“Stand fast therefore
in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again
with the yoke of bondage.” Galatians 5:1
I would like this morning to thank God for our freedom.
Freedom is a beautiful and glorious thing to have. No one that has ever had a
taste of freedom should ever want to be in bondage ever again. As Americans we
have experienced a freedom that others in the world has never known. We sure ought
to thank God for our liberty because everything good starts with God. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is
from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no
variableness, neither shadow of turning.” James 1:17 Our forefathers came
to this new land in search of liberty and to escape bondage. However, for that
freedom people had to die and so many did die. Their fight was for freedom. Every
war we have ever fought has been for freedom, because freedom must be fought
for and blood must be shed. Contrary to what some say, freedom is worth the
fight and worth the bloodshed. Therefore, on behalf of our church we would like
to thank God for all the brave men and women who have died in our great nation
for freedom at home and around the world. We thank the families of those who
have lost loved ones in wars, we cannot experience your loss nor your pain, but
we can and do say thank you. We thank God for the braveness of those who has
served and those who were wounded for the fight for our freedom. Wednesday we
will celebrate our Nations Independent Day, let us not forget those who fought,
those who were wounded, and those who died to deliver and sustain our glorious
freedom.
Now I want to talk about another freedom, not one celebrated
by the American people only but by the world. Even for those who might be in worldly
bondage today, can have the freedom that God gives, and that freedom is only
found in one man, Jesus Christ. This freedom is the freedom of sin and death.
The Apostle Paul wrote “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ
hath made us free…” Jesus Christ by His own death, His own blood being shed,
brought to all who believe on Him, freedom from sin, the power of sin, and serving
sin. We through this freedom have no slavery to sin, it has no power over us.
Lost people will serve sin all their life never understanding what freedom
truly is. But we through the grace of God, who have this freedom, no longer
have to serve sin. All we have to do is to resist the temptations of sin and
choose to serve God. “And if it seem evil
unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the
gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the
gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we
will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15 This scripture has nothing to do with
choosing salvation, but rather waking-up every day, thanking God and choosing
to serve Him instead of Satan and sin. The worst thing a saved person can do is
to serve sin over God. Moses gave us this warning, See, I
have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil…In that I
command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to
keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live
and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou
goest to possess it…But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear,
but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;” Deuteronomy
30:15 – 17 Paul said in our text scripture “…be not entangled again with
the yoke of bondage.” So, let us all remember and enjoy the freedom we have in this
world, but let us also remember and enjoy the freedom we have as Christians.
Let us all work to serve the Lord, His commandments, which is His word. Do not
fall back into bondage and allow Satan to lead you away from your service to
the very God and Saviour who gave you freedom.
