Title: Setting Us Free


In the first few months of the year the federal authorities in Phoenix raided illegal immigrant drop houses every other day. That has changed in the valley; those federal agents are targeting a group of immigrant victims – they haven’t seen much of modern day slaves. I’m Charles Morris with Haven Today. Coming to you from Southern California where slavery is not something you hear a lot about. In fact most of us are appalled by even the thought of slavery but we also don’t think too much of spiritual slavery, that’s even more rampant in the world in which we live. Take a moment with me now and let’s worship the Lord in a program called “Setting Us Free”.

Song: He Who the Son Sets Free

The song is called “He Who the Son Sets Free” and it's based on John 8:36; “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed”. It's very difficult to get victims to talk about slavery in Phoenix but apparently there are slavery rings operating in the Valley. US Attorney Paul Charlton says three Chinese women were arrested in the suburb of Chandler last year after they had been forced into prostitution. He says it's difficult to get victims to talk but the goal is to keep trying, trying to free women and children being forced into labor or sex. But I want to talk with you about a different kind of freedom and slavery whether you live in a free country (or supposedly a free country) or not you may be in spiritual or emotional bondage. You may be bound by invisible chains; well I'm here to tell you today that Jesus the Son of God can truly set you free. There are tyrants no earthly eye can see and there are chains no human hands can handle. Maybe as you are listening while I’m talking right now you sense that in one or more areas of your life you're really a captive. Christ wants to set you free for the truest kind of freedom and he gives his freedom to anyone who will receive it. You can be thrown into jail and still live in perfect freedom. Neither person nor circumstance can take away the liberty which Christ gives, once Christ's freedom is our own - nothing can take it away. Men may banish, burn, hang, beat and torture us but they can never tear true freedom from us. The poorest may have it as well as the richest - the most un-learned may have it as well as the most learned - and the weakest as well as the strongest. Laws cannot deprive us of it once it is our own - it is an everlasting possession. That is what one English Theologian J. C. Ryall said about it - but what is this special freedom? Its spiritual freedom - inside freedom - soul freedom, you can't buy it because Christ gives it…the Son sets you free. The Bible says in II Corinthians 3:17; “Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty”. This liberty is not found on a Republican or Democratic Party platform in the United States. It's not found in a new government trying to make it known in Iraq - politicians have no power to give it or guarantee it, it’s out of their league. We are talking about that blessed freedom experienced in your heart and in your mind. We are going to hear some deep spiritual truth that is set to music and sung by Haven and then I want to share with you at least five ways in which Jesus Christ can set you free.

Song: By One Man

This is Haven Today in a program called “Setting Us Free”. I’m Charles Morris and thank you for allowing me to join you for just a few minutes. I mentioned a moment ago that there are at least five ways that Jesus Christ sets you free. Let’s talk about what those are; first, he sets you free from the burden and the guilt of your own sin. I know we live in a day when we don't even use the word much - we don't think about it much but deep down I think all of us know that we are sinners. Sins that separate us from God are a great weight on our hearts - pressing us down and this is why Jesus died on the cross. I John 1:7 says; “The blood of Jesus Christ purifies us from all sin” when you come to faith in Christ you're clean and freed from slavery and you can look back on your former bondage to sin and rejoice and give thanks that you're pardoned and justified and absolutely accepted by God. Romans 8:1 says; “There is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” and that's true freedom. Second; Christ can give you freedom from the power and the habits of sin - it no longer has you in its grip. By Christ's presence and grace you are released from its hold. As Romans 8 says; “You are more than a conqueror through him who loves you” that's true liberty. We are talking about being free - really free when you come to Christ he sets you free in at least five ways. First you’re freed from the guilt and burden of sin – second; your freed from the power of sin - but here's a third one; you’re freed from the fear of God. Let me explained that; you come to see that he isn’t angry at you, I know we're supposed to fear God but I'm talking about thinking of God as being angry toward you all the time. When Adams sinned in the garden he tried to hide from God because suddenly he was afraid of him. I think millions of people are hiding from God right now and before I met the Lord I honestly thought God didn't like me so I try to avoid him. But when I accepted Christ as my Savior God made me a new creation. I found out that God sees me in Christ as perfect - as Christ is perfect. God is absolutely pleased with me and that's a relief - that's real freedom. Fourth, Christ sets us free from the fear of other people. You may be afraid of the sneers or the frowns of people around you - what others think about you can grip you like a vice but once you care more about what God thinks of you than what others think - you're home free and that's real freedom again. Fifth; Christ also sets us free from the fear of death - let's face it death is our enemy but Jesus at the cross took death for us. The Bible says that at the cross he swallowed it. But then amazingly by his resurrection God released Christ of all that death could do to him and by that resurrection he also released us. In fact Christ made death adorned to heaven for us. But as a Christian you come to die and you can say; death can’t harm me, I’ll go straight through death and be forever with the Lord. David wrote in Psalm 23; “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil” that again is true freedom. You will know the truth and the truth will set you free, free forever. Once you have been born again and your name is written in the Lords book of life you're truly free.

Song: I Take My Rest

Christ sets you free by his great sacrifice - that's what Bill Cantos was just singing about with a song from his album “Embrace the Cross”. As the bondage was great so the price of obtaining freedom for you was great; the price was his precious blood. He became you're substitute - he died on the cross for your sins. He satisfied every demand of God's law which exposed and condemned you. Christ took our long record of sins and erased all that was written against us. He became sin for us as it says in II Corinthians. At the cross he battled but he also triumphed over evil at Calvary he defeated principalities and powers and he made a show of them openly. Nothing can touch those whom he has redeemed at the cross - your debts are paid and your sins are gone, you are no longer a slave. God's Holy justice is satisfied and if you accept his cross and resurrection for you - then you are absolutely free. This great and glorious victory of Christ is something that we can keep in front of us constantly we can hang onto it as truth because it is true. We can rejoice over it because it's full of joy and we can enjoy its privileges. You can't value it ever to highly - boast about Jesus. When I sing a hymn like “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” I feel like weeping for joy. Or when I sing “Hallelujah What a Savior” the same thing happens, I don't ever want to let the saving gracious work of Christ become something old hat to me. It’s the glorious truth of the Gospel, the good news; love it, praise God for it and learn more about it and you will be free in Christ, really free.

Song: A River to My Soul

It’s for freedom that Christ has set us free - stand firm then and don't let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery – that’s what the Scriptures say. If you've been freed from the burden of sin and death it's important that you stand fast in your God given liberty. I know Christians who choose not to be freed from the fear of death they show up by the fact that they're terrified of getting older or maybe getting sick. They do their best not to talk about death or even try not to think about it - they can't say with Paul “For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain”. But you know what? I need to just accept the truth of the Word about Christ's marvelous victory over death, even our own deaths that are approaching. I suspect that many people right now that are listening to Haven Today are gripped by fears; you don't know the freedom that Christ can give. You may well believe theoretically that there is a spiritual freedom and that Christ alone gives it but you don't have it personally. Maybe you don't feel worthy it or terrible as it may seem you still have a lingering love for your old pre-Christ life. Well you don’t have to go on like that; the only way to freedom is by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and his Word. Receive him and trust him - commit your life to him and rest your whole self on Christ. There's no other way to spiritual freedom - he is the way. Are you free? Or let me ask; would you like to be free? Is there a longing in your soul for a better life, an eternal life of wholesome freedom in Christ? Then take the step of faith, believe in the Gospel and repent of your sins and the Son will set you free. His freedom is the way to true happiness - sin as a burden and guilt is destruction. Christ wants to save you from all that. I'm not saying that you'll never have temptations and troubles again, this isn’t heaven yet, and ultimate freedom will come when you go home to be with Christ. You can get a true taste of heaven right now. Remember the verse I shared as we started our time together? Here it is again; “If the Son sets you free you will be free indeed”. This is a Haven Today program called “Setting Us Free” and I pray that you have prayed the sinner's prayer to know the freedom that you can have in Christ Jesus today. The last few weeks there's been a lot of buzz about the book and upcoming movie “The Di Vinci Code” and then we had just before Easter the just translated “Gospel of Judas”. If you missed our programs last week with the New Testament in Gnostic Gospels Expert, then I want to suggest you visit us at Haventoday.org and “going deeper” section and you'll find those two programs with Dr. Clinton Arnold he's the head of New Testament at Talbot School of Theology – that’s part of Biola University. When you go online you can also send us a prayer request; that’s an important ministry here at Haven Today. When you visit Haventoday.org you'll also find “The Discussing the Di Vinci Code Kit” by Lee Strobel that includes a DVD film on The Di Vinci Code locations in France and England, a Leaders Discussion Guide and also the book by Lee Strobel “Exploring The Di Vinci Code” we have that book in single and 6-pack copies. If it's more convenient to just give us a call at 1-800-65-HAVEN. We are a listener supported ministry so either by calling or going to the internet you can help and your help is needed. I’m Charles Morris and thank you for being with us on the program today. Join us again tomorrow as we share The Great Story; It’s All About Jesus here on Haven Today.