Finding freedom from slavery to sin

“Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

— John 8:34-36

 

I heard about an old prospector who came out of the gold mines one day and there were some young cowboys who thought they’d have a little fun with him.

So they said, “Old man, have you ever danced?”

He said, “No, I don’t believe I have.”

So they pulled out their six-shooters and filled the ground with bullets and watched the old man dance a jig. But they didn’t notice that the old man had turned around to his mule and pulled out a double barrel shotgun.

So the prospector turned around and put it right in the nose of the lead cowboy and he said, “Young man, you ever kissed a mule?”

That young cowboy said, “Nope, but I’ve always wanted to!”

Now, that cowboy was free to do what he wanted, but he was under the control of the one who had the power, the man with the gun. And there are a lot of people today who are just like that cowboy with the devil wielding his control over them. They’re dominated and controlled by the world system and the god of this age. In fact, Jesus said that anyone who sins—that is, someone who is apart from him—is a slave of sin.

But Christ came and he set us free from sin. In Christ, you are no longer a sinner;  you are a saint who sometimes sins. So rest assured that Jesus has set you free from sin so you can live fully for him!

SIN ENSLAVES THOSE WHO LIVE IN IT. SO TRUST THAT CHRIST HAS SET YOU FREE IF YOU ARE IN HIM!

Moving beyond the mountaintop

And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them….

— Mark 9:2

 

Have you ever had a spiritual mountaintop experience with Christ? I hope you have. We need glimpses of Christ in all his glory to fill us with faith and boldness. And yet, as wonderful as mountaintop experiences are, you and I are called to more! Let me explain.

In today’s Scripture verse Jesus has taken disciples Peter, James, and John up on what we call the Mount of Transfiguration, because it was there that they saw Jesus transfigured in all of his resplendent glory.

The disciples could see everything that Christ was on the inside demonstrated on the outside. For that dazzling moment his inherent, intrinsic, incarnate glory was revealed.

Now having seen Christ’s glory, Peter wanted to stay right there on the mountain. Jesus had been talking about dying for the sins of mankind. So Peter said, “Lord, let’s just stay here. Let’s build a church and we’ll stay here and worship.”

Well, Peter is like many believers today, but that’s not what God had in mind. We must translate our faith from the mountaintop to the valley! God doesn’t intend for us just to buy ascension robes and wait on a roof somewhere for Jesus to return.

You are called to a mission! Not just to bask in his glory on the mountaintop, but to share his message with a lost and dying world.

WE MUST TRANSLATE OUR FAITH FROM THE MOUNTAINTOP TO THE VALLEY!