Man Set free…. but refuses to leave jail.
It sounded so weird. I tried to click the story, to find out why….I didn’t. This sums up what I found: Man in Prison for 34 years, offered freedom, but chooses to stay in prison. He refuses to leave.
That’s it. He’s a 59 year old German man, who was convicted of murder some 34 years ago, he was offered freedom, but refuses to leave his jail cell. It’s filed in the “strange news” category, at MSN.
The man isn’t interviewed, he doesn’t say he’s afraid to leave, or even that it’s in protest to an unjust trial… they tell us nothing. He just won’t leave.
It’s news-worthy. Why? Because somehow, we think it’s a strange and rare occurance. It just doesn’t make sense, it’s weird. But then I thought about it….
Maybe it isn’t so rare, I think it happens every day.
Everyday a mom who struggles with guilt, over sins she has asked forgiveness for, but won’t forgive herself for, refuses to leave her jail. She holds onto her jail of guilt, and refuses to leave it’s familiarity. Everyday, a man who knows that he has died to sin, that his freedom has been bought with a price, stays in his jail. He continues to sin.
Another woman, who is tempted, but knows there is a way out? She stays in her prison of temptation and sin. Another man, who is offered the good news of salvation? He decides it’s too late for him, that God can’t possibly mean him, he doesn’t deserve it. So, he stays in his prison, punished by his own choice.
Every single day.
Here is what Jesus, himself had to say on the subject of His offer of freedom:
Luke 4:18-21
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Jesus came- to set the captives free. I have been a captive, but I will NOT choose to stay in my jail. Not a jail of sin, or guilt or shame. Jesus has set me free, end of story. If He can forgive and free me, why would I stay? Why would anyone?
What about you? Are you sitting on a hard narrow cot in your jail cell, the door wide open, freedom being graciously offered to you, but refusing to leave? Have you been there as long as the man in Germany? 34 years? More? Less? Are you afraid to leave? Are you afraid of freedom? Are you comfortable, at least, in the familiarity of your cell? Do you just plain feel like, you deserve your prison?
We all do. But Jesus doesn’t want to leave us there. Because, He loves us. He loves YOU.
You don’t have to stay. You can leave today.
Right now.
I’m not the one who holds the key, I won’t pretend to know all the answers about how to rid ourselves of guilt and sin and shame… but I know this, to stay in our cells when Jesus has set us free, is a slap in his face, a face that was already beaten beyond recognition. A face that now- tenderly looks at us in love. Inviting us to leave, with Him.
Let’s pray.
Dear Jesus, I believe you died to set us free, first from the punishment of our sin, then from the bondage to our sin, and finally, from the guilt of our sin. I ask you to forgive, I ask you to help us see the jail cell is open, you’ve given us freedom, and invite us to leave. For so many reasons, it can be hard to leave our prisons, God- I ask you to carry us out the door, our arms wrapped around your neck, faces buried in your chest, carry us out of our prison, and into freedom, teach us to walk in the freedom that comes from you. I love you Lord- amen.
Tracey – what a powerful message this morning…
Yes, He has set us free. I think that sometimes we are afraid of freedom, because with that comes also a responsibility – a responsibility to share the Good news with others. I know that that has kept me in prision for quite some time.
Great job! So many people choose to stay in the prison they have built for themselves when Jesus offers them the key to freedom from their cell. Some choose to stay because, even though it is a prison, it is their comfort zone and they don’t want to know what it would be like to change. I loved your analogy and it’s a great teaching for everyone to read. There are lots of folks who don’t even realize there is a way out of their prison and instead they choose suicide or just defer to their situation. I know your post will touch lives today, because it touched mine. Powerful post.
Ah, yes, a powerful message today! So many of us live in our own mental prisons, but when Christ sets us free, we’re free indeed! Thank you for sharing this story and tremendous truth.
Change is hard. When we sit for too long, we get too comfortable.
Some of us feel too reluctant to move. Some of us don’t think we deserve to move.
It takes courage to move forward. Sometimes it is impossible without the courage of God, Himself.
This is an awesome message. I spent the first 5 to 7 years of my marriage trying to break myself of “guilt”. God had forgiven me, but forgiving myself proved to be my biggest hurdle. Thank God, God is patient and keeps at me =)
Wonderful message today, I cried. The holy spirit was talking to me. Thanks soooooo much!
This is just lovely. How mny times have we refused to leave the very circumstance that holds us bound. Praise the Lord for our ability to be free of sin, forever. Praise the Lor that Christ Jesus freed us that we may never be bound again.
That was great! Thank you
Guilt, sin…whatever prison we’re in….Jesus came to set us free. I’m just so glad there is good news for all captives. Including me;)
Sometimes God uses things like news stories.. to make things so clear. Thank you Jesus!
Thnx for the comments…sometimes it’s hard to know- what to share… and what’s for me;) glad to know this connected. God is just incredible.
Freedom…i’m seeking it! Thank you very much.