Fourth of July Weekend: Responsible Freedom Communion Meditation

Communion on Fourth of July Weekend 

As we prepare for communion on independence day weekend, I think of one key point:

1. Are we good stewards of our Freedom?

1. We are free as a nation. How are we doing? 

2. We have to learn how to use our freedom responsibly. We have to be good stewards of our freedom.

3. Personal- Jesus died for our freedom and realized most of us do not experience freedom immediately. We continue to work out our freedom in Christ.

4. We are free spiritually, how are we doing? When are you the freest spiritually? I asked some of our youth for input from Zoomerang and Peak church camp, but before I share their thoughts I want to give an example of how I had to learn to use my freedom wisely.

This reminded me of moments of freedom I experienced for the first time. I will share one:

1. Freedom to drive at 16. Buddies would have Nintendo Night. Play Tecmo Bowl tournaments. Go to the grocery store because we could buy whatever we wanted. I would buy a whole bag of Donut Fair donuts. They tasted so good- 22- 15 now donuts. After that, I felt like I needed to wash my face and run for five hours to get the grease and sugar out of my system. Learn how to manage freedom. Responsible freedom.

Communion? Jesus has given us freedom from Sin. We are forgiven. But as it states in Romans, 6, “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? Far from it! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life.” Romans‬ ‭6‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ 

Here is a question: When have you been most spiritually free? Is it when you are on mountain peaks? Our Youth had an awesome week of church camp and VBS. I asked a few what they learned.

Zoomerang: Liam

God loves you no matter what. Can have fun knowing God has your back. God made you unique and in His image. You don’t have to be the way other people are.

Cohen: 

He said they were told, “You are on the Peak right now at camp. When you go home, you will come down the mountain. Stay strong. Just hold on to be free in heaven. Remain. God is always by your side. Draw near and He will draw near to you.” He went on to paraphrase the sermon on the mount from Matthew 5, “Lucky are those who know they are not good enough for they get into the kingdom of God. God is the only way.”  “Satan is the only enemy in our lives.  

Rachel: “Our temptation is to test God rather than trust God. There is a huge difference between tempting and testing. You can’t depend on your own intelligence, God is the only one you can truly depend on. Blessed are the poor in spirit, you’ll never be good enough. God is perfect so you don’t have to be.”

Both Rachel and Cohen said, “Right after Jesus’ baptism, Jesus needed to be tempted because he would lead us out of temptation.” “Satan tempts you and God tests you. God will only test you to see if you love Him.” 

Temptation is an opportunity to show God we love Him.We are most spiritually free when we live in a manner to show God that we love him. 

This morning, I want to lead us in meditation and prayer time on using our spiritual freedom responsibly. Let’s pray.

Father and Jesus, we come now praising you for our country. We thank you for our freedom here and for all who sacrificed and made the ultimate sacrifice so that we can be free. We reflect now on our spiritual freedom. We first want to confess our sins. We know we fall short. Thank you for forgiving us. We pray for strength and wisdom to use our spiritual freedom through the filter of love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, self-control, looking out for what is best for others, and making every effort to do what is right in the eyes of everyone and to live at peace with everyone.  In Jesus’ name. Amen

This is the first draft, but I did not use it because I decided to use more content from the kids' weak at camp at Round Lake and Zoomerang VBS:

As I reflect on our independence or freedom from tyranny, I think of a few key points:

1. Freedom is not free: Thank all the service members who have fought for our freedom and Jesus Christ who died for us. We were slaves to sin and He died so that we could be freed from that bondage and live with Him.  

2. Are we good stewards of our Freedom?

1. Country- Enslaved people who fought alongside free people hoping for freedom when the war was over. Most did not experience freedom immediately.

2. Personal- Jesus died for our freedom and realized most of us do not experience freedom immediately. We continue to work out our freedom in Christ.

3. We have to learn how to use our freedom responsibly. We have to be good stewards of our freedom.

Reminded me of moments of freedom I experienced for the first time. I will share a few:

1. Freedom to drive at 16. Buddies would have Nintendo Night. Play Tecmo Bowl tournaments. Go to the grocery store because we could buy whatever we wanted. I would buy a whole bag of Doughnut Fair doughnuts. Tasted so good- 22- 15 now donuts. After that, I felt like I needed to take a bath and run for five hours to get the grease and sugar out. Learn how to manage freedom. Responsible freedom.

2. No curfew. Stay out til 1-2 AM playing Euchre. Exhausted the next day. Wanted rules. Wanted to be grounded. Had to learn how to manage freedom. Responsible freedom.

3. Amanda and I were dating. My Sophomore year and her Freshman year of college. Lived in the same residence hall 20 seconds away. I timed it. Spend as much time together as we wanted. Was great for about two weeks and then we realized we had no life! We had nothing to talk about because we were constantly together! Learn how to manage freedom. Responsible freedom.

Communion? Jesus has given us freedom from Sin. We are forgiven. But as it states in Romans, 6, “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? Far from it! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life.” Romans‬ ‭6‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ 

My most free moments are when I work out my spiritual freedom in love. When I frame my spiritual freedom in the context of loving others and the fruits of the spirit, I experience true peace, and freedom in Christ. That takes work. It does not come naturally.

This morning, I want to lead us in meditation and prayer time on using our spiritual freedom responsibly. Let’s pray.

Father and Jesus, we come now praising you for our country. We thank you for the freedom we have here and for all who sacrificed and made the ultimate sacrifice so that we can be free. We reflect now on our spiritual freedom. We first want to confess our sins. We know we fall short. Thank you for forgiving us. We pray for strength and wisdom to use our spiritual freedom through the filter of love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, self-control, looking out for what is best for others, and making every effort to do what is right in the eyes of everyone and to live at peace with everyone.  In Jesus’ name. Amen