It's been 2,000 years since
the glorious light of the cross
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illuminated a world
veiled in darkness and confusion
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about the character of God...
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And still today, the greatest
need of mankind is revelation
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of God's love as
revealed in the life of Christ.
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Amazing Facts presents
the "Everlasting Gospel"
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with Pastor Doug Batchelor
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coming to you each week
from Sacramento Central Church
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in sunny California.
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Discover hidden
treasures in God's Word today.
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I'd like to talk to you
about being free and liberty.
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Maybe it's a good idea to
start with some definitions.
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"Freedom" means liberty of the
person from slavery, detention,
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restraints or oppression;
immunity from arbitrary
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exercise of
authority; the capacity to
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exercise choice; free will;
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the right to
unrestricted use; full access.
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Sometimes, especially if
you've grown up in a country
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where you have freedom,
it's easy to take it for granted
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You know, each week
at the radio program,
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we share some amazing
fact from history or science,
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and then we go into the program.
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This week, we came across
a pretty interesting story.
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Have you ever heard
of "Henry Box Brown?"
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That's quite a story!
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Born in 1815 in
Richmond; born as a slave.
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Worked in the tobacco
industry and tolerated that life
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about as long as he could
take it, but when his master
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sold his wife and 3
children to someone else
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without talking to him and they
were then moved to another state
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... He made up his
mind, "I'm going to be free."
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And so, he had some
friends; it was actually
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a white storekeeper,
and he persuaded him to
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build a box for him that
was 2 feet x 2 feet x 3 feet
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And then they
stamped it this side up,
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and they led people to believe
it was a box of dry goods.
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And he had 2 friends mail
him in the box to abolitionists
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in Pennsylvania that
would receive the goods.
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And so, he was placed in this
box and they nailed it shut.
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He had a little bit of
water, a little bit of food,
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but he was pretty crunched up
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in there if you can imagine.
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And, it tells about his
trip as he was mailed...
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It says - Boxes
Brown, Boxes Brown Box,
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Brown's Box - -
sorry, traveled by wagon,
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then railroad,
steamboat, wagon again,
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another railroad,
ferry, another railroad,
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and, finally, a delivery wagon.
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The journey
lasted over 27 hours,
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and ultimately, they
opened the box and he was free.
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He was in a free country.
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He dedicated the rest of his
life to liberating other slaves.
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You know, I think that
we don't really appreciate
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religious liberty as we should.
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The freedom we
have in this country,
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just not only the
freedom to come and go,
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tremendous freedom, but
the freedom of religion,
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and I think it's at risk.
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These freedoms of
religion that we've enjoyed
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for so long, are
little by little being eroded.
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You know, it says
there in the Constitution,
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"We hold these truths to
be self-evident that all men
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are created equal
and that they are endowed
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by their Creator... "
You know it says right in our
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founding documents
the recognition that there
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is a Creator and yet, I
don't know what you think,
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but it's clear to me,
seems like there is a going
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trend to try to delete
any reference to recognition
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that there's a Creator
from our public policy.
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But in our
foundation as a country,
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the clause that talks
about the separation of
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church and state is basically
saying that the religion
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is not to be a test of
qualifications for office,
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and no one religion
is to dictate a policy.
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Now, Roger Williams, one of
the founders of our country,
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understood and most of
the early founders recognized
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that that especially applied
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to the first 4 of
the Ten Commandments.
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Follow me...
"The Ten Commandments
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were written on
2 tablets of stone.
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Is that Pastor Doug
or is that in the Bible?
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That's not just the paintings
you see, it's in the Bible.
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Two tables of stone. Why?
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The first 4 Commandments
dealt with our relationship with
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the God that we
worship is spiritual in nature
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in a special sense.
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The last 6 Commandments
are more civil in nature.
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It deals with our
relationship with each other.
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Our government should
never make laws regarding
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those first 4 Commandments.
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They shouldn't be
telling you what God to worship;
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how to worship Him,
when to worship Him,
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what His name is.
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The first 4 Commandments
are really dealing with
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your freedom to
worship God as you choose.
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But when the
government begins to not respect
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those last 6 Commandments,
the rights of life,
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the rights of property,
the respect of parents,
00:05:24.71\00:05:28.31
and the authority of parents,
the protection of marriage,
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that 7th Commandment,
then you're going to have
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your culture implode on itself.
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Real liberty means obedience.
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Liberty and freedom
does not mean you are free
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to just have no
law or not restraint.
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You cannot be free
without some self-control,
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and we'll bear that out a little
more in this message today.
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In that
Declaration of Independence,
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it says that we've got
the right to pursue happiness.
00:06:04.91\00:06:08.88
You know, according to the
latest "World Values Survey,"
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they went through hundreds
of countries to determine...
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I don't know, they've got
some kind of scale where they
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measure happiness of countries,
the general happiness.
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The research indicated
prosperity is only one of the
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factors in happiness.
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It contributes but it's
not the most important factor.
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One of the most important
factors in personal happiness
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was freedom.
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That's why people maybe
in Puerto Rico or in Columbia
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or countries where they may
not have as much prosperity,
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they rank pretty
high in happiness because
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they had freedom.
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Personal freedom is even
more important than freedom
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of other kinds.
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Political freedom
along with democracy,
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and freedom of choice were
factors that had a big impact
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on people's happiness quotient.
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Did you know the Bible
tells us the day may be coming
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where we may not
have our freedoms,
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especially religious freedom.
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Everybody is going to be told
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how they're supposed to worship.
00:07:12.23\00:07:14.19
Revelation 13:15...
"And he was granted power to
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give breath to the
image of the beast,
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that the image of the beast
should both speak and cause
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as many as would not
worship the image of the beast
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should be killed."
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The day will come
where we're being told how
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we should worship.
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Listen to this... A minister
in Fairhaven, Massachusetts
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has been repeatedly cited
for holding religious meetings
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in his home - it's a violation
of city zoning ordinances.
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It's a home Bible
study... they have forbidden it.
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They ruled these Bible
studies were home occupations
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and, therefore,
prohibited under the town's
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property use ordinance...
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You can't use your home
as a religious meeting place
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and so they stopped it
and he was cited for this.
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In Los Angeles, the officials
ruled that home occupancy
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regulations forbade
Orthodox Jews from holding a
00:08:05.10\00:08:08.03
prayer meeting
in someone's home.
00:08:08.06\00:08:11.39
As civil liberty lawyers
could not help but note...
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In Stratford,
Connecticut, there was a case,
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Bible studies were
penalized in a home,
00:08:16.90\00:08:19.61
but a Tupperware party
was under the full protection
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of the constitution.
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You wonder - what's happening
to our culture when you get
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to the place where
Tupperware and Pampered Chef -
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you can do that - Bible
study - against the law.
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Little by little, you know,
it's getting to the place in
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North America now,
they're making laws that
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you cannot say anything
against Islam or Catholicism,
00:08:39.70\00:08:42.74
it's a hate crime.
00:08:42.77\00:08:44.79
But you can lambast general
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Christianity -
nothing wrong with that.
00:08:48.75\00:08:51.15
as-a-matter-of-fact,
it's a sport!
00:08:51.19\00:08:52.49
That ought to cause you concern,
00:08:52.52\00:08:55.19
and some people are so afraid,
00:08:55.22\00:08:57.97
on the other
side of the spectrum,
00:08:58.00\00:09:00.59
we try to make
laws for everything -
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You know, I thought
about it this week, again,
00:09:04.30\00:09:05.97
I've been traveling a
lot, just all of the scrutiny
00:09:06.00\00:09:08.72
that you go to, you
have to add so much more
00:09:08.75\00:09:10.82
time to travel so you
can get through security.
00:09:10.85\00:09:14.05
And it was amazing to
me, how many times I had to
00:09:14.08\00:09:16.36
take out my photo ID and show
them who I was as I was going
00:09:16.39\00:09:20.28
2 or 3 places through the
line to get on the airplane,
00:09:20.31\00:09:24.11
and I remember the day
where you just kind of got on.
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As-a-matter-of-fact,
I know someone who got
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on the plane just by
showing their ticket jacket!
00:09:30.45\00:09:33.95
I mean, things were a lot freer
back then; but there was risk!
00:09:33.98\00:09:39.60
And so in our effort
to find more security,
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we're making more and more laws.
00:09:42.58\00:09:45.89
You know, laws
don't ensure freedom.
00:09:45.92\00:09:48.28
More and more laws
actually limit freedom.
00:09:48.31\00:09:50.51
Benjamin Franklin
said something like this...
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"Those who give up essential
liberty to purchase a little
00:09:53.14\00:09:56.66
temporary safety deserve
neither liberty or safety."
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Little by little, we are
sacrificing our liberties
00:10:01.34\00:10:04.18
to give us the
illusion of security.
00:10:04.21\00:10:07.83
... Until, you know,
pretty soon you're not going to
00:10:07.86\00:10:10.25
be able to leave your
house without checking with
00:10:10.28\00:10:12.06
some video camera to
make sure that it's okay.
00:10:12.09\00:10:17.21
Who was it...
"Oliver Wendell Holmes"
00:10:17.24\00:10:20.44
said this... "The values
of a reasonably just society
00:10:20.47\00:10:25.05
will reflect themselves
in reasonably just law.
00:10:25.08\00:10:28.72
The better the society,
the less law there will be.
00:10:28.75\00:10:33.71
In heaven there is no law...
Because it's written where?
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It's in the heart - there's
a law but it's in the heart.
00:10:36.58\00:10:41.12
"The lion will lie
down with the lamb."
00:10:41.15\00:10:43.16
The values of an unjust
society will reflect themselves
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in an unjust law.
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The worse the society,
the more law there will be."
00:10:47.92\00:10:52.65
And I've seen that as
I've traveled around the world.
00:10:52.68\00:10:55.94
Well the message of the Bible,
really, when you think about it,
00:10:55.97\00:10:58.38
is a message of liberty.
00:10:58.41\00:11:00.77
I mean, isn't
that what happened...
00:11:00.80\00:11:02.07
you had a nation that was
enslaved and they were liberated
00:11:02.10\00:11:05.85
A whole nation was free.
00:11:05.88\00:11:07.99
What is liberty?
Definition here...
00:11:08.02\00:11:11.09
Very similar, it's
a synonym for freedom.
00:11:11.12\00:11:13.96
The condition of
being free from restriction;
00:11:13.99\00:11:16.92
the right and the power to act;
00:11:16.95\00:11:19.30
to believe or to
express one's self in a manner
00:11:19.33\00:11:22.07
of one's own
choosing; the condition of being
00:11:22.10\00:11:24.46
physically and
legally free from confinement,
00:11:24.49\00:11:27.30
servitude or forced
labor, freedom from unjust
00:11:27.33\00:11:31.11
governmental control.
00:11:31.14\00:11:32.73
So you wonder - Are
we losing our liberties
00:11:32.76\00:11:35.94
little by little under the
pretense of homeland security?
00:11:35.97\00:11:40.59
Now, I am so thankful that since
9/11, we haven't, praise God,
00:11:40.62\00:11:44.57
had another attack on
our soil and if our President
00:11:44.60\00:11:47.95
has done anything
right, he did the right thing
00:11:47.98\00:11:50.32
in taking the war
away from our soil.
00:11:50.35\00:11:53.74
We have been able to prevent
that and I'm grateful for that.
00:11:53.77\00:11:58.61
But, some people are
so concerned about safety
00:11:58.64\00:12:03.60
they think it can be
legislated by the government.
00:12:03.63\00:12:07.77
You know, I read
something a little while ago,
00:12:07.80\00:12:11.42
and I'm just trying to remember
it now, it's not in my notes,
00:12:11.45\00:12:13.32
but it was talking about
those who grew up during the
00:12:13.35\00:12:15.90
50s and the 60s...
how amazing it was.
00:12:15.93\00:12:20.10
You know, we drove
without our seatbelts on.
00:12:20.13\00:12:23.41
How many of you were
kids that used to lay up on
00:12:23.44\00:12:26.22
the dashboard - there in
the back of the car and sleep?
00:12:26.25\00:12:30.44
Or you had those banana
seat bicycles and you would
00:12:30.47\00:12:33.53
ride without helmets?
00:12:33.56\00:12:35.75
Trampolines did not
have nets around them.
00:12:35.78\00:12:40.80
And you know, we would
skate without elbow pads
00:12:40.83\00:12:46.46
and knee pads
and... How did we survive?
00:12:46.49\00:12:51.90
No, some didn't.
00:12:51.93\00:12:53.95
Granted, there are some dangers,
00:12:53.98\00:12:55.13
and you know, the more
laws you get, the more rules,
00:12:55.16\00:12:57.50
and the more safety you get...
00:12:57.53\00:13:00.24
When it comes to cigarettes...
00:13:00.27\00:13:03.39
You might
wonder how I got there.
00:13:03.42\00:13:08.46
I don't think the government
ought to make laws that
00:13:08.49\00:13:11.40
tell people you're not allowed
to sit on a pile of ants.
00:13:11.43\00:13:14.87
I think if you want
to sit on a pile of ants,
00:13:14.90\00:13:17.34
you go sit on a pile of
ants, but our insurance isn't
00:13:17.37\00:13:20.65
going to pay for you to recover.
00:13:20.68\00:13:25.33
And, like with smoking, I
don't think they should make
00:13:25.36\00:13:29.10
all these laws and tax
something that is killing you.
00:13:29.13\00:13:33.16
I think if someone wants
to smoke and kill themselves
00:13:33.19\00:13:35.76
it's really stupid... Pardon me,
00:13:35.79\00:13:37.88
I don't like using that word.
00:13:37.91\00:13:40.55
You just don't get insurance!
00:13:40.58\00:13:47.48
And there should just
be simple cause and effect.
00:13:47.51\00:13:50.12
You know what would
happen to the drug industry
00:13:50.15\00:13:52.11
if people wanted to just...
00:13:52.14\00:13:53.91
How come alcohol is legal?
00:13:53.94\00:13:55.44
I'm going to really
get in trouble now...
00:13:55.47\00:13:57.66
One of the most
destructive drugs in the world,
00:13:57.69\00:13:59.70
and marijuana is not
now, but in some parts
00:13:59.73\00:14:02.11
of California it is... huh?
00:14:02.14\00:14:03.72
If you want to make
the bottom drop out of the
00:14:03.75\00:14:05.84
financial market in
several counties in California
00:14:05.87\00:14:08.20
legalized marijuana,
they'll be a financial disaster.
00:14:08.23\00:14:11.89
Now I'm not advocating
that, I'm just telling you
00:14:11.92\00:14:14.36
we try and control
these things and there's no
00:14:14.39\00:14:16.89
... it's incongruous
how we try and do it.
00:14:16.92\00:14:20.10
And, the sign of
an unjust society is a
00:14:20.13\00:14:24.15
multiplication of
laws to control behavior.
00:14:24.18\00:14:29.36
One of the most moral
times in our country was shortly
00:14:29.39\00:14:33.34
after the founding when
people used - the Bible was the
00:14:33.37\00:14:36.37
principle of morality and
little by little, we're trying
00:14:36.40\00:14:41.17
to legislate morality and
force each other to take care
00:14:41.20\00:14:48.00
of themselves - I
know, you probably think
00:14:48.03\00:14:49.60
I've got some strange views.
00:14:49.63\00:14:52.58
Real freedom comes from a
relationship with the Lord.
00:14:52.61\00:14:57.35
John chapter 8, and
this is where I want to spend
00:14:57.38\00:14:59.17
some time this morning...
00:14:59.20\00:15:02.21
John 8:31-34... Jesus
said, "If you abide in
00:15:02.24\00:15:11.19
My Word, you are
My disciples indeed;
00:15:11.22\00:15:14.77
and you'll know the truth and
the truth will make you free."
00:15:14.80\00:15:19.62
It's not the laws
that make us free.
00:15:19.65\00:15:22.28
There are a lot of people
who are more free with Jesus
00:15:22.31\00:15:26.56
in countries where
they don't have freedom,
00:15:26.59\00:15:28.71
than in a country where your
00:15:28.74\00:15:30.43
freedoms of
religion are protected,
00:15:30.46\00:15:31.86
but you don't have
Jesus. Did that make sense?
00:15:31.89\00:15:36.01
The truth will set you free.
00:15:36.04\00:15:38.42
The Jews, when they heard
this, they answered and said,
00:15:38.45\00:15:41.74
"We're Abraham's descendents
and we've never been in bondage
00:15:41.77\00:15:45.16
to anyone.
00:15:45.19\00:15:46.30
How can you say
you'll be made free?"
00:15:46.33\00:15:48.62
Jesus answered them,
"Most assuredly I say to you,
00:15:48.65\00:15:52.47
whoever commits
sin, is a slave to sin."
00:15:52.50\00:15:56.31
You know if one thing is
clear from the Bible is this...
00:15:56.34\00:15:59.79
that sin enslaves people.
00:15:59.82\00:16:04.65
Sin is a form of slavery.
00:16:04.68\00:16:09.39
Proverbs 5:22... Speaking
of the lost and the sinner.
00:16:09.42\00:16:15.33
"His own iniquities
will entrap the wicked man,
00:16:15.36\00:16:18.60
and he's caught in
the cords of his sin."
00:16:18.63\00:16:21.72
You know, you've
heard me say this before,
00:16:21.75\00:16:24.59
but I believe that
everybody is an addict;
00:16:24.62\00:16:31.16
everybody is an addict.
00:16:31.19\00:16:34.96
God designed us
with addictive natures.
00:16:34.99\00:16:38.93
That means there is a
craving that everybody has
00:16:38.96\00:16:42.47
to be satisfied and we feel
this yearning, this craving.
00:16:42.50\00:16:47.74
There's this
emptiness in everybody's heart,
00:16:47.77\00:16:51.58
and God designed us to
fill that vacuum with Himself.
00:16:51.61\00:16:56.33
When Adam ran from God, he
still had that vacuum within
00:16:56.36\00:17:02.90
that he was yearning to fill.
00:17:02.93\00:17:05.06
But every man, since the
Garden of Eden until today,
00:17:05.09\00:17:08.70
who has tried
to fill that vacuum
00:17:08.73\00:17:10.22
with anything other than God,
00:17:10.25\00:17:11.63
has become
addicted to something else.
00:17:11.66\00:17:14.38
Everybody - this is my theory,
you might disagree with me,
00:17:14.41\00:17:17.52
but I've observed it
and I still believe it...
00:17:17.55\00:17:19.53
If a person has not
found their fulfillment in God,
00:17:19.56\00:17:23.96
you simply need to ask...
"What is their addiction?"
00:17:23.99\00:17:27.93
It's got to be something.
00:17:27.96\00:17:30.27
Some people are
addicted to money.
00:17:30.30\00:17:33.57
They live for
it! It's their God.
00:17:33.60\00:17:36.43
Whatever your
addition is, that's your god.
00:17:36.46\00:17:39.77
Some people are addicted to
drugs - we talked about that,
00:17:39.80\00:17:43.39
and it defines their day.
00:17:43.42\00:17:45.61
Through their day,
they're working to make sure
00:17:45.64\00:17:48.45
they got enough
money for their drugs,
00:17:48.48\00:17:49.97
or they might be stealing
to make sure they got enough
00:17:50.00\00:17:51.68
money for their addiction.
00:17:51.71\00:17:53.09
If a person is an
alcoholic, he's planning his day
00:17:53.13\00:17:56.24
around his lunch drink
until he can get to, after work,
00:17:56.27\00:17:59.61
his dinner drink, he
drinks himself to sleep,
00:17:59.64\00:18:01.49
and he starts it all over again
and that defines who he is.
00:18:01.52\00:18:04.69
When he goes on vacation,
he always want to know...
00:18:04.72\00:18:07.02
Is there a bar in the hotel?
00:18:07.05\00:18:11.19
Some people are
addicted to food.
00:18:11.22\00:18:13.91
A lot of people
are addicted to food.
00:18:13.94\00:18:16.21
I bet most of
you have eaten today.
00:18:16.24\00:18:19.54
Food is an unusual
addiction because you could do
00:18:19.57\00:18:21.68
very well without alcohol,
cigarettes and some of that
00:18:21.71\00:18:23.86
other stuff but you gotta eat;
00:18:23.89\00:18:25.93
you just can't let
it get out of control.
00:18:25.96\00:18:27.71
But some people, instead of
eating to live, they live to eat
00:18:27.74\00:18:29.78
You know what I'm talking about.
00:18:29.81\00:18:32.53
And, they're squirreling
away little goodies for those
00:18:32.56\00:18:36.65
quiet central moments
when they can gobble them down.
00:18:36.68\00:18:40.39
And it's an event for
them, that's their god,
00:18:40.42\00:18:46.82
and some people, some
are addicted to politics,
00:18:46.85\00:18:50.21
have you met
those people before?
00:18:50.24\00:18:51.77
It's their life!
It's an addition for them,
00:18:51.80\00:18:53.87
and I think that, you
know, we ought to be citizens
00:18:53.90\00:18:55.79
that vote for good
policy, but it's not your god
00:18:55.82\00:18:59.27
if you're a Christian...
you want to be responsible.
00:18:59.30\00:19:02.42
Some are addicted to
people other than God.
00:19:02.45\00:19:04.67
They're in these
co-dependent sick relationships,
00:19:04.70\00:19:07.23
and their whole lives
are determined by the whims
00:19:07.26\00:19:10.41
of other dysfunctional people.
00:19:10.44\00:19:12.94
If you are not addicted to God,
00:19:12.97\00:19:15.07
if God is not the
center of your life,
00:19:15.10\00:19:17.47
if He's not filling
that vacuum in your heart,
00:19:17.50\00:19:20.05
then you are
enslaved to something else.
00:19:20.08\00:19:23.72
You're in
bondage, you're not free.
00:19:23.75\00:19:26.00
The only way you can
really be free, Jesus said,
00:19:26.03\00:19:29.04
is if you've got the truth.
00:19:29.07\00:19:30.64
What is another name for Christ?
00:19:30.67\00:19:32.50
He is the Truth.
00:19:32.53\00:19:34.44
And so, if you've got Jesus,
the real Truth, in your heart,
00:19:34.47\00:19:37.89
that's when you find freedom.
00:19:37.92\00:19:39.85
Without Him, the question
is, What prison are you in?
00:19:39.88\00:19:44.95
What chain are you bound with?
00:19:44.98\00:19:47.36
Acts 8:23... When
Peter was talking to Simon,
00:19:47.39\00:19:52.37
he was what-do-you-call-it,
addicted to money.
00:19:52.40\00:19:55.84
He said, "I see that you
are poisoned by bitterness
00:19:55.87\00:19:58.81
and bound by iniquity."
00:19:58.84\00:20:00.58
Romans 6:6... Paul
said, "Knowing this, that our
00:20:00.61\00:20:03.78
old man is crucified
with Him - with Christ,
00:20:03.81\00:20:06.71
that the body of
sin might be destroyed,
00:20:06.74\00:20:09.34
that henceforth, we
should not serve sin."
00:20:09.37\00:20:12.06
The whole idea of the plan
of salvation is to save us from
00:20:12.09\00:20:16.26
this addiction to sin.
00:20:16.29\00:20:18.56
By the way, anything you can be
00:20:18.59\00:20:21.46
addicted to is
probably not good for you.
00:20:21.49\00:20:24.10
Even in the food
kingdom, there are foods
00:20:24.13\00:20:29.69
you get addicted to.
00:20:29.72\00:20:30.84
Nobody gets
addicted to the good foods.
00:20:30.87\00:20:34.55
You don't ever hear anybody say,
00:20:34.58\00:20:36.32
You know, I gotta go... Why?
00:20:36.35\00:20:38.47
I gotta get some zucchini...
You know, I'm not gonna make it
00:20:38.50\00:20:43.43
through the day...
having a melt-down.
00:20:43.46\00:20:46.55
It's always the bad food that
they get addicted to, right?
00:20:46.58\00:20:49.77
It's a
different kind of slavery.
00:20:49.80\00:20:52.92
Jesus came to free the sinner.
00:20:52.95\00:20:56.44
This is all through -
was in our Scripture reading.
00:20:56.47\00:20:59.19
Jesus came to
set the captive free.
00:20:59.22\00:21:01.71
Romans 6:18... Notice
this, "And having been set free
00:21:01.74\00:21:08.39
from sin..." Wait, I
want to stop right there.
00:21:08.42\00:21:12.47
Is it really possible for
people to be set free from sin?
00:21:12.50\00:21:16.68
Pastor Doug - you're getting
carried away. Really free?
00:21:16.71\00:21:20.78
You know, some people they have
problems accepting the concept
00:21:20.81\00:21:26.10
of freedom, they've
been in prison so long.
00:21:26.13\00:21:28.88
Jesus says, you can be free.
00:21:28.91\00:21:30.85
Having been set free, not
just from the penalty of sin,
00:21:30.88\00:21:36.06
from the power
of sin in your life.
00:21:36.09\00:21:38.50
You become
slaves of righteousness.
00:21:38.53\00:21:41.50
Instead of serving sin,
you serve righteousness.
00:21:41.53\00:21:44.21
Romans 6:20... I can't
read all of Romans 6 to you,
00:21:44.24\00:21:47.78
so I'm just going to jump
around and go to verse 20.
00:21:47.81\00:21:49.82
"For when you
were slaves of sin,
00:21:49.85\00:21:51.61
you were free in
regards to righteousness."
00:21:51.64\00:21:53.29
You can't do both -
you can't say, I'm a slave
00:21:53.32\00:21:55.25
to righteousness and a slave
to sin - does that make sense?
00:21:55.28\00:21:58.19
They're incongruous,
they don't go together.
00:21:58.22\00:22:00.44
Romans 6:22-23... "But
now having been set free
00:22:00.47\00:22:05.56
from sin... by whom? By Jesus
00:22:05.59\00:22:09.25
and having
become slaves of God..."
00:22:09.28\00:22:11.94
You either serve
God or you serve sin.
00:22:11.97\00:22:14.75
You realize, of course, serving
sin and Satan are the same thing
00:22:14.78\00:22:18.21
...having been
slaves or servants of God,
00:22:18.24\00:22:21.74
you have your fruit unto
holiness,.. It's in the life.
00:22:21.77\00:22:24.88
and in the end,
everlasting life.
00:22:24.91\00:22:27.25
For the wages of sin is death,
00:22:27.28\00:22:29.31
but the gift of
God is eternal life."
00:22:29.34\00:22:31.08
Notice how that famous
verse is connected with
00:22:31.12\00:22:34.83
free from sin.
00:22:34.86\00:22:37.33
Jesus does not save
us to be free to sin.
00:22:37.36\00:22:42.18
He saves us from our sins.
00:22:42.21\00:22:45.23
Now, does that mean that if
a Christian has been set free
00:22:45.26\00:22:50.28
from sin by Jesus that you
don't ever see any elements
00:22:50.31\00:22:54.83
of sin in their
life? Not necessarily.
00:22:54.86\00:22:58.22
An example... We live in a
country right now where we can..
00:22:58.25\00:23:01.59
Right now if you
want to, I hope you don't,
00:23:01.62\00:23:03.57
you can stand up and walk
out of here. You're free right?
00:23:03.60\00:23:06.57
I'm assuming that unless
you are brought by your parents
00:23:06.60\00:23:09.71
or your spouse
against your will,
00:23:09.74\00:23:11.38
most of you are here
because you want to be.
00:23:11.41\00:23:13.30
I'd like to believe
that all of you are here
00:23:13.33\00:23:16.41
because you want to be,
but I know that there may be
00:23:16.44\00:23:19.23
some who come with some
hesitancy, but you're free.
00:23:19.26\00:23:25.65
We're free in our
country to pretty much
00:23:25.68\00:23:28.56
come and go as we
want, though our speed as we
00:23:28.59\00:23:31.07
come and go is regulated,
right? For safety reasons.
00:23:31.10\00:23:36.48
But if you break that
law, there's a penalty.
00:23:36.51\00:23:41.49
You could even have
your car taken away,
00:23:41.52\00:23:43.29
you can be imprisoned.
00:23:43.32\00:23:45.45
You might be free, but
there are still elements
00:23:45.48\00:23:49.01
of disobedience
and bondage around you.
00:23:49.04\00:23:52.35
Do we have prisons in
California? Way too many!
00:23:52.38\00:23:55.91
So even though you are
free, living in a free country,
00:23:55.94\00:23:58.09
it doesn't mean that
there aren't elements
00:23:58.12\00:24:00.73
of crime and rebellion.
00:24:00.76\00:24:03.55
You can have Jesus reigning
on the throne of your mind
00:24:03.58\00:24:08.65
... you are free,
but that doesn't mean
00:24:08.68\00:24:10.77
there won't be
episodes of rebellion.
00:24:10.80\00:24:13.29
There might be misdemeanors
of crime in your life,
00:24:13.32\00:24:16.65
and Jesus is
still on the throne.
00:24:16.68\00:24:18.07
The Bible puts it this way...
00:24:18.10\00:24:19.49
"Sin shall not
have dominion over you."
00:24:19.52\00:24:23.17
But, if some gang
leader becomes president;
00:24:23.20\00:24:26.70
if some gang leader
starts taking over the position
00:24:26.73\00:24:30.10
of government, and
sometimes we wonder, you know
00:24:30.13\00:24:32.37
with these political offices.
00:24:32.40\00:24:34.40
And they start
telling us what to do,
00:24:34.43\00:24:36.87
and some fascist
leader takes control,
00:24:36.90\00:24:39.17
and tells us when
we can come and go...
00:24:39.20\00:24:41.61
When they're in
power, we lose our freedom.
00:24:41.64\00:24:45.08
When Christ is in power in
your mind, you can be free.
00:24:45.11\00:24:50.70
So, how do you tell
what has the control?
00:24:50.73\00:24:55.05
Does Christ in His
righteousness control your life
00:24:55.08\00:24:58.07
or does sin and
slavery control your life?
00:24:58.10\00:25:00.27
"Sin shall not
have dominion over you."
00:25:00.30\00:25:03.19
Christ is the Lord,
that's how we determine
00:25:03.22\00:25:05.53
that difference here.
00:25:05.56\00:25:07.17
Luke 4:18... We just read
that. Jesus began His ministry
00:25:07.20\00:25:10.87
by saying the Spirit
of the Lord is upon Me
00:25:10.90\00:25:13.38
because He has
anointed me to preach the gospel
00:25:13.41\00:25:15.82
to the poor. Why?
00:25:15.85\00:25:17.34
He sent Me to
heal the brokenhearted,
00:25:17.37\00:25:18.94
to proclaim liberty, to
liberate people from the
00:25:18.97\00:25:22.66
bondage of sickness, to
liberate people from the
00:25:22.69\00:25:25.25
bondage of sin.
00:25:25.28\00:25:26.65
Have you ever been really sick?
00:25:26.68\00:25:28.33
It doesn't matter how free
you are, if you're really sick,
00:25:28.36\00:25:30.41
you don't feel free, do you?
00:25:30.44\00:25:31.87
Illness is another
kind of slavery and bondage.
00:25:31.90\00:25:35.53
And a lot of
people - what good is it
00:25:35.56\00:25:37.40
if someone says you're free
and you're in a hospital bed
00:25:37.43\00:25:40.48
because you're too
sick to do anything.
00:25:40.51\00:25:44.40
And so we want
both kinds of liberty;
00:25:44.43\00:25:46.77
you want liberty of health
and liberty of life and action.
00:25:46.80\00:25:52.44
When Jesus raised Lazarus
00:25:52.47\00:25:54.37
from the dead, you
notice what He does?
00:25:54.41\00:25:57.52
Lazarus was bound
when He gave him life.
00:25:57.56\00:26:00.64
First, He raised him,
then He said, "Now loose him."
00:26:00.67\00:26:05.81
And so, when
people come to Jesus,
00:26:05.84\00:26:07.39
they come with their chains,
and then Jesus breaks the chains
00:26:07.42\00:26:11.12
Now back to our
verse here in John 8:35...
00:26:11.15\00:26:14.24
I'm going to read
on here in John 8...
00:26:14.27\00:26:17.01
Jesus goes on and He says
- this is the verse where He
00:26:17.04\00:26:19.40
said, "The truth
will make you free."
00:26:19.43\00:26:22.04
He says, "And the slave does
not abide in the house forever,
00:26:22.07\00:26:26.71
but a son abides forever."
00:26:26.74\00:26:29.01
So now the next question is..
00:26:29.04\00:26:30.88
Are you a son or a servant?
00:26:30.91\00:26:33.46
Are you a son or a slave?
00:26:33.49\00:26:36.55
When you are freed by
Jesus, you are also adopted.
00:26:36.58\00:26:40.56
Christ says you are now
His beloved son or daughter
00:26:40.59\00:26:43.44
in whom He is well-pleased.
00:26:43.47\00:26:45.25
We're adopted into the family.
00:26:45.28\00:26:47.46
See, real freedom is
still service but the service
00:26:47.49\00:26:50.79
comes from the heart now.
00:26:50.82\00:26:52.44
Do you see what I'm saying?
00:26:52.47\00:26:54.34
Matthew 17:24... One
time some people came to Peter
00:26:54.37\00:27:00.33
at Capernaum and
they were the ones who
00:27:00.36\00:27:02.94
collected the temple
tax and they said to Peter,
00:27:02.97\00:27:06.02
"Does your teacher
pay the temple tax?"
00:27:06.05\00:27:09.02
And Peter didn't know
what to say and he said,
00:27:09.05\00:27:10.55
Yeah, he pays the taxes.
00:27:10.58\00:27:12.22
And he came into the house and
Jesus knew what had happened,
00:27:12.25\00:27:15.45
and Jesus said to him,
"What do you think, Simon?
00:27:15.48\00:27:18.14
From whom do the kings of
the earth take custom or taxes,
00:27:18.17\00:27:22.72
from their sons
or from strangers?"
00:27:22.75\00:27:26.11
Peter said to
him, "From strangers."
00:27:26.14\00:27:28.18
Jesus said to him,
"Then the sons are free."
00:27:28.21\00:27:32.75
There's a different relationship
between those who are
00:27:32.78\00:27:35.96
servants and those who are sons.
00:27:35.99\00:27:38.94
In the Roman Empire,
Roman citizens didn't have
00:27:38.97\00:27:41.84
to pay taxes.
00:27:41.87\00:27:43.13
All the other countries who
were noncitizens, paid taxes.
00:27:43.16\00:27:48.50
A Roman could not be a slave.
00:27:48.53\00:27:51.78
A Roman couldn't be crucified.
00:27:51.81\00:27:56.05
A Roman couldn't be
bound without being tried.
00:27:56.08\00:27:58.55
There are a lot of
laws that protected Romans.
00:27:58.58\00:28:00.22
They were called
"sons of the empire."
00:28:00.25\00:28:02.56
And so the sons didn't pay the
taxes the way the servants did.
00:28:02.59\00:28:06.30
Meaning the nations
that had been conquered.
00:28:06.33\00:28:08.59
You remember one time,
they tied up the Apostle Paul.
00:28:08.62\00:28:11.00
And he said," Are you
tying me up, a Roman..."
00:28:11.03\00:28:12.49
They didn't realize
he was a Roman citizen.
00:28:12.52\00:28:14.06
That was a great benefit
for him in his missionary work.
00:28:14.09\00:28:17.39
You couldn't tie him
up, you couldn't beat him.
00:28:17.42\00:28:20.54
One time, in
Philippi, they beat Paul.
00:28:20.57\00:28:22.73
He said, "You beat
me, a Roman, uncondemned."
00:28:22.76\00:28:24.69
And the jailer and others said,
Oh no, please don't prosecute us
00:28:24.72\00:28:27.44
The Roman army will come
after us, we're going to lose
00:28:27.47\00:28:29.26
our position; we're
not allowed to do that
00:28:29.29\00:28:30.77
because you are a
son of the kingdom.
00:28:30.80\00:28:33.62
So they had special privileges.
00:28:33.65\00:28:36.26
When you're saved, you
still serve, but you're a son.
00:28:36.29\00:28:41.10
It's a loving service
because of relationship.
00:28:41.13\00:28:43.52
For instance... How
many of you remember
00:28:43.55\00:28:46.25
the parable of the prodigal son?
00:28:46.28\00:28:48.80
He's not called the
prodigal servant - he's a son.
00:28:48.83\00:28:52.72
He leaves home, he squanders his
inheritance in a foreign land.
00:28:52.75\00:28:56.43
He ends up feeding
pigs, starving for the
00:28:57.29\00:29:00.26
cobs and the pods
that the pigs are eating.
00:29:00.29\00:29:03.13
He finally comes to
his senses and he says,
00:29:03.16\00:29:05.64
"My father's servants
eat better than I'm eating.
00:29:05.67\00:29:10.47
I will arise and
go to my father."
00:29:10.50\00:29:13.46
And as-a-matter-of-fact,
you can read that in Luke 15:18.
00:29:13.49\00:29:18.98
"I'll arise and go to my
father and I'll say to him,
00:29:19.01\00:29:21.22
"Father, I've sinned
against heaven and before you,
00:29:21.25\00:29:24.27
I'm no longer
worthy to be your son;
00:29:24.30\00:29:27.08
make me a servant.
00:29:27.11\00:29:29.03
I am not worthy to be a
son, make me a servant."
00:29:29.06\00:29:33.01
And the father says -
none of that, he embraces him
00:29:33.04\00:29:35.68
as a son, puts a
robe on him like a son
00:29:35.71\00:29:38.24
from the family wardrobe;
gives him the family signet ring
00:29:38.27\00:29:41.41
proving that you are
completely maintaining
00:29:41.44\00:29:44.43
the status of a son.
00:29:44.46\00:29:45.95
Now here is the big question...
00:29:45.98\00:29:48.41
Did the father's
boys also serve him?
00:29:48.44\00:29:54.73
You remember what
the older brother said?
00:29:54.76\00:29:56.22
"I've served you
all these years."
00:29:56.25\00:29:57.62
Was he still the son?
00:29:57.65\00:29:59.27
Do sons serve? Did
Joseph serve his father?
00:29:59.30\00:30:03.56
Did his brothers
serve their father?
00:30:03.59\00:30:05.68
But they were serving as sons.
00:30:05.71\00:30:08.23
That's different
from serving as slaves.
00:30:08.26\00:30:11.05
So when you are saved by Jesus,
00:30:11.08\00:30:14.17
and you're
liberated by His power,
00:30:14.20\00:30:16.64
and He gives
you the Holy Spirit,
00:30:16.67\00:30:18.44
do we say then...
"Oh, I'm free now,
00:30:18.47\00:30:20.83
I don't need to
obey because I'm a son.
00:30:20.86\00:30:23.01
Or do you serve
Him now out of love
00:30:23.04\00:30:26.25
because you've been
adopted? You see the difference?
00:30:26.28\00:30:29.22
Do you know that even in
our country, during the time of
00:30:30.24\00:30:34.47
the Emancipation Proclamation,
some who had been slaves
00:30:34.50\00:30:38.40
in households in the
South, they loved their masters
00:30:38.43\00:30:41.38
and the masters loved the
slaves and many of the slaves
00:30:41.41\00:30:43.99
they grew up with the children
and they raised the children,
00:30:44.02\00:30:46.29
and they said, "Look,
we're going to adopt you,"
00:30:46.32\00:30:47.89
and they took the
names of their masters.
00:30:47.92\00:30:50.46
They were
adopted into the family.
00:30:50.49\00:30:51.79
Some were given an inheritance.
00:30:51.82\00:30:54.31
And they didn't run
away and leave. Why?
00:30:54.34\00:30:56.47
Even though they were free to,
because they had become family.
00:30:56.50\00:31:00.16
And it was like sons,
the relationship changed,
00:31:00.19\00:31:04.09
and that's what
God wants for us.
00:31:04.13\00:31:07.24
We don't say... Oh praise the
Lord, I'm saved, now I can sin.
00:31:07.28\00:31:09.91
No, now we serve as
sons which is, of course,
00:31:09.94\00:31:13.59
the best way to do it.
00:31:13.62\00:31:14.67
Let me tell you an interesting
story I read this week.
00:31:14.70\00:31:17.62
Any of you ever
heard about Kaspar Hauser?
00:31:17.65\00:31:21.14
Kaspar Hauser - a
very interesting study
00:31:21.17\00:31:23.81
about 1-1/2 centuries ago of
a 15-year-old boy who was seen
00:31:23.84\00:31:27.14
stumbling up the
streets of Nuremberg, Germany
00:31:27.17\00:31:30.12
and he was dressed reasonably
well and someone began to
00:31:30.15\00:31:34.08
inquire - the boy seemed
very confused and bewildered
00:31:34.11\00:31:36.59
and out of sorts and
they tried to interview him.
00:31:36.62\00:31:39.44
He could only speak a
few muttering sentences,
00:31:39.47\00:31:41.66
and he seemed to be
just kind of in a daze...
00:31:41.69\00:31:43.99
And I'm going to give you
the short version of the story.
00:31:44.02\00:31:47.05
Evidently, this boy
was the Prince of Baden.
00:31:47.08\00:31:52.36
He had been abducted from
the cradle when he was like
00:31:52.39\00:31:55.97
2 or 3 years old, they
don't know exactly, in 1812,
00:31:56.00\00:32:00.43
and he had been kept
in a box, pretty much,
00:32:00.46\00:32:02.94
just a very small room.
00:32:02.97\00:32:05.61
In the dark for the most part;
he had a little bit of light
00:32:05.64\00:32:07.86
coming through a crack
because his kidnappers were
00:32:07.89\00:32:10.21
hoping for a ransom;
they never wanted the child
00:32:10.24\00:32:12.22
to see them and they would
feed him through the walls.
00:32:12.25\00:32:16.21
Every now and then,
they would give him water
00:32:16.24\00:32:18.35
with some opium in it.
00:32:18.38\00:32:19.80
When he would fall asleep,
they'd come in and he would be
00:32:19.84\00:32:22.49
changed, given some new clothes.
00:32:22.52\00:32:23.98
They clipped his
nails and cut his hair,
00:32:24.01\00:32:25.55
then they'd leave again.
00:32:25.59\00:32:26.65
They gave him a
rocking horse to play with.
00:32:26.68\00:32:28.55
They would speak through
the walls and they taught him
00:32:28.58\00:32:30.67
a little bit about the Christian
religion and how to speak.
00:32:30.70\00:32:34.07
But can you imagine how
dysfunctional a boy would be
00:32:34.10\00:32:38.04
growing up in a box until
you're 15 or 16 years old.
00:32:38.07\00:32:41.15
They never exactly
knew what the date was.
00:32:41.18\00:32:44.43
Later, they found out he
was the prince and when the
00:32:44.46\00:32:46.66
Prince of Baden died and
they realized that he might
00:32:46.69\00:32:50.97
be in line to be the
heir, he was assassinated.
00:32:51.00\00:32:55.68
And when he was 22 years
of age, finally taught him
00:32:55.71\00:32:58.03
to talk and even write
enough where he wrote the
00:32:58.06\00:33:00.13
autobiography and it was really
00:33:00.16\00:33:01.28
strange the way
that they treated him.
00:33:01.31\00:33:04.90
He never could eat
anything other than brown bread
00:33:04.93\00:33:07.39
because that's all he
ate for about 10 years.
00:33:07.42\00:33:09.24
His stomach would
not tolerate anything.
00:33:09.27\00:33:10.63
His knees never developed
because he couldn't walk around.
00:33:10.66\00:33:13.15
He just always walked
in a very stumbling way.
00:33:13.18\00:33:15.75
And, whenever he had
the opportunity, he would
00:33:15.78\00:33:17.40
kind of just curl up
in the corner and rock
00:33:17.43\00:33:19.36
back and forth and found himself
comfortable in small rooms.
00:33:19.39\00:33:25.02
Felt insecure when
he was out in the open.
00:33:25.05\00:33:27.84
He had spent so long living
in a box that he couldn't feel
00:33:27.87\00:33:32.01
happy being free.
00:33:32.04\00:33:34.28
Do you know what
prisoner recidivism is?
00:33:34.31\00:33:37.69
Recidivism is the tendency to
lapse into a previous behavior
00:33:38.74\00:33:44.26
especially a tendency to
return to criminal habits.
00:33:44.29\00:33:49.42
Prisoner recidivism is,
you know after 2 or 3 years
00:33:49.45\00:33:53.82
after a prisoner is
released, how long will it be
00:33:53.85\00:33:55.71
before they're
back in prison again?
00:33:55.74\00:33:57.41
You would hope "never," right?
00:33:57.44\00:33:59.03
They have been
taught, they've been punished,
00:33:59.06\00:34:02.15
they've learned their lesson.
00:34:02.18\00:34:03.34
They're going to
be model citizens now.
00:34:03.37\00:34:05.37
Unfortunately
that's not the case,
00:34:05.40\00:34:07.06
we have more people in
prison in North America now
00:34:07.09\00:34:09.06
than any other time in
our history... kind of sad.
00:34:09.09\00:34:13.74
Among released prisoners,
those with the highest
00:34:13.77\00:34:16.31
re-arrest rates within
3 years, 74% of burglars
00:34:16.34\00:34:21.80
that are released,
are re-arrested within
00:34:21.83\00:34:23.34
3 years for burglary.
00:34:23.37\00:34:24.90
That doesn't mean they
commit one burglary in 3 years,
00:34:24.93\00:34:27.98
it means it takes 3 years
to catch them doing it again.
00:34:28.02\00:34:31.03
They're probably
doing plenty of it.
00:34:31.06\00:34:32.75
For larcenists, 74% were
re-arrested within 3 years.
00:34:32.78\00:34:36.66
And motor vehicle thieves,
they top it, 78% of car thieves
00:34:36.69\00:34:41.63
are re-arrested for
stealing cars within 3 years
00:34:41.66\00:34:44.11
of their release.
00:34:44.14\00:34:45.53
Those who were
imprisoned for possessing
00:34:45.56\00:34:47.34
stolen property 74% and
there are varying percents,
00:34:47.37\00:34:50.53
but it's almost like two-thirds
of prisoners are re-arrested.
00:34:50.56\00:34:54.42
Now, among those who get
involved in Christianity,
00:34:54.45\00:34:58.91
and become part of a Christian
group and are converted
00:34:58.94\00:35:00.93
in Bible studies in
prison, the recidivism rate is
00:35:00.96\00:35:04.55
lower than like 40%.
00:35:04.58\00:35:06.52
A lot of them get out and
they stay clean showing that the
00:35:06.55\00:35:09.72
gospel is very powerful.
00:35:09.75\00:35:11.28
Some of you know Chuck Colson.
00:35:11.31\00:35:13.30
He has caused a lot of waves
in the prison system because
00:35:13.33\00:35:15.96
he's given them hard
facts that if they'll allow his
00:35:15.99\00:35:18.99
Christian
ministry in the prisons,
00:35:19.02\00:35:21.68
and Amazing Facts Bible
School, a lot of the people
00:35:21.71\00:35:24.78
that take our Bible School
correspondence are prisoners.
00:35:24.81\00:35:28.36
So many now are doing it on
line but the prisoners can't,
00:35:28.39\00:35:30.84
so we continue to
mail it into the prisons,
00:35:30.87\00:35:33.58
and thousands of them
have been transformed by
00:35:33.61\00:35:36.69
the power of the gospel.
00:35:36.72\00:35:37.88
Well Chuck Colson and the
politicians, they had it out
00:35:37.91\00:35:41.34
because, you know, a lot
of atheists that are in the
00:35:41.37\00:35:42.99
prison system - the prison
has a lot of corruption in it.
00:35:43.02\00:35:46.43
I'm not trying to get political
in this message, but it's just
00:35:46.46\00:35:49.41
true because it's got these
unions and it's pretty scary.
00:35:49.45\00:35:55.23
What would happen if
all the guards go on strike
00:35:55.26\00:35:56.66
or if they
released all the prisoners?
00:35:56.69\00:35:58.27
That's a lot of power
to hold over a culture.
00:35:58.30\00:36:02.70
And so, there has
been some resistance
00:36:02.73\00:36:05.39
because some of these
prisons have had revivals
00:36:05.42\00:36:07.35
go through them and it
puts them out of business.
00:36:07.38\00:36:11.31
And so they're threatened
by the power of the gospel
00:36:11.34\00:36:13.80
to prevent the recidivism.
00:36:13.83\00:36:15.30
Because you know what happens,
a lot of these prisoners
00:36:15.33\00:36:17.28
they get out and they're so
used to being institutionalized;
00:36:17.31\00:36:20.11
they're in the prison;
they're used to the way of life;
00:36:20.14\00:36:22.13
after years of living a
certain way, to go from prison
00:36:22.16\00:36:24.93
to freedom -
they're not used to it.
00:36:24.96\00:36:27.37
And they said, "Boy, I
don't know, it's kind of nice,
00:36:27.40\00:36:29.61
but it's a little unnerving."
00:36:29.64\00:36:31.16
I heard about one
bank was being robbed,
00:36:31.19\00:36:34.19
and the robber came up to
the teller and held up a gun,
00:36:34.22\00:36:39.16
and said, "Give me
$20," he gave him a $20 bill
00:36:39.19\00:36:41.43
... that's all he asked
for, and he went and sat down
00:36:41.46\00:36:44.29
in the waiting
area there at the bank.
00:36:44.32\00:36:45.66
Pretty soon, you know, of
course the alarm went off;
00:36:45.70\00:36:47.52
the police came
and they picked him up,
00:36:47.55\00:36:48.72
and he said,
"What's the problem?"
00:36:48.75\00:36:49.79
He said, "You know, I've
just been totally unnerved
00:36:49.82\00:36:52.39
out of prison" and he
said, "I've got to go back."
00:36:52.42\00:36:54.96
So he just robbed a $20
bill so he could go back to jail
00:36:54.99\00:36:57.76
because he just
couldn't handle the freedom!
00:36:57.79\00:37:00.77
Some people have been saved
00:37:00.80\00:37:02.41
by Jesus and they
can't deal with the freedom.
00:37:02.44\00:37:04.61
We suffer with the same
kind of recidivism rates.
00:37:04.64\00:37:07.85
Children of Israel
liberated from their slavery.
00:37:07.88\00:37:11.67
They've gone from
being slaves to the Pharaoh,
00:37:11.70\00:37:14.69
and you know what they
kept saying as they went
00:37:14.72\00:37:17.00
through the wilderness...
00:37:17.03\00:37:18.65
"Boy, I don't know what it
feels like being free here,
00:37:18.68\00:37:21.85
I think maybe serving Pharaoh
was easier than serving God."
00:37:21.88\00:37:26.19
"I want to go back to Egypt."
00:37:26.22\00:37:27.39
You can read one example of that
in Numbers 14:3, listen to this:
00:37:27.42\00:37:31.28
This is this nation, think
about what they had in Egypt.
00:37:31.31\00:37:33.95
Hard bondage - the
pharaoh made them serve with
00:37:33.98\00:37:36.59
hard labor with rigor;
making bricks without straw;
00:37:36.62\00:37:41.07
tromping in the
mud all day long;
00:37:41.10\00:37:44.18
you know - starvation rations.
00:37:44.21\00:37:46.35
Here they are now on
their way to a land flowing with
00:37:46.38\00:37:48.73
milk and honey; God is in
their midst, bread from heaven
00:37:48.76\00:37:51.61
every day - they are free!
00:37:51.64\00:37:54.24
They don't have to follow God,
they can go wherever they want.
00:37:54.27\00:37:58.08
And this is what they
said: "Why has the Lord
00:37:58.11\00:37:59.69
brought us to this
land to fall by the sword,
00:37:59.72\00:38:01.95
that our wives and
children should become victims."
00:38:01.98\00:38:04.07
"Would it not be better
for us to return to Egypt?"
00:38:04.10\00:38:06.56
"So they said to one
another, "Let us select a leader
00:38:06.59\00:38:09.30
and return to Egypt."
00:38:09.33\00:38:10.79
You know, whenever
there was some kind of battle,
00:38:10.82\00:38:13.17
they panicked - they said
let the Egyptians go fight
00:38:13.20\00:38:15.58
for us, we just
want to be slaves.
00:38:15.61\00:38:17.45
They didn't want to
fight for their own freedom.
00:38:17.48\00:38:19.13
That mentality of
wanting to go back to slavery...
00:38:19.16\00:38:25.17
I wonder if we have that today.
00:38:25.20\00:38:27.68
I wonder if in the
church that Jesus is wanting to
00:38:27.71\00:38:31.06
set us free but
we're afraid of freedom.
00:38:31.09\00:38:34.94
Were they still
servants when they were free?
00:38:34.97\00:38:38.53
Yes, but now they were servants
of God instead of the Pharaoh.
00:38:38.56\00:38:43.42
So you know what I'm saying...
00:38:43.45\00:38:45.04
Do you want to
serve God or the Pharaoh,
00:38:45.07\00:38:47.42
or do you want to
serve Jesus or the devil?
00:38:47.45\00:38:48.89
Do want to serve as
a son or as a slave?
00:38:48.92\00:38:52.65
Everybody serves somebody!
00:38:52.68\00:38:56.03
You can choose
who you want to serve.
00:38:56.06\00:38:58.39
How much better it
is to serve the Lord.
00:38:58.42\00:39:02.28
I heard this story - still
talking about the recidivism
00:39:02.31\00:39:05.41
attitude and how
people are afraid of freedom.
00:39:05.44\00:39:07.57
There was this Arab chief
that would tell the story about
00:39:07.60\00:39:10.61
this general in the Persian
Army and they captured a spy.
00:39:10.64\00:39:15.33
And they told the spy -
we're giving you 2 choices;
00:39:15.36\00:39:19.06
you can either be
executed by the firing squad,
00:39:19.09\00:39:24.17
or it's the big
black door, which is it?
00:39:24.20\00:39:28.30
And the spy
struggled with the decision;
00:39:28.33\00:39:32.04
firing squad or the
big black door... ah ha
00:39:32.07\00:39:34.86
Thinking that behind the big
black door probably was torture,
00:39:34.89\00:39:39.15
and this is the
general's cruel idea of a joke.
00:39:39.18\00:39:42.25
He said, "I'll take the
firing squad like a man,
00:39:42.28\00:39:44.35
quick get it over with."
00:39:44.38\00:39:46.42
And one of the
aides of the general said,
00:39:46.45\00:39:48.31
"What's behind
the big black door?"
00:39:48.34\00:39:50.99
He said, "Freedom."
00:39:51.02\00:39:52.33
But he said - "Very few
men have been brave enough
00:39:52.36\00:39:58.91
to take the big black door."
00:39:58.94\00:40:01.85
They'd rather have the
known death or the known slavery
00:40:01.88\00:40:05.66
rather than the unknown freedom!
00:40:05.69\00:40:09.40
And you wonder if that
dynamic affects us sometimes.
00:40:09.43\00:40:13.47
Sometimes I think we
want the government to give us
00:40:13.50\00:40:19.63
the sense of security and we're
00:40:19.66\00:40:21.97
willing to surrender ourselves
to slavery and so the laws
00:40:22.00\00:40:26.06
continue to proliferate.
00:40:26.09\00:40:28.52
Liberty comes from
obedience, another principle...
00:40:28.55\00:40:32.64
Real obedience brings liberty.
00:40:32.67\00:40:35.00
Psalm 119- notice
this, verse 44-45:
00:40:35.03\00:40:38.85
"So I will keep your law
continually forever and ever
00:40:38.88\00:40:44.15
and I will walk in liberty
because I seek your precepts."
00:40:44.18\00:40:48.70
You know, periodically, we're
a church that still believes
00:40:48.73\00:40:50.76
in the 10 Commandments, right?
00:40:50.79\00:40:52.97
Amen? Everybody should
have said "yes" to that one.
00:40:53.00\00:40:56.38
We still believe that we don't
00:40:56.41\00:40:57.85
keep the Ten
Commandments to be saved.
00:40:57.88\00:41:01.00
But, we believe as all
Christians used to believe
00:41:01.03\00:41:04.27
when we are saved, we
keep the Ten Commandments;
00:41:04.30\00:41:06.48
Sabbath happens
to be one of them.
00:41:06.51\00:41:08.93
And some people
have accused us before,
00:41:08.96\00:41:11.61
as Seventh-day Adventist
Christians, they've said,
00:41:11.64\00:41:13.79
"Oh, you folks are
keeping that 4th Commandment;
00:41:13.82\00:41:16.86
you're keeping
the Ten Commandments,
00:41:16.89\00:41:18.24
you're just putting
people under bondage.
00:41:18.27\00:41:20.71
You're putting
people under bondage.
00:41:20.74\00:41:22.28
That is not true!
00:41:22.31\00:41:23.65
The Bible teaches that
obedience brings liberty.
00:41:23.68\00:41:28.26
Obedience brings real liberty.
00:41:28.29\00:41:30.90
Some more verses
for you... James 1:25
00:41:30.93\00:41:35.52
"But he who looks into
the perfect law of liberty,
00:41:35.55\00:41:39.13
and continues in it, not
being a forgetful hearer,
00:41:39.16\00:41:42.15
but a doer of the work, this one
will be blessed in what he does"
00:41:42.18\00:41:45.90
The law of liberty!
00:41:45.93\00:41:48.37
James 2:11-12...
"For he who said,
00:41:48.40\00:41:51.14
do not commit adultery...
Is that one of the laws?
00:41:51.17\00:41:54.34
Where does that law come from?
00:41:54.37\00:41:56.38
One of the Ten Commandments.
00:41:56.41\00:41:58.10
"For he who said, "Do not
commit adultery," also said,
00:41:58.13\00:42:00.62
"Do not murder."
Does that sound familiar,
00:42:00.65\00:42:02.97
do not murder? What is that?
00:42:03.00\00:42:05.36
One of the Ten Commandments.
00:42:05.39\00:42:07.47
"He that said, "Do
not commit adultery,
00:42:07.50\00:42:09.20
also said, Do not murder."
00:42:09.23\00:42:10.57
Now then, if you do not
commit adultery, but you murder,
00:42:10.61\00:42:13.36
you are a
transgressor of the law."
00:42:13.39\00:42:15.22
And then he says,
"So speak and so do;
00:42:15.25\00:42:18.39
be a doer and a speaker
of those who will be judged
00:42:18.42\00:42:21.97
by the law of liberty."
00:42:22.00\00:42:24.57
He's calling the Ten
Commandments a law of liberty.
00:42:24.60\00:42:28.75
Why can he say that?
00:42:28.78\00:42:31.22
Well, the reason that
you're sitting here in the pew
00:42:31.25\00:42:33.58
and you're free and there are
other people who are not free,
00:42:33.61\00:42:36.30
but they're in jail downtown,
is because I'm assuming
00:42:36.33\00:42:40.33
that you are obeying
the law and they're not.
00:42:40.36\00:42:43.15
Isn't that right? So
that same law that we
00:42:43.18\00:42:45.96
all live under,
through obedience,
00:42:45.99\00:42:47.55
it is a law of liberty for you.
00:42:47.58\00:42:50.27
To those who violate
it, it's a law of bondage.
00:42:50.30\00:42:52.88
So those who
accuse Bible Christians,
00:42:52.91\00:42:56.64
of putting bondage on
people because you're teaching
00:42:56.67\00:42:58.86
the Ten Commandments,
you're putting liberty
00:42:58.89\00:43:01.36
on people when you
teach the Ten Commandments.
00:43:01.39\00:43:03.84
The ones who are telling others
to break the Ten Commandments
00:43:03.87\00:43:06.55
... those people
are being bound by sin.
00:43:06.58\00:43:10.15
Does that make sense?
Obedience brings liberty.
00:43:10.18\00:43:15.38
This what Jesus said.
00:43:15.41\00:43:16.75
Matthew 11:28... Christ
does not promise to follow Him
00:43:16.78\00:43:21.19
and have no constraints,
no service; on the opposite,
00:43:21.22\00:43:25.92
He says, "Come to Me all you
who labor and are heavy-laden,
00:43:25.95\00:43:29.92
and I will give you rest."
00:43:29.95\00:43:31.27
Notice - "Take My
yoke;" what is a yoke?
00:43:31.30\00:43:35.03
I'm not talking
about the middle of an egg.
00:43:35.06\00:43:36.99
A yoke was a farm
implement that was used to put
00:43:37.02\00:43:40.17
2 beasts together like
oxen or donkeys or something
00:43:40.20\00:43:43.40
for pulling a plow.
00:43:43.43\00:43:44.67
It was an instrument of service.
00:43:44.70\00:43:47.07
So Jesus said, "Yoke up with Me,
00:43:47.10\00:43:49.73
we will serve God
as sons together."
00:43:49.76\00:43:54.00
So He's not inviting
us to come and disobey;
00:43:54.03\00:43:56.83
He's not inviting us to just
be reckless and irresponsible.
00:43:56.86\00:44:00.19
He's inviting us
to be free in service.
00:44:00.22\00:44:02.81
Notice, He goes
on... "Take My yoke on you;
00:44:02.84\00:44:05.47
learn from Me, for I am
gentle and lowly in heart;
00:44:05.50\00:44:08.57
you will find
rest for your souls
00:44:08.60\00:44:11.55
for My yoke is easy
and My burden is light."
00:44:11.58\00:44:15.17
You cannot be free in
a country without law,
00:44:15.20\00:44:19.14
but you can't be free in
a country with too much law.
00:44:19.17\00:44:22.47
That's legalism.
00:44:22.50\00:44:24.19
Did Paul have to
deal with that also?
00:44:24.22\00:44:27.05
You know, in the early church,
00:44:27.08\00:44:28.28
they had the same issues
that we're dealing with today.
00:44:28.31\00:44:31.09
You had the Jewish
Christians, you had 2 extremes.
00:44:31.12\00:44:35.74
You had one group - the
Gentiles who were saying,
00:44:35.77\00:44:38.18
Praise the Lord, we accept
Jesus and we're not under the
00:44:38.21\00:44:40.25
old Jewish law; we don't
need to keep any law anymore.
00:44:40.28\00:44:43.02
And James was talking
to them and he said that...
00:44:43.05\00:44:48.42
You know, without
obedience, you can't be free.
00:44:48.45\00:44:50.74
If you say you've got
faith and you don't have works,
00:44:50.77\00:44:53.29
you're dead.
00:44:53.32\00:44:54.36
Real faith will be
demonstrated in obedience,
00:44:54.39\00:44:57.60
and he specifies the Ten
Commandments, doesn't he,
00:44:57.63\00:44:59.69
the Book of James.
00:44:59.72\00:45:00.77
Then you've got
the other extreme;
00:45:00.80\00:45:02.43
you had Jewish converts
that were wanting the Gentiles
00:45:02.46\00:45:05.19
to keep all of the ceremonial
laws and a lot of these
00:45:05.22\00:45:07.49
Mosaic laws that
were shadows of Christ,
00:45:07.52\00:45:11.14
and Paul had to deal with that.
00:45:11.17\00:45:12.75
In Galatians, he says,
You're putting these people
00:45:12.78\00:45:14.51
... you're taking
away their liberty;
00:45:14.54\00:45:15.89
you're putting
them under bondage.
00:45:15.92\00:45:17.24
You can read
that in Galatians 5:1
00:45:17.27\00:45:20.12
And so you get these 2 extremes;
we've got the same thing.
00:45:20.15\00:45:23.06
You got one group that's
trying to legislate morality,
00:45:23.09\00:45:27.70
and you got the
other group that's says...
00:45:27.73\00:45:28.84
Now because we're free,
you're free to do anything.
00:45:28.87\00:45:31.07
You could be irresponsible and,
you know, last year I was in
00:45:31.10\00:45:35.64
Columbia and I remember
they were warning us about
00:45:35.67\00:45:39.01
being careful going out on
the streets because they have
00:45:39.04\00:45:41.25
this group called
"FARC" that was going out there
00:45:41.28\00:45:43.74
and they were rebels
that were kidnapping Americans
00:45:43.77\00:45:46.47
and asking for
these fabulous ransoms
00:45:46.50\00:45:48.98
and you had to be very careful.
00:45:49.01\00:45:50.83
It was a little safer
in Medellin, where I was,
00:45:50.86\00:45:53.25
than in Bogotá which was a
little closer to the rebel camps
00:45:53.28\00:45:57.32
And some of these
people had been arrested,
00:45:57.35\00:45:59.11
some for 10-11
years, held in jungles,
00:45:59.14\00:46:03.28
chained up every
night, mosquitoes biting them
00:46:03.31\00:46:07.73
all day long, nothing to
do, it was just pretty pitiful.
00:46:07.76\00:46:10.60
And they effected a rescue this
week where Ingrid Betancourt,
00:46:10.63\00:46:17.57
3 American contractors,
11 other officers in the
00:46:17.60\00:46:20.41
Columbian Army were
miraculously rescued.
00:46:20.44\00:46:22.83
And, of course, they did this
it was sort of a covert action
00:46:22.86\00:46:25.48
and as the
rebels handed them over,
00:46:25.51\00:46:28.81
to these 2 helicopters,
they thought were just moving
00:46:28.84\00:46:31.03
them to be with the head rebel,
well, they were dressed like it
00:46:31.06\00:46:36.85
and the helicopters looked
like helicopters that had been
00:46:36.88\00:46:40.28
used before in
transporting the captives,
00:46:40.31\00:46:44.43
so they handed them over.
00:46:44.46\00:46:46.78
And as they got on
the chopper, they subdued,
00:46:46.81\00:46:50.13
well, as-a-matter-of-fact, I
should read this to you here.
00:46:50.16\00:46:52.24
Ingrid Betancourt and 3 U.S
contractors and 11 Columbian
00:46:52.27\00:46:55.38
military officers were
spirited to safety by helicopter
00:46:55.41\00:46:58.74
Wednesday, July 2nd, from
the gorilla jungle hideout.
00:46:58.77\00:47:01.81
Betancourt said that on
the morning of her rescue,
00:47:01.84\00:47:04.68
she put herself
in the hands of God.
00:47:04.71\00:47:07.11
They were so sad, they
thought they were just going
00:47:07.14\00:47:09.32
to another place; they
were hoping someone would
00:47:09.35\00:47:12.14
negotiate their release.
00:47:12.17\00:47:13.63
Years missing her children
growing up and the others,
00:47:13.66\00:47:17.14
they had children and families
and all they could live for was
00:47:17.17\00:47:20.46
being reunited with
their families, they said.
00:47:20.49\00:47:23.45
So that morning when
she realized they were being
00:47:23.48\00:47:25.30
transported, she
said, I didn't know what was
00:47:25.33\00:47:26.85
happening;" she
was so depressed.
00:47:26.88\00:47:28.02
She said, "God, I'm just
putting myself in Your hands."
00:47:28.05\00:47:30.63
"I did not realize what
was going on until Cesar..."
00:47:30.66\00:47:33.82
That was one of the head
rebels, was in the helicopter,
00:47:33.85\00:47:36.26
he had been subdued and
was tied up on the floor.
00:47:36.29\00:47:40.45
Then they said, "You're free."
00:47:40.48\00:47:43.43
They actually videotaped
this and I don't know if any
00:47:43.46\00:47:45.98
of you saw it - over and
over again, they had to keep
00:47:46.01\00:47:49.25
saying it because
it wasn't registering.
00:47:49.28\00:47:52.52
They told them, they
cut their plastic handcuffs,
00:47:52.55\00:47:55.48
and they said, "You're
free, you're free, you're free,
00:47:55.51\00:47:59.03
and it was starting to sink
in and Mrs. Betancourt said,
00:47:59.06\00:48:01.62
"We were jumping up and
down so much in the helicopter,
00:48:01.65\00:48:03.76
we almost brought it
back down to the ground again"
00:48:03.79\00:48:06.17
... because they
were so happy to be free!
00:48:06.20\00:48:09.29
She said, "This is like heaven."
00:48:09.32\00:48:12.22
Because, I mean, we don't really
value it until you lose it.
00:48:12.25\00:48:18.14
Some never really
appreciate it because they
00:48:18.17\00:48:19.96
never really had it.
00:48:19.99\00:48:21.83
I believe they are
people who have grown up in the
00:48:21.86\00:48:23.32
church and they've
never really been free.
00:48:23.35\00:48:25.92
When Jesus comes into
your heart, you really know
00:48:25.95\00:48:28.31
all of my past
sins are forgiven,
00:48:28.34\00:48:30.50
I'm on my way to heaven; we
keep thinking like prisoners.
00:48:30.53\00:48:35.07
The Bible said when
Peter decided to follow Jesus,
00:48:35.10\00:48:38.25
he got up and
the chains fell off.
00:48:38.28\00:48:41.90
The Lord sent His angels
and he opened the prison doors.
00:48:41.93\00:48:45.80
Paul and Silas were praying
and there was an earthquake
00:48:45.83\00:48:47.73
and the prison doors came open.
00:48:47.76\00:48:49.44
God parts the Red Sea and the
Children of Israel cross over.
00:48:49.47\00:48:54.51
In each one of
those cases I just cited,
00:48:54.54\00:48:56.65
God worked a
miracle that freed them.
00:48:56.68\00:49:00.00
When you are freed from
your slavery, it's a miracle,
00:49:00.03\00:49:03.31
and God wants to
do that for everybody.
00:49:03.34\00:49:05.93
It's not just some people who
happen to get the right feeling
00:49:05.96\00:49:08.53
at the right time...
00:49:08.56\00:49:09.61
Jesus is offering that
liberation to everybody.
00:49:09.64\00:49:14.50
Christ came down,
the helicopters landed,
00:49:14.53\00:49:16.37
you just got to get on board.
00:49:16.40\00:49:18.06
And then He keeps
saying, "You're free now."
00:49:18.09\00:49:20.24
"He that has the Son, has life."
00:49:20.27\00:49:22.57
If you accept
Jesus into your heart,
00:49:22.60\00:49:24.10
if you have the truth,
the truth will set you free.
00:49:24.13\00:49:27.09
Now, that freedom needs to
be maintained or you're going to
00:49:27.12\00:49:29.51
start thinking like the
Children of Israel saying,
00:49:29.54\00:49:31.22
"I want to go back to Egypt."
00:49:31.25\00:49:32.69
You have to think
like Joshua and Caleb
00:49:32.72\00:49:34.54
and saying, "I believe
we can make it all the way
00:49:34.57\00:49:36.16
to the Promised Land." Amen?
00:49:36.19\00:49:37.89
You gotta maintain
that attitude of freedom.
00:49:37.92\00:49:40.29
Don't start thinking
like a prisoner again
00:49:40.32\00:49:41.96
or you're going
to be re-arrested.
00:49:41.99\00:49:43.52
You want to maintain that
freedom that's been purchased
00:49:43.55\00:49:46.80
at such a high
cost, and you know,
00:49:46.83\00:49:51.65
they're finding it
very hard to believe.
00:49:51.68\00:49:54.65
Some people are
saying, "How could they effect
00:49:54.68\00:49:57.31
that incredible
rescue in Columbia?"
00:49:57.34\00:49:59.93
Some are saying, "They
must have paid somebody off."
00:49:59.96\00:50:02.27
Because that kind of liberation,
that kind of redemption,
00:50:02.30\00:50:06.09
that ransom -
somebody had to pay something.
00:50:06.12\00:50:09.81
Oh, they did pay,
it was very expensive,
00:50:09.84\00:50:12.78
but they didn't pay the rebels.
00:50:12.81\00:50:14.84
They paid in months of
planning and a lot of prayer
00:50:14.87\00:50:20.79
in order to have them free.
00:50:20.82\00:50:22.31
Your salvation is
also very expensive.
00:50:22.34\00:50:25.30
You know, I remember
reading just this week,
00:50:25.33\00:50:28.51
the greatest ransom
ever paid in history...
00:50:28.54\00:50:32.45
Francisco Pizarro, arrested
the king of the Inca Empire,
00:50:32.48\00:50:37.49
Atahualpa in Peru, and he knew
that there was gold and silver
00:50:37.52\00:50:43.02
in the kingdom and he said,
"I will not free you unless
00:50:43.05\00:50:46.62
you fill one room with gold..."
00:50:46.65\00:50:49.92
and I forget, the room was
like 20 feet x 7 feet x 7 feet
00:50:49.95\00:50:54.36
and like 8 feet deep.
00:50:54.39\00:50:56.16
He said, "Fill
this room with gold,
00:50:56.19\00:50:58.00
and 2 other rooms with silver."
00:50:58.03\00:51:00.37
It took them 2 years to
do it, but the people from
00:51:00.40\00:51:02.73
all over the empire, they
wanted their king to be free.
00:51:02.76\00:51:04.90
So they just about liquidated
all the gold and silver
00:51:04.93\00:51:07.99
they could find in this
incredibly big Inca Empire.
00:51:08.02\00:51:11.84
And after doing all of that,
Pizarro reneged on his promise,
00:51:11.87\00:51:16.28
and he killed the king.
00:51:16.31\00:51:19.09
This was the biggest
ransom ever paid in history
00:51:19.12\00:51:23.08
and he broke the
promise, he killed him.
00:51:23.11\00:51:25.04
Later on, you wonder if it
was some kind of divine justice
00:51:25.07\00:51:28.05
Pizarro was killed by his
own people in an assassination.
00:51:28.08\00:51:32.83
But our King of
Heaven... you think about
00:51:32.86\00:51:36.02
how sad that was,
such a wasted ransom.
00:51:36.05\00:51:38.33
All that ransom and didn't even
get the freedom of their king.
00:51:38.36\00:51:41.95
Our king has paid an incredible
ransom that you might be free,
00:51:41.98\00:51:46.06
but the choice is in your
hands... will you go free?
00:51:46.09\00:51:50.53
Are you going to
curl up like Kaspar Hauser
00:51:50.56\00:51:53.43
back in a corner
somewhere and remain a slave?
00:51:53.46\00:51:56.72
Jesus is offering us... our King
is offering us that freedom.
00:51:56.75\00:52:00.76
And this morning,
I'd like to have you turn
00:52:00.79\00:52:02.97
to 317 in your
hymnals, "Lead Me to Calvary"
00:52:03.00\00:52:07.40
Where does our
freedom come from?
00:52:07.43\00:52:09.68
It comes from this
ransom that Jesus has paid
00:52:09.71\00:52:12.60
that we must
just accept by faith.
00:52:12.63\00:52:15.05
If, this morning, as we
close, you'd like to say
00:52:15.08\00:52:17.64
"Lord, I accept that
ransom, I want to be free,
00:52:17.67\00:52:21.10
I want to be in your kingdom
both now and when Jesus comes,"
00:52:21.13\00:52:25.65
why don't you stand with me;
let's sing this together, 317.
00:52:25.68\00:52:28.59
Lead Me to Calvary...
00:52:28.62\00:52:32.76
King of my life,
I crown Thee now,
00:52:48.69\00:52:54.70
Thine shall the glory be;
00:52:54.73\00:53:00.19
Lest I forget thy
thorn-crowned brow,
00:53:00.22\00:53:05.59
Lead me to Calvary.
00:53:05.62\00:53:10.94
Lest I forget Gethsemane;
00:53:10.97\00:53:18.76
Lest I forget Thine agony;
00:53:18.79\00:53:23.56
Lest I forget thy love for me,
00:53:23.60\00:53:28.34
Lead me to Calvary.
00:53:28.37\00:53:35.31
We're not saved from service.
00:53:35.34\00:53:37.78
Everybody serves somebody.
00:53:37.81\00:53:40.97
We are saved by
the Lord to serve.
00:53:41.00\00:53:43.93
And the big question
is... You just get to decide
00:53:43.96\00:53:46.58
who do you want to serve.
00:53:46.61\00:53:48.56
Some people have
never heard about Jesus;
00:53:48.59\00:53:50.08
they don't even know
they've got a choice.
00:53:50.11\00:53:52.11
They think that fate has
dealt them an unchangeable lot
00:53:52.14\00:53:54.81
and they are just doomed to
live out a pitiful existence,
00:53:54.84\00:53:59.33
but you know the good news
that you have another choice!
00:53:59.36\00:54:02.30
Nobody was
forced to leave Egypt,
00:54:02.33\00:54:05.10
they were invited to leave.
00:54:05.13\00:54:06.55
As-a-matter-of-fact,
some of the Egyptians
00:54:06.58\00:54:08.21
left with the Israelites!
00:54:08.24\00:54:09.99
"Whosoever will" was
able to come out of Egypt.
00:54:10.02\00:54:13.84
And right now,
that's still true today.
00:54:13.87\00:54:15.39
"Whosoever will"
Jesus has paid a ransom
00:54:15.42\00:54:18.04
where you can be free.
00:54:18.07\00:54:19.27
Everybody serves - you can
decide do you want to serve
00:54:19.30\00:54:22.86
the devil, serve the
world, serve whatever your
00:54:22.89\00:54:26.12
addiction is -
it's all the same thing,
00:54:26.15\00:54:28.31
or will you serve Jesus?
00:54:28.34\00:54:30.13
That's the
choice you get to make.
00:54:30.16\00:54:31.92
As we sing verse 2,
there may be some of you
00:54:31.95\00:54:34.45
who have never accepted
Jesus or you've never been free,
00:54:34.48\00:54:36.99
and you want that freedom now;
00:54:37.02\00:54:38.89
some of you may want to return,
you've had that recidivism,
00:54:38.92\00:54:42.26
you keep looking back
towards the land of Egypt,
00:54:42.29\00:54:45.89
and you want to be free...
00:54:45.92\00:54:47.25
Come, we'll have
special prayer for you...
00:54:47.28\00:54:49.45
as we sing verse 2.
00:54:49.48\00:54:51.51
Show me the tomb
where Thou wast laid,
00:54:55.12\00:55:01.33
tenderly mourned and wept;
00:55:01.36\00:55:06.87
Angels in robes
of light arrayed;
00:55:06.90\00:55:12.41
Guarded Thee whilst Thou slept.
00:55:12.44\00:55:17.97
Lest I forget Gethsemane;
00:55:18.00\00:55:23.76
Lest I forget Thine agony;
00:55:23.79\00:55:29.16
Lest I forget Thine love for me,
00:55:29.19\00:55:35.95
Lead me to Calvary. ...verse 4
00:55:35.98\00:55:41.69
May I be willing, Lord, to bear
00:55:41.72\00:55:47.39
Daily my cross for Thee;
00:55:47.42\00:55:53.24
Even Thy cup of grief to share,
00:55:53.27\00:55:58.96
Thou has borne all for me.
00:55:58.99\00:56:04.76
Lest I forget Gethsemane;
00:56:04.79\00:56:10.20
Lest I forget Thine agony;
00:56:10.23\00:56:15.99
Lest I forget Thy love for me,
00:56:16.02\00:56:21.53
Lead me to Calvary.
00:56:21.56\00:56:29.78
Dear Father...
Lord, today as we've
00:56:29.81\00:56:33.22
considered true freedom
and liberty, we've talked about
00:56:33.25\00:56:36.73
the core of the
Gospel, that You sent Your Son
00:56:36.76\00:56:40.37
into the world to
liberate us from our slavery,
00:56:40.40\00:56:44.29
from our bondage.
00:56:44.32\00:56:45.82
Lord, I pray that You will help
us to experience real freedom.
00:56:45.85\00:56:50.61
We thank You for the
freedom we enjoy in our country,
00:56:50.64\00:56:53.38
though we often see
it may be threatened,
00:56:53.41\00:56:55.39
help us to do all we can
to lengthen that tranquility,
00:56:55.42\00:56:59.23
freedom to worship You.
00:56:59.26\00:57:01.15
But Lord, I pray also that
we'll not want to fall for the
00:57:01.18\00:57:06.90
myth that freedom
comes through legislation.
00:57:06.93\00:57:10.49
Help us to know real freedom
comes from people's hearts
00:57:10.52\00:57:13.59
and minds and self-control.
00:57:13.62\00:57:15.86
Lord, we pray that You
will help us to embrace
00:57:15.89\00:57:19.84
the freedom that
comes from following Jesus,
00:57:19.87\00:57:22.65
that He can not only save
us from our penalty of sin,
00:57:22.68\00:57:26.16
but He can save us from the
slavery and the power of sin...
00:57:26.19\00:57:30.06
that we can be free from
sin and slaves to righteousness.
00:57:30.09\00:57:35.03
Help us to have
that experience, Lord.
00:57:35.06\00:57:37.63
Keep us from turning
looking over our shoulders
00:57:37.66\00:57:40.64
back at Egypt and to
keep our gaze fixed upon the
00:57:40.67\00:57:43.68
Promised Land.
00:57:43.71\00:57:45.14
Be with each person,
Lord, especially those who have
00:57:45.17\00:57:47.72
responded to the
appeal this morning.
00:57:47.75\00:57:49.80
Whatever the needs are in
their lives, give them liberty.
00:57:49.83\00:57:52.96
We all struggle,
we're all sin-aholics,
00:57:52.99\00:57:55.28
but we know that Jesus
can save us from our sins.
00:57:55.31\00:57:58.10
Help us to represent
Him in our community,
00:57:58.13\00:58:01.03
and be witnesses, Lord.
00:58:01.06\00:58:02.67
Thank You again for this freedom
in Christ and in our country.
00:58:02.70\00:58:05.84
We ask these things
in Jesus name... Amen
00:58:05.87\00:58:07.56