Independence Day

Dr. Allen Mabra. Sunday June 2nd, 2017. Independence Day John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Introduction: IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776. The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, … That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to affect their Safety and Happiness. ...We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; …for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor. I. The Prescription for Freedom (31) Jesus offers real freedom to every man. This freedom may be realized by believing in Jesus. What are the elements of belief? a. Assent to the truth What do I mean when I say that belief includes an assent to the truth? It means that we agree that God is the source of all truth and we agree with God about the scope of the truth. It is the truth about us, "for all have sinned" and that "the wages of sin is death," and that "the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."   b. Acceptance of the truth John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Implicit in the idea of assent or agreement is that when we truly agree with the truth we will also apply the truth. John 14:21“He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” c. Abiding in the truth   John 15:3 “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 15:4 “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 15:5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. John 15:6 “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.15:7 “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.15:8 “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. John 15:9 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 15:10 “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. Heb 3:14For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, Parable of the sower It is not enough to receive God's truth - we must retain and walk in it. And it is only when we receive the truth, love it, keep it, and walk in it, that we are the genuine disciples of Christ. Adam Clarke's Commentary   II. The Person of Freedom (32a) John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. In the Bible, the Greek word to remember is aletheia. Aletheia literally means to "not forget." And in the King James Version and many other translations of the Bible, the word aletheia is also translated as "truth."So truth, in the Bible, literally means to not forget. To know the truth means to remember. So truth, in the Bible, literally means to not forget. To know the truth means to remember.   a. The truth proclaimed John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. b. The truth personified John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. c. The truth perceived John 7:17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.   III. The Promise of Freedom (32b) John 8:32“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” No matter how many freedoms our nation gives us, it can not give us the freedom from the shame and guilt imposed upon us by our sins. Hazel Felleman wrote a poem about this:"I wish there were some wonderful placeCalled the Land of Beginning AgainWhere all our mistakes, and all our heartachesAnd all our selfish griefsCould be cast like a shabby old coat at the doorAnd never be put on again" a. From the penalty for sin There is a place called the land of beginning again and it is the place that Jesus has bought and paid for with His own life's blood and you can have title to a plot, when you believe on Him. When you do you will be freed from the guilt and shame of your sins, you will no longer be under the penalty of sin but you will have the peace that only Jesus can give. The penalty is "death" but the gift is "life!" b. From the power of sin No man is truly free, but he in whose heart the power of sin is destroyed, and who has received the Spirit of adoption, through which he cries, Abba! Father! Adam Clarke's Commentary of the Bible   Rom 6:16Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? Rom 6:17But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.Rom 6:18And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. c. From the presence of sin Is there ever going to be a time when sin is not going to be a problem, when we will be totally and completely free from all of the consequences of sin? The answer is yes. But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.Rom 7:18For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. Rom 7:19For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.Rom 7:20Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.Rom 7:21I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. There is not sin in heaven my friend and that means that all those who love Jesus and have already passed on have entered a place where there is no hint, hurt or haunt of sin and they wait and worship for all those who will join them by faith in Jesus.   Conclusion: True freedom and independence comes when we receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. He is the source of truth. All truth resides in Him. There is no truth besides Him. He is God and if you want to know God you must come to Jesus for "no man comes to the Father but by Him."   Proverbs 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. Max Lucado tells the story about the boy who was shooting rocks with a slingshot. He could never hit his target. One day when he was in his Grandma's backyard he spied her pet duck. On impulse he took aim and let fly. The stone hit, and the duck was dead.