“Elusive Freedom”

Bulletin: November 13, 2022

Newsletter:

Scriptures: Nehemiah 9-10; Psalm 50; Ephesians 2:12, 13, 19-22; John 8:31-36

Songs:

At Calvary (video and lyrics, story, video 2)
The Kingdom of God (Tune)
Jesus, I Come (choir, Kenyan group w/lyrics, background)

Joel Russell-MacLean

Ezra led the people in a prayer of confession as they resettled the city of Jerusalem. A remnant of Israel had been restored to the land and to the cities and the temple had been rebuilt. And yet Ezra said to God, “Here we are, slaves to this day.”

Centuries later, in Jesus’ time, Jews still lived in this tension. On the one hand, they were in the promised land, King Herod had built a magnificent temple and it was active, and Rabbis taught the law in synagogues everywhere. And yet there was a sense among many that something was not right. They were not truly free.

Then, as now, people were longing to be free in their souls, minds, and bodies, and to be free in their city.