John 8:31-38

John 8:31-38
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

 There's no such thing as a free lunch, right?  Everything costs us something -- it captures us in some way, taking our time or energy or part of our hearts.
  We often delude ourselves into thinking we are free -- sin has so tainted much of this world, that we don't even recognize how much of our lives it has captured.  We fool ourselves into thinking that our greed or selfishness or pride doesn't change the way we think.  Sin is so a part of our lives that we fail to realize the power it has over us.  The people Jesus is talking to have no idea that they are not free.
  What Christ offers us is a true freedom, a freedom that acknowledges the pervasive ways sin and death have wormed their way into our hearts.  This freedom isn't held captive by the impending fear of death.  This freedom is possible because it rescues us from an age-old problem and redeems us, breaking the chains of sin and offering us the eternal life for which we have been made.
  The best part?  It's a free gift, given by God, given to save us.