Truth and Freedom
-
Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? 15 Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”
16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us[c] from Your Majesty’s hand. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual 20 and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace.
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”
They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”
25 He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”
28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.
-
31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”
34 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you have no room for my word. 38 I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your father.”
39 “Abraham is our father,” they answered.
“If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would[b] do what Abraham did. 40 As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. 41 You are doing the works of your own father.”
“We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.”
42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me.
'Truth' and 'freedom', are words much bandied about today. We think of truth as an ‘absolute’ – truth v false – absolutes. We used to say Truth is a vital value for society as a whole. But others say today that there are many truths, you have yours I have mine.
This gives the impression that Truth is fluid.
We can think about Truth differently - Jesus didn’t say I will show you the truth or I will explain what truth is - he said ‘I am the truth’ (John 14:6) John 8:32 ‘if you continue in my Word …you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.’ You can know the truth because you can know Jesus. Not just know about him but truly know him – he will set you free (John 8:32)
What is Truth and what is freedom are two questions from our readings that need to be answered.
What is Truth
What is Freedom
What is Truth
What is truth is a famous question asked by Pilot in the trial of Jesus (sadly he didn’t wait for an answer from the only one who could answer the question). If Pilot had paused, Jesus could have replied, ‘am the truth’ meaning He is the True God amongst all other false and substitute gods (gods like Money, Football teams, Music, possessions). God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit is the only True God. So we can hear in this saying ‘you will know the truth’ you will know God is the only true God the prophet Jeremiah’s words ‘The Lord is the true God, he is the living God and the everlasting king…’ (Jeremiah 10:10), In John 17:3 Jesus says to the Father ‘and this is eternal life that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent’.
To say God is truth also means he is the only one who is infinitely perfect in power and wisdom, goodness and in Lordship over time and space. Almighty, Omnipotent, Omnipresent: that’s a Big God
Another lesson Pilot could have learnt is that God's Word is true, ‘continue in my Word.’ This means God is faithful and reliable in his word.
Faithful: Deuteronomy 32:4 - says He is ‘a God of faithfulness, who does no wrong, upright and just is he’.
Reliable: God does what he promises, we can rely on God. This is what Daniel’s friend’s confidence is in. By refusing to bow down to the Babylonian idols ‘If God we serve is able to save us then he will,’ Daniel 3:17.
Another understanding of Truth that Pilot may have grasped is that all God's word about himself and creation is reality, that is Truth, (Proverbs 30:5) ‘every word of God proves true.’
In a society where we are encouraged to define our own truth, a self-centred truth - as Christians are to radiate a Christ-centred truth. Our lives are defined by and transformed by him. I came to know Christ as a boy, Christ the Way, Truth, Life is what makes me tick, defines me.
What about: Freedom? The truth will set you free.
What is Freedom
'Freedom' is one of the great demands of our time. Brexit said there would be a free market, seas, judiciary. It doesn’t work out that way. On an individual level, there is also an assumed right to be free - free to do what I like, (it’s my life, I can do what I like). The tragedy is that this search for freedom can lead to even greater bondage/slavery, and addictions of various sorts [TV. Alcohol. Money, Things]. The freedom Jesus offers is through knowing him as the truth.’ The truth will make you free'. He does not say through freedom you will find truth but ‘the truth will make you free'.
The Irish Theologan b1827 (Cambridge scholar) F.J.A. Hort wrote:
'The pursuit of truth begins in a sense of freedom. We are slow to learn that truth is never that which we choose to believe, but always that which we are under necessity to believe. A life devoted to truth is a life of vanities abased and ambitions forsworn. We have to advance far in the willing servitude before we recognise that it is creating for us a new and another freedom. The early dream was not false: only freedom comes last, not first.'
This freedom is not political, or hedonistic.
It is freedom as opposed to slavery freedom of the family of God. It is gained through the truth as it is in Jesus.
It looks like this
(a) It is a freedom from fear: As children of God we never walk alone. We can walk Every Day with Jesus. Freedom from fear of dying [I used to be a Hospice chaplain and saw first hand the difference being a believer makes].
(b) there is a freedom from others – the fear of what others think about us or say about us. No more keeping up with the Jones’.
(c) Freedom from self – transformed from being self-centred to being Christ-centred.
(d) Freedom from sin. Sin is so attractive but after a time sin (whatever it may be) has power over us, we can't break the chains of sin by ourselves. Some get to the depths of despair (eg my friend Alex who was an alcoholic who acknowledged ‘I can't help myself, it is impossible.’ But he became a new person in Christ (Christ in us). Freedom that the Lord gives breaks the chains of sin and frees us to be the people God intends us to be – Christians are Christ’s ones - ‘you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.’
True freedom comes from a relationship with Jesus… do you know him?
Long my imprisoned spirit lay, fast bound in sin and nature’s night
Thine eye diffused a quick’ning ray, I woke, the dungeon flamed with light
My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose when forth, and followed TheeAmazing love, how can it be that Thou my Lord should’st die for me. (Charles Wesley)
