”But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:22-23

God’s people had been treated horribly as slaves in Egypt. God hears their cries and then He goes ten rounds with Pharaoh for their release. God wins and His people are set free from Pharaoh. Pharaoh tries one more time to regain control over God’s people. And once more God beats Pharaoh as He makes a way through the sea for the people to escape. With His people safe on the other side, God closes the Red Sea over Pharaoh and his army. God’s people rejoice! Victory and freedom is theirs.

BUT NOW WHAT?

The TRUTH IS – THEY ARE OUT OF SLAVERY WITH WILDERNESS TO GO!

From that very day their freedom from slavery would take them on a 40-year journey through the wilderness. They faced disease, hunger, thirst, snakes, division, and doubts. And then, when God’s people faced fearful odds against giants, they plotted together to find a leader who would take them back to Egypt! (Numbers 14)

You and I are in a very similar situation today.

First, listen to our deliverance story from Romans 6:
“We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin.” (Romans 6:6b-7)

Our story includes the battle for our freedom, won at the cross and grave by Jesus. We received this victory in Baptism. “For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism.” (Romans 6:4)

The large catechism declares this truth:
“To be saved, as everyone well knows, is nothing else than to be delivered from sin, death, and the devil, to enter into Christ’s kingdom, and to live with him forever.” (Luther’s Large Catechism – Fourth Part)

Yet we too must ask the same question.

BUT NOW WHAT?

WE HAVE BEEN FREED FROM SLAVERY (SIN, DEATH, AND THE DEVIL) WITH WILDERNESS TO GO.

Each day, we live and every step we take is a life that is absolutely free! Yet each step is also one through the wilderness of this world.

Each day, we continue to face troubles, persecutions, temptations, and the assaults from the evil one who desperately wants to regain control of us. There are days we feel victorious and there are days we feel like we have lost. There are times when we are so grateful for the freedom we have received. Yet there are also times when we get tired and weary from these days in the wilderness and want to give in to slavery again.

So, what does this mean?

GOD’S WORD TEACHES US THE WAY TO LIVE A LIFE OUT OF SLAVERY WITH WILDERNESS TO GO:
Romans 6 continues: ”But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:22-23)

So do not be discouraged or dismayed about the wilderness. Do not be afraid of disease, the snakes, the giants, nor the threat of the evil one. Turn your eyes upon Jesus and trust in the walk of freedom He leads you on today through the wilderness. The victory is in Him.

This is discipleship…following Jesus, being changed by Jesus, and being committed to His mission.

Prayer
Lord Jesus, we give You great thanks for the freedom that You won for us. And we ask that as You continue to lead us through this journey, we know that there are days when this wilderness will tire us out, will beat us up and exhaust us, and yet remind us that You are with us and You are leading us and pray that You would grant to us that continual daily victory over sin, death in the devil, both in the choices that we make and in the influence that evil tries to have on us.

And with this prayer, Lord, we give You great thanks. And knowing that one day You will welcome us home into that promised land. Until then, we are free with wilderness to go. But we go with you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.