True Freedom

What a glorious sight as we witnessed the release of the surviving Israeli hostages held by Hamas! Much negotiation and many prayers went into the process of finally securing freedom for the survivors. Here was a moment of real freedom from physical bondage. It's ironic in our culture when it comes to defining "freedom." When we hear the word freedom, it is often defined as a lack of all restraints. Freedom is characterized as the ability to do whatever we want without interference or any kind of hinderance. If an individual wants to say ugly things to another person whether face to face or on social media, people do not want to be censored in any way, shape, or form. If someone wants to go speeding down the highway, they don't want to have signs limiting how fast they can travel. The reality is that what we define as freedom is actually bondage. 

A LACK OF LIMITS LEADS TO SLAVERY

If there are no boundaries or limits, we become slaves to whatever we are pursuing. Many will mock Christianity and claim it hinders freedom. They will state that Christians are just a bunch of mindless rule keepers without purpose and the ability to be free to live as they choose. Christians will be likened to mindless zombies blindly following a Being at the expense of their personal freedom. The folly with this argument is a failure to understand who Christ is and what He has accomplished in His resurrection. The kind of freedom Christ offers is eternal. The kind of freedom Christians receive is rooted in a Person not some temporary pleasure. Paul states in Romans 6:15-16, "What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey--whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? (NIV) The unfortunate results of an attitude where restraint is thrown off and an "anything goes" mentality is adopted can be seen in our culture and our world today. People become slaves to the "gods" to which they bow down. (i.e. addictions, social media, sexual immorality, etc.) 

TRUE FREEDOM IN CHRIST

Christ wants us to be free from spiritual bondage. The kind of freedom Christ offers cannot be found in this world. It is a freedom unseen, it is a freedom of the spirit, it is a freedom that is not chaotic but orderly, it is peaceful and not encumbered by the thoughts and attitudes of others but by the release and presence of the Holy Spirit. It is a freedom that doesn't worry about what will happen tomorrow but rests in the knowledge of the One who holds all our tomorrows. Do we want to experience freedom in the true sense of the word? Jesus states in John 8:31-32, “If you hold to My teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (NIV) Let us open the window to freedom in Christ.

Shalom,

Pastor Sheree

 FREEDOM IS A COMIN’ 

Hello my friends. One of the memories I cherish from my former church, Connections, is our celebration of diversity. We were always pro-active rather than reactive when it came to addressing racial issues. I always enjoyed sharing from the pulpit a message related to the church and race. February is the month set aside to recognize black history and celebrate the contributions of black men and women to this country. It’s sad that we need to set aside a month to recognize these contributions but black history which is a part of American history is often not taught in our schools or at best given a brief, passing acknowledgement of existence. I wonder how many aside from black churches recognize Black History month or even invite guest speakers to share? I know personally my heart is saddened by this silence. Revelation 7:9-10 states, “After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” (NIV) It is evident in this passage that not only is there no ethnic separation among the saints before the throne of God but unified together they praise God. Why does the church choose not to celebrate the diversity reflected before the throne here on earth? The month of June celebrates a special event called Juneteenth, wherein the last slaves were finally freed on June 19, 1865 two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. It is a significant day in the history of black Americans, yet again rarely mentioned in most churches. In celebration of Juneteenth I share with you a fictional short story that I wrote which highlights the possible feelings of a black woman’s experience of that momentous day and a poem highlighting our freedom in Christ.

I heard the rumors. Somebody was saying freedom was a comin’ But I didn’t believe it. Folks said the president declared us free two and a half years ago but here we are still servin’ the massa. How long is this gonna be? I watched my family workin’ themselves to death, for what? So here I be, followin’ in the same footsteps. Lord, I been prayin’ that my children ain’t gonna go down this same road. I talk to You everyday while I be workin’ in the fields and say my prayers before I close my eyes to sleep. Sometimes, Lord, I wish that I wouldn’t wake up the next mornin’. Our preacher tells us stories late at night after the massa gone to sleep about Moses bein’ sent by God to free the people. People just like me that were slaves. Where’s our deliverer Lord? Who gonna set us free? Our preacher say “just keep trustin’ in the Lord. He sees you and hears your prayers. Our deliverance will come one day.” Is that true Lord? Every day I wake up, I feel the soreness in my body and the achin’ in my bones. I don’t know if I be around when that deliverer come. But I keep trustin’ and believin’ and prayin’ and waitin’ to be free or as the song say “swing low sweet chariot, comin’ for to carry me home.” 

I was woke this mornin’ by shoutin’. Somebody sayin’ “Its true!” They best be careful that they don’t shout too loudly or the massa might hear and give them a whippin’ How many peoples have I seen whipped for the smallest thing? For getting dirt on the massa’s shoes without meanin’ it. For not movin’ fast enough when the massa call their name. Now someone shouting loud enough to wake the dead? I pray the punishment not too bad. The shoutin’ keeps goin’ but this time they sayin’ “It’s true we free!” Lord have mercy, they lookin’ to be hung up from a tree with that kinda talkin’. I was fearin’ to go out. I didn’t wanna be punished for listenin’ to such foolishness. Suddenly there came a poundin’ at my door. “Hey in there come on out, we is free!” Dear Lord have mercy! Could it be true? All that trustin’ all that prayin’ all that hopin’? The shoutin’ started to get louder as other voices declared, “We is free, Hallelujah we is free!” I was thinkin’ if this not true then all these people done lost their minds. “Lord, I gonna trust you and open this door.” What my eyes done see, people shoutin’ and jumpin’, clappin' and singin’. Where was the massa? Surely he done heard all this noise and carryin’ on! I looked at the massa’s house and seen some soldiers talkin’ to him. They had some papers they was showin’ massa. Massa and his friends didn’t look none too happy. I thought massa was gonna chase those soldiers off his property with a shotgun but he just stood there without sayin’ nothin’. Hope started risin’up in my spirit. I remember them slaves in the Bible that our preacher talk about. I wonder is this how they feel when their deliverer finally come? This hope within me start to change to joy. It really was true, our deliverer done come. My spirit feel like it was afire as I begin dancin’, singin’, and shoutin’. I done never had feelins like this before. I had neva seen smiles so big on my children faces. I had neva seen so many peoples cryin’ not from punishment or hard workin’ but from the sweet taste of freedom. Some of the peoples was even huggin’ them soldiers. Thank You Lord Jesus for the blessin’. 

What I gonna do now? I don’t know. Some peoples be talkin’ about goin’ north to find work. Others talkin’ about gettin’ their own land and workin’ it. And some even be talkin’ about stayin’ with their massa. I may not know much but what I know for sure is we is free and I gonna celebrate every day the good Lord give me life and breath and I know when that sweet chariot come to carry me home I will rest in peace ‘cause my children and their children will not taste the bitta’ root of bein’ a slave. Hallelujah to Jesus we all is free!

A Poem: Freedom Is A Comin’

Freedom is a comin’

It’s what we’re waiting for,

Freedom is a comin’

Just like He did before.

The hope that we hold onto seems very far away,

But freedom is a comin’ it may even be today.

We all have been enslaved in sin and darkest night,

But freedom is a comin’ bringing radiant light.

Our chains they have been broken, our cry is “free at last!”

The pain that we have suffered will be part of the past.

Freedom is a comin’ and yes, it has a name,

Its not some general, president, or celebrity with fame.

Its Jesus Christ the Lord of lords our Savior and our King, 

Who offers us salvation, true freedom He does bring.

Like the slaves who had been told there is no hope for you,

We can believe that we are slaves and become hopeless, too.

But what sustained those early slaves through even darkest night,

The hope that lived within their souls that one day they’d see light.

And so we take that sacred hope and hide it in our hearts,

That soon one day we will receive a heavenly new start.

Our hearts cry out just like those slaves, “How long Oh Lord how long?”

Until You come and make alright that which has gone wrong.

The answer will come just like it did to those slaves on their freedom day,

Freedom is a comin’ so keep watch and wait and pray.