Jesus is the One who Sets us Free

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

John 8.36

 

“The one who sets us free" is the person who frees us from sin and the effects of sin.

 

Have you ever told a lie and then felt trapped? If you admitted you told the lie, you might get in trouble. It felt like you had to keep lying to protect the one lie. Sin always seems to trap us. But God wants us to enjoy His freedom. Jesus coming to set us free was always God’s perfect plan from the beginning. God was not surprised by Adam and Eve’s sin or Pharaoh’s hard heart.

Yet, Pharaoh was surely shocked by God’s power. That bully Pharaoh thought he was bigger and stronger than God, until God showed Pharaoh that He controlled even the breath of his firstborn son. Pharaoh finally realised just how powerful the one true God was, so he let God’s people go.

Millions of Israelites feet walked out of Egypt that day. Moses followed God’s direction and led all the boys, girls, men, and women of Abraham’s family toward a great sea.

But it was not long before Pharaoh’s fear was washed away by a wave of anger that all his slaves were gone. Pharaoh and his soldiers got their horses and chariots and chased after the Israelites. God’s people could not possibly fight him and win. They were trapped, with the sea in front of them and their enemies behind them.

Moses told the scared Israelites, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. . . The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” That night God blocked Pharaoh and his men from moving forward. And then God blew back the waters of the sea. The breath that spoke all creation into existence had no trouble blowing back the waters of the sea until there was dry land.

Now, all those feet that had just walked out of Egypt made footprints on the bottom of the sea. Abraham’s family walked to safety while staying dry. When Pharaoh and his men tried to chase the Israelites, God allowed the sea to rush back over them. They all died.

After 400 years of slavery, the Israelites had escaped their slave master, Pharaoh. They would never have to make another brick or move a single stone for him again. They sang songs of praise to God. God had set them free!

Jesus sets us free from slavery to sin. Sin ties us down with lies that God doesn’t really love us. Sin captures our joy and freedom with the lies that we don’t need to listen to God and that we’ll be happier without Him. If we believe one sinful lie, soon we will hear a new lie that sounds good to follow. It seems like we cannot escape the endless work of trying to be happy in sin. So, we are slaves to sin.

Not only does Jesus set our minds free from the chains of sinful ideas, but He sets our souls free from the ultimate effect of sin. Sin always locks us up far from the one true, loving God. When we believe in Jesus, He breaks the slavery to sin that keeps us trapped. With those chains gone, we burst into song celebrating our escape and the one who freed us. When Jesus frees us, we are truly free. He fills us with peace and love. Jesus is the One who sets us free.

 

Moses and the people celebrate with a praise song to God.

Exodus 15.1-2

 

What does Jesus set us free from?

Who is truly free, someone who believes in Jesus who is in jail or someone taking a walk in your neighbourhood who does not believe in Jesus?