Reflect

Know the truth and be free. But what truth? What freedom? It was these kinds of issues that left Jesus’ followers and others confused—both then and now. In John 8, Jesus explained in the form of a brief analogy. We are like slaves, only we are enslaved to sin rather than to a slave-holding master. Like literal slaves, we are not considered to have any standing in the home of the master. We have no self-determination. We have no future apart from our slavery, except under one condition. Our only hope for freedom is for the slave-owner’s household to release us into freedom. That’s the only way. The good news, the truth of the matter, is that Jesus himself is a member of that household. Jesus is the son of the household who has the power to turn the slaves free. The sin that keeps us from living life fully and abundantly is powerless over the freeing truth of Jesus.

We have only to accept this truth in order to experience the freedom it brings. To some this may sound like a tradeoff: “In order to get freedom, believe this.” But it is not any such bargain. The freedom for each of us slaves is already accomplished. In order to experience that freeing reality for our lives, however, we certainly do have to claim the awareness of the gift. The slaves cannot enjoy their freedom if they remain ignorant of its reality.

Question

1. What is sin? Is it a black and white list of right and wrong? Is it a state of being?
2. How is sin talked about and taught in your congregation? In what kinds of discussions is sin likely to be mentioned?
3. How can people come to know the marvelous freedom which Jesus has secured for them? How have you known it?
4. Are there times when claiming freedom in Christ may lead persons to make changes in their lives that may not be understood by others in the church?

Act

1. A popular song with youth years ago included this refrain: “It’s a long, long road to freedom, a winding steep and wide. But when you walk in love with the wind on your wing, and cover the earth with the songs you sing, the miles fly by.” The image here is that freedom may take some time to realize, but that the journey itself can be joyful and rewarding. Reflect on times in your life when freedom seemed elusive. How can those times be made significant for those on the journey? If there is time, learn the above song.
2. Collect worship bulletins for the past several months. Survey the unison prayers of confession. What do these prayers reveal about your congregation’s conceptions about sin?
3. The words of Jesus in John 8:12 is but one such “I am…” passage in the gospel. Study these statements of Jesus: “bread” (6:35); “light” (8:12); “door” (10:7,9); “shepherd” (10:11,14); “resurrection and life” (11:25); “way, truth, and life” (11:25); “vine” (15:1,5)

Photo by Simon Maage on Unsplash