The High Cost Of Freedom
Tomorrow is “Memorial Day”. For most people it is just some much needed time off from the busy work schedule,
It is a day, that the true meaning of, is mostly overlooked and sometimes forgotten.
It’s the day once a year we set aside, to remember those who gave their lives, so we can enjoy all the freedoms they fought so hard for...
That we should never take for granite!
Many battles, have been fought for freedom...and most would readily agree, far to many battles at that!
But I would say this morning..
probably every soldier had one common denominator...Faith!
Faith in themselves, faith in each other, faith in their Country...
And from the beginning of the efforts to search out establish a land where we could be free...Faith in God...
it's no secret... Faith in God made America what it is today...
The greatest Country, the most Powerful Nation in the World!
While we remember and honor today..the fallen soldiers, I would like to say thank you to all who have served to make this land Free!
They were all hero’s, because they were all willing to lay it on the line for the cause, for the love of their country and fellow man.
TBS. there is no greater love than this!
John 15:13 NKJ.
13. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
While we have heard of many heroic men and women throughout the years...
All who ever wore a uniform...should be considered a hero
While not everyone lost their life, everyone of them paid a price for freedom!
Just like for our freedom a high price was paid...our spiritual freedom came at a great cost too.
Many men and women willingly gave their all so we could enjoy the goodness of God and all the benefits He gives us today.
I'm talking about Sampson, David, Ruth,
Mary, Noah, Moses and countless others...
The story behind our religious freedoms is an amazing one...
It's one of intrigue, adventure, romance, drama and Love...
And the common thread is also faith in God!
There are those today, who say the bible...
While very interesting and amusing to read...
is just a book of stories and fables..
The one thing they lack, that makes it real and Still prevalent after all these years...since the beginning of time..
Is Faith in the God of all possibilities! Amen?
I cannot think of a sorrier state someone could be in..then not having faith and hope in God!
Hebrews 11:1-2 and 39-40 MSG
1-2 The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see. The act of faith is what distinguished our ancestors, set them above the crowd.
39-40Not one of these people, even though their lives of faith were exemplary, got their hands on what was promised. God had a better plan for us: that their faith and our faith would come together to make one completed whole, their lives of faith not complete apart from ours.
All of them did extraordinary things, but everyone of them...
died without ever seeing the promised messiah and the Grace and Favor message of freedom that He would bring with Him…
It’s an interesting fact to note that the words “remember”, “remembrance”, and “memorial” are found more than 230 times in the Bible.
The whole bible, every act ever committed to advance the kingdom..
From the beginning, until this very moment in time...
stands as a memorial..as to what can be accomplished
When you put your faith and trust in the only way known to reach God..
Through a relationship with Jesus His Son!
And what did we ever do..to even deserve one minute of Gods attention
and His Love for us? Nothing!
Ephesians 5:1-2 MSG
1-2 Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.
What did we do, what do we do?
Nothing..we were created from dust,
Not one of us..has ever done anything to deserve Gods
Extravagant Love towards us!
But thank The Lord He Lavishly Pours It Out On Us!
Yet each one..from Adam to those who are sitting here today...
Will be remembered for what they did for the kingdom of God...
Kind of sheds a whole new light on volunteerism and servitude..
Doesn't it?
Our natural response may be when ask to do something may be "I don't want to"
what it should be is "I'd be glad to"
Amen?
I want you to realize something this morning...
Anyone who has ever helped the cause of Christ and the Kingdom of God will one day be remembered, how little or however great!
and while sometimes we may forget the things we do or don't do for the Lord...
He never forgets!
There are still great chapters being written and recorded for the advancement of the work of the Lord Today.
God is not a respecter of persons, He enjoys all the things that you do to advance His message..
Just as much as He did..all those Bible Hero’s, we mentioned earlier.
Every year..we celebrate Memorial Day and remember our fallen soldiers
And we, or should I say society...likes to remember and memorialize others..
Those who's lives we feel were cut to short..
Despite the circumstances that surrounded their deaths.
People like Elvis, James Dean, Marilyn Monroe,
Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson...
And while no one can deny they all had exceptional talent..
And their accomplishments were great and amazing,
And even though society practically immortalizes them..
They fail in comparison, to the greatest Hero ever known to mankind.
Jesus Messiah, the name above all names, The Blessed Redeemer, Living Word.
Hallelujah, He left His home in Heaven to bring us Hope and forgiveness, a non-condemning message and the Unmerited Favor and Grace of His Father!
Jesus was the Promise fulfilled..that the scripture talked about.
You see, all the hero’s in Hebrews 11
Died without ever receiving the gift of Jesus.
The things that they accomplished, were amazing feats of valor and heroism
But it was all under the law, it was all about what they could do and how they could do it,
After Jesus came and did away with the law of condemnation and replaced it with forgiveness and grace,
it became about what He could do and ultimately what He did do, for all mankind
when He conquered sin and death once and for all, when He became the ultimate sacrifice on the cross.
How many greater things shall we accomplish, because we have received the gift of Jesus?
TBS. It's unlimited...Praise God who Reigns Forever
But it's not about what we can do, but what Jesus is able to accomplish in and thru us.
Our relationship that we have with Jesus is what makes it possible!
It's the only thing that makes it possible to do anything of significance!
Can I get an Amen up in this place this morning?
We have a tremendous edge over the Great Hero’s of Faith the Bible talks about, because we have access to Him!
With Jesus involved in the equation,
there is nothing that remains impossible! (Repeat)
TBS. There is nothing impossible to him that believes! NOTICE, it says believes and not does,
it puts the emphasis on what Jesus is capable of, instead of what we are capable of!
Who here, has a need this morning...raise those hands...come on now..everyone here has needs
The question is...Are you looking to yourself this morning...To come to the rescue of your need in your situation?
Or are you Looking to Jesus?
The whole world needs to take their eyes off of self..and look to Jesus! Amen?
He is our help in time of need, He is our rock we can lean on, He wants us to depend on His capabilities and not ours, Amen?
Heb. 12:1-2 NKJ
1. Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2. looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
All those who went before us are cheering us on and Jesus sits at the right hand of God as your greatest advocate today,
He has the righteousness of God, therefore He is righteous,
We have what Jesus has, so therefore we are righteous, through Jesus righteousness,
Praise The Lord for His Faithful Son, our Willing Sacrifice and advocate!
Jesus the Messiah..The Greatest Gift ever to all of humanity...
And to what He did on the cross for us?
That stands as the Greatest Memorial ever known!
John 3:16-17 MSG.
16-17. "This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it.
Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice, once and for all.
Illus.
Jesus, the mere mention of his name can calm the storm,
heal the broken,
raise the dead.
At the name of Jesus Ive seen sin hardened men melted, derelicts transformed. The lights of hope put in the eyes of a hopeless child.
At the name of Jesus hatred and bitterness turn to love and forgiveness and Arguments cease.
I've heard a mother softly breathe His name at the bedside of a child delirious from fever, and I've watched that little body be quiet, fevered brow cooled.
I've sit at the bedside of a dying saint, her body wracked with pain who in those final fleeting seconds summoned her last ounce of ebbing strength just to whisper earth's sweetest name Jesus,Jesus.
Emperors have tried to destroy it, Philosophies have tried to stamp it out.
Tyrants have tried to wash it from the face of the earth with the very blood of those who claimed it, yet it still stands.
And there shall be that final day when every voice that has ever uttered a sound,
every voice of Adam's race shall raise in one mighty chorus to proclaim the name of Jesus,
for that day every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ Is truly Lord!
You see, it was not mere chance that caused an angel one night long ago to say to a virgin maiden,
His name, his name shall be called Jesus. Jesus, Jesus, you know, there is something something about that name.
Kings and kingdoms will all pass away
But there's something about that name.
Thank the Lord, He gave us the greatest Memorial ever known!
The price of Freedom never comes cheaply and there is always precious blood involved to achieve it!!
Praise the Lord, for the Precious Blood of the Lamb that gave and continues to give us our Spiritual Freedom, we all are able to so Freely enjoy today.
Do you know Him today?
He knows everything about you..
I encourage you..
to learn everything you can about Him!
Amen?
Lets pray.
