[
Let us never forget that
“Freedom is NEVER Free!”]
[As Americans we have been given a liberty of untold
value in the history of our world.
Yes, we struggle to maintain the balance between government and
liberty. There are differing
opinions about what American government is and should do and what levels of
involvement government should have in our lives and culture.
Still, the liberty we enjoy in America is
wonderful, and inspiring.]
Things to think
about on this Memorial Day,
A.
The
Promotion Of Freedom [– Think for a moment about what God gave you
when He provided that you should be born in
America.
What if you had been born somewhere else?
What if you had never known the protection, provision, and promise of
our American culture?]
1.
Mogadishu,
Somolia [- Just consider a
place like Mogadishu, Somolia.
I recall a distance learning student from that city who was studying
to earn a BA degree from the
Bible college I was studying with.
He was running an orphanage and was trying to educate those orphans.
Just this last week on one of our major news channels I watched a
report on that war torn country.
For decades that country has existed without any real form of
government. The country has a
president and a very small military, but the president and his military are
not strong enough to control the war lords that essentially rule the
country. ]
[The country is ravaged by war.
The building are in shambles.
People are starving to death and live in desperation.
One report told of bands of militia consisting of sixteen to twenty
year old men who execute swift judgment, even amputating hands and legs from
accused thieves. Mogadishu, Solomia is a real world example of
what life would be like with no real government in place.
It would be chaos.]
2.
Islamic
Governments [– While I am no expert on Islamic Governments, I am still
thankful that I am not in an Islamic country.
As I think about the countries that I affiliate with the Islamic or
Muslim culture I am reminded of their restrictive culture.
The restrictions placed upon their women.
Their apparently, radical positions on life, in my esteem.
Their religious laws and factions fill me with fear. No real faith
can be compulsory, but each individual must choose to know and worship God.
]
[Likely, the images that come to our mind when we think
about Islam cultures are those images that surround
World
Trade Centers
and their attack. I am very
thankful that I do not live in an Islamic country.]
3.
Other
Places I Have Been [– I recall the poverty of
Paraguay.
Seeing a young man riding in a rugged Ox Cart while talking on his
cell phone. I suppose cell
phone are less of a problem at the speed for which an ox cart travels.
I also recall the rugged outdoor emergency location that was referred
to as an hospital, which was nothing more than a concrete table in a large
concrete outdoor court yard. I
am thankful for the doctor I could go to this last week to help me with my
health.]
[I recall the missionary I stayed with for a few hours
while waiting for my next interpreter and ride to my next seminar.
I recall taking my shoes off to enter their home that had hard mud
floors. I must admit that was
the cleanest mud I had ever walked on.
I really like my American mansion, and it is a mansion when compared
to many foreign cultures.]
[I recall the Ukraine
and its remnants of the Soviet Union.
With check points every few miles on the road ways.
I can only imagine what it must have been like to live under a
government that was so restrictive.
I think of South Korea and the concertina wire
and bunkers on their beaches. A
country still technically at war, and just this last week we heard reports
of the potential for a resurgence of the war as North Korea sunk a South Korean war
ship. I am so very thankful
that I am a citizen of
America.]
[How Do We
Promote Freedom?]
1.
[You Must
First Value The Freedom You Have – Do you recognize that what these
people gave their lives for is unique to
America
and is incredibly valuable.
Don’t take your liberty for granted.]
2.
[You Must Be
Involoved In Your Freedom – Be a part of protecting and promoting your Liberty.]
B.
The
Price Of Freedom [– The truth of life is that anything worth having
costs something. There is a
price to be paid for the food you eat, the home you live in, the luxuries
you enjoy. Everything has a
price and nothing is ever really free.
Don’t fall into the trap of believing that you ever get anything for
nothing, Our freedom is no
different. A great price was
paid for our freedom.]
1.
The
Requirement Of Freedom [- The
cost of American Liberty[1]
]
a.
[Civil
War]
1)
[Total Servicemembers 3,263,363]
2)
[Total Cost In Lives 498,332]
b.
[World
War II]
1)
[Total Servicemembers 16,112,566]
2)
[Total Cost In Lives 405,399]
c.
[In US
History]
1)
[Total Americans Serving 41,891368]
2)
[Total Cost In Lives 1,190,109]
2.
The
Result Of Freedom [- The American Dream of Life,
Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness did not just evolve in America.
It was fought for and earned through the sacrifices of those who were
willing to fight for the preservation of our country and its interests.
On this Memorial Day we are called to remember all who gave the
ultimate sacrifice for the preservation of our country and liberty.
While we acknowledge all who have served in our armed services on
Veterans Day, on Memorial Day we acknowledge those who died that we might
live and live in liberty.]
3.
The
Responsibility Of Freedom [– The shed blood of over one million
American servicemen and women places an incredibly high level of
responsibility upon each and every one of us as the benefactors of the
freedom they earned for us.
Their ultimate sacrifice demands our responsibility.
We are tasked to,]
a.
[Live Honorable Lives – We must
always strive to live worthy of their life.
In this regard I think that an honorable life must be one based on
honesty, integrity, justice, mercy, and compassion.
For without any one of these there is bondage, not freedom.
Live Worthy Of Their
Sacrifice.]
b.
[Protect Liberty – We all must
stand up for the liberty that those who have gone before us have won for us.
We must be aware of and active in our political processes.
We must not be those good men and women who would stand aside and
allow the forces of evil to trample down the liberty they fought to secure
for us.]
c.
[Promote Liberty – Freedom is
worth our lives.]
C.
The
Promise Of Freedom (Gal 5.1)
[– While our American freedom is wonderful there is a liberty that is far
greater than any freedom that can be known in this mortal life.
Paul wrote,]
[Galatians
5:1
1 Stand fast therefore in the
liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with
the yoke of bondage. ]
[This liberty is eternal in nature and provides
everlasting life to all who hold it.
Like our American liberty it is if anything but free.
This eternal liberty was bought at great price and is permeated with
great promises and provision.
Of course I am talking about our salvation which was secured through the
shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.]
1.
The
Requirement of our Salvation (Heb 9.22;
Col
1.12-14; Rom 6.23; 10.9-10) [–
And almost all things
are by the law purged with blood;
and without shedding
of blood is no remission. – The Bible clearly reminds us that
our eternal salvation and supernatural liberty poured out of the veins of
our Lord Jesus Christ. His
suffering on Calvary’s Cross and His shed blood has redeemed us and
cleansed us eternally. Paul
wrote,]
[Colossians
1:12-14
12 Giving thanks unto the Father,
which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in
light: 13 Who hath delivered us
from the power of darkness, and hath translated
us into the kingdom of his
dear Son: 14 In whom
we have redemption
through his blood, even
the forgiveness of sins: ]
[Our Salvation required that the penalty for our sins
be paid. The penalty for
sin, or the cost of our sin is death (Rom 6.23).
Our Lord Jesus Christ took our place on Calvary’s
Cross and paid the penalty owed for your sins in full, so that you might be
redeemed. All you have to do to
receive the salvation, the liberty, that the Lord Jesus Christ offers you is
receive Him as your personal Lord and Savior.]
[Romans
10:9-10
9 That if thou shalt confess with
thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath
raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth
unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. ]
2.
The
Result of our Salvation (Gal 5.1, 13; 1 Pet 2.16; 2 Pet 2.19) [–
Stand fast therefore in the liberty
wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke
of bondage. – In Christ Jesus our Lord we have liberty, true and eternal
freedom. But, again, my friends
don’t make the mistake of thinking that liberty means only license, or the
ability to do anything and everything you want to.
This liberty came to us at a great cost.
It cost Jesus Christ His life and blood.
It cost the Heavenly Father His only begotten Son.
It cost heaven the very best that it had to offer.
This spiritual liberty of ours came at a great sacrifice and
therefore carries with it a great responsibility.
The Bible reads,]
[Galatians
5:13
13 For, brethren, ye have been
called unto liberty; only use
not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. ]
[1 Peter 2:16
16 As free, and not using
your liberty for a cloke of
maliciousness, but as the servants of God. ]
[When people
loose sight of the foundational responsibility that accompanies the price
paid for liberty and freedom, then they loose their ability to maintain that
freedom. ]
[2 Peter 2:19
19 While they promise them liberty,
they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is
overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. ]
3.
The
Responsibility of our Salvation (Eph 2.10) [–
For we are his workmanship, created
in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we
should walk in them. – As a born again child of God your Heavenly Father
wants you to walk and talk like a child of His glorious kingdom.
It is an incredible honor to know the eternal salvation and liberty
that our Lord has given us. Why
wouldn’t we want to live the kind of life that highly exalts and manifests
all that we have in our Lord Jesus Christ.]
CrossRoads Baptist
Church, May 30, 2010
