11-17-2017

Good Morning All,

          Romans 6:22; “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.”

      In January of 1941, Franklin Roosevelt gave a speech before Congress in which he began to lay out his vision, and the country’s vision for the kind of life that all men should be able to live.  It was entitled the “Four Freedoms.”  Norman Rockwell went on to paint a series of pictures reflecting what they meant to him.  These freedoms are:  The first is freedom of speech and expression -- everywhere in the world.  The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way -- everywhere in the world.  The third is freedom from want -- which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants -- everywhere in the world.  The fourth is freedom from fear -- which, translated into world terms, means a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor-- anywhere in the world.

    Freedom is something that we value.  We seek it and we yearn for it.  We are even willing to die in order to achieve it or maintain it.  Yet one of the great ironies is that so many are not really free.  They are held captive by the devil and sin.  They are held captive by the guilt and shame which the devil inflicts upon them.  They suffer from the pain of feeling inadequate and out of control.  They suffer from the anxiety that living in slavery to the devil gives them.

    Yet God has truly given us the freedom to live free from the devil’s attacks.  Through his grace, we no longer have to fear the devil or live with guilt from the sins which we have committed.  God faithfully forgives them and relieves us from the guilt of sin when we confess our sins to him.  We are empowered by God to use this freedom to live a life that is free from the anxiety and fear that the devil would have us live.  We know this because of the promise that God makes to us in our Baptism.  As we live in his baptismal grace, we can live secure in the certainty of that grace.

    So how do we deal with the times of anxiety or stress?  One way is to remember this grace by repeating it.   Try repeating it like this.  “My name is ________.  I am a redeemed, baptized child of God and God has given me the power to be free from the devil.  I am in control because of his mercy.”  This is one way to help you remember the one thing the devil wants you to forget and that is that God loves you and will never abandon you.  You are free so live as one who is free.

Merciful Father, through Jesus we are free from the bondage of the devil.  We are free to live the life that you have given us.  You desire us to be your people living in peace and hope.  Strengthen us that we may live in your grace and in service to you.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret