"A Declaration of Liberty"

Luke 4.18 - 21

 

INTRO: I am so thankful for our nation! The chance to live in it is so great! Why? It is our liberty!!! It is the freedoms that have been obtained for us through the years! More than that, I am glad for the LIBERTY God gave us through His son. The cost was great, but the benefits are enormous!

 

Lu. 4: 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

 

We can see that tomorrow is a great day, for all of us, all our lives…

  1. July 4th is a celebration of our Liberty 
    1. Our nation was determined to be freed from bondage
    2. Our nation has paid an enormous price
    3. Our nation continues to pay a great price for our freedom

     

    Just as our nation celebrates, we as Christians know…

  2. The Lord's Day is a celebration of our Liberty 
    1. The Lord was determined to give us freedom from sin

      2.  

      Jn. 8: 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

      33 They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?

      34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

      35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.

      36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

       

    2. The Lord paid an enormous price for our gain of salvation
    3. His freedom continues to give us freedom by God's grace alone

      

    Even in all the celebration, we must understand that…

  3. The Liberty that was gained by our forefathers brought a great responsibility. 
    1. Their goal was for us to remain free
    2. They prayerfully drew up several documents to allow our freedom, to pursue better our freedom, and to uphold our freedoms.
    3. We value and protect our freedom and acclaim it to others as well

     

    No different than our earthly responsibilities…

  4. The Liberty that was gained by Christ causes us to bear a great responsibility 
    1. We need to wear our freedom from sin properly
      1. rejoice in Him
      2. walk in Him
      3. [and thus] please Him

       

      Ro. 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

      2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

      3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

      4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

      5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

      6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

      7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

      8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

      9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

       

    2. We faithfully use God's written documents to guide us in the right paths of freedom
    3. We gladly let others know about the joy of our salvation (fireworks?)

 

 The Gadarean let others know:

Mark 5: 19 Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.

20 And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.

 

The woman at the well shared her liberty found in Christ:

John 4:28 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,

29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?

 

The blind man pointed to Jesus as his giver of liberty:

Jn. 9:1 And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.

2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?

3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,

7 And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

8 The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged?

9 Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he.

10 Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened?

11 He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.

 

 

Gary Marcum- New Beginnings Church - 070305am - first used 7/4/99am