Happy 4th of July weekend. This weekend our nation celebrates its declaration of independence from the British Empire. How are you planning to celebrate the 4th? Traditionally the 4th is celebrated with fireworks, barbecues, picnics, baseball. I’m glad worship made your list this weekend! We’re going to have a great afternoon here at Lakeside—we hope you can stick around! This morning I want to talk about two costs related to freedom:
First, the cost to “purchase” freedom is sacrifice.
A while back my mom joined an organization called “Daughters of the American Revolution.” To join DAR mom had to document she is a bloodline descendent of an American Patriot who fought for freedom during the AR. I emailed my sister to ask her the name of our American Revolutionary War ancestor. She said “Which one?” “We have five maternal grandfathers who fought in the AR!” Mom loves preserving the memory of their sacrifice. She has some amazing stories about those men…
I’m really proud of the way Lakeside participates in the Honor Flights for World War, Korean, and now Vietnam veterans. The Honor Flight program flies Veterans to Washington D.C. to visit the various memorials established in their honor. When they return they’re greeted at the airport, and later, our church hosts the veterans for a short program and dessert. I don’t want to belabor the point that the cost to “purchase” freedom is sacrifice, it’s broken flesh, it’s shed blood. We do well to honor those men and women, those heroes, who paid the price to secure our freedom.
Now why do we worship Jesus Christ? It’s because we recognize the high price Jesus paid for our freedom. Jesus laid down his life. Because of Christ’s sacrifice we’ve been set free from the control of the law, the power of sin and death. In Christ Jesus, we’re forgiven. We have an eternal inheritance and eternal hope. We no longer live in fear of death, or in fear of condemnation. We can live life abundantly, for eternity. At communion we remember his death, burial, and resurrection… his broken body, his shed blood, his last breath, his final words, uttered on that cross.
On the 4th of July, we marvel that total strangers have shed blood and broken their bodies for my freedom. When we worship, we marvel that while we were still sinners, enemies of God, Christ died for the ungodly. It’s amazing that a friend would lay down his life for another, for a fellow patriot. But the only thing that exceeds that kind of sacrifice is that of Christ Jesus. Romans 5:6 says, “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Who am I to some veteran, that he’d give his life? Who am I to the Living God, that he’d die for me or you? The cost to purchase freedom is sacrifice. Now let’s switch gears…
The cost to maintain freedom is love.
Most of Romans, through Romans 12, is about the cost to purchase freedom. The last chapters of Romans concern how we should live in light of God’s mercy. What do we do with this newfound freedom in Christ?
Let’s dig into Romans 14 for a moment. When you become a Christian, you ought to marvel over your freedom. As a Christian, you ought to feel like the freest, liberated person on earth. It’s a shame that Christianity is known more for its legalistic restrictions than its liberating freedoms. So often when you become a Christian, religious people start putting restrictions on you. They lay down the “law” ...
A first century example is this: “As a Christian, you can’t eat meat, because the pagans sacrifice meat in their pagan temples, and if you eat meat, you are basically acting like a pagan, and you will probably go to “- - - -“ like a pagan. So if you want to be a good Christian you really just need to be a vegetarian and steer clear of BBQ.”
Another 1st century example is: “You can’t worship on just any day. God commanded us to remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.” Or, “How dare you worship on Saturday. Don’t you know Jesus was raised from the dead on Sunday. Sunday is resurrection Sunday. Every good Christian person knows to worship on Sunday.”
A 1st century and modern example is this: “The Bible commands us to be sober minded. How dare you drink wine. Don’t you realize when you drink alcohol you are feeding one of the most vile, evil, corrupting industries in America? Think of all the domestic violence, the car accidents, the promiscuity you’re contributing to if you are a Christian and drink. If you drink, you’re basically acting like a pagan, and if you act like a pagan, you will probably go to “- - - -“ like a pagan.” Or, “Don’t you know Jesus came eating and drinking, that he was accused of being a drunkard and a sluggard? Don’t you know Jesus first miracle was to turn water into wine at a wedding? Don’t you know the early church, even Jesus, used wine for communion, and that Welches alcohol-free grape juice wasn’t even invented until centuries later? Don’t you know Paul commanded Timothy to drink a little wine for his stomach?"
The idea of freedom causes most Christians to freak out! I know, because sometimes it freaks me out too! Our problem is that we are conditioned to assume that with great freedom comes great sin. Remember Romans 6:1, “Shall we just go on sinning so that grace might increase?” Instead of trusting God’s grace to lead a person to righteousness, we revert back to the law.
“So you’ve been born again eh? Brother, congratulations! You are free in Christ! BTW, don’t you know we dress our best for God right here at this church? We worship Sundays, tithing isn’t optional, we don’t raise our hands here neither. We only sing certain songs, we only use the KJV, we only recite the elongated version of the Lord’s prayer that concludes, ‘And thine be the glory for ever and ever amen.”
Essentially what we tell people is contradictory: Now that you are free in Christ, give up all your freedom. “Do not taste, do not touch, do not eat meat, do not drink wine, stand here, clap there, gather on this sacred day, do this, do that.” In Romans 14:13-23, Paul gives some practical guidelines on how we can use, enjoy, and maintain our freedom in love in Christ.
(1) First, in Romans 14:13 he says, “stop passing judgement on one another!”
When we judge people we don’t have the gospel in mind, we typically have the law in mind. And by law, I don’t mean the law of God, I mean our own laws, our own preferences, your own judgements, your own traditions… So often in the church people aren’t offending God so much as they are offending you personally! Is you’re being offended really about God, or is really just about you?
(2) Second, in Romans 14:14 he says, don’t be a stumbling block for others.
“Make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.” Jesus had another way of confronting this issue. He described how the Pharisees/Teachers of the Law would tie up heavy burdens on people and not lift a finger to help them. One of the unkindest things you can do as a Christian is trip up a new believer or a seeker in your legalism.
(3) Third, in Romans 14:14 he urges us to remain true to our conscience.
This topic of freedom has nothing to do with being right or wrong. In regard to all the issues we’ve described, there is a right answer and a wrong answer. For example, regarding meat, Paul says, “I’m convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself.” He even says, “if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean.”
Where we go wrong is when, because of our over-sensitive or under-sensitive or non-biblically informed conscience, we impose our legalism on someone else. You should remain true to your conscience, and allow other people space to be true to their conscience. Jesus promised that his Holy Spirit would convict the world in regard to sin, righteousness and the coming judgment.
When I live according to my conscience, I’m not saying some issue doesn’t matter. For example, the use of alcohol does matter. In Romans 14:16 Paul says, “do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil.” It’s okay to take a firm stance on things, it’s not okay to coerce your view upon others. Instead, what we’re doing is leaving room for the Holy Spirit, for God himself, and for the living/breathing Word of God to work in a relationship. We don’t do the persuading, that is the Spirit’s work. I don’t have to force my views on people about stuff. I preach. I offer counsel and guidance. I live this life. I trust God to bring a person around... or bring me around!
(4) Fourth, in Romans 14:15 he urges us to act in love.
“If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died.” In Romans 14:17-20 he says, “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval. Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food.”
The discussion has come up many times throughout the years whether a pastor at Lakeside should be free to drink alcohol. Don’t freak out! My biblical position on this issue is that anyone is free to drink. But guess what? My personal practice is that I don’t drink wine, and I advise everyone on the Lakeside team not to drink either. Now why would my personal practice differ from my biblical position? It’s because of love. If a kid in the youth group saw me with a beer in my hand, would he have the maturity to process the biblical nuances of sobriety, moderation, and freedom? Probably not. If I was seen hanging out in the beer tent at the State Fair, would that afford me the opportunity to witness for Jesus? Well maybe yes, but probably no. The Nascar track can be far worse than any State Fair beer tent.
What Paul encourages us to do is shift the conversation. The issue isn’t the beer; the issue is love. Are we acting in love? Are we doing something harmful or beneficial? Does our behavior foster righteousness, peace and joy in others or does it destroy God’s work. I thought most pastors refrained from alcohol, but when I started asking around, I realized that isn’t true. It goes too far for me to legalistically demand everyone follow my personal practice. But it doesn’t go too far for me to hold a person accountable for the fruit of their actions. I can’t command you to abstain from liquor any more than I can command you to be a vegetarian. But I can command you to act in love. I can hold you accountable for the “fruit” you are producing whether of righteousness or wickedness. If what you are doing is truly of God, there will be good fruit. Romans 14:20, Paul says, “All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble.”
(5) Paul urges us to error on the side of wisdom.
In Romans 14:21 he says, “It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.” Over in Corinthians Paul says, “all things are permissible, but not all things are beneficial.” Yea there are a lot of things you can do. But my definition of wisdom is choosing what’s better, what's beneficial. Romans 14:22-23 are Paul’s concluding thoughts: “22 So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. 23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.”
A Word of Warning About Abusing Freedom
I want to end with a word of warning. I said at the top of this message that the cost to purchase freedom is sacrifice. There is a reason freedom has to be purchased in the first place. When you abuse your freedom, and do harm, and do not act in love, several things happen.
First stage, people feel offended.
They feel distressed, maybe they even get angry. When you misuse your freedom, people judge you and condemn you. Maybe they stereotype you, maybe they profile you, maybe they discriminate against you, maybe they cut you off and isolate you socially. What strikes me today is how we pride ourselves in flaming one another. We spike our freedom in their face. Suppose we keep on spiking our freedom in people’s faces…
Second stage, people choose legalism.
We know what this looks like in the church. Churches can have all sorts of rules. Do you know why? It’s because brothers and sisters in Christ stopped showing regard for one another. So instead of teaching one another to love/respect/regard one another we write rules.
But have you considered that out in the world, the same thing happens? When people are offended, what do they do? They cry out about the injustice they feel. And what do people in authority do? They enact laws, enact controls, raise taxes, appoint authorities, write policies, set up new penalties… essentially with law, they try to legislate love. A husband leaves his wife/kids high and dry. A company doesn’t provide proper benefits. A community doesn’t care for its poor, or the truly disabled. Laws, laws, and more laws.
Third stage, people support tyranny.
All these laws get kind of top heavy after a while. So to simplify things, and to get what we want, we appoint kings. We appoint people we believe will act unilaterally in our best interests. This is my president, this is my governor, this is my senator, this is my representative. What happens is more and more power gets concentrated in an elite fewer number of individuals. And the in-group advances at the total expense of the out-group.
Fourth stage, total corruption.
Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Over time the powerful begin acting in their own self-interests, to the utter disregard of the whole. This is what is happening in our state right now. There is a corruption. People in power exercise authority not to truly solve problems, but to protect their self-interests.
Fifth stage, oppression.
The people in Jesus’ day faced total oppression from the Roman Empire. How does an empire grow corrupt, whether Rome or Britain, or any other? What circumstances give rise to the need for revolution? It’s very simple. It’s the absence of love. When we don’t love, when people stop trusting love and acting in love, tyranny and oppression aren't far behind. For the Christian, revolution is never about violence… it’s about acting in love. Love maintains, even builds up, freedom.