Freedom
There are many kinds of freedom and many kinds of slavery. We can be free in our spirit and souls yet be enslaved and held prisoner by a government that does not recognize our God or our beliefs.
We think of ancient times when Christians were brought into the arenas as slaves for the gladiatorial games their lives to be spent for entertaining the free citizens of Rome and other cities of that empire.
By Gods grace we have fought to end such a period of history so that we might enjoy the freedom of a democracy. We have had two great world wars and many other wars and conflicts since 1917.
We have enjoyed a great peace since the end of the Second World War. Some 60 plus years of peace purchased for us at the highest cost in human sacrifice.
Today our calendars mark a single day each year that we pause and reflect on the great victory won by such a great sacrifice. This precious peace has been entrusted to us to preserve and defend and to employ in the cause of democracy and more importantly in the cause of Jesus Christ.
Today people should be working as never before to tell the good news of Jesus Christ and the freedom that is found by trusting him. But sadly the church seems apathetic the love to reach the lost seems to have grown cold. We like the veterans we honor today should continue the fight till it is won and not let the odds or the apparent strength of the enemy diminish our resolve.
Freedom has been lost by others we are fortunate never to have known such loss in Canada to date. But times change and governments fall.
In 1787 Alexander Tyler a Scottish history professor at the University of Edinburgh had this to say about the fall of the Athenian Republic some 2000 years earlier
A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government.
A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury.
From that moment on, the majority always vote for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship.
The average age of the worlds greatest civilizations from the beginning of history, has been about 200 years
During those 200 years, those nations always progressed through the following sequence:
1 from bondage to spiritual faith
2 from spiritual faith to great courage
3 from courage to liberty
4 from liberty to abundance
5 from abundance to complacency
6 from complacency to apathy
I believe that we in North America are about to complete this cycle and that we may be witness to a sequence of events that few of us are prepared to face.
I see some disturbing parallels in Alexander Tylers research. The church has been around much longer than 200 years in fact we are approaching 2000 years.
We were once in spiritual bondage until Jesus freed us.
Our spiritual faith led to great courage as evidenced by martyrs throughout the centuries.
Great persecution led to liberty for the church and we prospered.
We became abundant throughout the world and yes we also grew complacent.
Now I fear the church in North America at least has grown apathetic.
We just dont seem to care about things with the same passion we once displayed.
The bible tells us that our death in Christ has freed us from sin.
Romans 6 NIV
Dead to Sin Alive in Christ
1What shall we say then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We died to sin how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or dont you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father we too may live a new life.
5 If we have been united with him like this in his death we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with that we should no longer be slaves to sin 7 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
Members of our church family have suffered losses this past week. We grieve with and prayerfully support Les and Fran Monk at the passing of Les sister Lillian Murphy and with Larry & Carole Sparks with the passing of Larrys brother Tom.
I would like to read you what was written in Toms memorial card as it speaks to todays subject.
Miss Me but let me go
When I come to the end of the road, And the sun has set for me.
I want no rites in a gloom filled room. Why cry for a soul set free
Miss me a little but not too long, And remember not with your head bowed low
But remember the love weve shared, Miss me but let me go.
For this is a journey we all must take, And each must go alone.
Its all part of the Masters plan, A step on the road to home.
When you are lonely, and sick at heart, Go to friends we know,
And bury your sorrows in doing Gods deeds.
Miss me but let me go.
This is the ultimate kind of freedom to be free from sin from our bodies from this world and to be alive in Gods presence. This is the freedom that is won by every person who has come to know Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord. This is the freedom that awaits those who trust in him.
But are we as Christians capable of falling into the same pattern that Alexander Tyler discovered? Are we susceptible to the pattern and history of mankinds societies?
Are we as the church of Jesus Christ going through this same sequence?
1 From bondage to spiritual faith
2 From spiritual faith to great courage
3 From courage to liberty
4 From liberty to abundance
5 From abundance to complacency
6 From complacency to apathy
Friends I ask you to examine yourselves and study these six steps.
The concept of political freedom is closely allied with the concepts of civil liberties and individual rights. Most democratic societies are professedly characterized by various freedoms which are afforded the legal protection of the state. Some of these freedoms may include
Freedom of assembly
Freedom of association
Freedom to bear arms
Freedom of education
Freedom of movement
Freedom of the press
Freedom of religion
Freedom of speech
Freedom of thought
Intellectual freedom
In the United States these past few years new laws have been passed suspending or limiting the constitutional freedoms once enjoyed by its people. The government of the day has suggested that such measures are necessary to protect citizens from future terrorist attacks.
I say that such meddling with the civil liberties of citizens is a guise for powerful men with ulterior motives.
They disguise such laws with lofty titles like The Patriot Act. Cloaking their designs in the language of patriotism.
In that country normal citizens are being watched as never before their phone calls and computer traffic monitored cameras are everywhere and everyone is observed as a potential suspect rather than as a law abiding citizen.
I am sure that these are not the measures that their veterans envisioned.
I fear that prayer has been taken out of the schools and now even Jesus is being taken out of Christmas in order to achieve a political correctness that is all wrong.
One has to wonder what will be next.
I believe a day is fast approaching when even those who serve in the pulpits of our churches will be censured by the government or suffer grave consequences.
In our own country such censure was attempted by the homosexual community to try to pass laws making parts of the bible hate literature. I would say to them as I say to you God does not hate the sinner he hates the sin.
God hates sin so much that He wants us to put it to death so that we might be reborn into a new life with Jesus Christ. Sin takes on many forms and is disguised by many faces even government faces who from time to time try to drag this world of ours into wars and conflicts.
We honor the brave men and women who valiantly defend and preserve our freedoms. Today we acknowledge their great personal sacrifice and as a nation and a people we thank them for the freedom we enjoy.
For the Christian memorial day is Easter morning as we rejoice at the victory won for us through our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Let us continue to guard our freedom in Christ as we also guard our liberty in this land of Canada. Let us never shrink from the Masters call when He asks us to battle the enemy of sin wherever it may raise its ugly head.
Whether it is on a foreign battle field or in the battle field that is our lives let us answer the call and faithfully carry out our charge to defend the faith and our homeland as we trust God with our tomorrows.
The church must speak Gods truth even when the government of the day no longer wishes to hear it.
Pray we can find the courage our brave veterans posses so that we too can defend the faith from enemies both foreign and domestic and enjoy our freedom in Jesus Christ.
Let us pray.
