“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 2 Corinthians 3:17
Freedom is a powerful word. If a convicted criminal, who was serving a life sentence behind bars, were to hear the words from a judge, “Now, you are free!” Those are powerful words. If the Son of God were to tell you that your sins are forgiven and you are now free! – those are powerful words. For the sake of freedom, men have fought battles, gone to war and sacrifices greatly in order to gain freedom for themselves, for their country and for you and I.
But freedom is not free. With freedom comes responsibility. In our country, we have been given freedom, and every problem we have faced deals with the fact that we have abused our freedom.
As we celebrate the birthday of our nation, I’d like to talk a few minutes about The Spirit of Freedom.
The Spirit of Freedom is . . . .
1) Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36
“Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” is the most famous phrase recorded in the United States Declaration of Independence.
John Hancock signed the Declaration of Independence twice as large as anyone else, and he explained it by saying, “How His majesty can read my name without his spectacles.” Stephen Hopkins was a very old man, and he signed with a shaky signature. He that his hand trembled but his heart did not. These men paid the price for what we enjoy today. They gave up everything they had - and died penniless and broken.
Patrick Henry was the one who gave us the famous quote, “Give me liberty or give me death.” He knew the importance of freedom. He also said, "It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not be religionists, but by Christians, not on religion, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ."
Why is it that, next to
the birthday of the Savior of the world, your most joyous and most venerated
festival returns on this day [the Fourth of July]?
--John
Quincy Adams
2) The Spirit of Freedom is Truth that marches on
Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free!”
John 8:32
Abraham Lincoln was talking to a farmer one day and asked the farmer how many legs a cow had. The farmer said, “Four.” Abe asked him how many legs the cow would have if you called its tail a leg. The farmer said, “five.” Abe said, “No, it doesn’t matter what you call the tail, it is not a leg. And the cow still has four legs.
Truth is the truth, no matter what we say. And the truth is, America was founded by Christians who believed in the Lord God Almighty.
Thomas Jefferson knew the importance the truth. He said, “The God who gave us life, gave us liberty at the same time. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure, when we have removed their only firm basis – a conviction in the minds of the people that their liberties are the gifts of God . . .”
Did you know that the Pledge of Allegiance was in the news nearly 50 years ago, when the words "under God" were first included? In 1954, as a result of a national campaign by the Knights of Columbus, Congress voted to add those important words, and the Pledge was re-written as we now know it. President Eisenhower addressed Congress after the resolution was passed, stating, "In this way we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious faith in America's heritage and future; in this way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our country's most powerful resource in peace and war."
In 1968, an elderly man was walking down the street when he saw a young man burning a flag, stomping and cursing it. With tears running down his cheek, the elderly man stood up to the young man and said, “Boy, I don’t want no trouble with you and I’m too frail to beat you up, but, for me, will you stop that?!
Out of respect, the younger man said, “Mister, tell me something – is this flag your god?” The elderly man said, “No, it’s not my God, but it’s everything I believe in and everything I stand for. When you spit and stand on that flag, you stand on my body, you’re standing on my son who was killed in the last world war and you’re standing on everything I fought for in the First World War. Besides, it reminds me of God.”
The young man didn’t understand. So he asked, “How
does this cloth remind you of your God?”
The elderly man smiled and said, “The red reminds me of the crimson blood
of Jesus Christ. The white reminds me that my sins can be washed away. The blue,
especially since I am old, reminds me of the sky I’m going to fly through very
soon. The stars, well, they’re for my crown!” The young man apologized and was
changed by the words of this wise man.
I consider myself doubly blessed. I am an American and I am a Christian. And I choose to pass on both of these blessings to future generations. His truth is marching on.
3) The Spirit of Freedom is the Spirit of the Lord
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 2 Corinthians 3:17
The reason God has blessed this nation is because this nation has blessed God.
Some will try and build a wall of separation between the church and the state. But did you know how that phrases – separation of church and state came about? Thomas Jefferson wrote a personal letter to the Danbury Baptist Association assuring them that he would make sure the government would stay out of the church business and he used this phrase, “wall of separation,” but he meant that wall to be for the protection of the church from the state.
How does Congress open their sessions? With prayer.
Did you know that is was the United States Congress that voted to put the words, “In God We Trust” on our money?
Did you know that in 1776, 11 out of 13 colonies required
that before you could run for political office, you had to be a professing
Christian?
Did you know that above the Lon Angeles City Hall, the following words from Proverbs 14:34 are posted – “Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.”
President Ronald Reagan was quoted as saying the following: “if America ever forgets that we are one nation under God, then we will be one nation gone under.”
President George W. Bush was asked the question of who was the greatest influence in his life. He responded by saying, “Christ, because HE changed my heart.”
The following words were spoken by the late Red Skelton on his television program as he related the story of his teacher, Mr. Laswell, who felt his students had come to think of the Pledge of Allegiance as merely something to recite in class each day.
Now, more than ever, listen to the meaning of these
words.
"I've been listening to you boys and girls
recite the Pledge of Allegiance all semester and it seems as though it is
becoming monotonous to you. If I may, may I
recite it and try to explain to you the meaning of each word?"
I
me, an individual, a committee of one.
Pledge
dedicate all of my worldly goods to give without self pity.
Allegiance
my love and my devotion.
To the flag
our standard, Old Glory, a symbol of freedom. Wherever she waves, there's respect because your loyalty has given her a dignity that shouts freedom is everybody's job!
Of the United
that means that we have all come together.
States of America
individual communities that have united into 48 great states. Forty-eight individual communities with pride and dignity and purpose; all divided with imaginary boundaries, yet united to a common purpose, and that's love for country.
And to the republic
a state in which sovereign power is invested in representatives chosen by the people to govern. And government is the people and it's from the people to the leaders, not from
the leaders to the people.
For which it stands, one nation
one nation, meaning "so blessed by God"
Indivisible
incapable of being divided.
With liberty
which is freedom -- the right of power to live one's own life without threats, fear or some sort of retaliation.
And Justice
the principle or quality of dealing fairly with others.
For all
which means, boys and girls, it's as much your country as it is mine.
Since I was a small boy, two states have been added to our country and two words have been added to the pledge of Allegiance...
UNDER GOD
Wouldn't it be a pity if someone said
that is a prayer and that would be eliminated from schools too?
God Bless America!
=============================
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 2 Corinthians 3:17
Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is . . .
1) freedom from condemnation
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
Romans 8:1
Barabbas. Can you imagine how Barrabas felt? One minute he is in his cell – knowing that he is about to be executed. And then next moment, he is being told that he is free! Free!!! What? Someone else – Jesus Christ – is being executed instead of me?
How did that happen? Why did that happen? Barrabas represents you and I. We are prisoners, on trial for our own sin. And then, we are told, “you are now free!” Jesus Christ has taken your place. Jesus Christ has died in your place.
2) freedom from the stress of life
All of us know what the stress of life is about.
Many people use their liberty to entrap themselves in sin.
Many people abuse their liberty and use it to do drugs, then a short time later they find they find themselves in a drug addiction.
Many people abuse their liberty and use it to do drink alcoholic beverages, then a short time later they wonder how they became addicted.
Every addiction that exists begins when the individual takes God out of the picture and abuses their liberty to do as they wish. And they find themselves in a trap.
Liberty without faith = bondage
Liberty with faith = freedom
You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature.” Galatians 5:13
3) freedom from death
“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21
One of the reasons why I pray for those in the military is because they are individuals who are willing to risk their lives for the sake of freedom. For them, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. When you and I get to the point that we are totally surrendered to the Lord, then we will not fear death.
My independence day happened 33 years ago. It was the day I gave my heart to Jesus Christ, and I was free! I know – without a shadow of a doubt – that I will be with the Lord for eternity. I don’t deserve it – but I can have it. It’s because of God’s Grace. God shed His grace upon this nation, and He has shed His grace on me. God shed your grace on us!