Let Freedom Ring

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be always acceptable to thee, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer, and Lord, give us here today, eyes to see and ears to hear so we can learn your word together as a family. We offer you all the praise, honor, and Glory for it in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Good morning, my fellow encouragers!

We gather on this Sunday of a weekend that holds special meaning for our nation. Just days ago, families gathered, fireworks lit up the skies, and the air was filled with music and the ringing of freedom’s praise. We remembered those who fought, sacrificed, and even died to secure our independence.

Here in Austin County, we are just as patriotic. We see flags in yards and enjoy cookouts with neighbors and friends. It’s a tradition, yes—but it’s more than that. It’s a moment of gratitude, humility, and responsibility.

We rightly thank God for our civil liberties—freedom to speak, to assemble, and for us here this morning, freedom to worship. That is a gift not shared by all people on earth. In many places today, Christians gather in secret, at risk of persecution or worse.

And so, this Independence Day weekend, we are grateful to God Almighty. We thank God for the land in which He has planted us, for the blessings of this Republic, and for the freedom to gather openly in His Name.

But my fellow encouragers, we must remember something vital: Freedom was never meant to be an end in itself. Civil liberty is precious, but it is fragile. It must be guarded, preserved, and rightly used.

Our Founders spoke of “self-evident truths” and “unalienable rights” endowed by our Creator. Gifts that can only be given by God. When governments think they are the ones who distribute these rights, it ultimately leads to tyranny.

Conversely, John Adams once warned that our Constitution was made for a moral and religious people and is wholly inadequate for any other. He understood that liberty without virtue decays into chaos.

As Christians, we know this truth even more deeply. Civil liberty is the freedom to do what is right. Scripture teaches us that liberty in Christ leads us to righteousness – becoming right with God, which helps us to do what is right, both civilly and morally. It calls for responsibility, discipline, and courage.

St. Paul writes in Galatians 5: “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.” Here, Paul defines true Christian liberty as freedom from sin for the sake of service.

He says elsewhere in Romans 6: “Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.” We often think of freedom as the ability to do whatever we want. But St. Paul reminds us that freedom without God leads to slavery—slavery to sin, to our own passions and appetites, to self-destruction.

True freedom grants us the ability to live righteously. It means saying no to what would destroy us and yes to what gives life. Jesus Himself says in John 8: “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” … “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”

Christ frees us from the tyranny of sin, from guilt and shame, from the fear of death, from the endless burden of trying to earn God’s favor.

This liberty is a moral freedom to live by the Spirit. What it is not is a license to indulge the flesh. St. Paul says: “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16)

Our Founders knew that a free society depends on self-control. Remove faith, remove virtue, and freedom erodes. Likewise, in our Christian walk, spiritual liberty demands responsibility. We must choose daily to live in the Spirit, to put aside bitterness, greed, lust, anger, selfishness, and put on Christ.

In a world that celebrates self-expression without limits, we are called to model a better way – the way of love, sacrifice, humility, and holiness – the way of the Cross.

Our Gospel reading this morning was the parable of the Lost Sheep. “What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?”

Blunt’s Annotated Prayer Book tells us this parable is chosen as part of our daily lectionary to emphasize the heart of our God: merciful, seeking, forgiving.

Jesus does not set us free to wander aimlessly. Liberty in Christ is meant to bring us home. He searches for the lost, bears them on His shoulders, and rejoices over their return.

My fellow encouragers, every one of us was that lost sheep. By His grace, we have been found. By His sacrifice, we are forgiven. That is the foundation of our spiritual liberty.

Our Psalm today said, “The LORD is gracious and merciful; long-suffering, and of great goodness. The LORD upholdeth all such as fall, and lifteth up all those that are down.” And Jeremiah 31 declares: “Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”

This is God’s promise to us. Even when we stumble, even when our nation stumbles, He is patient. He calls us back. He offers restoration.

St. Paul says, “By love serve one another.” Jesus modeled this for us: “The Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)

True freedom expresses itself in love. In serving our neighbors. In forgiving our enemies. In caring for the poor. In speaking truth with grace. Christian liberty is self-giving, shaped by the Cross.

So, what does this mean for us here in Bellville? It means using our freedom well. It means being good citizens by obeying and respecting the rule of law and shaping the moral character of our country and state by how we live.

It means praying for our leaders. Teaching our children the faith. Reconciling with estranged neighbors. Helping the needy.

It means refusing to let our civil liberties become excuses for selfishness or division. Instead, let them become tools for service.

My fellow encouragers, as fireworks fade and parades end, let us remember the true meaning of freedom.

Civil liberty is God’s gift to be cherished, yet spiritual liberty is His greater gift to be lived.

May we stand firm in the freedom wherewith Christ has made us free. May we use that freedom as the power to love. May we be people who, by our words and our deeds, let freedom ring in our nation in our hearts, in our homes, and our church.

Let’s close with a prayer for our Nation. You can find it on page 36 of the prayer book. Let’s say it together.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.