Today and tomorrow we are going to look at Freedom.What is freedom? What is it like to live in freedom? We hear the word ‘freedom’ nearly every day. The word itself is one of the most common and powerful words in the English language; but what is it? Most of us have freedom in choice; what to eat today, what book to read, what to watch on TV, where to take our next holiday,what names we are going to call our children, what music we would like to listen to, what we choose to wear and how to style our hair.
The Oxford English Dictionary defines freedom as; the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants. The freedom of choice. The power of self-determination attributed to the will. The quality of being independent of fate or necessity. The unrestricted use of something, and the familiarity or openness in speech or behaviour.
If someone is not living in freedom, they are living in bondage and slavery to another system, regime or ideology. The opposite to freedom is slavery. So, let’s look at slavery. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a slave as; a person who is the legal property of another and is forced to obey them. A person who is excessively dependent upon or controlled by something, such a device, or part of one, directly controlled by another.
Slaves have no freedom. They are in bondage. They are not viewed or treated as individuals. They are nothing more than property, owned and controlled by something else. They are chained and unable to break free. A slave dreams, wishes, hopes and prays for freedom. Slaves are usually innocent, they have committed no crime or hurt anyone. But they are people who against their own will have been sold into slavery
Who would like to be a slave?
We would sooner live in freedom then live as a slave; is that right?
So, where does that leave us? What if I said most of you or some of you are not living in freedom? That you are bound, locked in chains and living in slavery? Some of you will know that you are living in slavery, some are bound in chains and don’t even know it. All some will know is a life in chains as they have never tasted freedom, so they have no idea what it is like. Did you know God can break the chains and bring you into freedom? A freedom that is better than any political system or ideology; true freedom.
True freedom is found in Christ Jesus. But that freedom also has a very real impact for you and your life. Because Jesus can remove and break the chains of your slavery. For some it is very real slavery, some have been bound in chains for years. Some have been praying for freedom, yet others don’t yet know about their own slavery.
Some of you are in chains that won’t let you go. They are clamped tight to you and there is no way of escape or of breaking free. Some of you are in slavery to sickness. To illness. The chains of cancer, terminal illness, bad back, bad eyes, bad hearing, pain that is gripping your body. Arthritis and diabetes. What about depression or mental issues? What about learning difficulties? Skin problems, muscle problems, heart, liver, lungs, bowels, stomach? Do you want freedom from sickness? Or are you content to be a slave and have your future, your destiny controlled by sickness?
I am going to finish today’s blog here, but tomorrow we will continue right where we left off.