Suncook United Methodist Church
July 4, 2010
2 Kings 5:1-14 NIV Translation
John 8:36 NIV Translation
“The Cost of Freedom…”
Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me;
I lift my lamp beside the golden door.
(The Inscription on the Statue of Liberty, written by Emma Lazarus)
The Lord be with you
And also with you
Let us pray…
God of freedom and right, we thank you for this day that we have the freedom to worship you in your temple. Thank you for those who have fought for our freedom and still continue today. We especially thank you for the freedom from sin and death which we receive through your Son, Lord Jesus Christ. May your Spirit fall down upon us as we hear the word you have for us this day. May your word be heard through me or in spite of me. Speak Lord.. . Your beloved servants are listening.
Well. . . it’s the 4th of July and we are celebrating our freedom . . . the freedom from the tyranny that our forefathers experienced from England and the declaration that was signed that mapped out that new found freedom. We celebrate with those who have come to our country to seek asylum and freedom from the oppression that they once experience at the hands of oppressive rulers. We celebrate with those who have now found a home that they can be free to be what they want to be and not what others claim they have to be. Freedom. . . .What a concept! What a gift from those who have gone before us and for those who are still yet to come. But. . .This freedom we enjoy. . . Well. . . It was given at a cost. . .A price that people are still willing to pay. . .A price that, for some, have cost them their lives.
When I think about what freedom is and how priceless it is I am reminded of a commercial, it is either by Master Card or Visa. It talks about how things are priceless. Have any of you seen this commercial? IT talks about one thing, gives a price, then talks about another and gives the price but the last thing they talk about they say “priceless”. Our freedom is so priceless but I see all around me people who either take that freedom for granted or abuse that freedom which was fought for so long ago. We see oppression, greed and envy all around us. We see people abusing “the system”, people who don’t care that they are oppressing others all for the “god almighty dollar” and the like. How can something so precious be changed into something that only takes away others freedom? This. . .I will never understand.
There is another freedom that I think of on the 4th that is even more precious to me than the freedom of living here in the United States. . .It’s a freedom that was bought with the high price of human life. It is a freedom that cannot be borrowed or stolen. It is a freedom that truly sets me free. It’s the freedom that can be found at Calvary’s Cross. It is at the foot of the cross where we can come and be set free. It is through the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ and John 8:36 tells us “if the Son sets us free. . .we are free indeed!” We are free to come to the Throne of Grace and lay our troubles and trials down and be set free. We are free to make our own choices, mistakes and by the blood of the Lamb be redeemed.
This freedom cost our High Priest His life but it is freedom that comes at no monetary cost to us. The bill has been stamped PAID. . .the note has been torn up. . .we are free to choose or not to choose this free gift from or Loving God who loved the world so much that He sent his only son to die for our sins. . .the lamb that was unblemished was slain for those who were. . .and still are…blemished but are wash in His blood. The only thing that is asked is that we would just “Take up our cross and follow Him”.
This truth reminds me a little of the story of Naaman that is found in 2 Kings 5:1-14. It reads and I’m reading from the New Living Translation):
The Healing of Naaman
1 The king of Aram had great admiration for Naaman, the commander of his army, because through him the Lord had given Aram great victories. But though Naaman was a mighty warrior, he suffered from leprosy. 2 At this time Aramean raiders had invaded the land of Israel, and among their captives was a young girl who had been given to Naaman’s wife as a maid. 3 One day the girl said to her mistress, “I wish my master would go to see the prophet in Samaria. He would heal him of his leprosy.”
4 So Naaman told the king what the young girl from Israel had said. 5 “Go and visit the prophet,” the king of Aram told him. “I will send a letter of introduction for you to take to the king of Israel.” So Naaman started out, carrying as gifts 750 pounds of silver, 150 pounds of gold, and ten sets of clothing. 6 The letter to the king of Israel said: “With this letter I present my servant Naaman. I want you to heal him of his leprosy.” 7 When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes in dismay and said, “This man sends me a leper to heal! Am I God, that I can give life and take it away? I can see that he’s just trying to pick a fight with me.”8 But when Elisha, the man of God, heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes in dismay, he sent this message to him: “Why are you so upset? Send Naaman to me, and he will learn that there is a true prophet here in Israel.” 9 So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and waited at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 But Elisha sent a messenger out to him with this message: “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River. Then your skin will be restored, and you will be healed of your leprosy.” 11 But Naaman became angry and stalked away. “I thought he would certainly come out to meet me!” he said. “I expected him to wave his hand over the leprosy and call on the name of the Lord his God and heal me! 12 Aren’t the rivers of Damascus, the Abana and the Pharpar, better than any of the rivers of Israel? Why shouldn’t I wash in them and be healed?” So Naaman turned and went away in a rage. 13 But his officers tried to reason with him and said, “Sir, if the prophet had told you to do something very difficult, wouldn’t you have done it? So you should certainly obey him when he says simply, ‘Go and wash and be cured!’” 14 So Naaman went down to the Jordan River and dipped himself seven times, as the man of God had instructed him. And his skin became as healthy as the skin of a young child’s, and he was healed!
Naaman almost missed out on a healing just because he thought that it was too easy, that what was asked of him just couldn’t be this simple, there must be something more. We too sometimes think that what we are asked to do is too simple, it can’t make a difference, and that there must be some hidden cost. . .some hidden agenda that will show itself in time. But because he humbled himself and followed the instruction, he received healing and wholeness.
Beloved. . .do not be fooled by the way that the world thinks but be transformed by the way the Spirit causes us to think. All that is asked is that we come before the cross, admit that we can’t be righteous on our own, accept the Lord as our savior and be redeemed.
It’s the 4th of July and each year we set apart this day to celebrate our freedom and the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we celebrate with barbeques, family, fireworks and such. . .the freedoms we received and still to this day receive because of those who continue to fight for freedom. But there is also another freedom that we receive and it begins with our baptism. We receive independence from the cost of sin and death but we become dependent on the cross of our Risen Lord, Jesus Christ. So I am here to say “”Happy Dependence Day”. But I leave you with some questions to ponder:
• Is there a part of you that needs to be set on the altar?
• Is there a part of you that still is something that holds you bondage that stops you from receiving the freedom that was bought for you so long ago?
• Is there a part of you that needs healing and wholeness?
My invitation to you today is to leave it at the foot of the Throne of Grace and embrace the freedom that is offered to you and me. You see. . .If the Son sets you free. . .you are free indeed!
Amen
July 4, 2010
2 Kings 5:1-14
Psalm 30
Luke 10:16-20
Galatians 6:7-10
Psalm 36:5-10 (United Methodist Hymnal #771)
Worship Theme: “The high cost of freedom”
and sermon, “The Cost of Freedom”
by Pastor Ruth Foss
sermon blog
meditation blog
“God’s Whisper” blogSuncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH
July 4, 2010
Independence Day
Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
&
Matthew 5:1-13
Beatitudes
and email, “Notes from Peter” (Hey)
received July 1, 2010
“This Sunday my sermon is titled “Pursuing More Than Happiness,”
and it is based on Matthew 5:1-13. If you have a few minutes to read
this passage of scripture prior to attending the service, you might get
a little more out of the sermon. In this sermon, I want to challenge us all
to live with greater intentionality and to find deeper levels of meaning
for our lives. Instant gratification can be the enemy of faithful living.
Intentionality is the path to blessedness.”
http://www.concordwumc.org
Wesley United Methodist Church
Concord, NH
July 4, 2010
Independence Day
All of my poems and photographs are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 40,280+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
No comments:
Post a Comment