Freedom

When I talk about Jesus with people, I often can sense their disdain for the church and can hear their pain from previous wounds inflicted upon them by church people. One of the hardest parts of evangelism is removing the old pictures that people have painted of Jesus and helping someone see the person of Jesus afresh. The best way I’ve found to do this is find the core longing of people and show them how Jesus is actual satisfaction of the thing they have desired so desperately.

For this generation of college student, what I sense they are most hungry for is FREEDOM. Whether it be from their family of origin, the norms that people try to place on them, or the injustices that societal structures have brought on. The idea of genuine freedom is incredibly appetizing and people will go to great lengths to get what they think is “freedom.” Often we run to things that actually bind us more. A new friend group that may take us as we are at first but will inevitably trap us. Substances that make us feel free from the anxieties that we have but now hold us addicted. Jobs that give us more than we need financially but have become a harsh slave driver. We desire freedom but don’t actually know where to find it.

I believe that Freedom is found first and foremost in the person of Jesus. To know Jesus is to know Freedom. The very people he called into ministry with him were enslaved to their work, to money, to social structure, and they chose to lay all their chains down and follow Jesus. Apart from Jesus we are slaves to sin. Meaning that we can only choose to sin. Once washed in the blood of Jesus we are now free from sin, meaning we can actually choose good, whole, perfect things. The yoke of Jesus is easy and his burden is light. Where his Spirit is, there is Freedom.

I hope you will come get a taste for freedom at Wesley this year.