April 22 devotion

You can watch today's devotion here.

Overlooked blessings…freedom

Galatians 5:1

4/22/20

Pastor John C. Berg

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not allow anyone to put the yoke of slavery on you again.

This is your daily devotion for April 22^nd. Let’s talk about another overlooked blessing—freedom.  We Americans talk a lot about freedom.  We treasure our freedom of speech.  We’re thankful that we have the freedom to worship God and to share our faith.

I’m talking about a different kind of freedom, what we often call “Christian freedom.”  In Galatians 5 St. Paul wrote, It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not allow anyone to put the yoke of slavery on you again.  The context of this is that there were people telling the Galatians they had to do certain things to be Christians.  Of course, God’s law does tell us “do this” and “don’t do that.”  But if we go beyond what his law actually says we are putting on a yoke of slavery, to use Paul’s word picture. 

Let me give you two examples of how this freedom is such blessing.  Why is it that Lutherans have the reputation of liking beer?  It certainly has something to do with the Lutheran church’s origin in Germany.  But it’s also because the Lutheran Church has a proper understanding of Christian freedom and alcoholic beverages.  Drunkenness is certainly a sin.  But we do have the freedom to enjoy beer, wine and liquor.  We can have a couple beers and enjoy that as a blessing from God rather than something to be ashamed of. 

Christian freedom is freedom from guilt.  Example #2:  Christian freedom is crucial when it comes to ethical dilemmas like the ones we are finding ourselves in now and maybe even more so in the coming months.  What is the right thing to do?  Should I go out and do this thing that seems necessary to support my family?  Should I go to work, to get supplies or is that irresponsible and selfish because I might spread the Coronavirus to someone who is vulnerable?  Depending on all the little details this can be an almost impossible choice.  What is the right thing to do?  I don’t know!  That’s a terrible situation to be in.  Here’s where Christian freedom comes in:  Make your choice as a Christian informed by God’s Word and go forth in freedom and confidence.  If you choose poorly, that sin is forgiven.  Jesus died for that too.  Live your life in joy and freedom!  What a blessing.

We pray:  Dear Jesus, you earned freedom for us with your life and death.  Give us the courage to live freely and responsibly.  Amen.