Independence Day
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor, he has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives …to set at liberty those who are oppressed. Luke 4:18 (ESV)
Jesus has been called a liberal, a radical, a champion of the downtrodden, and a reformer. Though some aspects of these labels may fit various points of Jesus' teachings, they all miss the real point of His work.
Americans are a liberty loving, freedom chasing bunch. On this Fourth of July we are celebrating our 249th anniversary of declaring our independence from Great Britain. That liberty was hard fought and won against the most powerful nation in the world at the time. What would Jesus have had to say if He were walking the streets of Boston during those turbulent times?
Jesus was born into a freedom loving nation as well, they just weren't able to enjoy much of it. The Romans had been dominating Israel for years. The Jewish people, their puppet leaders, and even their religious council were subject to Roman law. Jesus surely had something to say then! He told the people to pay their taxes, pray for those in charge, if a government official tells you to walk a mile, go two. He gave no command for protests, rights, equal pay, fair treatment, or obeying only those laws you agree with. The only exception is when an earthly government instructs to disobey a law of God's. Then Jesus commands us to obey God rather than men.
Despite what this sounds like, Jesus really does care about individuals and their rights and freedoms. But Jesus came to preach and provide liberty from sin, death, the power of the Devil, and our own sinful flesh. When we have been presented with this freedom through baptism or the Gospel, then we understand that this is the liberty which transcends any on this earth.
We have been blessed to live in a nation which enjoys more freedom than any on earth. Let us use this freedom to preach true heavenly liberty in Christ to all the nations!
Unite us in the sacred love
Of knowledge, truth, and Thee;
And let our hills and valleys shout
The songs of liberty.
The Lutheran Hymnal 578:3