The sign Joe made for us at our church captures this greatest gift well.
It seems the debates and even the fights we are having as Americans focus more and more on having the freedom to do and get what I want. As important as many of the issues we are wrestling with in America are, Jesus did not come to give us the freedom to do or get whatever we want. In fact, the Bible warns us that trying to do whatever we want and get whatever we want ends up making us a slave to our desires.
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.
Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Galatians 5:1(NIV)
In last Sunday’s message I said loving and serving Jesus wouldn’t lead us to loving and serving others less. It would actually make loving and serving them more important. And it would make us better at doing it too.
I hope everyone has a great time celebrating and enjoying the freedom we have in America this weekend. But I’d encourage us to also celebrate, enjoy, and appreciate the freedom Jesus came to give us.
Perhaps if we made loving and serving Jesus our primary concern, we might find that we love and serve our country and others in the world even better.