Celebrate Freedom: Live Free and Be Redeemed

We are blessed to have the freedom of our country and our lives.  Unfortunately, we too often take this for granted.  As we have done our series Celebrate Freedom, a stark realization becomes apparent: freedom is produced by God’s Word, God’s Spirit, and God’s gracious will for humanity.  It is not simply a political reality or a social construct, but a spiritual longing and empowering vision.  It is the brokenness of sin that continues to enslave humanity as well as our love of the darkness.  The darkness of humanity is evident in the violence in our streets and the wars in our world.  We long for a place where the lion will sleep beside the lamb, and we will beat our weapons into instruments of peace and productivity.  How could this even be a possibility for our world?  The sermon for this week is Live Free and Be Redeemed.  Freedom is never without cost, and this is especially true for every believer.  God has always had a plan for our redemption, which culminated in the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Yet, God communicated and demonstrated the power of redemption in many ways before Jesus came to save us by his sacrifice on the cross.  Our scripture is Isaiah 43:1-8.  God’s people were struggling with forces far beyond their strength and ability to control.  They were afraid, drained, and exhausted.  Into this fear and exhaustion God sends this marvelous Word of hope and redemption.  God had not deserted his people.  They were his, and he was willing to give anything to redeem and set them free.  We pray that you will experience this Word filling you with new life, hope, and amazing possibilities as you read Isaiah 43:1-8

Isaiah 43:1-8: But now, this is what the LORD says– he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. ² When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. ³ For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead. ⁴ Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life. ⁵ Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west. ⁶ I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth– ⁷ everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” ⁸ Lead out those who have eyes but are blind, who have ears but are deaf. (NIV)