Real Freedom ~ Romans 6:12-23 ~ June 26, 2011

Last summer, there was a pop song at the top of the charts called “Billionaire.”  At any given time, there was at least one radio station on the dial playing that song during.  I’m sure some of our young people will know it well.  The song begins with the words “I wanna be a billionaire so bad; buy all the things I never had.  I wanna be on the cover of Forbes magazine, smiling next to Oprah and the queen.”  [i]

I don't know about you, but I can't say I’ve never dreamed about being a music star or winning the Power Ball.  Because with fame, fortune, and power comes freedom—the freedom to do whatever we want to do; be whoever we want to be; and reach for the stars.  Freedom means having no obligations to anyone but ourselves, and no obstacles standing in the way our dreams.  Freedom means no limits, no boundaries, no commitments to anyone but ourselves.  Freedom is living our dreams and doing whatever we want... 

Or so we think...

Since 2011 began I've lost count of the number of rich, famous, and powerful people who’ve have fallen from grace; people like Mel Gibson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, and that former congressman who shall remain nameless.  These were people who truly believed they could do whatever they wanted-- and they did—and the consequences were disastrous.  Not only have these people disgraced themselves, they have brought humiliation and misery on their friends and loved ones.  They betrayed the trust of those who helped them rise to the top.  How tragically ironic that those who thought they had the freedom to do whatever they wanted ended up losing everything—and often taking others down with them.

What some would call freedom—doing whatever it is we want—God calls sin.  Sin is that constant impulse to do whatever we please.  It is that insatiable force driving us to serve only ourselves, with no concern for the consequences of our actions or their impact on other people.  Sin is that voice telling us “we can have it all.”  It tells us “we’re entitled to having it all.”  But this so-called “freedom” is only an illusion.  Anybody who lives to please themselves has no need for God—because they are their own god. 

The hard truth is that if we live our lives just doing whatever pleases us, others will suffer—and eventually, we will suffer too.  This so called “freedom” will destroy us in the end.  There is no such thing as freedom that allows us to do whatever we want and not suffer dire consequences.

In our second reading for today from Romans, Paul tells us the hard truth about ourselves before God called us to baptism.  Sin had dominion over our bodies, which is to say that sin controlled everything we did.  We were slaves to sin.  Everything we said or did was evil—even kind words and good works.  And sin was in control of our destiny—a destiny culminating in eternal death. 

God’s plan to give humankind a real and lasting freedom was to become a human being in Jesus Christ to liberate us from the dominion, or rather the domination, of sin.  It was the nails that bound Jesus to the cross that break us free from sin’s domination.  When we were baptized, that freedom became ours.  God freed us from sin’s control over our lives and our bodies.  And God bound us to God’s own self—making us slaves to righteousness.  God took control of our destiny—giving us eternal life.

The freedom of God is also slavery to God—which would seem counter-intuitive, because we’re so accustomed to thinking of freedom is the ability to do whatever we please.  But God’s freedom is not license.  God’s freedom means liberation from sin’s domination—and it is Jesus Christ who accomplished this for us, not ourselves.  It’s not up to us to make ourselves worthy to of God’s freedom.  It is God who brought us from death into life—all apart from our deserving.  God’s freedom is one that opens to us all of the riches of God’s goodness—both in this life and in eternity. 

God’s freedom also brings us to a whole new way of living.  In the same way as God’s freedom changes our destiny, God’s freedom changes our hearts.  God’s desires become our desires.  Life is no longer about pleasing ourselves but about pleasing God.  As slaves to God we become servants to everyone.  Through Word, table, font, and in the fellowship of believers, the Spirit empowers us to be ministers of God’s grace and goodness.  And even though we fail every day to obey God and live as though we are still slaves to sin, God never ceases to forgive, nor does God ever fail to free us again and again so that we can live for God alone.  This is grace as only God gives it.

God’s work in our world is all about freedom—and making that freedom a reality for everyone. 

We don’t need to be reminded that we’re living in a world of violence and injustice…  We don’t need to be reminded of the lives that are being devastated by disaster, poverty, and disease.  We don’t need to be reminded that we’re living in a world of unbelief, where people do not know Jesus Christ or the freedom that God is bringing this world.  We all experience the powers of chaos and evil that bring death and destruction.  But God has freed us from their control of our destiny.  Nothing can stand in the way of God’s will for our salvation. 

As we turn the page on a new chapter in the life of this congregation, let us remember that the Holy Spirit has gathered us together as a Body to join with God in freeing God’s children from suffering and unbelief.  Let us be in conversation with one another as we listen to where God is calling us to go as a congregation.  There is no shortage of opportunities to grow and strengthen the ministries that are already taking place, and contemplate new ministries.  We don’t know what the future holds, but we know that God is faithful.  God will provide abundantly for all that we need to carry on God’s mission—and God will call each of us to share of ourselves and our gifts in this work.  And as God calls us, God will free us from doubts about ourselves and our abilities so that we can witness God’s strength and goodness in ourselves and in each other.

I thank God to be with you and among you as your pastor.  I look forward to following Jesus Christ with you into the future God has prepared.  And by God’s help, I know that together, we are going to witness God’s freedom becoming a reality all throughout our life together.  Christ has freed us from the powers of sin and death that lead to misery and death.  Christ has made us alive—so let us go forth in the power of the Spirit to free this world to live in the grace and goodness of God. 

---

[i] McCoy, Travie, and Bruno Mars. Billionaire. Comps. Bruno Mars, Art Levine, Travis McCoy and Philip Lawrence. 2010.