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This is a sermon given on the Sunday prior to July 4th Independence Day 2013. It emphasizes the fact that the concepts of liberty and freedom, politically, socially and spiritually are founded in the message of the Bible. It also makes reference to the influence upon the American Revolution by the clergy in the 18th Century. The Scripture text for the message was Luke 4:18.
Written Excerpts:
Introduction:
Before this week is over we will celebrate Independence Day again. We
all remember that this is the day we celebrate and commemorate the signing of
the Declaration of Independence and the birth of our nation; free from the
tyranny of an oppressive government.
Today we have sung patriotic songs and we have listened to the
recitation of a speech originally given by one of our nation’s patriots.
(Thanks to Dick Grim for his rendition of Patrick Henry’s speech.) For my message today, I wanted to emphasize a message that relates to
the theme of liberty.
A couple of years ago I preached a message with the title, “Liberty Is
God’s Idea.” In that sermon I tried to show that freedom and liberty for all
people is founded in the biblical themes such as: the free will of man;
deliverance of the oppressed; etc.
For just a few moments today I want to add to that emphasis by
stressing the message of liberty that was proclaimed by biblical authors as well
as men of God in the early days of our nation’s history.
I. Proclaiming Liberty
Let’s look down through the verses that we read earlier during our
Scripture Reading….
All of these verses primarily refer to the spiritual freedom that God
offers to every person through the salvation provided by the sacrifice of Jesus
Christ. There is no question about the fact that the primary message of the
Bible is the salvation and spiritual freedom that is provided by Jesus Christ
for every person in the world. God’s ultimate goal and desire is for everyone to be saved eternally;
for no one to “perish, but have everlasting life.”
God’s messengers from Genesis to Revelation proclaimed the truth of
salvation and spiritual freedom from sin. Down through the ages of history men and women have used the revelation
of God and proclaimed the same message of liberty from sin to a world that has
been in bondage to sin ever since Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of
Eden.
II. Proclaiming Liberty
I have been doing a little reading lately (and I plan to do more)
regarding the role of the clergy in the American Revolution. It is somewhat surprising to me to read of the significant influence
that the clergy had in promoting the message of freedom and liberty and the
“just cause of the revolution.”
I discovered, for example, that there were two Sundays each year in
which “Election Sermons” were provided. These were given on “general
election day, the last Wednesday of May, when the new general court has been
used to meet… and elect counsellors for the ensuing year; the other, some
little while after, on the artillery election day, when the officers are
re-elected, or new officers chosen. On these occasions political subjects are
deemed very proper; but it is expected that they be treated in a decent
serious, and instructive manner…”(They Preached Liberty
Listen to just a few quotes from the so-called “election sermons.”
·
The Scriptures cannot be rightfully expounded without explaining them
in a manner friendly to the cause of freedom. – Rev. Charles Turner of Duxbury;
Mass.
·
Unlimited submission and obedience is due to none but God alone. He has
an absolute right to command; he alone has an uncontrollable sovereignty over
us, because he alone is unchangeably good. He never will nor can require of us,
consistent with his nature and attributes, anything which is not fit and
reasonable. His commands are all just and good. And to suppose that he has
given to any particular set of men a power to require obedience to that which
is unreasonable, cruel, and unjust, is robbing the Deity of his justice and goodness.”
– Rev. Samuel West, of Dartmouth ; Mass.
·
God never gives men up to be slaves till they lose their national
virtue, and abandon themselves to slavery. – Rev. Richard Salter of Mansfield ; Conn.
The Black Robed Regiment was the name that the
British placed on the courageous and patriotic American clergy during the
Founding Era (a backhanded reference to the black robes they wore).
Significantly, the British blamed the Black Regiment for American Independence,
and rightfully so, for modern historians have documented that: There is not
a right asserted in the Declaration of Independence
which had not been discussed by the New England
clergy before 1763. (http://blackroberegiment.wallbuilders.com/the-original-brr/what-is-the-black-robed-regiment.aspx)
Conclusion:
Dear
friends, on this Sunday prior to Independence Day 2013, I must say that it is
high time for the preachers of the Word of God to once again take the lead in
proclaiming liberty and freedom as rightly proclaimed in the Word. We are rapidly losing our freedoms. We are not
only losing our liberties to live our lives as we see fit in the sight of God,
but we are under an increasing pressure and coercion to endorse and finance the
practice of evils that are condemned in God’s holy Word.
I received numerous emails from various
organizations this week regarding the Supreme Court rulings regarding “Gay
Marriage.”
One of the
emails I received related the following information: A few weeks ago
managers inside the United States Justice Department received a memo titled:
"LGBT Inclusion at Work: The Seven Habits of Highly Effective
Managers." It was sent in advance of "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and
Transgender Pride Month." One of the instructions to the managers cited
the need to verbally affirm the lifestyle of these individuals. It read:
"Don't judge or remain silent. Silence will be interpreted as disapproval."
(Email from American Family Association)
Many religious leaders are
saying that it will not be long before churches and ministers will be required
to perform same-sex marriages or lose tax-exempt status. Also, churches and religious
organizations are being pressured to fund abortions through their health
insurance policies even though it violates their conscience. I truly believe that we will
soon find our churches will no longer allowed to enjoy tax exempt status if we
insist on condemning the evil practices in our society, or if we refuse to
publicly endorse the conduct and behavior that God condemns.
It is time for churches and
Christians to stand up and be counted regardless of the cost. If we don’t, we
will slip farther and farther into the bondage of tyranny and moral darkness. For God’s Word declares that
when we reject the light of truth, it becomes darkness and great is that
darkness.
As we close this service today,
I trust that each of will have a renewed commitment to the spiritual liberty
that is provided for each and every one of us through the sacrifice of Jesus
Christ.
I also trust that we will have a
renewed commitment to the liberty and freedom that our country was founded
upon. Our nation has always been a beacon of hope and liberty to the rest of
the world, but that will not last much longer if we keep going the way that we
are going.
The true secret to a national
revival of freedom and liberty is a national revival of spiritual life and
commitment to God.
Let us sing our closing song
from the bottom of our hearts.
p. 805 If My People’s Hearts Are Humbled
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