Freedom

In 1 Peter 2:16, “¹⁶ For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil.

Tomorrow we will celebrate the 235^th year since America declared its sovereignty from England. I want you to understand that had many brave men women and even children not taken a stand for freedom we might be eating crumpets and drinking hot tea today. We often take for granted the sacrifices that have been made so we can come together and celebrate our freedom.  The 56 men who signed the declaration understood that God had a plan. All we hear about these men now a days is that they were not who we thought they were. Praise God for that it should bring us hope. God used people just like you and I to establish what I believe is the greatest country in the world. These men were not perfect just placed there by God for a time such as this.

            They understood that another had already paid the price for their freedom that another had given his all so that in times of plenty or in need they could call upon Him. This is a quote from the national archives, “But what will not union and firmness, valor and patriotism, accomplish? What will not faith accomplish? The colonies were, indeed, aware of the crisis at which they had arrived. They saw the precipice upon which they stood. National existence was at stake. Life, and liberty, and peace, were at hazard; not only of this generation which then existed, but of the unnumbered millions which were yet to be born. To heaven they could, with pious confidence, make their solemn appeal. They trusted in the arm of HIM, who had planted their fathers in this distant land, and besought HIM to guide the men, who in his providence were called to preside over their public councils” They knew and understood that the working of Jesus Christ in his suffering, death and resurrection that they had been given freedom. The question was with would they do with it? They chose to pursue the course of liberty which Jesus had allowed for them in his sacrifice on the cross.

            We now as the next generation of Citizens in the United States of America are placed in their position. We have been given the opportunity to live a life of freedom with the rights to do whatever we may desire. No one except may be your spouse made you come here today. No one requires you to attend church, you don’t even have to get out of bed should you not desire to. We have freedoms unlike any country in the world. We can argue with the government without fear of retaliation for the most part. If we dislike something we can fight against it or if we believe in something we can voice our support. But we must never forget our freedom came at a price. Yes we are citizens of The United States of America but we are just passing through this world as C.S. Lewis believed and stated, “We are living in the shadowlands of the true glory we will one day see.”  As a believer in Jesus Christ we have another citizenship and that is in heaven it was paid for at a price. He took on our sin, death and the grave so you and I could live in freedom with him today and for eternity. Even if America was no more I would still have freedom in Jesus Christ. I want to close by reminding you the freedom we enjoy in America everyday still comes with a cost. Soldiers, airmen, sailors and marines serve diligently in all around us continuing to sacrifice for me and you so that we can have freedoms unlike any other nation in the world. We must remember to thank them when we see them and support them even if we fail to agree with them. They live and die so that we can be free. Finally the question is what will you do with the freedom God has given you?