God’s Mission to Set Us Free from Bondage
Peace Lutheran Church, King George, VA
July 5, 2026
Text: Matt. 11:25–30, Rom. 7:14–25a, Zech. 9:9–12
In the name of Jesus, Amen!
As my wife and I are traveling from place to place in the United States to visit congregations, I have been preaching in a series of sermons about the Mission of God, because Christian Mission is God’s Mission to save sinners. The Mission of God comes from the loving heart of God, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life”. We talked about God’s salvation history and the overall picture of how God carries out His mission by His Son and through His people. We talked about why Jesus’ overcoming the temptations is an important part of the mission of God. We talked about how declaring sinners righteous and granting us a new life that shall never die are the work of God, not work of man, nor work of the Law, and thus are the core of His mission to save sinners in Jesus Christ. Through today’s texts, we will talk about how God’s mission in Jesus sets us free from [the] bondage of sin, death and the devil. He sets the prisoners free from the waterless pit, delivers us from this body of death, and makes our yoke easy and burden light.
The first words in today’s OT lesson, Zechariah 9:9-12 say, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!” Why do God’s people rejoice and shout? Because “Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” The Prophet Zechariah was painting a vision to a people who had lost home and place of worship, and were in bondage for more than 70 years, a vision of the end times when the humble and righteous King Jesus would come to bring salvation, peace and freedom to the world. At the time of this prophecy, the people of Israel had already lost hope for so long that returning to Jerusalem had not excited them too much. That’s why Zechariah focused on encouraging the discouraged people to resume and complete the rebuilding of the Temple.
Bondage of sin and death not only brings people pains and struggles, but also makes us weary, downcast, hopeless, thinking and feeling unable to do anything good. Things like drugs and pornographic images, debt, diseases, one’s own flaws, difficulties, worries or depression can disable a person. Even as a Christian, we may feel like being in custody, trapped in our own sinful flesh and surrounded by insufferable changes of this world. As a child of God, we don’t want to stay this way, and we struggle to come out. But, often we feel powerless and fruitless, as St. Paul describes it in our Epistle reading as part of his own experience, saying, “For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.” “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” Please be aware that this cry of St. Paul’s is not a cry of total hopelessness that unbelievers live in as prisoners of sin and death, but a battle cry. Yes, Christians are in a battle, nevertheless the final victory has been won. Yes, we may still be prisoners, but prisons of hope of bodily redemption on the last day. That’s why St. Paul immediately tells us the response to this cry, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Through Christ Jesus, God has set you free from the law of sinful flesh and “from its bondage to corruption to obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” Though we are still groaning in pains like “in the pains of childbirth until now”, yet “the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (Romans 8:18, ff)”
Jesus heard the cry of St. Paul’s. Now, Jesus hears you. He hears your painful cries. He understands your wearisome and meaningless labor and knows your endless strife. That’s why He invites you, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” What does it mean, “my yoke is easy, and my burden is light”? It means there is no burden AT ALL. You will have total ease and comfort in Christ Jesus. He will take away all your sins, guilt and shame, and set you free from the bondage of sin and death when you take His yoke upon you and unite to Him with His complete forgiveness of sins and perfect Peace of eternal life.
Do you know why Jesus WILL give you total peace and comfort? Because this is His mission. God the father sent His son Jesus in the flesh of humanity to take your sin, my sin and the sin of the whole world upon Himself and to take its penalty for us and die in our place. After wiping out sins by enduring the wrath of God, He conquered death by the power of resurrection. He breaks the yoke-bars of the oppressor, the devil. He lifts the burden laden with sins. He cuts off the chariot and the battle bow to bring real and everlasting peace to you and to the world. He sets free the prisoners of sin and death from the waterless pit. And He pulls us out of the fruitless and dreadful predicament we experience and gives us the water of life in Christ Jesus and encourages us to step out in faith to do His will.
When God hears, He acts. When Jesus hears, He takes action. Love and compassion move Jesus into action. He entered the world like someone who “enters a strong man’s house, binds the strong man and plunders his goods. (Matt. 12:29)” Jesus indeed entered the sinful world, bound the strong man, the devil and plundered his house to set people free. For example, He drove out a legion of demons from a demon-possessed man in the region of the Gerasenes, who used to be in “chains and shackles” (Luke 8:26-39). He healed many many people. Some had a certain disease or demon-possession for many many years. Finally, on the cross, Jesus won the final victory by bruising the head of the ancient serpent, who deceives the world with pride, self-righteousness, pursuit of money, power and fame, and who binds people in prison with sickness, wars, struggles of relationships, and the fear of death. Jesus totally defeated him on the cross.
Now, Jesus continues to come to us in His Word and Sacraments. He nourishes and encourages us to build His church and expand His kingdom. He is the humble King who gives comfort and peace of forgiveness to a broken heart. He is the powerful King who ends wars of strife within and without, who drives out the devil, and who brings salvation to His people, because this is His mission — the mission of God to save us from the bondage of sin and death. Jesus sets us free to be yoked with Him in His Baptism, His Word and His Body and Blood so that He continue His mission of saving sinners through us in righteousness and peace. After all, His yoke is easy. His burden is light.
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus, Amen!
