Freedom Through Sacrifice

I love the 4th of July

I love Firework, hot dogs, apple pie and Baseball. I love everything about the 4th. It is a day that we we celebrate the beginning of the struggle to be free from what was thought to be unreasonable demands those original colonist who settled in America under 244 years ago with dreams of a better life. A life that was out of reach for many of the ordinary people who settled this country.

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, 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.

We also celebrate these words

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.

All of these words were written with a desire to live free. I think what is forgotten on this day however is that when these words were written freedom was not something achieved it was the beginning of and idea and a struggle.

It was and in my opinion still is and idea that is constantly evolving. As the world changes so does the idea of freedom.

The one thing that has not changed however is that in order for freedom to be experience there must be sacrifice and at times adjustments for the sake of others so that they too can be free.

Paul talks about the adjustments that Jesus had to make to win our ultimate freedom

Philippians 2:3- 8

Philippians 2:3–8 NLT

3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. 5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. 6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

Jesus models that Freedom requires us be willing to sacrifice what we are comfortable to achieve what we desire.

If the colonist really wanted to be free then they had to be willing to break away completely from the things that held them in bondage even if it meant losing everything they already grown accustom to.

This is a concept that applies to our lives as well. If we want to achieve great things in our lives it some times means changing every thing.

Galatians 5:13

Galatians 5:13 NLT

13 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.

If I want to lose a lot of weight I must break my midnight snacks habit. If I want to move a head in my job I must break away from my habit of procrastination.

If I want my relationship with my spouse to be better I must break out of selfishness from things that keep me from achieving God’s will for my life.

If I want a better life I must be willing to break away from the Sin in my life. If I want to be free I must be willing to let God speak into my life the things He wants to change. My thinking, my attitude, my faith, my sin, my worship, my whole life must be placed on the altar of a God who loves me and died for me to have freedom.

This is the tough part of faith. This is tough because the concept of freedom and surrender don’t seem to match up. Yet, that is exactly what it takes to be free...surrender. This seems at odds at times with the American idea of freedom......

Jesus is our standard and strength when it comes to Freedom.

Real Freedom demands we be willing to respond to God by forsaking our will, our pride, our attitudes as well as our sin.

Jesus makes us free we should be willing to live that way.

Free from having to sin, Free from having to have my own way…free from worry about what the future holds.

Freedom does not mean isolation from the world it means surrendering to God so that we can live in victory in the World. I know it is not an easy decision…but surrender to the Holy Spirit is the only way to freedom from your past.

We must trust that a life with Christ means freedom not a life with Christ is a life of missing out or not being who we really are.

1. once i was bound by sin's galling fetters Chained like a slave i struggled in vain But i received thy glorious freedom When Jesus broke my fetters in twain Glorious freedom, wonderful freedom No more in chains of sin i repine Jesus the glorious.He must be faithful Now and forever-He shall be mine

2. freedom from all the canal affections Freedom from envy, hatred and strife Freedom from vain and worldly ambition Freedom from all that saddened my life. 3. freedom from pride and all sinful follies Freedom from love and glitter gold Freedom from evil temper and anger Glorious freedom rapture untold

4. freedom from fear with all of its torments Freedom from care with all of its pain, freedom in Christ, my blessed Redeemer, He who has rent my fetters in twain

Maybe its time to celebrate real freedom…freedom that is designed for your good…freedom that moves us from independence and individualism to dependance that God designed for all of us.

All it takes is a sacrifice of self, and an embracing of the Holy Spirit guiding our lives.

Jesus models this concept of sacrifice beautifully for others in Communion.

As we Come to receive communion let us come fully surrendered…lead in a time of surrender and confession…explain communion again and have people come forward.