The Freedom of Forgiveness - 1

I preached a Sermon (it feels weird to say...yes I preached my FIRST sermon)at Bournemouth Christian Union the other day. It was obvious that the Holy Spirit was at work even before I had begun to speak...it was just so right. I therefore thought I would do a short five part blog series on the Freedom of Forgiveness.

Now freedom is something that has been fought and campaigned for probably more than other thing. It is something of immense value to all people.

Great wars revolve around issues of freedom…The American Civil War a battle for freedom, the Second World War, the Iraq war…despite the many hidden agendas, most great wars revolve around the issue of freedom. Now these things are obviously very noble and upright and we would whole heartedly agree with them; however freedom is never that straight forward; it’s always a subjective thing. I am sure you have all heard the phrase ‘one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter’…it’s a real problem. Also we have things such as the great push towards sexual freedom in the 1960’s which continues to do this day. Freedom is a virtue however many things masquerade freedom.

The Bible is essentially one big story revolving around this issue of freedom. Adam and Eve walked in freedom with God. They enjoyed communion with Him daily, enjoying relationship without restriction or inhibition. However when they disobeyed God and ate the fruit, the freedom that they once enjoyed is lost forever. From this point onwards God’s great mission is the restoration of that free relationship.

We have the story of the Exodus, a great story in which God wins the freedom of His people from the oppression of their Egyptian slave masters. He then gives them specific festivals and meals which are to remind them of their freedom.

This great exodus story foreshadows an even greater exodus this time led by God himself, Jesus Christ. Right at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry he gives us mission statement…he says this ‘’The Spirit of Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He 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 favour.’

On the Cross, Jesus Christ achieves the ultimate freedom for his people, leading all people who trust in Him through the great waters of sin and death and into freedom.

Finally we catch a glimpse of the story’s end in Revelation 21 we in which we see every tear being wiped away, every curse is being broken and death finally defeated and all creation being set free once again. God is the God of freedom.