Last week we started talking
about the freedom that is found in Jesus Christ. This morning we start to dig into freedom’s
origins and corresponding responsibilities.
Paul begins by reminding us that this freedom is derived when one finds
that they have received the gift of faith in Jesus Christ. This autonomy is in opposition to the state
of, essentially, quasi-bondage that people were in under the law. (The reason that I say “quassi-bondage” is
because under the law, you needed to do what was right or there would be
consequences: aka: punishment. Under
freedom, which is found through the blessing of faith, one is released from the
“do or be punished” model of life.)
However, this is not where
Paul finishes. Instead, he provides us
with two drastically different lists.
The first deals with the works of the flesh, while the next focuses on
the fruit of the Spirit. Upon stating
these lists we are then given the description of the sorts of traits and
actions that you could expect out of people who have faith in the God that is
greater than themselves verses those who do not. This is Paul’s understanding of the
responsibilities of that freedom found through faith.
Although the two lists can
be rather intimidating I would invite you to imagine how you would attain the
items that are under the list that is described as the fruit of the
Spirit. What would you have to do? Would it have to be a lot, or do you think
that you are getting pretty close? The
scripture reads this way.
Galatians 5:1, 13-25
5 1 For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. 13 For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. 14 For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.
16 Live by the
Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For
what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is
opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from
doing what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are
not subject to the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious:
fornication, impurity, licentiousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery,
enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, 21 envy,
drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned
you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.
As all of us know, and I’m
sure many of us are looking forward to, one of the great elements of Americana
will be taking place all over the place as we head into this upcoming
weekend. This tradition has emerged to
help us celebrate the birthday of this county of ours. The tradition of which I am speaking is
fireworks because, as frightening as it is to admit, the 4th of July
is only seven days away.
Everywhere you go around the
area, state and country there are going to be various displays for your enjoyment. Some of those displays will be of the
personal and most likely illegal variety, and I believe that all of you know
what I’m talk about. You know, those
times when you watch your neighbor as they create a cloud of smoke that would,
under normal circumstances, result from some sort of fire.
Even this past Monday night
(that’s June 21st if your keeping track), at 10:15 on the PM, I
heard the oh, so familiar zing and pop of two bottle rockets. (If you’re wondering, the next day, I started
to write this sermon!) That zing and pop
reminded me of many years I sat up on the hillside at my parents property and
watched as fireworks were launched from several different properties, including
the neighbor two houses over.
By the time their “show”
would conclude it looked like a charcoal gray cloud has decided to take up
residence where their house used to be, for their home would be completely
engulfed in the smoke that was generated from their not so impressive bursts of
light.
However, and thankfully so,
there are also those displays that go all out and with the help of computerized
synchronization, bring to the senses a display of light and sound that amazes,
while it excites. During one of these
displays the music continues to crescendo with the intensity of the fireworks
and you are swept up in the emotionality of the moment. There are times when you cannot help but
smile or at the very least give the occasional, and in some circles obligatory,
“wow, ahh, amazing.”
In certain cases, the display may be so great that you
sit there, mouth open, staring at the sky in wide-eyed wonderment. This was the reaction of my son Jim as Jen
and I took him to what was his first fireworks show at a Phillies game, maybe
seven years ago. We knew that he was
impressed from the beginning because as soon as the first firework went up, he
went incredibly quiet, which for Jim can be one drastic shift.
Initially, he sat there very calmly and silently, just
trying to take it all in, but as the show continued and the colors became more
and more brilliant and the explosions became more and more thunderous, Jim laid
his head down in his mom’s lap and just tried to make it through.
However, what needs to be
remembered is that this experience is as moving as it is because of the
unification of stimuli that are, admittedly, assaulting your senses. If one of the pieces weren’t there, the sound
and feel of the explosions, the movement of the music, the brilliance of the
light show, then our experience is lacking.
It isn’t the way that it is “supposed to be.” It takes all of the different pieces of a
fireworks display working together as one unified expression to move us only
the way a fireworks display can.
The passage this morning
also has this theme coursing throughout it.
The section begins by talking of freedom. The problem is, however, that as soon as we
hear that word, freedom, our mind begins to race with connotations that relate
to being alone, being able to do what we want, not being constrained by any
person of force. This is how freedom has
become defined by this country’s society.
Again, we started talking about that last Sunday.
But this is not the
direction that Paul is trying to lead us.
Paul, instead, says that we are called to use these freedom, not to go
off on our own and become separatists, but instead to bind ourselves, as he
states, as “slaves to one another” in love.
Paul sets two, seemingly contrary ideas before us, in freedom and
slavery, and says that true freedom is found through your slavery, your
connection, your unity, your togetherness, with others, not by your separation
from them.
The second portion of the
passage begins to crystallize this sentiment all the more through the
presentation of two lists. One list
includes items that you never want to have associated with your name. Among those items are included fornication,
impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife,
jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness,
carousing. Yes, you do have variations
of the seven deadly sins (that in general relate to personal things), but you
also have items like jealousy, dissensions, factions. With those included it becomes obvious that
this list is talking about those traits that reflect a division. This list is talking about items that
exemplify separation, both from the rest of humanity and from God.
The second list is the flip
side. In this list are included items
like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness and
gentleness. What must be recognized with
all of these items, and I believe this is what Paul is trying to get across to
us, is that all of these items are in relation to two things, God and other
people. This things, these emotions,
these actions work in totality when there is a putting away of the I, I, I
mentality and the acceptance of a disciples way of life. This path of discipleship cannot be achieved
alone. It is only through the strength
of the Holy Spirit and the love and support of others that we are able to
maintain the ways of the Spirit and hold off the works of the flesh, that first
list. The fruit of the Spirit, which is
an exemplification of the disciple’s way of life, can only be achieved through
the coming together of God, each of us as people willing to live a life of
discipleship, and with the care and support of those of whom we are in
community with. There needs to be a
unity so that all might be lifted to a better place.
Sticking with the patriotic
theme, only one week early, our country’s history is full of examples when
people took the freedom they were blessed with, fought for, or desired, and
instead of separating themselves, sought out a togetherness of the whole. This example even goes back to the signing of
the Declaration of Independence. In that
room, you had people who were longing for freedom from England. However, there were many of them who did not
want to be connected the other 12 colonies.
They wanted to be little countries unto themselves. They were more concerned about the
sovereignty of New York, Massachusetts, Virginia, then they were about the
overall whole.
The amazing thing is,
somewhere along the line in their quest for freedom, they began to formulate
the understanding that to be free is an opportunity to come together and be
unified so that a greater good might be accomplished. By the time the declaration is signed, all of
those representatives of those states were able to sign a document that
concludes with the following statement: “we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our
Fortunes and our sacred Honor.” They
became unified. They took the freedom
that they longed for and instead of completely separating, they pledged
themselves to one another. To use the
Pauline language, they became slaves to one another, and through that
togetherness found true freedom.
That whole united we stand
ideology can become a bit cliché but in this particular case, I think the
sentiment works. God is looking for us
to put away our differences, like those people in Independence Hall, and find a
point of unification. That point is in
the person of Jesus Christ. When we come
to that place, that place of freedom, we are blessed with the fruit of the
Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness and
gentleness. When the Spirit is able to
express this fruit through each of us, then, like that perfect fireworks
display, we are brought into a union with one another and with God, that
produces amazing results. Work at
putting the I, I, I mentality away and come to realize that so much more can be
gained through coming together.
After Sermon Prayer
O most magnificent God, You are looking for us to come together and work for the completion of Your will. Help us to learn, through Your Spirit, to find our common ground in You so that the fruit of the Spirit might be exhibited in and through each of us so that we might be able to light the world as fireworks light the night sky. We pray all these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.