Independence Day Sermon 2021

Acts 17:1-9

Today, we just want to deal with one major detail: The Mission!

Behind all of what we know about our freedom, was a few men (women), who got together, after many years of tyranny, and planned a better way. Freedom! Freedom from a monarchy, which was forcing many things down the throats of the citizens, in which that tyranny extended to America.

Our founding fathers had an idea, but that idea would not come without opposition, however the cause was of more value than the loss of life!

Bro Chris and I was talking not too long ago, about all the disadvantages that the colonials were facing!

Britain's military was the best in the world. Their soldiers were well equipped, well disciplined, well paid, and well fed. Their navy dominated the seas.

Funds were harder to come by for the Americans. Most Indian tribes sided with the British and over half of the citizens were hoping to avoid any conflict with the British.

So, the American military was at a complete disadvantage! The odds were completely against them, but as we said earlier, their freedom was worth more to them than dying! They were willing!

The Americans weighed the cost and decided that the idea of freedom was worth more than dying!

I am positive that God was behind the Americans from the beginning! This historical time was ordained by God and folks died to carry it out!

We have enjoyed freedom for many years, but there is still a mission worth dying for! It is the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Many have did that for the name of Jesus Christ!

Let’s start at the mission.......Matthew 28:18-20.......The Great Commission......Every Christian mission!

Jesus completed His earthly mission, living perfect as a human, showing God’s power through miracles and healings, sacrificing His life to pay for our sins and was resurrected on the 3rd day to guarantee us eternal life in the presence of God!

Now, Jesus is leaving the earth after His mission is completed and He is given the disciples a mission!

To go teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit!

Teaching them to observe all things of what Jesus has commanded!

Everything about Jesus is to be given to this world! You know, sometimes it seems that this Gospel gets pushed behind other agendas, even agendas that tag along with this mission!

But, this mission stands by itself! It is Jesus Christ and Him crucified!

Acts 4:1-22......This is just one account of many, showing the willingness of those that walked with Jesus and believed in His Truth! The Mission is of the highest degree, there is nothing higher! God will complete His purpose and He will use those that are willing!

I believe The Gospel is worth it! The cost of losing it is higher than losing our lives for Jesus’ Name sake!

Peter and John healed a man that had been crippled for 40 years in the name of Jesus Christ! They didn’t do it God did, but they were arrested for it, brought before the Sanhedrin (some of the same ones that yelled “crucify Him”) and they could not deny that these men had been with Jesus!

They told them not to speak of Jesus anymore, but they really wasn’t listening to Peter, when he said in Acts 4:12 “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

This Gospel was not going to die with them! The value of the Gospel of Jesus Christ was more than standing before a Jewish court with their lives weighing in the balance!

Over in chapter 5, Peter and the apostles are back at it again, they meet up with furious opposition, and again standing before the Sanhedrin and they remind them: Acts 5:28 “Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.”

Peter’s response is simple but powerful: Acts 5:29 “Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.”

The command from God holds greater power and purpose than commands from men!

Now, don’t get the idea that you can go out and become a complete rebel, these apostles only rebelled when it pertained to being told not to teach about Jesus Christ!

They obeyed God and now we have a full report of Jesus Christ! The whole counsel of God!

Now in Acts 17:1-9, we find Paul and Silas on his 2nd missionary journey. They come to Thessalonica. Paul does like he always does and goes straight to the synagogue (small worship place) and teaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Jews and Greeks began to listen and believe.

There were some Jews that wasn’t happy and got some rough characters to get the city into an uproar. They sent these characters to the house of Jason (a believer and disciple to some degree). They wanted Paul and Silas, possibly, however, Paul & Silas was warned and they moved on to Berea!

The main point out of this that I want us to hear, is what the ones that was after Paul and Silas said: “These men turned the world upside down”, they have upset the whole world with the simple message of Jesus Christ crucified and risen from the dead!

They preached this message, as well as declaring Jesus as Lord & Savior, which spits in the face of Caesar!

They continued to chase them even on into Berea!

Later on in Acts, Paul is told that he must needs go to Rome. He went amongst many obstacles, he went. Paul suffered through threats of his life before he got to Rome, he used the earthly Roman law to help get him on his way to Rome. While on his way, the ship he was on was in a terrible long storm and was eventually destroyed but no one was harmed as Paul was showed by an angel.

Once to an island, Paul was bitten by a snake that did not affect him at all!!

Nothing can stop this mission, if it is ordained by God, nothing can stop His will!

We have been giving this mission, as well! I wonder how important IT is to you? Is important enough to carry it out even when you know that you are not going to be around to see it completed? Hebrews 11 will tell you about some people that did that very thing!

I am thankful for our freedom, that men and women fought to obtain and fought to keep! I believe as well, I would love to keep this freedom and I would fight to keep it!

However, I am more thankful for the freedom that I have through Jesus Christ! I am so unworthy of the Love of the Father and the Son, but I cherish it! Am I as willing to die sharing this truth? There are some still fulfilling their mission! Let’s continue to share no matter what we face!