4th%20of%20July%20=%20Freedom

1
4th of July Freedom

• This lesson is not from a national or political
  viewpoint.
• I want to consider our freedom from a Christian
  perspective.

2
4th of July

• Americas birthday July 4, 1776
• 234 years ago we became the United States of
  America.
• We must understand
• how we got our freedoms
• what we are free from
• why we should never forget what those freedoms
  mean to us

3
Freedom FROM slavery in sin

• As Christians, our greatest declaration of
  independence is the fact that we can break away
  from sin
• Christ died, and rose the 3rd day to break the
  bondage of sin and death
• Revelation 15b-6 To Him who lives us and
  washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has
  made us kings and priests to His God and Father,
  to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever,
  Amen.

4
Freedom FROM slavery in sin

• 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we
  shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ,
  having been raised from the dead, dies no more.
  Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the
  death that He died, He died to sin once for all
  but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
  Romans 68-10

5
Freedom FROM slavery in sin

• We can overcome sin IF we want to
• It might be hard
• It will require some sacrifice
• Christ will give us the strength to overcome
• CHRIST HAS GIVEN US FREEDOM FROM THE BONDAGE AND
  SLAVERY OF SIN!

6
Freedom TO sin

• The same freedom that allows us to be free from
  sin allows us to sin
• We are given the freedom to choose
• God could have made us robots, but He didnt
• Each freedom we have has consequences
• Freedom from sin may bring about persecution,
  mockery, separation, a feeling of not fitting in
  with the world around us
• Freedom to sin may bring about pain, suffering,
  loss of joy, loss of eternal life, gates of
  Heaven shut

7
Freedom worth DYING for

• Since July 4, 1776 many have died to give us
  our freedom and to protect us from losing it
• The men who signed the Declaration of
  Independence knew they were pledging to each
  other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred
  honor.

8
Freedom worth DYING for

• The same is true with our faith.
• Men and women have faced the choice of dying or
  deny Christ.
• They choose to die rather than deny Christ.
• Even today people continue to die for Christ.

9
Freedom worth DYING for

• David facing Goliath
• And David said, "What have I done now? Is there
  not a cause?" 1 Samuel 1729
• Why would people die for the cause of freedom?

10
Freedom worth DYING for

• The early Americans knew what it was like to be
  under a dictator.
• They would rather die than go back to living
  under a vicious ruler.
• As Christians we know what slavery in sin is
  like. We have also known the freedom from sin we
  have in Christ.
• We do not want to go back to sin.

11
Conclusions

1. You have the freedom to choose.
2. Your freedom has been bought by the blood of
   Christ.
3. It has been preserved in the sacrifice of many.
4. It has been given to you to decide what you want
   to do with it.

12
Conclusions

1. You have the freedom to accept or reject Christ
2. You have the freedom to decide to obey Christ or
   refuse to follow Him
3. You have the freedom to choose eternal life or
   eternal punishment
4. WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH JESUS?