Galatians 5:13-26

This is the 4th of July weekend and people are celebrating. But how are they celebrating? Some are cooking out. Some go swimming in the lake or at the beach. Others camp or hike or fish or hunt. Some set off fireworks. Some get drunk and party; hopefully not while they are boating or hunting or playing with fireworks. I know my family will be liberating our possessions from their boxes.

Basically they are just doing whatever they want to! The way we celebrate our liberty is important. It shows what we believe we are set free for. For most people freedom is all about doing whatever you want to.

If you try to tell them they should or shouldn't do something, what do they say? "It's a free country. I can do whatever I want. It's none of your business what I do. I can ignore my neighbor as long as I don't hurt anyone." For most people that is what liberty is. That is what they celebrate this weekend and that is how they celebrate.

But for the Christians, liberty is something different than what the world understands it to be! Paul said, "For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another."(vs. 13) First of all freedom is not supposed to be for self indulgence. That doesn't mean you can't have fun or have a holiday, but it defines the form that fun takes. He further defines that freedom as slavery! But can a slave be free?

This is a different kind of slavery than what we usually think of. It is not a servitude that is forced. It's a form of service that is chosen. Through love we choose to serve one another.

So we are set free from self indulgence, and set free to love. This is freedom from the tyranny of the flesh: "fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these." And we are set free for the liberty of the Spirit: "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." We are freed from the oppression of sin and emancipated to serve in love through the Spirit!

Now we say we believe the Bible. You know some people say they believe the Bible, but they don't follow what it says. If we truly believe it, then we will believe that real freedom is not about self indulgence but service in love. And if we really believe that, then it will affect the way we celebrate freedom! So how should Christians celebrate freedom?

First of all we should worship. Glorifying and worshipping God should be our first priority. We should wake up each morning and say, "I am free to praise and worship God all day." Of course freedom of religion was one the basic rights established early on in our country's history. We are free to worship as we choose.

The way most people practice their freedom of religion, it is really freedom "from" religion. We need to recognize that worshiping and serving God is what really sets us free. Attending worship should be a part of our celebration of freedom. I think I am in the minority though. Most people seem to stay away from church near the 4th.

Another way we should celebrate freedom is through sacrifice and service. This is again one of those truths that seems counter intuitive. The idea that we are set free to be slaves seems a contradiction. But that is only because we see it from the world's perspective. They think freedom is for self indulgence. But in truth self indulgence is slavery to selfish desires.

Liberty in the Spirit however is achieved by thinking of others. Just look at the fruits of the Spirit mentioned in this passage: "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." Many of them like love, kindness, generosity, gentleness have to do with how we treat others. They are the opposite of self indulgence.

The world's spirit of self indulgence is the real tyrant. That spirit will drive people deeper and deeper into shallow pursuits and addictions. It takes life away without giving anything back. But the liberty of the Spirit is realized in giving of ourselves for others, sacrificing our self indulgence for the needs of others. That service, or as Paul describes it "through love � slaves to one another," is what sets us free. If you want a truly free spirit, then give of yourself out of Love.

Another way we should celebrate Christian freedom is by seeking justice. "What does the Lord require of you? Do justice. Love kindness. And walk humbly with your God."(Micah 6:8) Doing justice is really achieved on two levels. The first is the personal level. It means acting justly and righteously. It means honoring God in our own hearts and minds. It means loving God and loving our neighbor and keeping the commandments.

But it is also is achieved on an interpersonal level. It means standing up against injustices in our society. It may even mean opposing, peacefully, policies and practices of our own government. I know it's ironic that as Christians we should celebrate Independence Day by protesting our own government, but that is what we are set free for! We are set free to act on our conscience.

Again here the world sees seeking personal and corporate justice as a tyranny. But in truth it is true freedom. Set your conscience free to love others and honor God by seeking justice for all. Take a stand for what you in your love for your neighbor believe is right. You might find yourself opposed to other Christians but that too is an opportunity for us all to be set free to know God's will better.

It is one thing to describe Christian freedom it is another to give an example of it. So what would this Christian freedom look like if lived out? Well, take a look at Jesus. He exemplified freedom through service. He humbled himself and took on the form of a slave to wash the disciple's feet. Even though he was the King of kings, he humbled himself and served. That service led him to the cross and to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Jesus also sought justice both personal and corporate. He opposed the corrupt institutions of his day. When the religious leaders and power brokers of his day oppressed people he stood against them. He also died that we might be set free to act justly on a personal level.

If you want an example of Christian freedom lived out, then look to Christ!

Celebrate your freedom this Independence Day weekend! But realize that your understanding of what freedom is differs from the world's view. They believe they were set free for self indulgence. But the Bible tells us that self indulgence is really slavery. True liberty is found in loving service to God and our neighbor.

Celebrate your liberty. Worship God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. Serve others out of the freedom, and in love give of yourself. Seek justice in your own heart and in the world.

After all you were set free not for self indulgence. You were set free to know and serve God. You were set free to know and practice the fruits of the Holy Spirit: "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." Celebrate your liberty in Christ!

2 Kings 5:1-14

Naaman was a great man. He was the general of the armies of Aram. He had won great victories and the king felt highly of him. Here was a man who was used to doing things big. He would lead thousands of warriors on campaigns into battle. He commanded his troops with authority. He was accustomed to giving orders and them being followed. He was used to people saluting him and calling him "Sir," and hanging on his every word. He was used to tackling big obstacles in big ways with big results.

But he was a leper. Of course leprosy could have been any number of skin diseases. If could have been Hanson's disease or an infection or severe acne or eczema. But whatever it was, it had humbled him. The constant discomfort and the unsightliness, disabled him in his service to his king. It was hindering his ability to command.

But there was a Hebrew servant in his house. She had been captured during one of his campaigns and she served his wife. This servant girl said to the great Naaman, "There is a prophet in Israel who can cure leprosy." Naaman told the king and the king sent him to Israel to be healed with bags of gold and silver as gifts.

After going to the King of Israel and scaring him, Naaman finally ended up at Elisha's house. Picture if you will the scene. Naaman the great and his entourage of servants and guards arrive at this little farm house. The collection of horses and men were probably bigger than the house. Then Elisha sends his servant out to talk to Naaman! "Hey, I am Naaman the Great, Naaman the terrible; I have waged campaigns of war across the known world. You don't send your servant out to me like I was your shepherd boy."

If that was not enough then the next thing had to be. The servant said "Go wash in the Jordan river 7 times." "What? I come all these miles with precious gifts and you tell me to take a bath." Keep in mind that in many places the Jordan River was just a muddy brook. It was not the Mississippi. It was more like the Congaree.

That was the last straw! If this prophet from this two bit country could not even face him and give a decent incantation and put on a good show, Naaman the Great and his posse were going back home. But his servants spoke to him and said, "If the prophet had told you to do something great you would have. Then why not do this simple things and see if it works." So Naaman the Great got down off his high horse and washed in the Jordan 7 times and was healed. As great as he was, it took humbling himself to be freed from the disease that imprisoned him.

Today is the 4th of July. 234 years ago the 13 British colonies in North America declared themselves free and independent. Since then The United States has grown. It has become a great economic power. It has become a great military power. It has created technological innovations that have transformed our world. It has even tried to be a great moral influence for human rights.

234 years later America is great! But what can we accomplish through greatness? Certainly we can try to yield our economic and military power to provide for the needy of the world and advance the cause of human rights. But power has its limits.

Notice that the heroes in the story of Naaman were not the powerful. It was a slave girl who told Naaman of the prophet who could heal him. It was the servants who advised him to take Elisha's advice and go wash in the Jordan. It was only when Naaman humbled himself that he was set free.

If we want to set others free we need to humble ourselves. It will not be our military or economic might or technological prowess that makes the biggest change in the world. It will be our willingness to serve. Jesus said the greatest in the kingdom of God will be the one who is willing to stoop the lowest to serve.

It we really want to set people free, we must humble ourselves. Just as Jesus did. Jesus practiced what he preached. He humbled himself to wash his disciple's feet. He their Lord, the one who had command of 10,000 angels, humbly allowed himself to be tried on trumped up charges and crucified unjustly.

Is America the Great willing to humble itself? We say we are one nation under God. If we are, then we must take God seriously. Naaman the Great humbled himself and was set free. We need to get off our high horse and approach the world as a servant, not as the master. We must humble ourselves in order free ourselves and others.

John 8:31-36

You can be free! I know when you're in the midst of slavery, freedom seems like an impossible dream. But I am here to tell you that the means of your freedom is at hand. You don't have to be slaves anymore. You can be liberated from your oppression. Do you want to be made free?

What's the matter? You look confused. Perhaps you think you're already free? I guess it's like a person who has dwelt in darkness all their lives. They don't know they are in darkness and they can't understand the promise of light.

You might think, "But we are Americans and we are free. We declared independence form Britain on July 4th 1776. For 232 years we have been free from taxation without representation. For over two centuries we have been free to worship as we choose and believe as we choose and speak our minds and assemble peacefully as we feel led. What do you mean 'the means of your freedom is at hand?' We are free! That is what we have been celebrating all this weekend!"

Well, that is exactly what the people said to Jesus in our lesson today. They were celebrating the Exodus. God had led the children of Israel out of slavery in Egypt. And the children of Israel had been free from that slavery for over 1300 years. They were remembering how God led the children of Israel through the desert and to the Promised Land. They were celebrating the manna that God gave from heaven and the water from the rock. They were camping out in booths and having BBQ and setting off fireworks. Actually they were lighting torches to symbolize the pillar of fire. Fireworks had not been invented yet.

In the mist of this celebration of their liberation, Jesus said, "you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." You can understand their confusion. Hadn't God already set them free? How then could this truth set them free - again?

Ironically the children of Israel had been a conquered people for most of the previous 700 years, but Jesus explained it to them. He was not talking about freedom from the Egyptians or the Persians or the Greeks or the Romans or the British. Ooops! I am getting a little ahead of myself again. He was talking about freedom from sin.

Jesus said, "Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin." He went on to use a parable to explain himself. A slave has no permanent place in the household. A slave can be sold or sent away at any time. But if the heir, the son, sets the slave free then the slave is truly free. Of course the point is that Jesus came as the Truth of God in the flesh to set them free if they will only believe.

The problem then and now is that people don't really know that they are slaves. We Americans, like the potential disciples back then, actually think we are free. We have the freedom to live as we please: freedom of speech, freedom and religion, freedom of assembly, freedom of the press� We also have the freedom to abandon my children and family. We have the freedom to have premarital and extramarital relations. We are free to use drugs or engage in other potentially addictive or dangerous behavior. We are free to ignore the needy and think only of ourselves. We are free to consume as much of the energy and material wealth as we are capable of and then to throw away anything we don't like.

Is that freedom? A lot of Americans think it is. But in really it is slavery. It is enslavement to sin. It is imprisonment in ones own desires and selfishness.

Now you can see why it's so hard to tell people that they can be free. But Jesus came so that people could be free from those things. So they could be free to know God and have a loving relationship with their Heavenly Father. They could be free to know and truly love their neighbor. They could be free to do wonderful things in their life to give of themselves to transform other people's lives.

You can be free! The means of your liberation is at hand. That means of liberation is the Truth of God. And Jesus Christ is that Truth in the flesh. He is here today to set you free!

Declare your independence from sin and death. Put you John Hancock on a personal constitution of love for God and neighbor. Cast of the chains of oppression of sin or selfishness. Accept Jesus Christ and you can truly and finally be free! That is not a decision that someone else can make for you, you have to make this declaration of freedom for yourself.

It is my hope that most of you have already accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. He died to make you truly free. He gave his body to be broken and his blood to be shed so you can know liberty! If you have been set free and live free. Leave behind the things that once enslaved you. Go forth to glorify God in your life and to bring that truth to others so they can be liberated.

Start at the altar today. Come for pray and then come for communion. This bread and this grape juice symbolize the sacrifice that sets you free. It embodies the Truth of God. And the Truth will make you free!

Psalm 72

Psalm 72 is classified by scholars as a Royal Psalm. These are a group of psalms that focus on the monarchy. They are songs or prayers about or for the king. Psalm 72 in particular is a prayer. It might have been sung at some celebration associated with the coronation of the king.

The content of this psalm is what is interesting. It asks God to give the king justice. It speaks of how the king treats the poor. The king is to defend the poor and crush the oppressor. The king should deliver those who have no helper.

This all makes sense in the political situation of the day. Israel had no congress or Parliament to curb the authority of the executive branch. Israel was a Divine Right Monarchy. Theoretically you could take the king to court for a flagrant breach of the law but I doubt it ever actually happened. I mean David premeditatedly killed a man but he was never impeached much less executed for his crime. The people were at the mercy of the king. Their only recourse was to ask God to give the King a spirit of justice so he would not oppress but defend the poor and powerless.

But we don't have kings today. That's what the 4th of July is all about. We rebelled against that kind of political system. Monarchies put all the power in the hands of a privileged class. It's been said, "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely." So we declared our independence from an absolute monarchy.

Instead of monarchy we established a form of government that put the power in the hands of the people. "We the People of the United States of America" recognized the need to have offsetting powers. So we divided the government and made each part dependent on the others. We have executive, judicial and legislative branches each answerable to the others so that all power is governed in some way. And ultimately it is all answerable to the people who vote.

True it took us over a hundred years to get that right. At first it was just white men who owned land that could vote. But through time people of color and women and those without land could vote. True we're still working on it, but at least we are going in the right direction.

While our government is not yet perfect, my point still stands. We don't have a monarchy. There is no King with total authority in America. Democracy not Monarchy is the defining aspect of American government. So what does Psalm 72 have to do with us? Is it just an interesting historical look into the political system of ancient Israel?

I believe this passage does speak to us. We may not have a king, but we do have power. In essence we are the kings in America. Those who vote collectively weld the power of politics. For us the message is that we should act with justice and mercy in mind. We are the king in this Psalm.

And what is it that the psalm asks God to give us? It says give the king Justice and righteousness! That justice is defined mainly in terms of how the poor are treated. A just king stands up for the needy and the poor. A just king also crushes the oppressor.

If we take this psalm to heart, it should govern how we act as citizens and voters. We should seek to support candidates and programs that seek to help the poor and the downtrodden. But its more than domestic issues of welfare and the economy. It is also our responsibility to administer justice for the poor in other countries. This means helping the development of other countries as well as acting for peace with justice in other parts of the world.

This means a lot to us in the present situation. Since September 11th our country has been in a conflict against those who oppress. Osama Bin Laden and the Alquida have made it their business to feed upon the desperation of the needy in the world. They have used the poor by using their feelings of powerlessness to convince them that their only hope is to attack the powerful countries of the world. Instead of using its resources to improve education, these people have led people to commit suicide in acts of mass murder.

It is the responsibility of us as Christians with political power to influence our government to respond justly. That means that we need to make sure we help rebuild those part of the world ravaged buy this war. Afghanistan has been a pawn in the global chess match between superpowers and was discarded by both when the game was over. We must seek to help the people of Afghanistan rebuild their lives.

At the same time it is our responsibility to stop the oppression. We need to influence our government to respond to oppression anywhere in the world; to use our economic and political weight as a superpower to influence governments and nations to act justly. Sometimes, as in the present conflict, it may even be necessary to use military might to stop the violence. But we must be sure that it is done in a way that is just and righteous and not allow ourselves to be possessed by the same hatred as those who attacked us.

Give the King thy justice. That is a huge calling: to act justly as citizens, to vote and influence our government to act justly, to stand up for the needs of the poor and oppressed. And even to crush the oppressor.

Sometimes that may mean opposing the United States Government. At others it may mean supporting it. But at all time it means trying to influence it for righteousness.

At this point I could admonish everyone to become politically active Christians. To study the issues and be aware and to seek God's will for our country, and then to vote for people who will support godly programs and to write your representatives. And you should do all that. But maybe we should follow the psalmist's lead. Maybe we should begin by praying that the Lord give our country and all its leaders justice.

So as we finish up our celebration of the birth of our nation, let us pray that God would give America Justice. Let us pray that American would act on behalf of the poor of the world, that we would stand up for the downtrodden, and that we could play a role in stopping the oppressors. We celebrate freedom this week, may God use us to help bring freedom to all!

Deuteronomy 10:12-13, 17-21

Is the United States of America a Christian nation? Whenever I hear people say that America is a Christian nation I ask myself what do they mean by that. Maybe they are referring to our heritage. Many of those who colonized North America were religious. Many came seeking freedom from religious persecution. Those include the Puritan pilgrims, Huguenots, Quakers, Catholics, Baptists, and many others. But not everyone came to American for religious reasons. Most came for economic or political reasons.

When some people say America is a Christian Nation they mean our government was founded by Christians on Christian ideals. There were many Christians among our founding fathers. And the ideals of tolerance and the worth of every human being come right out of Christ's teachings. But while Christianity was a huge force in shaping our Constitution so were the ideas of humanist and economics. And some of the founding fathers like Thomas Jefferson didn't even believe Jesus was the Son of God.

Sometimes when people speak of America as a Christian nation they mean the spirit of freedom in America. Our Constitution speaks of freedom and liberty and so does the Bible. But despite the fact that we use the same words, they mean different things. When the Bible speaks about freedom it means freedom from sin and freedom to serve God. When the Constitution speaks of freedom it means freedom to do whatever you want as long as you don't hurt someone else. That is not a freedom from sin. Often times it's a freedom to sin. For example we have freedom of religion in America. That means that the government can't tell us who we are to worship God. We can worship however we feel led. But it also means that people can choose not to worship God or to worship some false god instead.

Maybe the statement that America is a Christian Nation means we act Christian. It is true that our nation has done a lot of Christian things. We have stood up for people's rights all over the world. We have promoted peace and justice from Germany to South Africa to Tienamine Square. But at the same time we have done some very unchristian things. A Christian nation would not slaughter Native Americans, or enslave and imprison people just because of the color of their skin or the slant of their eyes. A Christian nation would not allow circumstances and situations that push women to kill their unborn babies. A Christian nation would not allow people to die of starvation and exposure on its streets. A Christian nation would not turn refugees away on the high seas.

So is America a Christian nation? I find myself answering yes and no. God's criterion for a Godly nation is outlined in the passage I read from Deuteronomy. "What does the Lord your God require of you?"(Deut. 10:12) It says to serve God, to give justice, to care for the widow and orphan, and to love the stranger. As I have pointed out above sometimes we do these things, but sometimes we don't.

I guess I give a mixed answer to this question because America is a mixed nation. We are a nation of immigrants from all over the world and few natives. And we are a nation of mixed philosophies and religions. That mixture of races and ideas has helped to make us strong. Each different race and ideology is another voice in a chorus that tells this country what to do.

But one of those voices has historically been Christianity. We are not a Christian nation in the way that Israel was a Godly nation. In Israel it was against the law to worship other gods or to live lifestyles contrary to God's Word. In America our constitution guarantees the right to do those very things. We may not be a thoroughly Godly nation like Israel, but Christianity is very much a part of our make up and heritage. I would say that Christians are a nation within this nation. The Bible speaks of Christians as "a royal priesthood a holy nation."(1 Peter 2:9) As priests we are called to be the moral conscience of this nation with the mission of proclaiming God's words of justice and righteousness. As a royal priesthood it is our job to represent God's point of view in discussions of public policy.

What should we do to be the moral conscience of our country. First we should pray for our country. Why should we pray for our country. Praying demonstrates our trust in God. For Most Americans "In God We Trust" is just a curious phrase on our currency, but Christians really believe in it. And when we pray to God we demonstrate that trust. We should pray to demonstrate our faith but more importantly, God answers prayers. The Bible says, "If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray I will hear and heal their land."(2 Chron. 7:14) If we pray for our country God will hear and heal our land of the injustice and evil that plagues us.

Secondly to be the moral conscience of our country we should vote. We should apply our beliefs to how we elect our leaders. We should consider if their policies promote justice and peace. Do their policies favor the widows and orphans of our society. That doesn't mean I endorse or support the platform of any particular party or political group. All our recent presidents have claimed to be Christians. And all have done Christian and unchristian things while in office. Likewise their respective parties are the same. If anyone tries to tell you any different they either have a rosy view of their party or a deficient view of the Bible. Basically God is not a Republican, and God ain't a Democrat either!

Finally to be the moral conscience of America we should spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. The most powerful way to turn our nations actions to the love of God is by turning the hearts of the people to God. We can tell the world to love their neighbor, but until they have experienced the love of God in a saving way they have no reason to do it.

I can't say that America is a Christian nation, but I do know that we Christians in America have a very vital role in leading our country. We have the role of calling the nation's attention to the will of God; to God's righteousness and justice. And in the process turning its people to God.

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.

1 Kings 21:1-3, 7-21

The incident at Naboth's Vineyard was a long time ago. About 2,850 years to be more specific. Ahab was the King of Israel and he had a palace in Jezreel. One day King Ahab looked out his window and saw that Naboth, his neighbor, had a fine vineyard. Ahab thought to himself: "I love fresh vegetables. The stuff that they buy in the market is not as fresh as I like. Wouldn't it be nice to have a garden right outside my back door. Then I could just walk out and pick fresh vegetables any time I want them." So Ahab offered to buy that plot of ground from Naboth for a good price. But Naboth said, "I can't sell this land. It has been in my family for generations. God gave my family this land. I owe it to my children and grandchildren and my forefathers as well as God to preserve it." At this Ahab became mad and threw a royal temper tantrum. He refused to eat at all. If he couldn't have fresh vegetables he wouldn't have anything.

Jezebel, Ahab's wife, didn't like her husband's little hunger strike. So she said to Ahab, "You're supposed to be the King of Israel. Stop pouting like a little boy. I'll get you that vineyard." So Jezebel took some of the royal stationary and wrote a letter to the leaders in Naboth's city and signed Ahab's name. The letter said, "Ya'll are in trouble now. That man Naboth is a trouble maker. I want you to hire some men who can be bought. And I want you to pay them to tell some lies about Naboth. Have them accuse Naboth of cursing God and the king." Out of fear the leaders of the city did just that. And Naboth and his sons were stoned to death.

Well no one owned that vineyard now, so Ahab took it. Then the Lord spoke to Elijah. God said, "Go to Ahab and tell him you are a murderer and a thief. What you did to Naboth will happen to you." When Ahab heard this word he said, "How did you know what we did?" Elijah replied, "I found out because you did what is evil in God's eyes. God sees everything and the Great Judge of Heaven has judged you. God will do away with you and your sons, just as you did away with Naboth and his sons." So because Ahab desired fresh vegetables more than God's law, his family lost the throne. That was a long time ago.

Not so long ago, a little over 500 years ago, Christopher Columbus came to the Americas. Columbus was only looking for spice to trade for at a good price. But others came after him. They liked what they saw. The Aztecs had gold which would look so good in the treasuries of Europe. The North American Indians farmed land that grew tobacco and other delicacies in abundance. The Europeans looked out the windows of their ships and liked their neighbor's vineyards.

At first they traded for what they wanted: Cloth for tobacco, beads for land, iron for gold. But some killed their neighbors to get what they wanted. The Incas and the Aztecs were great people's with large cities. Now they are only archeological ruins in South America. Some Europeans tried to enslave the Indians at first. But they kept dying of European diseases. Or they escaped and ran home. In the end colonists in both North and South America just took what they wanted and killed the previous owners if they caused trouble.

God saw what was happening. Just as God saw Ahab and Jezebel plot to murder Naboth. God watched, and the eternal Judge of all, Jesus Christ, wept at the injustice. As whole tribes were wiped out, as land was stolen and whole peoples were made to move from their homes. As Native Americans and their culture were killed.

My goal in this sermon is not to participate in America bashing. There are a lot of great things to celebrate about America. This is the land of the free and the home of the brave. This is the country that boldly proclaims, "Send us your poor, your .... huddles masses yearning to breath free." We have given a lot to the world. It is because of America that common people throughout the world, even in Russia, now have a voice in their governments. It is partially because of America that the idea of basic human rights is so widely accepted in the world. America played a major role in reform in South Africa and winning a vote for the majority of its people. Many beyond our shores owe their freedom to the responsible use of our influence. We have defended the helpless and oppressed from the Hitlers and Hussains of the world.

Despite all the good, we have to admit that we are the inheritors of Naboth's vineyard. Our country and the colonists which preceded it sometimes killed and stole just as Ahab did. It's true that we have defended the weak, but we have also taken what we wanted from the weak. Much of our land was stolen from Native Americans, and much of the labor that made our nation wealthy was stolen from Africa.

We can and should celebrate what is good about America, but let's not close our eyes to what is bad. Let's admit to ourselves that we have inherited Naboth's vineyard, and we have a responsibilities to Naboth's descendants. Let's confess the crimes of the past and pray for God's healing of the present. The song "America the Beautiful" includes a prayer for God to "Mend thine every flaw." If we don't admit our flaws how can we ask God to mend them.

This weekend you will hear people sing "God Bless America." When you do join in with them, but consider what you are singing. If we really want God to bless our nation, then we must confess to God our national sins. We must admit our failures so that we are humble enough to receive the blessing God is offering.

2 Corinthians 12:1-10

We all like to think we are strong. As Americans we take pride in the belief that the U.S.A. is the strongest nation in the world. We have the most stable government. We have the best laws for protecting individual rights. Our industrial base, despite decline, is still more powerful. And our armed forces are mightier than any Army, Navy and Air Force on the face of the earth.

But pride in strength is not just a national inclination. As individuals we all like to think that we are strong. One person takes pride in the tone of their muscles. Another boasts of the economic power which they have. And those who lack strength in other areas fancy themselves as possessors of inner strength. There are even those who boast of spiritual strength.

Because we take pride in our strength, we boast about it. We boast of our nation's power. We boast of our own personal strength. We boast of the strength of our faith.

We all like to think that we are strong, but in reality we are weak. It is part of who we are as humans. We were made from dust and we are nothing but dust. A stiff wind could blow us away. The smallest microbe or bacteria can kill us. And we are sustained in a fragile environment which we need to continue to exist. Here on Earth the climate and the pressure and elements in the air are carefully balanced to sustain us. In most other places in the universe we would die instantly.

Despite that reality, we continue to think we are strong. The illusion that we are strong is a psychological defense mechanism. Maybe if we convince ourselves and others that we are strong we don't have to face the truth. The truth being that in things that count we are really helpless.

Perhaps our boasting is the best evidence for arguing that we are truly weak. If we were strong we would have no reason for boasting. It is because we are weak that we feel a need to convince others and ourselves that we are strong. We are weak and in need of help. But instead of asking for help we boast of a greatness we do not possess. So we receive no help, because we ask for none.

Paul the apostle knew that he was weak. He had a thorn in his flesh that constantly reminded him of it. Because of that thorn he knew that he was a mere mortal. Even though he endured great persecution, his ailment always reminded him that his life was held together by a very thin thread. Paul even says that he had prayed to God to take that pain from him. But God left it there to remind him of his mortality.

Paul knew he was weak and that all humanity was just as mortal as he was. But Paul also knew something even more important. He knew that God helps the weak. That is the kind of God, the Almighty is. God cares for those who are in need. This is because God loves. And that love impels God to help the weak. After all it is the weak who ask for and accept God's help.

This led Paul to make some rather odd statements. It led him to boast of his weakness instead of his strength. He knew that it was because of his weakness that God worked in him. His weakness was the basis of God's aid. He said, "I gladly boast of my own weakness that the power of Christ might rest on me." He also said that God's power is made perfect in weakness. How can weakness perfect God's power? It is only when we acknowledge our weakness that God's power can work through us. Only when we say, "Lord, I am weak and need you," can God help us. That is when we are ready to accept God's help.

As the Apostle Paul said, "Our strength doesn't conquer the world, our weakness does." We like to think we are strong. But in truth we are weak. If we persist in the fantasy or illusion that we are strong we will not accomplish much. We will work and work, and get nowhere because we are too weak. But if we admit our weakness, then God can work in us, and the power of Christ will rest on us.

Paul was as great as humans get. He endured much for Christ. He was shipwrecked, imprisoned, threatened by mobs. He faced death over and over for Christ. Through it all he brought the Gospel of Jesus Christ to many. Despite his greatness he didn't boast of these things. He boasted only of Christ and his own weakness.

With this in mind maybe we should be careful about how we boast. Not just about ourselves but about our nation too. Instead of saying "look what I have done," we should say "I am incapable of doing anything look what Christ has done." And instead of saying "America is great and strong," we should say, "in truth America is weak, but look at what Christ has done through our weakness." After all it was Christ's weakest moment, the moment of his death, that conquered sin. As Christians we should take on his weakness. Otherwise we are pretending to be better than him.

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.

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Galatians 5:13-26

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost, to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"(The New Colossus)

These are all calls to freedom. These words represent the ideals that we believe in and want our nation and government to be built on. The last of these is especially close to my heart. "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breath free." It is part of the poem "The New Colossus" that is engraved at the base of the Statue of Liberty. To me it represents the call to freedom sent out by our nation to the world.

It was a call that my ancestors answered. On my father's side both my grandparents came to America from Scotland in the early part of the 20th century. They both sought a new life of freedom and opportunity. They both came through New York harbor and were greeted by the Statue of Liberty. They both were processed through Ellis Island with millions of other immigrants.

They were part of the huddled masses yearning to breath free. They heard and answered the call to freedom. My grandfather valued education highly but was forced to quit school at 13 and go work in the mines. His son not only completed high school in America but went on to college. And his grandson was free to seek even further education to take up a vocation as a preacher. To me that is what America is all about: answering a call to freedom.

Our passage in Galatians is also a call to freedom but of another sort. Paul writes to the Christians in Galatia: "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."(5:13) Paul was facing people who wanted to enslave the new Gentile Christians to Jewish laws. In a sense in his letter Paul declares independence from that law. He proclaims that we have been set free from the tyranny of trying to make ourselves righteous. It is not we who make ourselves righteous but God through Christ who graciously forgives and cleanse us.

The problem is that some deliberately misinterpreted this freedom from the law as a license to sin. But Paul makes it clear that it is not a freedom to sin but freedom from sin. Through Jesus' blood we are made righteous and are free to act righteously. So we should not use our freedom as an opportunity to act unrighteously.

He sums this new freedom up ironically in the term "servant," or "slave." We should use this freedom to serve others. We have been set free not to think of our own wants and desires. We have been set free from selfishness so that we can truly love our neighbor. Before Christ we were lost in our selfishness, but now we are free to participate in God's love for all people through our service.

Having described the basic concept of Christian freedom from sin and to serve, Paul gets more specific. We have been set free from the desires of the flesh. These are: "fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like." All of these are based on a love of the self over a love of the neighbor. Fulfilling these desires entails sacrificing the neighbor in order to satisfy the self. They all involve loving things and using people. In Christ we have been called to freedom from these things.

Conversely we have been set free to enjoy the fruits of the Spirit. These are: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. All of these are only truly experienced when we sacrifice ourselves for others. We only truly know love and joy when we give to another. In contrast to the desires of the flesh fulfilling the fruits of the Spirit involve loving people and using things. This is freedom to become more than we were. It is freedom to imitate the goodness of God and participate in his love.

Paul goes on: "those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." We have abandoned that old allegiance to serve the self and pledged our allegiance to serve God and our neighbor. As Christians we have declared our independence from sin and have devoted ourselves to righteousness. We have cast off the chains of selfishness and are free to serve others as Christ served us.

True freedom is in knowing God. The truth is that we were all born in sin. Yes we were created equal and equally we all have fallen short of the glory of God. As children of God by creation we all have been offered freedom from sin through Jesus Christ. For it is only through the selfless love of God and self sacrifice that we can truly know joy and happiness.

Declare your independence from sin. Ordain and establish your personal constitution to seek justice and tranquillity, to defend the poor and help the needy, to know the fruits of the Spirit. Pledge your allegiance to the cross of Christ and the one who suffered and died on it. And by that allegiance know the true peace and joy that servanthood can give.

Today we are called to freedom! Since this country was founded millions have heard and responded to the call to political freedom. And the huddled masses of the world yearning to breath free have come to these shores. Today I call you to spiritual freedom: to cast off the chains of the desires of the flesh, to know the liberty of servanthood. Today God calls us all to accept Christ and his will for our lives so that we can truly love our neighbor.

Mark 6:1-13

Jesus had gained quite a reputation as a healer. In the chapter immediately preceding this one Jesus casts out a demon, heals a woman of a life long malady and raises a little girl from the dead. Then he came to his hometown! He left there a carpenter with a religious bent and he returns as a world-renowned prophet, teacher and healer. So of course they roll out the red carpet! They make him the grand Marshall of a parade and give him the key to the city!

No, not exactly. It starts off fine. He is a holy man so they ask him to preach in the Synagogue. And Mark tells us that many who heard him were astounded.

But some were not impressed. When they ask, "where does he get this wisdom?" they were not praising him. This becomes obvious when they say, "Isn't he a carpenter and don't his mother and brothers and sisters live here with us." They are saying that he is just a simple man and that he has no authority to say the things he is. In other words he must be talking through his hat.

What was it that led the people to of his hometown to reject Jesus? Was it jealousy? They had known him back when he was knee high to a grasshopper. He was famous now and they weren't. Maybe they wanted to knock him down to size.

Their comments suggest that this may have been part of their motivation. Luke tells us more of the story. There part of their motivation is possessiveness. They are upset that Jesus is spending time with people of other regions. He belongs to them and is from their people. So Charity should start at home and he should do in Nazareth the same wonders he is doing elsewhere.

Either way their familiarity with Jesus has bred contempt. How can the extraordinary come from someone so ordinary. How can a carpenter speak eternal wisdom? "Naw, he's Mary's boy. He can't be a rabbi or prophet, much less the Messiah." And in the end their refusal to accept what Jesus is doing limits their ability to receive his blessings. And the story ends by saying that Jesus only laid hands on a few and healed them.

Right on the heels of this rejection of Jesus he calls his disciples together. Maybe he is going to throw in the towel or retreat to another region where the people listen to him. No, he sends them out to proclaim the gospel. But before they go he gives them authority over unclean spirits. They will carry Jesus' authority to fight evil.

Then he gives them directions. Go two by two so that each has a companion to strengthen them. Basically they are not to carry a lot of baggage but just what they need. Secondly they are to stay in one place where they are welcomed. And he prepares them for rejection. He was rejected and they will be too, so they should just shake it off and move on.

So they went forth. They proclaimed that all should repent. That is not an easy message and it sets one up for rejection. But they are successful! Many demons are cast out and many are healed.

What made the difference? Jesus' own hometown and family reject him. But the other villages in the region respond positively to the disciples. Could it be that they were not as familiar with the disciples and so stopped to listen to them. Whereas his hometown would not listen to Jesus because they knew him?

You know people talk about America being a Christian nation. And I have to laugh a little. Granted, not everyone who came to America came to seek religious freedom. Many came seeking wealth and glory. Many others were kidnapped and brought here against their will. Not to mention the folks that were already here. All that given, many of the founders of this nation sought religious freedom to practice Christianity the way they felt led by God. And many of the principles of our government are based on the idea that humans are fallible and that God has give us all rights. Most of the patriotic songs we sing are hymns that recognize God as the giver of freedom. God Bless America, Battle Hymn of the Republic, O Beautiful for Spacious Skies: even the Star Spangled Banner contains the line, In God is our Trust. The Christian story permeates our culture at every turn.

So you would think that Christ would be welcome in the USA. But just as in Nazareth, familiarity breeds contempt. Instead of growing, the church in North America is shrinking. Jesus is old hat to most folk. You try to tell them about Jesus and they tune you out and say to themselves, "Been there done that." Then they go running after some new philosophy or some new religion when they feel empty.

But in other parts of the world Christianity is growing. In Africa and Asia the church is growing by leaps and bounds. It is to the point where churches in Africa and Asia are sending missionaries to North America. Oddly Christianity is growing the fastest among cultures that are not as familiar with it as we are here in America. People here, like the people of Nazareth, have an old image of Jesus and they refuse to accept that he could me more than their preconceived notions of him. Some say that Americans are inoculated against the Christian message. More accurately they are just plain prejudiced against it.

So what should we do? Should we give up on America? Throw our arms up in the air? Perhaps we Christians should focus our efforts on sending missionaries to the third world instead of planting churches here in North America. After all they are listening and responding while most of America ignores the church.

What would Jesus do in such a situation? Well, he would send out witnesses anointed with the power to resist evil and heal the wounded and hurting. That is what he did when his own hometown and family rejected him. And so we are to go out into a society that thinks it already knows all about Jesus. And we are called to show them that their assumptions are wrong. And we will be rejected but some will hear and be saved.

You know we have all sung God Bless America a couple of times in the last week. God bless America? Why should God bless a country where so many reject his Word? If we really want God to bless America we should be ready to go out and be used as agents of that blessing. If we truly want God to bless America, we should be ready to go out and carry the blessing of Jesus to the people of America. And if they reject us, which some will do, just shake the dust off your feet and move on. That is what the disciples did and, just as then, evil will be cast out and many will be healed!