Message – June 2026 – What if it’s true?

It’s a scary feeling to feel trapped. To feel like you can’t get out of something. To feel shackled to something. To feel chained. Or constrained. Or enslaved to something. And you try – you try really hard to get away. And maybe for a moment you do - but there is a force that keeps pulling you back in. Taking control. You run but it’s still there – all around you. Taking over you and it is oppressive and overwhelming and exhausting and frightening. And you just want to get away from it. To be free.

Have you ever felt that way? Have you ever had something in your life that you just can’t seem to get away from? A pattern that keeps repeating itself? And you just don’t have the power to push it away or let it go or get rid of it? It’s always there – almost haunting you? Have you felt that way? Or maybe it’s not past tense – maybe you feel that way right now – in this moment. And what you want more than anything is freedom.

Freedom is:

The quality or state of being exempt or released usually from something onerous.

Then I started down a rabbit hole – and looked up the word onerous.

A task, duty, or responsibility that is excessively burdensome, troublesome, or difficult to deal with, often requiring a lot of effort and causing hardship.

And then another definition of freedom.

Liberation from slavery or restraint or from the power of another.

INDEPENDENCE.

Another rabbit hole. This is why I never get anything done.

Independence - the state or quality of being free from outside control, authority, or support.

All this to say – many of us are stuck. We are stuck in patterns of sin that are controlling us – that have power over us – and they are excessively burdensome and they are causing hardship to us and to those around us and we want to be released – to be liberated – to be free.

And we’ve tried – we’ve run from it – we’ve pushed it away – but we just don’t have the power.

And we’re tired. So tired.

It seems hopeless.

I don’t believe that it is. I could be wrong. But I believe thru Jesus true freedom is available to us. Freedom from the burdens and the patterns. Freedom from the slavery to sin and the selfishness that overtakes our lives. Freedom to live a life with purpose and intentionality.

We are in week 6 of our series What if it’s true? Looking at 7 universal longings that all human beings have – a longing for love, truth, spirituality, power, beauty, justice and today we are looking at the longing for freedom.

This series came from a discussion we were having about the book called Broken Signposts by N.T. Wright. And the tagline to the book – is:

How Christianity makes sense of the world.

Every religion is trying to make sense of these topics – like justice and freedom. And in this series, we’re not trying to undermine other thoughts. We are simply offering ours. We believe – I believe that faith in Jesus and thru that faith with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is the answer to the brokenness of the world. That through trust in Him I have found love and beauty and justice and truth and spirituality and power and freedom. And I could be wrong. I could be. But what if I’m right – what if it’s true? What if Jesus is the answer, you’ve been looking for. What if He is exactly what you need to make sense of this crazy, broken, messed up world? What if

Jesus is your road to freedom.

To find out we are going to be looking at the book of John – specifically John 8 verses 31-36.

And in this passage Jesus has some specific things to say about how and where to find freedom.

It’s not a long passage but there is quite a bit to unpack. Follow along as I read John 8:31-36

Jesus and Abraham

31 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

33 “But we are descendants of Abraham,” they said. “We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean, ‘You will be set free’?”

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.

In this passage – Jesus is talking to believers – in verse 30 right before this passage it says:

As He (Jesus) spoke these words many believed in Him.

And verse 31 picks up with

Jesus said to the people that believed in Him,

So, Jesus is talking to those who believe and he says.

“You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.”

Believing in Jesus and truly being a disciple are 2 different things. Jesus is saying if you are my disciple than you are a practicing Christian – meaning you are not giving it lip service – being a Christian is not something you just check off your “to do” list. It actually means that you live like Jesus here and now. You understand His teachings – you are a student of His teachings and then you live by those teachings. Right now. We’re not waiting until Jesus establishes new creation – where heaven and earth become one. We as Christians are doing our part to move us toward that new creation in the present.

And to those of you in the room and online that are not believers – that have been watching Christians around them and have been disappointed or hurt. I am sorry. I am sorry that we as Christians have said a lot and done very little. We can and should do better. Jesus expects us to.

Jesus is saying to all of these people around Him that are saying “we believe” and to us – if you believe – if you are truly my disciple – then listen to and know my teachings and remain faithful to those teachings. Watch me and do as I do.

Then verse 32.

“And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Freedom and truth go hand in hand.

When you know someone is lying to you – it is so frustrating – and they keep doing it and you feel like you’re going crazy – and finally when they admit the truth – you can exhale – even if it’s not what you want to hear – the truth still sets you free – my kids

Or when you are hiding something and you finally bring it to light – make it known – there is a weight that is lifted – your burden is lighter.

The truth will set you free.

But what is the truth?

Barry gave a message on this topic last week – please listen – because this message on freedom kind of goes hand in hand with the message on truth.

But bottom line – the truth is that.

Jesus is the truth.

John says this over and over

John 1:18

18 No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God,[a] is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.

John 14:6

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one can get to the Father except through me.”

Barry said in his message last week if you listen to Jesus’ teachings and model your life after Him and put your trust in Him to save you – you will discover the truth.

And this truth will set you free.

Jesus is saying – look learn from – know me – follow me – model your life after me – and you will know the truth – and you will be free. You will see the Father and the truth through Jesus and his life.

But those listening to Jesus don’t get it – we are free – we’re descendants of Abraham. Instead of – this is incredible news – thanks Jesus – tell us more – they’re like – we’re good – we don’t need this. We’re favored – God made a covenant with Abraham – we are His chosen – God already brought our people out of slavery in Egypt.

I can just picture Jesus shaking his head – like you idiots – he never would have said that – but he’s like you don’t get it. And he says 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.

Sin in this passage is talking about a habitual, consistent, continual sin pattern in your life – sin that keeps pulling you back – like the dance – sin you are enslaved to. And sin is any kind of rebellion against God – not just infidelity or pornography – but hunger for wealth and power – discrimination – addictions of any kind – anything that has power over you – anything that is stealing you from the life and the purpose that God has for you.

In the book – Broken Signposts – N.T. Wright writes.

When someone sins, Jesus is saying, this isn’t just a moral glitch. It is not simply about an occasional lapse or mistake. It is a sign that someone or something else is calling the shots.

Who or what is calling the shots in your life?

And no one likes to talk about sin – because it seems to go against the idea of freedom – I should be free to do whatever I want – whenever I want.

Yet that is not true freedom.

True freedom comes from love.

Jesus at the end of this passage is inviting us to be part of the family – a son or daughter of the most high.

And how is that possible? Verse 36

So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.

It is possible thru the self-sacrificing love of Jesus.

He is the truth of who God is – He is the self-sacrificing love that died on our behalf. He is the one that will rescue you from the sin that has bound you and He will set you free.

Galatians 3:22

22 But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ.

Jesus is the road to freedom.

And it is not an easy road – He expects much of us – to live like him but it is a road of purpose and intention and joy and abundance.

Jesus is the truth about who God is – and Jesus is the love that God shares - and here are some of the truths about God that Barry shared last week:

That God is a champion of the downtrodden.

That God loves his enemies and gives his own life away for them.

That God desires peace, joy, and abundance for humanity.

That God adores you.

That God wants to rescue you from your shame.

That God wants to bring you home as a beloved child.

And I would add to that:

The God who created you – that made you - wants you to be free.

And

The God who created you – that made you – has a purpose for your life.

The show intervention – just devastating – and then they go to rehab and they are a different person – their countenance is bright and full – they have joy and a lightness – they are clear headed and live with intentionality and purpose. And when the show ends – you just pray that the update won’t be a relapse.

I imagine that is what God feels when he looks at us – I have a life for you that is free from chains and bondage – that gives you purpose and meaning – come to me – abide in me – learn from me – live like me – and don’t relapse.

But if you do – I’ll still be here with grace and mercy to help you get back on your feet again.

That is true freedom – and you can have it today.

N.T. Wright again says:

Something about God’s love becoming human in Jesus and dying on the cross brings about new creation, and invites each of us to inhabit it. A new world. A free world. Free people within a free world.

Don’t you want to be free?

Jesus is the road to freedom.

As we close today – I just want to give you some time to process.

Who is calling the shots in your life?

What are you bound by?

What sin pattern in your life is enslaving you?

Are you ready to experience true freedom?

As your processing if you discover you are ready to let go of that sin – to hand over to the one that can truly set you free from it – I want to ask you to come up and light at candle as a symbol of that commitment.

Maybe you are ready to accept that Jesus is the road to true freedom, and you want to put your trust in Him today – if so, you can come up and light a candle to symbolize that commitment.

Or maybe you have been adrift, and you want to recommit to the truth and freedom that is found in Christ – then you can come up and light a candle for that as well.

We’re going to give you a bit of extended time to process and pray and light a candle if you are ready to.

So, take these next few moments to do just that.