Fureeedom

On this Fourth of July, I thought it appropriate to talk about freedom. Ahhh, what a big topic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEOOZDbMrgE


Of course, we can’t talk about freedom, or fureedom (supposed to resemble a Scottish accent), without at least mentioning the classic movie Braveheart. It’s purely epic. If I had a kilt, I would be wearing right now. This movie quote resonates so strongly with me, and all mankind, because we are all called to freedom. And this freedom is not simply political freedom, or a freedom to do what we want, but rather a freedom that transcends our very lives. A freedom, worth dying for.

I’m American. I’m assuming you’re American. Happy Independence Day to you. Today, we celebrate our American civil rights and liberties, like the right to vote, own land, bear arms, and many others. I’ve been very blessed to have this freedom, as I have had a very worry-free life compared to many other people around the globe. From a young age, people have been telling me that I am free. “I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free.” I remember singing that song all the time as a kid. Yet now as I’ve grown up, and gotten to know Jesus more personally, I understand freedom so much more. I am free from so much more than political tyranny, or excessive taxation, or even religious persecution. If those things were to come my way, yet I would still be free. Romans 8:35,37-39 - “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Freedom is such a huge topic to cover. I know, many of you are on your day off, ready to party it up with friends and let go of some weekday-worries. I am going to make a list of points about freedom, because:

1.    Everyone loves lists.

2.    Lists make us feel like we are saving time.

3.    Everyone wants to save time.

That’s just a sample. I’m going to list just a couple of major points about freedom, and I would encourage you take some of them in deeply. Let it change your definition of freedom. Let it enhance your celebration of freedom today, and go deep into the core of your freed spirit.

1.    Freedom is in a person! 2 Corinthians 3:17- “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” For us to know freedom, we have to know the one who has it. Jesus, our Savior, Redeemer, and Lord is our freedom.

2.    Here is a true definition of Freedom I’ve heard from my pastor: “Freedom is the ability to act and react in the way God created us to.” Many times we are subject to our bad definitions. Let this definition shape your view of freedom. Many of us have viewed freedom as something given to us in the past, when truly, it is something given in the past and being worked out in the present. Everything we do, can be done out of freedom, or done out of “the ability to do what God has created us to do.” See post #2 “More than a Job Description” for more details on what God created us to do.

3.    Galatians 5:10- “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” Jesus has given us freedom so that we can live freely. Why would we submit to slavery after receiving freedom?

4.    Our Freedom was given to us as a means, not an end. Just as the 10 lepers healed by Jesus in Luke 17:11-19, we were given freedom from our leprosy, or from our sins, through Christ. We once were required to stand far off from Jesus, because he was clean and I was unclean, yet through the Word of God I was made clean. However, we don’t want to be like the 9 lepers, who kept walking along in their lives, though Jesus had just made them clean. We can be like that one Samaritan man, who realized the work Jesus did in Him, and ran to Jesus, got close to Him, and thanked him for this freedom from leprosy, or sin. The freedom God has given us is more than just freedom from sin, but freedom to draw near to Him, and have relationship with Him.

… If I had a nickel for every time I’m gonna hear the word “freedom” today. Though most of those nickels will come in reference to our American freedom, I know that my freedom is so much more. I encourage you too, to recognize your freedom. Freedom in and through Christ is so different than our American freedom. So, be free today on Independence Day. From the core of your being, let freedom scream out of your soul like William Wallace. Let your freedom lead you to the one who died for your very freedom. Understand that Jesus, when he submitted to the cross, took our punishment, and set us free, He was giving us “the ability to act and react as God created us to be,” and He was calling us closer to a relationship with Himself.
Praise the Lord, for He has set us free!


For any questions, rebuttles, prayer, or clarification, please contact me via facebook (Tobin James Kriwiel), or comment on a post. Thanks for reading, I pray that you are blessed.