Loving God, there are so many things that can keep us in bondage until we turn to you to be healed. Help us to experience the freedom that comes from knowing you through Jesus Christ, for in his name we pray. Amen.

When I was much younger, the truth seemed - in certain situations - like something to be avoided. This was especially true when the truth was going to result in punishment of some sort. And so, responses like, “I didn’t do it” or “he started it!” became all too common. At that time, it did not seem as if the truth would set me free.

One must also wonder about how the truth was affecting Martin Luther in his day. In one sense, it doesn’t seem as though he was particularly free, either. When he began speaking the truth about some of the abuses which he saw going on in the 16th century church, it doesn’t seem as though things got a whole lot better for him. Peasants rampaged and killed, claiming Luther as their inspiration. Luther found himself denounced, condemned, and eventually excommunicated by the only church he had ever known. He even found himself hidden away at Wartburg castle for months on end – kept there for his own safety. To most people, this probably doesn’t sound too much like freedom.

Yet, from what we know about Martin Luther’s spiritual life, that was a whole different story. For many years, Luther had felt his spirit oppressed and weighed down by guilt. Although he tried with all his might to be a perfect monk, he was always afraid that he hadn’t done enough to merit God’s salvation. Luther lived in fear of God’s condemnation and worked feverishly in order to gain God’s favour.

And so, when Luther discovered in the Scriptures that he didn’t need to earn God’s favour, it truly did set his spirit free. He noticed in the passage that we heard today from Romans how we are justified - put right with God - as a gift through Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:24). He also noticed the passage from Ephesians that says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8). Here all this time Luther had been trying to save himself when Jesus had already saved him. The burden was lifted and Luther knew the truth of Jesus Christ – the truth that made him free.

Are any of you enslaved and needing to be made free? Are any of the people you know enslaved and needing to be made free? Or, do you protest with the people who were listening to Jesus in today’s gospel that you have never been slaves to anyone?

Some people might be burdened by guilt and fear as Luther was, but I would guess that there are many more who are burdened by other things. For example, how many people are there these days who are absolutely weighed down by a load of debt? In some cases, debt is unavoidable, but how many are in debt simply because they have believed the myths that we are told? How many are under the illusion that unless you have certain things or live in a certain kind of house or drive a certain kind of car or dress a certain way, you are nobody? How many live under the false belief that they are entitled to whatever they want whenever they want it, and so are their children? Is this not a form of bondage?

On the other hand, the truth that is revealed in Jesus Christ tells us that we are worthwhile because we are created in God’s image and redeemed by Jesus Christ and loved beyond belief by God. We do not need “things” to prove our worth. We also do not need to give in to all of our selfish desires. Through faith in Jesus Christ we learn the secret of being content – trusting God for all that is needful and recognizing the rest as simply icing on the cake that will not matter in the end. True freedom is in living as we were intended: to glorify God through our service to others.

Meanwhile, how many people are there who live in bondage to worry and fear? Worrying about money. Worrying about what people think. Worrying about how you look. Worrying about survival. Worrying about the future. Fear of dying. Fear of rejection. Fear of suffering or illness. Fear of disaster. Fear of failure. How many people are there whose lives are ruled by worry and fear?

On the other hand, the truth that is revealed in Jesus Christ tells us that we have no reason to fear. All those who live believing in Jesus belong to God and are under God’s power and care. We love because God first loved us, and “perfect love casts out fear” (1 Jn. 4:18). All manner of things might happen to us, and we might indeed find ourselves in the midst of disaster, but there is no reason for those who believe in Jesus to worry about it or to fear it. In Christ, worry is replaced by prayer made with thanksgiving, and the peace that passes all understanding is given instead (Phil. 4:6-7).

Finally, how many people are there who live in bondage to various addictions? There are the addictions that we think of immediately: addictions to gambling or alcohol or drugs or tobacco. Yet, how many more addictions are there – things that we believe that we cannot live without? Video games. Caffeine. Shopping. Facebook. Puzzles. Accumulating “stuff.” Even watching TV. Now, granted, most of these things do not have the same physical effect as, say, alcohol & drugs. However, if you can’t get through the day without something, it has become an addiction. When any of these things or anything else begin to dictate what we do and when we do it, it has, in fact, become our idol – our god.

On the other hand, the truth that is revealed in Jesus Christ is that there is only one true God and only one God who gives life – the God who created heaven and earth. As anybody who has participated in one of the twelve step programs knows, one of the most important steps in breaking the power of an addiction is to turn over our will and our lives to the care of God. Only when God is the one in charge can we truly have life and freedom from bondage to sin.

Our gospel today started out with Jesus saying, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (Jn. 8:31-32). That “word” in which we are to continue goes something like this: “Believe in God, believe also in me” (Jn. 14:1) and, “Love one another as I have loved you” (Jn. 14:12). If we were to do this, it would be enough. Yet, to do so we need the power of the Holy Spirit at work in our lives and in our hearts. We cannot do it on our own, and we cannot do it without knowing Jesus Christ as Lord.

In fact, knowing the truth and knowing Jesus are one and the same thing. Remember that Jesus is “the way, and the truth, and the life” (Jn. 14:6). In knowing him, we also know God, and in repentance and faith we are forgiven and made whole. “You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (Jn. 8:32). And if God’s “Son makes you free, you will be free indeed” (Jn. 8:36). Thanks be to God! Amen.

Reformation Sunday     John 8:31-36
October 26, 2008     Romans 3:19-28
St. Luke’s Zion Lutheran Church
Pastor Lynne Hutchison

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