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A Disciple of Jesus Is Free
Brian Mashburn
July 9, 2006
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A Disciple of Jesus Is Free... Really
The little boy was honestly trying to hand the other one his powdered donut, "you can have it...really." The other boy really wanted it, but wouldn't take it. Some pride had festered up somehow, and he refused.
The girl really liked the boy, and she made sure the boy knew it. "She'll go out with you...really." But in spite of all the evidence, the boy wouldn't ask her out. His fear that it wasn't true was too overwhelming, and he didn't.
The man had always wanted to fly. He was older now, with this unrealized dream, when a pilot offered to take him up in his plane. "You can come. It's safe...really." But because he had become comfortable on the ground, he didn't.
I feel like these are all smaller versions of people's reaction to Christ. Christ offers freedom. Real freedom. Freedom from sin. Freedom from enemies. Freedom from false restrictions. Freedom from death. Freedom from guilt. Freedom from worry. Freedom from anguish. Freedom. Real freedom.
Jesus wouldn't mock us with a false promise. The Bible isn't poking fun at us by holding out a false dream. Freedom...real freedom that is felt deeply and constantly in your heart of hearts...is possible.
Even Christians don't believe it, and therefore rarely live it.
But there Jesus stands. He says, "you are free...really." And either because of sinful pride that acts like we don't need it, or because of fear that it's too good to be true, or because of comfort with the smaller confines of a boxed-in, more understandable world...we refuse it.
Do you have the freedom that Christ is talking about? Or do you have a dumbed-down version of it that still has you feeling constrained, or guilty, or lost, or worried. Jesus has a word for you...
"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:36)