CITIZENSHIP
TEXT: Acts 16:35-40 - And when it was day, the magistrates sent the officers, saying, “Let those men go.” 36 So the keeper of the prison reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Now therefore depart, and go in peace.” 37 But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us openly, uncondemned Romans, and have thrown us into prison. And now do they put us out secretly? No indeed! Let them come themselves and get us out.” 38 And the officers told these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans. 39 Then they came and pleaded with them and brought them out, and asked them to depart from the city. 40 So they went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia; and when they had seen the brethren, they encouraged them and departed.
Acts 22:22-29 - And they listened to him until this word, and then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he is not fit to live!” 23 Then, as they cried out and tore off their clothes and threw dust into the air, 24 the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, and said that he should be examined under scourging, so that he might know why they shouted so against him. 25 And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who stood by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and uncondemned?” 26 When the centurion heard that, he went and told the commander, saying, “Take care what you do, for this man is a Roman.” 27 Then the commander came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?”
He said, “Yes.” 28 The commander answered, “With a large sum I obtained this citizenship.” And Paul said, “But I was born a citizen.” 29 Then immediately those who were about to examine him withdrew from him; and the commander was also afraid after he found out that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
Lee Greenwood sings a song that goes like this:
And I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free.
And I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me.
And I’d gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there is no doubt I love this land God bless the U.S.A.
Freedom and independence are costly. This country didn’t start out as a nation of free men, but as subjects bound under the tyranny of an unfair English King. Through a bitter struggle our forefathers broke those chains of bondage. My freedom was purchased in blood on the battlefields of Bunker Hill, Yorktown and in the numbing cold of Valley Forge. It has also been fought for in Europe, the Pacific, Korea, Vietnam, and in Kuwait, Somalia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq. As we speak American Solders are defending your freedom all around the world. Defending your right as FDR phrased it in his 4 Freedoms Speech given at his 4th Inauguration January 1941. The Freedoms Speech, Worship, Want, and Fear.
The first is freedom of speech and expression - everywhere in the world.
The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way - everywhere in the world.
The third is freedom from want - which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings, which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitant’s -everywhere in the world.
The fourth is freedom from fear - which, translated into world terms, means a worldwide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor - anywhere in the world.
Paul understood freedom as well. He was first a Roman Citizen, Second a Citizen of Tarsus. Third a Hebrew of the Hebrews. And lastly and most importantly a Citizen of Heaven. In our text this morning we see Paul use first use his rights as a Roman Citizen in Philippi. After being beaten and thrown in Prison with Silas, Paul threaten to use his citizenship because of the way his was treated and get all the town officials in trouble. Then we see in Acts 22 Paul again appeal to his citizenship. Here he begins a lengthy journey that would eventually lead to his witnessing before Caesar and Death in Rome.
Too many Christians today are giving up their freedom and liberty in Christ for the sake of a little “security” in the things of the world. Just like America is slowly loosing the freedoms that men have died for, the Children of God are slowly being drawn back into the tyranny of Satan.
Another quote from Benjamin Franklin says that, “Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb who is contesting the vote!”
The reason I bring up Liberty today is this coming Tuesday is Election Day across America.
All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, one-third of the U.S. Senate, and various local races are up for grabs.
Some people believe that since we are Christians that we should give up our right to speak out what we believe in the public arena.
There are those who say that we should not and cannot vote how we believe, because it is not politically correct.
There are those who say that we cannot voice our Christian Beliefs in the Bible because it is a Book of Myth.
There are those who say that it challenges their belief system.
There are those who say that Christianity is for the weak and does not hold against the life of today.
I say these people are wrong.
I say these people are wrong and that we can vote how we believe, because it is not politically right
I say these people are wrong and that we can voice our Christian Beliefs in the Bible.
I say these people are wrong and that we can challenge their belief system.
I say these people are wrong and that we can bring the truth that sets people free today as it has for 2000 years.
I say these people are wrong and that we have the right to Pray in Public, and share the Gospel.
Right now there are three wars going on in America.
War against Terror.
War against Christian Values.
War against Our Souls.
Yes there is a war in the nation between those forces who would steal our liberties, against enemies that are within our own borders and those that are from foreign shores. We must not lose that war or we will lose our freedoms forever. There is a war against Terror. There are Islamic Extremist who do not like the life style that you enjoy. They do not like America. They do not like Christians, and their Holy Book, and their Mullahs tells them to kill you. They are in a Holy War, a Jihad. To them our Country is full of infidels. In the was on Terror we have our Solders in Afghanistan looking for men like Osama Ben Laden. Evil men, who helped to plot the Terror Events of September 11th, 2001. Our President say that they have tried other attacks against the United States, and have failed. That our forces, and intelligence have broken many more plots against American Citizens. I thank God for Men like our President and those who stand with him against such people. I support our troops in place like Iraq, where last month alone 100 men gave the ultimate sacrifice for my freedom and the freedom of the citizens of Iraq. Where just today, men like the former Dictator, Saddam Hussein who was found guilt of crimes against Humanity.
But there is also the war going on for the Right of Christian to say what they believe. There is a group who does not want you to vote at all. They want you to stay home on Tuesday, and be quite, just because you are a Christian. They want to deny your right to vote, so they can continue to run our Country. They want to make the rules that we live by. They want you to shut up and pay your taxes in quite. Not to question their laws and let their Religion of Self Gratitude rule over your right to be a Christian.
But there is also the last war going on in America. The war of the greatest freedom at stake – the freedom of your soul. Satan and the world are like those two hungry wolves voting to have your soul for lunch. We must be on guard and arm ourselves with the Word of God and the presence of the Holy Spirit, and keep a watchful eye on over our souls.
Cherish your freedoms as a citizen of the United States of America. Cherish the liberty that has been paid for in blood. But cherish most of all the freedom that Jesus Christ has bought for you with His blood. Never allow that freedom to be taken away. Your eternal destiny hangs in the balance.
Tonight, I want to share our rights as citizens of Heaven.
