Freedom!

Jesus said, "If you remain in my word, you are really my disciples. You will also know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:31-32). Amen.

It is the climactic scene of the movie "Braveheart". The mighty and numerous English army is lined up for battle on one side of the field. On the other side is the ragtag group of Scottish peasants. William Wallace, who has been leading Scots in guerilla warfare against the English, rides his horse back and forth in front of the Scottish army. He addresses the men shouting, "Sons of Scotland, I am William Wallace … and I see a whole army of my countrymen, here, in defiance of Tyranny. You've come to fight as free men, and free men you are. What will you do without freedom? Will you fight?" There are murmurs and denials from the soldiers.

One soldier admits, "Fight? Against that? No!" Soldiers yell in agreement. "We will run! And we will live."

Wallace challenges, "Aye. Fight and you may die. Run, and you'll live ... at least a while. And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days, from this day to that, for one chance – just one chance – to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives - but they'll never take our freedom!"

We love freedom! Especially here in America where colonialists fought the Revolutionary War for freedom from England, and the greatest generations fought in two World Wars to allow freedom to reign around the world. We love our freedom. So, we will blink back tears when we see brave soldiers returning home to the love and hugs of their families. These soldiers go to war to fight for our freedom of . But what are those freedoms? Patriotic Americans will clear their throats, square their soldiers, and speak confidently the words from the Declaration of Independence, "Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

In our text, Jesus clears his throat, squares his shoulders, and speaks confidently to the Jews who believed in him, "If you remain in my word, you are really my disciples. You will also know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:31-32). The Jews countered with an untruth, "We are Abraham's descendants, and we have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say, 'You will be set free'" (John 8:33)? Their Jewish ancestors had been slaves in Egypt, Babylon, and Persia. These Jews standing before Jesus were presently under Roman rule.

These Jews were looking for a Messiah who would come to overthrow the tyranny of Rome and win their freedom from their oppressive lives. But the coming Messiah was already standing right in front of them. He was there to give them a different kind of freedom. It was a freedom from slavery to Satan and the shackles of sin that ensnared them. Jesus answered, "Amen, Amen, I tell you: Everyone who keeps committing sin is a slave to sin. But a slave does not remain in the family forever. A son does remain forever. So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free" (John 8:34-36).

In the sermon today, I'm going to tell you several stories of freedom. After hearing these stories, I want you to do two things. Think and pray about your own story of freedom through Jesus. Then consider how you can use any of these stories, in addition to your own story in witnessing to someone you love who has been enslaved by Satan and shackled by their sin. Let them know that Jesus has come as their Messiah to win their freedom!

Mary Magdalene had been possessed by seven demons (Luke 8:2). We aren't told what had happened to her or by her to allow these demons to take possession of her body and mind. We only know that she must have been tormented by these demons.

Yet the Son of God has authority over these fallen angels who torment his beloved people. Somewhere, Jesus interacted with Mary, and with the power of his words, he dispossessed her of those seven demons. In response, Mary became one of Jesus' most devoted followers. Along with other women, Mary helped financially support Jesus and his disciples. Because he had freed her from the demons' possession, she possessed a strong faith and love for her Freedom Fighter. She was among the group of ladies who gathered at Jesus' tomb on Easter Sunday. Before Jesus appeared to his disciples, his mother, or anyone else, he blessed Mary Magdalene by appearing to her first after his resurrection from the grave.

Martin Luther had been oppressed by the devil. Luther struggled mightily with his sin. As a young monk in the monastery, Luther would often flog himself as a form of penance to atone for his sins. He would often wake up at 3 am, fast to an extreme, and enumerate his sins to his father confessor.

Luther's self-punishment stemmed from a deep-seated obsession with his own sinfulness and a desperate desire to atone for it. This was because at this time in his life, Martin Luther saw Jesus not as a gracious Savior from sin, but as an angry Judge over sin.

Legend has it that the great Reformer once threw an inkwell at the Devil who had been incessantly accusing him. Whether or not this is true, Luther certainly had remarkable fits and fights with the old, evil foe who now means deadly woe.

Luther hated the justice of God where he punishes sinners. But by the grace of God, that all changed one night in 1519 in Luther's "tower experience." I'll let him tell you his story in his own words: "But I, blameless monk that I was, felt that before God I was a sinner with an extremely troubled conscience. I couldn't be sure that God was appeased by my satisfaction. I did not love, no, rather I hated the just God who punishes sinners. In silence, if I did not blaspheme, then certainly I grumbled vehemently and got angry at God. I said, 'Isn't it enough that we miserable sinners, lost for all eternity because of original sin, are oppressed by every kind of calamity through the Ten Commandments? Why does God heap sorrow upon sorrow through the Gospel and through the Gospel threaten us with his justice and his wrath?' This was how I was raging with wild and disturbed conscience. I constantly badgered St. Paul about that spot in Romans 1 and anxiously wanted to know what he meant.

"I meditated night and day on those words until at last, by the mercy of God, I paid attention to their context: 'The justice of God is revealed in it, as it is written: 'The just person lives by faith.' I began to understand that in this verse the justice of God is that by which the just person lives by a gift of God, that is by faith. I began to understand that this verse means that the justice of God is revealed through the Gospel, but it is a passive justice, i.e. that by which the merciful God justifies us by faith, as it is written: 'The just person lives by faith.' All at once I felt that I had been born again and entered into paradise itself through open gates. … I exalted this sweetest word of mine, 'the justice of God,' with as much love as before I had hated it with hate. This phrase of Paul was for me the very gate of paradise." Luther had been set free!

By God's grace, our Wisconsin Synod was established 175 years ago as German Lutherans came to America for religious freedom. Through all these years, Christ has been with us in established congregations, home mission churches, and foreign mission fields.

Several years ago in an established congregation, I counseled a wife who was having marital issues with her husband. We'll call her "May." In the middle of our counseling, she confessed, "I cheated on my husband 10 years ago. Every time I come into church, I ask God to forgive me for my affair." Her guilt was her penance. This was one of the saddest things I have ever heard. I told her, "Sweetheart, the first time you asked for forgiveness, you were forgiven. 'Satan' means 'Accuser.' He is accusing you day and night of your sin. Your guilt can't make up for your sin. But know that Jesus bled for your sin. He paid for your affair on the cross. His faithfulness to you is more powerful than your unfaithfulness to your husband. He's even removed your guilt. You're free!"

These last two stories are from friends of mine who served in the WELS foreign mission field. Rachel tells the story, "Kelly came to the capital to study to be a tour guide back in her hometown. A friend of hers invited her to our Christmas party. They came together. Kelly came not knowing what to expect. She was then invited to an 'English study' at our apartment. She heard God's Great Exchange and began crying because she felt such a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

"Kelly said, 'Why didn't anyone ever tell me this before? I never knew this!' She then studied with us regularly before returning to her hometown. She was so happy to have learned about the Savior. She was hungry for the words of Scripture. It was awesome to see and so encouraging to all of us too!" Kelly had been set free!

Josh, who does one of the podcasts with me, tells this story, "In China, I was speaking to Sam, a college student who was interested in Christianity. I explained the whole story – creation, the fall, redemption, and salvation. Then he spit the whole thing back at me! He said, 'Is this all true?' 'Yes,' I said. Sam replied, 'Then please tell me, is there any reason I should not kill myself tonight? I want to go [to heaven] now!'"

Josh explained that purpose was not found in any pursuit outside of Christ, but that also means that here on earth Christ has a purpose for our existence. It also meant not only embracing Jesus as Savior, but also submitting to his will as Lord. It also means that all murder is wrong – even self-murder.

Josh continues with his story, "Sam continued Bible study for the rest of the year. He taught me how to properly cook rice … I was doing it wrong. And we spent time together rock climbing the University of Beijing. I baptized him a few weeks before I returned home. This is an experience I count amount the greatest privileges of my life." Sam had been set free!

Like Mary, Martin, May, Kelly, and Sam, you are slaves to your sinful nature. You will often feel oppressed by demons. Satan will keep accusing you by first telling you the sin isn't so bad and then after the sin telling you that God can't love a sinner like you. You'll attempt to do penance by overwhelming yourself with guilt. When you look at the evil in our world, you are convinced there are people out there possessed by demons. I don't disagree.

Bow your head and admit to God how acutely you feel this slavery and oppression.

Silent confession.

Brothers and sisters of Jesus, the Messiah of the new covenant has come and he has set you free. The Son of God left his throne in heaven to be nailed upon a wooden cross. He left the right hand of his heavenly Father so he could be forsaken by his heavenly Father. On the cross, Jesus put himself in our dark dungeon and released us into the light. He removed not only your sin, but also the guilt for your sin. Jesus didn't just talk about freedom to the Jews, he won freedom for all people - Mary, Martin, May, Kelly, Sam, and you.

You are fully and eternally free from all punishment for your sins. Jesus signed your pardon papers with his blood. He placed his seal on the papers when he broke the seal on his grave. He broke you free from the shackles of your sins. He released you from the guilt that imprisoned you. He gives you hope as you face the very real terror of your inevitable death. You have been set free from all the fear, sin, guilt, and death because Jesus crushed the power of sin, death, and Satan once had over you. You are no longer a prisoner, but a perfect, and perfectly free, child of God.

These are stories of freedom. Even more powerful than the story of freedom won by William Wallace against the English. These are stories we are blessed as Lutherans to believe and blessed through the ministry and mission of the WELS to share. Listen and believe these stories of freedom. Apply them to your life. But don't stop there. Share these stories with your loved ones who remain trapped by the devil's lies. Tell them the story of Jesus winning them freedom. Tell them the stories of Mary, Martin, May, Kelly, and Sam. Listen to their story. Respond with your story. Remind them, "If the Son sets you free, you really will be free" (John 8:36). Amen.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not allow anyone to put the yoke of slavery on you again (Galatians 5:1). Amen.