In Jesus’ very first public message, he tells us why he came to
earth:
”
To proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for
the blind, to release the oppressed
”
(Luke 4:18).
In Jesus’ very first public message, he tells us why he came to earth: “To proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed” (Luke 4:18). A primary component of Jesus’ mission was to set us free from our sins, hurts, hang-ups, self-condemnation and all the other prisons we construct for ourselves.
Then, the Lord took it a step further. He told all who would become his disciples that they are to follow his lead. “As the Father has sent Me, I am sending you” (John 20:21).
What does this mean? A missionary once told the story of a blind man who, after cataract surgery in a mission hospital, had his sight restored. Three days later, he came back to the hospital pulling a rope … with 23 blind people holding on to it! Jesus gives sight to the blind … especially the spiritually blind like me. And it is my privilege and responsibility to bring others to Him for the same surgery He performed on me.
People who are free in Christ help others become free. Let me share just one aspect of what freedom in action looks like: freedom sees clearly, and, therefore, forgives easily. This simply means that freedom doesn’t delude itself. Most of us spend an enormous amount of time and energy deluding ourselves – we see things the way we want to see them and then rationalize away the truth. We live in constant denial of reality. We’re like that newspaper ad I once read: “Lost dog. Suffers from mange, missing one eye, walks with a limp … answers to the name Lucky…” That’s denial!
The freedom Christ gives allows me to see things as they are. It causes me to realize that it’s within my ability to be as sinful as anyone on the planet. But, before you think it’s time the newspaper got a new religion columnist, you need to know that we’ve all missed the mark of God’s holiness; not one of us is righteous … not one.
The great thing about freedom in Christ is that when you realize you’re totally forgiven and accepted by God’s grace and God’s grace alone, you get a new outlook on the world. You see things and people as they really are. And once you understand people, you’ll be surprised at the compassion you feel for them. A while back, I received a letter full of false accusations. I couldn’t wait to respond, so I sat down to write a reply – I’d show him who he was messing with!
But about thirty minutes into typing my little masterpiece, the Lord interrupted: “Henry, what do you think you’re doing?”
I said, “Why, Lord, I’m just responding to this person who was insulting one of Your servants … You know what vile things they said about your servant!”
To which God said, “Hmmm … Henry, if you are one of my servants, listen up. Search your heart. Is there any truth at all in what he said? Maybe you didn’t do any of those things, but did you think about doing them? Write a letter back and tell him that you love him, and if you sinned against him in deed, word or even thought, ask his forgiveness.”
I was stunned! “But, but, but … well, OK Lord, but can I at least tell him that I love him even though he is wrong?”
“No!”
So I wrote the letter the way God wanted me to, and, while I never got a response, I did get a blessing from God, because, in forgiving and asking for forgiveness, I saw clearly that all the hurtful things he had said were things that I was capable of saying and doing, and I was reminded of Jesus’ comment about the prostitute in Luke 7:47, “The great love she has shown proves that her many sins have been forgiven. But whoever has been forgiven little shows only a little love.”
Do you think that woman had much trouble forgiving others after that meeting with Jesus? When we realize how much we’ve been forgiven, we find the freedom to love and forgive others.
Henry Harris is senior pastor at Rolling Hills Community Church, 330 Tres Pinos Road in Hollister. If you have questions or comments, please visit the church’s Web site at rollinghillsfamily.com, e-mail him at pastorhenry@rollinghills
family.com or phone him at
636-5353.
