Dear Christian friends:

Last Tuesday we rejoiced to see on TV the 52 hostages fly and land at Algeria and then get off the airplane. We watched the wives and parents shed tears of great joy and relief. I'm sure you joined in that happy crying. We all thanked God because the 52 hostages were now freed.

Political freedom is very precious. Freedom from prison, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion are all very precious freedoms. For these freedoms we Americans will fight and die.

But there is another freedom, more precious than political or national freedom. About that freedom Jesus speaks in our text. It is


What is this freedom? It is freedom in Jesus Christ.

Sin makes men slaves and prisoners. In our text Jesus says, "Whoever commits sin is the servant (slave) of sin." (verse 34)

I'm sure that you will agree with me that we all commit sins. If we are humble, honest men and women, we must confess that we daily sin much.

This also the Bible teaches. Through David God says, "There is none that does good, no not one." (Psalm 14:3) And the prophet Isaiah says, "We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags." (Isaiah 64:6) Yes, even the good works that we do are not perfect, but are tainted with sin, because we often do good works with impure heart and motives. Truly good works, the works that please God, are those done with faith in God and because of love for God. But often we do our good works for other reasons, for selfish reasons.

Why? Because that is our nature. We are sinners, born with sin and cannot, ourselves, do a truly good work. The Bible says, "By one man sin entered into the world and death by sin." (Romans 5:12)

So we are slaves and prisoners of sin, Satan and death. Look around in the world and see all the trouble, violence, terrorism, death and destruction. The capture of our embassy in Tehran, and the holding of the hostages all this time is a good example.

The slavery to sin is the real slavery, the real prison. Many who have and enjoy political freedom are still prisoners of sin. Yes, many, many who live here in free America are nevertheless not free. They still are slaves and prisoners of sin, I am sad to say. They need not be, because Christ Jesus has made a way to be free from sins, condemnation and rule.

In our text Jesus says, "If you continue in My Word, then you are really My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. If the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed." (verses 31-36)

God's Son, Jesus Christ, Son of Mary, has made us free. That's why He came from heaven to earth, to accept our sin, our condemnation and our death. "Christ died for our sins and rose again for our justification." (Romans 4:25)

If we confess our sins and look to Jesus for forgiveness of sins, then we are free indeed: FREE from the power and rule of sin; FREE from guilt; FREE from the fear of death and FREE to love and serve God and men; FREE to really live here on earth and then forever in heaven.

Those who have freedom in Christ Jesus are free even if they are prisoners in some jail like the 52 hostages were during the past year. I know that some of the 52 ex-hostages are Christians. Last Christmas one of the two women hostages asked her nieces and nephews to join with her on TV and sing, “Away In A Manger." That woman had real freedom although she was still in prison.

St. Paul also spent much time in various prisons, not because he broke any laws, but because he preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The enemies of Jesus Christ put him in prison. But even in prison Paul was free and he rejoiced in Jesus Christ. At Philippi in Greece, Paul and his assistant, Silas, prayed, the prisoners and the prison keeper heard them. (Acts 16:25-34) When in prison Paul always showed his freedom and joy in Christ. He preached Christ to his fellow prisoners and to the prison keepers. He wrote letters to the various Christian churches he before had established. Many of the letters in the New Testament Paul wrote while sitting in prison.

Like St. Paul, you and I can be really free in Christ regardless of our earthly situation. We perhaps are handicapped in one way or another, yet we are not depressed because we have true freedom and joy in Jesus Christ. We perhaps are poor and cannot enjoy the many pleasures and luxuries of life, yet we are not sad because we have the true freedom and pleasure of knowing Jesus Christ and other Christian friends. Yes we may be sick and dying, yet we have peace and exciting hope in our hearts and minds because we have the true freedom in Jesus Christ and hope for eternal life. We know that with Jesus in heaven there is fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:11)

Today our nation is continuing to rejoice because the 52 hostages are now free and home. This is good and as a nation we should thank God and rejoice. But let us not forget the real freedom in Christ Jesus. In that freedom we Christians can really rejoice now and forever.

Amen.