f the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. – John 8:36

We hear the word Freedom used a lot in our modern society. Freedom of choice, speech, religion, travel, etc. We believe we see or know a level of freedom but it is freedom from specific things. Freedom to say what we want. Freedom to attend the church we want. Freedom to go or live where we choose. You can have freedom in a lot of places. Even the United States is referred to as the “Land of the Free”. Are we really “Free” though?

The only one who truly can provide freedom is Christ! Jesus speaking in John is answering the Jewish people asking who they were in bondage to. They did not live in slavery and did not live in bondage. They were under Roman oppressions sure, but not mass slavery. The freedom Jesus was offering was not physical freedom but spiritual freedom. A freedom that no man can provide, only God can provide this freedom.

This freedom is one that the weight of sin, the fear, stress of life, and unknowns can be laid down and one could be free from all of it. Freedom in this way cannot be obtained through our own effort, cannot be earned, and it cannot be won. It is given freely from Christ Jesus.

In New York, the Statue of Liberty stands in the harbor. Inscribed are these words:

Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Stand these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me: I lift my lamp beside the golden door.

The Statue of Liberty is a symbol of freedom. Seven spikes on her head represent the seven seas and seven continents. At the feet is a chain that has been broken. We know the statue as Lady Liberty. She stands inviting and welcoming all those who are oppressed, hurting, or held hostage in some situation; inviting them all to come and find freedom in the United States.

This is like the freedom God is extending to us. To come if we are weary, hurting, broken, oppressed, hostage to some situation, fearful, or anything else. Come to the Father. Whatever we are dealing with, we can find freedom in God through Christ Jesus. We can lay our burdens down, ask for forgiveness of sin, plead for help in our trials, and be set free!

The question is… Are you free? If not, Jesus can set you free! Then we can stand and echo the words of the songwriter

Who the Son sets free

Oh is free indeed

I’m a child of God

Yes I am

Free at last

He has ransomed me

His grace runs deep

While I was a slave to sin

Jesus died for me

Nick Dyson