July 4

 July 4 Weekend.  

  The date is so important our nation observes it almost religiously and even some Churches have special events as well as their Order of Service includes it as a special day .  I agree it is very important so the lessons we read today describe what one Church thought it should be about on July 4.  

Certainly the Galatians reading is easy to relate to with the word freedom being used in today's passage.  The Deuteronomy and Matthew passages are more difficult to see but they too relate to being new people and having God's outlook on situations .

In Deuteronomy we read of statutes and laws that God has given to bless the land that Israel was going into.  The people will be happy and blessed if they follow God's directions.  14: 6-7 describes that they are wisdom and understanding and observing them will distinguish Israel from other nations ."  Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. 7For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon him for" This is America as well .  We had and still have a religious origin.The Pilgrims came here to worship and celebrate God in their tradition outside of the Church in England that demanded a certain way of worship and belief.

I recommend America- The Last Best Hope by William Bennett that talks about why the Mayflower Compact was signed in New England.   Religion was the reason they came to America from Holland. ( the English who had already left England for Holland's more compromising liberty in religion)

2.  The Galatians reading takes us straight into the heart of the Gospel which is a Gospel of the heart, not of works of the law.  Paul the Apostle called out the Judaizing teachers. 

" These teachers were going forth superemphasizing that certain rites and ceremonies were necessary to salvation.  Judaism!  Yes , in other words, these Gentile Christians especially were being told, ' Yes, you can be a Christian , but you must go through the Jewish gateway and submit yourself to the rites and ceremonies of the Jewish faith'...In other words, salvation was  dependent not fully , not only, upon faith , but upon rites and ceremonies" from The Unfolding Message of the Bible G. Campbell Morgan

" Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free" 5"1

3.  Lastly we are called to a law of love in the expression of our liberty in Christ.  The Gospel as well as Galatians talks about the fruit of the Spirit 5:22 " Through love be servants one to another" 5:13

The Christian will meditate on these things in the words of Matthew to love those who are enemies of the Gospel. If you only love those who love you, what grace do you have Matthew asks?  Basically you are and I are doing only as the world is doing.  Scratch my back and I will scratch yours.

In illustration of the liberty and freedom we have and are celebrating on this weekend I remembered 1776 by David Mc Cullough who wrote of how George Washington did not give up in pursuit of the liberty we now enjoy.

" Each man seemed to vie with each other in pressing forward" Washington wrote on that Christmas attack in New Jersey where they took about 900 Hessians prisoners. 

Washington despite the weather, the lack of shoes for his Soldiers and the lack of other equipment , being outnumbered , he did not give up the fight for freedom and liberty.

We too should not give up the battle for Christian liberty and love in the God of the Scriptures despite the devil being very busy in our culture.

The hymn we sing today summarizes our celebration of God and His Independence in Christ.  Katherine Bates an English teacher at a Colorado wrote this hymn America the Beautiful while staying at a hotel in the early 1900's : O great for pilgrim feet

Whose stern impassioned stress

A thoroughfare for freedom beat

Across the wilderness.

America! America!

God mend thine ev'ry flaw,

Confirm thy soul in self-control,

Thy liberty in law."  I especially like this verse which is theme of today's message.  We have liberty in Christ and should stand fast in that liberty but express our liberty in law and love.  This is the hope for our nation today.  Those who need it the most are the ones who demonstrate in lawlessness and lack of love.  We are called to discuss things with them to let them know we are free in Christ and they can be too if they would trust in Him and His providence.