Lent Week Three—Thursday
Psalm 42 Jeremiah 10:11-24 Romans 5:12-21 John 8:21-32
John 31 & 32, Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “if you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples: and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
WOW, Freedom, but freedom from what and to do what? To what freedom was Jesus referring? Freedom is often thought of as the freedom of a group of people within a geographical area to not be subject to a tyrannical government. Some consider it being able to act, speak, or think as one desires without restraint. Not being imprisoned or enslaved is also considered freedom as is having freedom from undesirable things and unrestricted access to other areas. But is this the “free” that Jesus is saying will be given to his disciples if they continue in his word?
To gain this freedom, Jesus says to the Jews that they will truly be disciples if they continue in his word. How do they/we do this? We listen to His word. We learn from his word. We seek understanding of His word, and we obey His word. According to William Barclay in the Daily Study Bible discipleship brings four freedoms: the freedom from fear, Jesus is always with us so we are never alone; the freedom from ourselves since we are recreated anew in Christ; the freedom from what other people may think and say since we care only what God says; and freedom from sin since we now are enabled to break away from sin.
So how does this translate into our everyday lives? I find that when I consider Jesus in my daily decisions, I feel the freedom to say “no” or “yes” to certain things. I receive a certain peace about my day-to-day activities and feelings when I consider the popular saying “What would Jesus do?” I feel the freedom the truth of Jesus has given us all.
Judy Storer
The Carpenter's Nail 