Slaves or Sons?

By Nathan On February 25, 2009 · 3 Comments · In Sermons

As I get older I am becoming more and more of a fan of Johnny Cash. In the film, Walk the Line, one of the opening scenes shows Cash’s Father blaming Johnny for his brother’s death and that Johnny should have been the one to die…Johnny’s dad is holding an empty metal can, stirring inside it, and he asks Johnny, “you hear that sound?? Do you know what that sound is?? Thats nothin! Thats just what you are…NOTHIN’! The rest of the film plays out Johnny’s life and how he becomes a slave to that philosophy (or tradition).

In the passage this week, Jesus asks first century Jews, “Are you slaves to your tradition? Or do you want to be sons?” Through speaking to the Jews, he pierces to the heart of the very things that will keep us from abiding in him. The very things we think will validate us to the core of our beings, and yet Jesus says, “the testimony about me is true. I am the Son of God–I and the Father are one…will you abide in me and be a son or will you abide in some philosophy or tradition that will make you a slave?”

Tagged with: John

3 Responses to Slaves or Sons?

Paul Carico says:

February 26, 2009 at 7:29 pm

Dear Nathan, Great sermon, when your enslaved and see no end to your slavery how do you break away from the thing you think that is enslaving you ? I know this is a loaded question but sometime I feel very enslaved and maybe I’m going the wrong way from what the Lord wants me to do. Dad

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Nathan Carico says:

February 26, 2009 at 10:25 pm

Wow. What a great, honest, and a bit unexpected question. I think there is a long and short answer to that question so I will give the short one and then the medium one. The short…It depends on what the thing is.

The medium–I think at the most fundamental level it is a desperation for the gospel. And this takes a lifetime to cultivate I think. Its not our determination that gets us out. In other words, I am just going to hunker down and free myself. Slaves cannot free themselves. They must be set free from something outside themselves (so says the text and based on experience). Our determination just becomes another thing that enslaves us. The frightening part is we are often much more enslaved than we actually realize. But Carter will take that up next week. We must become desperate for a different status. Much like when I quit smoking. I tried everything under the sun to quit (gum, patches, etc.) and nothing ever worked. No offense to the smokers, but I just kinda looked around and at myself and said, “I don’t want to be that guy anymore…i want a new status.” So slowly, taking it one day at a time, my status was changed. A Status not as a slave.

We were sons in the Garden of Eden, but because of the fall, humanity has been alienated from God, the Father. So we abide in Jesus as he is the only one who can give us the status of son. Now, the real question that I did not answer in the sermon is, “what does it practically look like to abide in Jesus so that we are so tied to him in our desperation for the gospel that we are able to say no to that which enslaves us.” I think it is weekly worship, daily worship, partaking the Lord’s Supper, fellowship with other Jesus abiders (his body) who are safe so that you can actually express to someone those things which enslave you–or, and this is really difficult one, being able to ask others what enslaves you…but that is just a start and again, this is the medium answer! I wanted to say all this stuff but then my sermon would have been even longer! By the way, the things that enslave are typically much deeper than smoking (but its a tangible illustration). Thank you for the great question, Dad.
Nathan

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patti says:

February 27, 2009 at 12:41 pm

Sure glad Satan didn’t stop that one! I’ve never been too caught up in denomination once I made a decision to follow Jesus through His Grace and not a church through their laws. In reference to the “reformed snob” I’ve found myself in a position to question my (Presbyterian) belief because I don’t put as much emphasis on whether someone has a “reformed theology” or not. I don’t believe that is a basis for salvation and there are people who are in other denominations and still agree with election or other “differences” and, even if they don’t, still love the Lord. Are we enslaved to a “tradition” if we think we know more because we stand on the truth of predestination vs. Dispensationalism or something else and make that a basis for judging a person’s belief?

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