43.239 --> 00:37:43.859
 in verse 31

00:37:43.859 --> 00:37:44.279
 he said

00:37:44.279 --> 00:37:44.839
 you will

00:37:44.839 --> 00:37:45.219
 know the

00:37:45.219 --> 00:37:45.679
 truth

00:37:45.679 --> 00:37:46.659
 and the

00:37:46.659 --> 00:37:46.880
 truth

00:37:46.880 --> 00:37:47.180
 will set

00:37:47.180 --> 00:37:47.660
 you free

00:37:47.660 --> 00:37:48.220
 right

00:37:48.220 --> 00:37:48.900
 he says

00:37:48.900 --> 00:37:49.140
 if you

00:37:49.140 --> 00:37:49.579
 remain

00:37:49.579 --> 00:37:49.940
 in my

00:37:49.940 --> 00:37:50.440
 word

00:37:50.440 --> 00:37:51.240
 then you're

00:37:51.240 --> 00:37:51.400
 my

00:37:51.400 --> 00:37:51.800
 disciples

00:37:51.800 --> 00:37:53.039
 so really

00:37:53.039 --> 00:37:54.260
 it's not

00:37:54.260 --> 00:37:55.700
 as simple

00:37:55.700 --> 00:37:56.019
 as that

00:37:56.019 --> 00:37:56.599
 but it is

00:37:56.599 --> 00:37:57.119
 as simple

00:37:57.119 --> 00:37:57.440
 as that

00:37:57.440 --> 00:37:58.119
 that as we

00:37:58.119 --> 00:37:58.519
 know more

00:37:58.519 --> 00:37:58.820
 and more

00:37:58.820 --> 00:37:59.300
 of God's

00:37:59.300 --> 00:37:59.760
 truth

00:37:59.760 --> 00:38:00.800
 God will

00:38:00.800 --> 00:38:01.340
 allow us

00:38:01.340 --> 00:38:01.619
 more and

00:38:01.619 --> 00:38:02.059
 more to

00:38:02.059 --> 00:38:02.440
 be set

00:38:02.440 --> 00:38:02.740
 free

00:38:02.740 --> 00:38:03.500
 the real

00:38:03.500 --> 00:38:03.920
 freedom

00:38:03.920 --> 00:38:04.619
 comes from

00:38:04.619 --> 00:38:05.039
 the work

00:38:05.039 --> 00:38:05.460
 that Jesus

00:38:05.460 --> 00:38:06.000
 has done

00:38:06.000 --> 00:38:06.740
 in dying

00:38:06.740 --> 00:38:07.300
 for us

00:38:07.300 --> 00:38:08.700
 but experientially

00:38:08.700 --> 00:38:09.380
 day in

00:38:09.380 --> 00:38:10.000
 day out

00:38:10.000 --> 00:38:11.360
 God conquers

00:38:11.360 --> 00:38:11.920
 more and

00:38:11.920 --> 00:38:12.440
 more of

00:38:12.440 --> 00:38:13.180
 our hearts

00:38:13.180 --> 00:38:14.160
 through

00:38:14.160 --> 00:38:14.980
 the word

00:38:14.980 --> 00:38:15.440
 of God

00:38:15.440 --> 00:38:16.079
 showing us

00:38:16.079 --> 00:38:16.400
 truth

00:38:16.400 --> 00:38:16.780
 and that

00:38:16.780 --> 00:38:17.019
 truth

00:38:17.019 --> 00:38:17.519
 setting us

00:38:17.519 --> 00:38:17.840
 free

00:38:17.840 --> 00:38:20.599
 well

00:38:20.599 --> 00:38:21.720
 let us

00:38:21.720 --> 00:38:22.340
 pray for

00:38:22.340 --> 00:38:22.980
 that together

00:38:22.980 --> 00:38:23.700
 that the

00:38:23.700 --> 00:38:24.420
 Lord would

00:38:24.420 --> 00:38:25.220
 set us

00:38:25.220 --> 00:38:25.599
 free

00:38:25.599 --> 00:38:26.059
 in this

00:38:26.059 --> 00:38:26.340
 way

00:38:26.340 --> 00:38:29.019
 Father I

00:38:29.019 --> 00:38:29.440
 thank you

00:38:29.440 --> 00:38:29.880
 just for these

00:38:29.880 --> 00:38:30.320
 brothers and

00:38:30.320 --> 00:38:30.800
 sisters for

00:38:30.800 --> 00:38:31.360
 the joy

00:38:31.360 --> 00:38:32.039
 of being

00:38:32.039 --> 00:38:32.400
 with them

00:38:32.400 --> 00:38:32.940
 this morning

00:38:32.940 --> 00:38:34.420
 for the

00:38:34.420 --> 00:38:35.059
 privilege of

00:38:35.059 --> 00:38:35.480
 looking at

00:38:35.480 --> 00:38:35.940
 your word

00:38:35.940 --> 00:38:36.380
 Lord would

00:38:36.380 --> 00:38:36.720
 you

00:38:36.720 --> 00:38:39.639
 give us

00:38:39.639 --> 00:38:40.539
 a great

00:38:40.539 --> 00:38:42.059
 vision of

00:38:42.059 --> 00:38:42.700
 the glorious

00:38:42.700 --> 00:38:43.720
 freedom of

00:38:43.719 --> 00:38:44.339
 obedience

00:38:44.339 --> 00:38:45.019
 that Jesus

00:38:45.019 --> 00:38:45.919
 has died

00:38:45.919 --> 00:38:47.199
 and rose

00:38:47.199 --> 00:38:48.019
 again to

00:38:48.019 --> 00:38:48.779
 win for

00:38:48.779 --> 00:38:49.239
 us

00:38:49.239 --> 00:38:50.379
 and would

00:38:50.379 --> 00:38:50.699
 you give

00:38:50.699 --> 00:38:51.079
 these brothers

00:38:51.079 --> 00:38:51.659
 and sisters

00:38:51.659 --> 00:38:52.759
 great strength

00:38:52.759 --> 00:38:53.879
 as they fight

00:38:53.879 --> 00:38:54.539
 for the fight

00:38:54.539 --> 00:38:55.119
 of obedience

00:38:55.119 --> 00:38:55.839
 which is the

00:38:55.839 --> 00:38:56.759
 fight to

00:38:56.759 --> 00:38:57.339
 fight in the

00:38:57.339 --> 00:38:57.819
 way that we

00:38:57.819 --> 00:38:58.339
 were created

00:38:58.339 --> 00:38:58.919
 to live

00:38:58.919 --> 00:39:00.000
 in your name

00:39:00.000 --> 00:39:00.559
 amen

00:39:00.559 --> 00:39:13.780
 thank you

00:39:13.780 --> 00:39:14.219
 very much

00:39:14.219 --> 00:39:14.619
 Kevin

00:39:14.619 --> 00:39:18.059
 thank you

00:39:18.059 --> 00:39:18.440
 all for

00:39:18.440 --> 00:39:19.139
 coming today

00:39:19.139 --> 00:39:19.980
 it's great to

00:39:19.980 --> 00:39:20.460
 have you with

00:39:20.460 --> 00:39:20.780
 us

00:39:20.780 --> 00:39:22.300
 we'll see you

00:39:22.300 --> 00:39:22.880
 next week

00:39:22.880 --> 00:39:23.940
 and if you

00:39:23.940 --> 00:39:24.219
 want to

00:39:24.219 --> 00:39:25.159
 feedback any

00:39:25.159 --> 00:39:25.960
 comments or

00:39:25.960 --> 00:39:26.800
 ask any

00:39:26.800 --> 00:39:27.699
 questions to

00:39:27.699 --> 00:39:28.039
 Kevin

00:39:28.039 --> 00:39:29.019
 please feel

00:39:29.019 --> 00:39:29.599
 free to do

00:39:29.599 --> 00:39:30.179
 that afterwards

00:39:30.179 --> 00:39:31.619
 and talk to

00:39:31.619 --> 00:39:32.039
 Jack and

00:39:32.039 --> 00:39:32.840
 Zona while

00:39:32.840 --> 00:39:33.420
 they're here

00:39:33.420 --> 00:39:34.759
 and find out

00:39:34.759 --> 00:39:35.179
 a little bit

00:39:35.179 --> 00:39:35.679
 more about

00:39:35.679 --> 00:39:36.460
 them but

00:39:36.460 --> 00:39:37.000
 good to see

00:39:37.000 --> 00:39:37.199
 you