I recently saw a butterfly release! Dozens of painted lady butterflies getting ready to spread their wings into the big wild world. They were excited to begin this new journey but it was easier for some than others. Their wings weren’t a hundred percent ready yet. Maybe a few of them were even a little afraid to spread their wings and fly. It’s a beautiful picture of the freedom that God wants to give you and give me in Christ. Let’s explore more of this theme in the gospel of Luke.
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Transcription:
Have you ever seen a butterfly release? I was privileged to witness this recently. There were dozens of painted lady butterflies getting ready to spread their wings in this wide world, and it was time. The lady holding the box took off the lid and some of them flew right out of that box. They were excited to begin this new journey. Others took a little bit. Their wings weren’t a hundred percent ready yet. Maybe a few of them were even a little afraid to spread their wings and fly. And it’s a picture, I believe, with all my heart of the freedom that God wants to give you and give me in Christ. So welcome to the Bible for Busy People. I’m Erica and we are beginning a new series this week called Free Indeed. If the Son sets you free, you are free indeed. Let’s start there. Join me in John’s gospel, chapter eight, beginning in verse 34.
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. 35 A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.
Man, those words are so powerful. I don’t know if there’s this little thing inside of you that goes, “God could never truly forgive me completely.” Yes, he can. Nothing you have ever done or thought is bigger than what Jesus did for you on the cross. He came to set you free. So I want to jump on over now to Luke’s Gospel chapter four, because we’re going to meet Jesus in the synagogue, where he’s going to read some words from the prophet Isaiah. And then when he’s finished, he is going to make a declarative statement that blows the minds of the people sitting in that synagogue. So join me now. Luke chapter four, beginning in verse 14.
And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country and he taught in their synagogues being glorified by all. And he came to Nazareth where he had been brought up and as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day and he stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He had unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written. The spirit of the Lord is upon me.
I want you to imagine Jesus. Picture whatever you imagine his face to look like, hear the rich timber of his voice as he says these words. I’m going to begin verse 18 again.
The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, today, this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.
Okay, so let’s pause here. Let’s pitch a tent for a second. Because Jesus just told the people surrounding him in the synagogue, and you and me, that he fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah. God sent him, anointed him to proclaim good news to the poor. To proclaim liberty to the captives, in sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. He sent Jesus. Jesus is saying, “This is it. I’m here.” And so he’s saying it to you today too. If you are captive, if there is a sin that is holding you captive, do you know what? You can walk out of that cage free. You’re like one of those butterflies in the box that’s a little bit hesitant. I don’t know. You can stretch your wings. You can spread your wings and fly in the freedom that Jesus Christ came to give to you. Now, we’ve read these powerful words from Isaiah, the prophet spoken by Jesus in the New Living Translation, the NLT. I want to go to the actual words from Isaiah the prophet, chapter 61 verse one, and I want to read the NIV translation, the New International Version. Listen to this because it’s beautiful.
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.
Okay, if that’s you today, if sin has you in darkness and there isn’t even a pinprick of light of hope because you feel it’s impossible, what you’ve done is so bad. No, it’s not true. Jesus has come to set you free. You are actually sitting in a prison cell with an open door, and it’s up to you to walk out. You can do that today. Who the Son sets free, is truly free. This is why Christ came. This is why we call him our Savior. Another great word I love to use is rescuer. He is our savior, our rescuer, our deliverer. He came to deliver you from captivity, from darkness. If you are walking in intentional sin today, and trust me, I have been there. I went through a season in my life where I chose to sin because it just felt so good. I made a mistake. But God set me free. He released me from the captivity of that cage. He pierced the darkness with his light. For he is the light of the world. It’s why he came. Oh boy. We definitely pitched a tent here. We hung out for a while in these verses, but I believe that you and I were meant to. You can be truly free today, right now. Until next time, you are really loved.
Thank you for making time for the Bible for Busy People today. If being part of this community is a blessing to you, it’s super easy to share this podcast with someone you love. We’re all about spreading the hope of Jesus like butter. So, if you’ve got a moment to write a review, boy, we’d really appreciate that. Maybe you need a little prayer today, or you are ready to take that next step with God… I invite you to check out our show notes. You’re going to find lots of encouragement there. This podcast is one branch on a tree called Purposely, a podcast network designed with practical podcasts to help you find, and thrive, in God’s purpose for your life. If you’ve got a pulse, you’ve got a purpose.
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