Freedom is not Free

Galatians 5:1

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free, stand firm then and do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yolk of slavery.

Please be seated.

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America

This is the beginning statement of the Constitution of the United States of America

It signifies this countries freedom the break off from the Queen.

Ladies and gentlemen freedom is not free.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free, stand firm then and do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yolk of slavery.

Tomorrow we celebrate Memorial Day

This Day provides us the opportunity to honor our fallen comrades. We remember them for their valor and courage throughout history in places near and far. We must never forget their selfless service and sacrifice. Many of whom who never returned home.

Eleanor Roosevelt was quoted at the end of WWII with these words: When the word was flashed that peace had come to the world again, I found myself filled with a very curious sensations. I had no desire to go out and celebrate. The weight of suffering which has engulfed the world during so many years could not so quickly be wiped out.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free, stand firm then and do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yolk of slavery.

I could have gone several directions with this verse but, I felt the Lord leading us into three important points about Freedom.

Point 1 Freedom demands change.

Turn with me

2 Corinthians 5:17, therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come.

Mark the bible the last 4 words

Freedom changed our country:

On 7 December 1941 the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. That was one of the great defining moments in history. It was what propelled America into the war. The military would not be the only ones to respond, America herself responded. Americans' willingness to carry out blackout and civil defense drills; to recycle metals, rubber, paper, and even cooking fats; to work longer hours, but to have fewer consumer goods to buy with their salaries demonstrated the nation's strong support for the war. There were political changes as well, as the country began to shift to the right. The entire country went to war. Factories changed over from what ever had they made to making bullets, bombs, aircraft, tanks and parachutes anything to support the war. Victory gardens were planted to reduce the pressure on the public food supply brought on by the war effort. The government went on a major propaganda campaign billboards and posters were everywhere about victory; even the cartoons portrayed Americans beating up on Hitler. Everyone in America did something to support the war. America came together to Fight for Freedom. America was changed; Women began to do the jobs that the men used to do. They worked in factories, steel mills, and on fighter planes. A woman who worked in an industrial or manufacturing job was referred to as "Rosy the Riviter".

Freedom Changes our country and freedom changes us:

Paul’s encounter with the Christ on the Damascus road in Acts 9:1-15 changed him forever. It is the same way with us, when we meet Christ. We become new people. The Holy Spirit gives us new life, and we are not the same anymore. We are not reformed, rehabilitated, or reeducated—we are recreated. At our conversion, we are not merely turning over a new leaf; we are beginning a new life under a new Master. The old life of sin and death has gone; the selfish, sinful human nature has been dealt a death blow. The old ways of thinking, old distinctions, the old habits, have been abolished. In its place, a new life has begun.

I’m turning over to Matthew 18:3 if you would follow me?( listen up, pay attention, I am telling you something important) I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

The disciples needed to become as little children. Jesus wanted them to change their attitude toward greatness. The disciples had become preoccupied with the organization of an earthly kingdom and were seeking positions of advantage.(Sound Familiar?) Jesus used a child to help his self-centered disciples get the point. We are to have servant attitudes, trusting, not being “childish” but “childlike,” not arguing over petty issues but to be humble and have sincere hearts.

Freedom demands change.

In our second point (Point 2)

Turn with me to James chapter 1 verses 2-3

Freedom does not guarantee a trouble free life:

James tells us to Consider it pure joy my brothers, when ever you face trails of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

The Declaration of Independence says this; We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator certain unalienable rights.

Do you believe that the fore fathers of our country had any idea that abortion would become an epidemic in our society? That through these writings would come out such a total disregard for the unborn life? Do you think that authors of the Declaration of Independence thought that the words all men are created equal would become at the fore- front of the issue of same sex marriage in America? In America we have problems balancing the budget, we have problems with the leaders of this country not following the will of God, not praying first. Our own presidents have been adulterers.

America may be free ladies and gentlemen; we may be the melting pot for the world but with our freedoms come our problems.

James doesn’t say if we face trails, but whenever we face them, he knew that we are going to have trials and it is possible to profit from them. The point is not to pretend to be happy when we face pain, but to have a positive outlook (let it be an opportunity for joy), because of what trials can produce in our lives. James tells us to turn our hardships into times of learning, tough times can teach us perseverance.

I’m turning to Luke 17 verse 1 Jesus is speaking his disciples that: Things that cause people to sin are bound to come X2, but woe to that person through who they come.

Jesus and James both knew we would have problems in our lives

Because people are sinful and because people live in relationship with one another, they will tempt each other to sin.

Jesus explained that while there would always be temptations in our lives, that did not excuse the person who does the tempting.

Freedom does not guarantee a trouble free life.

Our third and final point is this;

The price of freedom is a personal sacrifice.

John 8:34-36 Jesus replied and here he goes again saying Listen up, pay attention I have something to tell you, He says. I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free you will be free indeed.

During our Civil War each side fought for a cause. During that time Fredrick Douglas was quoted as saying this:

Once a black man get upon his person the brass letters U.S., Let him get an eagle on his button, and a musket on his shoulder, and bullets in his pockets, and there is no power on earth which can deny that he has earned the right to citizenship in the United States.

President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation (Proc)lamation on January 1, 1863, as the nation approached its third year of bloody civil war. The (proc)lamation declared "that all persons held as slaves" within the rebellious states "are, and henceforward shall be free."

Despite this expansive wording, the Emancipation (Proc)lamation was limited in many ways. It applied only to states that had seceded from the Union, leaving slavery untouched in the loyal Border States. It also expressly exempted parts of the Confederacy that had already come under Northern control. Most important, the freedom it promised depended upon Union military victory.

After January 1, 1863, every advance of federal troops expanded the domain of freedom. Moreover, the Proclamation announced the acceptance of black men into the Union Army and Navy, enabling the liberated to become liberators. By the end of the war, almost 200,000 black soldiers and sailors had fought for the Union and their personal freedom.

These soldiers fought for freedom, for the freedom for themselves, the freedom of never being whipped by the master, freedom from being sold, from their families being split apart. Freedom for their people..

(TIE IN??)

The price of freedom is a personal sacrifice.

Jesus Christ made it a personal sacrifice, Galatians 5:1 It is for freedom the Christ has set us free.

Jesus gave us liberty!

Romans 6:22-23 But now you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (mark the bible)

. Faith makes us righteous in God’s eyes and challenges us to realize that righteousness is in practical living, doing those things that lead to holiness and eternal life. Holiness is gained as a process over our entire life wherein we become more Christ like and set apart for his service; eternal life begins at conversion and, despite the physical death we will inevitably face, continues beyond the grave.

This result of sin is not just physical death—everyone dies physically, believers and nonbelievers alike. This refers to eternal separation from God in hell. This is the wage that a person receives for his or her rebellion against God. Those in hell will find no comfort, in the truth that they have been paid exactly what they earned. But instead of wages, those who believe receive a free gift from God—eternal life.

Our salvation is a gift of God, not something of our own doing (Ephesians 2:8-9). He saved us because of his mercy, not because of any righteous acts on our part (Titus 3:5). That is personal for each one of us.

Colossians 1:19-20 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him and through him reconcile to himself all things whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood shed on the cross.

(X2)SLOW

His reconciliation was accomplished through Christ’s blood on the cross. “Reconciliation” means reestablishing a relationship, causing a relationship to become friendly and peaceable when it had not been so. Because Christ is Creator and Sustainer of everything (1:17), his death on the cross provided reconciliation for everything. To include you and me.

True Freedom came at the expense of God’s one and only Son for the sins of us all.

The price of freedom is personal.

Freedom isn’t free!

I would like to close with Galatians 5:13 You my brothers, were called to be free.

For generations men and women have gone off to war to defend the constitution of the United States of America, against all enemies foreign and domestic. These Men and women came together across our land to fight for

one common cause that is Freedom. This memorial day take time to pay tribute for those who have fallen for the rights of freedom. (Fly your American flag with freedom!)