The Goal of Faith part 7
For Freedom, We Have Been Set Free
There is a volume in the The Chronicles of Narnia series that is often forgotten among fans. It the fourth to be published, though sixth in the story’s order, and is called The Silver Chair. The story follows Eustice and Jill who are sent by the Great Lion, Aslan, to seek a lost prince of Narnia. As with all of Lewis’ stories, there is a great deal to glean…even if it is a children’s book. But, there is one particular scene that speaks to the message today.
The heroes have tracked the prince to a cold, dark world underneath Narnia. It’s an underworld ruled by the Green Witch who uses her musical instrument to lull her victims into a hypnotic state. She then convinces her victims their former lives were all a dream, a make believe world. She has little power on her own, but uses her magic to make herself seem more powerful than she actually is.
They find the prince under the guise of a Black Knight who believes each night he goes insane and tries to terrorize the castle. What they discover is the witch’s hypnosis breaks each night, and so each night, she returns to hypnotize him again. Of course, the children free the knight when they realize who he is, and they join him in fighting the witch.
Now, I am not going to ruin the ending for you, you will have to pick up a copy and read it yourself. But, I bring it up, because Lewis has illustrated a deep truth of Scripture using this simple children’s story. The witch represents the power of sin and Satan. It lulls us into a hypnotic state where its deception is more easily received. It doesn’t seem too dangerous, in fact, the witch isn’t recognized as a witch at first. She is the queen of the underworld, and her subjects believe she is good to them. But they have all been deceived. During the fight with the witch, she brings out her instrument to hypnotize the Narnians into believing that Narnia does not actually exist. They have made up their whole history.
This story is exactly what sin does to our own hearts. It corrupts our thinking, making us believe good is evil and evil is good. It makes us forget that we are not meant for this underworld. There is a much brighter land for which God has prepared for us. And that land has been made available to us through Christ. He has broken the spell of sin and Satan’s hold on this world.
Jesus announces His mission in Luke 4:18.
Freedom Comes
“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.”
Luke 4:18-19
True freedom comes through Christ who breaks the hold of sin and death.
Jesus cites Isaiah who prophesied the Messiah’s coming. Look closely at what Jesus has come to do.
Proclaim good new to the poor
Proclaim liberty to the captives
Recover sight to the blind
Give liberty to the oppressed
Proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
Now, something I find interesting is that this proclamation comes just after His temptation in the wilderness. Now, many theologians have noted the temptation of Jesus is important in that it emphasizes Jesus’ humanity. He lived, He breathed, and He was tempted as we are. His power to break sin comes, not just because He is divine, but also because He proved Himself worthy by living a sinless, human life.
In fact, if we compare this proclamation with the temptations, we can discern some interesting parallels which very much apply to us today.
On Bread Alone
And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’”
Luke 4:1-4
Jesus is hungry. Now, how could we fault someone who is starving (keep in mind, it’s been 40 days of fasting) for conjuring up some bread. Is the act of transforming stones into bread to feed a hungry person really such a bad thing? Jesus’ answer tells us the root issue.
When He says, “Man cannot live on bread alone, but on every word of God,” what He reminds us is our source for all things is God. To transform those stones would be for Jesus to subvert God’s plan to fill a temporary need/want. Consider the number of sins that deal with getting what we want when we want it, rather than having faith God will provide our every need. Stealing, cheating, and sins of pleasure seeking all deal with getting what we want on our schedule rather than following God’s leading.
In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus teaches us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.” It is this reminder that is good news for the poor.
We do not need to fend for ourselves, because Jesus has come to open the treasures of heaven.
Unfortunately this truth has been subverted in our time by false teachers, but it still remains true that God will take care of our every need. And if He is “late” (at least in our timing), then He has good in store for our lacking.
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” - Romans 8:28
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” - James 1:17
Serve Only the Lord
And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” 8 And Jesus answered him, “It is written,
“‘You shall worship the Lord your God,
and him only shall you serve.’”
Luke 4:5-8
This particular temptation has a bit of irony in it, because Satan is tempting Jesus by offering what will be His in due time. Satan is appealing to Jesus’ human pride. Perhaps he hopes Jesus has forgotten His true identity when Jesus took on flesh. Regardless, the implications for us are very simple.
Satan tempts us with offerings to promote our pride, but God has in store greater things than what Satan could ever offer.
Satan will offer rewards of this world to those willing to follow him. Now, the fact that many take him up on his offer has implications for the rest of us. And these implications are tied with the freedom Jesus proclaims in verse 18.
“Setting the captives free, giving sight to the blind, and liberty for the oppressed” are all facets Satan’s hold on this world. The world’s system of oppression and power struggle is a manifestation of this spiritual truth. Jesus came to break this system.
First, the “captives” are those bound to this world. Humans are captive to sin and the struggles it produces because of its curse. We’ve spoken of the curse that came from the Fall (Gen 3). It is a curse that brings death, but it is also a curse that destroys human relationships.
The Blindness of Sin makes us believe we can be free if we exert power over other people.
True freedom is not power over others. It is the freedom of knowing Who is truly sovereign. Thus, the second phrase, “giving sight to the blind.”
Satan would have us believe anything except the truth—it is his corruption that binds us. In The Silver Chair, the Green Witch hypnotizes the heroes with lie upon lie in for them to forget the truth of who they are and whose they are.
We are under the same spell when we are captive to sin. We will believe anything but the truth:
True sight show us: We are God’s children, made in His Image, to be free to live, to create, and to build the dreams God has given us.
And when we finally see the truth for what it is, we have liberty from our oppressors—whether earthly or spiritual. Satan and his demons can not lie to the Christian who has seen the truth. Christ breaks the hold of that lie. Likewise, no matter what government, what dictator, what social media campaign, or internet troll, or any other power of darkness tries in this world, the Christian whose life is in Christ will always be free.
“Whom the Son sets free is free indeed!” - John 8:36
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” - 2 Corinthians 3:17
“But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.” - Galatians 3:22
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” - Galatians 5:1
There is one last proclamation and one last temptation. First, let’s read that temptation.
On God’s Terms
And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written,
“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
to guard you,’
and
“‘On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”
And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.
Luke 4:9-13
This last temptation has a bit of baggage with it, because of the phrase “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.” Despite what you may have heard, it simply means we approach God on His terms, and His promises mean what He says they mean. We cannot make God do anything.
Consider the previous temptations. God will provide our needs in time. It is not up to us to subvert that timing. God will provide our design and situation in life. It is not up to us to try and control others in hopes that somehow that makes us better. Here, Satan is trying to use God’s promises against Jesus. The Messiah will be protected in order to fulfill God’s purpose. It is not up to Jesus to jump off buildings to prove who He really is.
When we have been freed from Satan’s hold, his last ditch effort to make us unfit for service to God is to get us thinking the consequences of sin no longer apply to us. This is what it means to test God. We use Him and His goodness as an excuse to sin.
“Live as free men, but do not use your freedom to cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.” - 1 Peter 2:16
“You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.’” - Galatians 5:13-14
Jesus brings us freedom from sin, not freedom to sin.
And thus, we are left with the greatest proclamation, Jesus has come to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. This saying harkens back to the Jewish Year of Jubilee. It was a celebratory year in which slaves were set free, and the land was reset. It was a year of feasts and break from work.
This year has even greater significance now, because it reminds us of what is in store. Jesus came to break the chains of darkness over this earth, and one day He will return to restore Creation to its rightful state. We will not be stuck in Underworld forever. One day, the clouds will be rolled back like a scroll, the gates of Heaven will open, and Jesus will descend to take His people Home.
This is Good News for anyone who has felt impoverished, afflicted, or oppressed by this world. Jesus has come, and the treasure of heaven is open to you!
Take hold of that freedom by turning away from your sins. Don’t listen to that lying Satan anymore.
Turn to Jesus who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and has favor for you! He loves you and laid down His life for you. Then, on Sunday, He rose again from the grave proving His power over sin and death. He can and will restore you, if you will turn to Him today.