John 8:32 - 36

In our land 80% of the population claim to be Christian, but just look what the land look like. The youth in our age are especially confused.

Jesus said to the Jews, "you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free". They did not like this, and claimed Abraham as their father. But they did not know the Truth, and were slaves of sin.

At the last youth conference I gave the youth that would like to make their lives right with God to do so, by coming to the altar. Their was a certain white girl that had finished her studies and was in doubt whether she should come to Jesus or not. Eventually she decided to come, and asked for someone to help her and brought her sins to the light. The Bible says, "he that hides his sin shall not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes his sin, shall find mercy." So she confessed her sins and went to bed in joy that night. The following night she awoke all radiant as she had been freed from her sins by Jesus. That morning she left with a car to Durban. They met with an accident on the way, and she died. When we met the mother at the hospital she told us of a vision her daughter had. She saw herself on a hilltop and down in the valley a burning consuming fire. As she looked into the flames, she saw all manner of people squirming in the flames. Then she saw herself in the flames too - the flames of hell. In the middle she saw a concrete pillar, and herself tied to it. She saw herself tied with many cords, and one big cord over all the others. When she enquired about what she saw, the Lord answered her, "Yes it is you. Every cord that you see tying you up is a sin. And the big cord is your major sin - the fear of people and your friends."

How grateful we were not to know that she was freed before she died!

But here in our text we find them denying their slavery. They miss the point Jesus makes about their slavery to sin. What confusion is there not today about the words "freedom" and "rights". Children bring children into this world, being 12 years old. It is a perverse freedom to sin. People shout for their freedom and rights, but what does it bring? Just death. A freedom and right to get AIDS. In one congregation a pastor asked me to preach to his church, as the youth are dying of AIDS, and he feared he won't have a congregation soon.

These things brake one's heart!

Another man grew up very poor and worked hard since he was small. He would carry water on his head like a woman, and were mocked, but he continued. Eventually he built himself a small shop. Not long after he could build himself a big shop, and he became rich. But he had wicked children. As they grew up they started to steal from their own father's shop. He corrected them, but they would not hear. When they took over the shop, they destroyed the whole business in less than 2 years. They lived immorally, would drink out the money, and buy presents for their girlfriends.