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Citizens
Last week we kicked off a new series based on a River Valley Church bible study about our true freedom in Christ.
We are learning what it means to have true freedom and how that freedom gives us purpose.
Last week we examined the difference between the human idea of freedom and God’s idea of freedom.
The human definition of freedom claims that real freedom is the absence of any influence other than our own individual decisions.
Freedom gives us the right to do whatever we want.
Whatever makes you happy.
Whatever makes you feel fulfilled.
According to our creator, that is only part of the definition of freedom.
While we DO have the freedom to make our own choices, freedom defined by God isn’t simply the absence of something, but TRUE freedom is where the Spirit of the Lord is.
It is God’s presence living in us that gives us true freedom.
When we experience true freedom in the presence of God, He gives us purpose.
It is His Spirit that fulfills us and we don’t have to keep seeking fulfillment in things that give us temporary satisfaction, but in the end consistently leave us wanting.
Today we are continuing the conversation about freedom.
Freedom is a pretty important subject to most Americans.
Even though we tend to take freedom for granted, we still love it!
Most people in this country would stand up and fight for freedom if it was being threatened or taken away.
In the last few years we have seen many such attempts from people who seek more and more power over this country.
We’ve seen specific consumables disappear from store shelves, high prices, lock-downs.
I definitely don’t want this to become a political conversation, but to help illustrate the thought for today I want to challenge your imagination for a second.
Think about those things we’ve experienced as of late and put them on a much larger scale.
Imagine you live in a country where this is much more common place.
We’ll call this country Crepuscule (kri-puhs-kyool).
As a citizen here in Crepuscule you go to work every day and put in long hard days at a job that you really don’t like.
At the end of the year you do your taxes and total up your gross income of about $1200.
Your kids had to drop out of school this year to find jobs and help make ends meet.
They went to school for a little over 2 years.
It seems like Crepuscule is always at war, so your daily commute to work passes through several military blockades throughout the crumbled city streets.
Your family has been saving up to get a cell phone, but thanks to the almost 4000% inflation an IPhone is going to set you back $50,000.
All of the citizens of Crepuscule are poor, mistreated, and powerless to change anything about their situation.
You have heard about another place that is ruled by gracious king, but don’t have the resources to relocate.
You are just too poor and powerless.
You are stuck in Crepuscule with no possible way out.
One day you come home from work like normal.
You sit down at the table and begin opening the mail tossing aside one over-due bill after another until you arrive at a strange letter.
The return address is that of the neighboring kingdom you have heard about.
You open it and realize that it was written by the King himself!
It is an invitation to his kingdom.
He explains that he has already paid all of the extravagant costs to make you a full citizen of his kingdom.
All you have to do is say yes.
You say yes and begin to settle in to your new life.
Life is much different here.
The overwhelming joy and indescribable peace have replaced the hopeless fear from before.
Your new king has set up everything for you and given you a purpose.
You now have every possible resource to succeed.
You have the authority and backing of the king.
You have his protection, his wisdom, his direction.
He has given you complete access to his throne room.
He even calls you his friend.
You are no longer a slave living in darkness with no hope.
How can life be this good?
All you’ve ever known is the darkness, but your new life is so much better.
All of your life you felt trapped.
You can’t help but take in a deep breath and exhale the first word that comes to mind.
Freedom.
For the first time in your life, you understand what it means to be truly free.
I asked you to use your imagination and put yourself in that illustration, but in reality this story is very true.
Even though the country Crepuscule doesn’t exist, there are people in the world who live in places where the examples are very real.
In the same way, even though Crepuscule, the country named after “darkness,” doesn’t physically exist, the kingdom of darkness is a very real place that all of us have experienced.
The illustration is the true story of every believer.
When speaking to the Colossian believers, Paul described this transfer of citizenship as a purchase of freedom and forgiveness in order to rescue us and enable us to share in His inheritance…
Colossians 1:11–14 (NLT)
11 ... May you be filled with joy, 12 always thanking the Father.
He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light.
13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 14 who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.
Notice how verse 13 says that He “rescued” us and “transferred” us.
Your translation may say “delivered” us from the dark domain and “brought” us into the Kingdom of His Son.
It’s in past tense.
That means it has already been done.
It isn’t something we are waiting for any longer, it is here now.
We can’t perceive it with our human senses, but it is very real.
Governed by a very real and loving King.
His kingdom is filled with love, joy, peace, and righteousness.
There is no lack.
Nothing is left undone.
Maybe it’s because I live in the USA where freedom is just a way of life, but when I think of freedom I don’t often think of it in terms of one kingdom vs another.
To me, this illustration of citizenship is a profound thought to ponder.
The moment you first trusted Jesus and said yes to His invitation, your citizenship changed.
You are no longer a citizen of darkness.
Now you are a citizen of the kingdom of heaven and equipped to fulfill your life’s purpose.
What kind of impact could it have on your life to think about and acknowledge that you are a citizen of God’s kingdom?
No longer a slave to the kingdom of darkness.
What stands out to me is how God offers us citizenship and we are immediately made citizens.
He already did it.
It’s done.
Now I am a citizen of a completely different kingdom.
Something new and unfamiliar.
To help wrap my head around the idea I could ask, what it would be like to physically wake up in a completely different country.
One morning you crawl out of bed and look out the window you see the Eiffel Tower or something.
What do you do?
My first thought would probably be, “I need learn about this new place.
At least the language!”
In the old kingdom, I knew what was expected of me.
How is this one different?
God’s kingdom is completely different than the kingdom of darkness that we come from.
In fact, it’s quite the opposite.
It’s the kingdom of light!
The kingdom of darkness is a horrible place.
Full of empty promises, unrealistic expectations, selfish temptations.
The strong desire for more: more power, more money, more pleasure, more happiness.
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