From the Pulpit: Freedom in Christ

As they were about to light another fuse to a bottle rocket, a young boy said to his dad, “Daddy, do they celebrate The Fourth of July in other countries?” The father knew that his son was not asking a calendar question, but rather a question about the celebration of our nation’s independence; the celebration of our freedom as a nation.  he father, however, was somewhat of tease and often let his sarcastic nature shine (especially with his kids) and responded to his son’s question with a bit of sarcasm and said, “No, son. In other countries, in July the calendar simply jumps the 4th, from the 3rd to the 5th.” 

When we celebrated Independence Day this week, we may have enjoyed a day off from work, lit some fireworks and maybe even attended a parade. Whether or not we remember the reason for the celebration, the reason is still there – the freedom we have as a nation to rule ourselves without oppression; without some foreign power exerting control over us. There are nations all around the world that claim some date of national independence, though I have not heard of any others that name the Fourth of July as their day of independence. (Interestingly, 65 countries claimed their independence from the British Empire or United Kingdom.)

Freedom is an important thing to celebrate. We celebrate freedom as a nation, but the freedom we celebrate as a nation does not compare to the freedom that we might celebrate when we know Jesus Christ as our savior. As citizens of the USA, we have freedom to worship how and where we choose. We have freedom to choose, to vote for, our leaders. We have freedom to come and go as we choose to. We have freedom to speak our mind. We have many freedoms as citizens of the USA. But even as Americans, we might be living without freedom if we do not know the freedom that can come only from Jesus Christ. Only through Jesus Christ can we be set free from the slavery that sin causes in our lives. Only through knowing Jesus Christ can we know what freedom really is. Jesus told some who believed in him (as he says to you and me), “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” And then Jesus added, “Everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin ... [but] if the Son (namely, Jesus, the Son of God) sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

I hope that you can celebrate not only the Fourth of July, but also the freedom that comes from Jesus. And that is freedom for eternal life.