FREE TO BE
#283 FREE TO BE
Scripture John 8:36 NIV Orig. 11/16/63
Rewr. 6/29/88
Passage: 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
Purpose: To share with my people an Independence Day message reflecting upon our heritage of freedom that is in Christ.
Keywords: Christ the Deliverer Freedom Heritage Religious Liberty
Introduction
It was June 7, 1776, and the Continental Congress was in session. Richard Henry Lee, grandfather of Robert E. Lee, moved that the congress adopt a declaration of independence. It took nearly thirty days to decide the issue, days of discussion, debate, and prayer. On July 2nd, the resolution was adopted.
John Adams was a member of that congress. He wrote home to Abigail, “the second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epochal day, in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the day of Deliverance, by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty.” (John Adams and the American Revolution—Catherine Drinker Bowen, 1950).
Adams had no way of knowing that the new American congress would pick up on July 4th as the Epochal day. To these men, the signing was mere form. The milestone was reached when representatives from 12 of the 13 colonies agreed on a policy to pursue together, fully persuaded that it was none other than the will of God.
“When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of Nature and Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect of opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. . . . We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among those are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”—Declaration of Independence.
Thus, we are guaranteed constitutional freedom, but true freedom awaits the constraint of faith. To deny to others what we hold so dear, is a betrayal of both the constraint and the faith. “Free to Be” is not worth a plug nickel if we would withhold it from any other person.
I. This Liberty Looks to the Scripture as Its Cradle. V31 “If ye continue in my word, then ye are my disciples indeed.” There is an absolute link here between this freedom and the word. We abuse freedom when we divest it of its scriptural character. The scripture mandates the criteria of liberty. Psalm 33:12 “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.” Psalm 119:45 “I will walk at liberty for I seek thy precepts.” John 8:32 “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Romans 8:21 speaks of “. . . the glorious liberty of the children of God.” Galatians 5:1 “Stand fast, therefore, in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and do not be entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” I Peter 2:16f “Live as free men: . . . Give due honor to everyone; love to the brotherhood, reverence to God, honour to the sovereign.”
And others of persuasive faith have had their say.
Samuel Adams: “Driven from every other corner of the earth, freedom of thought and the right of private judgment in matters of conscience direct their course to this happy country as their last asylum.”
Alexander Hamilton: “The sacred rights of man are not to be rummaged from among old parchments or musty records. They are written as with a sunbeam in the whole volume of human nature by the hand of divinity itself and can never be erased by mortal power.”
There must be contemporary concern for this liberty. We face more and more dangers from the anti-religionists. The Bible nowhere remotely suggest a freedom from religion. The constitution, then, was not written to mandate that conclusion. The constitution was a guarantee of freedom “in,” not “from” religion.
We can learn much from the State of Israel about this false “dogma” religion. As late as this, the atheistic Jew is welcomed and given a valued place in the hierarchy of Israel. The Christian Jew is treated as an apostate and a traitor. The dangers of materialism are real and imminent, and we must stand our guard. Abuses are evident at every level. Yet, the pre-eminent safeguard for us is in practiced stewardship.
II. Religious Liberty Grew to Maturity in the White-Hot Forge of Democracy. V36 “If the Son frees you, you really will be free.” I remind you that the religious life of the early colonies was not characterized by religious freedom. Early colonial governments dictated religious practices. In New England particularly, there was an established state church. Isaac Backus, Baptist, appeared before the Continental Congress in 1774 to appeal for religious freedom in Massachusetts. John Adams, was without sympathy: “just as well expect a change in the Solar System as to expect Massachusetts to give up her established church.” Our compatriots were Jews. Catholics who had settled Maryland.
Free people are free simply because federal, state, municipal governments have no right to dictate religious practices. But remember, that is freedom “in,” not “from” religion. By its very declaration, it affirms the link.
Thus, in those early years, Baptists became the force for public conscience and freedom.
In 1740—50 Baptist churches
By 1776—perhaps 475
In 1795 there were over 1150
Today—36,000 Southern Baptists with that many others
It is imperative that we remember who we are and whose we are. It not who we are that God has blessed. His blessing then, and now, is upon those anointed with His concern for conscience, freedom, and truth. What better expression than that of variance in convention outlook but togetherness in mission.
Conservatives sustain a doctrinal base anchored in God’s Word. Moderates remind us that we are free, and accountable for ourselves to the Father. Together, we are to open the door of faith to as wide a gathering of seekers as we can. The questionable resolution on the priesthood of the believer is something for us to chew on until next year.
Conclusion
A Baptist named John Leland was the human influence that prodded James Madison to introduce the first amendment to the Constitution. In that amendment, the basis for religious freedom would be established. “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the exercise thereof.”
We call ourselves “Baptist.” Considering what it means, are we? Or are we just prostituting the name until some real Baptists take it from us?
FREEDOM AND ITS DEMANDS
#138 FREEDOM AND ITS DEMANDS
Scripture John 8:31-36 Orig. 7/4/1965; 7/1975
Rewr. 6/30/1985
Passage: 31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” 34 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
Purpose: To speak to my people on the eve of Independence Day on the true nature of freedom.
Keywords: Freedom Liberty Rights
Timeline/Series: Special Day
Introduction
The sight of a July Fourth parade will do it every time. I don’t have to be there in person. I can see it on television, or just hear the strains of music. To know that it is July Fourth and that a parade is underway somewhere always brings back some recollections of childhood. I remember standing on a street in my hometown watching the festivities among the people of my youth. I remember the bands and the marching people, and the soldiers, and the Colors. I remember seeing people weeping unashamedly, old men standing at attention with their hats in their hands, some in arthritic salute.
There would be a community gathering. Speeches would be made. Patriotic speeches! Speeches by people who loved their country and who had proved it in devoted service.
I remember as a young soldier, standing in uniform and looking up to see the American flag flying atop the United States Capitol. I remember going as a part of the official detachment to inter the body of a friend. My high school classmate had gone into the Navy, and had been killed in an accident aboard his ship. I remember firing the military salute, . . . folding the flag that draped his casket, and presenting it to my friend’s mother.
What are the values of freedom? Are they yet the same? Do we feel the same glow that we felt then? Is there a price to freedom that many seem reluctant to pay? What . . . are the demands of freedom?
I. There is no Liberty Without Limits. Two strong attitudes are described here. V33 “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone.” V34 “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.”
Living in a free society does not of itself guarantee liberty. Too many people are the sum of their circumstance. Surrounded by cynics one will become cynical. One may become religiously oriented the same way. True liberty guides a person beyond his circumstance to truth.
The Pharisees looked upon themselves as special. “We are Abraham’s children.” We have our own set of labels. A lot of pride in Dallas. 45,000 “We’re Baptists.” Two letters in Shreveport Times: “Why cover the [Southern] Baptist Convention?”
God is not moved by our labels, but by our liability. Labels—“Dallas Cowboys”—sports are proliferating. New York Metropolitan Opera had a huge deficit. We are not drawn to art forms glorifying God, but to sports glorifying man.
Liberty is the benevolent gift of God to all such who would see all men free. It started with Jesus who would have all people free. It was passed on to His disciples who grasped its meaning only at Calvary. It reaches our hearts with the discovery that there are limits to liberty, and the limits are in Christ.
[Poet] James Oppenheim – “They set the slave free, striking off his chains/Then he was as much a slave as ever/He was still chained to servility/He was still manacled to indolence and sloth/He was still bound up in fear and superstition, by ignorance, suspicion and savagery/His slavery was not in is chain, but in himself/They can only set free men free, and there is no need of that/Free men set themselves free.”
II. There are no Rights Without Restraints. V31 “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.” There is no uncertainty about the intent of Jesus’ teaching. Singlemindedness: Elijah—How long halt ye between two opinions?” Jesus—“If thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.” Dedication: Revelation 2:10 (Smyrna) “Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life.” Certification of discipleship: It asks a question, “Are you My disciples?” It gives the only possible answer. It responds, “Then you will remain entrenched within My Word.” A verb form demanding continuity.
Freedom is a gift from God. It is the opposite of lust for power and greed. Perhaps it is God’s way to compensate for man’s Adamic passion.
Freedom is His gift and man’s goal. The Constitutional Convention began deliberations on May 25, 1787. June 8 found the weather warm and tempers flaring in the State House in Philadelphia.
There was total deadlock. Compromise and success seemed impossible. Benjamin Franklin called them to prayer. “And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, it is probable that an empire cannot arise without His aid.”
III. There is no Freedom Without Focus. V36 “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”
We are never really free until life begins to focus on what is beyond us.
“Within my earthly temple there’s a crowd;
There’s one of us that’s humble, one that’s proud.
There’s one that’s brokenhearted for his sin,
There’s one who, unrepentant, sits and grins.
There’s one who loves his neighbor as himself,
And one who cares for nought but fame and self.
From such corroding care I would be free,
If only I could determine which is me.” (London Newspaper, 1945)
Listen as Paul declares this to the Corinthians (I Corinthians 7:22), “He that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord’s free man: Likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant.” And to the Galatians (5:1), “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free.” And Peter in his epistle (I Peter 2:16), “As free, and not using your liberty as a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.”
Newsweek commissioned an issue on 100 heroes. Only three mention religion: a Franciscan priest, a lapsed Mennonite, and _____________. Captioned, “I Love to Tell the Story.”
The demands of freedom are: There is no liberty without limits; there are no rights without restraints; there is no freedom without focus. The limits, the restraints, the focus are clearly Christ.
Conclusion
Boy behind Wilhites. Whoop. Running to house with fish on line. Emerges sans fish. Shortly, a second boy emerges with fishing pole to try his luck.
When the world is able to grasp our freedom in Christ, they will beat a path to our doors.