prisoners + freedom
One day, Jesus was sharing the Gospel with some Jews. They couldn’t take their eyes off of Him. He was mesmerizing. His face was lit with a glory they’d never seen, and His eyes glimmered with a holy devotion they’d never known. His words dripped with the oil of wisdom and gladness. Many children sat down to listen, and many men wept at the warmth they felt inside their chests as He spoke.
Some Pharisees stopped by to listen, to argue “truth” with Him. Manipulation and jealousy ran like disease through their heart. Their spiritually clouded blind eyes, deaf ears, and hardened hearts were frozen. Like stone. Their minds were riddled with hostility, with yeast. They argued over words and doctrine, and thought themselves wise after a seemingly successful debate. Their hearts had grown cold over the years. They became like the lifeless idol of the Law they devotedly worshipped. They refused to believe this Jesus was the Son of God, that He was the mighty King of wealth and honor who was promised to them. This brood of vipers, (Matthew 12:34), spoke from the hearts that were careless. Jesus warned them, and the others listening, that on their day of judgment, every careless word people spoke would demand an account.
But on this day, many of the other Jews came to Him, with hearts of flesh and open eyes and ears, hungry souls, crying out for salvation through Him. Their display of affection towards Him was infuriating to the jealous religious leaders. John 8:31-32 says, “So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, ‘If you continue [remain, abide, not to depart] in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’”
The Pharisees were blistering angry. FREE? How can the words of this Man make one FREE? ‘Certainly my words will demonstrate MORE power,’ they thought. They tested and prodded Jesus, like they always did, but Jesus challenged them, with great authority. He goes onto say in verse 55 that, “you have not come to know [learn to know, understand, feel] Him, but I know [regard, cherish] Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I will be a liar like you, but I do know Him and keep His word.” Jesus Himself said about man, “For his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart,” (Luke 6:45).
Jesus was not stumped by the deceit and craftiness of the Pharisees, or their knowledge of the Law or the Scriptures. Their words were like mere repetitions and empty of authority. But when JESUS spoke, there was POWER. This power broke chains, and opened prison doors, setting free the soul, body, and spirit that believed He could.
His devotion to the Father’s heart led Him to the cross, where He accomplished the purest sacrifice and provided salvation to all, “having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him,” (Colossians 2:14-15). Power dwells in God’s heart. Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection and ascension displayed the POWER that is is His Father’s heart; the words Jesus spoke were really true.
I N V I T A T I O N /
Does the demonstration of the strength and ability of God rest on my life? Does the power of God rest on the words that I speak? Do chains BREAK? Do cages tremble OPEN? Are prisoners set FREE?
The apostle Paul writes to the Corinthians, saying, “and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God,” (1 Corinthians 2:4-5).
James 1:21-22 says, “Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.”
Even Paul, one of the most educated of men, would persuade us to rely only on the power of God, and everything that flows from the heart of God, especially the words of Jesus. James encourages us to receive the words of Jesus as seeds implanted on the soiled landscapes of our hearts, then to tend to them. If we do not water or tend to the seeds, they will not grow. Likewise, only hearing the words of Jesus, ignoring the invitation to action, produces nothing. Its a self-constructed delusion. In Romans 8:11, the Apostle Paul says that, “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”
When we receive the Spirit in all His fullness, life comes not only to our souls, but our mortal bodies, including our minds and hearts. Regeneration comes through believing Jesus and acting like Jesus!
Jesus spoke and He acted upon the words He spoke. We are called to also speak and act upon the words of Jesus! What a mighty assignment we have!