"Let Freedom Ring"

Let Freedom Ring

(Is. 52:7-10)

Introduction:

A.  The world is filled with bad news.  The oil spill in the gulf is affecting many states and families, hurting the economy and sea life.  The war in Afghanistan is not going well and the president had to fire the general who was leading the war effort.  But it gets worse when you start to think in spiritual terms.

B.  God declares that the wages of sin is death.  We all understand and God has declared that we all fall short of the glory of God.  We also hear God say that the soul who sins will die.  There is a way that seems right to man, but the end is destruction.

C.  But is it all bad news?  Have we fallen so far that there is no hope?  Israel had been in bondage to Egypt years ago and now they were in bondage to the Assyrians.  It was a loss of homeland, the temple, and for the most part, God.  Prophets tried to warn them.  But the nation as a whole would fall.  Were there good people who were taken way?  Where there men and women who had remained faithful that suffered the punishment of wicked?

D.  Isaiah graphically paints a picture of hope.  He sees the Holy City of Jerusalem waiting the news of the battle.  Even though the battle has gone badly, they wait, they hope, they look.  Then on the distant mountain they see a rider coming towards them.  Not an enemy rider, but one of their own, a herald.  The news he brings is not one of defeat, but one of victory.  The battle cry goes up, “Your God reigns!”  The watchman at the gate lift up their voices in joy and shouts are heard throughout the land.  Songs burst forth from the people, Jerusalem will not be completely overcome.  God will rescue them with his mighty hand.  He will bare his arm before the nations and they will fall.  Salvation has come.  Salvation has come.  Salvation has come!

E.   Brethren, the same story is being told today.  People have fallen into the bondage of sin.  Some of us have experienced first hand the pain and suffering that we ourselves have brought upon ourselves.  We know what it is like to desperately hope for some way out only to see nothing but destruction, suffering, and pain.  Even the good are swept way sometimes with the bad, but all hope is not lost.

I.  Look To The Mountain

A.  There is a line in the second part of the LOTR trilogy, while the battle of Helms Deep has been one of slaughter and all looks hopeless, that the a ray of sun comes through the window in the keep and the memory of hope is spoken, “look to the hills on the fifth day.”  It is with that the king and others ride out into what seems like a lost cause, but here on the mountain a white horse appears.  Then riders come and a new army, a stronger one, comes riding down the hill and victory comes when all appeared lost.

B.  It is that picture that is being presented.  Look to the mountains and to the one who brings good news.  Have you thought about good news lately?  The world is great at surrounding you with bad news.  People tell you that you will fail.  But have you thought about the good news of Jesus Christ?  Paul is thinking about this very passage when he writes to the Romans when tells them that all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved.  In his passion he writes (Rom. 10:14-15).

C.  It is time to look to the mountains.  It is time to see the herald coming.  It is time to hear the good news given to all.  That good news proclaims:

1.  Peace.  We live in war.  I don’t mean physical war, I mean spiritual war.  Satan and his angels prowl about.  They take up the look of bible teachers and preachers.  They come only to destroy.  But God is greater.  He is greater than the power of evil.  He is greater than the forces that seek to destroy you.  He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.  Part of the Spirit work is to produce in you the fruit of peace.  When a woman who was bleeding touched the hem of Jesus’ garment she was healed.  He turn to her and said, “go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”  When a woman washed Jesus feet with tears at Simon the Pharisee’s home, Jesus said, “go in peace.”  Just hours before his trial and crucifixion, Jesus spent time with his disciples he said to them, “Peace I leave with you.  My peace I give to you.”  When Paul writes many of his letters, he either begins or ends by saying “Grace and peace to you from God our father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”  Look to the mountains and hear the good news of peace.

2.  The herald also brings good tidings.  When Jesus was born an angle announced good tidings to the earth.  Luke tells us that Jesus went about early in his ministry proclaiming the good news (or good tidings) of the kingdom of God.  But it is the third part that expresses what this peace and good news ultimately is:  salvation.  I don’t have to live in bondage, I can live in freedom.

II.  Proclamation Time

A.  There have been great proclamations in our nation’s history.  But when we proclaimed all men free and slavery abolished, that was a proclamation that changed lives.  Salvation is a proclamation that changes lives because it sets you free.

B.  Many of you in this room can attest to your life being changed by the grace of God.  When you died to self and were born again in baptism of Jesus you changed.  For some of you the change was more dramatic than others.  Some of you have battled sins and with God’s help been victorious, others have risen from the depths of despair to a life of joy.  But you know the good news and have experienced the freedom from Satan’s chains.

C.  Now it is proclamation time.  Here is what we who have heard the good news proclaim, “Our God reigns!”  Don’t you just love verses like Phil. 4:13 where Paul says, “I can do all things through him who give me strength.”  It is only the saved who can make such a statement.  When the disciples saw a rich young ruler walk away, the question who can be saved?  Jesus responded, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

III.  Party Time

A.  So how does a person who has heard the good news of salvation and accepted it by the power of God respond?  In the days of Isaiah the answer was to shout for joy and burst into song.  It is time to party, to celebrate.  Is that what this freedom brings to your life?  Are you filled with so much joy at the good news of Jesus that you can hardly contain the joy inside?

B.  I love it when we see God’s power at work.  Maybe today you came to sing “God bless America” or the “Battle hymn of the Republic.”  But I want you to leave hearing the good news that Jesus has come to set you free.

Conclusion:

A.  Let freedom ring!  This is not a quick fix, it is intended to be a permanent fix.  It is not something you do lightly, thinking that all trails and temptations will be removed, because they won’t.  But where sin increases, grace increases all the more.

B.  Baptism is not a ritual, rite, or religious teaching.  It is facing the fact that we are destroyed by the enemy and only God can save us from Hell itself.  So in the waters of baptism I die to me and give all of myself to Jesus.  My sin is placed on the cross with him, I am buried with in baptism and raised in the power of the Holy Spirit.

C.  If you are in need of God’s power to reign in your life and if we can be of help, then I invite you to come as we stand and sing.