“The Truth Will Set You Free”
John 8:31-32

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Pastor Kevin Vogts
Trinity Lutheran Church
Paola, Kansas
Reformation Sunday—October 28, 2018

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen. 

Just outside Washington, D.C., in the suburb of Langley, Virginia, is the headquarters of the United States Central Intelligence Agency.  In the lobby of the CIA headquarters building there is a pink granite cornerstone inscribed with the words:  “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Those words are a quote from today’s Gospel Reading for Reformation Sunday, from the eighth chapter of John.  Jesus declares: “If you continue in my Word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

The mission of the CIA is of course to find out EARTHLY truth, which helps maintain our nation’s POLITICAL freedom.  So, the quote from the Bible on their cornerstone is out of context.  For, the truth Jesus is really talking about is not earthly truth, but SPIRITUAL truth.  And the freedom Jesus is talking about is not political freedom, but SPIRITUAL freedom.  Jesus tells us THE one and only way to know spiritual truth, and have spiritual freedom:  “If you continue in my Word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

A recent Gallup Poll asked Americans:  “Is it better to learn from teachings of an organized religion, or is it better to develop your own religious beliefs independently?”  76% answered it is better to develop independent religious beliefs.  So, it’s not surprising that in the same poll the exact same percentage—76%—said that being active in a church is not an important part of being a sincere religious person.  Gallup concluded that we are becoming a nation of “believers, not belongers.”  People who claim to be sincere believers, but neglect or even reject belonging to and attending a Bible-believing church. 

We also reflect those same distorted values.  For, we often do not make church attendance the top priority in our lives; we do not gladly hear and learn the Word of God.  Year after year we neglect worship, Sunday School, Bible class; our own Bible reading, devotions, and prayers.  WE think we can be sincere religious people without remaining in God’s Word.

“If you continue in my Word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  But, the opposite is also true: Even though you may consider yourself a sincere religious person, if you do NOT continue in his Word, you are not truly his disciple, you do not know the truth, and you are not free, but a slave to sin.

The Word of God tells us the ugly truth that we are all sinners: “Surely I have been a sinner from birth, sinful from the moment my mother conceived me;” “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God;” “There is no one who is righteous; No, not even one;” “Everyone who sins is a slave to sin.”  The ugly truth is, we each deserve punishment for our sin.  The punishment? Eternal death and damnation: “For the wages of sin is death.”

Martin Luther knew well this ugly truth.  He knew well that he was a sinner deserving damnation.  That’s why he became a monk.  It’s called the “Dark Ages” because the church in those days had largely forgotten God’s Word.  In the twisted teachings of the medieval church we see what happens when humans turn away from God’s Word and instead “develop independent religious beliefs.”

The church Luther grew up in falsely taught that people could make up for their sins themselves and earn God’s favor and forgiveness with their own good works.  That’s what Luther was trying so desperately to do.  But, even though he became a monk, even though he tried his best to live a humble, holy life, even though he devoted himself to prayers and fasting, he could not find peace, he could not find freedom from the ugly truth that he was a slave to sin.  He knew his own good works would never be enough, because God demands absolute perfection, something no human can ever achieve.

And so Luther sank deep into despair and depression, afraid of God’s wrath, fearing the punishment he knew he deserved.  In one of his hymns he says, “My fears increased till sheer despair left only death to be my share . . .  daily deeper still I fell, my life became a living hell.”

But, one day, Martin Luther was set free: Set free from fear, set free from despair and depression, set free from trying to earn his own salvation.  That day Martin Luther came to know the wonderful truth of the Gospel.  He was reading that part of the book of Romans in today’s Epistle Reading, when he came to understand the Good News the church in those days had forgotten: That God himself forgives us and set us free from sin through his Son, Jesus Christ.

Paul writes: “No one will be declared righteous in [God’s] sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.  But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been revealed . . .  This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. . .  God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.”

Jesus Christ gave his life as a ransom for you, a “sacrifice of atonement,” to pay for you the punishment your sin deserves, to earn your forgiveness and freedom.  Jesus Christ lived a perfect life and died a sacrificial death to take away the sins of the world—including yours!  Jesus Christ rose from the dead, and all who trust in him shall follow him into eternal life.  Your sins are all forgiven; that is the wonderful truth of the Gospel.  Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.

The Holy Spirit works saving faith in your heart through the Word and Sacraments.  In Holy Baptism, your sins were washed away, you were given the gift of faith, you were made a believing child of God.  In Holy Communion, you receive Christ’s body and blood, heavenly food for your soul, to nourish your faith. 

In God’s Holy Word Jesus gives you comforting promises:  “I tell you the truth,” he says, “whoever hears my word and believes . . . has eternal life;” “Come unto me, all you who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest;”  “Surely I am with you always even to the end of the age;” “I am the Good Shepherd; I know my sheep, and my sheep know me, and I lay down my life for the sheep;”  Because I live, you also shall live;” “And I will raise you up at the last day;” “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life;’ “I am the Resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even though he dies, yet shall he live.”

“If you continue in my Word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  Saving faith comes through the Sacraments and the Word of God.  Do not despise God’s Word, but gladly hear and learn it.  Continue in his Word.  Come each Sunday to worship; read the Bible and have devotions with your Portals of Prayer; bring your family faithfully to Sunday School and Bible class.  Continue in his Word!  Then you are truly his disciple, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free—forever!