PRESENTER'S NOTES

This past 4th of July, my family and I with some friends enjoyed watching a beautiful fireworks display hosted by the city of Bentonville. The sprays of explosive colors overhead inspired great awe. This particular show had one of the most impressive finales I had ever seen! It’s easy to come to this kind of celebration and reflect on the joys of freedom. Patriotism seems to rise this time of year as people reflect on our nation’s independence declared from England back in 1776.

freedom (Google definitions)
Noun:    

    The power or right to act, speak or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.

DISCUSS CHILDHOOD FILM and the concept that mankind has about freedom

QUOTES

"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!" -- Patrick Henry

"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it." -- Tom Paine

"Nevertheless, to the persecution and tyranny of his cruel ministry we will not tamely submit -- appealing to Heaven for the justice of our cause, we determine to die or be free." -- Joseph Warren, 1775

The American Revolution lasted from 1775 to 1783, almost eight years. It brought about a change and the beginnings of further change in man’s view of freedom, namely, freedom of choice.

INTERESTINGLY, a cause against an authority that succeeds is called a revolution. The same cause failed is called a rebellion.

Please turn to…

John 8: 31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,
32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

>>> The sum of your word is truth,
and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.
(Psalms 119:160)<<<

33 They answered him, We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, You will become free?

34 Jesus answered them, Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.
35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever.
36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Here we find freedom defined by Jesus as “knowing the truth”. Just before that we learn that we know the truth by keeping His word, and from other reference, we see that all of the Word of God is summed up as “truth”.

Romans 6: 6 We know that our old self-was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.
7 For one who has died has been set free from sin.
8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.
9 We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.
10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.
11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions.

***even a passion for freedom of choice?***

Moving on to verse 16… Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?

Here again, we find freedom defined as a life where sin no longer rules, but we also find that, because we are imperfect humans, we must obey SOMETHING. So, this freedom from sin requires we become slaves to obedience. Obedience to what? Well, the word of God, of course, which leads to righteousness.

ANOTHER QUOTE

“There are many points and particulars in which the Gospel is offensive to human nature and revolting to the pride of the creature. It was not intended to please man. How can we attribute such a purpose to God? Why should He devise a goal to suit the whims of our poor fallen human nature? He intended to save men, but He never intended to gratify their depraved tastes.” - C.H. Spurgeon

Revelation 1: 4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia:
Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne,
5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood
6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

As Christians, we have been called out of a slavery that promises us death, being freed from the eternal penalty of sin. It is not a freedom defined as one of choice, but a freedom that means eternal life. Man, in his effort without the Spirit of God, nobly desires a state of being where he can choose freely what he believes to be right. This can and has led to strife especially where authority is deemed unjust or tyrannical. But, we as Christians are called to live a righteous life no matter our state of human freedom, whether in action or thought, no matter our education, our gender, our color. No matter how we think the Gospel should be preached or who should be in charge of doing that preaching? We are called to obey the word of God, freed from sin, slaves to obedience, submitting ourselves one to another in the Lord.