Dear Rose Park,
This coming weekend our country celebrates its’ freedom. July 4 marks the date of the Declaration of Independence signifying freedom from tyranny and oppression. We celebrate this holiday with fireworks, hot-dogs on grills, and sitting by the pool. Why we celebrate our independence in this way, I’m not exactly sure. Nevertheless we celebrate our freedoms and we give thanks to those who have continuously fought for those freedoms. Unfortunately, not all of us are free.
When we look at the news, spend time in conversation, or even open the pages of scripture we’ll quickly realize that many of us are not free. People of color are still victims of racism. Women are still treated unjustly in the workplace. Those with physical, mental, or emotional disabilities are still marginalized. This is not freedom, and I’d hope that the Church would be seeking justice, liberty, and freedom for all of God’s people. But entering into the spiritual realm, many of us are still struggling, battling, and becoming ensnared by the vines of sin. We have many freedoms in this land, freedoms I am deeply grateful for, but we are only truly free when we are alive in Christ.
It’s my hope and it’s my prayer that each of us would be running to embrace the freedom that is offered to us through Jesus. By dying, Christ destroyed our death and by rising, Christ restores our life. Jesus, through His death and resurrection, is offering us freedom to eternal life. If we don’t embrace this gracious gift, we will continue to live spiritually enslaved to sin. But if we embrace, accept, and live out this gracious gift, then we are marked as Christ’s own forever and live with sure confidence of the resurrection.
Some of us know this freedom, but some of us do not. I’d imagine there are individuals or even families who are coming to mind right now who do not know the freedom being offered in Christ. If that’s the case, then join me in praying for them and inviting them to hear the name of Jesus. But if you’re reading this and don’t know this kind of freedom, please know that the doors of the church are wide open to you and more importantly the arms of Jesus are wide open as well.
This weekend we celebrate our nation’s freedom, but I hope and pray each of us find true freedom in Christ alone.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Mark