“Let Freedom Ring!”
Leviticus 25:10

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Pastor Kevin Vogts
Trinity Lutheran Church
Paola, Kansas
Sixth Sunday after Pentecost–Independence Day Observance—July 4, 2021

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Two-hundred forty-five years ago today a bell in Philadelphia’s Independence Hall rang out the news of our nation’s Declaration of Independence.  But, actually, that is not why it’s called the Liberty Bell.  You may not know it is really called the Liberty Bell because of a Bible verse from Leviticus which is inscribed upon this bell: “Proclaim LIBERTY throughout the land, unto all the inhabitants thereof.”  Today we are going to look at the two kinds of freedom we have been blessed with: POLITICAL freedom in our nation, and SPIRITUAL freedom through our Savior.

This is a weekend of celebration in our nation, as we observe our national independence day with parades and family gatherings, barbeques, and fireworks.  What is it that we are observing as we celebrate the Fourth of July?  It represents much more than just the 245th birthday of our country.  It is also a celebration of the freedom and liberty that we enjoy in our nation. 

In the National Archives at Washington, D.C. you can view the Declaration of Independence and the two other important documents our early government adopted to insure freedom and liberty in our land, the Constitution and its first ten amendments, known as the “Bill of Rights.”  The first of the Constitution’s amendments is very unique among the laws of the nations, and it is especially important and appropriate for us, gathered here today.  Because, the very first right, the very first freedom 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 promises not to interfere with our spiritual beliefs, or our right to worship as we are here today.

Many years ago a Missouri Synod missionary was stationed in a foreign country where it was unexpectedly announced one New Year’s Day that beginning immediately all gatherings for Christian worship were forbidden.  When the missionary heard that news on the radio, he wondered what would happen.  For that very day he was scheduled to have a New Year’s communion service in his apartment for the members of his flock.  Would they still come?  At the appointed time there was a hesitant knock on the door, and then another and another, as the congregation gathered.  They were right in the middle of their communion service when there was a loud banging on the door and demands that it be opened.  They all sat quietly and said nothing.  After a few minutes the banging stopped, they heard footsteps marching away down the hall, and they continued their communion service.  But, that was the last service that missionary would conduct there.  For, he was soon captured by the secret police and thrown out of the country.

That true story helps us appreciate the first and greatest POLITICAL freedom we are blessed with in our nation, freedom of religion, freedom of worship.  And why is it that we gather together for worship?  What is it we are celebrating here at Trinity EVERY weekend?  We use the POLITICAL freedom we have to worship to celebrate the SPIRITUAL freedom that is ours through our Savior, Jesus Christ.

In ancient Israel every 50 years a very unique, year-long holiday was observed: the Year of Jubilee. The Bible verse that is on the Liberty Bell originally proclaimed this special year: “Proclaim liberty throughout the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.”  During the Year of Jubilee all debts were cancelled, all slaves were set free, and all property reverted to its original owners. 

The Year of Jubilee was a living prophecy in the history of Israel, pointing forward to a future time when all spiritual debts would be cancelled, when we would be set free from slavery to sin, when we would be returned to our rightful owner, the Lord our God.  At the beginning of his ministry Jesus announced the fulfillment of that prophecy and the arrival of the never-ending, spiritual jubilee: “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.”

Scripture tells us that because of our sinfulness we have all lost our spiritual freedom and we are by nature in bondage to Satan, and the slaves of sin.  This means every one of us, as Paul says in Galatians, “The Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin.” 

But, through the sacrifice of his life, death, and resurrection, God’s Son Jesus Christ earned for the world a spiritual “Declaration of Independence” from sin, death, and the Devil.  As Hebrews 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 by their fear of death.”  And as Paul says in Romans, “Now you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God.” 

God has declared for the whole world a spiritual “Bill of Rights,” the right to be his children, to come to him and call upon him as our heavenly Father, the right to enter eternal life.  As Paul says in Galatians, “God sent his Son . . . to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.”  In Romans Paul describes our spiritual freedom in Christ as, “The glorious freedom of the children of God.”

“Proclaim liberty throughout the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.”  Today we are celebrating two kinds of freedom that we have been blessed with.  POLITICAL freedom in our nation, and SPIRITUAL freedom through our Savior.

“Let Freedom Ring!”