Independence Day
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
-Liberty is something that all Americans do/should hold in high regard. It’s something that was for in our War of Independence from England.
John Adams declared “Liberty must at all hazards be supported. We have a right to it, derived from our Maker. But if we had not, our fathers have earned and bought it for us, at the expense of their ease, their estates, their pleasure, and their blood,”
Patrick Henry: “Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!”
President Abraham Lincoln opened the Gettysburg Address this way: “Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that ‘all men are created equal.’” “Conceived in liberty.” The irony and tragedy of slavery are not lost on us, but viewing history through the eyes of today cheapens the momentous achievements of a nation that, while not perfect, is ever striving toward the “more perfect Union” referenced in the preamble of the Constitution. Perfection is impossible to achieve; striving for it inspires greatness.
-In fact the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution mention plainly the concept of Liberty (Freedom)
Preamble of the Declaration of Independence
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
Preamble of the Constitution of the United States of America
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
Key Points
Key Points
1. The OT points ahead to a new and greater freedom and to a new deliverer.
1. The OT points ahead to a new and greater freedom and to a new deliverer.
-Back to Exodus
Ultimately, the exodus account and the OT law pointed forward to the freedom given through Israel’s messiah, Jesus. Accordingly, the NT depicts Jesus as a “new Moses” and his death and resurrection as a “new exodus” that saves believers from spiritual bondage.
Jesus in Luke 4:17-18
and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free,
-The Redemption of exodus foreshadows the redemption achieved by Jesus Christ
-It goes without saying Jesus is the deliverer that the OT looked forward to
For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.
2. The freedom that comes through Jesus Christ
2. The freedom that comes through Jesus Christ
A. Penalty of sin
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.
B. Freedom from spiritual death
What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
C. Freedom from the fear of death
Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
D. Freedom from Death itself
For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.
That’s all “Big Picture” what about day to day?
E. Freedom from Power of Sin
In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.
F. Freedom from the pollution of sin
Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
G. Freedom from the power of Satan
For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
H. Freedom from the presence of sin
who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
3. Freedom comes with a Great Warning label.
3. Freedom comes with a Great Warning label.
A. God’s grace does not give us a pass to continue to sin.
What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
B. We are not allowed to use our freedom to cover up sin
Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves.
Application/Implication
Application/Implication
To those in Christ I want to simply remind you of what is said in Galatians 5:1
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
-Rodney Chandler “Free to Run”
-You may not be a runner but you’re still chained to sin
-We have no problem exercising our constitutional freedoms but what about the freedom you have in Christ?
2. To those who have never made a commitment I want to remind you of something Jesus said, John 8:34-36
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.