by Rev. Alex Stevenson

Gospel: John 8:31-36

What is freedom? The story of the United States of America is a story for the search for freedom. Many of the original settlers sought freedom from religious oppression. Some sought freedom from poverty and hopelessness in Europe. On the fourth of July we remember the signing of the "Declaration of Independence" which sought freedom from political oppression. Our Constitution contains a "Bill of Rights" that outlines freedoms of speech, assembly, religion, the press and others. Freedom is very much a part of who we are as a nation.

The story of the USA is a story of freedom, but it is also a story of slavery. Sometimes we forget that when the Europeans came here there were already some people living here. The settler's treatment of the Native Americans is a story of oppression; of stealing land and of massacring them. It is a story of concentration camps and forced exiles. This land was call America was stolen, for the most part, from its original owners. And then there is the story of slavery itself. Millions of Africans were brought over in chains. Half of them didn't even survive the voyage. And those who did were treated like cattle. The economic growth of the United States in it early years was bought through the enslavement of Africans. Then there was the economic slavery of the industrial revolution. Immigrants with little or nothing were made to work long hours in horrible conditions with no benefits. They had to live in company housing and buy from company stores. Oh, they were free to leave any time they wanted to but if they did they might be arrested because they owed money at the company store. Like the old song says, "St. Peter don't call me now I owe my soul to the company store"

The story of the United States of America is a story of freedom and slavery. Since we will be celebrating the birth of our nation this week it seems appropriate to ask, "What is freedom?" And in answering that question we will also address the question "What is slavery?"

The Bible has a lot to say about freedom and slavery. Judaism in the Old Testament is based on the freeing of slaves. The most formative act in Jewish history was the exodus from slavery to the Promised Land. Every year the people would remember through the festival of the Passover that God had led them out of slavery. They would also remind themselves to treat others justly because their ancestors were once slaves in Egypt. Like us their story is a story of freedom and slavery.

So it is appropriate that on the eve of our nation's celebration of freedom we read about Jesus talking to some Jews about freedom and slavery. Jesus, while speaking to some Jews who had believe in him said, "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples and you will know the truth and the truth will make you free."(John 8:31-32) This puzzled these Jews. Were they not already free? Hadn't Moses led them out of slavery? Hadn't God the Almighty already freed them, then why was Jesus saying "You will be made free."

So Jesus explained. Any one who commits a sin is a slave to sin and a slave can be sold to another household at any time. But a son or daughter has a permanent place in the household. So if the Son sets you free you are free indeed. They may be descendants of Abraham but that alone does not make them free. They should do what the Father commands, live by his truth and the truth will make them free.

I am sure this puzzled those Jews at first because it did me. What does Jesus mean? If we commit sin we are slaves to sin and since all have sinned we are all in slavery. But if God's only begotten Son sets us free, he makes us sons and daughters of God and we are permanent members of the family. But we must be willing to accept God's Word and Jesus Christ is God's Word in the flesh. In summary, true freedom comes only by accepting Jesus Christ who is the truth of God manifest in the flesh.

So what does this mean for us and our experience of slavery and freedom? First of all Jesus is the only one who can make us truly free. A person might protest, "But I have the freedom to go where I will and do what I like. Am I not free?" You may have the power to do whatever you like but you are not free. Sin is a slave master to all who sin and all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. You may live to a ripe old age and experience all kinds of earthly freedoms but eventually death catches up with everyone. The wages of sin is death. You may be freed to go where you like and do what you like but ultimately we all go down to death.

People who indulge in sinful lifestyles experience the slavery of sin in this life. Just ask any recovering alcoholic. They will tell you that the urge to drink is a cruel slave master. Ask any one who has left a life of sexual "freedom" and they will tell you it was really slavery. When a desire for shallow relationships and encounters is indulged it just grows stronger. And eventually it rules your life. We all know of people who have become slaves to the desire for power and money.

But Jesus has the power to set all of us who are slaves to sin free. He is the only begotten Son of the Father and he died to purchase our freedom. The truth written in his blood is the only Declaration of Independence that can free us from the chains of sin and death. The 13th Amendment may have freed the slaves, but only Jesus' 1st amendment on the cross can free us from sin and death. In order to receive true freedom we must accept Him. We must be willing to allow God's Word and love into out lives. We must accept the Truth and that Truth will make us free.

But some will say, "Preacher why do you speak about slavery so close to the fourth of July. We are Americans! Slavery is long in our past. We are a nation of free men and women with rights." But I have to point you back to Jesus words. Anyone who sins is a slave to sin. And only Jesus can make you free.

What American needs first and foremost is Jesus. It is wonderful to struggle for the civil rights of people. It is great and good to work for freedom and democracy all over the world. But what America needs, to be truly free, is Jesus.

America needs Jesus. Like me, you have probably heard that said before. And then it is usually followed by a political platform which claims to bring Jesus to America. Let me tell you no politician or political party can make America truly free! I don't care how Christian they say they or how often they quote the Bible or even if the word Christian appears in their name.

Only Jesus can set America free.

Do you believe in freedom? Well according to Jesus true freedom is freedom from sin. And true slavery is a life not given to Christ. You can live in the most repressive nation in the world and if you have the truth of Christ you are free. And the opposite is also true; you can live in the freest nation in the world but without Jesus you are a slave.

That is the truth. Don't misunderstand me. The freedoms we are granted as American citizens are great. We should celebrate the freedom to vote, to practice our religion, to say what we believe, to gather peacefully. But let's not forget that true freedom is more than that.

If you truly believe in freedom then spread the truth of Jesus Christ. It is right to spread democracy around the world. It is proper to stand up for human rights around the world and civil rights in our community. But let's not forget spiritual freedom

You know we hold up people like Benjamin Franklin, Sojourner Truth, Abraham Lincoln, and Martin Luther King, Jr. who worked to set people free. Would you like to free some slaves? Then tell someone about Jesus Christ. Yes, fight for their political and physical freedom. But don't forget that people need Jesus to make that freedom worth living.

About The Author:

Rev. Alex Stevenson is with Aldersgate United Methodist Church

by Timothy Jones

Scripture: 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 the yolk of slavery.

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.

This is the beginning statement of the Constitution of the United States of America.

It signifies this country's freedom - the break off from the Queen.

Ladies and gentlemen freedom is not free.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free, stand firm then and do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yolk of slavery.

Eleanor Roosevelt was quoted at the end of WWII with these words: When the word was flashed that peace had come to the world again, I found myself filled with a very curious sensations. I had no desire to go out and celebrate. The weight of suffering which has engulfed the world during so many years could not so quickly be wiped out.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free, stand firm then and do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yolk of slavery.

I could have gone several directions with this verse but, I felt the Lord leading us into three important points about Freedom.

Point 1: Freedom demands change.

Turn with me to:

2 Corinthians 5:17, therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come.

Mark the bible the last 4 words

Freedom changed our country:

On 7 December 1941 the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. That was one of the great defining moments in history. It was what propelled America into the war. The military would not be the only ones to respond, America herself responded. Americans' willingness to carry out blackout and civil defense drills; to recycle metals, rubber, paper, and even cooking fats; to work longer hours, but to have fewer consumer goods to buy with their salaries demonstrated the nation's strong support for the war. There were political changes as well, as the country began to shift to the right. The entire country went to war. Factories changed over from what ever had they made to making bullets, bombs, aircraft, tanks and parachutes anything to support the war. Victory gardens were planted to reduce the pressure on the public food supply brought on by the war effort. The government went on a major propaganda campaign billboards and posters were everywhere about victory; even the cartoons portrayed Americans beating up on Hitler. Everyone in America did something to support the war. America came together to Fight for Freedom. America was changed; Women began to do the jobs that the men used to do. They worked in factories, steel mills, and on fighter planes. A woman who worked in an industrial or manufacturing job was referred to as "Rosy the Riviter".

Freedom Changes our country and freedom changes us:

Paul's encounter with the Christ on the Damascus road in Acts 9:1-15 changed him forever. It is the same way with us, when we meet Christ. We become new people. The Holy Spirit gives us new life, and we are not the same anymore. We are not reformed, rehabilitated, or reeducated - we are recreated. At our conversion, we are not merely turning over a new leaf; we are beginning a new life under a new Master. The old life of sin and death has gone; the selfish, sinful human nature has been dealt a death blow. The old ways of thinking, old distinctions, the old habits, have been abolished. In its place, a new life has begun.

I'm turning over to Matthew 18:3  I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

The disciples needed to become as little children. Jesus wanted them to change their attitude toward greatness. The disciples had become preoccupied with the organization of an earthly kingdom and were seeking positions of advantage. (Sound Familiar?) Jesus used a child to help his self-centered disciples get the point. We are to have servant attitudes, trusting, not being "childish" but "childlike," not arguing over petty issues but to be humble and have sincere hearts.

Freedom demands change.

Point 2: Freedom does not guarantee a trouble free life

Turn with me to James chapter 1 verses 2-3

Freedom does not guarantee a trouble free life:

James tells us to Consider it pure joy my brothers, when ever you face trails of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

The Declaration of Independence says this; We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator certain unalienable rights.

Do you believe that the fore fathers of our country had any idea that abortion would become an epidemic in our society? That through these writings would come out such a total disregard for the unborn life? Do you think that authors of the Declaration of Independence thought that the words all men are created equal would become at the fore- front of the issue of same sex marriage in America? In America we have problems balancing the budget, we have problems with the leaders of this country not following the will of God, not praying first. Our own presidents have been adulterers.

America may be free ladies and gentlemen; we may be the melting pot for the world but with our freedoms come our problems.

James doesn't say if we face trails, but whenever we face them, he knew that we are going to have trials and it is possible to profit from them. The point is not to pretend to be happy when we face pain, but to have a positive outlook (let it be an opportunity for joy), because of what trials can produce in our lives. James tells us to turn our hardships into times of learning, tough times can teach us perseverance.

I'm turning to Luke 17 verse 1 Jesus is speaking his disciples that: Things that cause people to sin are bound to come X2, but woe to that person through who they come.

Jesus and James both knew we would have problems in our lives

Because people are sinful and because people live in relationship with one another, they will tempt each other to sin.

Jesus explained that while there would always be temptations in our lives, that did not excuse the person who does the tempting.

Freedom does not guarantee a trouble free life.

Point 3: The price of freedom is a personal sacrifice

Our third and final point is this;

The price of freedom is a personal sacrifice.

John 8:34-36 Jesus replied and here he goes again saying Listen up, pay attention I have something to tell you, He says. I tell you the truth, 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.

During our Civil War each side fought for a cause. During that time Fredrick Douglas was quoted as saying this:

Once a black man get upon his person the brass letters U.S., Let him get an eagle on his button, and a musket on his shoulder, and bullets in his pockets, and there is no power on earth which can deny that he has earned the right to citizenship in the United States.

President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation (Proc)lamation on January 1, 1863, as the nation approached its third year of bloody civil war. The (proc)lamation declared "that all persons held as slaves" within the rebellious states "are, and henceforward shall be free."

Despite this expansive wording, the Emancipation (Proc)lamation was limited in many ways. It applied only to states that had seceded from the Union, leaving slavery untouched in the loyal Border States. It also expressly exempted parts of the Confederacy that had already come under Northern control. Most important, the freedom it promised depended upon Union military victory.

After January 1, 1863, every advance of federal troops expanded the domain of freedom. Moreover, the Proclamation announced the acceptance of black men into the Union Army and Navy, enabling the liberated to become liberators. By the end of the war, almost 200,000 black soldiers and sailors had fought for the Union and their personal freedom.

These soldiers fought for freedom, for the freedom for themselves, the freedom of never being whipped by the master, freedom from being sold, from their families being split apart. Freedom for their people..

The price of freedom is a personal sacrifice.

Jesus Christ made it a personal sacrifice, Galatians 5:1 It is for freedom the Christ has set us free.

Jesus gave us liberty!

Romans 6:22-23 But now you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (mark the bible)

. Faith makes us righteous in God's eyes and challenges us to realize that righteousness is in practical living, doing those things that lead to holiness and eternal life. Holiness is gained as a process over our entire life wherein we become more Christ like and set apart for his service; eternal life begins at conversion and, despite the physical death we will inevitably face, continues beyond the grave.

This result of sin is not just physical death - everyone dies physically, believers and nonbelievers alike. This refers to eternal separation from God in hell. This is the wage that a person receives for his or her rebellion against God. Those in hell will find no comfort, in the truth that they have been paid exactly what they earned. But instead of wages, those who believe receive a free gift from God - eternal life.

Our salvation is a gift of God, not something of our own doing (Ephesians 2:8-9). He saved us because of his mercy, not because of any righteous acts on our part (Titus 3:5). That is personal for each one of us.

Colossians 1:19-20 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him and through him reconcile to himself all things whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood shed on the cross.

(X2)SLOW

His reconciliation was accomplished through Christ's blood on the cross. "Reconciliation" means reestablishing a relationship, causing a relationship to become friendly and peaceable when it had not been so. Because Christ is Creator and Sustainer of everything (1:17), his death on the cross provided reconciliation for everything. To include you and me.

True Freedom came at the expense of God's one and only Son for the sins of us all.

The price of freedom is personal.

Freedom isn't free!

I would like to close with Galatians 5:13 You my brothers, were called to be free.

For generations men and women have gone off to war to defend the constitution of the United States of America, against all enemies foreign and domestic. These Men and women came together across our land to fight for one common cause that is Freedom. Today, take time to pay tribute for those who have fallen for the rights of freedom.

by Rev. Alex Stevenson

Scripture: Galatians 5:1, 13-25

Freedom! It's what we celebrate this week. The 4th of July is when the 13 colonies declared their independence and became free from England. It was a new union dedicated to the idea that each human being had a right to be free. One of its earliest acts was to institute a Bill of Rights, which forbade the government from infringing on the freedom of people to practice religious or speak or assemble.

Throughout the history of the United States most of our conflicts have been about freedom. Even the greatest of our conflicts the Civil War was about freedom. Then there was workers rights and women's suffrage. The wars we have fought have always been, at least in the popular mind, about setting people free.

So we celebrate that freedom this weekend. But what is freedom? And what do we do with it? We have been given great freedoms in this country and we need to ask ourselves how we use the freedom we have.

What is freedom? To the founders of the United States it was freedom from the tyranny of government. It was about the people telling the government what to do instead of the government telling the people. It was about being free to worship or not worship God as one saw fit. It was about being free from excessive taxation. It was about being able to say what you think without fear of being thrown in jail.

And for the most part we experience those freedoms in The United States. But are we truly free? Are people stuck in a cycle of poverty really free? Are people ensnared by materialism or hedonism really free? Are fearful people who lock the world out either physically or mentally really free?

We aren't free. We Americans may be more free from government intrusion than other nations but we are really enslaved. We are slaves to our prosperity. We are slaves to our desires. We are slaves to our fears. As a people we are slaves to sin!

Perhaps it would help to look at what the Bible says about freedom. It says, "For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love be servants of one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"(Galatians 5:13-14) According to the Bible freedom is not license to do what one wilt. It is an opportunity to serve God. The exercise of true freedom is not found in doing your own thing, but in serving your neighbor.

This Christian understanding that freedom is servanthood is the exact opposite of the world's understanding. According to the world one is free who can go wherever they want and do whatever they want. But such a person is actually enslaved to his or her own desires. Their wants control them and tell them where to go and what to do.

The Bible says, "walk by the Spirit, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh." (Galatians 5:16) Also, "if you are led by the Spirit you are not under the law." (Galatians 5:18) The only way to be free of desire of the flesh is to allow the Spirit of God to free you. If anyone is enslaved to sin only God in Jesus Christ can make him or her truly free. No government, or constitution or bill of rights can do that, only God!

In short freedom should be an opportunity to serve others not ourselves. So what do you use your freedom for? Paul described those who used their freedom for serving self. He wrote, "Now the works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." (Galatians 5:19-21)

This is not a way of freedom it is a way of slavery to sin and death. But it seems to describe the people of our age. How much fornication and impurity do you see in our society? What about envy, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness? And if you look close you may see a little of yourself in it too.

Those who use their freedom for serving others are described this way: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23) He goes on, "And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit." (Galatians 5:24-25)

Freedom! It is what we celebrate this weekend. As citizens of the United States of America you have freedoms that others only dream of. The freedom to go where you want to do what you want. We take for granted the ability to just pick up and go wherever we wish on our vacations and even the economic ability to take a vacation.

What are you doing with your freedom? Are you serving others or serving yourself? Can you see selfishness and strife in your life? When you hear Paul list of the works of the flesh do you see yourself in them? If you can then you are serving yourself. If you are serving yourself then you really aren't free. You are a slave to your desires and wants.

Do you believe in freedom? Then seek to be truly free. Sacrifice your wants and desires in love to others. Seek to live the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness. If you want to be free to do these things then ask Jesus to set you free, not so that you can indulge yourself, but so you can live God's love for others. Declare your independence from sin and death.

About The Author:

Rev. Alex Stevenson is with Aldersgate United Methodist Church

by Rev. Alex Stevenson

Scripture: Daniel 6:6-16

The book of Daniel tells us the story of Daniel and other faithful Jews who were taken prisoner in Israel and carried off into exile in Babylon and later under the Persians. In exile they stay true to their faith in God even though it sometimes puts them at odds with the culture and political powers around them. They refused to eat unclean foods or to bow down to idols. And God blesses them, especially Daniel, who climes in the ranks of the court. His wisdom and dedication endears him to the king who values him highly. But God's blessing on him cause other to be jealous. So they plot to eliminate him.

That is where our scripture picks up the story. They know that Daniel is faithful so they decide to entrap him by inducing the King to give an edict that for a month all people are to pray only to him. As soon as Daniel hears of this edict, he goes home to pray. What's a person of faith to do when a plot like this hatched against them, but to pray to God for help! Yet Daniel doesn't hide the fact that he is praying! He prays in front of an open window.

It's an open and shut case. Daniel, the King's golden boy, has flagrantly broken an edict. So he is thrown in the lion's den to be eaten alive. So what happened to Daniel? God sent an angel to shut the lions' mouths and he was set free and God was glorified.

But forget that last part. That is the part that children's Sunday School and VBS classes often emphasize, and it is important. But Daniel did not know that would happen. He didn't defy the King thinking "Oh, God will send an angel to save me." He probably knew that was a possibility, but he also knew that God might also allow him to be killed: martyred as a witness to his faith. Still he prayed to God openly and in defiance of the King's order.

This story of courage and bravery on Daniel's part has given people of faith courage down through the centuries. This story encouraged Jews as they lived under the Greeks and later the Romans to remain faithful even though they were persecuted. I am sure, as Christians were being fed to wild animals, they recalled this story. It even inspired Gandhi in the 20th century. As his people were suffering under the colonial rule of Great Britain, he learned from the wisdom and faith of Daniel.

Gandhi used Daniel's faithful disobedience of the king as a model for his own program of civil disobedience. Just as Daniel openly, and peacefully, defied the unjust edict of King Darius, Gandhi led a movement to openly and peacefully defy the rule of Britain. This peaceful civil disobedience also inspired Martin Luther King, Jr. in his struggle for civil rights. This biblical example of civil disobedience as applied by Gandhi in India, was adapted by King. It formed the basis of King's nonviolent social action against racist and unjust laws in America.

This defiance of the government was all about recognizing a higher law of justice. It was about standing up to edicts that were in contradiction to God's law of mercy and justice. This defiance was not done in secret, but in the open, and included enduring the punishment for breaking the laws as a way of spotlighting the unjustness of those laws. So people peacefully and nonviolently broke laws that denied voting rights or that segregated people based on the color of their skin. And they filled the jails with people who would then sing freedom song in their cells. Then they would go to trial and those trials would shine the light of truth on the injustice being done.

Now some Christians are uncomfortable with this. After all the Bible tells us to obey the civil authorities. (Romans 13:1) Jesus said to "render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's." (Matt. 22:21) So can a Godly person willingly and knowingly break the law? The Bible gives us examples of people of faith like Daniel and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and the Christians who refused to worship Caesar.

The issue is what we should do when God's law conflict with earthly laws. If I were to decided that red should mean go and green should mean stop and I starting going on red. That would not be Christian Civil disobedience. There is nothing in God's law that says what colors should be go or stop so conforming to the laws of the land is not in contradiction with serving God. Where earthly laws and God's laws do not conflict we should follow earthly laws. Even if that means driving on one side of the road in one country and on the other in another country according to each nation's law and custom.

But in matters of justice sometimes God's law calls us to peacefully disobey earthly authorities. When King Darius' edict told Daniel to pray to a human or the three lads to bow down to an idol, they were called to peacefully disobey those laws. If we are talking about equality and human rights, we may find that following God's law of love puts us in opposition to earthly laws. This was the basis of civil disobedience among abolitionists, suffragettes, and the civil rights movement in our own nation's past. In cases like those, we are called, as Daniel was, to break the law; to defy unjust edicts and to do so in Godly nonviolent way.

Jesus said to render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and the God the things that are God's. The important phrase there is "to God the things that are God's." As Christians our first priority is to worship and serve God above all else. We can love our country and be loyal to it, but only to the extent that it does not put us in conflict with our loyalty to God. We answer to the eternal law of God first, then to the temporal law of the civil authorities. The Bible says nothing about whether you should go on green or red or what side of the road you should drive on. In those laws we render unto Caesar. But at times, in matters of righteousness and justice, the civil authorities are in conflict with God's law.

So down through the ages some Christians, like Daniel, have chosen to defy the government. Helping slaves escape to Canada or helping Jews escape Nazi Germany are two modern examples. Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. and their method of nonviolent social action is another example.

Love your country. Sing "God Bless America." Lord know we need a blessing! But like Daniel, recognize that devotion to God always comes first. Be ready to peacefully resist, and even civilly disobey, your country for the sake of love, justice, and human rights.

About The Author:

Rev. Alex Stevenson is with Aldersgate United Methodist Church