Some years ago a group of historians
gathered together to determine how many years of war and peace
the world had experienced over the past 5600 years. As they
reviewed the data they concluded that over the 5600 years they
looked at 14,351 wars had been fought and 3.6 billion people
killed. They also concluded that of the 5600 years there were
only 293 years of peace throughout the world. Sobering numbers
aren't they.
Now I don't know this for sure but I
suggest that each war in some way dealt with the issue of
freedom, one side wanting freedom from some form of
oppression, and the other not wanting to give up on what they
had, whether it be land, people, or natural resources. Freedom
is so precious to humanity, it must be because we as the human
race have spent most of our existence trying to achieve it or
preserve it.
It's interesting that today as our
secular and Christian calendars converge we recognize both
Memorial Day, the day we remember those who have died in
defense of freedom, and this year's remembrance will also
recognize the 60th anniversary of D-Day. And we celebrate
Pentecost, the last day of the Easter season, a season in
which we celebrate our freedom in Christ.
So what is this "freedom" we so often
talk about? We tend to throw the word "freedom" around a lot,
especially today when we speak of the war in Iraq and
Afghanistan, and as we speak of the freedom that comes from
knowing Christ, but what does freedom actually mean?
Webster's Dictionary defines freedom
as the absence of hindrance, restraint, or confinement, and
Webster's also defines freedom as the liberation from the
control of some other person.
Some define freedom, as ones ability
to do what one wants, as long as it agrees with the person
granting the so-called freedom. And still others define
freedom, as the ability to do whatever one wants, without
regards for others. So what really is freedom and why do we
seek it with such passion?
On this Memorial Day we remember those
who have served in the military, those who in days or years
past gave their life for the cause of freedom. And we also
pause today to salute those who currently serve in our armed
forces, potentially sacrificing their lives for the cause of
freedom.
It's ironic however, when you stop and
think about it, that those men and women who voluntarily serve
in the military to defend freedom, also voluntarily give up
their freedom to do so.
Think about it. When you take an oath
to serve in the military you "solemnly swear (or affirm) to
support and defend the Constitution of the United States
against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that you will bear
true faith and allegiance to the same; and that you will obey
the orders of the President of the United States and the
orders of the officers appointed over you, according to
regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help
you God."
This oath literally strips from you
the very rights and freedoms you defend; yet by giving up
their freedom, those who serve in the military make it
possible for us to live in a free and relatively safe country.
Soldiers, marines, sailors, airmen and the like cannot disobey
orders, are not free to say what they want for the most part,
are not able to make their own decisions, and yes sometimes
they are called to make the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of
others, they give up their tomorrows so we can have our todays.
Yes, this gift we call freedom, something we largely take for
granted, does come at a price.
Another cost of freedom is
understanding that folks in our society are free to say what
they want, they're free to do what they want for the most
part, as long as it doesn't violate a law or impede someone
else's freedom, and folks are free to think and act
differently than we do. This aspect of freedom isn't always a
welcome one, but it is another cost to having the freedom we
enjoy.
Many folks feel that freedom is an
entitlement, meaning it's owed to us; it's something we
deserve. But freedom is not an entitlement, it's a gift
offered to us by Almighty God, not by a person or a nation,
but by Almighty God. It's a gift to be cherished and nurtured,
and it's a gift to be shared for the purpose of building
people up, not tearing them down. Jesus in his quest to free
the world from sin also paid the ultimate price. He gave up
his freedom; he sacrificed his life, he shed his blood so that
you and I could live free from the bondage to sin, and to free
us from eternal death.
Now for us to truly experience the
freedom Christ offers us there too is a cost, and that cost
involves giving up some of our so-called society-oriented
freedoms. For example, we aren't free to do whatever we want,
we aren't free to affirm "an anything goes" kind-of-attitude,
we aren't free to live an "it's about me kind of life," no, as
disciples of Jesus we are called to live a certain way, we are
called to uphold certain moral and ethical standards, we are
called to treat people as we would like to be treated, we are
called to share all that we have and to be obedient to God's
Word. For Christians this is the cost of freedom.
But in reality what I've found, these
so called costs to freedom aren't costs at all. By not
engaging in society's idea of freedom in the most extreme
sense, we actually become all the freer. Think about it, what
does a "we can do whatever we want attitude lead to," lack of
responsibility, hurt feelings, and distrust. What does an
"anything goes kind of attitude lead to," greed, abuse, and
dishonesty. What does a "self-focused life lead to," no
friends, alienation, and loneliness. What does an "immoral
life lead to," low self-worth, lack of purpose, and a life
void of honor and respectability. Yet in our quest to secure
freedom, we sometimes miss the point that freedom can actually
lead to addictions and other things that actually impede ones
freedom.
As Christians what we need to realize
is what society calls freedom, is in part, inconsistent with
the freedom God offers, and isn't really freedom at all.
Living free in Christ means living a worry-free life, knowing
you have a sense of purpose, living with an understanding that
we are surrounded by God's love, and are living with hope. I
don't know about you but this sounds like the kind of freedom
I want to experience.
Many of you know that Mr. Anders died
this past Friday morning. As I came to know Mr. Anders better
over the past couple of weeks of his life it's clear to me
that he served as an example of living free in Christ. He
wasn't worried, he lived with a sense of purpose, he knew he
was surrounded by God's love, and he lived with hope in his
heart.
I would like to share some comments
Mr. Anders made to me during one of my visits, a visit I won't
soon forget. In the midst of our conversation he said, "I look
forward to going to church every Sunday, it's the highlight of
my week." He went on and said to me, "I can't hear most of
what you or anyone says, and I can't see most of what's gong
on, but I want to be there." And then a small tear rolled down
his check.
You see Mr. Anders, despite his
inability to hear or see well, wanted to be at church because
it was one of the places he experienced God. He was there to
worship the living God. He was there to give praise to his
creator. He was there because he lived free in Christ, and
wanted to acknowledge so in public worship. He got it; he
understood life is all about God and the freedom he offers
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Now the cost we pay for this type of
freedom is turning away from society's latest fads, this may
cost us friends, we may become the butt of jokes, or we may be
the topic of gossip, so be it. We can rest in the assurance of
Christ's freedom, which is far more important than society's
idea of freedom.
Freedom in Christ also costs us our
pride, not something we give up easily. To be free in Christ
means having a sense of humility about us, it means being
honest enough to claim we are sinners, each one of us, we
aren't perfect, we do make mistakes, we do need help, we do
sin against our friends, family, and one another. It is said
that a saint is a sinner who has fallen and has gotten back
up.
Saying a simple prayer to God stating
we're sinners and turning our life over to him thinking we
have now done our faith thing and will experience eternal life
is inadequate. One prayer doesn't stop us from sinning for all
time. This isn't freedom; this cheapens the idea of freedom in
Christ. Bonhoeffer call this "cheap grace." Yes, we need to
understand that we're sinners and it's only through Christ's
sacrifice on the cross and his resurrection that we can
someday rightly stand before God. But this doesn't change the
hard fact that we are sinners in need of constant help, and
this is why God sent us the Holy Spirit.
And thank God he didn't give up on us
and he did send the Holy Spirit to save us from ourselves.
To be free in Christ means we
recognize the fact that we depend on God from breath to
breath, and heart beat to heartbeat. To be free in Christ we
must recognize and acknowledge we need the Holy Spirit in our
lives every minute of every day.
The Holy Spirit lives within our
hearts, and if we allow the Spirit to work, if we follow the
leadings of God's Spirit we can turn away from sin, we can
live a more righteous life, and we can live free.
On this Pentecost Sunday we remember
the Holy Spirit coming upon the disciples and those others
present. We celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit and
acknowledge that by the power of this same Spirit we have the
privilege to take part in God's plan to free all of humanity
from sin in all its forms.
The giving of the Holy Spirit is what
shapes Christian community, and through the power of the Holy
Spirit we have been given the gifts to share the saving grace
of Jesus Christ. By saying yes to Jesus we become disciples,
which by definition means we are partners with God in bringing
the message of freedom to all people. We have an obligation to
help all humankind understand what it means to really be free.
As Christians we have been set apart to break away from the
ways of our secular community for the sake of leading the
community to Christ. As Christians we have the freedom to
honor our secular relationships, like celebrating Memorial
Day, while charting the course of God's call into a new
future.
Christ died to set us free from sin
and from a long list of laws and regulations. Christ came to
set us free, not free to do whatever we want because that
would lead us back into slavery to our selfish desires.
Rather, thanks to Christ, we are now free and able to do what
was once impossible and that is to live unselfishly.
So today we honor those who have given
their life for freedom, and I can think of no greater honor
than to complete the mission they set out to accomplish. And
that mission is to ensure all people have the opportunity to
live free and hear the freeing word of the Gospel. After all,
our mission is to make disciples of Jesus.
Freedom in Christ is the ultimate
answer to hopelessness and the way to everlasting peace. Yet
unlike worldly peace, which is usually defined as the absence
of conflict, the peace of Christ is the confident assurance
that in any circumstance we encounter we have no need to fear
the present or the future, because we know Christ is with us,
and because we are free in Christ we can live in the sure and
certain hope of eternal life.
Amen!
Read other messages by Pastor Wade