Freedom Is Very Expensive. (Veterans Day)

Freedom has a high price tag.

Today is veterans day and we want to honor those who have fought and those who are fighting for our freedom as we speak.

"My country, 'tis of thee, Sweet land of liberty, Of thee I sing: Land where my father's died, Land of the pilgrim's pride, From every mountain side Let freedom ring!"

I think sometimes we take our freedom for granted ....for over 200 years America has lost many men and women to war so we could have our freedom today.

So far we can come together and praise God...the one who blessed this country.

I was not a veteran ...the closest I have been to being a veteran ...I was a tender foot in the Boy Scots...and not much at that.

Freedom has a high price....Mankind ...over all wants to hold others in bondage .....so the most powerful...the rich...can dominate and make the less fortunate serve them as slaves....but, we have laws of our land and ....so far to protect us from that.

Apostle Paul had a run in with his freedom in Acts 22....

Acts 22:25-28 (KJV)

25 And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?

26 When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman.

27 Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea.

28 And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born.

By law... a Roman citizen not proven guilty of a crime could not be chained and beaten.

The same is true when we belong to Christ....even more so...we cannot be proven guilty of sin because we are represented by Jesus Christ and found innocent of all charges ...the highest court of appeals in the entire universe with God as judge and jury.

Mans law says that we are innocent until proven guilty...Gods law says we were born guilty...we were born sinners and found guilty and sentenced to die by Gods law.

But, sometimes we are held captive by things in our life....disappointment...discouragement ....situations that seem we can never defeat.....but, we have Christ....there is no war that can't be won with our Lord on our side.

In our text today Paul was about to be beaten and ....

In verse 25 Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?

Paul was defending his right as a Roman citizen....but, the chief caption that was about to have Paul beaten...use to be a slave...but, he saved his money and bought his freedom because he said in verse ...

28 And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. ....listen to what Paul told him

And Paul said, But I was free born.

Salvation can't be bought....it can only be obtained through Jesus ...and by accepting Him we are born again....we are born into His family.

That means that when we accept Him as our Saviour ...our old self dies along with all of our sin....past ...present...and future.

We cannot be condemned for our sin ...ever

We were given a death sentence but, Jesus died in our place....Jesus died so that all that would come to him could be born again in the Spirit....innocent and never to be proven guilty.....we are set free....we have freedom of sin.

We thank God today for our freedom of sin....we thank God for our country....I just can't imagine what some young men and women are going through right now.

Listen to what one of the greatest warrior who ever lived said...Gods man King David in ....

Psalm 91:1-11

1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.