OceanSide church of Christ

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FREEDOM IS NOT FREE

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.     Tomorrow is July 4th, or, Independence Day.

1.       On July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence from England.

2.       Two days later, the 13 colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence.

3.       Once independence was declared a bitter battle was fought.  The war finally ended with the Treaty of Paris being signed on September 3, 1783.

4.       However, it was not until 1941 that July 4th became a National Holiday.

5.       NOTE:  The United States is not the only country with an Independence Day.  On the website, www.worldatlas.com, there is a list of 177 other countries that celebrate an Independence Day from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. 

 

B.      The bitter battles that have been fought in these different nations prove freedom is not free.  There is a price to be paid.

 

C.     In the spiritual world, there was the need for freedom. 

1.       Man was enslaved to sin.  His taskmaster was none other than the evil one, Satan.

a.       John 8:34

 

Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

 

1)      The word “servant” is the Greek word “doulos.”

2)      It means “slave.”  It involves an individual being in subjection to or subservient to another.

b.      1 John 3:8

 

He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning…

 

2.       Even though many are still in the clutches of slavery, freedom exists for all who desire it.

3.       This freedom is not free either.  There was a price that had to be paid to have it and for it to continue.

 

D.     The title of our lesson is:  “Freedom Is Not Free.”  Let’s look at some of the costs that must be paid in order for freedom to be obtained and maintained.

 

I.                    IT COST THE BLOOD (LIFE) OF THE SON OF GOD

 

A.     In order for a slave to sin to be set free, a purchase price had to be paid.

1.       The price was not silver and gold and treasure.

2.       The price was not that of an innocent animal or a high and lofty angel.

3.       The price was blood, and not just any blood.  It was the blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (1 Pet. 1:18-19).

 

Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

 

B.      Christians admit the cost, but do we truly understand it?

We speak about the cost, but do we feel it?

We remember the death every Lord’s Day, but do we grasp its value?

 

C.     We were not personally acquainted with Jesus.  We were not there on that dreadful day.  We did not witness the excruciating pain the Son of God had to bear.  We believe it all by faith, but do we feel the tug on our heart strings as we contemplate the cross?

 

D.     To help us appreciate the cost as human beings, God captured the death of Jesus in an Old Testament story, the offering of Isaac by Abraham.

1.       The account.

a.       Isaac was a child of promise

b.      He was Abraham’s only begotten son.

c.       Abraham loved Isaac dearly.

d.      He saw Isaac as an infant and watch him grow to become an older son.

e.       Then, the command came from God (Gen. 22:2)

 

And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

 

f.        A stirring verse (Gen. 22:4).

 

Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.

 

g.      The actions of Abraham (Gen. 22:9-10)

 

And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.  And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

 

2.       Questions:

a.       Can you feel the emotions?

b.      Do you see the innocent Isaac as he is about to die?

c.       Does your heart go out to Abraham who is having to slay his son?

3.       Move all of those feeling to the crucifixion.  This is how we should feel about the price Jesus paid at Calvary.  Yes, we should feel deep feelings of anguish plus many, many more.  Why?  Because the price was high.

 

II.                 IT WILL COST CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS

 

A.     When individuals come to the Christ, they often have relationships that must be severed if they are going to be saved from sin and experience true freedom.

 

B.      Let’s briefly note three relationships.

1.       Our relationship with the world.

a.       The world has been our abode for many years (Eph. 2:2).

 

Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world…

 

b.      It has ensnared us, but we have also enjoyed some of its pleasures.

c.       The world, however, with all of its fleshly delicacies is an enemy of our Lord (Jms. 4:4).

 

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship with the world is enmity with God?  whosoever will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

 

d.      To experience the freedom Jesus came to give us, we must overcome the world (1 John 5:4).

 

For whosoever is born of God overcometh the world:  and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

 

2.       Our relationship with false ways.

a.       The Bible teaches that there is only one way to heaven.

1)      This way involves the Christ (John 14:6).

2)      This way is strait (Matt. 7:13-14).

3)      This way is closely associated with the Lord’s church (Acts 9:2; 19:23).

b.      Satan knows there is only one way. 

1)      Therefore, he has sought to confuse men with many ways (Prov. 14:12).

 

There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

 

2)      Sadly, many have accepted Satan’s lies.  They believe that there are many ways to heaven.

c.       When we come to an understanding of God’s will and submit to it, we will hate every false way (Ps. 119:104).

 

Through thy precepts I get understanding:  therefore I hate every false way.

 

3.       Our relationship with our own will.

a.       Man is a thinking being.   Therefore, he has a will of his own. 

b.      He has his desires.  He makes up his plans.  These things feed his positive emotions.

c.       Jeremiah 10:23

 

O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself:  it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.

 

d.      Romans 3:12a

 

They are all gone out of the way…

 

e.       Self must be put aside.  God’s will must be elevated to the position of the ruler within our lives (Ex., Saul of Tarsus, Acts 9:6).

 

And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?...

 

f.        This was the spirit that Jesus had when He came to this earth (John 6:38; Heb. 10:7, 9).

 

C.     These three things are what keep most people away from the freedom that is in Christ:  the world, false ways, and self-will (Ex., the rich young man, Matt. 19:21-22).

 

But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful:  for he had great possessions.

 

 

III.              THE COST OF BATTLE

 

A.     Another cost of freedom is the cost of battle.

1.       We may accept the blood of Christ and be free from our sins.

2.       We may sever all ties to things that would keep us from freedom in Christ,

3.       But, Satan will not rest from his labors.

4.       It was Thomas Jefferson who said:  “The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.”

 

B.      There will be a battle that will needs to be fought until we come to the end of our lives.

1.       Paul wrote that he was set for the defense of the gospel (Phil. 1:17).

2.       He commanded the young evangelist Timothy to fight the good fight of faith (1 Tim. 6:12).

3.       Christians are told to put on the whole armor of God in order to stand against the wiles of the devil (Eph. 6:11).

4.       We are also told that we are cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God (2 Cor. 10:5).

 

C.     Warfare is not a fun activity.

1.       It costs our time.

2.       It costs our labor.

3.       It costs our relationships at times.

4.       It can cost our reputation.

5.       It can cost our well-being in this life.

6.       It can even cost us our life.

 

D.     Paul got the end of his life and said:  “I have fought a good fight” (2 Tim. 4:7).  It is interesting that that fight cost him his life (2 Tim. 4:6).

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.     At the outset of this lesson, we noted that 178 countries have an Independence Day.

 

B.      It would be interesting to see the list of people who paid the price for freedom to exist.  If they were able to stand before us, they would definitely say:  “Freedom is not free.  It comes with great costs.”

 

C.     Spiritual freedom is the same way.

1.       It cost Jesus His precious blood.

2.       It will cost us relationships that keep us from obtaining freedom.

3.       I will cost us our personal desires and longings.

4.       It will cost us the effort of waging the battle to keep the freedom that is ours to enjoy.

 

D.     We want all men to be free from sin, from Satan, from death, and from eternal condemnation. 

1.       Knowledge of the truth is the key (John 8:32; Rom. 8:2).

 

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

 

2.       The gospel tells us to hear the truth, believe in Jesus as the Son of God, repent of sins, confess the name of Jesus, and be baptized for the remission of sins.

3.       Then, we must fight the good fight of faith until our time on life is finished.

4.       “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).