sin

Jesus sets you free.

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31So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”

34Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. 35The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.   John 8:31-36

Disciples of Jesus are free.

But they have got to know their desperate situation.

They have got to know what sin is up to.

Sin makes its slaves.

Sin is not just a list of bad acts; 

Its a condition of independence and separation from God.

Jesus says people are slaves to sin.

If that’s the case there is no freedom from the consequences of sin.

We are bound to the evidence of our brokenness: to our guilt, to our shame, to our fear.

Jesus says His word, his teaching, brings us into freedom.

Freedom from sin… may this be a progressive reality we experience more and more.

How?

The Son must set us free.

Knowing truth is a product of abiding in His Word.

Abiding, Waiting, listening, cherishing His Word.

Abide: that’s the word of a free person.

Abide in the word of Jesus and you will

abide in the house of God… like a child enjoy family privilege.

At home with God.

That’s the condition sin always seeks to disturb.

Listen to Jesus.

He says, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31

 

Sin is always relational.

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Sin is always relational.

14Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 17Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. 18Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? 19What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. 22Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

I remember when I said this out loud, “Sin is always relational.” The Follower of Jesus sitting across from me was surprised and called it into question. Ever since I have come to recognize that we can develop a cerebral idea of sin that reserves consequences to just the “me.”

The deception in this approach can lead us to rationalize sin as an act that might not be on the “approval” list of others but is OK because we are not hurting someone else.

Idolatry exists because of our independence from God. That is sin.

When Paul writes to the Corinthian church about idolatry he wants them to reconnect their framework of decisions and life-value-judgements to relationships. He appeals to the very physical nature of the Lord’s Supper (the Bread and the Cup) to convey our union with Christ and therefore a union or interconnectedness with the whole people of Jesus as His body. He demonstrates that idolatry, in this case the participation in the ceremony and cultic rites of the many religions of Corinth, was a kind of spiritual union–a dark demonic spiritual union.

As well we must acknowledge, idolatry is always relational. It involves our relationships with self, people, the stuff of earth AND God. So Paul uses the word jealousy. “Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy?” He is jealous for you. You can only be jealous for that which “is” yours. Jealousy in this case has its judgement, for we now by His grace through Christ we belong with Him. We have a place at His table. Why should we abandon His table for another? We are now incompatible at the other table. We don’t belong there.

Interrupt the sin cycle.

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Scripture:  2 Peter 1:3-4

3His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

Observations:

A relationship with Jesus Christ makes the following available to us even though we live in a world that would corrupt us through sinful desires.

God’s power:  So now we have what we need for life and godliness.

God’s promises: So now we are “partakers” in His divine nature.

Application:

Those who enjoy sport remember reading and watching Lance Armstrong ride to glory over and over.  This week we waited for Lance Armstrong’s confession at the Chapel of Oprah so we could hear him come clean about doping in order to win.  Now in the wake of his ill-gotten glory and years of aggressive lying, the stories of ruined lives are coming into focus.

Sin wreaks lives.  The corruption of the world is always seeking to wreak us through the pathways of our sinful desires.

These verses (2 Peter 1:3-4) reveal a new reality available for us through our knowledge of Jesus.  These verses remind me that sin in my life and even the sinful desires are not a fault of the Gospel.  The Gospel has not failed me.  Rather when I become aware of gross and ugly sin in my life, I know that I must lean into my walk with Jesus.  I need His power for this new life and I need His promises that shout “I am loved by God.”  These promises interrupt the sin cycle and usher me into His grace for life.

Prayer:

Oh, Heavenly Father, have mercy on us.  May Jesus’ power and promises be evident in our lives.  Thank you for rescuing us from utter destruction through Him.  Now may your Word lead us into your path for life and may your Spirit empower us to love well.  AMEN.

Healing for the Sin-Sick

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Scripture:  1 Peter 2:24-25

24He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Observations:

Jesus bore our sins on the cross.

So that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.

His wounds bring healing to us.

We were like lost sheep.

But now, we have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls.

Application:  Healing for the sin-sick.

Jesus said He was the good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep. (John 10)  He is healing our hearts so that we can die to sin and live to righteousness.  Righteousness has to do with our relationships.  Independence from God infects our relationships with sin and brokenness.  The consequences of sin can leave people washed up in a wake of destruction.  The “straying sheep” is living independent of God and for sure is leaning into his or her own way rather than the way of God (Proverbs 3:5-6).  The image of Jesus dying on the cross that we might live is a picture of enduring grace for our lives.  When I sin and infect my relationships with death, Jesus can lead me and the other person into the grace necessary for the healing of our souls.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, you have raised up Jesus as the Shepherd and Overseer of my soul.  Lead me into your grace for relationships today.  May I with you be a source of healing and life.  AMEN.