Rev. David Holwick U Fourth of July
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
July 5, 2015
Galatians 5:1,13-14
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I. The significance of the Fourth of July to Americans.
A. It is a holiday unique to us.
1) England certainly doesn't celebrate it.
2) The Fourth of July doesn't mark a military victory.
a) Most Americans don't even know when the Revolution was
won...
b) What year was it? (1783, September 3 [Treaty of Paris])
3) This day represents the ratification of a statement that
gave the reason for the Revolution.
a) We did not want to be controlled by distant England.
b) We wanted the freedom to be in charge of our own affairs.
4) In many ways, this still defines us.
a) It was quite radical back in 1776, but it is still an
idea that can shake things up.
B. New dimensions of freedom were announced this month.
1) The Supreme Court approved homosexual marriage.
a) Millions of people on Facebook put a rainbow pattern
across their picture.
Julie Baker of Baltimore decorated her yard with
rainbow lights.
One neighbor sent her a note that said, "Your yard
is becoming Relentlessly Gay!
This is a Christian area and there are Children.
Your kind need to have Respect for GOD."
In response, Baker started a GoFundMe website to
raise money for more rainbow decorations.
She asked for $5,000 and got $43,000 in less than a
week. [1]
b) Centuries of biblical morality have been put aside
and now we are in a Brave New World.
2) Will more freedom for them mean less for Christians?
a) Justice Kennedy's majority decision mentions that some
religious people believe differently, but is silent
on whether they can ACT differently.
b) The Constitution is clear that we can exercise our
faith, not just believe it.
1> This creates a great tension on issues like this.
2> Last year a justice on the New Mexico Supreme Court
noted that Christians were being compelled to
"compromise the very religious beliefs that
inspire their lives."
Even so, he said this compromise was the price of
citizenship.
It is interesting that the compromise is very
one-sided.
#64581
C. How should we best exercise our faith in these changing days?
1) Are Christians any less free now?
2) More importantly, what are we doing with the freedom we
have?
II. Our freedom comes from God.
A. It was an essential point in the ministry of Jesus.
1) In John 8:32 he says, "You will know the truth, and the
truth will set you free."
2) This must be important, because Presidential candidate
Chris Christie alluded to it in his kick-off speech.
(It was only an allusion because he didn't want to appear
too religious for the New Hampshire primary....)
B. What is the freedom we have in Christ?
1) The context in Galatians is Paul's dispute with people
who loaded a bunch of rules onto salvation.
a) These people argued you had to follow the Jewish law
system before you could benefit from Jesus.
b) A modern version of this is called Legalism.
1> It focuses not so much on Jewish law, as law and
rules in general.
2> Your faith is guided by prohibitions and
restrictions.
c) The advantage of legalism is that it's concrete.
1> You can know if you are making the grade or not.
2> Your heart may be full of bigotry and greed and
lust, but outwardly you seem compliant and you
are in church every Sunday so you are OK.
2) Paul strongly disagreed - Jesus sets us free from laws.
a) This is an important point for Christians who are
dismayed at the trend in court rulings on morality.
1> Laws cannot save us.
2> Jesus doesn't add more legal rules for us to follow,
but he gives us a whole new system to live by.
A> It is a system of grace.
B> We don't follow rules, but are led by the Spirit
of God in our hearts.
b) Notice Galatians 5:4 - "You who are trying to be
justified by law have been alienated from Christ;
you have fallen away from grace."
III. Are there any limits for us?
A. Some say we are we are free to do anything we want.
1) They think Christians shouldn't worry about morality.
2) Theologians call this attitude "license."
a) License is like Cole Porter's song, "Anything Goes."
3) Nowadays license is much more popular than legalism.
a) It requires no work and has no guilt, no restrictions.
B. Paul warns against this attitude as well.
1) In v. 13 he says we are free from law, but not free to sin.
2) If the Bible condemns something, you will hurt yourself
if you go ahead and do it.
3) The law cannot save you, but it is there to protect you.
C. In his love, God gives us boundaries.
1) God's compassion never cancels out his truth and holiness.
a) Humans are most fulfilled when we live according
to God's design.
b) We cannot understand God's love if we don't also
embrace his holiness.
2) One theologian has said, "you can't enjoy true freedom
without limits."
That theologian was Tom Landry, coach of the Dallas Cowboys.
#15465
IV. Our greatest freedom is to love one another.
A. We are free to do what God wants, not what we want.
1) To live by grace is to be energized by the heart of Jesus.
2) How would Jesus treat a homosexual or anyone else we might
consider a sinner?
a) He would love them and serve them.
b) He would also tell them to quit sinning and repent
and follow him.
c) At least that is what he told other sinners he came in
contact with.
3) The greatest expression of our freedom is found in verse 14:
"The entire law is summed up in a single command:
'Love your neighbor as yourself."
Verse 6 reinforces this idea:
"The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself
through love."
B. How can we best love people?
1) We must give them the Good News.
a) Jesus came to save us from anything we have done.
b) He not only saves us, but he sustains us.
1> He helps us in the daily struggles of life.
2) We must SHOW them the Good News.
Back in the Civil War a chaplain approached a wounded
soldier on the battlefield.
He asked him if he'd like to hear a few verses from the
Bible.
The wounded man said, "No, I'm so thirsty, I'd rather have
some water."
The chaplain gave him a drink, and then repeated his
question, "Would you like to hear some verses from the
Bible?"
"No sir, not now - but could you put something under my
head?"
The chaplain did so, and again repeated his question.
"No," said the soldier, "I'm cold. Could you cover me up?"
The chaplain took off his inside coat and wrapped it around
the soldier.
Afraid to ask again, the chaplain did not repeat his
question.
He began to walk away but the soldier called him back.
"Look, Chaplain, if there's anything in that book of yours
that makes a person do for another what you've done for
me, then I want to hear it."
#6832
3) We must give them the truth.
a) It is not for us to judge or condemn - God will do that.
b) However, we must call people to repentance.
c) Christians are often wimpy at this.
1> We may have a reputation for being condemning, but
we usually don't get specific with people.
2> We condemn sin "in general."
3> I think people need to know what God's standards
are, and how short they fall.
V. Christians don't need a Supreme Court.
A. The Court is guided by human philosophy.
1) Even some members of the Court admitted this in their
statements.
2) The idea of an absolute standard outside of humans is
rejected by many on the court, and in society.
3) As a result, you can expect standards to change at an
ever-increasing rate.
a) Current public opinion will guide it.
B. God won't be changing.
1) God is compassionate, and righteous. #64866
a) God's teachings are true and unchanging - even when it
becomes difficult to stand on those truths as the
cultural tide turns against them.
b) God's love is limitless and extends to all people.
2) Sin is still sin.
a) Adultery, fornication and even lax church attendance
used to be illegal in America.
1> We don't put people in jail for these any more.
2> They are legal, but it doesn't make them right.
3> Sin will always carry a cost to your soul.
b) All of us will answer to God for how we have lived.
1> We must remember that we are sinners, too.
2> We need to repent like everyone else.
VI. Are you free?
A. You can't be free if you are a slave to sin.
1) Many Christians have a strong opinion about certain sins.
2) What are your views on your own sins?
a) God is against all forms of sexual immorality.
b) What would he say to you?
B. True happiness comes from submitting to God.
1) Seek the heart of Jesus in everything you do.
2) Ask him to let his love flow from you to others, that
they may come to believe.
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SOURCES FOR ILLUSTRATIONS USED IN THIS SERMON:
[1] "This Is True," internet newsletter, Mike Straw; editor Randy
Cassingham; June 28, 2015. Original source is the Baltimore
Sun newspaper.
# 6832 “He Was Finally Ready To Hear,” Carlos Wilton, Rev. Brett Blair's
Illustrations by Email, www.sermonillustrations.com,
May 4, 2003. Original source is PresbyNet, “Sermonshop 04 17
1994,” #5, April 12, 1994.
#15465 “You Can't Enjoy True Freedom Without Limits,” Fredericksburg
Bible Illustrator Supplements, 5/1997.101.
#64581 “The New First Freedom: Sexual vs. Religious Freedom,” John
Stonestreet, BreakPoint Commentary, September 5, 2014.
#64866 “The Supreme Court Approves Same-Sex Marriage: A Christian
Response,” Dr. Juli Slattery, June 26, 2015;
<http://www.todayschristianwoman.com/juli-slattery/2015/june/what-does-bible-say-about-homosexuality.html>
These and 35,000 others are part of the Kerux database that can be
downloaded, absolutely free, at http://www.holwick.com/database.html
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