Independence Day Observance “Let Freedom Ring”
July 7, 2024 Lev.25:10
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Dear brothers & sisters in Christ,
While the Signers of our nation’s Declaration of Independence stood in line to sign their names to that document on July 4, 1776, it was on July 8th that a bell in Philadelphia’s Independence Hall rang out to call the people to assemble for the first public reading of that historic declaration of independence from the rule of the British Empire. The document asserted ‘political liberty’ from the tyranny of the king. The bell was struck; let freedom ring!
Did you know that for many years, that bell was called the Pass and Stow Bell. It was not until the 1830’s that it began to be called the Liberty Bell. And that’s because it was adopted as a symbol of the fight against slavery in our nation. It’s called the Liberty Bell because of a Bible verse that’s inscribed on it from Leviticus 25:10. It says: “Proclaim LIBERTY throughout the land, unto all the inhabitants thereof.” Let’s spend a few minutes thinking about the two kinds of liberty, or freedom, we have been blessed with: POLITICAL freedom in our nation, and SPIRITUAL freedom thru our Savior Jesus Christ.
It’s good to review our history, otherwise we will forget it; and if we forget our history, we will lose our liberty – because it is part of the deep sinful nature of man, and of man’s governments, to take away freedoms = either little by little, or all at once. I hope -this week- you were able to observe our national independence day; and to celebrate with family or friends, with traditional foods, a parade, & fireworks.
The Fourth of July should be more than just a birthday party for our country. It should have its moments of both celebration and solemn reflection. Our service order reminds us of the human cost of that freedom in the lives of our soldiers, sailors & airman thru the years. They served & opposed our enemies so that we could celebrate, and be thankful.
That’s what makes a trip to the National Archives at Washington, D.C. a worthy effort. There you can view the Declaration of Independence, and the two other founding documents that insure freedom & liberty in our land: the Constitution, and the original Bill of Rights = which are the first ten amendments.
The first amendment of our Constitution is very unique among the laws of other nations, which holds an important freedom for us.
Because, the very first right you are guaranteed as an American is: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” By the grace of God, we are blessed to live in a country where the government has promised not to interfere with our spiritual beliefs, or our right to gather & worship like we are doing today.
Many years ago a Missouri Synod missionary was stationed in North Korea. On New Year’s Day 1949, it was suddenly announced that -beginning immediately- all gatherings for Christian worship were forbidden. The missionary heard that news on the radio and wondered what would happen, since he had scheduled a New Year’s communion service in his apartment for the few members of his flock. Would they still come? At the appointed time there was a quiet knock on the door, and then another & another, as the congregation gathered. They were right in the middle of their service when there was a loud banging on the door, with demands that it be opened. They all sat quietly & said nothing. After a few minutes the banging stopped, they heard footsteps marching away down the hall, and they continued their worship.
However, that was the last service that missionary could hold; he & other missionaries were rounded up by the police & thrown out of the country. Thru the years, in many & various places in the world, that story has been repeated. Because it is part of the deep sinful nature of man, & of man’s governments, to take away freedoms = either little by little, or all at once.
Those stories can help us appreciate & give thanks to God for that first POLITICAL freedom we are blessed with in our nation: freedom of religion; freedom to worship. But the real foundational reason that we gather for worship here -at Immanuel- every Sunday is a far greater blessing. Political freedom is nice; but it’s just a tool we use to proclaim & celebrate the SPIRITUAL freedom that is ours thru our Savior, Jesus Christ.
In ancient Israel, every 50 years, a unique year-long holiday was observed: The Year of Jubilee. That Bible verse on the Liberty Bell proclaimed that special year: “Proclaim liberty throughout the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.” During the Year of Jubilee, all debts were cancelled, all servants & slaves were set free, & all property reverted to its original owners. The Year of Jubilee was another messianic prophecy pointing to a future time when the spiritual debt of all of mankind would be cancelled; when the whole world would be set free from slavery to sin; when you & I would be returned to our rightful owner == our Creator & God.
You recall in Luke 4, when Jesus began His ministry, He was in the synagogue on the Sabbath Day, & stood up to read the Scripture. He took up the scroll of Isaiah and read from chpt.61: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners, and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” In sitting down again, Jesus declared: ‘today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.’ That fulfilment meant that the promised, never-ending, Spiritual Jubilee had begun.
You & I have a slave history. It has been passed down to us by our first parents when they disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden. As they lost their spiritual freedom, so we are born into bondage to Satan, & slaves of sin. As Paul says in Galatians, “The Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin.” (3:22)
But, by the work of His life, death, & resurrection, God’s Son earned for the world a spiritual ‘Declaration of Independence’ from sin. As Hebrews 2 says, “By his death he destroyed him who holds the power of death =that is, the Devil= and freed those who -all their lives- were held in slavery…” And as Paul says in Romans 6, “Now you have been set free from sin, and have become slaves to God,” ‘…which leads to sanctification and eternal life.’
God has declared -for the whole world- a spiritual ‘Bill of Rights’; the right to be His children; to call upon Him as our heavenly Father; the right to enter eternal life. Since the promise is for ALL, that’s your assurance that the promise is also for you. In Romans 8, Paul describes our spiritual freedom in Christ as, “The glorious freedom of the children of God.”
The verse of Lev. 25:10 is inscribed on the Pass & Stow Bell, because those who founded our country, those who feared & trusted the Triune God & the Savior Jesus Christ, those who fought & who sacrificed things in their lives wanted to establish a nation committed to liberty. It’s because they recognized the truth that because we have spiritual freedom thru Jesus Christ, so having political freedom would also be a great blessing to our nation. “Proclaim liberty throughout the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.”
Let us remember the history of our country, & the history of God’s promises in Christ. Then we will ‘Let Freedom Ring! Amen