Freedom
Author: Mark Fenstermacher
July 02, 2021
Every time I leave the country, I’ve felt a sense of excitement at the adventure ahead. I’ve
also felt a twinge of regret at leaving home behind.
The Bible tells us that as children of the covenant we have another homeland,
and we are sojourners on this earth. But this land is my land, and it is home
to me in so many ways.
When you’re far from home, as you well know, you have the opportunity to see
what it is you have. The blessings become obvious from a distance. So when away
I would think of family, familiar streets, DQ visits in the summer with family,
clean water, hot showers, fields filled with corn and soybeans, baseball, the
rule of law, the 1st Amendment, a free press, etc.
At the heart of the American dream is the idea that all persons are created
equal, and the promise that we are building a nation where there is liberty and
justice for all. The work of making that dream a reality for all persons,
whatever their income, skin color, gender, or faith is unfinished. We clearly
have more work to do.
The American experiment is also about freedom. Some people think freedom is the right to do and say whatever they want no matter what. That’s the understanding
of freedom that some of my floor mates at college had our first year, and
exercising that kind of freedom wrecked most of them. Selfishness is not what
the Bible has in mind when the scripture speaks of freedom.
Freedom is always, in the New Testament, lived out in a way that takes our neighbor into
consideration. In his discussion of how our food and drink choices might
impact others (1 Corinthians 8), Paul says, “Be careful, however, that the exercise
of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak.”
In Galatians 5, he writes to that early Christian community: “You, my brothers
and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the
flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.”
I’m thankful for my home. I’m thankful for America. As we celebrate July 4th,
let us continue the struggle to build a more perfect union where there is
liberty and justice for all. And let our exercise of freedom be shaped and formed
by our love for God and out of concern for our neighbor.
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Join us Sunday at 10 am for worship (either online or in-person). We’ll sing
some very special songs, be reminded of the dream of freedom and justice for
all, and continue our series “Rebuilding the Foundations.”
Let freedom ring but let the song we sing out be God’s song of love for all.
I’m so blessed to share this Jesus journey with you! See you Sunday at 10.
Pastor Mark
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