John 8:31-36

”Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.  And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone.  How can You say, “You will be made free?”  Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave to sin.  And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but the son abides forever.  Therefore, if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”

John 8:31-36

Here Jesus, speaking to those following Him, says “Abide in my words” and if you do, ”you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.”  Jesus spoke this amazing truth to those who had just given their lives to God, that they were now free.  And all the while, the unbelieving religious leaders were listening to all this thinking “I’m not in bondage to anyone or anything!”  Isn’t that what we thought before we met the Lord?  

How could these religious Jews forget about those 400 years of bondage under Pharoah baking bricks in the hot sun?  Or about the 305-year period chronicled in the book of Judges when they were in bondage to seven different nations?  

As Christians, how we need to abide in Jesus always!  Every moment of every day. Because even as God’s kids ,we can sometimes forget and fall back into that bondage of sin, the world, and the flesh. If you have found yourself looking back and getting tangled up in those old ways lately, whatever it is, turn back and abide in Jesus and know that He has set you free! 

Abiding in Jesus,

Pastor Rich Kikuchi