Turn back to Acts chapter 22.
Acts 22. I started to move on to the next chapter,
23. But there was a verse here that caught my attention.
from verse 28. You know, there's a message in
all the Scriptures. It's just a matter of the Lord
revealing it to us. There is not a word in the Word
of God that's not necessary. Every word. Every jot and every
tittle. When I read that, the chief captain
answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom, Paul said, I
was free born. I didn't buy my freedom. I can
go home on that. Of course, I've studied it all
week. But I was free born. I titled the message, Born Free.
Born Free. We looked at this chapter last
week. Paul was being beaten. by this angry mob of religious
people. That's who was beating him. Not
a bunch of thugs. They were supposed to be the
best people in town. And they were beating him for the gospel
that he preached, which was sovereign grace. That's what Paul was preaching. He preached what great things
God had done for him and that God had done through him, with
him, to the Gentiles. And that crowd listened to him
with some measure of tolerance until Paul said that God had
rejected the Jews and he sent salvation to us Gentile dogs. And that upset them. They said,
this man's not fit to live on this earth. This man's not fit
to live. He needs to die. It's sad, but it's so. That the
message of grace stirs up people's anger. If God leaves you alone,
if He leaves me alone, He leaves people alone. The message of
grace stirs up anger. You wouldn't think it would,
would you? But it does. They hated, they despised that
message of grace so much, so, that they wanted to kill the
messenger. They were going to stone Paul.
They wanted to kill him. Since they could not get at God,
this is the real picture here. Here's the real picture. Since
they could not get at God, they were going to do the next best
thing, get at his servant. The way a person treats a servant
of God is what they think of God. Look over in Matthew 21. Matthew chapter 21. Here is the heart. The Lord in
this chapter exposes the heart of these people. In Matthew 21
in verse 38. Let me read verse 37. But last
of all, he sent unto them his Son, saying, They will reverence
my Son. But when the huntmen, those are
the workers, they saw the Son, they said among themselves, This
is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and let
us seize on his inheritance. This is the heart. of religious people without Christ. The Lord exposes the heart. We
see actions, but He exposes the heart. And when they heard this
message of grace to the guilty, to sinners, Jew or Gentile, they
hated it. If you want to see the depravity
of the human heart, You don't have to go to the dives. You
don't have to go to the hockey talks. No, you just preach the
gospel. Here is a crowd with murder,
murder in their heart. They wanted to murder Paul. That's
what they was going to do. All you have to do is preach.
God saves whom he will. God is sovereign in this matter
of salvation. He saves whom He will without
any regard to personal merit, without any regard to heritage.
They said, Oh, we're Abraham's seed. We've got it made. Without
any regard to a person whatsoever. And you'll see. You'll see the
hatred of men toward God. You'll see it when you preach
the truth, just preach Just preach that Jesus Christ died to redeem
a multitude of sinners given to Him by the Father. Well, they'll take Jesus Christ
dying to save a multitude of sinners, but when you add given
to Him. Thou hast given me power over
all flesh that I should give eternal life to as many as Thou
hast given me. When you preach that salvation
from sin is all of Christ from Alpha to Omega, we add absolutely
at no given time anything to it. It makes religious people
mad. It brings out their anger, their
hatred. Look over in Luke chapter 4. Aren't you glad God saved you
from this? In Luke chapter 4, our Lord is preaching to these
Jews. He said here in verse 24, He
said, Verily I say unto you, no prophet is accepted in his
own country. But I tell you of a truth, I'm
telling you the truth, this is the truth. Many widows were in
Israel in the days of Elijah. when the heaven was shut up three
years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the
land, but unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta,
a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. And many lepers
were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet, and none
of them was cleansed except one, a Syrian. God showed mercy Thank God He
cleansed one. Aren't you glad God saves sinners? He cleansed one leper. And all day in the synagogue
when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, not amazement
that God would even cleanse one. They were filled with wrath against
Him because He preached sovereign mercy. And they hated Him for
it. And the group here in this chapter,
you wouldn't have thought it by reading this, you wouldn't
have thought so, but these were the best people in town. These
were the law-abiding citizens. That's who this crowd was made
up of. They were supposed to be the
godliest people in town. They were looked upon, these
Pharisees, And Jews, these other Jews, they were looked upon as
the godliest people in town. Most sincere. Most devoted to
their God and their religion. Most devoted to it. And yet,
it's this very crowd that most hates the Gospel of Grace. Let's
go over Matthew 23. Matthew 23. In Matthew 23, verse 27, Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites. That's what you are. He said
you're hypocrites. For ye are like unto whited sepulchres,
decorated graves. which indeed appear beautiful
outward." He said, oh, look at that, look at that grave. Isn't
that beautiful? All decorated. Oh, that's just so pretty. But
within, look within that grave. What's in that grave? You see,
we look on the outside and we see men and women, we say, oh,
are they such good people? That's good. That's nice. He
said, look on the inside. Look in the closet. They are full of dead men's bones
and all uncleanness." That's what God says. So this is the
crowd he's preaching to. They were going to stone Paul. They were going to kill him for
this message of grace, this message of mercy to the guilty. And a
chief priest came along and he sent one of his centurions. He
sent an army down there. That's what he did. That's what
he tells us over in the other chapter. He sent an army there
to get Paul and bring him to the palace,
to the place here of judgment. And he's going to beat a confession
out of Paul. This is what his intention is.
I'll stop this riot because he was in trouble. He was going
to be in trouble if he didn't stop this riot going on. And
he said, I'll beat a confession out of him. And he was going
to beat him until he confessed. It's not like the Jews 40 strikes
save one. You just beat him until he confessed
something. And Paul wisely asked that centurion
as they were binding him to this pillar. He said, is it lawful,
is it right for you to scourge a man That is a Roman and uncondemned. Paul was a wise man. We'll see in the next chapter
when he perceived that there was, in his counsel, when he
perceived there was the Sadducees and the Pharisees, he set them
against each other. But we'll look at that later.
But when he said this, that scared the life out of that centurion. And it scared that chief captain. They scared the daylights out
of them. Because if they bound a Roman, or beat a Roman, uncondemned,
they could be put to death. And they could definitely lose
the freedom he just purchased. So it scared them so much that
the chief captain came to Paul. And he talked to him. And tried
to smooth this thing over. And said, are you really a Roman? Are you truly a Roman?" And Paul
said, yes, I am. I am. See, Paul had said that he was
a Jew from Tarsus earlier. Well, that's a city in Cilicia
which was a free city. Freed by Mark Anthony. And when
he was born, it was free before Paul was born. So when Paul was
born in this city, he was born free. Just like when we are born
here in the United States. We are born free. We have all
the freedom that comes with living in this country. But that chief
captain, he's a little puzzled. He looks at Paul. Here's this
frail-looking man. Paul was not an impressive figure.
Here's this frail man. Here's this poor man. Paul, in
person, was poor. And so he looks at him. You think, how in the world did
that happen? How did that happen? How did someone like you be free
born? Freedom cost me a lot of money,
Paul. You don't know how hard I've worked for this freedom.
Freedom cost the chief captain a lot. Roman citizenship could
be bought, but it could be bought at a very high price. It was
a very high price. But you could buy Roman citizenship. And he did. He said, I bought
it. I bought it. There in verse 28,
he said, with a great sum obtained I this freedom. It cost me a
lot to have this freedom. And he knew he could lose his
freedom that he purchased. I tell you this, if you can buy it, if you can
purchase it, you can lose it. If you can purchase it, if you
can purchase, if I can purchase salvation, I can lose it too. I'm sure, like I said, he wondered
how did this poor man become a citizen of Rome, especially
being a Jew. Well, Paul answers it. He said, I was free born. I didn't pay a dime for it. Didn't
pay a dime for it. I was free born. I didn't have
to purchase my freedom. I was born free. Now let's take
this to another level. Let's take this to a higher level. Every believer, every child of
God is born free. Free. We are citizens now. We are now citizens of the New
Jerusalem, which is above, the Scripture says, and it's free.
Look over in Galatians chapter 4. Over here in Galatians 4. Our
citizenship is in heaven. Really. I know we are citizens
of the United States, and I'm glad. I'm glad I was born here.
But I tell you this, our citizenship truly is in heaven. That's where
it is. In Galatians 4, let me see here. Verse 26. He says, but Jerusalem, which
is above. He's talking about that new Jerusalem. That's of God. He said it's free. Free. That Jerusalem on earth
was not free. At that time, it was under Roman
rule. Not free. He said, but the Jerusalem that
I belong to, the one we belong to, which is above. It's not on this earth. It's
above. And it's free. Which is the mother of us all.
We are citizens of that new heavenly Jerusalem. Our citizenship is
in heaven. And through the blood and righteousness
of Christ, We are free citizens. Truly now, we are truly free
citizens of God. Natural men cannot say this.
They can't say this. Only those born of God are free
born. Only those. Natural men are not
free in a spiritual sense. And really, in a physical sense,
you're not really. You're really not free. You have good work
tomorrow, don't you? Some of us do. Some retire. But you have to do something
tomorrow. There's something that has claims on you. Something
or someone. So really, you're not free. You're
not. Every man born into this world
is born into bondage. They don't know it. Most people
don't know it. They don't know it in a spiritual
sense. They don't know and understand the bondage they're born into.
They don't understand it. When we are born into this world,
we are born in bondage to indwelling sin. Sin has dominion over every
man and woman when they are born into this world. It has dominion
over them. We are never, ever our own, are
we? Truly, we're never our own. We
think we are sometimes. I'm my own man. No, that's the
last thing you are. You're not your own man. No, we're not. Sin has dominion over us by nature. And then men are born in bondage
to the lust of the flesh. Go over there in Ephesians chapter
2. Ephesians chapter 2. He said near Ephesians 2, wherein
in time past you walked according to the course of this world,
You were in bondage to it. According to the prince of the
power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children
of disobedience, you were in bondage to it. Among whom also
we all had our conversation in times past in the lust of the
flesh. We were in bondage to it. Bondage. Bondage to this flesh. Bondage
to the lust of this flesh. The flesh whistles. He's not
talking about my skin now. He's talking about that nature.
that we're born with. It whistles and you have to give
in to it. You fight it, you can fight it
all you want. Sooner or later you're going
to give in to it. But really, you don't even fight it when
you don't know Christ. You just seek to fulfill it. Fulfill the
pleasures of the flesh and of the mind. And then we're born
in bondage to the law. The law has everyone outside
of Christ in bondage. Bondage to the law. Look over
in Galatians chapter 3. Galatians chapter 3 verse 10. as are of the works of the law,
or under the curse. For it is written, Cursed is
everyone that continues not in all things which are written
in the book of the law to do them." Under bondage to the law. And then under bondage to the
elements and the superstitions of this world. You don't realize
how superstitious people are until you understand the gospel.
When you understand, the Lord gives you an understanding of
the gospel, brings you to faith in Christ, gives you light and
understanding, then you realize how superstitious people are. Bondage to that. Bondage to it. Men and women are not free. They're not free. And the will of man is not free. It's not free. The will is in
bondage to that old nature, isn't it? I've known people that's
been drunks that would like not to be drunks. They said, I wish
I could not do this anymore. I've known people that's been
addicted to drugs. I know some. I said, I wish I
wouldn't do that. And after they sober up, they're
determined not to do it again, aren't they? I'm not going to
do that again. I'm going to quit." Then it happens again. And the next time they sober
up, and I said, I'm going to quit. Their will is to quit,
to stop, but it drags them back again. That will is subservient to that
old nature. It serves the old nature. It
falls. Like the dog that returns to
his vomit, so does the sinner to his wicked
ways. Oh, he's going to straighten
up all right. He's going to fly right. He's going to live right. He's going
to do right. And he may do that for a while. A year, months,
weeks, months. Maybe he'll do it for a year
or so. It just comes back on. Christ said to those Jews, you
will not. Here's your problem. Here is
your problem. You will not. You will not come
to me that you might have life. This is your problem. But the man, here's the bright
side. The man that is born of God is
free born. He's free born. He's free from
condemnation. Look over in Romans chapter 1. No, I said Romans 1. It's Romans
8. Romans 8 verse 1. There is, therefore, now, right
now, no condemnation, no judgment to them which are in Christ Jesus,
who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the
law of the Spirit, of life in Christ Jesus, hath made me free
from the law of sin and death. No condemnation, free from it,
free from it. Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? Who can do that? Paul said, is
it lawful for you to beat a Roman uncondemned? The children of God are a people
uncondemned, and it's not lawful for them to be beaten. It's not
lawful for them to be brought into judgment. It's not lawful
for them to be bound. It's not lawful for them to be
shackled because they've been set free. There was one who was
shackled. There was one who was nailed.
There was one who bled. There was one who died in our place. And it's not lawful
for that to happen again. And then he's free from the curse
of the law. That curse is real. I was going
over my notes this morning, and I thought, probably every second of the
day, I don't know, but I would say just about every second of
the day, people are leaving this world, and they're finding out
that this curse is real. Every day. Probably by the second,
at least by the minute, all over this world, just one after another,
finding out this curse is real. But we'll never find that out.
We'll never have to experience it. Because He was made a curse
for us. Now listen, He didn't just take
the curse. That's not what it says. It does
not say He took the curse for us. It says He was made a curse. He was made a curse for us, just
as He was made to be sin. And now we're free from it. That
curse is lifted. It's lifted. It's gone. We're
free from it. We are a free people. The law of God cannot curse those
born of God. Look over Colossians 2. Here in Colossians 2. This is
such good news. Look in verse 13. being dead in your sins, this
is how you were, and the uncircumcision of your flesh hath he quickened
together with him. He gave you life. Having forgiven
you. Having! I tell you what, if God
hasn't forgiven you, He'll never call you. He'll never call you
by His grace if this has not already been taken care of. Having
forgiven you all trespasses. Now listen. blotting out the
handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary
to us, took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross. The law can't curse us. It's been taken care of. And
then He's free from the dominion of sin. Sin, He says, shall not
have dominion over you. Like the man that returns to
his sin, like the dog that returns to his vomit. God breaks the
power of cancelled sin. Isn't that what we're saying? He says sin will not rule over
you no more. The lust of your flesh will not
rule over you no more. Greater is He that's in you than
He that's in the world. He can break that. And He does. He does. And then we are free
from the clutches of Satan. This world is under the spirit
of disobedience. It's called the spirit of disobedience.
The whole world. He said the whole world lies
in wickedness. Not parts of it. All of it. But we are free from
the clutches of Satan. Look over in Luke chapter 11. Luke chapter 11, in verse 21, when a strong man, and I wrote
over that strong man, I wrote, when Satan, when a strong man,
Satan, armed, keeps his palace, his goods are in peace, but when
a stronger, and I wrote Christ over that You just write Christ
over that. When I stronger than he shall
come upon him and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armor. Is that not what our Lord did?
Crushed his head. Crushed his power. Wherein he
had trusted and divided his spoils. Free from the clutches of Satan. And then listen. Free from all
religious ceremonies. We did not have to bring a lamb in here this morning or go through different rituals
or different ceremonies like I see some of these still doing.
We're free from that. Free from all the ceremonies.
Free from all the holy days, trying to keep days. Free from
all the superstitions. God's people are free. Free. I'll tell you something else
they're free from. That second death. They're free from that second
death. Christ put it away. Christ took it for us. And He
put it away. Whom the Son sets free. You said
it this morning. He's free indeed. That man is
truly free. That man, that woman. is truly
free. to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty, freedom to the captives and the opening
of the prison to them that are bound. Oh, free. The Son of God has set us free.
And this morning we sit here. We sit here. Free to worship. Free to worship God in spirit
and truth. Free. We are free-born. Our freedom, I tell you this,
our freedom was not purchased by us. That centurion said, or
that captain, that captain said, with a great sum, I got this
freedom. I got this freedom with a great
sum. I paid a lot for it. I didn't pay anything for it. But somebody did. Someone did. The Son of God truly
came down from glory, came down from the third heaven, took upon
Himself flesh, and paid a great price for this
freedom we have right now. I tell you this, the freedom
we have in this country, this country has, is because of Christ. Everything this earth and the
people on this earth, this world, everything that's enjoyed is
because of Christ. It rains on the just and the
unjust, doesn't it? The sun shines on the just and the unjust. You
take Christ out of the picture and it will be in sunshine. Nothing
but hell. Oh, it cost him a lot. It cost
him. He had to bleed and die and suffer
for it. He had to endure my hell. The hell of God's wrath is what
he had to endure. And then we are free to come
to the throne of grace. Why don't we use that more? It's
free. That's probably why. Everything else free, we come
and get it. So we have access, free access
to the God of heaven and earth. Why don't we use it more? Come and make our petitions known.
Let's do that. We are free to read, pray and
worship. at any given time. I'm free to
worship and pray unto God if they have me in a straitjacket.
You could put a believer in a straitjacket and he's still going to be able
to worship God and call upon Him. He's free to do it. You
can bind the body, you cannot bind the spirit. It's born of
God. And don't you let any man rob
you of this freedom. Don't you do it. Protect it.
Look over in Colossians chapter 2. Well, I'm already here. Colossians 2. He says in verse 8, Colossians
2, Beware, be careful now, be aware, lest any man spoil you
through philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men, after
the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Now look over
in verse 16, Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink,
or in respect of a holy day, or of the new moon, or of the
Sabbath days, which are a shadow of things to come, but the bodies
of Christ. Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary
humility and worshiping of angels, intruding into those things which
he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not
holding the head from which all the body, by joints and bands,
have nourishment, ministered, and knit together, increases
with the increase of God. Wherefore, if ye be dead with
Christ from the rudiments of the world, Superstitions, luck, lo I lucky, no you wasn't. Nobody's
ever been lucky. To me, that's a superstitious
word. That's nothing but a superstitious word, lucky. Nobody's lucky. Wherefore, if ye be dead with
Christ from the rudiments of the world, then why? Paul said,
then, I ask you why, as though living in the world, are you
subject to ordinances? Taste not, touch not, taste not,
handle not. You know, everything now is for
our use with Thanksgiving. All food, he said, all food is
good for our use with Thanksgiving. Paul said, beware, protect it.
Don't let any man rob you of this freedom. He says over in
Galatians 5-1, stand fast in the liberty, in the freedom wherewith
Christ hath made us free. Don't you give that up. Don't
give it up. And someday, someday, we will be free from
the presence of sin from the temptations of Satan and the
temptations of this flesh. Someday, it's hard to grasp right
now, isn't it? It's hard to grasp. But someday we'll be free from
it. And we'll worship God freely. Freely. And without reserve. Freely. You were free born. Paul said, I was free. Why must
it cost you that much? I was freeborn. It didn't cost
me a dime. And every child of God is freeborn
because Christ set him free.