Freedom - September 2008

December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks sat down near the front of a city bus in Montgomery, Alabama.  The law said she had to sit in the back because she was “colored.”  The white man told her to move.  She said, “no.”  She said she wasn’t too tired to move, just “tired of giving in.”  Mrs. Parks knew that Christ had given her freedom and she was tired of man taking it away.  Persecution followed her throughout the city…the cost of her stand for freedom was high and she finally left her home for a friendlier place.  With her family she left Montgomery and moved to Detroit where she died in 2006.  The segregation still goes on.  Why?  Freedom came at a cost. 

            October 31, 1517, Martin Luther was tired.  Luther was tired of the abuses the Roman Church was hurling at the people across Europe.  The people were afraid of an angry God represented by an angry and abusive church.  The church forced people to buy pieces of paper that would guarantee forgiveness of sins.  Such “indulgences” were even available for sins planned but yet to be committed.  On that day, Martin Luther nailed 95 theses to the chapel door at Wittenburg and persecution followed him to inquisition where he stood and said, “here I stand, I can do no other, so help me God.”  With that stand freedom became unstoppable.  Yet people still believe they can buy favor with God by being good and doing the right things.  Why?  Why do we do favors for God and then pretend he owes us favors in return.  We all do it.  Lord help us to stand in Christ alone!!!  He has helped us by freeing us from religion and bondage but that freedom came at a cost.

            Sometime in 4 B.C. a baby was born of a virgin.  33 years later he was killed. Galatians 5:1 tells us that “it was for freedom that Christ has already set us free.”  The passage goes on and tells us to not allow ourselves to be bound again by a yoke of slavery.  Live in the freedom Christ has given you!  He has given us the freedom of sons and daughters of the King so quit sitting in the spiritual ‘back of the bus’.  He has given us the freedom to approach the throne of grace with freedom and confidence so quit shirking back from the “throne of GRACE” (Ephesians 1).  He has given us freedom to worship and love and live in joy.  This Sunday we look at John 12:23-26 and find the freedom he has given us.  If Jesus has already died for us, then what death is left for us to die?  If we are to “follow him” then where is freedom?  Hope to see you on Sunday as we look at the “Paradox of Life from Death.”

 

Yours in the Lamb,

Harrison Spitler, Pastor